The Sunday Haul

Howard Jacobson was one writer whose books, especially ‘The Finkler Question,’ I wanted to read the day I learnt that he had won the Booker Prize for 2010. However, I hadn’t really expected to find any of his books, particularly TFQ at Abids or any secondhand bookstores in Hyderabad until two or more years later. After all, my last Booker find was Anne Enright’s ‘The Gathering’ that I had found sometime in November 2010, three years after the she won the prize. So, the possibility of finding TFQ so soon after it won the prize appeared remote though I was on the look out for it. But then, the lucky guy that I am, I stumbled upon a copy of ‘The Finkler Question’ on Sunday at Abids. If I weren’t a senior officer in the government and also 48 years old I would have actually danced a jig on the spot but mercifully I didn’t. Instead, trying to conceal my excitement, I casually asked how much the price was. If finding the book was something of a miracle then getting it for only fifty rupees was the icing.

I’d have been happier if I had also picked up other titles that I had seen. A rule I follow while browsing at Abids is to immediately pick up any title that appears even remotely good. Breaking this rule brings me only regret as I realized several times in the past. The other Sunday I had spotted the January 2010 issue of Condé Nast Traveller and Tobias Wolff’s memoir but did not buy them perhaps filled with the overconfidence that comes with being too lucky finding good books. This week I did not find them much to my regret. Not only these, I also left behind Sarita Mandanna’s ‘Tiger Hills,’ Elizabeth Gilbert’s ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ and an Irish Murdoch title for others to pick up this Sunday. I hope no one had picked them up after I left and I would find them at their usual places next Sunday.

Now that I’ve two Booker titles on my table I’m yet to make up my mind which to read first- The Gathering or The Finkler Question? Maybe I should follow the ‘first come, first served’ rule and begin with Anne Enright’s ‘The Gathering’ sometime soon. The mixed reviews notwithstanding I need to read these two award winning books if only for the reason that I’ve actually shelled out money to buy them. I’ll also make sure many friends of mine also read these titles.