Book Reviews

Farewell

noreply@blogger.com (LindyLouMac in Italy) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 10:39:00 +0000

I have decided to cease publication of my reviews here on Book Reviews but wish the blog all the best as it moves forward with a new look and web address. It has been fun participating and thankyou for having me here.

I will be continuing to publish reviews on my own blog and I am hoping that those of you interested will come over and follow me so you can continue to read them.

Thanks for your continuing support.

LindyLouMac's Book Reviews

Fat Vampire by Adam Rex

noreply@blogger.com (Karoline) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 02:52:00 +0000

Doug Lee is undead quite by accident—attacked by a desperate vampire, he finds himself cursed with being fat and fifteen forever. When he has no luck finding some goth chick with a vampire fetish, he resorts to sucking the blood of cows under cover of the night. But it's just not the same. Then he meets the new Indian exchange student and falls for her—hard. Yeah, he wants to bite her, but he also wants to prove himself to her. But like the laws of life, love, and high school, the laws of vampire existence are complicated—it's not as easy as studying Dracula. Especially when the star of Vampire Hunters is hot on your trail in an attempt to boost ratings. . . . (From Amazon.ca)

I started to like this book a lot, it was hilariously funny and puts a whole new twist to the vampire theme. However there were just some parts of the book that did not sit well with me and the book suddenly became something that I did not expect. Perhaps it was the author’s intention. Perhaps not.

At first I thought Doug was comical. He was certainly someone you could either relate to (as being a social outcast in the school class system) or someone you made fun of (oh come on, I’m sure there are times you DID laugh at them for some reason or another don’t be so high and mighty thinking you didn’t). Then as the book progresses, you realize some of the reasons why Doug isn’t well liked.

Turns out, Doug is...a jerk. His comments towards minorities and other groups aren’t that funny at all and it may offend some readers. His treatment of Jay is also why he’s a jerk. For a best friend, Jay tends to take a lot in, and although he may seem like a loyal sidekick, Doug treats him like dirt and likes to openly make fun of him in front of other friends to make himself look better. As the book progresses, at first, Doug may seem all right, but then as you turn the pages, you see more of his true colors show, and they’re not what they seem. He turns out to be not very likable at all.

The plot in itself is pretty good. At first. Then it just flatlines throughout the second half of the story. I’m not sure why there was such a big mystery behind Sejal and her case of ‘The Google’. I don’t know why the explanation of it took such a long time to be revealed. In fact that rather annoyed me because she kept on mentioning it and I’m asking each time; ‘WTF is that?!’ when it was revealed I almost just about gave up trying to figure it out. Werewolves, and vampire hunters are then added into the plot, but none of that really makes it stand out or makes the plot move forward. A lot of the time I felt some things were definitely rushed and some characters just disappear. Then the ending has somewhat of a Donnie Darko flavor to it and this is where I wonder if I really liked the book, or I didn’t.

It was, all right I suppose. It had a great potential to be an excellent book, but then the plot stops, characters disappear, and you’re left with a rather mediocre read. Yes, Doug is a jerk and that may turn some readers off from this book but I was more concerned with the plot itself. There were just too many loose ends to let me fully enjoy the story.

War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

noreply@blogger.com (Abhinav) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 18:19:00 +0000

"If we admit that human life can be ruled by reason,the possibility of life is destroyed."

Before starting the review of the book i would like to tell the readers that there are few books which must be read in a lifetime and this book will probably be on top of the list.I had seen this book mentioned in,"Into the wild" and ever since was on my reading list.Then while reading JS and times of my life by Jug Suraya there is chapter where he mentions two books which everyone must read and this book was one of them.With over 500 characters distributed in 15 volumes this is no ordinary book to read.You may meet many people who would have given up on the book but I assure you the first few volumes requires a little patience after which one gets acquainted with the characters.The greatness of this book lies in the fact that it covers all the aspects of human nature and humanity as a whole. The beauty of War and Peace is in its characters and also the contrast in all these characters.The author delves into the lives of many of these characters and presents the coming of age stories, enlightenment stories and in general the day to day stories of these characters in a war backdrop. Talk of ambition,joy,fear,loathing,anticipation,faith,pride,love,marriage,family,solitude, friendship,bravery,compassion,impatience and so on and you will find an element of all of these.

The first two decades of the nineteenth century saw the rivalry between Alexander and Napolean, a very important event in the European history.The battle at Jena on 14th October 1806,the meeting in January and June 1807 when the Russians were decisively defeated,the treaty at Tilsit on 25th June 1807,the dissatisfaction over the state of affairs and the consequent march of Napolean,the battle at Smolensk,the capture of Moscow and the retreat of the French army marks the key events of a history of which so much has been written.Tolstoy discusses the events of the war and the decisions in minute details.He talks about the historians take on the war and also the factors which would have led thousands into the war.There are events, the evenings before war , the day of war, a romantic meeting and many others where he describes the color of the sky and the setting and not only are these descriptions vivid but also magical.

It is interesting to see how each character evolves over the entire phase of the book.One of the interesting characters is of Prince Andrew Bolkonsky.His first taste of war, post war changes,injury , love and war again answers many questions for the reader and takes one through a beautiful journey called life.Same is the case with Pierre Bezukhov who probably is the most interesting character in the novel.I like his passages on happiness, his wanderings and the pursuit of truth and freedom.There are many other characters like Natasha,Sonya,Marie,Nicholas Rostov,Petya,Helen,Boris who bring out all the possible type of people and their thinking in general.

War makes one more aware of living.Prince Andrew in his sleep listens to the rattle of carriage wheels,sounds of canons,bullets whistling and it did not make him agonized,instead he experienced a ten fold joy of living,as he had not done since childhood.A close encounter with death which is often the case in a war brings out an untouched feeling.At Pratzin Heights the Russian army was battered and defeated.Prince Andrew was injured and held as a prisoner by Buonaparte.To quote his lines,"There is nothing certain,nothing at all except the unimportance of everything I understand,and the greatness of something incomprehensible but all-important."

As I entered the 300 page mark I understood why the book is regarded as one of the best books ever written.The volume 2 of the book starts with the signing of the treaty.The book digs into the personal lives of Pierre and Prince Andrew.Pierre had always led a sedentary life and was unhappy with it.His transformation into leading a more meaningful life has many hidden lessons for the reader.On the contrary Andrew had loved the war but a personal catastrophe changed him drastically.I loved the internal struggle that they go through.Another character worth mentioning is Boris, coming from a humble background his only goal in life was to rise higher even though it came with a lot of flattery.One of the lines of Pierre is worth quoting,"He now experienced a glad consciousness that everything that constitutes men's happiness-the comforts of life,wealth,even life itself-is rubbish,it is pleasant to throw away."

The book beautifully covers the frivolity of youth,the charms of beauty and the struggles in love.Through its characters it has comprehensively covered all human emotions and situations for e.g.love in the case of Natasha.The personal struggle of Natasha during her separation from her loved one not only tests her patience but makes her act irrationally.Natash has a a charm, is beautiful and is young and like any other young she becomes sad and happy at ease and flattered easily too.

Napolean was weary of the European forces and found an utter disregard of the treaty by the Russians.He had no option but to wage a war.From the Russian perspective,the book mentions their lack of vision and no unification of strategy.It also mentions the different motives and ends for every individual in the war.Along with the policies and demographics the author brings out the emotional aspect of the war again dwelling into the lives of its characters.

August 25th,the battle of Borodino holds a special significance in the Russian-French war.It was one battle where the Russians stood their ground in-spite of thousands of causalities. Napolean saw the a defeat for the first time and it took sometime to sink in.Tolstoy covers the happenings of the day in vivid detail.He discusses the views of other historians of the war.The emotional conflicts of Napolean,Pierre,Kutuzov and Andrew makes the reader more aware of the war.By the end of the day every person on both the sides had realized the futility of the war.Though the historians hold different views on the war there is no denying of its perils and horrors.

"The terrible spectacle of the battle-field covered with dead and wounded,together with the heaviness of his head and the news that some twenty generals he knew personally had been killed or wounded,and the consciousness of the impotence of his one mighty arm,produced an unexpected impression on Napolean who usually liked to look at the killed and wounded thereby, he considered,testing his strength."

All the fifteen volumes of the book are interesting and deal with a particular matter be it a war,peace,the personal lives of the characters or about life in general.Tolstoy talks a lot about historians,war strategies in the last few parts.He identifies with the wisdom of Kutuzov and discusses the rational behind his decision of evacuating Moscow.The French on reaching Moscow had lost a mot of men and lack of supplies and cold had added to their woes.Napolean had no other option but to retreat.Definitely at that point the Russians were at advantage and could have easily over powered the French.Kutuzov knew that the French were retreating and there was no point in waging war which would have only resulted in loss of many more human lives.His decision of vacating Moscow and then not confronting the French came under a lot of criticism but probably that was the best that could have been done.Tolstoy in the last few chapters discusses in detail the reasons of Napolean's departure from Moscow and also the historians take on Napolean.

The period of the campaign of 1812 from the battle of Borodino to the expulsion of the French proved that the winning of a battle does not produce a conquest and is not even an invariable indication of conquest,it proved that the force which decides the fate of peoples lies not in the conquerors nor even in armies and battles but in something else.

My favorite character in the book was Pierre and I would like to end the review by quoting some of his lines,"While imprisoned in the shed Pierre had learned,not with his intellect but with his whole being,by life itself,that man is created for happiness,that happiness is within him,in the satisfaction of simple human needs,and that all unhappiness arises not from privation but from superfluity."

Rating: 4.9/5

Vanishing Acts by Jodi Picoult

noreply@blogger.com (LindyLouMac in Italy) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 12:13:00 +0000

Paperback: 417 pages

Genre: Fiction

Publisher: Hodder 2006

Source: Unknown on my bookshelves since 2006.

First Sentence : ‘I was six years old the first time I disappeared.’

Review Quote : ‘Gripping read …never slips into straightforwardly familiar territory and successfully avoids being overly sentimental’ Guardian

My Opinion: I was not impressed.

As I have more titles by Jodi Picoult on my TBR shelves than by any other author I decided it was time I read another one of her books as I have not done so for a couple of years! I really used to enjoy her novels until I got bored with them all being so similar in format. I Thought it would be interesting to see how I felt after a break. I was not impressed! Maybe my tastes have changed as I really did not enjoy this one. It is strange as did I know somehow that this was going to be the case. I only discovered the work of this prolific author in 2006 although she has been a published author since the early nineties. I last reviewed a book of hers here back in August 2009, at which time it appears I was very keen on her writing having read eight up to that date. Why then has it taken me over two years to pick up another one, especially when even after reading this one I still have another six on our bookshelves waiting to be read. They will be read eventually as I am still hoping that this was a one off disappointment.

What would you do if you found the life you had lived for years was all a lie? This is exactly what happened to Delia Hopkins who has led an almost idyllic childhood with her widowed father. It would have been perfect had her mother not died in a car accident when she was very young. She is now on the verge of marriage with a daughter of her own and a search and rescue job that she loves. Sad that her mother will not be at her wedding she is disturbed by flashbacks from her past that she simple cannot recall. The nature and power of memory are strong and that is the central theme of this powerful story. What happens when the past we did not even know we were running from catches up with us and the memories come back to haunt you.

This should have been so much better than I found it to be as it had all the potential of being a gripping and sentimental story, which it was in parts. Just the parts that I did not like were a big let down for me. The truth hurts I know but I just found the scenes set inside the American prison system far too disturbing in my current frame of mind. Unfortunately these horrendous scenes spoilt the novel for me but do not let my weakness put you off. If you read this or have already done so I will be interested to know if you think I was over reacting; by letting just part of the story spoil the whole.

For more details please visit. lindyloumacbookreviews.

The Orange Hangover by Rahul Saini

noreply@blogger.com (Niilesh A) — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 17:12:00 +0000

The minute you turn 25, everyone around you just screams and jumps at you and starts to poke at you and ask you the same question over and over again – “When are you getting married? When are you getting married?” Oh come on. It can’t be that you don’t have a girlfriend. Why don’t you tell us about her and we can start arranging the wedding.

Conversations like these should not come as surprise in a man’s life prior to their marriage from friends, relatives or people from the society. In the recently published book titled “The Orange Hangover” by Jaico Publishing House, written by author Rahul Saini reveals comedy about the relationship that goes wrong. Shares his thoughts on how weddings are painful affairs at times. The book is comical and talks about the struggle for sticking to one’s values, doing good for others and about a person’s poor ability to gauge from his earlier experiences.

The author Rahul Saini is a high spirited young architect based in Gurgaon. Born and brought up in the small town of Jalandhar. Apart from his work, he takes active interest in painting and writing stories. His other fields of interest include film making and photography. He has also gained experience working as a dialogue writer, screenplay writer, and as an assistant director for a few films.

The author speaks about how at one point of time in life he had the coolest lifestyle, enjoyed dinner with friends, movies (first day first show), had good paying job and also a good girlfriend. Now with passage of time he is stuck in his small hometown with no job, no girlfriend and to make things worse, he manages to tangle himself in a terrible case of extreme crime.

The Orange Hangover states would he be able to follow his heart and stick to his values and ambitions? Would he be able to win the girl he likes? Would the terrible case of extreme crime ever be solved? The fiction based novel “The Orange Hangover” should be able to answer the questions being pondered.

Rahul Saini is also the bestselling author of the book "Those Small Lil Things" which has earned accolades from all quarters and has been ranked one of the Top 5 books by NDTV and many other publishing houses. The book has sold 100,000 copies till date and is a rage with young generation.

Author Rahul Saini

Publisher JAICO Books

Pages 244

Price Rs 125/-

ISBN 978-81-8495-302-2

The Asocial Networking by Dhiraj Kumar

noreply@blogger.com (Amit Kumar Gupta) — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 07:53:00 +0000

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.

I blog at Love is always new..

Tamasha in Bandargaon by Navneet Jagannathan

noreply@blogger.com (Amit Kumar Gupta) — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 07:49:00 +0000

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.

I blog at Love is always new...

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Only Time Will Tell by Jeffrey Archer

noreply@blogger.com (Jyoti) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 10:05:00 +0000

Let me begin by saying, I loved the book.

Jeffrey Archer is a master story teller and in this book, he weaves a tale so unforgettable and as a reader you will be left yearning for more. Only Time Will Tell is a family saga that spans through generations. This the first part of a five volume series, rest of which will be published in the coming years. The main protagonist of this book is a man named Harry Clifton. Harry is introduced as a child, the son of a dock worker, who died in war. His mother is a waitress who toils hard to secure her son's future. Harry is a gifted child and this gift wins him a scholarship to an exclusive boys’ school, which in the time to come will shape his future. As he enters into adulthood, Harry finally learns how his father really died, but the awful truth only leads him to question, was he even his father?

This tale is set in 1920's and later years and the author has captured the era vividly in words. I could almost picture them in my head. The novels also touches many aspects of the social-economical environment of Great Britain at that time- the disparity between the rich and the poor, the dilemma in the minds of the people with World War II around the corner and many more. All the characters are beautifully sculpted but the one that stands out to me is Harry's mother - Maisie. She is an example of perseverance and an epitome of motherly love. It is only for her sacrifices, Harry's life had been different from his father's or uncle's. However, she feels her one thoughtless action has jeopardizes so many lives. If it was not for her, this story would not be written. Mr. Tar is another unforgettable character. He plays a big role in shaping Harry future and to Harry, he was a fatherly figure whom he could turn to for advice.

The narration in the story shifts through each of the main characters and hence the reader knows the story from various perspective. It makes the story even more engaging. But, the ending of the novel took me for a surprise and I nearly gasped! Needless to say I am really looking forward to the next book in the series.

My Rating: 4/5

This review was also posted on Pages

Words Spoken True by Ann H Gabhart

noreply@blogger.com (Karoline) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 04:09:00 +0000

Adriane Darcy was practically raised in her father's newspaper offices. She can't imagine life without the clatter of the press and the push to be first to write the news that matters. Their Tribune is the leading paper in Louisville in 1855. Then Blake Garrett, a brash young editor from the North with a controversial new style of reporting, takes over failing competitor the Herald, and the battle for readers gets fierce. When Adriane and Blake meet at a benefit tea, their surprising mutual attraction is hard to ignore. Still, Blake is the enemy, and Adriane is engaged to the son of a powerful businessman who holds the keys to the Tribune's future. Blake will stop at almost nothing to get the story--and the girl. Can he do both before it's too late? (From Amazon.ca)

What I really liked about this story is the rich historical detail and effort put into it. The setting is easy to picture, and as the story progresses, you certainly can feel the tension and the civil unrest there was during this particular time. So this aspect of the book was exceptionally well done.

I really liked reading the characters in this book as well. I loved Adriane! she certainly was a very strong character (although, it was also good that she displayed her vulnerabilities as well, to make her more ‘real’). However what I liked about her the most is her strong independence and her willingness to make her own proper choices despite her betrothal and her social status. I liked how she made her own decisions and was willing to accept those consequences - even to the point of disappointing her own father.

I also thought the villain in this book was very well done. He’s creepy enough while maintaining a facade and fooling others (he fooled me at first). Blake on the other hand is also well done (although he’s your typical gentleman you find in these kinds of novels) but the chemistry he has between himself and Adriane is well written and they go well together.

The plot is well written, and the mystery part of the book is all right although it was rather predictable who the culprit is. The pacing is also well done although I thought it did drag its’ feet towards the last third of the book. Despite this small shortcoming, the book was still a great read and I absolutely enjoyed it. Most definitely recommended for those who like a nice clean historical romance with a rich setting, or those who are into inspirational fiction.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group

Remembering Tagore

noreply@blogger.com (Vibha) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 13:50:00 +0000

Rabindranath Tagore(1861-1941) - 'Gurudev' of the whole India, who bestowed the title of 'Mahatma' on the father of our nation, who gifted us our identity and whose verses are sung every day at every nook and corner of our country in the form of our National Anthem - is not called the 'Complete Institute of Literature' for nothing. Tagore is one of the greatest poets and thinkers India has ever produced.

I know my words will miserably fall short of the kind of paeans the person of his stature deserve. However, I feel extremely glad to be reviewing a few of his works here.

Title : The Little Big Man

Publisher : Katha

Age : 3-6 years

I think every kid grows up hearing this - you are in the best phase of your life - Childhood and you are not realizing it. I did, when I was in my childhood years and now being a mother of two, I find myself telling the same to my kids. But then I realize perhaps that is the best part of this phase - kids do not consciously live or not live a day and their small world and its issues are big enough for them.

In fact, when the kids watch adults getting to exercise so much control over all the significant issues, decisions and also on them, they can't wait to grow up.

This is the essence of 'The Little Big Man' who wants to be as old as his father because then nobody would tell him to learn his lessons, he could leave his books, he would go wherever he likes, he would buy his own clothes when he likes and he would give money to whoever he wishes to. Through 'The Little Big Man' Tagore peeks into the mind of a little boy who is looking forward to growing up and to assume adult responsibilities.

The art work by Rajiv Eipe perfectly compliments the text. The little boy with front tooth missing looks absolutely endearing in his expression of - all grown up and responsible.

Rajiv is involved in doing animation and graphics for Television.

Title : Clouds and Waves

Publisher : Katha

Age : 3-6 years

A charming tale of a little girl who is tempted time and again by the clouds and the waves to join them in the games that they play in their magical world. The world where they play with silver moon and golden dawn. For a child this surely is an irresistible temptation but she simply declines their invite every time because what she likes the most is to be with her mother. She does not need to go to any enchanting world when she has nicer and better games that she can play with her favourite playmate. A sweet little tale conveying the tender love between a mother and her little one.

The illustrations that spread across both the pages are beautiful art work. The inquisitiveness of the little girl, her full-of-life twinkling eyes and the tender affectionate bond that she shares with her mother are brilliantly captured by the illustrator Sunaina Coelho.

Title : The Land of Cards

Publisher : Puffin Classics

Age : 8 to 12

'The Land of Cards' is a potpourri of some of his best works - poems, short stories and plays, translated from Bengali to English by Radha Chakravarty. A wonderful assortment to give children a little glimpse of the beautiful world created by Tagore's pen.

Poems - which offer different flavors in each piece - ranging from hilarious odd rhymes like the one in which a cat is trying to convince the fish to be its meal, to the ones which are brimming with sensitive emotions. The entertaining 'The Invention of Shoes' tells the story of the birth of shoes while the 'Hero' reveals the inner desire of a son to be by her mother's side and to protect her always. Through the poems like 'Two Bighas of Land', Rabindranath Tagore took up the social issues which were suffocating our country in ancient times.

The title play 'The Land of Cards' brings out the conventional restrictions of the society and in another play 'The Post Office', a boy being restrained to closed confines tries to live his life through the people who are busy in seemingly mundane activities in the free outside world and unknowingly teaches them the lesson to take pleasure in whatever they are doing.

'Kabuliwala' - a simple story bringing out the yearning of a father for his daughter, is one of the great classics which are lustrous ageless gems. I remember having enjoyed reading this story as part of course book during school years. Such are the pieces of writings which defy all barriers of age and time.

'The Land of Cards' is a book which can be read, enjoyed and appreciated by children and adults alike, offering them a peep into the world of literary genius.

Another Chance by Ahmed Faiyaz

noreply@blogger.com (Saumya Kulshreshtha) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 22:10:00 +0000

"At the end of love there is unloving, when you can engage in the ceaseless hunt for all those things to be taken out, and somehow discarded, when you can fight against the new roads and try, futilely, to return to what you were before." -Page 180, Another Chance.

Much thought goes into deciding the title for a book. No matter what genre, what subject, what type a book, a title is supposed to provide just enough peek into a book's soul, without revealing too much about it. It is your first impression of the book, and in case of novels, fiction novels such as the one I am attempting to review, the title of the book is supposed to hold the story together, even guide the reader when he feels lost about the direction the book will take after the next turn in the story. Ahmed Faiyaz's Another Chance boasts of a title which is precise and perfect. It encapsulates the very essence of the book in a mere two words- Another Chance. To a romantic's heart (read:me) these two words are almost a philosophy. In Ahmed's novel, they are a simple expression of the desire which harries many a unlucky-but-still-in-love hearts. The Desire For Another Chance.

The plot of the book revolves around a single girl-Ruheen Oberoi, described by the author as a depressingly gorgeous woman in the prelude to the novel. She is a hep, free spirited girl, sought after girl, brought up by an indulging grandfather, who lost her parents when young. Aditya Sharma, Ruheen's enduring lover, a young corporate trying to make his mark, is the second protagonist in this novel. His commitment to Ruheen is almost dreamlike- but much comes in the way of consummation of their love. A string of men enter Ruheen's life at successive junctures- A politician's son and Ruheen's obsessive stalker-Vishal, Ruheen's childhood friend with feelings for her-Varun, and then Ruheen's good-for-nothing, abusive husband-Rohan. Luck, as is guessable, does not favor Ruheen's relationship with any. At a young age, battered by the chicaneries of life, Ruheen gives up hope for finding love and comfort in a man's arms, when Aditya re-enters her life. However, love, as we know it, is not a simple road to tread on. It comes with its own complications, its own compulsions, its own tests. Will Ruheen finally find happiness? Does love deserve a second chance? Is the human heart, with all its weaknesses, a sound guide to consult while making life altering decisions? All this, and more, you ponder as you flip through the pages of Another Chance.

After Love, Life & All That Jazz... it is the second book by Ahmed Faiyaz that I am reading. Like the earlier one, this too has done a decent job of providing me a good, entertaining, and moving story which is not too heavy and easy to relate with. Having read these two books, I can conveniently say, that Ahmed does fabulously when it comes to painting close-to-home, real life characters. While in the last book, what could have been three independent stories were intertwined in the narrative, here it helps to have just one rather simple story to follow and focus attention on. Simple, but replete with exciting twists and turns.

It took me about quarter to four hours to read the book, and I am by no means a fast reader. It is much like a bollywood romance, which engages, touches, entertains, and leaves you with happy tears in the end. Do not pick this book to satisfy the literary critic in you. Pick this book for catching some fresh air, a simple break from your otherwise ridden-with-anxieties life. As I said, not heavy duty stuff in this book. An easy, light read, whose climax builds up like that of a mushy, romantic flick. When during the course of the book you start sharing the agony of the character and get desperate for them to achieve happiness, you know that the writer has succeeded in casting his spell on you- in binding you together with the narrative. I have a proclivity towards falling for nicely narrated romances. This one gets 3 on 5 stars from me for primarily two reasons. First is its ending- they way it builds up, gives you hope, then perturbs you, then leaves you with fond tears. Second is for the author's handling of human emotions- their gullibility and resilience- and for his treatment of the dynamics of a new age, urban relationship. The narrative of the books shifts between many locations, Indian and foreign- and the screenplay like storytelling makes it conveniently possible to imagine vividly the characters and their setting. If you read with as much passion as I do, you'll lose yourself to the story. And in my view, that is how one should read to draw maximum satisfaction from a book.

I cannot end this review without mentioning the brilliant cover portrait of Bruna Abdullah which almost brings Ruheen's character alive in front of your eyes. Her expression on the cover was the first thing that made me want this book. For all of you wanting to a read a little mature and not an utterly cheesy romance with no load, do remember to pick this up on your next trip to a book shop.

Reviewed by-
Saumya Kulshreshtha
@Nascent Emissions

The Habit of Love by Namita Gokhale

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek Tejuja) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 11:27:00 +0000

Title: The Habit of Love
Author: Namita Gokhale
Publisher: Penguin India
ISBN: 978-0-143-41772-9
Genre: Short Stories
Pages: 184
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4/5

The Habit of Love by Namita Gokhale is a collection of thirteen stories that reflect and internalize the lives of women. Of course one cannot generalize anything basis these stories, however yes they provide the necessary framework needed to understand the environment around us. Some women do not belong to the present, some are parts of today and now and some are just wanderers.

Namita Gokhale speaks to you through her characters and stories. She wants you to believe and there are times you do, only wanting more. I wished at times, that may be the stories would continue and lengthen to a novella or so, because some of them had that potential. The women in these stories are not extraordinary. They do not take life-changing decisions, or change the world. What they do instead is connect with the reader and make them see things and situations a little differently.

The stories are well laid out. From an older woman’s infatuation with a younger man to the messenger swan narrating a story of doomed lovers, Nala and Damayanti, the stories capture the essence without becoming pedantic or superficial. The profundity of the stories are revealed through what goes on in the minds of the women, the not-so-quiet lives lead and the uneasiness with which their lives go haywire sometimes and sometimes are in control.

My favourite story in the entire collection has to be the three-parts, “Grand Hotel”, where each part is unique and different, like a quilt of different patches and merging in the end. The Habit of Love is different from her earlier books, which were flippant and funny. This one is serious and makes you think a little. The woman’s heart is not laid bare and at the same time there is enough and more of a glimpse to make readers wonder. The writing strikes you in a couple of places and in some it seems a little hurried, however it is a great read for a summer afternoon.

The Extras by Kiran Nagarkar

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek Tejuja) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 09:43:00 +0000

Title: The Extras
Author: Kiran Nagarkar
Publisher: 4th Estate, Harper Collins
ISBN: 978-93-5029-204-4
Genre: Literary Fiction
Pages: 467
Source: Publisher
Rating: 5/5

Kiran Nagarkar according to me has somehow always been under the microscopic view of readers and reviewers. May be it has to do with the way he writes and concocts themes and ideas, but one thing is for sure, there is never a dull moment in his books. I got hooked on to his books, like any other teenager (then) with Ravan and Eddie. Ravan and Eddie (though according to me was loosely based on, “A Prayer for Owen Meany” by John Irving) was a delight to read. The intricate moments of post-independent India was not hidden. The slums, the chawls, the abuses and the interwoven plots were all there – almost like a nice stew, boiling slowly, served to perfection. Ravan and Eddie was published in 1994 and now after eighteen years, there comes a sequel to it, titled, “The Extras”.

The Extras spans the lives of Ravan and Eddie as adults, in the big bad city of Bombay. I love how the title on the cover reads, “The Extras – Starring Ravan and Eddie”, with a very 70’s film poster like visual. The story of course takes on eighteen years from where it ended in the earlier book. Ravan and Eddie are adults, striving to make something out of them in the big, bad world and aspire to be actors. Bollywood is the seductress and they are easily seduced. Ravan is a taxi driver and Eddie is a bouncer-cum-bartender. They want it all – fame, money, easy rise from their chawl existence to the skyscrapers. At the heart of this, are their complicated love stories. Ravan who is in love with Eddie’s sister (yes that’s the one twist in the tale). Eddie on the other hand has to battle with both families to obtain the love of his life in the Anglo-Indian Belle.

That’s the gist of the story. The writing of course cannot be compared to anything else. Kiran Nagarkar has always been a master of his game. From Seven-Sixes are Forty Three to God’s Little Soldier; post-independence blues has always been at the center of his books (except Cuckold which was a Historical Fiction centered book). He knows the pulse of the city and can describe it beautifully. Nothing has changed much, except for the name of the city and a mall or two springing up in the past couple of years, and Mr. Nagarkar knows how to depict the sadness and claustrophobia in his book.

There are so many funny parts as well in the book – sardonic and dark at most times, and in-your-face funny too. Ravan and Eddie as characters evolve a lot more in this book and their motives are clearer. Nagarkar adds more stories to this one, though their families still remain a part and are always in the background. For me, The Extras was like a roller-coaster ride, full of unknown turns and bends. A definite read for all those who want to know Bombay in its early days.

Wake Unto me by Lisa Cach

noreply@blogger.com (Karoline) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 02:13:00 +0000

A haunted castle, a handsome young man dead for four hundred years, one heck of a scary portrait of a witch, and a treasure hunt -- not to mention a princess for a roommate! -- all await 15 year old American girl Caitlyn Monahan when she earns a scholarship to a French boarding school. There are secrets behind the stone walls of Chateau de la Fortune, buried for centuries along with the mystery of who killed Raphael, the charming ghost who visits Caitlyn at night. But as Caitlyn unearths the history of the castle, nothing scares her as badly as the secret she learns about herself, and the reason she was chosen to come to the Fortune School. And nothing breaks her heart as badly as falling in love with a dead guy (From Goodreads)

First of all, bonus points to a very beautiful cover. Really loved it. Second, I really liked this book. The best of it was the setting description of the boarding school and the overall mood throughout the book. It was dark, it was gothic, and it held a lot of secrets ready to be revealed.

Caitlyn overall, was a good character to read. She wasn’t over the top whiny or moody like some protagonists I’ve come across. She’s realistic and likable. The chemistry she has between herself and Raphael is well done (and Raphael is VERY crushworthy).

The plot does develop a little slower than some. The descriptions of France and its’ buildings is well done so picturing the setting is easy and establishes the story so readers will have a clear picture. I liked how the story carries the reader through different time periods, but also it’s like time traveling through dreams. It’s interesting, for sure and the transitions aren’t confusing, it’s pretty much clear and easy to read. The ghost story part of the book was very well done. I wasn’t expecting the outcome and it caught me entirely off guard. The treasure hunting aspect (yes, there’s a lot to pack into this plot!) was good and interesting, and it wasn’t too overdone.

There was one thing that really did bother me, and that was towards the ending. It got a little too convenient and well to be frank, rather cheesy. I thought it should have been done differently or..perhaps that particular event with Thierry just should not have happened. In my opinion, I found that part to be just so predictable and if the rest of the book hadn’t been so great, the score based on that ending alone would have been lower.

Great for YA fans who want a little bit of everything (a ghost story, a romance, a treasure hunt, and a bit of historical fiction). It’s worth the read. Some might be put off with the slow development of the plot so this might not be for some who prefer something fast paced.

Bollywood’s Top 20: Superstars of Indian Cinema by Bhaichand Patel

noreply@blogger.com (Niilesh A) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:45:00 +0000

Author	Bhaichand Patel
Publisher	Penguin Viking
Price	Rs 599/-
Pages	296
ISBN	978-0-670-08572-9

Be it Raj Kapoor being showcased as the awara (vagabond) who his happy with his life on the streets singing “Awara Hoon” or the dream girl of the Indian screen Hema Malini the influence these thespians created amongst the common masses is evident even today in Bollywood (formally referred as Hindi cinema). The charm for watching the Hindi Cinema in multiplexes with comfortable seats and ambience only means today people are ready to spend more for the form of entertainment.

In the recently published (by Penguin Viking), Bollywood’s Top 20: Superstars of Indian Cinema, the author Bhaichand Patel has captured 20 profiles of the finest stars from Indian Cinema, from K.L. Saigal to Kajol. The twenty stars featured in the book is a collection of essays written by renowned writers who were renowned not only then but holds equally true for some even today. The writer’s have covered not only their struggle but also what made them cross that extra mile and become the symbol of fame.

Author, Mr. Patel is graduate from the London School of Economics lives in New Delhi and holds special interests in cinema, theatre and books. A regular contributor to various newspapers and magazines has also served on a number of international film festivals as a jury member. During his posting with United Nations, he studied filmmaking at New York University.

Some of the profiles covered include Ashok Kumar, Dilip Kumar, Dev Anand, Raj Kapoor, Nargis, Madhubala, Amitabh Bachchan, Kajol, Kareena Kapoor or Shah Rukh Khan who with their charismatic personality had the aura to have the cinema halls running their shows to its full capacity.

The author has not only captured the personalities best times but also their tough times. For instance Dev Anand homeless and hungry also worked in the early phase in his life as a clerk in an accountancy firm and stayed in a chawl before finding a job in the Military Censor Office. For Shahrukh Khan he admits that the city Mumbai which refused to give him a job he dreamt of owning the city one day. But, ten years down the line Shahrukh says it is the people of this Mumbai city that own him.

The book is supplemented with a free disc of songs. The songs covered are the ones that are part of the twenty stars who have been profiled. There are some songs that run today for over 30 years while others run for not more than three weeks. The songs in the disc are the ones from the films that did not do well at the box office but the impact of that music lives on even today.

It’s close to a century now but as the economic scenario changed so did the perception of Indian Cinema. The Bollywood’s Top 20 covers the eight decades through twenty stars, men and women who captivated their audiences attention and heart over the years.

Wise and Otherwise by Sudha Murty

noreply@blogger.com (Divenita) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:13:00 +0000

Simple, full of wisdom and crisp, the experiences penned by Sudha Murty will give you a new window to life.

Be it the story of her Mathematics Teacher who was a simpleton and lived a humble life or the sorry state of a old woman who was unfortunately struck with leprosy and did not even have a saree to drape herself. She was freezing naked in her hut and Sudha ma’am gifted her and many others in that area. What a blow on the face! And many such stories which revolve around simple incidents in our life. And, the lesson sketched from it is worth emulation.

The short stories [each story no longer than 4 pages] will leave you wiser. Tales about experiences sprinkled by her simple narration will leave you waiting for more.

The author has done nothing extraordinary with the anecdotes. The experiences itself are so strong that you will feel the power of it as you read it. Sudha ma’am has narrated them in first person and you feel she is sitting right beside you narrating her experiences and the lessons she has learnt from it.

One must not take life too seriously but then learning a lesson and imbibing it into your life will certainly make one wiser and empathetic towards others.

Having read 25 stories [of the 51] over a month, it took me some time to sit back and ponder on the issues and Sudha ma’am’s experiences. This is part 1 of the review. I will continue my review after I have completed the entire book.

..to be cont'd

The Hypnotist by Lars Kepler

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek Tejuja) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 11:39:00 +0000

Title: The Hypnotist
Author: Lars Kepler
Publisher: Harper Collins, Blue Door
ISBN: 978-0007444342
Genre: Crime Fiction
Pages: 512
Source: Publisher
Rating: 3.5/5

Written in the tradition of Stieg Larsson’s books, “The Hypnotist” by the husband-wife co-authors (pen name being Lars Kepler) is a decent read. It manages to bring out the elements of crime fiction and yet the plot is threadbare which was a problem at times while I was reading the book.

The Hypnotist is about a family living in Tumba, Sweden (no second guesses Sherlock), who are a victim of a homicide. The only witness to the crime is the sole surviving member – the son. The boy is in a state of shock with more than hundred knife wounds inflicted on his body. He cannot seem to recall or speak a word of anything that happened that fateful night. Enter, Inspector Detective Joona Linna, who in a heroic manner wants to get to the bottom of this crime. This can only be done by putting the kid through a hypnosis session in the presence of Dr. Erik Maria Bark and get to his subconscious level.

For me the plot was for sure different. The elements of suspense and thrill were there throughout the book and might I add that it was cleverly done as well. I like Swedish thrillers, but there is only this much one can take of them, considering the onslaught of them in the world of crime fiction. The book is written well in most parts and some parts just remind you of Stieg Larsson and Jo Nesbo’s styles of writing. The past and present portions of the book are well translated and add to the atmosphere of the book, which anyway they are supposed to. The clues like in any other crime book are laid out well and yet hidden from the reader. The mysteries are interwoven brilliantly and the book is fast-paced for sure. I would recommend it for a one-time read (Not that you can read a mystery again).

The Amateur Marriage by Anne Tyler

noreply@blogger.com (LindyLouMac in Italy) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 11:08:00 +0000

Paperback: 306 pages

Genre: Fiction

Publisher: Vintage Random House Group 2004

Source: On our bookshelves since 2006.

First Sentence : ‘Anyone in the neighbourhood could tell you how Michael and Pauline first met.’

A Favourite Quote: ‘He had the feeling that if he held his breath , the two of them could stay suspended forever in this moment of stopped time.

Review Quote : ‘Tyler is an exquisite chronicler of the everyday. Her fiction is a quiet, gentle reminder of the goodness to be found in most ordinary lives. In a noisy, violent world, this is surely not to be sniffed at – and neither is her fine writing’ Observer.

My Opinion: An everyday family's experience elevated to a good read.

The story of the marriage of Michael and Pauline, a mismatched couple if their ever was one. The main dramatic event in their marriage is the disappearance of their eldest daughter in the sixties, but that is jumping ahead rather. Michael Anton is of Polish descent and works in the family grocery business, his world changes when Pauline Barclay walks into the store in December 1941. To Michael she is from an exotic world and he finds himself irrevocably drawn to her even making the patriotic or was it romantic gesture of joining the armed forces because of her influence on him. Their marriage becomes somehow inevitable.when before his training is even completed he gets wounded so badly that he is invalided out.
Pauline believed that marriage was an interweaving of souls, while Michael viewed it as two people traveling side by side but separately. Two such different opinions of course lead to resentments but somehow they stay together. The birth of three children, a move to the suburbs, all normal life events for many but then their daughter disappears, a catalyst for the cracks to deepen.
Each chapter of the book leaps ahead in time to different stages of their marriage with changes having taken place that you have not actually read about, but somehow this does not spoil the narrative. In fact for me it helped make it more readable, otherwise it may have been a rather long winded marriage tale!
Anne Tyler’s characters despite their idiosyncrasies seem very feasible and familiar to me. I have not read that many of her books but I found the previous ones interesting for the same reasons. Back When We Were Grownups and Digging to America.

If you are a fan of Anne Tyler you have probably also already read this one, I am somewhat behind. If you are new to her work, I think it is a good introduction to her writing.

For additional author information please visit LindyLouMac's Book Reviews

I have chosen to read this title as the letter A for this challenge which I have decided to attempt, for now anyway, to achieve in alphabetical order. I have a good selection of titles to choose from on our bookshelves so will see how it goes. You can follow my progress here.

Few Things Left Unsaid by Sudeep Nagarkar !!!

noreply@blogger.com (AbhiLaSH RuHeLa) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 20:27:00 +0000

It has been a long time since I completed a book in 3.5 hours. I did it today. :-) I am done with another bestseller- "Few Things Left Unsaid" by Sudeep Nagarkar. I kept on seeing this book in the Bestseller charts of Flipkart, Infibeam and many other online sites, finally I got a chance to pick the book today. Sudeep Nagarkar is a debut novelist. He never had ambition to be a writer but he ended up writing this story after one of his friend pushed him to. He started forming sentences and he ended up in writing this successful love story. It has not been 1 year still and the book has gone for reprint for many a times. Sudeep is one of those writers who haven't promoted his book in the way other writers do it (by launching it in several cities back to back). After writing, he got busy in his job again. But, destiny had good news for him and his book became Bestseller. He is an electronic engineer and he started writing during his college days. :-)

Coming to the STORY, FTLU is about the story of two collegians- Aditya and Riya. They meet through common friends and then, they see love in each other's eyes. They take time to express themselves but as soon as they get intrigued into the relationship, they don't wait much. They keep on stepping into the next level of relationship in every few days. They even take 7 promises as couples take during their wedding. They keep falling deep into the heavenly thing called- Love. Finally, a break-up takes place due to some twists and turns. They get back together again. But, something happens again which changes the life of Aditya. Riya's life changes too. But, they get together again. But do they remain together till the end? Their story is unpredictable. To know what it is, get the book. :-)

Coming to the REVIEW, Sudeep has used a very safe game by using only short sentences in the first 40% of this book. The insecurity can be understood as he was writing for the first time. But later on, with time he improved and his best can be seen in the next 60% of the book. Some porn writers(I hope you understood about whom I am talking :-)) in our India should understand how to carry intimate stuffs from Sudeep. It never seemed to be vulgar, it only made the book more romantic. As everyone is writing love-breakup-love-breakup-and-finally-love, you don't abuse Sudeep when you see that the protagonist is breaking up with his girlfriend. He has broke them off at a very strange moment. I have liked Sudeep's writing in the second half of the book. He has showed his talent perfectly.

There are certain parts in the book which I would like to mention- When Adi starts talking to Riya, he picks up cheesy lines, but later on when he gets her, he directly starts showing fondness for her body. I liked this part as Sudeep hasn't dragged this thing a lot in the name of True Love. :-) The first kiss in the auto is sensuous and wonderful. The birthday celebration of Aditya is one epic part of this book. Adi's mother's shade in the story is shown in a perfect way. When Adi thinks of breaking up with this sweet girl-Riya, we, the readers support him rather than feeling bad for it. Amazing part of the story. :-) The confession part of the book where Riya speaks in her own voice is where you get to know the potential of Sudeep Nagarkar. :-)

Coming to the Drawbacks, the friends of Aditya are just used for sake of showing that there are friends too. As Aditya's mom got a good focus, even his dad should have got. He is mentioned only for once in the book. Sudeep's insecurity with the language is clearly visible initially which doesn't give you a good feel about the book. That's different k later he has used a proper language. Love is described too much in the book. Rather, Sudeep should have tried to keep it little more shorter. The Epilogue plays a very bad part in the book. There are some movies in which you love every bit of it but you end up abusing it because of a useless and dragged climax. Few Things Left Unsaid ends up being a book with a bad epilogue which could have been easily avoided. I was sure to rate this book 3.5 but just because of these last 4 pages of the book(Epilogue part), I have to cut .5. So, my rating is 3 out of 5 for FLTU. My recommendation is- Go, buy this book but don't read the Epilogue (Without Epilogue, rating is 3.5). And Yes, wait for few months as the Sequel is coming soon. :-)

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA - VEERU

Artist, Undone by V. Sanjay Kumar

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek Tejuja) — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 20:03:00 +0000

Title: Artist, Undone
Author: V. Sanjay Kumar
Publisher: Hachette India
ISBN: 978-9350092569
Genre: Literary Fiction
Pages: 240
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4/5

Art imitates life and vice-versa they say. This could not be more true in the case of Hachette India’s new release, “Artist, Undone” by V. Sanjay Kumar. I have never been able to understand art. I appreciate it a lot though. I can also distinguish between an M.F. Husain and a Bhupen Khakhar which I cannot say for most people, who claim to love art. Nonetheless, since this is a review, I shall talk about the book.

Artist, Undone chronicles the life of Harsh Sinha – who sees a likeness of himself (Fat, Forty and Fucked) in a painting and purchases it on an impulse. He decides to take a year-long sabbatical from his advertising job in Mumbai to return to his family in Chennai, to be able to spend time with his wife and daughter. Sadly, for him his wife doesn’t want him anymore. Ironically, she is interested in the artist next door – Newton Kumaraswamy. Harsh is perplexed. His life has crumbled right before his eyes and he has nothing but a painting to account for. He then goes back to Mumbai and gets involved in the world of art and artists.

Harsh Sinha is your ordinary person wanting to live an ordinary life and not getting very far with that. His aspirations are not those many and yet what he searches for is self-fulfillment (quite ironic in its own way). One can relate to the protagonist and what he goes through throughout the book. The range of emotions are consistent and do not change that frequently. That could also be attributed to the fact that may be because it is written by a man, so the treatment is rather different.

What struck me the most is the juxtaposition of what Harsh feels throughout alongside works of famous artists (the list is provided at the end). The writing is refreshing – almost like cool mineral spa water like feel to it. The book makes the reader aware about art and sometimes its implications. What it means to own a painting and how that sometimes unintentionally takes over a part of your life and remains attached to it. Artist, Undone is a great debut to be read. It might prove to be a slow read for some; however I can assure you that it will be a worth read.

Smut: Stories by Alan Bennett

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek Tejuja) — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 17:28:00 +0000

Title: Smut: Stories
Author: Alan Bennett
Publisher: Picador USA
ISBN: 978-1250003164
Genre: Literary Fiction
Pages: 152
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4/5

I must admit that while I had known of Alan Bennett (and owned a copy of, “The Uncommon Reader); I hadn’t read anything by him prior to reading, “Smut”, a collection of two short stories. The stories are definitely a tease, but not smutty at all, as the title claims them to be, at least not in this time and age.

Smut consists of two stories, “The Greening of Mrs. Donaldson” and, “The Shielding of Mrs. Forbes”. Both are centered on one theme: Being smutty and being candid, or the lack of it sometimes. Smut, as I mentioned earlier, sometimes tries too hard to scandalize but it cannot, not the modern reader, who I would assume has read about these themes earlier.

The Greening of Mrs. Donaldson centers on a 55-year old widow, trying to make a living of being a “part-time demonstrator” for the medical school – in essence, playing the part of a person with an illness, so the students can correctly diagnose. At the same time she is taken in by a couple from the medical school, who are her lodgers and watches them have sex in exchange of rent. Initially I did take some time to get used to the twist the story took, however it wasn’t that embarrassing. The story however does end on a very surprising note and makes the reader think, just that little bit.

The second story, “The Shielding of Mrs. Forbes” is about an over-possessive mother, her recently married son and her henpecked husband. The story unfolds when a well-kept secret of the son, Graham is about to be exposed. Again, being gay in the story is hardly smutty. It is the way of life. Having said that, it is still Bennett’s writing that takes you by the horns and makes you read what he has written.

Alan Bennett has the verve in his writing. The candour and the beauty of words hit straight through without any intensity or depth. The simplicity of his words, take the reader to the edge and then he reveals the twist in the tale quite nonchalantly. Bennett’s writing has to be experienced. The writing is sharp and makes no bones about the fact that the British like to have sex and indulge. The decadence is at the highest level and does not beat around the bush as well. I will read more by him for sure.

Love, life and all that jazz... by Ahmed Faiyaz !!!

noreply@blogger.com (AbhiLaSH RuHeLa) — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 14:29:00 +0000

So, I have completed "Love, Life and all that jazz.." by Ahmed Faiyaz. This is the second time when I took a week to complete a book. Damn to my college and this MCA CET which has come as an obstacle in between. But, I may say that it is wonderful to read good book by taking lot of days rather than completing it in 3-4 hours. At least you remain with those characters and a very good story for many days. :-) This is the debut novel of Ahmed Faiyaz. This is what Ahmed says about himself "I am a management consultant by profession and work for the Health Authority of the Government of Dubai in a Strategic Planning and Execution role. I have in my previous roles worked for Strategy Consulting firms in Dubai and India. I completed my graduation in 2006 from the SIBM. It is there that I first realised that my love for the written world was not limited to reading books. I began my stint with writing and became the editor of a fortnightly business journal for management students called ‘Forthright’. I am also a qualified CA(my biggest battle till date) and began my career with KPMG in Bangalore before I left my job to pursue an MBA degree."

Coming to the STORY (I am not writing it in my words as the synopsis of the book is itself true, so I am just pasting it here), Tania, an interior decorator in Bombay, is in love with Sameer but finds it difficult to manage her long distance relationship with Sameer ever since he moved to the UK to pursue an MBA degree. After five years of togetherness will their love last or will Tania walk into the willing arms of her business partner, Ankur? Sameer is torn between his ambition to spread his wings and begin his career in the UK and his difficult long distance relationship with Tania whom he is committed to. Does he choose love and family or his career? Or does a life-altering event change his decision? Vikram is fun loving, charming and affluent. While he is looking for meaning in life and what he wants to do, he supports and encourages his girlfriend Naina to achieve her dreams of becoming a successful model.

Can they survive the pressure that comes with her growing popularity and the demands of her glamorous career? Or does destiny have something else in store for Vikram? While Tanveer is hardworking and ambitious, he is also terribly insecure of himself and of what life has to offer. He deals with a demanding job and a difficult boss and the pressure of financially supporting his family solely rests on his shoulders. Amidst all the gloom, Tanaz, the daughter of his Parsi landlady is the one ray of sunshine. The two are in love but will Tanveer's conservative family accept a girl who does not belong to the same religion? Will Tanveer make his own decisions in life or will his insecurity and subservience to a traditional outlook alter his life in ways he never imagined? This is the journey of life in a new India where these friends support each other and evolve through their experiences and missteps in Love, Life and all that Jazz...

Coming to the REVIEW, Ahmed Faiyaz has used a very standard language to convey the story of these various couples. I liked his way of narration. I liked his way of revealing each character and their current problems and also going through their background. He has almost given justice to each and every character of the book. Book is lengthy but it is worth reading. You can't miss a single sentence. He has written the story of these friends from college who have passed out in 2003. And the story goes on till 2008. So, you can understand that the book consists of many aspects of one's journey from being a college pass-out to a matured person in the dominating society and expecting people all around you.

The story of the book revolves around all the characters and each of them has different story. You keep relating yourself to every character in some or the other way and you end up crying after every 20-30 pages periodically. Some moments in the book are really touchy and palpable and BEAUTIFUL. The moment when Sameer leaves for London is emotional. The scene where Tanveer tells his Islamic parents about his affair with a Parsi girl, Tanaz is so true and real. The depression of Tanveer after that is perfectly narrated. It touches you. Sameer's return to Mumbai because of a bad news shivers me. When Tanveer and Tanaz tells Tanaz's mother about a good news, her reaction to it again makes you cry. And then, the beautiful moments in this book never ends. They are uncountable. :-)

I will recommend all of you to get 2 copies of this book. Keep one with yourself and give the another copy to your loved one. This book is not about Love affairs. It is about many aspects one sees in life. I am in love with this book. Definitely, a 4.25 out of 5 to this book. Go and get it.

ABHILASH RUHELA - VEERU

Interview with Nilanjan P. Choudhury

noreply@blogger.com (Vibha) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 05:15:00 +0000

Nilanjan, congratulations on your first book 'Bali and the Ocean of Milk' and on such encouraging response from the readers.

What all research went in creating 'Bali and the Ocean of the Milk' and what has been the most interesting phase of this whole process starting from conception of the idea to having the first copy of your book in your hands?

This is not a research heavy book. It is essentially a work of imagination, not a retelling or strictly speaking not even a re-imagination but a new story altogether. Apart from drawing from the very well known myth of the churning of the ocean, the rest of it is pure fiction and the characters and situations are of my making. Although it would appear that the book is about mythology, it is used only as one would use a vase of flowers in a room - for fragrance and colour - the heart of the book lies in its human characters and political satire.

What made you pick the names Samba, Viru and Jai for the holy trinity? Why did you not make Gabbar the Creator?

Those are the names of the Holy Trinity referred to in the Hurrian myth, on which the story of Bali is based. As the preface to the novel says, the actual Hurrian names are Sam Bah, Vee Lu and Jeh, which have been Indianized to Sambha, Viru and Jai in this version. It is mere coincidence that they are also names of characters from a film called Sholay.

Why not Gabbar? Probably because the Hurrians didn’t think that it was a very god-like name…but then that is mere conjecture….

Do you plan to write a sequel of this book too ? Would you like to share your ideas for the next book with the readers?

I don’t know yet. I have been toying with the idea of doing something based on Greek mythology but it’s just a twinkle in the eye right now. I might also want to get my teeth into something completely contemporary.

In your opinion, why more and more writers are digging the mythology to pick ideas from? Is it a quest to find answers to current age doubts or is it an attempt to redefine the age old belief system to check its relevance in current times?

Superman meets Satyajit Ray, escapism with an anchor – to my mind that is the USP of high quality mythological fiction. Magic, fantasy, mythology all offer an escape from reality and ooze the colours, sights, smells and textures that contemporary literary fiction often lacks. However since the cornerstone of most mythology is often a strong narrative with fascinating characters, dilemmas and situations, good myth inspired tales have an core human appeal that stays after you strip away all the special effects.

I also think that both writers and readers find it interesting to explore old characters in new contexts. There are close parallels between the ancient and the modern, suggestive of the fact that humans haven’t really changed much over the ages. That is perhaps another source of amusement.

There is a new trend in the literary arena, more and more professionals are taking up writing . What do you think is the reason for that? Are IIT, IIM tags becoming qualification criteria to be writers, or are the professional courses honing the writing skills more than what they are meant to do?

In general, I am quite sure that the IIT/IIM tag has nothing to do with good writing. The only connection I can think of is that people graduating from such places often get stuck in well paying but mundane jobs and they may take to writing and so on as a release. In any case, the number of “writers” compared to number of people graduating every year from IIT/ IIM is miniscule. Having being asked similar questions earlier as well, I sometimes wonder whether they would have been raised, if say, a St. Stephen’s or a Presidency College were to produce a flurry of authors…

Coming to my personal reasons for writing this novel – like in the murder mysteries, the answer has three parts - motive, opportunity and means.

Motive - I wanted to write a black comedy, let’s say the literary equivalent of Dr. Strangelove, Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron etc. which I thought wasn’t really available in Indian literature. Tall order you might say – but that was the starting point.

Opportunity - time on my hands during the recession a couple of years ago.

Means - long commutes in Bangalore with a laptop, a driver and the backseat of a car.

It is a popular belief that getting published in India is no longer a daunting task but a majority of what is being written is more or less clones of Chetan Bhagatism or such. What is your opinion about the literary scene in India?

Yes there has been an explosion of genres, voices, writers and publishers - mostly for the good I think. Today’s writing also caters to wider segments of society - not just the literary types and we should welcome the phenomenon of Indians writing for Indians rather than for western markets or the diaspora. However while publishing may just have got easier, standing out of the clutter has become a good deal more difficult. In all probability, we will soon have many writers who will become famous for 5 minutes, rather than the more respectable 15.

Without reference to any particular writer or his/her clones, I would add though, that a lot of the stuff that comes out today is pretty sad in terms of quality – and by quality I mean the flesh and blood of fiction writing i.e. characters, motivation, conflict and so on rather than poor language, style etc which are important but secondary.

I see two very diverse camps of authors in India. One category comprising of - Chetan Bhagat, Parul Sharma, etc. and the other comprising of the likes of Vikram Seth, Gurcharan Das etc. These camps are almost like popular choice and critics choice. Which camp do you want to belong to?

It would be nice to belong to both. But like all good clubs (especially those of British vintage) both camps have their own sets of unwritten laws, snobberies and prejudices. The sales of many bestsellers would probably have halved for every favourable review published in a “reputed” publication, scaring the lay reader into thinking that “it’s too hi- fi for me.” Similarly, influential critics look askance at anything that seems to be enjoyable and easy to read, as if they were on a diet that prevents them from appreciating anything that is easily digestible.

But to draw a parallel from cinema, surely modern Indian writing needs the literary equivalents of a Hrishikesh Mukherjee – neither David Dhawan nor Ritwik Ghatak. I think that good writing that is also accessible to the lay reader is the missing link today.

The in-built snobbery of the snooty critic and the irrational apprehensions of the “I toh only read Filmfare, baba !!” reader shouldn’t prevent the rise of high quality, “middle-brow” writing.

Which books make to your reading list ? What is your opinion on writings of Gurcharan Das, Devdutt Pattanaik, Ashok K. Banker, Amish Tripathi, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni - the writers who are writing on mythology with modern and unique perspectives?

A large number and a wide range of books fill my shelves. But apart from Amish, whose Meluha book I read about a month ago (to avoid any influence) I haven’t read any of the others that you mention. A brutally shortened favourites list include Vikram Seth, R K Narayan, Hemingway, Jhumpa Lahiri, Steinbeck, John Mortimer, J K Rowling, Tolkien, Doyle etc etc.

On your facebook page many people have commented that you are finally doing what you always wanted to do? Since when did you know that you would want to write a story?

It wasn’t as if I suffering from deep agonies along the lines of “I must write or I will die” – I began writing as a lark and found myself enjoying the process. Like Picasso said, “Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life” and a deep interest in literature, theatre, music and film has long been a part of me. I guess it just took a long time for the interest to change from passive to active.

Some people have natural flare for writing. In your opinion how much of this skill is innate and how much of it can be acquired? What do you think is true about yourself?

In my case it is certainly acquired. I also think that many people can become decent writers with generous helpings of hard work, humility, self-belief and a wide range quality reading. Of course, there are the geniuses with god given gifts who defy all such analyses.

You are into dramatics too, would you like to share some interesting things about yourself and some of the other things that keep you occupied?

Yes, theatre has been an important part of my life for several years now and has in many ways influenced and helped my writing.

Thank you Nilanjan! It was interesting knowing your views of varied topics.

Homesick by Roshi Fernando

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek Tejuja) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Title: Homesick
Author: Roshi Fernando
Publisher: Bloomsbury
ISBN: 978-1408826362
Genre: Literary Fiction
Pages: 200
Source: Publisher
Rating: 4/5

When I first started reading, “Homesick” by Roshi Fernando, it came to be like any other book of displaced families and forgotten voices. Of the second generation and third generations, wanting to search themselves and what they stand for. However, though the book did run on these lines, it had a different voice to it.

Homesick is a book of many layers and each layer has a unique and original voice. When I say layers, I but obviously mean the inter-connected stories and at the same time, there is something that tugs at the heartstrings that gives the book the enrichment and understanding it deserves.

Homesick is a collection of seventeen stories – telling the tales of SriLankan immigrants carving out new lives in sometimes warm and a sometimes hostile Britain. The narrative is cohesive and sticks to the larger framework of the book – of alienation and getting to know the new ways of living. At the same time it is contemporary (the issue will always be at hand, no matter what nationality) and complex, being careful about the emotions and voices of characters. There is a silent boy who experiences life through Charlie Chaplin, a man stuck in the aftermath of a war, to a family’s life destroyed by a child’s murder, each story comes together and linked by the theme of cultural displacement and its trauma, so to say.

Roshi Fernando’s writing is crisp and razor-sharp. She does not sugar-coat emotions, though there are moments in the book when she had me laughing or at least smiling at the situation. There is an ambience created by the writer that lingers in the readers’ heads long after one has finished the book. The cast of characters is intricate and appear in more than one story, unraveling themselves, little by little; getting the reader familiar and that is what I love about interconnected stories. The transitions are handled with ease, from one story to another and that is what also makes the book so strong. The questions of identity and belief are still left unanswered, which in a way works to the book’s advantage. All in all, Homesick is an evocative study of what home means and sometimes what is takes to create a new one.

Living Fully by Shyalpa Tenzin Rinpoche

noreply@blogger.com (Vibha) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 05:40:00 +0000

Title : Living Fully - Finding Joy in Every Breath

Author : Shyalpa Tenzin Ripoche

Publisher : New World Library

ISBN : 978-1-60868-075-7

Shyalpa Tenzin Rinpoche was born in Himalayas and was trained as a Lama from the age of four. Rinpoche received transmissions from all the major schools of Tibetan Buddhism and he is a lineage holder of the Great Perfection (Dzogchen) tradition. Dzogchen is an ancient spiritual teaching developed in Tibet within Tibetan Buddhist tradition. The word 'Dzogchen' means 'total perfection' which refers to the true inherent nature of all beings. It is the knowledge that Tibetan masters have transmitted without being limited by sectarianism.

He begins by narrating a wonderful analogy of human life with that of one day stay in a hotel room where we go to relax but instead of relaxing for even a single moment, we start finding faults in that single room and spend those limited hours of the day in fixing up the things which bother us. I found this analogy very apt and clever.

He goes on to explain it as "Our most pressing challenge is to live fully. Our deepest aspiration is to experience the richness and fullness of our being in every moment. Fulfillment of worldly pleasures bring momentary feeling of euphoria and the lonely and empty feeling returns soon. We do not experience the pure fulfillment inherent in every moment and therefore, we tend to use sense pleasures as a temporary slave".

The accumulated timeless wisdom shared by Shyalpa is very practical. He talks on many subjects - take the first steps by making the heart pure, approach every single thing sincerely, the indispensable human qualities that are absolutely required for a positive living, importance of consciously being in the moment, challenge of liberation from self, the law of Karma - creating action and facing the reaction, meditation, ocean of wisdom - our mind and then he wraps his teachings by highlighting the importance of having a master whose presence itself makes all sorts of confusions fade away from our lives. Very rightly he lays a lot of stress on the fact that knowing these teachings is just half the work done, what is absolutely necessary is to put them to practice and start experiencing the results. If the teachings fail to transition from theoretical plane to execution level no change will happen.

"In closing, I strongly urge you to practice. These teachings must be applied to your daily life - they must be put into practice - in order to have an effect and lead to true realization".

Shyalpa Ripoche's writing is simple and easy to follow but the only point at which many of the self-help books falter is the way the teachings are presented ,which seems like a list of do's and don'ts and unfortunately 'Living Fully' falls in the same category. There are not many anecdotes or incidents to explain the points or elaborate upon them. With all human challenges and character frailties, I would have preferred him to be discussing those and how an individual can surmount the hurdles through practically feasible diversion of thoughts or some such methods. But I guess for this kind of guidance Shyalpa recommends all to have a spiritual guide or guru in the life so that the journey of life becomes a guided tour rather than a directionless event.