I was feeling quite useless in the lab today, so headed back into town early afternoon and decided to do away with my depression by shopping. (Let me give you some advice..this is a particularly dangerous and expensive way of self-treating depression in England). So, anyway I walked into Blackwells, continued my interrupted (only in bookstore) reading of Philip Pullman's Amber Spyglass,the last in his Dark Materials Trilogy, had a chocolate muffin, tea and a coke and then scoured around for cheap books.

What did I finally buy? Short Introductions, Baghdad Diaries, Autobiography of a South African freedom fighter(not Mandela) and Thomas Friedman. Unfortunately, it did nothing to cure me of my lethargy and torpor. So I went back to the trusted formula of popcorn and a good book.
Right now I am reading The Buddha of Suburbia, Hanif Kureshi's debut novel. Its a well written book and looks at race relations in UK from a Indian immigrant's perspective. There is wonderful mix of characters : the Pakistani corner shop owner, the truant and delinquent suburban second generation teenager, the rebellious daughter of Pakistani shop owner who finally succumbs to emotional blackmail to marry a Pakistani man, and the Buddha of Suburbia himself - a suburban Indian middle aged man who conducts Indian philosophy, meditation and spirituality sessions while still coming to terms with his own orthodox views and his affair with a middle class English lady.
I think it is a really good read and aptly captures a lot of the social dynamics in UK at present while coating it in loads of satire and black humour. Its witty, perceptive while being very inconspicuous in its message. I am often turned off by books that spout morals and social theories from page three, which is why I am not such a fan of popular science and political essays. I much prefer books with good storylines which midway through the book make you begin to think of the basis of the book - eg. 1984.
The other good books I have read recently :
1. Alexander McCall Smith - 2 1/2 pillars of Wisdom
2. Bill Bryson - Notes from a Big Country( better than Notes from a small Island)
3. Philip Pullman - my present craze
Now I need to stop reading about social structure in Britain and get back to understanding the structure and function of Plasmodium's Circumsporozoite Protein.