Love is always new.....

Notes on Dhiraj Kumar's 'The Asocial Networking'

2012-02-22T21:42:00.002+05:30

Author: Dhiraj Kumar

Publisher: Wordizen Books

Rating: 3/5

The Asocial Networking by Dhiraj Kumar is nothing but a BIG over-reaction on the impact of social networking (specifically Facebook) on our lives. It does make some pertinent points about the facade people put by showing an alternate 'online' life to others but goes overboard in the analysis and infuses a spirit of outlandishness that in the end harms the book far more you can think off.

It is interesting and ironical to see ourselves socializing with the help of gadgets when we could actually step forward and socialize with the person standing next to us. For the benefit of those who exhibit their social lives online, this book offers little tricks of the trade to master the art of networking and garner tangible gains in the real world. On the other hand, the author discusses our vulnerabilities and weaknesses, which are often reflected in the way we socialize on the web.

However, the extreme or negative side of the social networking is written with heavy-hand and does not presents a balanced approach to counter the positives. For instance, the author constantly harps about the fact that putting a status message of 'DND' on Gtalk reeks of hypocrisy and double standards. Because if you are so busy, why would you be online? But at the same time, author does not take into account that being online have also to do with professional work or an emergency issue.

I was particularly offended at various points in the book where the author judges people around him with disdain and contempt. At one point in the narrative, he even classify bisexuals as extreme perverts and voyeurs who venture out in night on social networking and prey on people. Such kind of factually incorrect, close-thinking and morally reprehensible thoughts should have been censored in the first place if there was a good editor working on this book.

Even the extremely implausible clause of Facebook getting extinct or less exciting in few years in nothing but a statement made without any solid evidence. Anyone who follows these social networking websites knows that these companies earn revenues through advertising and marketing of various companies, brands and products. To view them mere as dating or sex-mating sites is doing a grave injustice to their whole existence and as a tool of usefulness in our daily lives.

Having said that, the author does make some key observations about Facebook in our existence - people wasting time playing Zynga games, low productivity and less concentration at workplaces, too many diversions in the name of updating status and answering wall posts and my personal favourite - sexual discrimination against men on these websites. These are well thought off points which shows depth with which things are researched. I particularly liked the concept about FIPRA - Facebook International People Rating Agency, something which you may think in the future coming into action to compare people. The clause of displaying your Facebook profile at the time of an interview for a psychoanalysis assessment is a possibility which may not be far off.

In the end, the book is articulated with some well-researched points and keenly observed thoughts. I just wished it was more balanced to enjoy it even further. If you can deal or be comfortable reading ONLY negative impact of Facebook, this book may be a treat for you.

Book Review - 71 : Tamasha in Bandargaon

2012-02-17T10:24:00.000+05:30

Publisher: Tranquebar Press

Author: Navneet Jagaanathan

In the fictional suburb of Bandargaon, tucked away in Bombay, there's never a quit moment. Dreams erupt, hopes shatter, in the heaving Sunrise Apartments, by a rickety tea-cart-Jinias Chai Hause, inside a seedy Jaanam Desi, and by the dilapidated Purana Qila. Chagan, the dashing hero, who shines like a film-star, spends hours wooing a beauteous Shalini. Shalini, ever fickle, oscillates between him and a pining Vinayak. Vinayak, in turn, tries desperately to win the favour of Shalini's mother, Lakshmibai. Elsewhere, the local politician, Sajjanpur, tries winning an impossible election; Miranda, a sullen mortician, seeks answers from an ailing priest; and Sultan, the irascible grocer contents with an overfriend dog.

Tamasha in Bandargaon has brought R. K. Narayan-esque humour back.The residents of this town go through a mad medley of emotions that test every inch of their moral fiber. The troubles and travails of the people in the slum, the strange quirks and stupidities of the people in the apartment, the never say die spirit of the folks who run the gambling den and the tea stall; all this add up to a pacy narrative which is touching and makes you think about life and its eccentricities. The author touches every chord of the regular people like me and you - be their social, personal, professional, financial or emotional lives.

The novel essentially is a collection of stories on characters that belong to the same milieu, it does get a tad repetitive and over-the-top at some places. The 13 chapters become 13 different stories of various people in the town and the transitions between these chapters could have been more seamless. Despite this, the novel is an honest and successful attempt at highlighting our idiosyncrasies as a people.

I am going with 3.5/5 for Navneet Jagannathan's 'Tamasha in Bandargaon'. It's a confident debut by the author and i hope to read more in this genre. Going by the climax and the potential of the story, it will be worth to create a sequel to this one. But surpassing the quality of this one will be a major challenge. Do give it a shot, it is worth your time.

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Book Review - 70 : Navrasa by Lotus

2012-02-13T21:56:00.000+05:30

Author: Rajiv Kumar

Publisher: Frog Books

'Navarasa by Lotus' tells interlinked stories of a fading movie star; a youth accidentally taking form of a masked vigilante; a mosquito determined to fight human domination; an unmarried couple on the verge of break up; a woman who is terrified of her dream; a school kid struggling to vent his anger; Fate of our society post 2012; Rajiv's addictions; and Anand's redemption... The result is a collection of nine stories of different genres, each being a tribute to the rasa: humour, love, disgust, heroism, wonder, fury, horror, peace and compassion. These nine stories are interwoven with recurring characters and situations. There are surprises galore in each of the stories but it does take time to get used to that 'recurring factor' in each of them.

I particularly liked 'Mutiny' in which rebellious mosquito is determined to devise ways to combat humans. With interesting name conventions and a tight narrative, this is the best story of the lot. T20 had an interesting premise and delves with human relationships effectively though the grammatical mistakes were too high to ignore. 'Loop' is another intriguing story in which girl is entangled in a specific loop on a specific day at a specific point in life. 'Redemption' link all these stories together, and even though it is the shortest it is probably the most important story in the book. The idea of having connecting all the stories by a single link is not new, but is done intelligently enough to draw your interest.

I am going with generous (2+0.5=) 3/5 for Rajiv Kumar's 'Navrasa by Lotus'. Look beyond the repetitions in certain portions of the stories and judge them at an individual level. Each of them has a good heart beating inside and deserves your attention. Read it with no expectations, and probably you will not be disappointed.

Book Review - 69 : Along the Way

2012-02-11T18:06:00.001+05:30

Author: TGC Prasad

Publisher: Rupa Publications

The hero, Venkat, joins NIT, Kozhikode and makes friends with a few of his classmates. After completing their education, the group of friends enter the competitive world of TCS, Bengaluru. Venkat has to deal with a demanding boss and the complicated workings of office politics. Romance blossoms and Venkat and his batchmate, Anjali, fall in love. Venkat begins to enjoy his job, makes friends at the workplace and finds his life moving along at an exciting pace. But relationships change their course, certain shocking events create rifts between friends – nothing goes as planned and Venkat and his friends look for ways to negotiate the roadblocks that crop up in their professional and personal lives. Anjali’s parents need a lot of convincing about the fact that Venkat is a potential son-in-law. Venkat hatches a strategy to cozy up to them and prays hard to his mother’s favourite deity so he can marry the love of his life.

'Along the way' captures the nuances of software industry competently and effectively, specially when it comes to detailing of the complex projects, strict deadlines, pressure on relationships, peer learning and conflicts. The tone is strictly young, hip and trendy and even though it does get monotonous after a while it still keeps you on engaged with the twists and turns. In the end it is a standard Bollywoodish coming-of-age and finding your own dream kind of a story but keeps you in the spirits with an affectionate romance between the lead couple and camaraderie among the friends.

Having read dozens of similar-sounding campus novels in the recent times, it was refreshing to see some real situations and dialogues poured in the first half of the book when the story is set in the engineering college. The interaction scenes between the Project manager/HR head and Venkat even though teetering on melodramatic moments and over-the-top sensibilities allows you to smile once in a while. I particularly liked the scene in which Venkat and friends get caught in a tangle having called 911 inadvertently on an onsite visit to US. Even the whole SRK calling Anjali's mom in a well-planned and executed strategy is far fetched from reality but at least packs in an emotional punch.

The only letdown is that it is damn too predictable and familiar. In fact, the prologue just withers away the whole story and the climax and you are just waiting to see how it will eventually unfold. The sub-plot involving the trivia questions with Venkat by the Colonel is repetitive to the point of boring. It appears so many times by the end of the book that it loses the initial charm. Even the hugging act to Raj seems forced on so many times that it grates on your nerves. There are stereotypes abundant here; with nagging parents, bunch of chaddi-buddies, evil managers and a sexy girl-friend. In fact, most of the characters in the TCS which were introduced with great detail right in the induction phase of Venkat are left in between with hardly anyone making a great impression to be remembered after you have put down the book. Even the interesting bits of Godfather has been quoted so many times it hardly makes a difference in the end.

I am going with 2.5/5 for TGC Prasad's 'Along the Way'. It is warmhearted and witty and captures the nuances of human relationships and workplace dynamics with ease. If it was a little shorter, better edited and less predictable, it would have been a much more rewarding read. If you are looking for a light fiction, it is not a bad away to spend a Saturday Night.

Notes on Priya Kumar's 'The Perfect World'

2012-02-06T12:35:00.000+05:30

Author: Priya Kumar

Publisher: Embassy Books

Rating: 3.5/5

A job cannot be mistaken for one's life purpose. A purpose is something you would do even if you didn't get paid for it. A job is a necessity. A purpose is your own drive for contribution. A job is something you do, even if you do not want to do it. A Purpose is something which you do because you want to do it.

Above lines from Priya Kumar's 'The Perfect World' encapsulates briefly how one should view job and purpose of your life, in turn distinguishing between personal and professional life but still making most of both of them. This is the story of Niki Sanders, who while still struggling to find meaning and purpose in life, is approached with an offer to be part of a planet called 'The Perfect world'.

She is living an ordinary life laden with fear-loaded dreams, demanding relationships, a dissatisfying job, a bitter attitude and ever eluding aspirations. In a desperate attempt to seek clarity, courage and confidence, she unwittingly leads herself into meeting with two evolved souls from across the universe. These superior souls belong to "The Perfect World" and with them Niki embarks on the most thrilling adventure of her life; an adventure into infinite possibilities and self discovery.

This part self-help book, part magic realism fiction takes you on a journey into the universe but also on a parallel journey within. Sprinkled with wisdom, the story urges you towards choices of power, passion and purpose in your daily actions leading towards spiritual awareness and spiritual greatness. The writing was crisp, editing tight and even though it is over 300 pages old, it rarely drags on.

I am not a great fan of self-help literature but once in a while comes a book which makes you change your outlook towards this genre. It provides nuanced writing, is interspersed with magic realism to keep the narrative interesting with anecdotes. Read it when you feel low in life and you will enjoy it even more!

Book Review - 68 : The Suicide Banker

2012-01-31T17:56:00.000+05:30

Author: Puneet Gupta

Publisher: Rupa & Co

The Suicide Banker is the story of a young banker whose employers believe in the motto of turning conventional wisdom upside down. Against the backdrop of financial boom and subsequent meltdown during the first decade of this century. Sumit becomes an unfortunate witness, active participant and ill-fated victim in the affairs of Ind-Credit Bank. Over the course of life-altering events, the once blue-eyed boy is slowly but surely sucked into the dark abyss of financial world his dreams collapsing one by one in a heap, taking a heavy toll on his personal and professional life. Will he be able to survive?

Same in the spirit as Ravi Subramanian's Banking trilogy, the book moves at a brisk pace and we are introduced to a range of characters from all the hierarchical levels in the bank. The mystery seems interesting to start with and you genuinely feel sympathetic towards the rigmarole of Sumit's life. The language is crisp and there are quirky one-liners thrown in within the finance context. Even in personal relationships, there is a sincerity in Sumit's relationship with a junior colleague but at some point in the narrative, that plot-point is conveniently side-tracked and loses momentum. Such kind of road-blocks make this book a difficult read after the initial momentum.

Problem is, there are very little nuances here, everything is sanitized and things get extremely preachy in the narrative. The author writes with a heavy hand, underlining every single point it makes while telling this story, leaving almost nothing to subtlety. As a result, the book is too long and rambles on and on when clearly a reader has run out of patience. If you’re unfamiliar with finance jargon, much of this book is going to sound like Greek to you. It could have been gritty and realistic, but it goes for a more populist tone instead. The conflict seems too simplistic in the end, and you’re pretty much bored for much of the second half. The personal life description of the main protagonist is too detailed specially including those scenes where his wife is hosting a TV show and invoking responses from audience. Almost 10 pages could have been simply edited out because it hardly makes a difference to the main narrative.

I am going with 2.5/5 for Puneet Gupta's 'The Suicide Banker'. It is not a bad book by any means; it is just too long, too preachy and too many characters sounding similar in the end analysis. A little restraint and light hand would have done this book a lot of good. Read it if you are from finance background, you may feel different about it.

Book Review - 67 : The Cavansite Conspiracy

2012-01-30T19:34:00.000+05:30

Author: Manjiri Prabhu

Publisher: Rupa & Co.

The theft of the precious mineral stone, the cavansite, from The Crystal Museum of Minerals has left everyone puzzled, more so because the modus operandi of the theft has uncanny similarities with an international bestseller, The Cavansite Conspiracy by Chris Carver. While the police and the curator of the museum are on the hunt, a spiritual group in Bangkok too is interested in acquiring it by any means.

Meanwhile, Koyal Karnik, a lecturer in communication studies working in Hamburg, Germany, arrives in Pune to attend her friend Jasrajs wedding. Little does she know that she will not only be implicated in the theft of the cavansite, but that her friend will be murdered, and she will be forced to become a fugitive on the run. The only person she can trust is her ex-boyfriend Neel, with whom she takes off on a journey of mystery and love from India to Hamburg, then to the Isle of Sylt and finally, a London television studio. But can she really trust anybody? And what is the connection between Jasraj and the cavansite? What is Jasrajs fiance hiding? Finally, who is Chris Carver and what is his role in the mystery?

It is fast-paced and thrilling and keeps you glued most of the time in the narrative. The twist in the end was unpredictable and it is highly unlikely many readers will be able to guess it before the climax. The story moves around various countries and a gamut of plot points which will keep you glued. I particularly liked the sensitive treatment with which the problem of left handed people in India is dealt with. Considering at one point of life, i seriously thought myself to be ambidextrous, i was able to relate to the dilemmas and social restrictions that come on the way.

The romance between the couple is fun to read and extremely relatable. Both of them have a back story to fall on and are constantly throwing repartee which make their conversations spicy and juicy. The only time the book slips up is when the author infuses a Bollywoodish feel to the narrative by concentrating too much into the romance between Koyal and Neel. Right under the nose of a death threat and conspiration to frame her, the couple play games on ice-dunes and make the romantic sparks flew. What was sorely missing was a song to be picturized on the couple in the Isle of Sylt! This acts as a deterrent to the pace of the story and intermittently takes away the focus from the murder mystery, diffusing a juveliness which is hard to fathom. But one should look beyond these nitpicking for an extremely rewarding read.

I am going with generous (3+0.5) = 3.5/5 for Manjiri Prabhu’s ‘The Cavansite Conspiracy’. Barring a few glitches in the end and a sagging middle portion, it is a tight thriller which delivers what it promises. It starts briskly and will keep you engaged most of the time. I recommend you make time to read it.

Book Review - 66 : Frosted Glass

2012-01-09T16:52:00.000+05:30

Author: Sabarna Roy

Publisher: Frog Books

Frosted Glass comprises one story cycle consisting of 14 stories and one poem cycle consisting of 21 poems. The Stories, set in Calcutta, bring to the fore the darkness lurking in the human psyche and bare the baser instincts. The stories, compactly written raise contemporary issues like man-woman relationships and its strains, moral and ethics, environmental degradation, class inequality, rapid and mass-scale unmindful urbanisation, are devoid of sentimentalization. They move around the central character who is named Rahul in all the stories. We encounter the events that shape, mar, guide Rahul's life and also the lives of those around him, making us question the very essence of existence. Rahul symbolises modern man; he is not just one character, but all of us rolled into one.

Books like 'Frosted Glass' are nightmares for reviewers. There is so much good and bad about the book that it is a tough choice to make a decision. The character 'Rahul' is repeated in each of the story, so after reading few of them, you stop relating to him because subconsciously you are still thinking of the previous story. The author could have so easily name all the male characters with different names in the story and still come out with that common feeling of fake, half-done relationships.

There is a long list of sexual desires depicted in the book - threesomes and foursomes, making out in public places, exhibitionism in front of painters, kinky pleasure of getting raped by mutual consent, fellatio by a 12-year-old, extra-marital affairs gone wrong in bed, sexual experiments with homosexuals and so on. I am hardly straitlaced to be affected by such repressed and unconventional methods of portraying relationships but the sensation of being on a high fades away after a while when the writing gets repetitive with the sexual escapades, and to a point it becomes draining and boring.

The story cycle still stands out for dispassionate style with which betrayal in personal relationships and resultant loneliness has been handled. The best thing is that the writer does not take sides between the betrayer and the betrayal and hence, you can empathize completely with that bitchy, saucy relationships. The poems weave a maze of dreams, images, reflections and stories. They are written in a reflective and many a time in a narrative tenor within a poetic idiom. The poems are inseparable in a hidden way and are elegantally sequenced.

I am going with 2.5/5 for Sabarna Roy's 'Frosted Glass. It is not a bad book by any means, but with a little more restraint and non-over-indulgence, it could have been so much better. In the hand, reading it feel likes being to your favourite restaurant but being undone by their signature dish.

Book Review - 65 : When a Lawyer Falls in Love

2012-01-05T11:53:00.000+05:30

Author: Amrita Suresh

Publisher: Offshoots

Ankur Palekar, a third year law student believes his life is quite sorted out, except that he does not want to become a lawyer, has a family history of lunacy and has actually fallen in love. Vyas, Ankur's roommate and best friend, has no such problems - only a girlfriend who emerges from a grave yard of all places and who insists on visiting him in his boys' hostel. A Malayali friend, whose car never starts and vocal chords never stop, a college festival being organized without the college and an arranged marriage which is more deranged than arranged!

When a lawyer falls in love is a terrible, cliche title for a book that is actually not so bad but could have been much better. Keep aside the usual college romance, where the book actually falters is the fact that it has little or no association with lawyers. Come to think of it, if you are writing a story about a law college and students, at least delve into a little detail about the making of these budding lawyers. That's where i felt let down. It touches this plot-point only at the surface level, not making much efforts sufficiently into the complexities of becoming a lawyer. Instead what we get is a whole host of palmistry and astrology gyaan which to be frank is bit of a drag.

Having said that, there are portions written with sincerity and makes you relate to the whole range of characters without being over sentimental or cheesy. The editing is tight, and even though it could have done without those awkward clauses and pauses, it still holds on to its own when it comes to portraying the quintessential Bollywood type romance. There are few illogical turns in the narrative - like those living on campus switching to corresponding courses, students searching for those corporate jobs from year 3 and so on. But with competent writing and cheek-in-tongue jovial moments, you manages to finish the book in real quick time.

I am going with generous (2+0.5=)2.5/5 for Amrita Suresh, 'When a Lawyer falls in Love'. If you are a fan of chiclits and campus novels, you should like this. For others, don't read with too many expectations and perhaps, you will not be disappointed.

Mission Impossible - Ghost Protocol : An exciting ride

2012-01-04T19:40:00.000+05:30

Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol is an enthralling, exciting ride albeit ridden with preposterous scenarios and very little logic. It brings fun and action elements pervasive in the first three installments of MI series and presents an action-packed, adrenaline pumping journey which audience will love to be part of.

Tom Cruise returns to reprise his role of IMF agent, Ethan Hunt. His team on this new mission comprises sexy but tough Jane Carter (Paula Patton), gadget-junkie Benji (Simon Pegg) and a cocky desk analyst William Brandt (Jeremy Renner). Together they must overcome all ‘limitless’ obstacles – including being disowned by the US Presidentwhen they're falsely blamed for bombing the Kremlin in their pursuit of crazy Russian businessman Kurt Hendricks (Michael Nvqvist), who by the way is determined to blow up the world using nuclear weapons.

The most exciting scene of the movie is when Ethun Hunt scales Dubai's 2500 odd-foot Burj Khalifa with nothing more than a pair of gloves. It is a brilliantly shot break-in sequence which makes you clutch your seat a little tighter.This is followed by a brilliant chase in the sandstorm giving you all the required goosebumps you expect in an action thriller. Ultimately, what takes the level to a higher level is the child-like enthusiastic attitude of Tom Cruise who gave his all to the character.

As expected, Anil Kapoor appears in a blink-and-miss role of Indian business tycoon, Brijnath. He is sleazy and utter lame dialogues such as ‘all Indian men are HOT’. The length and the impact of such a role again raise important concerns about Indian actors’ crossing over to Hollywood with very little to do or get in terms of quality roles. Why Indian actors vouch for such meaningless roles with the hope of ‘crossing over’ to Hollywood - a question remains unanswered. Nevertheless, it was sporting of him to allow being slapped and kicked by the curvaceous Paula Patton.

In the end, MI - GP is a perfect popcorn munching, seat clutching thriller. Watch it because it brings backs the fun just like seen in the last three installments.

Book Review - 64 : The Blogging Affair

2012-01-03T15:15:00.000+05:30

Author: Amitabh Manu

Publisher: Frog Books

In hindsight, 'The blogging Affair' reflects the dark, ugly side of vanity publishing in India. It is hard to point out any other reason how such a book can get into the market in the first place. This is lazy, almost arrogant publishing at its best. It is so laidback, that it even forgets the most basic ingredient in a book - a plot.

For the sake of it - here is the flimsy story: "A young woman’s body is found murdered in a suburban flat. The evidence reveals an affair with a married man. To the seasoned police force this is just another routine love triangle affair gone wrong. However, as other evidence comes to light, they are realising that there’s more to this crime than meets the eye. One detective comes across an anonymous blog and it sheds truth upon the case. The ramblings capture the ebb and flow of a criminal’s mind – and a murder of lust and betrayal: a sex-crazed husband wants the best of both worlds; the love of his wife and the challenge and raw passion of his mistress. When things take a turn toward hopelessness, will the husband end the affair? How far will he go to rid himself of this complication? The investigation twists and turns as the detectives solve this mind-bending case. The intrigue will leave you wanting more. The mystery will leave you perplexed. And you’ll ask, “Who is the blogger?”

Generally, i find writing book review of the murder mystery most difficult because of the inherent nature of the genre. But i cannot say the same for this book since there is no mystery at all in the book. That is a totally different thing that it rambles on and on for more than 340 odd pages. It is an unedited version of the manuscript, and i am sure that no one remotely associated with the book - author, editor, publisher had any idea what they are doing with it. Keep aside the numerous spelling, punctuation and grammatical mistakes, it just does not engage you at the most basic level.

Narrating the blog posts in a reverse chronological order and keeping the tone strictly gender-neutral raises red flags early in the book about the identity of the blogger. The married person's narrative is one big hoax and nothing else; writing about perverted sex moments without any links with the main story is ridiculous to say the least. I am not prudish by any means but continuously rambling about sex life without taking the story forward is insipid and frustrating to say the least.

The conversations between the cops and portraying their internal friction while solving the murder case is interesting to start with, but soon it also goes down the hill because there is no even an iota of mystery. In fact, there are such impractical and illogical plot points which will make you cringe no end. Sample these: The cops decides the sex of the blogger based on the colour of the dreams. The cops interrogates the married person on the phone rather than arresting him. The cops blatantly put forward all the clues in the front of all people remotely associated with the case as if solving a murder mystery is a child play.

It is not that writing is bad, i have read worse. It is the lack of a proper plot, structure and any sophistication which kills you no end. Transposing all the blog entries on a book doesn't make sense till you provide a cohesive feel to it. There are far too many digressions in the name of education, quotes, religion, sexual frustrations that you just don't get a feel of the main story.

I am going with 1/5 for Amitabh Manu's debut novel 'The Blogging Affair'. It could have been far more rewarding read if there was some thought process gone behind the plot and the narrative rather than just filling in the pages with nonsense clatter. It's back-breakingly long, and I can't remember one plot point that made me feel excited about this book. Indeed, an affair gone horribly wrong.

The Tumblr Bug Bit me...

2012-01-02T14:26:00.003+05:30

Yes, i am finally on Tumblr. It was more or less just a matter of time. Of late, i am finding variety of thoughts crossing over my mind in the form of quotes, songs, videos, comments, photos which i desperately need to get out of the system. Twitter has a word limit of 140 and writing blog posts usually takes time and at times, require too much formatting. It is better to jot them down in a quick and efficient manner rather than just letting them go.

So, there you are... follow me here on tumbler.

For all those who do not want to be part of yet another social networking websites, i will post weekly/bi-weekly updates on the blog.

Yun Hota to Kya Hota....

2011-12-31T23:21:00.000+05:30

Of all the words of tongue and pen, the saddest are: 'It might have been different'.

It might have been different if i was this, if i was that. if i was there, if i was here. I would have done this, i would have done that. How many times have you heard this from others? How many times have you heard from yourself only? It's killing after a time, a repulsive feeling towards thinking what could have happen and what actually happened. Just imagining the unlimited possibilities of unbridled magnitude about your life, its various options, its various streams. It's fun most of the times, but sometimes it is just a bit of pain in the ass.

It might have been so different if i was shorter or taller. It might have been different if i had brown little eyes or black shiny hairs. It might have been so different if i was stronger to overcome dirty politics or be at least immune to it. It might have been so different if i was more happier to destroy all the pieces of heart-break and agony. It might have been different if i was richer to buy another car or a piece of necklace. It might have been different if i did something different in this year, something unique. It might have been different if i did something correct, something right.

Another year passes by, i look around. Everything remains same. I change, for the worse, for the better. Not Sure. But what i definitely knows is: 'It might have been different'.

Wishing everyone a rocking, fun-filled, prosperous and lovely 2012!

New Year Resolutions - A Reality Check

2011-12-30T23:03:00.002+05:30

Every New Year people talk about resolutions, changes, promises, goals and dreams. We will do this and we will do that. So many things to cater to, so many results to be achieved. And then in nothing less than a month, people forget those resolutions. They fail to make those changes, keep those promises, finish those goals and follow those dreams. Why? Well they give lots of excuses. And those excuses always include, usually blaming everyone and everything but themselves!

While it's true that the choices others make affect each of our lives to a certain degree, in no way do they decide your life as a whole. No one has that level of control over you. No one! Well, except yourself. You control you. And you are fully responsible for you, for your life, for your choices. Period.

Making new year resolutions is a fad, not following them is a bigger fad. And making a big issues out of it is sick and at times, quite disgusting. We live in a finger pointing, shame blaming world. People hate taking responsibility when they mess up and fail. But they love taking full responsibility when they succeed! It's a selfish kind of love. It's why I roll my eyes when I read a blog post about someone who goes on and on about how much ass they are kicking in life, but they never share how much they've had their ass kicked by life. It's just not a pretty portrait to paint, therefore they don't paint it. Not only is it not a realistic portrait of who they truly are, it's not beautiful. There is beauty in struggle. And there's even more beauty in having the courage to share one's personal struggle.

If you really want some kind of new year resolution - make the one to share your own story. Your own personal struggles to make things meet, show how they finally reached this world...in front of year. And that is indeed my new year resolution, after completing the dream, will share my own struggle story before the end of 2012.

Book Review - 63 : A Romance with Chaos

2011-12-29T11:41:00.000+05:30

Author: Nishant Kaushik

Publisher: Rupa & Co

Meet Nakul Kapoor, a 20-something corporate executive, who gives you a hilarious account of how he struggles through a cobweb comprising an unacknowledged position at work that leaves him with nothing but the feeling of being an objectified resource, a stupid boss who thinks he is a smart Alec, a gorgeous girlfriend who can't think below D&G and Gucci when it comes to shopping with his credit card, and an extra pious room-mate who thinks that watching sleazy films and lusting after material comforts are trivialities that one needs to rise above. And then, one day, a few random sketches drawn by an acquaintance seem to give him the answers he has been looking for. Does he manage to wriggle out of the muck?

If you can look beyond the abundant stereotypes from the corporate world, there is fun in exploring the world of Nakul. There is a dickhead boss, a punch-you-in-backside colleague, an all-beauty-no-brains girl friend, a friend who is secretly in love with him, a random stranger who turns out to be an acquaintance and many more. The author neatly packages all the elements of love life, corporate politics, chaotic youngsters life and most importantly, life as an IT professional. It does not fall into the trap of touching the daily life of IT industry on the surface, but delves into the quotidian activities with depth, and abundant details. Those teleconferences, those outlook messages, those water cooler conversations, those back-room gossips; it all adds up.

To me as a reader, the chaos portrayed in the life of Nakul was extremely mature and delved with utmost sincerity and simplicity. The author portrays this chaos through sketches, making you instantly recognize what is exactly going wrong in his life. It does help that the author keep the tone straight and simple, though an undercurrent of humour is sprinkled all through the narrative. It is only in the final act that the author let us down with abundant coincidences thrown in. The boss and his daughter Natasha sub-plot is done conveniently, it looks contrived and so out of place. It makes very little sense and it appears writer was running short of ideas or time or both.

I am going with generous (2.5+0.5) = 3/5 for Nishant Kaushik's 'A Romance with Chaos'. Look beyond the usual stereotypes characters, and there is a good heart beating in this book. Not a bad way to spend a lazy weekend, and specially reliving those moments as an IT professional.

I want to sleep with you....

2011-12-28T00:03:00.002+05:30

I want to sleep with you. I’m not implying sex.

I just want to sleep. Cuddle. Just the two of us, beneath the thick warm blankets, feeling each others heartbeats. I want my arms around your waist, your head on my chest, the wind howling outside the open window. The colder it gets, the closer we get. The moonlight shines upon the curtains. Silence before sleep, happily, blissfully, alone, eternal.

I want to sleep with you. I'm not implying sex.

I just want to sleep. Snuggle. Just the two of us, floating in the lake of emotions, feeling the warmth of each others fingers. I want your fingers entwined with me, my legs on your side, the light flickering in the room. The warmer it gets, the closer we get. The nocturnal smell wafting through our bodies. Silence before sleep, quiet, creepy, fragmented, oblivious.

I want to sleep with you. I'm not implying sex.

I just want to sleep. Embrace. Just the two of us, buried under the carpet of feelings, feeling the strokes, the squeezes, the grazes. I want our hands all over - above and below, the music floating in the room. The hotter it gets, the closer we get. The early morning rays through the windows. Silence before sleep, perspiring, tainted, persistent, ageless, timeless.

I want to sleep with you. I'm not implying sex.

I just want to sleep with you. Clasp. Just the two of us, disowning each others from our lives,clinging, clinching to the last thread. I want your company , me beside you, love smelling in our room. The harder it is away from you, more closer we get. The sun shining bright beyond the curtains. Silence after we sleep, eerie, continual, undying, unyielding, perpetual. My Love. Your Love. Our Love.

Book Review - 62 : Harbart

2011-12-27T15:34:00.003+05:30

Publisher: Tranquebar Press
Author: Nabaun Bhattacharya
Translator: Arunava Sinha

Harbart Sarkar, sole proprietor of a business that brings messages from the dead to their near and dear ones left behind on earth, is found dead in his room after a night of drinking with local young men. He has killed himself. Why? Was it a threat to his business which brought him money, respect, a standing in the family, more clients and fame? Or was it a different ghost from his shadow life, where he was constantly haunted by his own unfulfilled dreams and delusions? And as the explosive events following his suicide reveal, as in his life, Harbart remains a mystery in death.

Based on Nabarun Bhattacharya's eponymous Sahitya Academy award-winning novel Herbert (1997), this translation by Arunava Sinha is a challenge to the rational mind. Herbert, who grows up on the charity of his relatives, is made out to be a good-for-nothing dimwit, thereby denied a normal life. He is an orphaned member of a crumbling household, who eventually becomes a metaphor of the collapsing city. He finds himself as someone who talks to the dead, is accused as charlatan by the Rationalists' Society, and the harmless do-gooder commits suicide. The multiplicity and the polyphony of the narrative is the most difficult matter to grapple with as it constantly moves from the comfort of a known world to the realm of the unknown. Despite a large sense of skepticism at work, when Herbert is dubbed an impostor, it is heartbreaking.

Literary translations are always difficult to do with as you not only have to recreate the milieu, but keep the basic essence of characters and the story intact. It is important to understand the story within the cultural context and make sure those regional touches are not lost in the translation. All this majorly remains in place, with elements of dark humour, sarcasm and wit present throughout the narrative. However, there are clunky transitions in the book where poems appear and at many places, where there are conversations between the characters. All this leaves you a bit unsatisfied with the final product.

I am going with 3/5 for Arunava Sinha's translation of Harbart. It is a difficult read in a few places, but in the end keeps you glued for a major portion. Read it because it is different, set in a unique time period/milieu and makes you hooked up with the intriguing central character. In the end, it is an almost rewarding read.

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Quote-Unqoute of Love

2011-12-22T11:31:00.006+05:30

"Have you ever been in love? Horrible isn't it? It makes you so vulnerable. It opens your chest and it opens up your heart and it means that someone can get inside you and mess you up. You build up all these defenses, you build up a whole suit of armor, suit of armor, so that nothing can hurt you, then one stupid person, no different from any other stupid person, wanders into your stupid life...You give them a piece of you. They didn't ask for it. They did something dumb one day, like smile at you, and then your life isn't your own anymore. Love takes hostages. It gets inside you. It eats you out and leaves you crying in the darkness, so simple a phrase like 'maybe we should be just friends' turns into a glass splinter working its way into your heart. It hurts. Not just in the imagination. Not just in the mind. It's a soul-hurt, a real gets-inside-you-and-rips-you-apart pain. I hate love" - Neil Gaiman

"Have you ever been in love? Beautiful, isn't it? It makes you so secure. It makes you want to give happiness to others and creates happiness for others. It means someone can make you feel suave from inside and melt you like no one ever has. You build up walls to stop people from coming in, so that no one comes and be selfish with you. Then one extra-ordinary person, no different from any other ordinary person, wanders into your ordinary life...you share a piece of yourself, uninhibited, without even thinking. They do something stupid one day, like kiss you, and then your life isn't the same anymore. Love makes you hostage, a parasite living on others life. It dissolves inside you. It bobbles up your enthusiasm and leaves you possessed on to something, so simple a phrase like 'may be we can be more than friends' turns into a rose petals throwing fragrance wafting all the way into your heart. Love swells and roars. Love fly and kicks. Not just in the heart. Not just in the mind. Not just in the body. It's a soul-stirring, a real gets-inside-you-and-robs-you-apart touch. I love love" - Amit Kumar Gupta

Notes on 'Unusual People do things Differently' by T.G.C.Prasad

2011-12-19T13:12:00.000+05:30

Author: T.G.C Prasad
Publisher: Penguin India

Rating: 3.5/5

Unusual people are ordinary people who strive hard to do extraordinary things. They are sensitive to nuances, look to provide lateral solutions, dare to think out of the box, and often end up changing the rules of the game. The book mixes both the traditional and modern outlook for bringing changes in our lives by providing a sharp, concise way of dealing with tough situations.

T.G.C. Prasad presents the views and experiences of sixty-five individuals, from well-known names like Mike Lawrie, Azim Premji and Mother Teresa to a chef, a masseuse and a service boy, with whom he has had meaningful interactions and who have inspired him. He includes people from a broad professional spectrum; CEOs, doctors, the director general of police, realtors, an attorney, a chartered accountant; a consultant and a sports coach are among those who make his list. Singling out a dominant factor from each person’s story, he outlines the journeys these people undertook and the behaviours they exhibited, and shows how these links up to the results they achieved.

The book has been divided into six themes all dealing with lessons that one must learn from the business world. The author has given a number of examples in each of themes as each chapter talks about one of the individuals he met or worked with. The stories that have been jotted down are interesting and the book provides the dos and the don’ts while in it or planning to go in it!

The author does not fall into the trap where most non-fiction authors generally delve into; telling long boring corporate stories. Instead, the length of each chapter is kept to a minimum, crisply edited and does not hammer a view on the readers to the point of boredom. Essentially entrepreneurial in nature, the narrative even enjoys showing the human side of a few individuals. I particularly enjoyed the stories from the lower strata of society, they somehow makes more impact and are deftly dealt by the author.

Unusual People Do Things Differently is full of pithy everyday management lessons and offers valuable insights to everyone who aspires to grow manage and lead. Read the book in short bursts, looking for that kick-start to be inspired in your own field. Go for it!

Book Review - 61 : Prey By The Ganges

2011-12-17T10:57:00.004+05:30

Author: Hemant Kumar
Publisher: Wisdom Tree

There is an inherent pleasure to read a book with little expectations and be pleasantly surprised with it. Prey by the Ganges by Hemant Kumar maintains a consistent tone over the course of nearly 400 pages and provides a tight thriller that is hard to put down. It helps that the author is sure-footed with the milieu the story has panned itself and brings an ensemble of engrossing characters that are difficult to get out of your mind even after finishing the book.

Set in 1948, during one night on the bank of Ganges, Vaidya Shambhu along with his servant, Hariya, are waiting for his friend, Ravi, who to had gone to Janak Ganj to trade with Thakur Suraj Singh. Shambhu, helplessly, watches his friend getting beaten to death. When the bandits leave Ravi on the brink of death, Shambhu brings the dead body, washes it and buries it. Intrigued to find the reason of his death, he starts a journey to Janaj Ganj to take on the evil Thakur, Gajanan. Both the Thakurs are competitors and are loggerheads with each other. What follows is a fascinating story about dealing with these two characters and a blood-curling heist for an exclusive diamond.

From the word go, with the nerve-wrecking description of killing of Ravi, the author barge in the point that it is not going to be an easy read. Over the course of the narrative, we are introduced to an eclectic mix of characters - the psychopath among Thakur's men, the nubile girl having immense sexual prowess, the well-knitted thakurain, the lusty babe whose piece both the gangs want and many more. All these characters interwoven seamlessly within the narrative brings about a roller-coaster ride that will engage and enthrall you no ends.

The book flirts with such themes as the compromises of village politics, the price that must be paid for integrity, and the loss of innocence. Even these revelations aren't of an earth-shattering magnitude, and the book feels naive for presenting them as such. But despite its shortcomings, the book works as a tight thriller that sustains dramatic tension throughout. The only time it falters is when all the blood-curling and abusive scenes starts to appear repetitively, almost sequentially making you feel like skipping the pages and get on the climactic deal.

I am going with 3.5/5 for Hemant Kumar's debut novel, 'Prey by the Ganges'. It is written with love, care and affection albeit portraying emotions of lust, revenge and power. A fresh voice on the Indian fiction circuit, which needs to be loved, nurtured and protected to provide us even better work in the future. Go ahead and get absorbed in a world of gory details, highly recommended!

Book Review - 60 : Charliezz

2011-12-07T14:54:00.002+05:30

Author: Trupthi Guttal and Zeeshan Farooqui
Publisher: Frog Books

Welcome to the world of sorrows, tension and pressure the typical office, where employees come, do their jobs just for the money and dash back to their homes. The office here is an engineering firm which is in the process of making its mark in the world. This story revolves around two main characters working for this corporation - Zahir Pathan and Khushi Patil - and their struggle to prove themselves as worthy employees.

Work, work and work!

Well, a wave of relief is brought by Zahir. He travels into his yesteryear's in college giving Khushi a glimpse of what he experienced during his nourishing days. Phase one begins with his five college friends, including Zahir, who are invited forcibly by one of their not-so-friendly-friend to his ancestral home where they created havoc but managed to survive the wrath of his parents. These five have an insatiable hunger for creating problems. Amidst the roller coaster ride, Zahir manages to find love in a lissom girl called Rashmi, his college friend, which unfortunately ends up disastrously. What is the reason? Will they reunite or does life has a different plot ready for them? And where does Khushi fit in?

The story begins in a typical corporate set-up with a stereotypical boss and subdued colleagues. Boss erupts, colleagues listen. The conversational format is unconventional but other incidents interspersed within the narrative are not seamless and leaves a lot to be desired. There are couple of incidents of the college days which engages the readers but are soon frittered away as none of them are interesting enough to be sustained. It becomes a typical cross-religion/cultural love story which eventually makes very little impact. It gets minimum footage in the narrative and that too only towards the end.

I am going writh 2/5 for Trupthi Guttal and Zeeshan Farooqui's 'Chaliezz'. It starts promisingly but soon becomes a mis-mash of a love story, corporate politics and college adventures, none of them strong enough to make an impact. Read it if you must.

Book Review - 59 : Haunted

2011-11-26T14:21:00.003+05:30

Author: Douglas Misquita
Publisher: Frog Books

FBI Special Agent Kirk Ingram's life is torn apart when his family is brutally murdered before his eyes. Devastated physically and psychologically, he vows to destroy organized crime in all forms. Across the globe, an international trade house brings terrorist activities and organized crime together in a deadly nexus that threatens to bring the world-order to the point of anarchy. And only one man stands in the way of global terror and paranoia-one man seeking redemption, and waging a personal battle against the demons of his past...

Haunted by Douglas Misquita is a breath of fresh air in the Indian fiction. Treating the book like a lurid thriller, the author goes for an audacious tone and a brisk pace, grabbing your attention from the very word go. The action scenes have a vivid description and brings you straight to the center of the action. Even though the fact that some scenes 'inspired' from the Mission Impossible, The Bourne Identity and Die Hard series is difficult to ignore, the book keeps you on tenterhooks and provides a tight thriller which is difficult to put down. My favourite scene is the one action scene which happens underwater and is well written to capture the essence of the narrative.

There are new characters introduced on every 10-15 pages and if you are not attentive, there is a good chance you may miss a few of them. It is not a bad idea to read this book in fewer sittings to enjoy it to the maximum potential. These characters are the emotional core and the reason the book remains grounded even when the plot occasionally teeters on the brink of sheer cheesiness. The quirky, witty conversations between them amidst crazy things going all around them forms the most enjoyable portions of the book.

The book flirts with terrorism, suicide bombers, killings, police politics and revenge drama. Even though these revelations aren't of an earth-shattering magnitude, and the book feels naive for presenting them as such. But despite its shortcomings, the book works as a brisk thriller that sustains dramatic tension throughout. The book runs out of steam in the middle portions where the actions scenes are abundant, but brings in a fatigue factor. Couple of sub-plots involving the various FBI agents are unnecessarily stretched and could have been better edited better.

But these are mere nitpicking's in an otherwise engaging, engrossing action pack adventure. Despite not much novelty on a plot-level, it works big time with a brisk pace, crispy editing and tight screenplay. I am going with 3.5/5 for Douglas Misquita's 'Haunted'. Read it if you are a fan of this genre, You will remain haunted a long time after you have finished the book.

Notes on Rohit Arora's TransGanization

2011-11-22T11:29:00.000+05:30

Author: Rohit Arora

Publisher: Times Group Books

Rating: 3/5

TransGanization, the book is a collection of thoughts on how operationally organizations face growth trajectory problems. The content also gives explanation on the strategic approach to molding organizational dynamics when organization is moving to a more structured way of working from a free energy of entrepreneur set-up. It is neatly packaged, short, concise book which does not beat around the bush and provides a succinct way of bringing around the required changes in an organization.

The process of changing the organizational genetics at the time of changing market scenarion or changing business model or during the phase-shift from one state to another is called TransGanization. This process involves changing people, processes systems, leadership, culture and other internal aspects to sustain competitive advantage and growth. Inspired by the different species from the movie 'Avatar', the author adapts the same concept into the business, by incorporating the needs of people, policies and procedures into the business model before incorporating changes.

It contains a hands-on set of problem-solving instruments as well as tools through which they can determine where they or their organization stands and the ways the gap can be eliminated between where it is at present and where it should be relative to the transganization paradigm. The DVD is excellent, with high quality video explaining the concepts and a detailed interview with the author. In fact, i enjoyed the DVD more than the book. A worthy read if you are an entrepreneur looking to make some sweeping changes into the business model or planning to incorporate innovations in the system.

Book Review - 58 : The Reverse Journey

2011-11-21T11:51:00.001+05:30

Author: Vivek Kumar Singh

Publisher: Frog Books

This is a story about a young man faced with a decision - to follow his heart or brain. The heart wants happiness in India, among his family, friends and people who are like him. His brain wants money - without it what security does he have? All his friends are relocating to the USA. He feels isolated. And so he decides to follow 'the rat race'. He travels to America. Will the journey to a foreign land bring happiness? Will money be the answer to his prayers? Or will he finally realise that true joy is the sense of belonging?

Reverse Journey is one of those books where author is not sure which tone is suitable to take forward the narrative. So it becomes autobiographical when the author starts narrating own experiences while becomes a fiction when he decides to throw in a love story. As a result, it ends up being a mixture of awkward plot-points, cringing dialogues and clunky transitions. What finally manages to stay with you is the detail with which the author has penned down the minute details about living away from the country, adjusting to the new culture, momentarily forgetting your own and hypocrisy of Indians when subjected to racist remarks.

The book is thought provoking, delving deep into the psyche of Indians abroad or who move abroad after living for a substantial time in India. The author manages to capture the small nuggets of life abroad sincerely, but fails to enthuse any kind of reliability to the characters. Yes, you can relate to them at human level but all of them are written with flat note and hardly any variation, that in the end it fails to enthuse you.

I am going with 2/5 for Vivek Kumar Singh's 'The reverse journey'. It makes some pertinent points about brain-drain and living away from India but it is so poorly structured and told with flat narrative, that it will leave you with an empty feeling. How you wish author showed a little restraint and properly-laid straight storytelling to complement very competent thoughts about his journey.

Can love realise our true self?

2011-11-20T19:57:00.001+05:30

How do you go about trusting people in this materialistic world - by their words, expressions or actions? In these days where online relationships are more or at least equally important for people, the line for trusting people is definitely getting blurred. People cover themselves so brilliantly, i wonder even they themselves are able to uncover that mask easily. Or may be they just learn to live by it. In any case, it is much easier to live with the mask on than be honest. But then how do you maintain honest, true relationships? Do you ever realise your true self? Do you ever realise the truth of love in relationships? Do you ever realise the honesty of the relationships you are in? It is just like being in fog, you know the destination but can't find a way to reach there. Isn't it?

I have always believed that every relationship - long or short, close or far teaches something. If it does not change you as a person, it at least allows you to form an opinion about people in your future relationships. But is that opinion always correct? How many times people judge their current relationships with what happened in the past? How many times people in your current relationships suffer because of your past? How many times people your current friendships do not go a step forward in the relationship, something which should have been so natural, so easy, so convincing...just because of your past. Just because certain people like to keep a mask on... to keep having that ostrich mentality as if nothing has happened....nothing will happen if you lose one relationship, nothing will happen if you lose one more relationship.

To realise one true self, to be on your own... you don't have to hide behind anyone or anything. Just make yourself busy, so busy you don't realise the pain of not being in love or in a relationship. Time doesn't heal relationships, it is all bull shit. What you do in that time heals relationships. What you achieve in that time heals relationships. What you learn and unlearn about human tendencies heals relationships. Then may be, just may be... you will find the real self of love, and hopefully, yourself too.