pustakada badanekaayi

Kari

2011-06-22T18:38:00.001+05:30

I first heard of Kari from Whizkid. Never got around to it. Partly because i had some inexplicable disinterest towards graphic novels.

It took me about 20 pages to warm up to Kari. Then it wasn't hard to relate to her in most situations. There's a bit of a Kari in all of us I think. I am hoping that the to be continued promise will be kept.

N.P.

2011-06-22T18:30:00.001+05:30

This was quite a random pick. But I was totally smitten by Japan, post Murakami. The author's name, Banana Yoshimoto, amused and intrigued me. The book was eerie, disturbing and interesting but it had an almost happy ending.

I quite enjoyed reading the book.

Return of the Bibliophile

2011-06-22T18:26:00.003+05:30

I reviewed books for Just Femme once in a while. But not much reading happened.

I had to re-read The Book thief to get back into the reading groove.

And it has been quite a fun time. I started off with Haruki Murakami. It blew my mind (if it sounds like a teenagish phase, that's because it is. I am attributing it to the writer's block though) The book is fascinating. The Magic realism sucks into Murakami's world through every word. I knew half way through the book that I won't 'get' many things and there will be no 'happy endings' but i couldn't put it down.

T quite liked the black cat on the cover of the book. We named it Nakata and made up very many stories with Nakata, a cat who could speak to humans :)

Half Of A Yellow Sun

2010-10-01T17:50:00.004+05:30

After reading Chimamanda's Purple Hibiscus I have been on the look out for her second book. And it is as brilliant and as realistic as the first one. Ugwu, Olanna, Odenigbo, Kainene and Richard do not get out of your head for a long time. It is not for leisure reading though. It shows the dark side of human nature at its starkest.

Picasso's War

2010-10-01T17:46:00.004+05:30

At a time when one feels helpless that nothing one does will make a difference to the world, this book is the much needed truth. It makes you want to believe. It will tell you to be very very afraid of the violence and deceit the people of the world are capable of. But mostly it is the story of one man's belief, that will make you think, try a little harder and more than anything else, believe.

'Indian Summer' in winter

2010-10-01T17:42:00.003+05:30

History that you will not read in Indian textbooks. I for one feel very vindicated on account of Gandhi but am not sure of the glorified Nehru legacy. An intimate look at the Raj, Independence and Partition. The romance between Nehru and Edwina didn't bother me and doesn't skew the narrative either.

After a long time...

2010-06-27T23:31:00.005+05:30

Gosh, it has been 7 months since did an update here!!!!! But I have read many books, attempted many several more and happily forgotten about them. Partly because of paucity of time and mostly because, I hardly read anything that moved me (either way) to write about it.

The Hungry Tide (Amithav Ghosh) was different. I was in awe, I was terrified, I was moved, I was educated, I rediscovered the beauty of the written word all over again.

5 on 5 I'd say

Maximum City. Bombay lost & found

2009-11-17T20:03:00.002+05:30

I didn't know it was shortlisted for Pulitzer! I didn't like it! I couldn't even read beyond the first chapter. It is one of those NRI trying to find his / her roots and hating everything about the country but rediscovers patriotism anyways type of book. And the author rambles all along!

Very Blah i found it

The Magic Mountain

2009-11-17T20:00:00.004+05:30

One should never attempt to read a classic by borrowing from a library. It is too expensive. I realised I couldn't finish it on time so I returned it. I am going to buy this book.

Nightfall

2009-11-17T19:50:00.003+05:30

I am not big on Sci-fi / disaster awaits the world kind of books, but this I liked. The story of a planet with no nightfall is fascinating. But the fear they feel about it something I couldn't relate to. Particularly the part about stars. I mean how can you be scared of the? Go crazy at the sight of those sparklers in the sky?

The book has 3 parts, one - leading up to the night fall - brilliant! two - nightfall itself - Fascinating! three - was post nightfall, I didn't enjoy that so much. It felt very cliche. I suppose in 1990 it wasn't so but with so many paranoid hollywood films...

But overall I liked it.

The world's best street and yard games

2009-10-29T14:00:00.002+05:30

This was a joy read. Did you know there are nine types of Tag? And that the simple game of elastic we played as children might have its origins in China?

Some old and lotsa new games. I am trying to get hold of the copy for keepsakes :)

Err....The tailor in vogue Fashion designing

2009-10-29T13:56:00.004+05:30

This book is part of the learn all about series Published by Tiny Tot, Delhi . I got curious about it and the only book available was on fashion designing so I got it. Bad choice! It is written very badly. The illustrations are in Black and white and illegible. And if you are not already into fashion designing you'll not know what the author is talking about!

Only thing I got out of it is that I know the different kind of cottons there is.

Interestingly the series includes topics such as "Ayurveda, Diarroea, Aromatherapy, Hypertension and Graphology for general readers"

I can't wait!

Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency

2009-10-29T13:52:00.003+05:30

I sometimes forget that Douglas Adams wrote books other than Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy. This was a great reminder.

This is no light reading. If you are not clued in you lose the plot very easily.

Like the author describes " A thumping good detective-ghost-horror-who dunnit-time travel-romantic-musical-comedy epic" it is :D

Must read

Indigo

2009-10-29T13:47:00.003+05:30

The collection is simply brilliant. This is the first time ever I have read all the short stories in one book at one go.

Extremely quirky, macabre with humour. I was reminded of Roald Dahl but I like Ray's style better.

Taste of Bengal all along. Just the names of the characters evoke that sense in you.

22 stories in all. Fantastic read.

Only no women in the stories. Some three women appear as wives of the main characters and have nothing much to do. Very curious.

I could almost smell the rain!

2009-10-22T18:26:00.001+05:30

I wanna do this chasing the monsoon.

Manto, selected stories

2009-08-29T13:37:00.002+05:30

An excellent translation by Aatish Taseer.

The magic of Manto is captured so beautifully.

The Great Indian Novel

2009-08-29T13:09:00.003+05:30

I was never a big fan of Shashi Tharoor's columns in The Hindu. Though I thought he was very good looking :P But then when he stood for elections in the last general elections, there was so much hoopla around him that I got curious. I decided I should read one of his books before I decide I don't like his writing at all. And so I picked The great Indian Novel. I had absolutely no idea what the book was about, hadn't even read a blurb! Imagine my surprise when I realise that the book is satire on Indian politics written the Mahabharatha way. Maha = Great, Bharatha = Indian Novel...get it?

Anyways the book is a bit difficult to read and my state of affairs doessn't permit me to think too much while reading so I am totally losing on the satire end. I read 30 pages and all i figured out was Bhishma = Gandhi (Gandhiji is Gangaji) But I like what I have read so far. The pun (for I can't think of any other word) we like. I don't think anyone can write a book like this now (this was written 2 decates ago) and get away with it. There would be too many protests and the book might be banned.

But no time for the rest so I will come back to it when I have time.

The Fire Thief

2009-08-29T13:06:00.001+05:30

People at Landmark kept trying to sell me this book when I was looking for The Book Thief. They thought I had the title wrong and I thought this book was some random thing that they were trying to sell. When I came across this book while browsing the library I thought I should try it.

It is hilarious! A super take on greek gods :)

The Comfort of Saturdays

2009-08-29T13:00:00.003+05:30

I like the pace at which the book goes. There is a bit of sleuthing in there but it isn't at breakneck speed. Not the book if you want to solve a mystery. That isn't the primary aim of the book.

I think I liked this book because I related to Isabel, the main character at so many levels. On top of it Saturday is my favourite day so.

It was surely comforting. Something I needed right after The Cleft :)

The Cleft

2009-08-13T13:25:00.004+05:30

This is my first Doris Lessing book, even though she has been on my reading list for a long time now.

It took me a while to get through the book. It is a bit difficult. Reading a difficult book with a two-month-old on hand isn't the smartest thing to do. But at least it was a girl baby :) If you want an explanation for the statement, read the book. Wiki has a rather flimsy plot summary here, if you are too lazy. But I won't suggest it.

The book tells us what we already know about the gender differences, in a very interesting manner. But the reinforcement is quite forceful. It left me despondent. I am quite an optimist; to the extent that I do believe that men and women will be on the same page in life at some point. If not in my lifetime, sometime in the future.

But The Cleft kinda shattered my hopes.

I suddenly realised something. I probably knew it all along but never had put it in words. See women have evolved, most men haven't. They've just replaced hunting games with car racing or WWE matches. So naturally there are bound to be differences. Big differences. But nothing can be done. Not as yet.

Quite a depressing thought huh?

So to get over that I've got myself some light reading.

And so I have a name

2009-08-11T17:49:00.001+05:30

Bibliophile

A lover of books.
A collector of books.

One more definition: a person who loves or collects books, esp. as examples of fine or unusual printing, binding, or the like.

First of the Shopaholic series

2009-08-03T12:39:00.005+05:30

My first book in many months. Easy to read, fun, no thinking kinda books are most welcome at this stage in my life. And this book is nothing but that :)

And surprisingly I actually liked the book!

Yet again one is left feeling one should really write a book. But then, about what is the only question :)

Fatherhood - Bill Cosby

2009-05-07T18:40:00.003+05:30

A must for anyone who wants to be a parent. And if you are already a parent it gives you something to laugh about. Hilarious!

My rating 4 on 5

The Thama stories - Kamala Laxman

2009-05-07T18:38:00.003+05:30

This is a bunch of stories about the adventures of Thama, the little elephant. The characters have names like Gumchikki, Anilu and Hebbavoo. Delightful :D

Gone with the wind - Margaret Mitchell

2009-05-07T18:26:00.002+05:30

How I loved this book! Despite being a hundred years old in every sense. I loved it. I haven't watched the film. I try not to watch the films before reading a book. And this one was worth the wait. The mega book took me two weeks to finish but well :)

I am astonished at the time warp we are in after reading the book. Take the ideas in the book like how women are expected behave to get a man. It hasn't changed since the 1800s! The fact about pregnancy being too delicate a subject to even discuss with your husband let alone be seen in public. My god it still happens! The fact that Scarlett can do math quicker than her husband offends him so much. And I know such show of intelligence isn't acceptable even today! We have moved to internet era from quills, hemlines may have risen but somethings have remained the same! Incredible!!!!

I was also pleasantly surprised at how Scarlett's character was created. She's not your average damsel in distress beauty. She had gumption. She had thoughts that weren't "respectable." She went after what she wanted single mindedly. And she was still the heroine. Where we have such women now in literray or celluloid? In real life such women have to masquerade as damsels in distress to save their sanity if anything!

As for Rhett Butler. I would've loved to meet a man like that.

The American civil war details however didn't register entirely. For I do not have enough context or background info for it. The fact that my knowledge of American Geography is non-exstent didn't help the matters. I will have to some research on this one.

My rating 5 on 5

Things I didn't read from my reading list

2009-05-07T18:22:00.003+05:30

Jane Austen's Emma and Herman Melville's Moby Dick proved to too hard to read! I am probably too old for Emma. I was getting mighty irritated with Emma's pre-occupations in life! Even after plodding 100 pages I couldn't move ahead. Moby Dick was well didn't even take off.

I hope to go back to them some time in life...

a purple sea - Ambai

2009-04-06T17:28:00.002+05:30

How beautifully she writes! Although this is the translation of Ambai's (C S Lakshmi) original in Tamil, How beautifully she writes? This is the proof of the fact that I can't do reviews especially books. I don't know enough words to do that!

My rating 5 0n 5

Although this isn't the best book to pick up to cheer yourselves.

Alice's adventures in Wonderland

2009-04-06T17:22:00.002+05:30

What can I say? I had not read the full version. And Tis was such a joy! This birthday present I like :)

The Da Vinci Cod

2009-04-06T17:11:00.003+05:30

No that isn't a spelling mistake the book is really called so. It has the tagline A fish Parody. Even the author's name is a parody - Don Brine (Real name Adam Roberts). The book goes to painful extents to disprove everything the original book The Da Vinci Code but the pun and PJs in it are entertaining. Hilarious at places. I am very very tempted to spill the spoilers but will desist :)

One thing though, Don Brine suggests that this parody be made into a film and have the gorgeous George Clooney play the lead role. I'd say they should remake the original itself with Clooney. As much as I like Tom Hanks he wasn't convincing in the role of Robert Langdon or was it Robert Donglan? I can't remember now :)

My rating 3.5 on 5

Just when I thought I was almost up to date on my reading list!

2009-03-26T11:22:00.004+05:30

Here's the list from BBC of top 100 books (or some such thing) that I found on Facebook. And they believe most people would have read only 6 from this list. I am certainly better off than that. But still got to do a lot of catching up. I have read only 21 of them! The X mark next to the book denotes that. and "movie" in the bracket means that I haven't read the book but seen the film. Sigh...

Anyways I know what to look for next time I hit the library.

1. Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen-(movie)
2. The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien-
3. Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
4. Harry Potter series - JK Rowling -x
5. To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee -x
6. The Bible -
7. Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte -x
8. 1984 - George Orwell - x
9. His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
10. Great Expectations - Charles Dickens- (movie)
11. Little Women - Louisa M Alcott- x
12. Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
13. Catch 22 - Joseph Heller-
14. Complete Works of Shakespeare - ( partial)
15. Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16. The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien -
17. Birdsong - Sebastian Faulk
18. Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger- x
19. The Time Traveller’s Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
20. Middlemarch - George Eliot
21. Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
22. The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald
23. Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24. War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy -
25. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams- x
26. Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh
27. Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28. Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
29. Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll- x
30. The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame -
31. Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy - x
32. David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33. Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis -
34. Emma - Jane Austen
35. Persuasion - Jane Austen
36. The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis
37. The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini - x
38. Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres - (movie)
39. Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden - x
40. Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne -
41. Animal Farm - George Orwell-
42. The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown- x
43. One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez - x
44. A Prayer for Owen Meany - John Irving
45. The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46. Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery
47. Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
48. The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood
49. Lord of the Flies - William Golding-
50. Atonement - Ian McEwan-
51. Life of Pi - Yann Martel -
52. Dune - Frank Herbert
53. Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54. Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen -
55. A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth - x
56. The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57. A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens-
58. Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
59. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon - x
60. Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez - x
61. Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
62. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov -
63. The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64. The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
65. Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas-
66. On The Road - Jack Kerouac
67. Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68. Bridget Jones’s Diary - Helen Fielding - (movie)
69. Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie -
70. Moby Dick - Herman Melville -
71. Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens - x
72. Dracula - Bram Stoker -
73. The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
74. Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson (partial)
75. Ulysses - James Joyce -
76. The Inferno - Dante
77. Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78. Germinal - Emile Zola
79. Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
80. Possession - AS Byatt -
81. A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens -
82. Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83. The Color Purple - Alice Walker
84. The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
85. Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
86. A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry-
87. Charlotte’s Web - EB White -
88. The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom -
89. Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - x
90. The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton -
91. Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
92. The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery - x
93. The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94. Watership Down - Richard Adams
95. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96. A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97. The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas - x
98. Hamlet - William Shakespeare -
99. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl- x
100. Les Miserables - Victor Hugo -

Kitchen Confidential - Adventures in the culinary underbelly

2009-03-25T10:57:00.003+05:30

If I didn't like Anthony Bourdain before, now I love him! This book just proves that one need not use big eloquent words for the book to work, Honesty will do. And AB makes it work very well.

Also I have given up the long cherished dream of opening a restaurant. I knew it was hard but didn't realise how hard!

This book is guidebook for chefs, eye opener for lay people who know nothing about restaurant business and to me it was simply inspirational!

I loved the book!

My rating 4.5 on 5 (I could give it 5 but just being stingy like the math teacher from school)

Nancy drew - A race against time

2009-03-25T10:55:00.003+05:30

Just for the record!

Considering 2 of the 4 books I got from library were a bad choice, this one was a saviour.

A midsummer night's gene

2009-03-25T10:49:00.004+05:30

A classic case of never judge the book by the cover! The blurb on the back cover was very funny, the book was not. To give myself credit I did try very hard. Read more than 50 pages and didn't see the humour promised in the back cover. Considering this is a sci-fi parody (based on Shakespeare's midsummer night's dream if you haven't already guessed by the title) that I was reading right after Douglas Adams, made things only worse. I gave up! I am going to be wary of author Andrew Harman from now onwards, that is for sure!

Rumpole and the Angel of Death

2009-03-25T10:43:00.002+05:30

This was recommended by Varali. Usually I like her choice so I picked up the book. But then I had forgotten her penchant for English humour! It is too subtle for me. So I didn't really complete this compilation of short stories by John Mortimer.

Too bad. I like Woodhouse better than this guy is the only consolation for me!

Life, the Universe and Everything

2009-03-25T10:32:00.003+05:30

What can I say? It was brilliantly Humourous. Just what was the man on to come up with stuff like this? The bizarre names he comes up with for characters itself is a subject of study. And in this book he converts Cricket into a intra galaxy war of "Krikkit" simply awesome!

I bought this book, an omnibus with six of his books in 2005. Despite my urge to finish of the series, I have been savouring one book at a time. It is simply is more fun this way.

No rating n all, I simply love this book :)

An example for the usage for the phrase "pustakada badanekaayi"

2009-03-18T16:55:00.002+05:30

It is not a very literary post but interesting nevertheless one thinks...Quoted here is none other Uppi aka Upendra from Sandalwood. Roughly translated it means Love is nothing but bogus :) I wonder how come most such statements are found on the back of the Bangalore autos?

The ugliness of the Indian Male and other propositions

2009-03-13T19:34:00.004+05:30

Needless to say the title prompted me to pick up the book. Mukul Kesavan is a professor of history with a penchant for cinema and he is humourous too. The book is a collection of his essays on topics ranging cinema, documentary and how chennai might as well be another country.

Although I expected the entire book to be about the title, the array of topics wasn't disappointing in any way.

I only differed with his views on the choice of subjects for documentaries. It makes a very ineresting read.

My rating 3 on 5

City of Djinns - William Darlymple

2009-03-13T19:17:00.003+05:30

What a revelation this book was! This is my first WD Book and I wasn't disappointed.

I was impressed with the kind of history he managed to rake up. So many things I didn't know about Delhi. Honestly I am not a big fan of the city and the book didn't change that either but a lot of it's attitude and behaviour was put in perspective. I was a bit intrigued that the book largely covered only the Mughal era and no sign of any Hindu rulers anywhere. Then during the course of the book I realised the Mughals came in to Delhi in the early 13th century and held on till 18th, that is the british rule. He briefly delves into the Mahabharath period (in the BC he says) towards the end. I have always wondered about Mahabharatha whether it is fact or fiction err mythology may be the right word. WD kind of points that it might be a fact that has been embellished over the centuries and is in the current form of grandeur and divinity. I was very impressed with WD's deligence through out the book. And made me wonder why I never researched anything this determinedly...

There were times when I got bored of the royal ways of life but the book always draws you back into it.

My rating 4 on 5

Nancy drew - The treasure in the royal tower

2009-03-13T19:09:00.002+05:30

Yeah yeah yeah I am a bit old for this. But it is the only teenage fetish I have held on to :)

It is a quick read, gives my gray cells something to solve :)

Can't rate them though. It is purely for fun.

The best 125 Meatless Pasta Dishes

2009-03-13T18:51:00.003+05:30

I love cook books! I only try about 2.5 of them from every book but I still love reading them. Looking at the yummy pictures, imagining the taste of the spices and aromas. And sometimes if I really like it make them too.

My latest fetish being Italian food and since very little meat is part of my diet I thought this book would be interesting. The edition I picked up had no pictures so I was very disappointed. I like to to know how the food turns out or rather how it is supposed to turn out. But it made a very interesting read nevertheless because it talks about the basics of pasta making. Right from the different kinds of pastas, sauces, the equipment. Some of the cheese based recipes sounded delicious. I have it written down. Hopefully I will try them sometime soon.

My rating 3 on 5 (mostly cos of no pics)

The Bridges of Madison County

2009-02-24T11:22:00.003+05:30

Oh what a lovely romantic novel written by Robert James Waller! It is a heartwarming at the same time heart wrenching story. Yes, I am a sucker for romance but not the M&B kinds. It is the story of Francesca Johnson a "happily" married farmer's wife and this lovely long haired National Geographic photographer Robert Kincaid who comes to photograph the bridges of Madison county and the romance that ensues. This book was later made into a film starring Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep. I have only seen the wild cowboy films of Eastwood I wonder how he'd fit into this almost too good to be true character of Robert Kincaid. I know there are a lot of women like Francesca Johnson. I know quite a few of them myself.

The books is presented as if it is based on true story but I found later that it isn't. They shouldn't confuse us romantic suckers like this!

My rating 4 on 5

The Millionaire Mind

2009-02-24T11:11:00.005+05:30

Apparently the author Thomas J Stanley has been studying millionaires since the 70s. That is his specialty. He studies them, understands them and tells the rest of the world about it and he's a millionaire because of that. Quite cool eh?

The book details about millionaire lifestyle not just in terms their business ideas (which is what one reads about most of the time) but the nitty gritty of the millionaire lifestyle including whether their children go to public schools or private schools, whether they use coupons to buy groceries or what kind of grades they got as students. It was very fascinating.

After reading this book I do know that I am a long way from being a millionaire but I do have the makings of one :) Don't believe me? Well take this list for starters. The millionaires weren't all ace students. They did not have huge family estates or funds to back them up. They are very particular about spending money. They are not stingy but careful. Although I still have to work on the last aspect the others I am there. I just need a killer idea that'll fetch me money and I will be there :)

The book is very american in context so one needs to do a lot of cross referencing and a lot of times facts are repeated over and over again. This might be so to drive a point home but it gets boring.

My rating 2.75 on 5

Purple Hibiscus

2009-02-24T10:59:00.003+05:30

I read this book almost a month ago but kept putting off writing about it. I picked up this book simply on whim and loved it a lot. It is a story that talks about the life of oppression this little girl Kambili lives every day with her mother and her brother. Her "papa" is this religious fanatic, an angel to the world outside and a terror at home. But the book never blames but merely states and records incidents. She tastes freedom for the first time when she goes to live with her aunt away from her father. Life is never the same after that for her or her family. The Nigerian turmoil is also well recorded through the book.

Considering this Chimamanda's first book I am very inspired :) It took me just a day and half to finish the book. You cannot put it down. Though it ends on a positive note, it is a grim tale nevertheless.

My rating 3.5 on 5

Yoga for pregnancy

2009-01-05T12:11:00.001+05:30

The book is authored by Dr Shamantakamani Narendra, Dr R Nagarathna, Dr H R Nagendra. A handy book for anyone who wants to understand how the human body works when it comes to reproduction (don't let your mind wander people it is written very scientifically and accurately) and of course the fitness through pregnancy. Although one would still require a well trained practitioner for guidance to follow all the suggestions in the book.

The CEO of the Sofa

2009-01-05T12:09:00.002+05:30

A book I picked up on a whim. It is funny but the context is very American and hence made no sense to me! The author, - P J O'Rourke rambles on literally through out!

My Forbidden Face

2009-01-05T11:44:00.006+05:30

I am reading more books than I can review them. I am doing quick recap here so that I don't forget them.

My forbidden face Growing up under the Taliban, a young woman's story - Latifa. The book sent shivers down my spine. What will I do If I get caught in something like this? Latifas only 16 when Taliban took over the country, she lived with the ridiculous decrees! I mean they banned any man from selling women's under garments and women were not allowed to step out of the house or work in anyway. what the hell was that? How can any religion preach something like that?

The Taliban are apparently taught in the "Deobandi" school of thought. And Deobandi the author says "is an orthodox strain of Islam that preaches purification from all foreign influence and is an exteremley narrow reading of the Koranic message." But what was shocking to me was the fact that this school of thought orginated in UP, India in the 19th century and was "upheld by the British who wanted a religious power that could provide a counter-force to Hinduism is"!

I am still coming to terms with this discovery. Reading the book has suddenly made me aware of the opportunities I am letting go off. I mean women like Latifa didn't have them, how can I waste them?

Social novelsuu naanuu

2009-01-05T11:05:00.004+05:30

Last 4 days have been a marathon reading session for me. The fact that it is Kannada I am reading and that none of these books are more than 200 pages long ensured that I finished 4 books in as many days.

But that is not to say I had fun. I didn't like most of the books I read. Off the four, 3 were "social novels" by their own admission. But they turned out to be literary versions of the daily soaps I avoid watching!

"aparichitaru" or strangers by C N Mukta was the most annoying of the lot. In the introduction the author says that "at one point it was believed that education and economic independence was the way out for women. But today, despite that women are being trampled on" Very interesting right? But the following 180 pages were a sob story to the hilt. The protagonist (can we call her that if all she does is be a doormat, willingly at that, through out?) Manasa is this very dedicated doctor with big dreams of serving people. She falls for this guy Anant who goes against his parents' will to get married to her. But his parents never give in and alienate him completely from their lives. This gets him resentful against Manasa and starts harassing her.

That is not it, the fellow takes to alcohol, gambling and women in full public view. All this while blaming his wife that if she spent more time with her he wouldn't look else where. A point of view Manasa's 2 obnoxious children also share. The two children demand things left, right and centre from the mother but will not be nice to her. Through it all Manasa is patience personified. There are moments when she shows some spunk and decides to walk out of this "family" but things like daughter's marriage and her post natal care stop her from doing so. She decides to stay back and sort things for the husband even after she finds out that he was married to someone else all along and has a daughter of marraigable age. Her excuse this time? The poor girl needs to be settled, she's not at fault! But after her step daughter is married off thankfully Manasa takes off to serve at some oldage home. The story ends with that.

I am not terribly optimistic when it comes to gender equality in the near future. But this level of pessimism put me into depression. I spoke to other women who have read this book and their take on this was stunning! Here are a few.

"Women should not be / cannot be too ambitious. Their place at home is more important and she cannot jeopardise it"

"Men will look else where if they don't get everything they need or want from home"

"This is the proof that women can never be equal to men"

"She decided to leave the husband and children after all her duties were finished. She didn't run half way. Young women these days can learn something from this."

What can I say to this? This book was written in 1994. Much time has passed since, have the books changed with times? or are they sticking to the safe territory? Also doesn't this kind of writing alienate the other gender completely? Novels and soaps are only for women eh? I am looking for more recent books by the same author or others to see if and how things have changed.

The other reviews to follow are "dharitri" by Dr Arathi Venkatesh, "hrudaya milana" by Usha Navaratnaram and "hantaki I love you" by Ravi Belagere.

Shantaram - Gregory David Roberts

2008-12-16T13:28:00.005+05:30

I read this book more than a year ago. I loved the book though the filmy climax was a bit of a downer, I still loved it. Recently I found this piece of paper where I had written down my favourite lines from the book. Some of them don't make much sense out of context but they are good lines nevertheless.

Lin / Shantaram's lines

"Every free minute is a short story with a happy ending"
"Freedom to say no. If you've got that much freedom, you don't really need anymore"

Karla has some of the best lines in the book

"Some of the worst things were caused by people who tried to change things"
"It isn't a secret unless keeping it hurts"
"Men reveal what they think when they look away and what they feel when the hesitate. With women it's the other way around"
"Happiness is myth. It was invented to make us buy things"

Didier's character appears on and off but he gets a line a too and darn good one at that.

"There is no meanness too spiteful or too cruel, when we hate someone for all the wrong reasons"

Kader Bhai is a pivotal character and he's got a lot of lines, this is my favourite.

"It is possible to do the wrong things for the right reasons"

This is a Pashto saying that Kader Bhai quotes

"You are not a man until you give your love truly and freely to a child. And you are not a good man until you earn the love truly and freely of a child in return"

How lovely! I should go back and read this book again.

The Confidential Agent

2008-10-10T16:54:00.002+05:30

This is my first Graham Greene book. And I cannot make up my mind about it. The writing is no doubt very engaging. But something didn't quite work for me. Of course I cannot write Greene off for this, unless I read a couple of more books and still feel indifferent.

I can't rate it because I don't know how to. This post is strictly for the record that I did read this book.

The Fabulous Girl's guide to Decorum

2008-10-10T16:19:00.005+05:30

I thought for a very long time about admitting it in public that I have read this book. No there's nothing wrong with the book. Just that people who know me would be surprised about the choice :) I wanted to read something silly but couldn't bring myself to pick up an M&B. I barely managed to read 2 of them when I was 15 and anyway Chick-Lit was a subject that was being talked about...

It is a very practical guide book for those who want to be well what else, fabulous girls. I finished the book in about 3/4 of a day. Not because it was unputdownable but because I didn't find many things in the book worth my time. The book gives gyan on everything from how to handle workplace situations (like biding your time till you get the right job to office romances), How to behave at book launches, movie premieres, funerals, shopping, handling friendships, sex, being couples, weddings and divorces and how to decorate your homes. It is largely in European and American context so most of it doesn't make sense here. I really don't know if "you wanna come over for a cup of coffee" means "wanna have sex" to a larger section of Indians yet.

But it was a fun read nevertheless. It might be helpful guide to young women who are stuck in a rut and have no clue how to get out. I am thinking a book like this in an Indian context (that is well written) will sell really well. And may be the publishers can think about bringing out similar things in regional languages as well. Just because one doesn't know the queen's language doesn't mean one doesn't want to be a fabulous girl isn't it?

My rating 2.5 on 5

The Book Thief stole my heart

2008-10-10T15:52:00.005+05:30

This one came with high recommendation. And it was worth all the two days I spent reading the book. I couldn't put book the down even for a minute. Thankfully I didn't have any assignments so I did have the time. But since I wanted to finish the book I had to order in to avoid cooking time :)

The narration is simply the best I have read. The language is exquisite. It is a delight to read the way the author, Markus Zusak has stringed the sentences together. It is like every single syllable in there has been thought about. And no phrase or word is there by accident. The imagery is outstanding. I love the way the colours are described on each occassion.

You cannot help falling in love with the characters of Himmel Street. Liesel, her papa Hans Hubermann (I would give anything to meet a man like this one) or Mama Rosa who swears all the time. But my favourite has to be Rudy. The boy who is forever in love with Liesel and does everything to get a kiss from her.

I am not a big fan of stories set in Nazi period. They are all incredibly grim and reminds me of that side of human nature which I'd rather not know. But this book is full of heart. And is the only one I've read from the german perspective. The book made laugh and it made me cry. (V thought it utterly silly. But what the hell).

It would make an excellent film if someone can get that style of narration right (which I doubt)

And it is a great book if you want to learn the german language. After all swear words are the best first words to learn in any language :)

My rating 5 on 5

Wyrd Sisters

2008-09-17T12:06:00.004+05:30

This is Terry Pratchett's 6th book in the Discworld series. The theme is very serious - the effect the words can have on reality. There are three witches, one duke and duchess, a king's ghost, a fool, an actor and a very angry kingdom. But the twisted humour (I can't think of anything else to describe Pratchett's style) makes it so much more enjoyable than anything on the samelines that has been said at least a few dozen times.

Wikipedia tells me that this book is a homage to Shakespeare's Macbeth. I don't remember much of it but it might be true. Although I certainly prefer Wyrd Sisters to Macbeth. Sorry Shakespeare :)

The book made me think about the history that as we know now. If all it takes is words to remember it, then anyone with a little creativity and some might can alter it and we won't even realise. Isn't that what's happening right now? The rights and the wrongs of history, that is irrefutable when it is happening can be changes just as easily when it is just a memory.

My rating 3.5 on 5

kaanooru heggaDithi

2008-08-19T12:09:00.006+05:30

I have had difficulties with some of kuvempu's creations back in school. And then I was introduced to his magnum opus sri ramayaNa darshanam and I totally freaked! ramayaNA darshanam is written entirely in haLagannada (old Kannada), 20 thousand lines of poetry at that. Although I do have plans of attempting it again sometime in my life.

I knew that his other works are not as difficult, i still was reluctant to attempt it. But recently I got a gift voucher for Kannada books at Sapna Book house and I practically ransacked the shop. One of the books I bought was kanooru heggaDithi. The sheer size of it stopped me from reading it right away. But last weekend's coonoor trip was ideal for it and I took it along. And it was the best choice!

Firstly the book appeals to me because it talks about what I am familiar with. The life in the western ghats. Though I hail from the coastal region and not the ghats, the cultures are very similar. The Bhootas, the poojas, the communities are all part of familiar nostalgia. None of the characters in the book are sugar coated. They are all as real as they can get, flaws and goodness come out depending on the situation and the people they are with.

The simplicity of the emotions is something that is missing from gadget filled, rat race life these days and that's what the book is about. Be it love, sacrifice, jealousy, meanness, politicking everything is out there, raw.

I also loved the fact that kuvempu has gone into great lengths to describe the scenic beauty of the region. The plant life, the topography, the animal and birds of the region everything is crystal clear.

In the introduction, he says that the reader has as much part in imagery while reading a book as much as the writer while writing . It is the reader's responsibility to be attentive he says. He also adds that empathy is the biggest quality a reader can bring to the book, without which the best of intention can go uncared for.

My favourite character from the book has to be hoovaiah. And it didn't help that in my imagination he resembled M so much that it made him all the more real :)

My rating 5 on 5

Wuthering Heights

2008-08-14T11:59:00.004+05:30

I didn't start reading English literature with the classics, as it is usually done. I started off with Sidney Sheldon and worked my way back. So my classics reading is still in the early stages.

I just finished reading Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights. Apparently this is her only novel (my source is Wikipidea on this of course)

I loved the book but at the same time it scared me. I love it because of it's literary quality - the way it is written, the language (at times very hard to follow) and the honesty with which the emotions have been portrayed. What amazes me is that though this is written by a woman, there's little bias. The book shows the dark side of both men and women. The book exposes the naivete that all human beings possess when they are younger and how when that is taken advantage of, can unveil the darker side just as easily.

The book scared me because of the depths one can fall into in hatred. Heathcliff, the central character schemes and plots all his life to destroy anyone and everyone who came in the way of his love. Even the one he loves. The madness lasts nearly 30 years!

There's innocence, there's love, there's cowardice, there's vengeance that chills and of course there is a very happy ending.

However at the end of the book, I felt a bit let down that Heathcliff, didn't exactly suffer for all his doings. I know what happened to him in the book is what would happen to anyone like him in real life; just because he didn't suffer physically doesn't mean he didn't suffer at all. I guess I am conditioned by seeing villains meeting horrible ends the in Bollywood films and indeed our mythological stories.

I loved the book despite that.

My rating 4 on 5

PS: I have added Ellen 'Nelly' Dean from Wuthering Heights to my list of favourite literary characters.

People from the world of books

2008-08-11T10:45:00.011+05:30

Here's a long pending post of mine. The list of my favourite literary characters in no particular order.

Mma Ramotswe (No.1 Ladies detective agency)
Hagrid, Fred & George Weasley, Albus Dumbledore (Harry Potter series)
Little Prince (The Little Prince)
Zorba (Zorba, the Greek)
Tracy Whitney (If Tomorrow Comes)
Dana Evans (Sky is falling)
Papillon
Nancy Drew
Miss Marple
Santiago (The Alchemist)
Veronika (Veronika Decides to Die)
Arthur Dent & Ford Prefect (Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy)
Tom Fitzerald (Papa married a mormon)
Hassan (Kiterunner)
mookajji (mookajjiya kanasaugaLu)
Swami (Malgudi days)
Yamini (Yamini)
Calvin & Hobbes (Of course)
Phantom
Spiderman
Thugsen (from the oldest Amar chitra katha I own, 1979)
Shikari Shambu

Starting Something

2008-08-06T17:39:00.003+05:30

I have never read a company story before. Didn't think I'd find it interesting. But since last September my opinions about a lot of things have changed and this one's one of them. My FIL recommended this book to me.

The book is interesting at so many levels but what appealed to me was the people aspect of it. The book doesn't tell you how to start a company, or how to do a business presentation in detail. Instead the author Wayne McVicker tells you exactly how bad it can get! How poor you can be before you strike it rich and how extraordinary efforts go into not to make you rich. That sounds depressing but it isn't. Wayne tells the story of this company Neoforma that he starts with his friend Jeff, right from the day one from the idea to the big IPO day. The book talks about trusting your instincts, the difference between doing what is supposed to be right and what feels right. The book also talks about letting go. The founders eventually move out of the company they helped create, because the company didn't need them and they didn't need the company.

The biggest take away for me was the importance of building the right culture. Something that I've always believed in. The right idea, right amount of dedication and a great culture can take the company a long distance. Heck these guys bought their own dream houses with it :)

My rating 3 on 5

tuesdays with Morrie

2008-07-31T15:06:00.007+05:30

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

2008-07-29T15:38:00.005+05:30

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

2008-07-29T15:10:00.006+05:30

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