2 States, Zero Percentile & LTC

Lux had sent me many a books in Feb this year. From amongst them (seven), I had read 2 States and Zero Percentile when I went home during Holi. I finished reading the third book – Love in the Time of Cholera, only today – just some time ago in fact.

2 States: was very filmy but had loved reading it. I know people have this habit of labeling Bhagat as a lowbrow writer and all that but there is no way you wouldn’t enjoy reading 2 States.

Zero percentile: the ‘story’ was interesting; story-telling very mediocre.

Love in the Time of Cholera: Now this one was a classic. Even when I read the translation (book was originally written in Spanish)and even when I thought Florentino Ariza was kinda crazy you know, when I was finally done reading the book, I had to confess to myself that the whole affair spread across decades was kinda cute and sweet and mushy and awwwish. Here are some quotes from the book:

But if they had learned anything together, it was that wisdom comes to us when it can no longer do any good.

…old age was an indecent state that had to be ended before it was too late.

She reminded him that the weak would never enter the kingdom of love, which is a harsh and ungenerous kingdom, and that women give themselves only to men of resolute spirit, who provide the security they need in order to face life.

The problem with marriage is that it ends every night after making love, and it must be rebuilt every morning before breakfast.

The problem in public life is learning to overcome terror; the problem in married life is learning to overcome boredom.

…and nothing in this world was more difficult than love.

Always remember that the most important thing in a good marriage is not happiness, but stability.

I do not believe in God, but I am afraid of Him.

It is incredible how one can be happy for so many years in the midst of so many squabbles, so many problems, damn it, and not really know if it was love or not.

But when a woman decides to sleep with a man, there is no wall she will not scale, no fortress she will not destroy, no moral consideration she will not ignore at its very root: there is no God worth worrying about.

Love becomes greater and nobler in calamity.

For they had lived together long enough to know that love was always love, anytime and anyplace, but it was more solid the closer it came to death.

…it is life, more than death, that has no limits.