Leisure reading, part 2

So, here's where I left off since the last post.

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After reading that Coelho book, I took a slight hiatus from reading in the craziness of medical school applications. I spent that time catching up on the healthcare crisis, President Obama's view on healthcare, new medical practices, etc. After that, I took both Corey and my former lab manager's recommendation, and read The Life of Pi. It's a fictional, or not-so-fictional, story about a boy who finds himself shipwrecked in transit to Canada from India and his tale of survival with a 450 lb bengal tiger. Aside from survival, the author has managed to weave multiple themes into the story, including theology, friendship, hope, and human nature. It was quite the intriguing read, and I found myself unable to stop myself from reading many a times. It seemed incredibly unbelievable at times, yet the author was able to convey the situations in a frighteningly tangible manner, and the main character, Pi, was someone most people could relate to. The humaneness of it all was something readers could relate to, which considering the story, seems improbable. It was very well written, and again, highly recommend it.

While reading The Life of Pi, I was also reading through Coelho's amalgamation of various quotes and anecdotes in The Warrior of the Light. This manuscript contains more than a hundred pages of single page stories or situations that a warrior of the light often finds himself in, and how one can reflect on the situation and always take something out of it. It's been a lifesaver to carry around, even through med school interviews. Surprisingly, or maybe not so, during rough times, I tend to open to a random page, and more often than not, am presented with something relevant and thought-provoking. Way better than a magic 8 ball.

Currently, I find myself reading two books. The first is another Coelho book, The Witch of Portobello, which talks about being different and sticking to what you know, regardless of social pressures. I'm not far into the book, but I already find myself sympathizing with the troubles faced by the protagonist. I'm looking forward to finishing this book soon. The other piece of literature occupying my time is called Circles. I'm actually surprised that I find myself writing this, but I figure only those who care enough about me are reading this post anyway, so whatever. It's a furry comicbook geared towards the gay demographic. And just in case you were wondering, no, I am not a furry, yet I find the stories inside this comic book ridiculously cute and highly appealing. I'm only through 2 of the 5 chapters, but I can't wait to continue reading.

And that's where I am with my booking. I have many books on my 'to read' list, including more Coelho books, Wicked, Water for Elephants, and Sphere. Any more recommendations are more than welcome! (I can haz moar sci-fi, preaze?!)

P.S. - I also refrain from mentioning all the scientific articles I've been reading, but if I haven't lost you yet, you MUST read this. And if you don't want to read the whole thing, I suggest you look at the 1967 published scientific paper on microorganisms in beards. Scientist or not, the pictures and ideas should give you something to laugh about. Enjoy!