tuesdays with Morrie

Tuesdays hold a special place for me. In kannaDa Tuesday is called as "mangaLa vaara" which od course is named after the planet Mars. But could also mean auspicious day. But one is never allowed to do anything new on that day...As in you can't start a new job, join school, move into a house you know that sort of thing. It always annoyed me, so very typically I did start everything on Tuesdays. All my first days at jobs were on a Tuesday (unless my boss had a problem), I started courses on that day...you get the drift. So when RVK & A suggested "tuesdays with Morrie" I was instantly taken in.

At the face of it, it could seem like a book about the general gyan we all know- "Don't run after money", or "live in now" or "don't be afraid of loving someone." But what makes this book special is that it comes from a man who lived life, just the way he wanted and still thought he could've done it better in the face of death.

The book reaffirmed many of my own beliefs, which have been rejected so many times that I sometimes wonder about them. The book also made me yearn for that one mentor who could hold your hand and guide you...I never had one...not like Morrie anyway. But it also made kinda decide that I should try and be one to someone at some point of time. People always need each other.

I loved the way Morrie taught people without being all preachy (I do a bad job of this). I loved his simple but so true to the last letter aphorisms he came up with. These are my favourites

1) Love each other or perish.
2) Once you know how to die, you know how to live.
3) You're not a wave, you're part of the ocean.
4) Dying is one thing to be sad about, living unhappily is another thing.
5) The culture we have does not make people feel good about themselves. And you have to be strong enough to say if the culture doesn't work, don't buy it.

Very powerful words those are.

Morrie Schwartz was no figment of imagination, he walked this planet just like you & me; only difference being he savoured it all, and decided to share his understanding with the world through his student Mitch Albom. On a slightly editorial note, I kinda wished that it was written better...something kept bothering me and I can't put my finger on it. But with a powerful character like Morrie, it doesn't matter I suppose. They made a television movie based on this book too.

I love Tuesdays all the more!

My rating 3.5 on 5

The adventure of the Christmas Pudding

Yes, I was in the mood for some crime solving so I followed the No 1 Detective agency series with Agatha Christie. There is no denying that she was the queen of crime. But what struck me in this book is her love for food. Don't believe me? See the title :)

There are 6 stories in this book
1) The adventure of the Christmas pudding - and the pudding is the key from start to end in this story
2) Mystery of the Spanish Chest - Very gory
3) The Under dog - Use of Hypnosis kinda put me off...perhaps am too old for these things
4) Four and Twenty Blackbirds - this one is based entirely on the dead man's eating habits
5) The dream and - Very twisted but cleverly done
6) Greenshaw's folly - Extremely twisted again

The first 5 are solved my Hercule M Poirot, the short Belgian man who can be charming with the ladies and solve the most complicated crimes with equal ease. The last one is for Miss Marple to solve. She doesn't even see the site of crime before solving the case!

I love Christie's writing. There is the quintessential English world that opens up here including the love for puddings and "being proper" The crimes themselves aren't very difficult to solve what with we being exposed to all kinds of crime stories both in the real world and on celluloid and TV. But a joy nevertheless.

BTW did you know she also wrote Romance genre by the name Mary Westmacott?

My Rating: 3 on 5

In the Company of Cheerful Ladies

I was introduced to Mma Precious Ramotswe this February by Sav. And what a joy it has been to know this delightful detective created by Alexander McCall Smith.

Mma Ramotswe is the finest private detective in all of Botswana and the series chronicle her experiences as a woman, as a detective and as an African. The most delightful part is that the books portray such simple emotions, deal with everyday dilemmas and all from a woman's point of view. The story could be set in Botswana but wouldn't be very different if it was set in India.

The book I just finished is "In the company of cheerful ladies" The book talks about Mma Ramotswe and Mma Makutsi's own personal tribulations and triumphs in very a charming way. Be it Ramotswe having to face her old fear of her ex husband Note Mokoti or Mma Makutsi joining the dance classes to widen her social circle (read meet the man of her dreams). It is also beautifully woven that you experience the same emotions as those women.

I love the fact there are little things that mean a lot to them, like how Mma Makutsi one day very hesitatingly declares that she prefers regular tea over bushtea. That she's so besotted with her lovely china tea pot. Or the fact that she loves shoes and the first thing she thinks of buying with her bonus is a pair of red shoes with big bright buckles. I love the chapter where Mma Ramotswe and Mma Potokwani confess to each other about not being able to fight temptation especially when it comes to fruit cakes and have more of it.

I can completely relate to Mma Ramotswe's feelings about changing Botswana. About the changes that come along the society with prosperity...nicety that is the first victim of growing economy.

And oh I love the cover of the books. So bright, happy and very african :)

My rating: 4 on 5