In My Bookshelves - Book Reviews

Book Giveaway: Love, Logic and the God's Algorithm

2011-08-22T08:52:00.000-07:00

Alright, so here's another exciting chance to win not one but 4 copies of an up and coming book - Love, Logic and the God's Algorithm by Saptarshi Basu.

What?

A book that started its release on 15th August, Love, Logic and the God's Algorithm is the story of the Saptak's transition from his 3G life (no, its not what you think - its guitar, grass, and girls) to his professional life. He is then bewildered by his repetive and boring work - until one day, he decides to leave. And start his own company based on an idea. Love, life, and other struggles await him. What is his idea? And will he get what he wants in life?

How?

It is very simple to win this book! Simply answer the following question (which, incidentally) forms the CORE of the book.

How long can you wait to you hear your inner voice? How long can you wait to clear your heart’s doubt?

You can write your answer here as a comment (be sure to include your name and email address) or send over an email to sakhisshah@gmail.com.

Additional credit?

We are giving you a chance to improve your chances of winning the book! Simply promote this book on social media like facebook, and send us a link along with your entry! (You can promote either of the following links: (http://www.flipkart.com/books/8192043339?affid=salesaleth (Flipkart link) or http://saptak-firsttry.blogspot.com/ (The novel's blog).

When?

The give-away ends on 15th September, so get in your entries ASAP! Best of luck!

Der Deutsche Sommer by Arnab Chakraborty

2011-07-13T03:38:00.000-07:00

Der Deutsche Sommer promises to transport you to Germany.

This premise, I admit, is very fascinating. I mean, who doesn't want to be a student on his first trip abroad alone - free, curious, full of life? I sure would love to do something similar. And the author does share a lot of his experiences that I did like a lot - his struggles of being able to live in a budget, his excitement at going to Germany, his time there, his experience with trying to find vegetarian food - I think every time the author started talking about his own experiences, the book started picking up. Because I really did enjoy the story of someone in a mysterious land, exploring it and understanding it piece by piece. I wish the book had been made up only of such moments (though honestly they were actually not even close to enough) - it would have put it in a higher league than it currently stands.

The problem with this book is that the author intersperses in the narrative to give you information that sounds like its from wikipedia - information about Germany's GDP, or about the football world cup, or things like that - chapters and chapters of this book are less about the author's own experiences and more like a factoid about Germany. If you want to enjoy this book, you need to go in expecting exactly that - loads of facts (important ones, though I fear the facts about the university he studied in will be important for only a very limited demographic) and loads of information. Now, of course, if you're planning to go to Germany all this information might actually be useful to you, but for someone looking for a travelogue, it might be a bit of a problem to go through the pages of information to the parts you're actually waiting for.

That is not to say that all the facts were dull and boring - I did enjoy learning more about Hitler than I'd known before in the chapters where he does talk about Hitler (in fact, I admit to skipping through the book to read those first) - though I suppose I enjoyed it slightly more because I read the book while I was studying World War II in history class. I can't guarantee everyone will feel the same, but still, its exciting to read about Hitler - more than the FIFA world cup, and certainly more than wikipedia-esque information about Germany that told me a lot about the country but failed to make me feel anything. I do wish I would've gotten more information on how the author reacted to the things he learned and saw, but instead I got the dry facts, which are personally not my favorite thing in the world.

Final thoughts: Its a factoid mixed with a travelogue - an interesting starting point if you want to visit Germany, as long as you know what you can expect from the book.

Other thoughts: You'll be able to see author Arnab Chakraborty on my blog soon for an interview. Stay tuned!

(Financial disclosure: Book source was the author.)

Book Giveaway: Broken Hearts by Shrenik Mutha

2011-07-01T04:36:00.000-07:00

So, Shrenik Mutha, author of Broken Hearts, is offering a copy of his book to one lucky winner! And what's more, if you enter the competition, you might also get a chance to attend his planned writer's workshop and get a publishing opportunity at the end of it!

It is really simple to enter this contest! Just write up any of your thoughts on the Rain (in at least 300 words - which is three detailed paragraphs) and send it over to sakhisshah@gmail.com. Its completely freestyle as long as its about the rain in some way or the other. Please make sure you have [giveaway] in the subject of your email and include your name!

Deadline: To be announced soon.

More about the book: Read my review of the book here and my interview with Shrenik here.

A Dilli-Mumbai (Love) Story by Abhimanyu Jha

2011-06-29T08:21:00.000-07:00

A Dilli-Mumbai <3 Story can melt your heart.

I will frankly tell you that I'm not often a sucker for love stories, and recently I've read so many that it is really difficult to make me a like a love story simply because I've read too many. However, A Dilli-Mumbai (Love) Story did not only make me go, "Aww" at places, but also made me almost cry near the end. Note that I say near, and not at the end, where many talented authors can get a tear or two out of me simply by killing a character I was especially fond of. I will not tell you whether or not Abhimanyu Jha does this, but I will tell you that I was very pleased with how he went with the conclusion and I was extremely glad he did not chicken out and rob this story of the end that it rightfully deserved. I think that he handled a pretty turbulent subject - a love story that happens in the time of terrorism (or more specifically, the terror attacks on the Taj Hotel in Mumbai) - with the subtlety that the subject demanded.

I liked the writing a lot. It was not only impeccable as far as spelling and grammar were concerned, but was also extremely well-paced. I loved how the author skips between the scenes of many different years in one chapter and makes you realize the significance of each line that Apu (the female lead) says - and when the author repeats some of these at the end of the book, well, thats the time when I felt like crying. The author handles the non-linear storyline with remarkable ease and makes it very easy for the reader as well by providing dates at every scene break (though I admit to having skipped those most of the time - after two scenes I knew which one belonged to which time period). I don't think many readers will have trouble understanding this book, which is written simply but elegantly. There is abundant use of colloquial language, hindi, and chat speak - all at appropriate locations. The only place where I could complain was when there was a <3 used in the place of the word 'love' even in dialogue, which I found terribly annoying. Yes, I get how its cute and matches with the title of the book and all that, but I find such things jarring in the actual narrative. I can understand chatspeak and smileys when you're showing the texts of the characters (in fact, I LOVED that touch) but not in the middle of the story for no apparent reason.

The characters were another thing I really liked about the book. At first, I will admit, with names like Aniruddha (shortened to Ani) and Aparajita (shortened to Apu) I was a little confused as to which one was male and which one was female. But they turned out to be extremely well-written characters (especially Ani, who narrates the book) filled with flaws and loves and dreams and lives that were bigger than the story itself. Yes, they got filmi sometimes, especially with the whole love at first sight and "I love you so much I'll put aside my dreams for you" stuff but thankfully they didn't overdo it. The other characters were also fun and believable - I loved Ani's sister Aaru and his best friend Rohan and Gill Uncle - who was a great character and also Ani's friend, companion, guide and only source of comfort. In fact, had the others not been such great characters, I might have been more upset at the end of the book. The way things are, I'm convinced that everyone will get out of the tragedy that is terrorism and move on with their lives somehow.

Final thoughts: Well-written, touching without being extremely cheesy and with great characters - A Dilli-Mumbai <3 (Love) Story is worth a read.

Other thoughts: Look out for author Abhimanyu Jha's interview on my blog soon! Until then, stay tuned because I've got many great books to review in the next two weeks.

(Financial disclosure: Book source was the author.)

Interview: Douglas Misquita

2011-06-24T08:58:00.000-07:00

Do you like thrillers? Then you might like Haunted by Douglas Misquita, which I reviewed recently. Want to know more? Check out my review with the author himself!

Hi Sakhi. My bookshelf is full of techno-thrillers, adventure-thrillers, conspiracy-thrillers...THRILLERS, a few biographies, Tintin and Asterix comics, encyclopaedia (now redundant because of the Internet), Hans Christian Anderson fairy-tales, abridged classics, Noddy! (I haven't given them away!) The 3 Investigators, Masters of the Universe mini comics, Nat Geo and now a Kindle!

Right now I'm reading I, Sniper by Stephen Hunter

Which genre do I read? See above (smiles)

I pick up any of my books and read the exciting parts again and again. I've read the Tintin comics almost to the near 3-digit numbers and Jurassic Park 9 times. And I'm not telling you how many times I've watched the movie!

2. Tell us something about your work before "Haunted"?

Before Haunted, there were short fiction that I wrote on single-ruled books and a lot of discarded and frustrated writings that stonewalled and some songs I composed.

3. Did you always want to be a writer? How did you get into writing? What inspired you to write "Haunted"?

I'm sure people might know this by-heart now. I wanted to be a writer from 1993. I got into writing when I tried to emulate the late Michael Crichton's Jurassic Park in my own El Dorado-themed adventure. Fast-action-movies with in-your-face visual effects combined with my interest (and almost everyone's) in a troubled/ traumatized psyche inspired me to write "Haunted"

4. What kind of people do you think this book will reach out to?

Anyone who loves movies, high-octane action, and want to escape their routine. There's no age-limit: I guess you could read it to a newborn baby with all the sound effects and visuals and hold it enthralled (smiles); read it to your grandparents and they'd be itching for those stunts!

5. What is your favourite thing about books and reading? How have books made an impact on your life?

Books and the stories and information they hold transport me to places. How have books made an impact on my life? Given me an active imagination, produced "Haunted", taught me a lot about the world we live in and where we are headed, given me a lot of imitable idols.

6. Quick take. Answer the following with the first words/phrase that comes to your mind, in five words or less:

- Thrillers – Excitement ahoy!

- Life – Acceptance and courage

- Kirk Ingram (the character) – Troubled

- Haunted (the book) – Raw adrenaline

- Books – Comfort

--

And after that awesome interview, I have some good news. If you ever wondered about me, you can now check out an interview of me on Jidhu's blog.

Haunted by Douglas Misquita

2011-06-23T06:15:00.000-07:00

Haunted by Douglas Misquita can keep you up at nights.

It is a really complex thriller about a terrorism outfit that will ultimately intersect with the lives of not just people like Kirk Ingram (the person I would call the protagonist) an FBI agent, but also many other people like a naval explorer looking for sunken ships, a group of scientists researching a nerve gas called Citex, a young lawyer, an ex-FBI agent now working for another side - and many, many more. I mentioned that the plot is complex, and the characters are also many and the different plot lines (till they converge) may confuse many readers. On the other hand, if you're the type of person who loves a good complex but extremely coherent and eventually very neatly tied up plot, then you're in for a treat. Haunted seems to be (and I admit I am uninitiated as far as crime thrillers of this type are concerned) a well-researched and well thought-out book, with enough twists and turns to keep you occupied, enough drama to keep you engaged, and enough different characters to make you want to keep a list.

The characters are all introduced to you at various different, emotional or conflict-filled situations in their life, which I think really adds to the book because I found an immediate connect with most of the (I hesitate to use this word, but) good characters. The antagonists were a little harder to keep track off, especially because the story weaves in and out of many different plot lines and you might forget one when you're on another - especially if, like me, you read the book in whatever minutes you can snatch in a bus ride or in school breaks. I recommend you read this book at a stretch and not get disheartened if all the parts of the story do not make sense immediately - I know I had to re-read certain parts of the book before I understood what had happened, and I plan to re-read a few more parts immediately after I finish this review. Its definitely not the kind of book you can flip through without reading - you do have to pay attention to understand the story - but the story is quite interesting and does manage to hold your attention without much trouble.

One of the problems that I faced with the story was its pacing. Somehow I felt that the beginning, that should have gripped me immediately (and I talk about chapter 1, not the prologue, which definitely chilled me) was slow and through me off balance. There was a lot of description of the weather and the nameless 'person' that I did not want and did not find relevant. I would recommend skimming through parts you can't get through and coming back at the end of the chapter - they are certainly interesting and even relevant later on. However, there were also a lot of positives about the author's writing - no spelling or grammatical errors, and great and interesting chapter headings. I particularly loved "The Haunting" chapters, and I would have loved some more of those, though I do understand why there weren't too many.

Final thoughts: Interesting, complicated, well-written. Definitely a great read for people who like dark thrillers.

Other thoughts: Author Douglas Misquita has gracefully agreed to appear on my blog for an interview! Keep checking back!

(Financial disclosure: Book source was the author.)

Interview: Nikesh Rathi

2011-06-22T08:48:00.000-07:00

So, do you remember Somewhere @ Nowhere, which I reviewed on my blog recently? Today I have author Nikesh Rathi on my blog! Welcome, Nikesh.

1. I'd like to begin this interview by asking you what kind of books are there on your bookshelf? What books are you reading right now? Which genre of books do you generally read? Which books do you re-read again and again?
I have quite random reading habits. I read random articles from newspapers, magazines and websites to books – fiction as well as nonfiction.

I have quite a disorganized bookshelf! Currently I am reading Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse. Before that I read Liar’s Poker by Michael Lewis and some short stories by Ruskin Bond and Roald Dahl. Next, I am planning to read A short history of nearly everything by Bill Bryson. Some of my all time favourites are 1984, Animal Farm, The Godfather, The Alchemist, Catcher in the Rye, To kill a mockingbird etc. and I have read most of these multiple times.

2. Tell us something about your work before "Somewhere @ Nowhere"?
I belong to Raipur, have done most of my schooling at Baroda, my engineering at NIT, Bhopal (2005) and MBA at IIM, Lucknow (2008) and worked in IT, FMCG and education sectors.

3. Did you always want to be a writer? How did you get into writing? What inspired you to write "Somewhere @ Nowhere"?
Writing is more of a hobby. Full time writing is like wishful thinking!
I used to blog somewhat regularly and used to write short stories, poems and articles, some of which have also featured in sites like IBNLive and Rediff. I started writing a book quite a few times, but never got going. Finally I overcame the inertia and Somewhere @ Nowhere happened. I always had keen interest in travelling and knowing about places and people. I guess, these factors, apart from trying to come up with something different were instrumental in shaping the book.

4. What kind of people do you think this book will reach out to?
I think this is for people who want to read something more than just chick lit or pulp fiction. I have tried my best not to make it one of those run of the mill kind of books. I think age is not a factor in determining if you’ll like it. I have actually received some nice compliments from not so young people!

5. What is your favourite thing about books and reading? How have books made an impact on your life?
Reading lets you to explore new things and broaden one’s thinking and outlook. Every time I read, I become amazed by how little I know and there is so much to learn and explore.
I can’t pinpoint a particular book that made an impact on my life. But some books that have impacted my thinking in varying magnitudes are Animal Farm, 1984, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Alchemist, Catcher in the Rye, etc. (most of which happen to be among my favourites!)

6. Quick take. Answer the following with the first words/phrase that comes to your mind, in five words or less:
- India – A superset made of different Indias.
- Life – Random
- Somewhere @ Nowhere – Hopefully, a masterpiece.

- Unplanned Journeys – Wish to undertake some day.
- Books – Exploring new horizons

Somewhere @ Nowhere by Nikesh Rathi

2011-06-20T06:26:00.000-07:00

Somewhere @ Nowhere has one of the most interesting themes I've read recently.

Imagine the point in your life when you felt truly aimless, as if you were working for someone else. Leading someone else's life. Imagine an upheaval that left you unsure of what to do with yourself. Imagine taking some money and some friend and going into the general compartment of a train headed to nowhere - you discard your cellphone on the way and dont have internet access, you learn to eat in unhygienic places and live without things that you considered necessities, you head off somewhere to a place you dont know, no plans, no ambition - nothing except for you and the road and your next stop and your next meal. No company except for the strangers you can talk to on the road. No more following the rules set by society. Doesnt this sound exciting? Well, thats exactly the plot of Somewhere @ Nowhere by Nikesh Rathi. In his book, Rathi sends off his narrator into uncharted waters in India and leaves him to flounder around, discovering India, and in the process, discovering himself.

But the narrator seems rather irrelevant in this story. In fact, I only learned his name on page 108 of a book that is roughly 150 pages. His friend is even more irrelevant, he does not even stay for the entirety of the book and I find him extraneous at best. But the crux of this story is about the people the narrator actually meets - the poor, downtrodden people that he has never had any contact with, and their lives and faith that shake his own life. The characters he meets are highly important as a reflection of Indian society and culture - and the one who touched by heart most was the nameless Sadhu at the start, and Malti, the young poor girl with an abused life who comes in at the end, but each one of them had their own sad stories and their own struggles with their lives, and each were placeholders for the much bigger drama that is India. At a few places, like when the narrator gets kidnapped (I will leave you to read the book to find out by whom) I felt that the characters were underdeveloped and under-explained, but all in all I enjoyed the character's stories as they were all different and all very relevant.

The author avoids some of the cliches of writing (which I appreciated very much) - at one point I was extremely certain that there was going to be an ill-timed and ill-developed love story which I'm very glad he did not do, and at another point I believed that the author was heading towards a very radical change in the character that would not have been in keeping with the general development of the story. I liked the writing on the whole, mostly terse and I liked how the characters narrated their stories in their own voices. On the other hand certain parts of the writing were annoying - like the sometimes clunky writing and the fact that there was too much telling instead of showing, which often bogs down an otherwise good story. It is all very good to tell stories, but stories too need to be made more interesting by dialog and action sequences, which I feel the author could have done better.

Final thoughts: Refreshing plot. The author, to quote Robert Frost, takes a "road not taken" and that makes all the difference.

Other thoughts: Except an interview with Nikesh Rathi soon on my blog! Also, I'm currently reading Haunted by Douglas Misquita and have a whole range of books lined up, so keep an eye out and expect loads of replies very soon!

(Financial disclosure: Book source was the author.)

Interview: Vivek Banerjee

2011-06-16T09:43:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! Please welcome Dr. Vivek Banerjee, author of "The Long Road" for an interview on my blog today. If you recall, I interviewed his book a few days ago.

1. I'd like to begin this interview by asking you what kind of booksare there on your bookshelf? What books are you reading right now? Which genre of books do you generally read? Which books do you re-read again and again?
I am a huge fan of fiction. From classics to adventure to mystery to horror to contemporary Indian English writing, I read them all. I also have Bangla and Hindi books in my bookshelf, though not as many as English ones. The books I have read multiple times are Doctors by Eric Segal, To kill a mockingbird by Harper Lee, and almost all books by Jack Higgins, Alister Maclean and Wilbur Smith. I have also read Dan Brown multiple times. For the last two months, I have been busy with the Book Reading Challenge conducted by your blog and Book Readers Lounge. So it has been Indian authors for the last two months.

2. Tell us something about your work before "The Long Road"?I used to blog on Rediff iLand in its heydays. You can say that I developed confidence in my writing abilities thanks to Rediff blogs. Many of my early short stories are still posted there.

3. Did you always want to be a writer? How did you get into writing? What inspired you to write "The Long Road"?
I guess I always wanted to be a doctor. Writing was just a whim I developed suddenly. (maybe a part of my bucket list) I was talking on the phone with my old school-teacher Ms. C. Sinha and said that I wanted to write a novel. She kind of encouraged me and I started thinking about it seriously. I started writing blogs, limericks and short stories to test the water. Even The long road started as a serial story on Rediff.( It was titled Doctors, by the way) The response of my co- bloggers to the story was fantastic. I ended the story after the Mumbai attacks when Sarika and Rahul get reunited. This elicited a howl of protest from my readers who wanted me to carry on with the story. I did and thus the book took shape.

4. What kind of people do you think this book will reach out to?It should appeal to the urban Indian reader, the young and the young at heart. I sincerely hope that it does not remain confined to doctors and medical students.

5. What is your favourite thing about books and reading? How havebooks made an impact on your life?Books are wonderful. The best thing about them is that they are always there for you. I have been reading them ever since I learned to read. I believe books have shaped my personality and made me what I am today.

6. Quick take. Answer the following with the first words/phrase that comes to your mind, in five words or less:
- Love – The best feeling ever…
- Life – Do your best…
- Marriage – My biggest strength…
- Medicine (as a profession) – Very taxing but satisfying…
- Books – are everything…

Nothing is impossible. One must dream and do his/ her best in life. I guess the following quote says it all.

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that
you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines.
Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails.
Explore. Dream. Discover.
-- Mark Twain

(Sakhi: That is my favorite quote too! As anyone who's ever emailed me would know.)

The Long Road by Dr. Vivek Banerjee

2011-06-12T00:43:00.000-07:00

The Long Road is a love story set in a medical college.

The first thing that struck me about the book is how much it reminds me of Doctors by Eric Segal, which I absolutely adored. One scene in the book, the part about how Sarika in general surgery needs to change in the nurses room because there are no females taking up general surgery that they dont have a seperate changing room for them is eerily similar, though I found it terribly sad that that is still relevant (after all, Doctors was published in 1988 and based in 1962). However, I will admit that I really like stories of young people in medicine (somehow more than IIT or IIM based love stories, perhaps because they've become intensely repetitive at this stage and I enjoy different perspectives). And the best part about this one is that they dont ignore realism - a lot of the characters struggle between ambition and their personal lives, and between love and work, which I actually really enjoyed reading. Their interpersonal friendship, though at places under-deveoped, was also more appealing than the love stories, for me.

The cast consists of five different people - sweet, innocent, overprotected Hina, rich-rebel Ranjiv, very ambitious and driven Sarika, Rahul, who struggles to find his place in the world, and Sagarika, who is not as well developed as the rest, and gets less story time, but who's story is one of the most satisfying. A lot of the book is based on the interlinking love stories of all the characters - but while I thought the love stories were slightly predictable I enjoyed reading about the other conflicts - how Sarika works to make her marriage work side-by-side with her ambition, how Hina struggles against her parents and eventually develops into someone quite different from who she was in the beginning, how Sagarika (why do the characters have such similar names?) learns to adjust to the newest changes in her life. Some conflicts were resolved a little too easily, and too many because of calamities, but I guess calamities have their power to, I quote Bernard Shaw here, " break down all likes and dislikes, and throw them both back on their common humanity" and therefore that part of the story makes sense as well.

Some things that I didnt like as much - at places the writing seemed very forced and there is too much telling as opposed to showing. On the other hand, the book is short and fast-paced and zips past very fast. I really liked the chapter heading and certain special chapters - like the chapters where Sagarika writes back to Rahul in an email, and the beginning of the book, are truly gems. The first chapter, for example, is set in an extremely turbulent time and will grip you and make you want to read more about the characters when you dont even know them. The book is about love, life and friendship in a difficult time and a difficult course, and as such it does well in portraying the conflicts that assail these people in young India.

Final thoughts: A tale chronicling the (mostly romantic) struggles of five medical students in India. Fast paced and different - definitely worth a read.

Other thoughts: Did I also mention I finished Eric Segal's "The Class" recently? I have to post a reply of that. Also of Mitch Albom's "The Five People You Meet In Heaven" and the first book of the Percy Jackson series, as well as many books currently in my bookshelf. Keep a look out!
Also, I'll be interviewing author Vivek Banerjee soon here!

(Financial disclosure: Book source is the author.)

Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

2011-06-05T06:41:00.000-07:00

What can I say? Palace of Illusions is so beautiful, I am lost for words.

Its not like I wasnt expecting it to be amazing. I was. Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is one of those authors I pick up when I see on a bookshelf, no questions asked. Her books are magical and mystical, written in a lyrical style quite different from most authors. Her writing is mature and beautiful - she crafts worlds that I and my mother, women of two different generations, can enjoy and love. What I admire most is how well she takes certain concepts, and manipulates them into something beautiful. She takes fantasy and she brings it into India. And in Palace of Illusions, she does something even more difficult - she takes one of the oldest tales in the world (the Mahabharata) and she re-tells it so beautifully that she can make the heart break with pure awe. Because she does something that I've always wanted to see done - she portrays the Mahabharata from a woman's point of view - and not just any woman, the most pivotal woman of all - Draupadi, Panchaali, the woman with five husbands, the cursed and the destined.

First things first - the characterization is spot-on. Read this book, and you will fall in love with Draupadi, no matter what problems you had with her before. I for one never thought of her as a villain, but I recommend this book to anyone who doesnt share my view - and everyone who does. But its not just Draupadi who shines as a character. Divakaruni manages to make almost all the characters real for me - from Bheem and Karna (both of whom I hadnt thought much of before reading this book, and fell in love with both of them by the end), Yudhishtir (he saved himself in my eyes by the final thing he does in the book) to Arjun (who I didnt like as much, but who was still an amazing character) - to Nakul, Sahadev, and Kunti - and for that matter even Duryodhan, Drona and Bheeshma (all of whom were on the other side of the epic) battle. But the character I loved the most was Krishna. Krishna has been my favorite since years, but this book, and his relationship with Draupadi, took my love to a new high. None of the characters are unblemished and purely heroic (in a book about gods!) but in that they become truly lovable. All the interpersonal relationships are also wonderfully etched - you can learn from the way Divakaruni shows Draupadi's relationships with each of her five husbands, her brother, her mother-in-law, her forbidden lover, the other wives of her husbands and her sons.

The book also added a lot to my understanding of the Mahabharata. I've grown up hearing the Mahabharata from my grandfather, but I'd thought before that it was a rigid, impractical sort of war - a righteous war that did not fit with my world view. The book made the war much more alive and real to me. Divakaruni does not mince words and she doesnt save characters - all your favorites can be dishonored when the very real game of war begins. I think you might enjoy the book slightly more if you're already fairly familiar with the Mahabharat - there are some tricky points that you might miss otherwise, and a lot of major battles and victories that Divakaruni skims over, because they are simply not things that Draupadi would pay attention to or know. Also many in-references can be found inside the book, like a mention of how "Krishna was out looking for a gem," that you wont understand because she wont explain them. While this should not detract from the experience of someone who hasn't read the Mahabharata, it will certainly be more enjoyable for those more familiar with it.

I don't know if you would enjoy the style. Divakaruni has a very, very unique voice (I catch myself thinking, writing and speaking in the same lyrical way for days after reading one of her novels). Its written in first-person view, but it often has moments like, "But I knew later that this was not true." I generally avoid such books, but this is one of my favorite authors, after all and I believe she makes it work (it helps that you might know most of the story already - you are more re-discovering than discovering all this for the first time). She writers poetic prose but it still seems to fly - I finished the book in two days and I felt like I couldn't stop until it was over. I honestly believe that its a work of art more than it is a book - everything, from the font of the chapter heads to the cover to the writing is meant to immerse you more deeply into the world of these characters.

Final thoughts: It has been way, way too long since I cried after reading a book. And I teared up multiple times during this book. That should really speak for itself. But if it doesnt - its the stunning re-telling of an age old epic, great characterization, drastic change in the point of view and beautiful writing. Read it.

Other thoughts: When I re-read this review, I kept thinking stuff like, "oh, I forgot to add how much I loved Dhri! Or Dhai Ma! Or how awful the lac house thing was!" - which is just further proof that you should read this book.

Also, I shifted list day to next week. Exams! -sigh-

Interview: Sonia Kundra Singh

2011-06-04T02:39:00.000-07:00

Hi! Today on my blog is Sonia Kundra Singh, author of "Love Me In The End" which I reviewed here a few days ago.

1. I'd like to begin this interview by asking you what kind of books are there on your bookshelf? What books are you reading right now? Which genre of books do you generally read? Which books do you re-read again and again?
My bookshelf is filled with romances, starting from Mills and Boons to Judigth McNaught. There was a phase in my life where I spent all my allowance collecting each and every book of my favourite authors. But I have moved on a little to thrillers and memoirs now and have added them when I need a distraction. However, even now if I see a romance I can’t resist the temptation. I do read the books by Diana Palmer again and again.
I am reading The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown at the moment and just moved enough to answer your questions.

2. Tell us something about your work before "Love Me In The End"?
I write blogs and love penning down short stories and little titbits about my life. You can find me here http://soniakundrasingh.blogspot.com/.

3. Did you always want to be a writer? How did you get into writing? What inspired you to write "Love Me In The End"?
I never thought of a side-line career and thanks to the support of my parents I could pursue it full time. Writing romances had always been highpoint of my career and I am loving it. I remember my mom giving me an age-old typewriter after I began scribbling like mad at the back my notebooks. I began spending all my free time on writing then.

Love Me In The End happened after a series of mishap novels (that is only for my private pleasure). I began spending a lot of time on my characters and surprisingly felt more than I could think. Inspiration would be a lonely night and lots of coffee.

4. What kind of people do you think this book will reach out to?
Love Me In The End, being a romance can be read by almost anyone and I am not really targeting an audience here. If you love a good romance with all the right spices- This book is for you!

5. What is your favourite thing about books and reading? How have books made an impact on your life?
It signifies so much more than just words for me. A world of its own it makes me just want to forget all my woes and become this person who is nothing but an onlooker.
It is very difficult to decide how many books have made an impact on my life but I can name a few. Mitch Albom’s ‘Seven people you meet in heaven’, Robin Sharma’s ‘Who will cry when you die?’ and then there are many romances that have made an impact on my writing Shashi Deshpande’s works, Diana Palmer’s ‘Long Tall Texan’ and Judith McNaught’s historical romances.

6. Quick take. Answer the following with the first words/phrase that comes to your mind, in five words or less:
- Love – An illusion of a fantasy you want to live with forever

- Life – Happens. Deal with it.

- Arranged Marriage – A preview of an upcoming romance

- Arman (the character) – Love him, Hate him but such a man exists

- Books – My own personal world of paradise.

Interview: Anurag Anand

2011-06-03T05:57:00.000-07:00

Hi! Today I have on my blog none other than Anurag Anand, whose book I raved about a few days ago. Welcome, Anurag.

1. I'd like to begin this interview by asking you what kinds of books are there on your bookshelf. What books are you reading right now? Which genre of books do you generally read? Which books do you re-read again and again?
On my bookshelf you would find everything from comic books, light reads to serious fiction. My frame of mind dictates the kind of books I read. Nothing works like a P G Wodehouse or a Tintin/ Archie Comic book to rejuvenate me after a grueling day at work, while the likes of Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Milan Kundera, Orhan Pamuk, Salman Rushdie etc make up my more serious reads. I am not much into non-fiction, but a few biographies/ autobiographies (Lance Armstrong, Richard Branson etc) have managed to enthrall me as well. When I read a book, I get absorbed in the story and hence it doesn’t carry the same novelty after I have read it once. However, I can read a comic book again and again and enjoy it all the same.

2. Tell us something about your work before "The Quest for Nothing"?
My first book, 'Pillars of Success' was published when I was 25 (2004). The book was an assimilation of my experiences with the Youth Development Program of a Delhi based NGO, UNES and talked about the simple things in life that can be the differentiators between success and failure. I followed it up with another book in the self-help genre titled, 'Corporate Mantras'. As the name suggests, the book dwelled upon the vagaries of the corporate world and provided its readers with simple tips for survival.
Thereafter, the storyteller within me took charge and I penned my first work of fiction, 'Tic Toc – A tale of love, hate & terror". The book was launched by the acclaimed filmmaker Mr Mahesh Bhatt and was widely appreciated for its differential treatment of a sensitive subject like terrorism. 'The Quest for Nothing' is my second fiction title and fourth published book.

3. Did you always want to be a writer? How did you get into writing? What inspired you to write "The Quest for Nothing"?
I wouldn’t say I always knew that I would be writing. In fact, when I first started to pen down the manuscript of Pillars of Success, I had no idea that it would eventually culminate into a book. Once the manuscript was ready, I sent it to just the one publisher who luckily agreed to publish it. From there on, it was the high of creating something that could touch a chord with people I did not personally know that propelled me further into writing.
The Quest for Nothing was deeply inspired by what I saw all around me on an everyday basis. Individuals who unabashedly go about chasing an idea called success which does not have a concrete shape or a defined form even in their own minds; the spoils eventually permeating into their personal lives and relationships. Though there are books that have been written with similar settings, they have mostly focused on sensationalism behind the office doors. I wanted to write something that was more relatable and would force people to pause and think about the things that they tend to take for granted in their quest for a successful career.

4. What kind of people do you think this book will reach out to?
The USP of The Quest for Nothing is its realistic setting, story line and characters. The relationships have been treated in an utterly real-world fashion and I hope that a lot of people will find a slice or two from their own lives in the book. As was aptly summarized by a review in the Hindustan Times, 'And as you stream through the pages, you are bound to sit up more than once and exclaim, 'Hey, that’s exactly how it happens with me!'' Thus, I expect the story to resonate with every individual who is sensitive towards people and relationships.

5. What is your favorite thing about books and reading? How have books made an impact on your life?
Reading and books are as integral to my life as possibly my mobile phone and so it is difficult for me to point out one single favorite thing about the experience of reading. It is simply difficult for me to imagine life without books.
In addition to the felt benefits like better understanding of language, knowledge and information gain, reading has a host of other benefits that often go unnoticed. Books play a crucial role in enriching the mind and enabling an individual to view a situation from various perspectives. Not a scientific fact, but I have often noticed that most vociferous of readers are generally the in-control, calm personalities that people enjoy being with.
My earliest brush with reading has been the comic books that I used to sneak between my text books in the numerous unsuccessful attempts at dodging my mother's keen eyes. The impact often left me with reddened ears or cheeks, when I was caught. But since then, I have gained a lot from the books I have read and I would attribute a large part of my current understanding of the human mind and behavior to my reading.

6. Quick take. Answer the following with the first words/phrase that comes to your mind, in five words or less:
-Love: A badly abused word and an indescribable emotion.

-Life: A gift, meant to be cherished.

-Marriage: A commitment that, when made to the right partner, can make life a heavenly experience.

-Akash (the character): You, me and every other person running in the mad race for success.

-Books: The most willing partner you can ever find.

Other thoughts: (Let the author inform you of his newest work, out for pre-order already!)
My next title, 'Reality Bites' is expected to hit the stands in June 2011 and if you liked 'The Quest for Nothing', you will simply love 'Reality Bites'.

It is a love thriller set in a co-ed high school hostel with numerous unexpected twists and turns. The protagonist sets out on a pursuit of love, guided not by the callings of his heart but by peer pressure to lose the tag of being single. Amid the clan-esque hierarchy and the curiously bizarre characters that are nurtured within the boundaries of the hostel, will he eventually succeed in finding his true love?

More thoughts: Attended author Shrenik Mutha's book launch for Broken Hearts in Pune yesterday! Quite a showing. Check out my review of his book here along with my interview of Shrenik!

Interview: Nikhil Mahajan

2011-05-31T09:52:00.000-07:00

Today I have on my blog Nikhil Mahajan. Hi Nikhil! Nikhil is the author of "My Love Never Faked", which I reviewed here.

1. I'd like to begin this interview by asking you what kind of books are there on your bookshelf? What books are you reading right now? Which genre of books do you generally read? Which books do you re-read again and again?
I read almost all kind of genre as long as it keep me fix to my couch but in my bookshelf I have a lil’ collection which includes: “The Secret” by Rhonda Bryne, “Wings of Fire” by Abdul Kalam, Enrich Sehgal’s Love stories and various contemporary books. I mostly prefer reading romantic novel’s coz in such fictions you can really feel and live the character whereas books like Shiv Khera helps us to uplift our life and thoughts to live better. But I am hooked to books like Shiv Khera and Dr. Zakhir Naik collection which I prefer reading again and again.

2. Tell us something about your work before "My Love Never Faked…"?
I was never into the writing world; I used to write Physiotherapy articles for “The shadow” newspaper at Jammu which was linked to my college and my study course. My Love Never Faked is my debut Novel in the world of literary and before that I was a reader who was found of reading everything which comes his way.

3. Did you always want to be a writer? How did you get into writing? What inspired you to write "My Love Never Faked…"?
I never knew that there was any artistic itch in me, I always used to be a dry person with no feelings about love but as I fell in love with a girl to whom I used to gift poems as token of my love (poems being included in my work) I really came to know how beautiful love is and the feeling. But few years later we had a breakup that put me into sea of sorrows; I could not maintain my link with her. As I could not share my feelings, I thought I will write for her and the day when we will unite, I’ll just gift those notes. But it never happened. Words by words, making the sentence, all these months were penned down piling up finally turns into chapters and took the shape of a book. My GF, the ex; is my Inspiration of writing “my love never faked…” and when my readers ask me when they are going to read another love story, I ask myself: “Am I ready to love again?”
4. What kind of people do you think this book will reach out to?
I try to put the very basics about a relationship and love to reach out my readers. I don’t want my readers to open dictionary while reading my book, so I kept it as simple as it could be. I always believe that an emotion is already a very difficult thing to understand then why to make it more complicating with words. The inclusion criteria of my book are those who are passionate about reading love books, fictional autobiographical kind of stuff, imaginative yet so real to attach with.

5. What is your favourite thing about books and reading? How have books made an impact on your life?
Favorite thing about reading a book is that it increases our imagination power and no doubt reading may keep you busy but it is important that you read a good stuff, something constructive which can take you to the next level. It should broaden your horizon of thinking and you never know from ample of lines which line or word may change your life.

6. Quick take. Answer the following with the first words/phrase that comes to your mind, in five words or less:
- Love – It’s eternal it’s too big and I am too small to define it.

- Life – It does not have a meaning until you give it.

- Internet relationships – Hypothetical in nature but yet you can “google” a relationship over internet.

- Forgiveness – Highest virtue of life only few can do rest just pretend.

- Books – My first passion and my second love.

Love Me In The End by Sonia Kundra Singh

2011-05-27T03:19:00.000-07:00

Love Me In The End was not what I expected.

Perhaps a little context is required - most love stories I've read, especially the ones by Indian authors, ignore the concept of lust. So no one is ever physically attracted to anyone, no one ever seems to sleep with anyone at all, and while the hero and heroine always look absolutely gorgeous and flawless, no one ever seems to like them for the way they look, because that would just be too materialistic and detract from the idea of the great Indian love story. Over time, I have come to find this irritating - especially when the love story seems based on lust anyway, and the author is just unwilling to acknowledge that. And here's what I can say for Love Me In The End - it definitely doesn't do that. Catering to Gen Y, the book is refreshingly open about sexuality and relationships - in fact, if you're uncomfortable with that then I would definitely not recommend this book for you. As far as I'm concerned, this is a very open book (in fact, the last book like this was Nikhil Mahajan's "My Love Never Faked" - reviewed here - which, if you recall, had a main character who cheated, watched porn and got the girl from the porn he was watching and with whom he was cheating on her girlfriend to tattoo her name on him) but I was quite okay with that.

That is not to say that I enjoyed everything about this book. I did like Ria though - the main character - because she was fun, fiery, and definitely not perfect, and she was making more sense than anyone else in this book. Because I certainly could not understand the motivations of many, many people - Amitab, Ria's father, behaves like he lives in the previous century (engaging her with a guy she's never met and then blackmailing the guy into marrying her), her supposedly modern mother (who is divorced and remarried to Amitab, who is also a divorcee) is upset that her daughter is unhappy with her father's choice but still seems to blame it on her daughter for being 'pig-headed' (which seems like a joke! I consider everyone else pigheaded) and last but not the least Arman, Ria's fiancée who's motivations - both emotional and physical, I fail to understand completely. Also, his hypocrisy made me really hate him! (You will understand once you read the book. Nothing could be as annoying.)

The plot is, as I've explained above, not for everyone. On the other hand, if you're a fan of romance, (this book is reminiscent of Julia Quinn - read here) and you're okay with it, it is quite likely that you will really enjoy this book. Its fast-paced, modern, fun and reasonably well-written - none of the careless grammar and writing that so frequently destroy good stories these days. There are passages in this book that are funny, touching, and incredibly passionate - which is, of course, what all books should aim to do - and I feel the book succeeds in that.

Final thoughts: Its fun, and modern - definitely for the new Indian generation. Give it a miss if you dont like the concept, because its based pretty heavily on that.

Other thoughts: I've been reading a lot of books lately that I haven't got the time to review - like Eric Segal's "The Class" and the first Percy Jackson book, as well as a re-read of the Vlad Taltos series. Expect more reviews soon! Also see my interviews of Anurag Anand, Nikhil Mahajan and Sonia Kundra Singh here soon! Also, its about time for the Book Reading Challenge 2011 and The Book Giveaway of Stilettos in the Newsroom to End - get on it!

(Financial disclosure: Book source is the author.)

The Quest for Nothing by Anurag Anand

2011-05-20T02:23:00.000-07:00

I really liked The Quest for Nothing.

I find it hard to pinpoint exactly what was so amazing about it. Its a combination of various not-so-important factors that lead to a finished product that is both a good story and an extremely good piece of writing. Perhaps at first glance it was the impeccable writing - I dont think you will find a single place in this book with grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, or poor editing - a change that I really appreciate when compared to a lot of books I read these days. The book is a polished, finished product - there is no superfluous information, the book is fast paced, and the writing is really good. It is an extremely professional book - and that is one of the things I appreciated the most when I was on the first half of the book and hadnt really gotten into the story just then. The non-linear structure also works really well, as it gets you into the mystery and makes you feel for Akash, though it can be confusing.

The second part I liked is the plot. The plot is definitely not full of fantasy or even over-the-top, its a simple mystery and a very normal marital relationship - but I think the simplicity is what makes this book truly good. The relationship between Deepali and Akash has got to be my favorite part of the book, simply because its so easy to identify with - the beginning of the romance, the passionate honeymoon period, the pressure of work leading to a decrease in affection, the breaks and the shake-ups and the cheating - I like how each part of it is the kind of thing that can happen to just about anyone. The mystery that forms a core of the book - the reason why Akash is accused of leaking highly confidential data - also seems to build naturally from the way things were and the ending, while not completely unexpected, was still interesting.

The supporting characters were perhaps not as well-developed as I would have liked - we never do get the full story behind Monisha, for example, and I would've liked to know more about Neil as well - though honestly I understand this. Its a short book and its a quick one, and perhaps the lack of all that information adds to the book rather than detracts from it, but I am still the type of person who likes to know everything about every character. On the other hand, the more important characters - in particular Akash (the hero) and Deepali (his wife) are so much fun to read, and they are so superbly etched (especially Deepali) that the book continues to shine despite this pit-fall. Its been a long time since I have written such an elated review - but thats probably because its been a while since I've enjoyed a book quite this much.

Final thoughts: As one reviewer puts it, nothing to WOW you in this book, but its still worth what you pay for it. The varied aspects of plot, characterization and good writing come together to give you a book that is not wow and yet will wow you.

Other thoughts: I will be reviewing author Anurag Anand soon on my blog! Keep reading!

Also, this is part of my list for the Book Reading Challenge 2011.

(Financial disclosure: Book source is the author.)

Book Giveaway: Stilettos in the Newsroom by Rashmi Kumar

2011-05-13T23:28:00.000-07:00

Here is your chance to win one of 3 author-signed copies of Stilettos in the Newsroom, by Rashmi Kumar. This is a great book on the struggles faced by a woman in the cut-throat industry of journalism and is about her struggles in love, life and work. If you want to know more, read my review of the book here.

Update: Due to the response, the author is offering not 1 but 3 copies of the book! Come and apply!

Entering this contest is really simple. Just write here below the answers to the following simple questions:

1) Which is the book you're reading right now?

2) Which is your favorite book and why?

3) Which is your favorite catch-phrase from a book?

(Curious about the questions? Rashmi Kumar and In My Bookshelves love to promote the reading and sharing of your favorite books.)

New update: If you would prefer to be more private, email me your answers at sakhisshah[at]gmail[dot]com (replace the [at] and [dot] with the respective symbols.)

Also leave your name and your email address and you might win a copy of this great book! So come on in and join the fun!

Also, if you want to ask author Rashmi Kumar a question, about her books or just about anything else, do post below in the comments!

Contest Deadline: 31st May. Winners will be announced soon after and notified by email!

My Love Never Faked by Nikhil Mahajan

2011-05-06T00:42:00.000-07:00

My Love Never Faked - Trust Me I Still Love You is a different yet similar love story.

Here is something I really like about the book and I feel it differentiated it from the rest of the books of this type - the story. Its not your regular boy-meets-girl, and stuff happens book, and for the first time in a long time its the story of two people who have actually been in a relationship for a long, long time, and a story of how the stupid action of the guy (namely "meeting a girl on a website, flirting with her, and finally ending up with a tattoo of her name on his chest") breaks them up - and how love may or may not survive when faced with insurmountable odds. It gives you a very "it-could-happen-to-you-if-you-are-really-stupid" situation and then forces you to question what the hell you would do in it. If you were the girl, would you forgive him? If you were the guy, would you dare to ask for forgiveness? And will Priya finally forgive Abhi? Written in a very autobiographical way (and perhaps based on real events, I don't know if it is) it forces you to look up because of the realism.

The realism is also there in the characters and situations. Contrary to bollywood-ish dramas, there is not much photoshopping done to this story. It comes across as one that might happen to just about anyone. Abhi acts really awfully in the whole story - two-timing, forgetting important dates, watching porn, having immature pranks with friends, fantasizing about girls, and of course making the mistake of his life as shown above, and Priya comes across as the typified girlfriend - nagging, fighting, cute, always remembering the important dates...and while this does seem a little stereotyped at times, with there typical roles of the girlfriend and boyfriend, and patronizing at times where Abhi talks about "makhan lagana" to Priya, it does strike a chord at places, and will for many people living in our day and age who are happily (or unhappily) in love.

The problems I've had with this book include the grammar and writing style, which did not agree with me at all. I understand this is a book aimed for the 'texting crowd' but I do not find things like 'u' acceptable in the narrative of a book, and I do feel the grammar and formatting could do with major editing in the book. If you arent a grammar Nazi like me you will mostly not have a problem with this, but me being who I am could not easily get over this. (Note: The author has informed me that this is corrected in later versions of the book. So a note for people buying, consider looking into this.) And on the other hand, the book is short and zippy, it gets through pretty fast, and there are very few slow scenes, though there are a few irrelevant ones, like the one with the revenge, which seemed to be there just because.

Final thoughts: I can recommended the book for its sense of realism and a plot that I found pretty different. Points off for the handling of the grammar and syntax.

Other thoughts: I'll have author Nikhil Mahajan for an interview soon on this blog, watch this space! Also, this is one of my additions for the Book Reading Challenge 2011.

(Financial disclosure: Book source was the author.)

Interview: Ankita Chadha

2011-05-04T01:12:00.000-07:00

And today I have on my blog Ankita Chadha, author of Anything Else But Love which is I reviewed a few days ago. Welcome, Ankita!

Thank you Sakhi for interviewing me!

My bookshelf is filled with numerous philosophy books (Mostly written by Osho), and romance books. ‘The mystic rose’ written by Osho is my favourite.

I am currently reading ‘The devil and miss prym’ by Paulo Coelho.

I generally read philosophy and romance. And even though I love philosophy, it is romance I mostly pick.

Any book that touches my heart and leaves me with a wow feeling is re-read by me, not once, but as many times I want to. I have re-read Harry Potter series three times till date.

2. Tell us something about your work before "Anything Else But Love"?

My first work is ‘Little things in life’, a book based on philosophy. It’s about the journey of a teenage girl who delves into the anonymity of life and wants to understand the depth and the beauty of it.

The book hasn’t been released yet, since much work is pending on it, and I do not plan to release it anytime before one year or so. Hence, ‘Anything else but love’ remains my debut novel.

3. Did you always want to be a writer? How did you get into writing? What inspired you to write "Anything Else But Love"?

A person never becomes a writer – either he is, by default, or he is not. He only becomes aware of his writing ability. And I was aware since my school days. I wrote poems mostly, and it was in my ninth standard that I first thought of writing a novel.

Around ten months ago I was working on some other book, when I saw this dream. A couple was dressed in white, and there was radiating whiteness around them, almost celestial. They were at some workplace, and the guy was standing close to this simple traditional girl, resting his face near her ear, muttering something. And the girl was blushing incessantly. I could in fact see her going beetroot red, and the guy adoring his blushing beauty with a plastered smiled etched across his face. Then the dream ended.

I was so determined then. I knew that no matter what, this is the love story I have to write, because you don’t get to see such eternal, beautiful, and ethereal couples anymore.

4. What kind of people do you think this book will reach out to?

People who still believe in a kind of romance where you enter into a timeless zone, you lose yourself to a person, only to never get yourself back again. You do not walk anymore; rather bounce with each step that you take. Everything around you becomes infinitely slow, beautiful and divine.

So, anyone who has cherished such emotions, or wants to, will definitely pick up this book.

5. What is your favourite thing about books and reading? How have books made an impact on your life?

The best part about books is that they have the anything-is-possible element in them. Reading makes me forget reality for sometime and I am taken into a whole new world of vividness and imagination. I visit places, cast spells, meet riveting creatures, and engage into all sorts of adventure – all without leaving home at all!

Books have always allowed me to delve into things and emotions I would have otherwise overlooked. They have instilled more patience in me.

6. Quick take. Answer the following with the first words/phrase that comes to your mind, in five words or less:

- Love – an extremely beautiful feeling

- Life – a very precious gift

- Struggles in love – makes the relationship stronger

- Avi (the character) – an adorable loving soul

- Books – a boon to humanity

List: India Portrayed the Best

2011-05-01T04:34:00.000-07:00

As you might know, the first sunday of each month is list day, and now its time to do my list day for May. On list day, I list a few great books on a particular topic if you want something to add to your reading list. I hope you enjoy this! :)

Today my list is on books that portrayed India the best. It has been said about India that, "But nothing in India is identifiable, the mere asking of a question causes it to disappear or to merge in something else." (E. M. Forster). Thus, it is really hard for any author to portray the essence of India in a few hundred or even a few thousand pages. The books ahead are books that I feel do justice to an almost impossible task. They are on different topics - love, politics, corruption, the Indian underworld - and from the books in my list, one is written by an author raised mostly in India, another by a non-Indian, and a third by someone who no longer even lives in India - and yet, each of these books manages to capture most admirably the soul of India, which is why I have loved all of them.

India Portrayed the Best

(Note: The books are in no particular order.)

1. A Suitable Boy (Vikram Seth)

Plot: Set in post-independence India in the 1950s, A Suitable Boy is the story of one girl - Lata - and her quest to find a husband, among four inter-connected families of India. Through the story of her search and her family, Seth manages to convey various aspects of Indian life - politics, corruption, love, rural life, friendship, music, art and family. A Suitable Boy might be set in the 1950s, but the best part about it is that even today, one can identify with all the conditions and characters - even as we learn a little about the problems faced by post-independence India in its struggle for identity.

Read my full review here.

Why should you read it? Excellent writing, beautifully etched characters, and one of the best portrayals of India I have ever read - it is a book to warm your heart and change your life.

Don't believe me? You don't have to. Read this, or this or this or this.

Why you may not like it? Well, it gets really, really long. Its hard for most people to get through (though it really pays off) - and having such a large scale, everyone develops their own favorite characters, which means others get neglected a bit (by you, not the author).

2. Shantaram (Gregory David Roberts)

Plot: In Shantaram, Lin, an escaped convict from an Australian prison, lands up in India, and finds himself at home. Here he will find love, live in the slums, work as a slum doctor, go live in a village, join the mafia, fight in Afghanistan, do a number of illegal things, get caught by Indian police and abused in Indian police, be betrayed and hurt - and even work in a bollywood film. Along the way, he gives us a beautiful glimpse into India, and makes you fall in love with the same.

Read my full review here.

Why should you read it? Written like poetry, with a great cast, a fascinating plot, and the a portrayal of India that can make you fall in love with the country even as you see the darkest parts of it.

Don't believe me? Maybe this, this or this will be able to convince you.

Why you may not like it? It gets way too poetic at parts, and once again, it is big enough to put off most readers.

3. White Tiger (Aravind Adiga)

Plot: White Tiger is the story of one Balram Halwai - a boy from a small village in the 'darkness' who somehow makes his way into the big city, and works there as a driver. Only, Balram is an entrepreneur, and he longs to break free from this life of servitude. And through his letters to the Chinese Premier, we learn exactly how he does this - and what it takes to be a White Tiger (or a unique person) in the corruption-ridden reality of India.

Read my full review here.

Why you should read it? The book is depressing, but its also about courage in the face of unbelievable odds, about taking difficult decisions and living through them, and about being a white tiger - someone who comes along just once in a generation. It is a book about change, and progress at its core - in a very uplifting way - and a book that I think all Indians should read.

Don't believe me? Read this, this or this.

Why you may not like it? Well, people have told me that the book is absolutely disgusting, written by a person who doesnt understand India, and has a thoroughly unlikeable protagonist.

Well, that's it for this round! If you feel another book shouldve made the cut, share it with me and my readers...happy reading!

Anything Else But Love by Ankita Chadha

2011-04-30T05:57:00.000-07:00

Anything Else But Love is a bollywood-esque love story.

If you're a fan of that kind of romance, then I would definitely recommend this book to you...in fact, many of my friends have already asked to borrow this book from me. Its a classic boy-meets-girl, conflicts happens and happily-ever-after type of story, with quite a few twists and turns, drama on airports, loads of true love, a lot of misunderstandings, great supporting cast and a lot of plain old fun. The situations are really dramatized, as are the characters, which all adds to the kind of story it is. Its very clear, not every one will like this book, but people who actually do enjoy movies like Dil Waale Dulhaniya Le Jaenge, or Kuch Kuch Hota Hein should definitely consider this book as it is likely to be really enjoyable for them to read.

I think the star of this book is Avi, the main guy. He's adorable, sweet, kind, flirty and FUN, which the female lead, Shewali, the 'teacher' lacks. Also, the thing about Shewali is that's she really good-good, and traditional, and pretty, and perfect, and all those things that I wont ever be, which is why I can emphasise more with Avi, whose pain and love and family issues and flirtiness are all really well-written and not too angsty. Also, I dont like Shewali's decisions through a majority of the book, she's over-dramatized at parts and at parts she just plain acts stupid, like the end, but Avi is just a great foil for her, and he makes the whole book seem a lot better. I think Avi - and Tia (Shevali's sweet best friend), Shabeer (Avi's very sweet and serious brother), and Sonnel (Shewali's kick-ass sister), are the reason you should be reading this book. Of course by the end of the book you cant ever hate Shewali, who's very kind and gentle and all, and eventually you grow to like her too.

A few things in the book didnt exactly agree with me - I wasnt too fond of the writing style (but then, this is a pretty personal opinion) but it didnt gel with me much, and I didnt like some scenes which were a little nuts (though honestly, in the story they were in, it made perfect sense to put them, but still...). However, what I did like was that it was a quick and zippy read, 300 + pages go by like a breeze. Moreover, this is the kind of book that warms your heart, pushes your buttons, makes you smile, and finally go 'aww' which is a pretty fun sensation once in a while.

Final thoughts: Anything Else But Love is about nothing else but love. A fun, sweet, bollywood-esque read, recommended for all lovers of the genre.

Other thoughts: This is another book for the Book Reading Challenge 2011! Also, author Ankita Chadha's going to make an appearance on my blog soon. Watch this space.

(Financial disclosure: Book source was the author.)

Interview: Prem Rao

2011-04-29T09:31:00.000-07:00

Hi, today I have on my blog Prem Rao, author of "It Cant be You" that I reviewed here a few days ago. Welcome to my blog!

1. I'd like to begin this interview by asking you what kind of books are there on your bookshelf? What books are you reading right now? Which genre of books do you generally read? Which books do you re-read again and again?
You will find heaps of thrillers and plenty of P.G.Wodehouse. I just finished “Aftertaste” by Namita Devidayal- a very interesting book about a business family in India. I have started on “More Salt Than Pepper” by Karan Thapar. The best part of P.G. Wodehouse is that you can read and re-read his books so many times. I grant we seldom do that for a thriller!

2. Tell us something about your work before "It Cant Be You"?
I was a talent management specialist and executive coach. I have worked closely with people for over 35 years. It has been my good fortune to have worked with a wide cross-section of society from manual unskilled labor to sophisticated CEOs and members of the Board. I held top management positions in companies like Wipro, Fujitsu ICIM and Bajaj Auto before I started my own HR consulting firm called People 1st Consulting which I ran for ten years.

3. Did you always want to be a writer? How did you get into writing? What inspired you to write "It Cant Be You"?
Reading Frederick Forsyth, Jack Higgins, James Hadley Chase and Ian Fleming, I had this dream that some day I should write a book and it should be a thriller. This urge stemmed from my days as a voracious reader during my childhood. The national Novel Writing Month or NaNoWriMo as it is popularly called gave me the impetus to write “It Can’t Be You”. As you know in this competition thousands of people from all over the world write 50,000 words of their novel in the calendar month of November. I did this successfully in November 2009. I then worked on refining this until it was published as “It Can’t Be You” in November 2010.

4. What kind of people do you think this book will reach out to?
The best thing about thrillers is that have appeal for fans across age groups. People are intrigued by suspense. They have the urge to solve mysteries. In this context, I think “It Can’t Be You” will apply to a wide range of readers. Teenagers will like it as much as their grandparents would. The book is at the intersection of two of my major interests, psychology and the military. I guess it will appeal to thosewho like these subjects too. It is set in contemporary India and has a lot of
aspects that I believe most people will be able to easily relate to.

5. What is your favourite thing about books and reading? How have books made an impact on your life?
I enjoy reading because it gives me new perspectives into the minds of people. This is reflected in the way characters in the book, if not the author himself/herself, think. In addition, books have always been a stress buster for me. I maintain that a few pages of P. G. Wodehouse would do you a world of good in moments of stress. Books have opened up new vistas for me; they have made me far better informed and aware than if I hadn’t been such a voracious reader. Last but not the least; they have in turn inspired me to try to entertain others with my stories.

6. Quick take. Answer the following with the first words/phrase that comes to your mind, in five words or less:

- Relationships – What you make of it

- Life – Be happy with what you have

- Human mind – Nothing is more complex

- Murder – Often the thirst for vengeance

- Books – Quality entertainment at reasonable cost

Interview: Sundip Gorai

2011-04-26T09:18:00.000-07:00

Hi! Today I have on my blog Sundip Gorai, author of Hickory Dickory Shock, a book I reviewed yesterday. Welcome, Sundip!

My reading interest - thrillers, classics, Victorian drama and non fiction - risk management, analytics,strategy. I am currently reading Kazuo Ishiguro's Booker winner -"The remains of a day". The books that I have read again and again are the complete works of Oscar Wilde, Tagore, Premchand , R L Stevenson, Wodehouse, and Alexander Dumas.

Above: A glimpse into Sundip's bookshelves.

2. Tell us something about your work before "Hickory Dickory Shock"?

I used to write poetry and short stories during my college days at IIT, I have one unfinished work on ' Risk Management for Dummies.' I embarked on HDS in 2007 but it took longer than expected , mainly because of work constraints.

3. Did you always want to be a writer? How did you get into writing? What inspired you to write "Hickory Dickory Shock"?
Writing is a pastime. I had an unique story to tell so i wrote this book. Mu main inspiration for writing the book was that I always felt that Indian fiction has a huge vaccum in terms of well plotted dectective/espinoage fiction, and that is the reason I penned this book

4. What kind of people do you think this book will reach out to?

The book is created for a wide range of audience - mystery lovers, thriller readers, workforce of the IT Industry,those who love mathematics, romance or pure burlusque. The reader feedback suggests that it has been appealing to a broad base of readers -http://www.hickorydickoryshock.com/Guestbook.php

5. What is your favourite thing about books and reading? How have books made an impact on your life?

Books and movies are a great ways of unwinding (I dont watch TV). Spiritual books have made a great impact on me to believe in the path of righteousness.

6. Quick take. Answer the following with the first words/phrase that comes to your mind, in five words or less:

- Codes – Fascinated by Ciphers

- Life – Be in the present

- 210 (the character) – hero of my book - named so as he was born at 2:10 AM

- Innovation – Believe in Disruptive innovation that breaks all rules of the game.

- Books – only thing that makes me realise I need a bigger house-:)

Hickory Dickory Shock by Sundip Gorai

2011-04-25T06:43:00.000-07:00

I think the name Hickory Dickory Shock doesnt do justice to how good this book is.

Quite honestly, on the onset, I had not expected to like this book. "A Tale For Techies" is not on my ideal reading list, and I admit to being somewhat biased. But the book itself, right from chapter 1, forced me to reconsider, and eventually I will say that this book is amazing. Its fun, its intelligent, and it is really well-written. The book is a basically a mystery set within a techno-innovation company called Shivan Computers. You learn at the very onset that things are wrong - they're cooking their books, there is something fishy about the recruitment patterns, and finally this culminates into the murder of two high-ranking officials of the company. One of the major suspects is our hero - 210 (Maninder Tuten Chatterjee, the history of whose name is as fascinating as the rest of the book) - and he must find the actual culprits of this. This is compounded by some odd ciphers that keep turning up everywhere.

Now I'd say the very best part of this story has got to be 210. He's a great protagonist. He's fun, he's passionate about his work, and he's the kind of IIT guy who finds relationships between random data in restaurants and yet isnt getting good grades - he's nice, he's cool, and he's somewhat geeky - in short the kind of guy I would consider a great protagonist. He's also well-equipped for this sort of mission, with his extensive knowledge. His supporting cast, especially love interest Geetika ("Geeks") and his amazing mother, are all pretty good. At places, it can be hard to keep the cast in Shivan straight, since you meet them all at the same place and they have slightly similar names. In that case, keep that chapter where they are introduced bookmarked. (Trust me, as this web tangles, you'll need it.)

The plot is refreshing and not predictable (at least not for me), the puzzles are quite interesting and have a Da Vinci-code esque way of getting you interested in the story, and the writing, as I've mentioned above, is above-average to say the least. The author definitely has a way with words and writes in a clean, simple style that makes the book really easy to read. In fact, this book is the kind of book you would love to finish in a day, because it flies forwards at a steady pace and builds up the mystery really well. The skipping of the narrative from past to present to future may not suit all readers, however, I'm quite comfortable with it so it was not a problem with me.

Final thoughts: This review has come blazing out, because I really enjoyed the book and I could pinpoint exactly what I liked about it - good protagonist, innovative plot, and interesting writing style. A book everyone, but especially techies, will enjoy.

Other thoughts: Will be interviewing author Sundip Gorai sometime soon, so watch this space. :) Also, this is my (I've lost count) but part of the books for the Book Reading Challenge 2011.

(Financial disclosure: Book source was the author.)

It Cant Be You by Prem Rao

2011-04-20T04:39:00.000-07:00

It Cant Be You is a murder mystery.

The premise of this book is really interesting - I love how the plot is weaved and the story structure. The story begins with a scene where Col. Belliappa, a major character, is killed. Then we go into flashback mode and are told about the lives of three family members of his who were in his house at the time of the murder - Shefali, his daughter, Pritam, his son, and Elena, his second wife - and we are told, in the next three chapters, that all of them may have reasons to kill him. After this the story deepens into a character sketch of each of the main characters as we trace all their lives (from childhood to the point of the murder) - and each of them reveals the deepest part of their psyche in the form of first-person narratives. Finally, we get to see who committed the murder.

I love the plot. I like the way it is, and I found the ending really shocking (it was by the character I least expected, but then my friend says I dont read enough suspense and I should always expect the one I'd never expect). I also love the characters. Actually, I dont love the characters, I just like how they've been etched, they are deep and have loads of flaws, and frankly they're all immensely unlikeable, but also really well-etched. I like how they're deep and have loads of psychological disorders (especially Col. Belliappa, but frankly you can see it in all of them) which seems to be a strong point of the author who is highly interested in Psychology.

For me, the lows of the book are all on technical aspects. I do not like how the book doesnt use punctuation before quotes, with all text ending up like this: "I don't like this" said Character 1. This might not be a problem for most people, but for people like me, it can be very jarring. I also feel that the book involved too much telling (ie, summarziing stories) instead of showing action - which will not appeal to all readers. Also I did not find all the parts equally interesting (I'm sure most people wont) - I liked the stories of Pritam and Shefali more than the Col. and Elena, for example, but this might just be a generation gap. But even in the stories that were less appealing, some aspects, like Belliappa's relationship with Dinaz (with such chilling implications later on in the story) - and more importantly how the childhood development of the character affected later behavior - were very interesting indeed.

Final thoughts: A deep, moving, thrilling book with an unexpcted ending. Really interesting read.

Other thoughts: I'll be posting an interview with author Prem Rao soon. Also, this is another book for the Book Reading Challenge 2011!

(Financial disclosure: Book source is the author.)