. it took me some time achieveing that nihilistic bend of mind to appreciate it

The guy's extremely cynical in one sense, egocentric even...but nihilistic?

I was talking about the complete lay of the novel ashwin not about Rorak or Howard. it did appeal to me as nihilsm --- more like the destruction of social norm for its own sake. Ayn Rand generalizes on objectivism in all her novels. But my perception was that there was a nihilistic bend in Fountainhead even within the borders of objectivism.

On the business front I very recently read the "Odyssey- Pepsi to apple" by a john Sculley. Relates his experiences as head of Pepsi Cola and His marketing stints in Apple. Very insightful guys and very interesting reading, esp. the way pepsi got the upper hand over coke in those mid 70's and 80's era, in the cola war. Great case studies of marketing and advertisement strategies, if we can get over a few jumps of emotional hump in between.

GG

Hello Ravi !

Very inspiring philosophy - i even tried 2 live that way for a few years, but got frustrated. Looks like it'll work only inan ideal world where everybody and everything is rational.

Wait.. you can't live life Howard's way. He lives in his own world. His work, his passion and almost complete detachment everywhere else. No one needs a rational world to live in. As for Howard, nor did he live in a rational world. You surely read Fountainhead and saw what happened to the temple he built.

I guess people fall in love with the idea of being so completely devoted to their passion that everything else seems to be the . Its quite possible to live it up that way, provided you have a an overiding passion for anything in your life.

Regards,

2 of my favourite books are by John Grisham namely "Time to Kill" and "The Firm".

His best two books I'd reckon. Grisham started off great I mean his first 5-6 books were great, been going progressively downwards atleast that's what I think...what do you think?

I saw the movie "A Time To Kill"...like it usually happens, the movie came nowhere close to the book....I haven't seen "The Firm" (it's my favourite Grisham book) though, Tom Cruise right?

Hi guys

Great conversation on this thread.

2 of my favourite books are by John Grisham namely "Time to Kill" and "The Firm". Both of them are beautifully paced and superbly written. Besides these also loved "Space" by James Michener, "Contact" by Carl Sagan, "Saving Faith" by David Baldacci and "The Big Picture" by Douglas Kennedy.

At present I'm reading "Carribean" by James Michener


Wayne

Or maybe i am cynical too

Hi Ashwin.
I apologize. I tht u were referring to Ayn Rand. And Roark didn't seem cynical to me, just realistic. He was right about the world. Or maybe i am cynical too
Ravi

The guy's extremely cynical in one sense, egocentric even...but nihilistic?

Ayn Rand is a woman

I was referring to Howard Roark ("guy's extremely cynical...") not Rand.

Hi Guys.
Would just like to correct sthng. Ashwin, u said

The guy's extremely cynical in one sense, egocentric even...but nihilistic?

Ayn Rand is a woman or rather was as she died sometime in the 80s. I am a grt fan of hers. PG, u said u just reread The Fountainhead. I've read all her fiction at least 7-8 times. Haven't had the time 2 start on the nonfiction as it is a bit heavy and requires a lot of thought.
Very inspiring philosophy - i even tried 2 live that way for a few years, but got frustrated. Looks like it'll work only inan ideal world where everybody and everything is rational.
Ravi

hey hey......itne saare boks padhega kaun

hey guys u r truly way above me.superble well read.Well any recommendations for starting out slowly but surely.

. it took me some time achieveing that nihilistic bend of mind to appreciate it

The guy's extremely cynical in one sense, egocentric even...but nihilistic?

I just finished Ayn Rand's "The FountainHead" for the second time a couple of days ago.

Always been intimated by the size of her books until now , 'coz of my busy schedule. Maybe it's time to attack it.

Man!!! it has been some time since I have been here!!! And this forum is agog with the most cognitive and happening crowd I have seen in one place. -- gives me those thrills down my spine reading such informative pieces

I used to share your thoughts ColdFusion, till i did read Ayn Rand's Atlas shrugged. Took me a couple of readings to get the gist of it and then 'kaboom ' something clicked....

FountainHead of course is a masterpiece. it took me some time achieveing that nihilistic bend of mind to appreciate it


GG

I just finished Ayn Rand's "The FountainHead" for the second time a couple of days ago.

Always been intimated by the size of her books until now , 'coz of my busy schedule. Maybe it's time to attack it.

I have read Fountain head, but a long time ago.Nowadays am not able to read continuously, so I stick to comics - mainly Archie.Jughead is my favourite and i never tire of reading comics.The last book I read was - who moved my cheese by Dr. spencer Johnson.Very simply written for the layman but profound thoughts!

To Kill a Mocking Bird - Harper Lee - Again a best seller. A great read. The story from the perspective of a kid, is simply awesome.

It's a great read this one...

I just finished Ayn Rand's "The FountainHead" for the second time a couple of days ago. I

The truly great works...its the timelessness that's the best thing about them...they retain their currency in any age...

heylo ppl...
i just finished The Dilbert Principle by Scott Adams..guyz...its simply hillarious.
a must read i guess.....he talks abt the basic, normal , day-to-day fundas that happen in the corporate world in a very witty but smart manner...
i am sure u will laugh ur butt off!!!

I just finished Ayn Rand's "The FountainHead" for the second time a couple of days ago. It had been a couple of years since I read it first. It ranks right up there with the best. I guess it just never ages. Surprising since it was written in the 1940s and still is so eminently readable.

From good literature to simple all out fun - Read - The Inscrutable Americans - Anurag Mathur. Simply hilarious. The travails of an Indian Bhai in the US for further studies. A Hinglish Book. But funny as hell.

To Kill a Mocking Bird - Harper Lee - Again a best seller. A great read. The story from the perspective of a kid, is simply awesome.

Happy Reading

Ernest Hemingway and his Old Man and the Sea. I read that twice in one shot . One of the best of the genre i've read.

Ok next in line!

read "archangel" by robert harris..excellent

Well Ashwin, when you mentioned the Caribbean, what struck me straightaway was Ernest Hemingway and his Old Man and the Sea. I read that twice in one shot . One of the best of the genre i've read. The struggle the old man had with the sharks was well written, yet gripped you more than any of the so-called thrillers I've read.

so amazingly well written and emotive that you wanna read them again

I had a hard time finding books last time, I went to the library. It looks like I'll find it hard to decide now

LOVE IN THE TIME OF CHOLERA: GABRIEL GARCIA MARQUEZ

This was my first Marquez book so I wasn't too sure what to expect. It's set somewhere around early 19th century in the Caribbean, the way he's conveyed the setting is pretty impressive. there are a few parts in the book that are so amazingly well written and emotive that you wanna read them again. (if anyone's read it, there's this episode of them fighting over toilet soap: i thought that was beautifully written) but the downside, atleast for me, was that I ended up reading the book simply to get to these parts. And there aren't as many of these parts as I hoped there would be. Overall, it was an average read; I wanted to read Marquez so I did. "one Hundred years of solitude" is of course his most famous work, I haven't read that yet, anyone here who has?

A very pertinent question, me and a friend were wondering about this: Is it pronounced "Lie-la" or "Lee-la" ??

Oh neither.. Its LIL-Ah

You are right there!! LILA is much more digestible

Really? Ok. Because my Lila bookmark is still at around page 50 haven't got beyond that. Now I think I might get on with the book....

A very pertinent question, me and a friend were wondering about this: Is it pronounced "Lie-la" or "Lee-la" ??

Yup Allwin,

Great Thread!!

I've heard that LILA is much better written and the philosophical talk is much more down to earth. Let me know more.

You are right there!! LILA is much more digestible . Zen does take some time and effort to decipher, and you can still not understand where he is going with it. I read them some 3-4 years back and don't really remember the nitty-gritty. But ya... If you liked Zen you'll definitely like LILA.

Got a lot of input now!! If only I can find the time to read them.

Hi guys.
Thanks to drugballad 4 resurrecting this ! I had really wanted 2 c this thread again. But the link 2 the discussion on "Zen and ...." reminds me that a lot of people who had been active back then have dropped out - guru is one.
And i have a few recos too.
1. "The nudist on the late shift" by Po Bronson - Real stories from silicon valley including a whole damn chapter on our own whiz kid of the net boom - Sabeer Bhatia and how he started hotmail.
2. "The new new thing " by Michael Lewis - Yeah. this is the same guy who wrote "Liar's Poker" and this is all about Netscape and its founder Jim Clark. Both this and the Nudist are amazing books with the sort of insider's view they give u on silicon valley.
3. "Eat the Rich" by P.J O'Rourke (if i remember the name right) - Really amazing book which answers a lot of the Qns any layman would ask abt Economics. Amazing for the readability and entertainment value it dishes out along with lots of good info.
Will add to this list when i remeber more
Ravi

Dig Dig.. here it is

http://www.pagalguy.com/cat/viewtopic.php?t=103

The search function actually works well !

Thanks to drugballad for resurrecting this post. I wonder why I had listed so few books . I'll append the list soon.

Thankyou Allwin for that list... seen many of them at our local library, but was not sure if they were worth my time

Can I convince you otherwise ?

Robert Pirsig - Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintanence , Lila - You can go pagal reading them

Ashwin and I had a discussion on the Zen and the Art of MotoBike Maintenance. I can't seem to find that thread. Should learn to use the 'Search' function muhself now

Hi All,

Thrilled to see people with the reading habit here.
Thankyou Allwin for that list... seen many of them at our local library, but was not sure if they were worth my time

Anyways check out Catch-22( Heller) one of the most hilarious books EVER.

No arguments on that

I recommend these. There are more but these are the ones that got me hooked and are out of the way


Management :
1) Father Son and Co - Tom Watson Jr (IBM)
2) Only the Paranoid Survive - Andrew S Grove(Intel)
3) In Search of Excellence - Tom Peters and Bob (Robert) Waterman (Mckinsey- Atleast at time of release )
4) The Discipline of Market leaders - Michael Treacy, Fred Wiersema
5) Focus - Al Ries


Popular
Earth's Children Series - Jean M. Auel
Hobbit, Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkein
Inconceivable, Gridlock , Dead famous - Bill Elton - (I really like his style)


Alternative
Charles Dickens - I just started on the guy... didn't get my hand on them earlier
Robert Pirsig - Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintanence , Lila - You can go pagal reading them

Now reading - The Pickwick Papers and The Wisdom of teams ( Katzenberg , Smith)

heylo all
I have read the foll books...
1) The Road ahead (Bill Gates)
2) Made in Japan (Akio Morita)
3) Unnatural Leadership (err...not sure)
4) Borderless World (err....its abt globalisation....)
5) Kotler on Marketing (Philip Kotler...a masterpiece)

there r a lot more....cant recollect at this point of time...

lets keep this thread alive guys....
we need more msgs
byeee
:D

hey guys my really slithering experience was when i read HANNIBAL .....grt book , but so morbid and the imagery used by harris ...ooof..really is gut wrenching and exciting

Jeez what a superbly well read bunch. Any tips on getting so well read without going broke?

In Mumbai ? Then assemble a book list and give Churchgate/Fountain a visit. To get books at a good bargain price, you can visit

www.strandbookstall.com

They have shops in Mumbai & Bangalore. This is my official supplier of books

Jeez what a superbly well read bunch. Any tips on getting so well read without going broke?

Anyways check out Catch-22( Heller) one of the most hilarious books EVER. Great for getting a new perspective on the wierdness of life.

Allwin- i've read Maverick - that is a rad book, dude !
But i don't agree with all his ideas.

Nobody agrees with all his ideas.

Eric Lustbader is 2 dark 4 my tastes

True, its not a book for everyone's tastes. No mushy stuff

Pagal, tu bilkul pagal hai, yaar !

Compliment ?

Hi guys.
Usually don't hang out at the lounge bcoz i am swamped in work at office and sneak off only an hour or so at the forum every day.
But 2day i have lots of time and thought i'd try the lounge.
Allwin- i've read Maverick - that is a rad book, dude !
But i don't agree with all his ideas.
And my fave authors r Ayn Rand, Richard Bach, P.G Wodehouse and Po Bronson. Eric Lusbader is 2 dark 4 my tastes. tried reading some of his books, but found them slightly bizarre and they leave a bad aftertaste in ur mouth ! Pagal, tu bilkul pagal hai, yaar !
Ravi

I dint know I was being impressed for nothing..

The book itself is very good. Just that a guy of such vision, determination & clarity should have shown the losses he did at Ford with the same integrity in the right chapters. It is a very nice book for new comers on the scene and should not deter any one from picking it up for a quick read

Regards,

Say, even "The Road Ahead" is no novice's job! Ultimate in its own way!

Now that is the first book of Bill G right ? I haven't read that one though.

Regards,

Lee Iacocca hid certain details about how he caused the Ford Co. tons of losses by way of the launch of the "Pinto" ( I think ) car

Gee! I dint know I was being impressed for nothing.. thanks Allwin..

-> My Years at General Motors - Alfred Sloan Jr.

This one ranks high up there. A master piece no doubt.

Sure a master piece!
Even I read it on the recommendation of esteemed Mr. Bill Gates..
Say, even "The Road Ahead" is no novice's job! Ultimate in its own way!

Ouch ! I forgot to add one more master piece I recently laid my hands on.

-> My Years at General Motors - Alfred Sloan Jr.

This one ranks high up there. A master piece no doubt. I had to read it thrice. It was tough to get in all the information and perspectives at the same time. This was one visionary.

Bill Gates on the above book: If there is only one book you have to read on management, Read this.

Hm.. I've read Bill Gates' Business @ Speed of Thought. I was truly surprised at the integration possibilities of computers with our normal lives. Microsoft truly has integrated almost everything they can lay their hands on. This book shows what an high tech company can do in terms of integration, computerisation & getting computers to almost dominate every aspect of life.

Regards,

Anyways, talking about management, I recommend "Iacocca"..
Its the autobiography of Mr. Lee Iacocca! Yeah! you're right, the man behind the Ford!

I read it a long time ago. Self Serving book. I was surprised the way Lee Iacocca hid certain details about how he caused the Ford Co. tons of losses by way of the launch of the "Pinto" ( I think ) car. But then he hides this fact a couple of chapters after he boots Mr. Ford, left, right & center for not treating him fairly

phew!!!!!!!
hey emperor! even I seem to have a lot to catch up! I thought that I was voracious reader, but now it feels as if am still a tyro!
Anyways, talking about management, I recommend "Iacocca"..
Its the autobiography of Mr. Lee Iacocca! Yeah! you're right, the man behind the Ford! No too much of learning stuff, but sure very interesting!

IMG president "What they don't teach you at Harvard Business school" which would probably be more useful while actually doing MBA.

That one is by Mark McCormack. I have it & just recently loaned it to a friend. The book is a personal autobiography. Almost. The one over-riding theme in the book is about treating people right and giving them the responsibility to do the job.

Regards

Allwin, I have not read any of the books you have mentiond. Looks like I have a lot of catching to do.

IMO, the first book that a person even remotely interested in management , or otherwise , should read is " YOU CAN WIN" by Shiv Khera.

Also there is a very good book by the IMG president "What they don't teach you at Harvard Business school" which would probably be more useful while actually doing MBA.