All posts tagged: Poetry

collage of books

Reading Challenge: 2021 (Short Reads)

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This is Part 1 of 4 posts about the books I read in 2021. I’ll start with the shorter reads.
Amazon Kindle has teamed up with some great story writers for a series of short stories in various themes that are available only as Kindle books or Audibles. I read a few that were powerful reads.
This year, I also read some books from the romance genre, from the literary to the unabashed soft porn. I wasn’t blown away by any of them, but they were good in-between reads—a palette cleanser, if you may!
I couldn’t catch up on any poetry collections published this year, mainly because I didn’t have the time to research the titles I wanted to read. I’m still looking for an easier way to get a list of books from different genres and regions without spending hours researching.
Short Stories I read in 2021
Books on Romance
Poetry Books

banner with 3 books

Reading Challenge: 2020 (Poetry)

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I love adding poetry books to my list of yearly reading. It adds just a good variety and unique perspective sometimes.  I’ve been curious about this for a long time now, and when I started – yikes! – my reading comprehension was poor. I had to teach myself everything I knew about poetry. In college, I got a lot of valuable feedback and support which has played a big role in helping me improve my reading skills greatly. I would encourage you to make your reading lists diverse not only by authors but by genre as well.  Mouthful of Forevers by Clementine von Radics: I first read her work on Instagram and found her words powerfully descriptive. I love this collection. The poems are short, most only a line or two, but still convey everything they mean to. “Getting everything you ever wanted does not make you want less” The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Macksey: This is not really a book of poetry but I don’t know which list …

2 books of Rumi's translated works by Farrukh Dhondy

The Poetry of Rumi: Book review of translations by Farrukh Dhondy

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O pilgrim who visit the Holy Land I’ll show you heaven in a grain of sand Are you hooked already? You might have read many such snippets on Instagram and Pinterest. You might have even heard the poet’s name – Rumi. Jalaluddin Rumi was a spiritual master and poet who lived in 13th Century Tajikistan. His poetry has influenced literature in the region and now through some great translations, continue to inspire us. Farrukh Dhondy has translated some of them into a series of two books. Rumi A New Translation and Rumi: A New Collection I fell for the cover first of all, and the inside pages did not disappoint either. The poems are good…some are great. Dance when the bowl of soul is shattered Dance when you’ve nudged the blindfold off Dance when the battle was all that mattered Dance though the world stands by to scoff! The poems have a musical way to lure you in. These are not meant to be read in a single sitting. Instead read, and re-read at leisure, …

banner with 3 books: Sea Prayer, the sun and her flowers, and Fierce Fairytales

Reading Challenge: 2018 (Poetry)

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I got hooked to poetry in college. I loved the flow of it, the subtlety and directness of it, and how it expressed so much with so little. The classics are always something I fall back on but I find contemporary poetry to be so much more hard-hitting. Here are some of my 2018 reads in Poetry. Nom Chomp Slurp: This is close to my heart because it’s written by my baby sister. It is an awesome book to encourage kids to eat fruits. The catchy rhyme and vibrant illustrations hold the attention of any kid. Good book for early readers to read on their own as well. Sea Prayer by Khaled Hosseini: A beautifully told heart-wrenching short narrative that takes you in the mind of a father about to get into a raft for refugees with his son. You can feel the pain, nostalgia, and hope. The book might be over in ten minutes but the thought of it stays with you for much longer. I’ve read it twice already. The Sun and Her …

open pages of a book laid next to a tea cup and flowers

Reading Challenge: 2016

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16 books in 2016. Before I get dejected by that low number, I remind myself I just had a baby and I’m glad I could read even one. Fans of physical books will scoff at me but the Kindle got me through the long breast-feeding and rocking-to sleep sessions this year. I could hold it in one hand and read without disturbing my sleeping baby. I love technology. I do miss the feel of paper, using bookmarks, and finding leaves and flowers between pages long forgotten; I don’t miss the wrist pain after reading large books, carrying a large book while waiting in a waiting room, or reading in uncomfortable places because everywhere else people need the lights off to sleep apparently.  Kindle ebooks are readily available for almost all titles, you can carry a bunch of them wherever you go, and read without hurting your wrist and neck. I have the Kindle Paperwhite which lets me adjust the screen brightness and it doesn’t strain your eyes like a tablet or phone does. I freely …