Reading Club?

[James]

Laura, I got the book yesterday and read the first two essays.  Whilst I still had to look up a lot of vocabulary, the grammar wasn't difficult.  The vocabulary in the second essay was killer, though!  I had to look up some words in three different dictionaries (two online, then the Oxford in print), in a few cases I couldn't find the meaning but could deduce knowing the Sanskrit base of the words, etc.  If this is 'easy' compared to Ghar aur baahar, I can only imagine the Hell that GAB was!!!    I'm hoping the second essay was just unusually dense?  The first wasn't so difficult, so...

Btw, I created a google docs spreadsheet to track the words I've looked up.  Since the majority of them can be found on online dictionaries, it's actually been pretty easy to do (copy/paste).  It was very cool.    You can find the spreadsheet here.  I think I added your gmail address to the list, Laura, which I gathered from the Harry Potter doc.  If you'd like to fiddle around with it, go ahead.  Otherwise, it's there for anyone who's reading this after us.    

[NewLaura]

I'm so glad you got the book!  And thanks so much for making the spreadsheet!  I look up a lot of words, too, but it seems very manageable after Ghar aur Baahar.      I just use the print Oxford dictionary, and I find almost all of them there.

I found the vocabulary in that second essay challenging, too.  (Ghar aur Baahar was worse, though!  )  Some essays are definitely easier to read than others.  That Smita Patel essay seemed more formal, almost like a eulogy. 

[Vinita]

Looks like I'm late to the party as usual.   

It's been more than 20 years since I've read anything in devnagri.  Are any of you interested in reading something together and discussing it here?

Suggestions for books to read also welcome.

[James]

I never finished reading that book of essays because I was borrowing it from the library, and it became a bit of a hassle to have to return it, re-borrow it, etc. I also remember finding the level of vocabulary rather challenging: it was rather shuddh and required looking up several words on each page. On the other hand, the grammar, etc., was simple enough, and the subjects were truly interesting. You might want to take a look at it, Vinita. You probably wouldn't have the vocabulary problems I did, but there is a spread sheet mentioned upthread that might be helpful. I'd be happy to go through that again, but I think I'll buy it if we all want to read that.

I purchased a couple of novels a while back that I haven't gone through yet by an author named Gulshan Nanda. They were cheap, didn't seem too long and the descriptions didn't seem too shuddh. One is called Darpok and the other is called Sukhe Ped Sabz Patte. Both are about 240 pgs and the language is not too difficult. I've already read a bit of Darpok a while back but ended up getting distracted by life and not finishing it. If anyone's interested in these books, I'd be happy to go along.

Otherwise, I'm happy to purchase something else we could all go through. I'm open to reading just about anything, though hopefully something not too high-falutin' in vocab just yet since that would be above my level.

Laura, we had talked about a blog upthread and I wonder what you think about that now? It occurs to me now that I know more about blogs that we could always create one blog with many authors and post our thoughts or responses to the various books we read as we have time to do so. That way there's no pressure on one person, it's a bit more communal (we'll read each other's stuff/interact), and therefore hopefully more fun. It doesn't have to be anything grand, just a place to give us all an excuse to use our Hindi. We could post in devanagari/roman script as per the comfort of the individual writer... Just a thought.

Another idea that occurs to me is that I googled some Hindi language book reviews and came up with this. It might function as a helpful template if any of us want to put our own thoughts down at some point. FYI.

Konkani Kudi, if we do read something together, would you be interested in joining us, too?

As an aside, I have learned to read Urdu and can do so slowly. I wonder if any of the rest of you have, too? If so, this might be of interest. Hint, hint. lol

Anyway, regardless of anything else, count me in on doing some reading...it would be a nice way to spend some time over the summer.
ETA:

I found out about a website called Apni Hindi where they have a lot of Hindi language e-books. We might find something there worth reading, too. They also have a Facebook page which I've liked, and as a bonus, they often post silly jokes that I end up reading and telling my friends.

[NewLaura]

Looks like I'm late to the party as usual.   

It's been more than 20 years since I've read anything in devnagri.  Are any of you interested in reading something together and discussing it here?

Suggestions for books to read also welcome.

Right now I'm reading शहंशाह - ए - बालीवुड : शाहरूख खान और हिंदी सिनेमा की मोहक दुनीया, if you're interested in that    My husband bought it for me at Natarajbooks.com (in the actual store), but I can't find it on their website.  I bet they still have it, though, if you emailed them.  Here's a link to a website that does have it:
http://books.indiangiftsportal.com/book/shanshah-e-bollywood-chopra-anupama/9788189632090

I also have the English version, King of Bollywood: Shah Rukh Khan and the Seductive World of Indian Cinema, which makes it much easier.  I keep the English version open to the same page and then I can just flick my eyes over to look up words I don't know, without having to get out the dictionary, etc., and lose my whole train of thought with the rest of the sentence/paragraph.  It's still probably going to take me months to finish it, though.  I'm only a quarter of the way through it.

Before this book, I'd been reading Hindi movie scripts that had both the Devanagari and an English translation, and I found that made it so much more enjoyable and easy to read.  I posted about them in the relevant thread (although I just realized I forgot to post about the last one I read, Mughal-e-Azam):
http://www.bollywhat-forum.com/index.php?topic=33550.0

I never finished reading that book of essays because I was borrowing it from the library, and it became a bit of a hassle to have to return it, re-borrow it, etc. I also remember finding the level of vocabulary rather challenging: it was rather shuddh and required looking up several words on each page. On the other hand, the grammar, etc., was simple enough, and the subjects were truly interesting. You might want to take a look at it, Vinita. You probably wouldn't have the vocabulary problems I did, but there is a spread sheet mentioned upthread that might be helpful. I'd be happy to go through that again, but I think I'll buy it if we all want to read that.

The vocabulary in that book was too hard for me, too, but I finished it...I just stopped looking up words.      I'd read that again, too, if you wanted to. 

I purchased a couple of novels a while back that I haven't gone through yet by an author named Gulshan Nanda. They were cheap, didn't seem too long and the descriptions didn't seem too shuddh. One is called Darpok and the other is called Sukhe Ped Sabz Patte. Both are about 240 pgs and the language is not too difficult. I've already read a bit of Darpok a while back but ended up getting distracted by life and not finishing it. If anyone's interested in these books, I'd be happy to go along.

I would buy either of those, if you want to go through them.  I'd lean toward Darpok just because of the cover on the website     (realizing it may have another cover when I get it...but Abhishek/Rani is a lot more appealing than that leather dominatrix on the other one. )

Laura, we had talked about a blog upthread and I wonder what you think about that now? It occurs to me now that I know more about blogs that we could always create one blog with many authors and post our thoughts or responses to the various books we read as we have time to do so. That way there's no pressure on one person, it's a bit more communal (we'll read each other's stuff/interact), and therefore hopefully more fun. It doesn't have to be anything grand, just a place to give us all an excuse to use our Hindi. We could post in devanagari/roman script as per the comfort of the individual writer... Just a thought.

I don't know anything at all about blogs, but it sounds promising.  It would be really hard for me to post about what I read in Hindi (and probably even harder for you to try to decipher,  )...but it would be really good for me.  I haven't written in Hindi at all since I finished going through Snell.      

[Vinita]

In America, generally speaking, romance novels are written for a fifth grade level reader and most other novels for a seventh grade level reader.  Is it the same with novels written in Hindi? I wasn't allowed to read romances when I was in India, so I don't know what level they are written at.  But I do remember one of my neighbour aunties reading romances, so I know they were published in Hindi.

I first need to figure out at what level I can read Hindi.

How about The Hunger Games?  Has that been translated into Hindi?  Is it available to purchase? Since it is aimed at a Young Adult level, maybe it's translation would be easier to read?

Re: a communal blog.  I'd be happy to contribute.

Laura, I'd like to read the Shahrukh book in Hindi.  I've read it in English already.

Reading Hindi movie scripts sounds like fun.  I am in the process of learning how to write commercial fiction, with an emphasis on romance.  I would be very interested in any books about Indian movie screen plays and story writing, preferably in Hindi, so I could kill two birds with one stone, but I won't turn my nose up at English books that cover the same subject.   

[James]

I've sent off an email to the Nataraj people regarding that book, guys, and I'll post here with their response.

I would buy either of those, if you want to go through them.  I'd lean toward Darpok just because of the cover on the website    (realizing it may have another cover when I get it...but Abhishek/Rani is a lot more appealing than that leather dominatrix on the other one. )

The dominatrix in question is none other than Raveena Tandon 'sizzling' in a photo from the 90s!   Actually, in both cases the subjects of the novels have nothing to do with the pictures on them, the pictures appear to be totally random. Darpok seems to be a con artist sort of story, and the other a story of an unfortunate woman. If that interests you guys, I'd be happy to go through either of them with you...that would be rather convenient, actually!

I don't know anything at all about blogs, but it sounds promising.  It would be really hard for me to post about what I read in Hindi (and probably even harder for you to try to decipher,  )...but it would be really good for me.  I haven't written in Hindi at all since I finished going through Snell.  

I get to chat regularly with a couple of friends in Hindi, but I rarely ever write anything in Hindi, so it'd be good practice. Also, one usually writes at a higher level than one speaks, so it'd give some scope to really use Hindi. Maybe we can plan this out once we get through an actual novel together? I think it would be fun and also leave something behind for all the trouble we'd be going to reading the books in our third language.

How about The Hunger Games?  Has that been translated into Hindi?  Is it available to purchase? Since it is aimed at a Young Adult level, maybe it's translation would be easier to read?

I don't know but can research a little tomorrow to find out. I would caution, though, that the Harry Potter translation really felt like a translation (I can only imagine how they'd translate, 'May the odds be ever in your favour'    ). It was sort of hard for me to get into it as a result. I'm aware of your general level of Hindi thanks to interactions on the forum here in the Language Corner and suspect you'd do just fine with a novel that used natural language. Really, you have no grammar issues and at most might have some issues with vocab, which is why I assume something that reflects more the spoken language you heard growing up, as opposed to a more shuddh/artificial 'literary' language, should be fine for you. We can do a translation if you like, but I'd say in your case there's no need to be shy.

Re: a communal blog.  I'd be happy to contribute.

Yay! lol

Reading Hindi movie scripts sounds like fun.  I am in the process of learning how to write commercial fiction, with an emphasis on romance.  I would be very interested in any books about Indian movie screen plays and story writing, preferably in Hindi, so I could kill two birds with one stone, but I won't turn my nose up at English books that cover the same subject.

I've never really read a script before but am willing to try it.

I should have asked before, but Emel3, would you care to join us in this, too?

[James]

So I heard back from the Nataraj people saying simply that the book is no longer in stock, so I don't think they'll be too helpful. Laura, have you ever used the company you linked to?

Vinita, I've been trying to find any trace of a Hindi translation of the Hunger Games but all I keep getting are references to the dubbed version of the movie. Weird that it's mentioned repeatedly as having been translated into 26 languages, but no word on what those languages are!

[NewLaura]

In America, generally speaking, romance novels are written for a fifth grade level reader and most other novels for a seventh grade level reader.  Is it the same with novels written in Hindi? I wasn't allowed to read romances when I was in India, so I don't know what level they are written at.  But I do remember one of my neighbour aunties reading romances, so I know they were published in Hindi.

Yes, I thought romance novels might be easier to read than some of the classics I've tried, but I haven't succeeded in finding any.  I even asked a friend of mine to look for me when she was in Mumbai, and she went in several bookstores and asked with no success.  But maybe the two books James found are similar?

Reading Hindi movie scripts sounds like fun.  I am in the process of learning how to write commercial fiction, with an emphasis on romance.  I would be very interested in any books about Indian movie screen plays and story writing, preferably in Hindi, so I could kill two birds with one stone, but I won't turn my nose up at English books that cover the same subject. 

Yes, I've really loved reading the movie scripts.  And I even found that I enjoyed the scripts of movies that I didn't particularly like.

The dominatrix in question is none other than Raveena Tandon 'sizzling' in a photo from the 90s!  Actually, in both cases the subjects of the novels have nothing to do with the pictures on them, the pictures appear to be totally random. Darpok seems to be a con artist sort of story, and the other a story of an unfortunate woman. If that interests you guys, I'd be happy to go through either of them with you...that would be rather convenient, actually!

Ha!  I didn't recognize Raveena.      I think I'd rather read a con artist story than the story of an unfortunate woman.   

So I heard back from the Nataraj people saying simply that the book is no longer in stock, so I don't think they'll be too helpful. Laura, have you ever used the company you linked to?

No, I haven't used them, just found the link when I googled the title.   

I've only read a quarter of the book so far.  The first chapter and a half were too hard because it was an intro to Indian/Peshawar politics, society, etc., and there was a lot of economics/political science/social science type vocabulary.  But once it got to the SRK biography part, it got easier.  I'm not a SRK fangirl, but I find it interesting.   

[Vinita]

Vinita, I've been trying to find any trace of a Hindi translation of the Hunger Games but all I keep getting are references to the dubbed version of the movie. Weird that it's mentioned repeatedly as having been translated into 26 languages, but no word on what those languages are!

James,
I'll post a request in my FB page and my family's Yahoo group and see if we can find someone who sells the Hindi translation.

Yes, I thought romance novels might be easier to read than some of the classics I've tried, but I haven't succeeded in finding any.  I even asked a friend of mine to look for me when she was in Mumbai, and she went in several bookstores and asked with no success.  But maybe the two books James found are similar?

Laura, I'll ask my extended family in India about romances and the SRK book too.  Maybe someone can help us. 

Have either of you read this guy's blogs?
http://www.hindinovels.net/
It looks like he posts original stories in Hindi, English and Marathi on his blogs.   

[James]

Yes, I thought romance novels might be easier to read than some of the classics I've tried, but I haven't succeeded in finding any.  I even asked a friend of mine to look for me when she was in Mumbai, and she went in several bookstores and asked with no success.  But maybe the two books James found are similar?

Well, I don't think the level of the language would be any higher, though there are a few written language affectations.

Ha!  I didn't recognize Raveena.      I think I'd rather read a con artist story than the story of an unfortunate woman.   

I think it would be much lighter...

I've only read a quarter of the book so far.  The first chapter and a half were too hard because it was an intro to Indian/Peshawar politics, society, etc., and there was a lot of economics/political science/social science type vocabulary.  But once it got to the SRK biography part, it got easier.  I'm not a SRK fangirl, but I find it interesting.   

Just the fact that Anupama Chopra wrote it makes it interesting to me. I generally find her insightful, so if we can get our hands on it, why not?

James,
I'll post a request in my FB page and my family's Yahoo group and see if we can find someone who sells the Hindi translation.Laura, I'll ask my extended family in India about romances and the SRK book too.  Maybe someone can help us.

Cool. 

Have either of you read this guy's blogs?
http://www.hindinovels.net/
It looks like he posts original stories in Hindi, English and Marathi on his blogs.

No, but it looks quite neat, though it seems not to have been updated since 2008? Either way, lots of good stuff there.

[NewLaura]

I’ve been meaning to pop back with an update. I finished the SRK biography, but only because I forced myself to read a page a day.  I was pretty bored with it by the end, honestly.

Next I read Devdas, which I’d bought at the same time I bought Ghar aur Baahar.  I was afraid it was going to have the same Bengali/Sanskrit/Hindi translation issues and be as challenging as Ghar aur Baahar had been.  But it wasn’t!  It was actually very manageable.  (And a lot more interesting than the SRK biography.)  The vocabulary was relatively simple.  It doesn’t list the translator, but it’s a 2002 edition published by Diamond Pocket Books, and it has a copper cover with Madhuri, SRK, and Aish from the film.  

Now I’m reading a book I found on indiaclub.com:  Lagbagh Single by Advaita Kala (HarperCollins India, 2010).  
http://www.indiaclub.com/shop/SearchResults.asp?ProdStock=31498

I paged through hundreds of book entries on indiaclub, trying to find a light Hindi novel.  Most of the novels seem to be either written in English or serious/heavy/depressing.  When this book arrived, I realized it was actually a translation of a novel (Almost Single) written in English!   I was curious about the author and the translator (Manisha Taneja) and googled them both.  I found this interview with Advaita Kala, about how she wrote Kahaani!  (Turns out she wrote the screenplay for Anjaana Anjaani, too.)  I had no idea.

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-03-16/books/31142700_1_kahaani-sujoy-ghosh-vidya-balan

Anyway, I’ve just started Lagbagh Single, but so far I’m happy with it.  It’s sort of “Sex in the City” -type “chick lit,” with humorous misadventures, etc. of a young woman who works at a large hotel.  It’s very light and the vocabulary is relatively easy.  There is a lot of Hinglish in it.  I’m a little fascinated by which phrases the translator kept completely in English, just transliterated into Devanagari.  (for example, from p.38:  माफ़ करना, लेकिन मैंने इतना ध्यान नहीं दिया | आइ वाज़ टू शाक्ड)  

[NewLaura]

I thought it might be helpful to share a sample page from each of the books I read, in case it would help anyone judge whether they would want to read them.  Right click to view a bigger image.

Harry Potter aur Paaras Patthar



Ghar aur baahar


eta:  funny, I remember ghar aur baahar as every other word beginning with प्रति or स्व, but it isn't quite as bad as I remember  

jaagi raaton ke kisse



Shahenshah-e-bollywood



Devdas




Lagbhag single

[James]

Your consistency is inspirational.  I wish I had just a bit of that! I must confess I've mostly read news articles here and there. It's pretty easy to read BBC Hindi on my phone and I've also been looking at UrduPoint.com, which is a great Urdu website (they actually use the proper nastaliq script!). So I haven't followed through with my Hindi novel reading  That said, I was talking to some friends about it last week, and they recommended the stories of Akbar and Birbal. I've just been trying to find a good copy from somewhere, when I have some news about that, I'll post here.