Yesterday

Yesterday I happen to be walking by near the Flora Fountain, Bombay. On an impulse I thought I will check the pavement second-hand booksellers to see if I can get a rare P.D. James book. And I was lucky, I was able to get her first book, Cover Her Face. I had asked a bookseller if he had any P.D. James book, and he replied no, but they had an almost complete set and someone had purchased it just a few days ago. I felt dejected. And the person called me back, as I turned to go back, and handed me over the book Cover Her Face saying that one copy of this book is left and would I be interested? My dejection turned into happiness instantly. I have been on the lookout for this book for many weeks. Barely containing my excitement, I said yes yes, of course, and I purchased it, immediately. Now my P.D. James Library is growing slowly and steadily. The following is the list of books written by P.D. James :

1. Cover Her Face, 1962 (have, and currently reading :) )
2. A Mind to Murder, 1963 (did not have, yet)
3. Unnatural Causes, 1967 (have and read. The first P.D. James read by me)
4. Shroud for a Nightingale, 1971 (have and read)
5. Maul and the Pear Tree, (co-author) 1971 (did not have, yet)
6. An Unsuitable Job for a Woman, 1972 (have and read)
7. The Black Tower, 1975 (have and read)
8. Death of an Expert Witness, 1977 (have, yet to read)
9. Innocent Blood, 1980 (did not have, yet)
10. Skull Beneath the Skin, 1982 (have, yet to read)
11. Original Sin, 1995 (have, yet to read)
12. A Certain Justice, 1997 (have and read)
13. A Time To Be In Earnest, 2000 (did not have, yet)
14. Death In Holy Orders, 2001 (have and read)
15. Devices and Desires, 2004 (have and read)
16. The Murder Room, 2004 (did not have, yet)
17. A Taste For Death, 2005 (have and read)
18. The Children of Men, 2006 (did not have, yet)
19. The Lighthouse, 2006 (did not have, yet)
20. The Private Patient, 2006 (read, but not have, yet)

Hope my own P.D. James Library will be complete soon. In the meanwhile, I continue to enjoy reading P.D. James on my train commute.

Goodbye, Gulshanji

Just read the news that Gulshan Bawra is no more. Gulshanji wrote lyrics for many songs composed by R.D. Burman. May his soul rest in peace.

The following lines of Gulshan Bawara, written for song Sanam Teri Kasam, are my all time favourite.

माना के ख़ता मेरी है पर इतनी सज़ा न दे तू
ले पइयाँ पड़ू तेरे सजना अब तो गले लगा ले तू
तेरे दम से है मेरा दम
सनम तेरी क़सम ...