The sound of books

A pickpocket would find Sound Buzz CEO Sudhanshu Sarronwala's, wallet most intriguing. For, tucked into the recesses of his wallet is a well-thumbed, constantly updated list of books "" a list he relies on when he finds himself in a bookstore and can't remember what it was that he wanted.

His taste in literature is Catholic to say the very least. And don't ask him to pick a favourite. "One's best books are like one's children "" you can never pick one over the other," is his retort.

He loves PG Wodehouse (but then who doesn't?) for his "riotous view of English aristocracy with absolutely farcical characters", Isaac Asimov for being the master of "true blue" science fiction and Dominique Lapierre for his "objective view of momentous world events".

He even turns to books to moor his hankerings. "The Long Tail by Chris Anderson was very close to the Sound Buzz business and deepened my intelligence of the business," he explains.

And he's banking on Four Months to the Four Hour Marathon by David Kuehls to inspire him to run the full marathon next year. It's already done the trick for his first half marathon!

Sarronwala hopes his children will imbibe some of his appetite for literature. He is certainly glad his wife is a voracious reader with several recommendations to make. "Our book collection may not be spectacular, but they are all specific titles that we really want to own and hence it is special for us."

Sarronwala has graduated to the next generation of readers; he discovered audio books and podcasts a year ago. They allow him to download audio renditions of complete books to his MP3 player and iPod.

"These are great to use when my wife demands that the lights be switched off!"