Reading fiction and non-fiction are two different things. While reading fiction, you end up being in a world of imaginations but while reading a non-fiction attempt, you know that these things can specifically happen with you. Hence you read it with more determination and pleasure. You know that you can end up being a protagonist or experience the same events as mentioned in the book. I am just sitting after completing 4 hours read of Yuvraj Singh, the cricketer’s autobiographical attempt where he tells us about his journey from Cricket to Cancer and how he fought the disease and ended up being a normal Cricketer again. The book is titled perfectly “The Test Of My Life” and has a tagline “from cricket to cancer and back”. The cover page carries a very good image clicked of Yuvraj Singh with his shining eyes, black hairs, glowing face and an expressive positive attitude. It also has Sachin Tendulkar’s reaction on the book “Pure Inspiration” imbibed on it. On the back cover, the reactions of Kevin Pietersen, Virat Kohli, Rahul Dravid, Harbhajan Singh and Saina Nehwal is mentioned. There’s nothing over the shell of the book that can stop you from purchasing it except the MRP of the book which is 400+. But… Yuvraj’s attempt and will power to let everyone know his story and life regarding cancer is something for which he needs to be applauded.

One thing that I am very much happy about is the way Yuvraj Singh has cut short events and kept the book of just 190 pages and didn’t just kept writing and writing and writing as generally the autobiography of a sportsman is. He has used a very fluid language with no words, terms or abbreviations making us feel uncomfortable or inferior. He has talked as if he is one of us and that makes this book special. He hasn’t shown any kind of arrogance or pride over himself while scripting his story. His simplicity and humbleness can be easily seen right from the very first chapter till the end. He has covered almost every thing- his initial childhood days, his initial training in Cricket, his selection, his winning moments, World Cup moments and finally the Cancer moments and then the recent comeback in Cricket after recovering from Cancer.

His father’s behavior with him while training him for Cricket is something for which I feel pity for Yuvraj Singh. I have also been beaten by my father for studies but in that comparison, Yuvraj Singh is been thrashed more severely. The way he has opined about his parents’ fights and arguments and then their separation is something one needs a lot of guts to do in a country like India. The way our very own Navjot Singh Sidhu said to his father that Yuvraj Singh does not have Cricket in him and the way his father reacted “Ab dekhta hoon tu cricketer kaise nahi banta hai” is interesting to know. The way he got selected and won the big tournaments in a very small age is another lovely part to read. The way he has described Sachin Tendulkar every now and then shows his respect for him. He has also taken the names of his favorite teammates with immense respect. He has not taken name of many of them including Dhoni which shows that they have not been much a part of his personal life. But maintained his integrity by not speaking anything against them. He wanted to speak about 2007 World Cup and the wrong decisions of captain Rahul Dravid but he choose not to talk about it.

The whole description of 2003 World Cup and then our epic 2011 World Cup including the Finale gave me goosebumps. His description about how he was struggling with his body but still working for the World Cup made me emotional too. Why a World Cup tournament is so important for a Cricketer is also explained by Yuvraj. He has shown his emotions for Indians who support Cricketers and make them feel good about themselves. He has also said about how media has manipulated the news and sometimes analyzed things by themselves and wrote and talked about him. This tells us how cruel media is sometimes. But he has also thanked media for the love that they gave him when his news of Cancer initially broke out. Later on his description about how his mother and he dealt with Cancer is something that will always remain with me. He has wonderfully shown how much a cancer patient has to suffer and what emotions he/she goes through. Even I am scared of this disease now. But as Yuvraj Singh has himself come out of it after losing all the confidence and will power also gives me an inspiration that even I can beat Cancer if I ever fall in this condition.

Also the training that he went through after the chemotherapy gives a good insight about what a passion of living and doing what one loves the most can make one do. One fails to give up in such situations. In all, I would say that Yuvraj Singh will become a sibling to everyone whoever will read this book. He is the first in the contemporary Indian team to write a book himself. But I would still say that Lance Armstrong’s book and Brett Lee’s autobiography was more liked by me than this. But as such books should not be judged, I am not rating this one. I would just ask all to read it as it surely gives energy and makes us emotional for numerous times. And Yuvraj, Kudos and Respect!!!
Buy The Test of My Life from Cricket to Cancer and Back from Flipkart.com
Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA – VEERU!!!

During the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands, Anne Frank received a diary as one of her presents on her 13th birthday. She began to write in it on June 14, 1942, two days later, and twenty two days before going into hiding with her father Otto, mother Edith, older sister Margot, and another family, Hermann van Pels, his wife Auguste, and their teenage son Peter. The group went into hiding in the sealed-off upper rooms of the annex of her father’s office building in Amsterdam. The rooms were concealed behind a hidden door. Mrs. van Pels’ dentist, Fritz Pfeffer, joined them four months later. In the published version, names were changed: the van Pels are known as the Van Daans and Fritz Pfeffer as Mr. Dussel. With the assistance of a group of Otto Frank’s trusted colleagues, they remained hidden for two years and one month.

Anne described to “Kitty”, as she addressed her diary, her close relationship with her father, her lack of daughterly love for her mother, with whom she felt she had nothing in common, and her admiration for her sister’s intelligence and sweet nature. She did not much like the others initially, particularly Auguste van Pels and Fritz Pfeffer (the latter shared her room). She was at first unimpressed by the quiet Peter; she herself was something of a chatterbox (a source of irritation to some of the others). As time went on, however, she and Peter became very close, though she remained uncertain in what direction their relationship would develop.
They were betrayed in August 1944, which resulted in their deportation to Nazi concentration camps. Of the group of eight, only Otto Frank survived the war. Anne died in Bergen-Belsen from typhus in early March, about two weeks before the prisoners were liberated by British troops in April 1945.

Coming to my take, I would say that if you really want to read something related to the same event, try some other book but definitely not this one. I am still surprised as to how this book is seen as one of the bests of 20th century. Whatever, what I found in the book was nothing but a normal teen girl writing her experiences on daily, weekly and sometimes on monthly basis. It has almost everything that we feel when we our teenagers- the avoidance by one of our parents, the less understanding with parents, little jealousy with siblings, a crush on guy-next-door and a doubt whether we are straight, bisexual or homosexual. Then, after talking about all these experiences, the diary-writer also tells some of her experiences related to the World War but seriously speaking, its not a bit interesting or something that can hold you back to complete this book in a sitting. It took me 3 days to complete because every time I picked it up, I wanted to keep it back in the half way as there’s nothing that attracted me towards it. Buy The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank from Flipkart.com

That’s all.

ABHILASH RUHELA – VEERU

Coming to the book- “Let’s Talk Money”, I will share its synopsis as its a cut-to-cut summary about what the book is:

Warren Buffett has two rules. Rule No. 1: Never lose money. Rule No. 2: Never forget Rule No. 1. Let me add a Rule No. 3: Know how to apply Rule No. 1. For, neither our upbringing nor our education gives money any significant place. Money is the least discussed topic within a family. Formal education about it is absent. The aim of this book is to help people from non-financial background to become aware of the world of money. In a simple, jargon-free language, it tries to acquaint us with this world — the various options one has of investing and the things one should bear in mind while choosing an option. We come to know of the complexities of the global investment climate we live in today and the dangers to our investments. Remember: It is not important what one earns; true wealth is what one manages to keep.

I will seriously appreciate Mr. Akhil Khanna for writing such a rich book. By seeing the cover page of the book and the name of the Publisher, Times Group Books, I didn’t think that this book can be interesting and so entertaining. I thought that it would be something that will talk about money in some jargon and such keywords that will make me sleep. But fortunately, it taught me a lot. Akhil Khanna has made it sure that every person who is not from the Finance and Economics background can understand the book. As the synopsis says that he is trying to let people know how not to lose money, this book surely teaches us all the details in a very simple and understandable language in just 176 pages.

Right from the First Chapter- Money to last chapter- World Financial Crisis 2008, book keeps us teaching something or the else. The good thing about the book is that it discusses both the sides. When we invest money in something, it tells us what do we gain by doing it and how does the company in which we invested makes profit through it. Then it also tells when to invest in an organization and when not. It also tells as to what factors influence in growth of money and downfall of it. It tells when not to think about doubling the money. It tells how to buy shares and when to sell them off. How to judge a company while being involved in this business of Stock Market. ETC.

Another good thing about the author is the real life examples that he has mentioned in the book. Rather than giving Case Studies and making this a textbook, he has given certain interesting examples- some of them real while some of them fictionally built. Then, as the book starts becoming monotonous, author has given Chapter 9th- “Invest In Happiness” which is a very happy and serene read. I loved the idea of author to include such a chapter in this highly topic-oriented book. Author’s confidence in his subject can be easily seen with the way every sentence is been written. He has made whole finance and economics so easy for all the laymen who would be reading this book. I, who is totally naive in this field, a Science student, liked this book and never got bored then I can assure that anyone of you can deal with it. And I recommend this to all of you as once you’ll read this book, you’ll find it easy to invest and use your money that you earn with hard-work and passion. I am not giving any Ratings to this book as this piece of work needs to be kept with ourselves without any reviews.

Buy Let

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA – VEERU

Author: Ashwin Sanghi

Publication: Westland Ltd

Genre: Thriller

Pages: 464

“Ekkam satya vipra bahuda vidhaante. It means Truth is one, God is one, although sages may call him by a variety of names. This is the essence of Vedic philosophy.”

Ashwin Sanghi is definitely not the “you have read one, you have read it all” kind of author. The Rozabal Line, Chanakya’s Chant and now, The Krishna Key are proof of the writing genius of this gentleman who pushes himself to the limit, exploring all horizons with not just his style of writing but also with the diligent research that goes into his books.

When I read and reviewed Chanakya’s Chant I was greatly impressed. In fact, it delighted me no end when part of my review was selected to be published in the following edition of Ashwin Sanghi’s Chankya’s Chant along with some other reviewers. This time, when I read The Krishna Key, I was not just impressed. I was simply floored!

Making use of the theme of Kaliyug or The Dark Age, the book unravels the mysteries of Indian history during the life of Krishna that lie hidden from ignorant masses who believe (at least, a section of them) that history is just a story, a myth. Ashwin, with his deep winding research and a deeply effective narrative style creates a thriller wrapped up in the mystic sheets of belief.

As we read along we travel with the thoughts of the main protagonist Ravi Mohan Saini, a professor of Mythology in a reputed college. The reader learns as he reads, traversing the different ages of history, absorbing the mystery behind several unknown myths.

What I liked best about this book were the narrative bits that introduce each chapter. By making Krishna narrate it in the first narrative, the tale becomes more interesting to read and reaches out to the reader as if Krishna was talking to them! You kind of get a personal connection with Krishna.

The Syamantaka or the Philosopher’s Stone is what is being ultimately searched for in the novel. It is to acquire the magical properties of this jewel that the thriller, The Krishna Key makes the reader race along ravaging his mind and soul.

“You obviously do not much about mystical numbers, said Saini…”

“Among Hindus, 108 is considered the holiest of numbers. You will find that 18, 108, 1008 – and further similar variations are all considered sacred. The Mahabharata has 18 chapters; there were 18 Yadava clans of Krishna; Jarasandha attacked Mathura 18 times; the Mahabharata war lasted 18 days; 18 armies fought the great battle; there are 18 chapters in each of our Vedas; there are 18 Puranas; there were 18 Maharathi – or exalted – warriors in the Mahabharata war; there are 18 chapters in the Bhagwad Gita…”

With The Krishna Key, Ashwin Sanghi goes one step further letting us into a mind-blowing world that thrashes myths and opens up new horizons for the faith-starved, cynically prejudiced and saviour-hungry world.

Weight Loss Tamasha (Paperback)
Author-Rujuta Diwekar
Publisher: Westland (2011)
Price: Rs. 200

Do you know the secret behind the toned look of Kareena Kapoor? Well, she eats Parathas which she loves. She eats whatever she relishes and still manages to look gorgeous. If I tell you that you can eat all your favourite food and still lose weight will you believe ?

I am not joking but just stating the fact emphasized by Rujuta Diwekar; that food and eating should be revered and not transformed into a business where you have to pay to give up, (lose Kgs). The book talks about myths about food, weight loss/gain and dis-ease.

Rujuta Diwekar has the credentials that help you to accept the ideas in the book. She emphasizes the importance of been healthy and happy. The weight issues will take care of themselves when you eat properly, exercise and relax.

There are anecdotes about how women sabotage by not thinking about themselves, neglecting, becoming non-entities and complaining.

Rujuta advises you to take care of yourself take time out to relax, enjoy eat and cook your favourite food. She offers real-life examples from all walks of life. A book which helps you to let go of myths, misconceptions and give you a diet for life is worth buying.

Dongri to Dubai is the first ever attempt to chronicle the history of the Mumbai mafia. It is the story of notorious gangsters like Haji Mastan, Karim Lala, Varadarajan Mudaliar, Chhota Rajan, Abu Salem, but above all, it is the story of a young man who went astray despite having a father in the police force. Dawood Ibrahim was initiated into crime as a pawn in the hands of the Mumbai police and went on to wipe out the competition and eventually became the Mumbai police’s own nemesis. The narrative encompasses several milestones in the history of crime in India, from the rise of the Pathans, formation of the Dawood gang, the first ever supari, mafia’s nefarious role in Bollywood, Dawood’s move to Karachi, and Pakistan’s subsequent alleged role in sheltering one of the most wanted persons in the world. This story is primarily about how a boy from Dongri became a don in Dubai, and captures his bravado, cunningness, focus, ambition, and lust for power in a gripping narrative. The meticulously researched book provides an in-depth and comprehensive account of the mafia’s games of supremacy and internecine warfare.

A book based on the history of Mumbai Mafia’s 60 years of power and authority tends a reader to expect an out of world experience while reading it. And the expectation rises once you see the cover page twinkling with the face of Dawood Ibrahim. A man who is still in memories of all. A man who is kind of brand ambassador of Dubai for Indians. And the book has been written making him the hero of it. Right from the moment Dawood enters the story, book rises to a different level. You just can’t miss a single word of this book by thinking of something else. Initially, when Haji Mastan, Varda bhai, Karim Lala’s emergence is narrated, it makes you love these Dons. You start considering them as legends. But as soon as Dawood enters into the surreal narration, you wish to flow with the story till the latest page of the book. Not for a moment will you feel that the book should be finished. And that’s a sign of a good book.

The extreme research and proper usage of words make the book what it deserved to. The several years that Mr. Zaidi took in scripting this book shows the result quite clearly. Though the dates aren’t mentioned repetitively, you tend to get lost in between of the story. Author should have mentioned the incidents with the dates or years regularly. That would have made this story more interesting with an imaginary timeline. The rise of every gang, its leader and their enmity with other gangs and then their fall is narrated so wonderfully that for a moment you wish to have time machine to go back to that era of Mumbai, stand on the road and witness all the fights and feud that happened. You wish to be one of them and fight among the gangs. The childhood of Dawood, his relation with his father, brothers, sisters, friends, gang members etc are mentioned with extreme care. One needs gut to write a book about the most wanted criminal with utter honesty. The pinch of fiction that author has added periodically interests you more. The last 50 pages, that is the climax of the book is handled very neatly by the author because till then all the fights and collisions ends which is the USP of the book. So it could have been the worst part of the book but Mr. Zaida has ensured that he ends the story with the same intensity with which he carried the whole book with. The conversations that are mentioned makes you laugh. The usage of Hindi makes it more effective.

Some drawbacks- Less mention of dates on regular basis confuses us. Some incidents of which author hasn’t given details about. That makes it hard for us to progress with the story. The decline of some men and after-effects isn’t stated as it should have been. Dawood’s relation with some people is just described in a sentence or two while we wish to read more about his personal relations too. That should have been descriptive too. Once Dawood lands in Dubai, the initial days in Dubai is the worst description by Mr. Zaidi. But overall, I would say a book that everyone should read if you are interested in knowing about Dawood Ibrahim, his emergence and his life. Author has surely raised the level of Non-fiction with his latest work. I would rate the book 4.5 out of 5.

THANKS.

ABHILASH RUHELA – VEERU

I have just finished reading Robin Sharma’s latest motivational book- “The Secret Letters of the Monk Who Sold His Ferrari”. Initially, I thought that it’s about the letters Robin Sharma has received from the people who experienced the transformation in themselves after reading TMWSHF but no, this book is million times greater than my initial assumption. Robin Sharma has crafted this book very differently. He has kept Julian- his favorite character in the book who still plays the role of the person who went to Himalaya and returned back after attaining wisdom and secrets of life from the monks and sages living there. And then doing the same what monks/sages did with him- Sharing the knowledge with others who have lost faith in life and enthusiasm in living. But this time, the book is not a sort of conversation that it has been every time Julian-based story is being written. It’s about the journey of a man(Jonathan) through which he learns some principles of life. Before moving to the journey, he was frustrated with the life but once he gets all the principles, he gets excited to return back to his life and fix his unsettled job, unstable marriage and disappointed son.

With Jonathan who learns the principle on the journey to which Julian sends him, even we get to learn all the principles. The talismans that is to be collected by Jonathan from different people residing in different areas of the world take us to the exploration of many beautiful spots/countries/cities existing in the world. It also gives us a sudden push for traveling to places that can teach us the serenity of life and exploration. The messages that Jonathan got with each Talisman makes us think about our own life and implementing the same with us. I got excited with each sentence of the book. Reading Robin Sharma’s book is the most peaceful odyssey of my life. I can never forget the experience I had while reading all his previous books- may be 10 or something. The only one left to be read is- A Leader With No Title that I can pick up lately this month before the arrival of exam so that I get motivated yet again and study to my best. Robin Sharma’s books aren’t meant to be read just once for the sake of reading it, but to be kept in our shelf and read whenever we feel angry, tired, sad, depressed, exasperated about life.

I don’t think that any of the Sharma’s book need a review. And I am not even eligible to review his book. But because I want those people to pick it up who are not content with their life. They will surely learn how wonderful life is and even if it’s not, how can we live it wonderfully. Yes! And I found nothing better to write for my 699th POST than Robin Sharma’s book and its effect on me and millions of people. Paulo Coelho, another revolutioniar in the league of Sharma’s is also his fan. So friends, please read this book, you will surely thank me after experiencing the journey of reading this book and it’s after effects in your life.
Buy The Secret Letters of the Monk Who Sold His Ferrari from Flipkart.com

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA – VEERU

So I have a confession to make: I have not been able to complete a single Rushdie novel, except for Haroun and the Sea of Stories and I am not ashamed of it, only because I have tried reading his works time and again. I haven’t been able to cross the hundredth page. That is the relationship I share with Salman Rushdie’s books.

I started reading, “Joseph Anton”, his memoir about a week ago and I have read it twice since then. Strange, I thought, to myself: I cannot read the man’s fictional works but can breeze through this memoir and that too twice. What was different about it? Why did I read it twice and enjoy it more so the second time?

“Joseph Anton” is not just about a man who was in hiding from another man’s followers who were determined to hunt him down (as though he was an animal) and kill him, because of what he had written in his book (which the perpetrators hadn’t even read and never would). The fatwa on Salman Rushdie was issued on the 14th of February 1989 – Valentine’s Day (irony much) and since then he was forced underground – moving from house to house, with the presence of armed forces – they were his shadow.

An author who always believed in free speech and grew up with that philosophy in Bombay, with liberal parents (who later for some reason did not share liberal views), saw the world differently when the fatwa was issued. Things began to change. So did people – either for better or for worse, but they did.

The book, “Joseph Anton” is the most human that I have read this year. Salman Rushdie is angry and is hurt and hides no emotions. He is honest to the core – about his marriages, his children and his writing. The incidents and events that took place sometimes and were related to the book were horrifying – for instance, the Japanese translator of The Satanic Verses was murdered. The Norwegian publisher was shot. He could not attend his mother’s funeral. He wasn’t there with her when she passed on and that for me hit the chord somewhere. That is probably the worst that could happen to a person and Rushdie isn’t shy from talking about his deepest emotions. What ran through my mind though while reading the book was just this: Is there really a true freedom of speech and writing?

“Joseph Anton” asks a lot of questions. It makes the readers think and the best part according to me about the book was the way it was written in third person. It is almost like Rushdie is taking count of his life (which it is in a way) and not being subjective in his style.

The book clearly depicts the powerlessness of the heads of states of various countries and how often politics was above the written word or the author. Amidst all this, Rushdie tried very hard to have a normal life – marry, raise children and write some more. He could never stop doing that after all. I remember at one point, he mentions that for once he thought he would have been someone else but a writer and then banished the thought as soon as it entered his head.

There is nothing which I did not like about the book. Everything worked for me. From the way he writes about every book he has written and its structure and story to the moments of glory and the moments of anguish – they are visible through his brilliant writing.

The title of the book is taken from his name that he used when he was in hiding, so one could recognize him – a combination of two of his favourite writers Joseph Conrad and Anton Chekov – hence Joseph Anton.

For me, “Joseph Anton” is all about courage and resilience. It is about writing, the process, the wonder and the anguish it sometimes brings to the writer and his or her readers. It is clearly a fight – where more authors are being put to task for writing and viewing their feelings, their thoughts and emotions. The sad part being that no one can do anything about the consequences sometimes, though someone should. The writer’s voice is his only liberty – that is my sum of “Joseph Anton”. A riveting read for all. I cannot recommend it enough. All of its six hundred and thirty three pages.

Graphic novels always make it easier for a story to tell what it has to. They have the sense of making the reader understand what it wants to without putting in too much effort. Maybe that is why I understand politics best through a comic strip. That works for me on more than one level.

“Jerusalem: Chronicles from the Holy City” by Guy Delisle is one such book. Before reading the book, I was aware to some extent about the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, but things became clearer, but obviously after the read.

Guy Delisle presents the conflict in a manner that I think a non-fiction account wouldn’t have been able to. This is not a typical travelogue either (though it is his account of travel to Jerusalem). The book is about Delisle’s wife, Nadege who works with the organization Doctors without Borders and she is transferred to Jerusalem for a year with Guy and their two children to help provide medical care in Israel. The book is a collection of the author’s observations of the city on a day-to-day living basis.

The narrative switches from bigger events to the daily living of the author and his family, which works very well with this kind of graphic format. There are no sides that Guy takes in the book. He just presents his observations – the keen eye for details – from Israel’s assault on Gaza to the Arab-Israelis issue. The book surprisingly is not controversial at all. As I said, Guy leaves the judgment and decision-making to the readers. He does not do it for them.

The reader gets to understand and notice just how bizarre Jerusalem is. The city is divided into different quarters – Jewish, Christian, and Muslim, each with their own rules and regulations. The military presence cannot be ignored. The check points are now a part of the citizens’ lives. The region is troubled and Guy infuses life and sometimes humour through his drawings and writing which is much needed for a book of this magnitude. A great read for all those who want to know more about this region and to a certain extent about its history.

Book: Curfewed Night
Author: Basharat Peer
ISBN: 8184000901
ISBN-13: 9788184000900, 978-8184000900
Binding: Paperback
Publishing Date: 2009
Publisher: Random House India
Number of Pages: 256
Language: English

Author:
Basharat Peer was born in Kashmir in 1977. He studied political science at Aligarh Muslim University and journalism at Columbia University. He has worked as a reporter at Rediff and Tehelka and has written for various publications including the Guardian, Financial Times, New Statesman and Foreign Affairs, where he was assistant editor. He is currently based in New York.

Synopsis:
Basharat Peer was a teenager when the separatist movement exploded in Kashmir in 1989. Over the following years countless young men, seduced by the romance of the militant, fuelled by feelings of injustice, crossed over the Line of Control to train in Pakistani army camps. Peer was sent off to boarding school in Aligarh to keep out of trouble. He finished college and became a journalist in Delhi. But Kashmir—angrier, more violent, more hopeless—was never far away.

In 2003, the young journalist left his job and returned to his homeland to search out the stories and the people which had haunted him. In Curfewed Night he draws a harrowing portrait of Kashmir and its people. Here are stories of a young man’s initiation into a Pakistani training camp; a mother who watches her son forced to hold an exploding bomb; a poet who finds religion when his entire family is killed. Of politicians living in refurbished torture chambers and former militants dreaming of discotheques; of idyllic villages rigged with landmines, temples which have become army bunkers, and ancient sufi shrines decapitated in bomb blasts. And here is finally the old story of the return home—and the discovery that there may not be any redemption in it.

Lyrical, spare, gutwrenching and intimate, Curfewed Night is a stunning book and an unforgettable portrait of Kashmir in war.

Review:

Basharat Peer has attempted a topic that needs an attention of all the Indians who aren’t living in Jammu and Kashmir. The situations there are always talked of. But not many of us know how Kashmir itself is. What actually goes in there. We haveread about it through newspapers but reading about it in 230+ pages is an experience that’ll take away all the smile from your face. A story that’s provoking, hurtful, shocking, outrageous, sad etc. I need not say much about how effective the book is as it’s already a Winner of the Vodafone Crossword Non-Fiction category. More over this, the great Khushwant Singh says it’s beautifully written, brutally honest and deeply hurtful.

Yes, the incidents that are being mentioned in the book does gives you goosebumps. As I have also faced some similar situation, I related to the emotions of the author who has jotted down his whole life, almost. The sudden deaths of people around you for the only reason that they wanted to stand with their innocent views rages you. Then, the militants and soldiers killing people randomly for their own benefits is something that should not be taken lightly. The book got published in 2008. But reading it now, after reading many articles related to Kashmir’s current situation, I can say that Basharat Peer’s Curfewed Night will always remain to be truthful for the situation of Kashmir at any point of time. He tells initially how Kashmiris aren’t involved much in politics. Then he tells how they get involved into the things that could have been avoided. Then he tells how young boys got into wars. How they wanted to pick up the gun and shower bullets into everyone whom they felt were the enemies. And then, he tells about his own journey in Delhi where he researched about the people from Kashmir and other related stories. The first half gives many new elements. Later the book becomes monotonous. The second half seems to be too much stretched. But the second part itself gives many secret out. The book ends on a good note. It’s definitely one-time read. A non-fiction can’t be written with more innocence and honesty.

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA – VEERU

If you are a bookworm then you must know when you crave for reading, you succumb yourself to read anything. And the same thing unfortunately happened with me.

My online library site was under construction. The book providers were not able to track my requested book list. So they asked me whether they could send me any book available right at their desk, of course they asked my choice of categories. My options were- fiction in English: preferably by Indian writers and recently published. And what they sent to me was the autobiography of Protima Bedi. Seeing the book and the cover picture I wanted to return the book right back. But to my surprise I didn’t do that. I had a faint knowledge about Protima Bedi which was too ignorable to be stored in my memory box. What much more I gathered from that, that I have a kind of apathy towards that lady. I took the book and spend few minutes in dilemma whether I should read it or not. But right at that moment I was craving to read some book, so why not this one!!!!! So I started the book and I finished it too.
 
I have never read any bold and honest autobiography like this yet. I used the word ‘bold’, because Protima Bedi’s utterly frank declaration of what she was and how she led life was the boldest part of the book. She was the most controversial lady of her age- who had changed her boyfriends almost every day, stripped herself in public, had cohabit relationship with whoever came to her way, led life how she wanted to. In her autobiography she bluntly stated about the depth and detail of her each relationship. Her ‘ open marriage’ with Bollywood star Kabir Bedi and two kids with him were the most cherished and on the same run the most dissatisfactory part of her life. This is a book of a lady who loves to lead her life whimsically, always how she wanted, never care about her family much but always grab the opportunity to gnaw on others. Within her span of life she did achieve what she wanted. She became a model, she became a wife, then a mother of two, she became one of the most hailed Indian Classical Odissi dancers within a short time, and she established Nrityagram (an Odissi dance society). She tried to taste every side of what life may provide. But throughout her whole life she kept on haunting for something what led her to take Sanyas at the end of her life. Once her daughter Pooja Bedi pointed: “Why are you always running away? You ran away from your mother and father, you ran away from your husband, then you ran away from us, your children, and now you’re running away to Nrityagram. Why?”(P: 301) And she replied: “I was not running away from anything, I was running towards something.” (P: 301). What is that ‘something’, that even she didn’t understand might be till her death!!!! Her life was quite tragic too. At the beginning of her adolescence, when she was merely 10 years old, she was sexually abused by her relative for several times. That incident may be changed her life to open her arms to taste the forbidden freedom of life to the extent. Even she lost her young son who was suffering from schizophrenia. That incident made her life more aimless. And at the end of her life she met a tragic death too collapsing in a landslide.

I appreciate Pooja Bedi, who accepted how her mother was and proudly compiled the book to publish. Though I read the book in utter disdain, at the same time in the core of my mind I build up a kind of respect for this Protima Bedi too. How a woman could lead life like that and had the boldness to declare it publicly about it and could narrate it so nicely. I pay a respect to the fact that yes somebody has the guts to tell the good and bad stories of one’s life. I appreciated her ‘unflinching honesty’ and some her treasured moments that she shared with her children. But apart from that, I felt a bitter taste after finishing the book. Even after finishing the book I kept on wondering for many days, how one can be like this!!!! Protima Bedi was a weird woman for the world, Protima Bedi was the Best Mom for her children, and Protima Bedi was the daring Lady what she loved to be. But does anybody dare to be like her!!!!!
 
 
Published HERE too…

So one cannot help but compare parts of, “The Liberals” by Hindol Sengupta to Pavan K Varma’s, “The Great Indian Middle Class”, however that is just those very small parts. The rest of the book is nothing like it. The reason I start my review with this comparison is that both the books have their roots in the Indian Middle class.

“The Liberals” is in part a meditation on the nature of things in the country over the last decade or so or maybe a little more and at the same time, it is a travelogue covering three metros of the country and the mentality that prevails.

When I say mentality, I do not mean in the loose sense of the word. It is evident that Sengupta has done enough research and more while writing the book. He sort of gets into the skin of the middle class so to say and gives us the true picture, ensuring that the writing doesn’t get too technical or boring.

Hindol Sengupta’s book is a slice-of-life of a majority that populates India – of how they live, their way of thinking (sometimes veering into generalization, which I could also ignore in parts), the so-called, ‘herd mentality’, the new “Keeping up with the Joneses” or the Joshis in this case, and most importantly – their reactions to situations and the economy.

The book is not a heavy read, as I thought it would be when I started it. It does speak of the economy of the country, but does it very cleverly, looping in the core of the book: The people.

Hindol has very sharp and accurate observations and those in part come from his upbringing as well, which is also spoken about a lot in the entire book. For instance, how he prays in English. On the surface it probably seems of minor importance, but then again the roots of this activity might not be that simple.

He speaks of the new hope that generated itself with the increase in the so-called, “per capita income”. Of how the middle class went from dreaming to affording and the new-found affluence and its impact on day-to-day living. Those were the parts that I could connect to the most. I guess at some level children of the 80s can definitely connect to this as we grew up with the beliefs and ideologies of our parents, that were transferred to us, till we adopted new ones.

The cities described and talked about only serve as a loose prototype of the Indian middle class. I am sure there is more to that, but then again it could also be the size of the book that demanded only limited cities to feature and be spoken about. At times, I did get a little bored of the writing, as it crossed over to being repetitive in parts, and yet the new chapter ensured I was shaken off by that feeling.

“The Liberals” does not speak of anything new. The concepts and ideas and events are universal to probably every Indian. What is new though is of course the author’s point of view, the anecdotes (which you and I can relate to), the way he has structured the book and but of course the writing. I would urge you to read the book only because to a very large extent, it is a mirror to the times gone by, to what we are living now and probably how we would be in the future.

The only thing for which I, as an emotional Indian remember about Brett Lee is how he blocked Sachin Tendulkar in his way in the last Test series we had with Australia when Sachin was running between the wickets and got run out. Once again the dream got shattered- A dream to see Sachin scoring 100th 100 in the then match. All Indians abused Brett Lee on Social Networking sites and said that he did it intentionally. In an interview, Lee made it evident that it was a mistake that happened unintentionally. And what I have said above is too injustice to do with a player like Brett Lee. I also remember him for many balls that he has bowled with a speed that is unbeatable. The only person who has been able to give tough competition to him has been Shoaib Akhtar- who surpassed 161 Km/hr speed which still remains unconquerable for Brett Lee. You would be thinking as of why am I talking about Brett Lee in a specially dedicated post even when there’s no match going around that would have made him an inspiration of mine. Actually, I am done reading his Autobiography- “My Life” that is released by Random House in India.

Now, as I have completed reading this 405 pages autobiography, I must say that the book is not really inspirational or motivational but just an experience- Experience of living a life of a fast bowler in the game of Cricket during the beautiful tenure of reading this book. Every time we read and focus only about batsmen but very few of us really concentrate on the life of a bowler except Ashish Nehra. Bwahahaha. But reading Brett Lee’s autobiography has been a wonderful odyssey as he has been one bowler who has stunned everyone with his express speed of bowling. There has been few fast bowlers like Shoaib Akhtar, Dale Steyn, Zaheer Khan who we have seen recently but Brett Lee is quite different from them. Yes, he is. Not just because I have read his autobiography and turned into a fan.

Book starts with the foreword by Allan Border that is a very light read. Then, the first chapter about how a photographer tried to climb the building through balcony in Brett Lee’s room just for an interview/click is interesting to read. Through the very first chapter, Brett Lee tells how he still feels unbelievable that he is one of the celebrities. After the story of a cricketer begins, the injuries that are told about in the initial chapters frustrates you; and imagining the condition of the cricketer who has potential but still can’t play because of an injury is too disheartening and a feeling of helplessness. First tryst with Steve Waugh is an amazing read as Lee tells how he didn’t give his T-shirt to him just because he challenged Lee to play nicely and be a part of the team to win it himself. WOW. Sachin Tendulkar’s detailed mention as one of the two batsmen including Brian Lara bought smile on my face. Aapla Sachin!!!

A Cricketer is being seen as a role model by many youths and children. Lee clarifies in a part of the book about his strong and weak points to make it clear about why he can be seen as a role model and why he can’t be. The sledging that he makes against batsmen is the most interesting chapters throughout the book. Haha. His initial perception about Graeme Smith is another funny part to read as he has openly told how much he hated him. A match where Shane Warne got out at 99 is another humor-filled chapter when it should have been a depressing one. The way Lee celebrated as he’s charging a machine is also described by Lee as to how it happened. Steve Waugh scoring century when critics targeted him is described very emotionally in the book. The description of India and why Brett Lee loved the country so much in many pages exactly in the middle of the book was another proud moment for me to read, being an Indian. I respect Lee for giving the only country- India such a description in his autobiography. He has not even done this for Australia in the book. The letter of a girl in the end of the description made me cry. The controversy of Harbhajan-Symond is talked very sensibly and maturely in the book as it’s not easy to vindicate such an event in writing form.

The entrance of IPL in the international Cricket is also described by Lee in the book in a very detailed manner. I liked reading it. His break up with his wife is another emotional read in the book while his love for his son-Preston is also clearly visible from the kind of sentences he has formed to dictate it. The reason why he retired from Test is also written in a detailed emotional form. I didn’t like what happened with him. All the moments when he didn’t like Ricky Ponting has also been narrated. This actually surprised me. It’s not an easy thing to do. And the best part of the book is when he tells how he was waiting for Sourav Ganguly to declare the match but later he thought the captain is waiting for Sachin to touch 250 but when he saw that the match is being declared before him scoring 250, he saw that his bowling figures has crossed 200, hence, embarrassing him. Hahaha. If not for anything, read the book for this part. Else, there are many other events that I can’t subject here in the review as

Else, the book is 50% interesting and 50% stretched. I personally feel that this autobiography could have been completed in just 200-250 pages. 405 pages is too much. Plus, Random House selling it for Rs. 500 is another drawback. They should come down by 50% at least. PLEASE. Otherwise, this autobiography will go unnoticed. I would recommend this book to all just for a reason that you shall come to know about the perspective with which a Fast bowler plays on the field as all of us know what a batsman feel.
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ABHILASH RUHELA – VEERU

Completed reading the first Non-fictional book by Random House publication. And it is- “The Average Indian Male” by Cyrus Broacha. I am still in surprise as to what did I expect from the book before thinking of reading it. All of us have seen this guy entertaining us as VJ many a times on several music channels. His “Bakra” show has been one of the most popular comical shows. Then we also saw this guy in Jhalak Dikhlaja where he danced less but made us laugh more with the spontaneous humor-filled sentences and PJs. When I came to know that he is up with a book, I was surprised. Seeing the cover page of the book, I was sure that this guy has tried something very comical and laughable.. and after completing this book, I can say that yes, the book had sequences where it bought smile on my face but there wasn’t many Laugh out loud moments, which I was expecting.

The 75% of the book(which Cyrus has named as Book 1) consists of several letters that he claims to have received it from some victims of average Indian males, to which Cyrus has answered in his own style. Reading these questions and answers are a fun part. While reading the question itself you start smiling by imagining the answer that Cyrus would give. And once you start reading his reply to the question, the fun goes to a new level in the same way as rocket goes after the launch. You find yourself in a different world of humour and PJs while reading the answer and as soon as it ends and a new question is introduced, you come back to earth to get ready for another ride. But after a point, these question and answer session becomes monotonous thus, boring. And it is the right time at which the Book 2 has been introduced in the last 25% that has kept me intrigued till the end.

Book 2 is quite different from the Book 1. It has some general topics on which Cyrus has penned down his strange views. And by “strange” you can imagine what kind of views. The book is written in a South Mumbai students’ accent or you can say, Delhi’s elite university student’s accent. Thus, there are few sentences that has gone over my head. Also some jokes seemed to be funny but I didn’t understand them because of less general knowledge than Cyrus. For enjoying this book to the fullest, you need to understand many terms and who’s who before reading, and that is obviously impossible. “Dhoom 4″ is the first chapter that came after a long time in the book that finally made me laugh as I wanted to or expected to after knowing that the book is penned by Cyrus. 106th page is too sensible where Cyrus tells why Indian males stand so close to a stranger. I found his explanation too genuine. Being an Indian, I felt proud while reading “Aap aise queue ho”. Else, book proves that Cyrus has neatly observed all the Indian males, residing in all the zones of India. I will rate this attempt of Cyrus, 3/5. An average.
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ABHILASH RUHELA – VEERU

In this book, Kalam has kept on focusing on the bestial power that we have within India. He tells us how there are several people in our country itself who can bring a lot of change to the nation but they’ll have to get ignited. Ignited for the benefit of the nation. Ignited for the improvement of not their own self, but for the whole group they are working with. Ignited to prove the world that we are competitive. Ignited for working with the people who are ambitious like them. Ignited for working with the people from different field, because then a new creativity is launched which bring changes. Similarly, Abdul Kalam has told us how we can ignite our minds as it’s already ignited, we just need to start doing for the nation now rather than for ourselves.

Initially in the book, the way Abdul Kalam has started giving the speech on values and motivation generates interest of turning pages as fast as we can. Interaction with different students from different colleges, regions and religions is indeed a special part of the book as Kalam has mentioned some of the unique questions asked by them and also the answers that he gave. The chapter on who our Role model should be can make our stupid youths realize that it’s not Salman Khan who need to be modeled but some great visionaries. “Visionary Teachers and Scientists” chapter gives a brief note of how some teachers of Kalam made him learn good morals and values that has helped him reach to where he is. And the works of scientists who were his colleagues is described wonderfully to make us understand how they strove for bringing some positive change in country’s situation. The messages that Kalam’s teachers and scientists gave him can change the whole perspective of our own life. Those messages should be compacted as quotes and released separately, seriously.

Kalam has made it sure that we also understand the power of meeting different people of different kind from different regions through traveling can make us realize how small we are, and how more do we need to moot ourselves up. In the same context, the spiritual messages that he mentioned in the book that were given to him by different spiritual leaders and saints are again another masterpieces of this book. How God and Spirit is being ignored in today’s institute is discussed. “Patriotism beyond Politics and Religions”- the name of the chapter itself says how necessary this talk is. So let’s not speak about this. The secrets to success that Azim Premji, Narayan Murthy, Amul’s founder and other entrepreneurs gave is a solid reason why one should read this book, bot once but again and again. The example of true events and personal experiences of Kalam in the book gives a special effect while reading as we keep on imagining Kalam visiting people and thus, inspiring them. The summary after every chapter is also a good idea to give the whole context of the chapter in few lines. The last two chapters including Epilogue is enormously beautiful. The book ends on a very motivational and intellectual note.

I would still rate Kalam’s “Wings of Fire” and “Turning Points” above this- “Ignited Minds” but still this book is no less. Please get this one too. APJ Abdul Kalam is the writer, what more review do you need to get it confirmed that you are spending money on the right product? And thanks to Yusuf who gave this book to me for reading even when I didn’t have any idea that he has a book by Kalam with him.
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ABHILASH RUHELA – VEERU

“Turning Points” is sequel to APJ Kalam Azad’s autobiography- “Wings of Fire”. Wings of Fire was about his journey as a scientist while Turning Points is his journey from the day he swore in as President till May 2012. This book has a tagline “A Journey Through Challenges- The inspiring sequel to Wings of Fire”. But the way Mr. Kalam has described each and every scenario that came in his path never let me believe that any of those things were challenges for him. He has stated very appropriately that he never feared while announcing or claiming any thing as he wasn’t a politician. He never was concerned about which party is in Parliament. His motive was development, improvement, Vision 2020. And hence reading Kalam’s journey as a President is interesting and one of its experience as there’s no talk of politics in it. Just the welfare of nation, state and Parliament.

Every page makes you feel that you are yourself A President and it’s you who is ordering and suggesting others in place of Mr. Kalam. In the first half of the book, how Kalam as President tried to make use of Internet in Parliament and Governance is the best part. How he started getting all his files in Digital format to get the access even when he would be traveling was interesting to read. How he tried to execute E-Governance is another exciting thing to read. The chapter where 7 Turning Points in Kalam’s life are stated is another interesting read. “Learning from Others” chapter is the most fruitful chapter in terms of human values and learning. The PURA mission for villages and villagers is the best execution by Kalam during his Presidency. Video-conferencing initiation is another big revolution that took place because of Kalam’s lead and power. Love for his Presidential residency- Rashtrapati Bhavan can be clearly seen in his writing. The way he tried to proliferate the essence and serenity of the Bhavan is too nostalgic. The schedule of his life in May 2012, that is mentioned in one of the End Chapters says so much. He is no more a President but still his involvement in inspiring the nation is no less, even at the dithering age. The controversial decisions that he used to take as a President is something that I got most excited while reading the book. Even I am still thinking of why no Governmental party came forward to take the Parliament for those 3 days. The interview in the end of the book is another masterpiece from the book which shows how visioned Mr. Kalam was/is.

The book is written in a very simple English. I didn’t get a feeling that it’s the best President of India who has written the book. Because one assumes that a persona like Mr. Kalam shall always use a high level language to describe and mention each and every thing. The best thing is- Mr. Kalam has not let any secret or security rationale to come out through this book that was accessible only to him as PoI. He has very cleverly recorded each and every thing keeping in mind what to speak and not to. He has also mentioned how Anna Hazare’s movement is not very good but also right according to the performance of the Parliament. And many more might arise. Haha. Every factor and point that Kalam has mentioned in the book for improvement in any sector of India is so valid and knowledgeable. The way Kalam tried to implement his ideas in every sector of India during his tenure tells how versatile this man is in knowledge and wit. I would just ask all of you to get this book. It is very different from Wings of Fire. In this, Kalam sir has tried to let us know what really he is. In Wings of Fire, he has just made us feel that every other person in his life was better than him. But in this, he lets us know why is he THE ABDUL KALAM. Please read this book. PLEASE.
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ABHILASH RUHELA – VEERU

I came into the habit of reading because of Non-fiction books. The amazing feel that this genre gives can never be experienced through a Fiction book. Let it be Amish Tripathi’s trilogy, Chetan Bhagat’s 5 books or any other bestseller fiction. The effect that a Non-fiction book makes on us is indescribable. And what should I say regarding the experience of reading “Wings of Fire” by APJ ABDUL KALAM. Actually, THE APJ ABDUL KALAM. He is the most favorite President of Indians. He is the one whom Indians wanted as the President again in the recent voting but the legend backed off. He is the only one who is referred as “Public’s President”. His excellence and extra-ordinariness in the field of science and rocketry is still unbeaten and appreciated. For many years to come, Abdul Kalam sir will always be remembered as the person who motivated India to stop under-estimating themselves and gave them an opportunity to fly.

“Wings of Fire” is an autobiography of APJ Abdul Kalam that he has written with Arun Tiwari, his colleague who compelled him to write it. Arun Tiwari always got inspired by the presence of Mr. Kalam, hence said that he wants to write all the major incidents in the life of Kalam. And Kalam sir agreed. Result: “Wings of Fire”. It does not have every minute incident in the life of Kalam sir but only the ones that are related in converting this Rameswaram village’s boy into the man behind the successes of many missiles and rockets. Contradicting the myths, this book is not related to anything regarding Kalam sir being the PRESIDENT of India. This is not even mentioned in the book that Kalam sir ended being President of India. It is all about how he persisted in his field and got intrigued that he earned Padma Vibhushan for being the most influential and effective person in the field of Rocketry.

I don’t think that my recommendation is necessary. You already know how BIG Mr. Kalam is. The book is just of 180 pages. That is itself a very witty thing that Mr. Kalam has done. Otherwise, any person of his stature wants to give every minute details about his/her life and end up writing an autobiography of 500-1000 pages. The first chapter is nice to read as it gives a little scenario related to caste differences in society. Even 2nd chapter gives some scenarios related to another social issue. 89th page is the most motivating and the best page of the book. The way Kalam sir has described the work that he did in Rocketry field in organizations, I got a sudden urge to be in his team and witness the whole scenario of how a rocket is imagined, made and launched. And then how the success of it is being celebrated.

The sacrifice that Kalam sir’s family did for sending him for further education inspires us to be a CLASS as he is; as we find our family similar to his. Mr. Sarabhai is the kind of boss that everyone of us pray for. The death of close ones at the time of landmarks in Mr. Kalam’s life really made me feel bad about the man. The story that is unfolded in the latter half is no less than any great fiction. After learning about Kalam sir’s passion and experiments in science, I started feeling bad about hating the subject. SLV-3′s success is amazingly described. How Mr. Kalam got a special recognition for the mission for which everyone in the team was equally responsible is described in the real human emotions. The book is written as if every character is Mr. Kalam except the protagonist who is THE KALAM himself. He has kept such a low profile while writing the book that you’ll be amazed to learn that the person does not have a pinch of arrogance in his parlance. This is the HOLY BOOK for the Science students. Agni’s launch is so filmy and interesting to read pre-climax. The media’s comment that are mentioned made me know that media was shit even then. Book is ended in an epic way.

The last sentence of the book is itself inspiring and says so much. Now, I have TURNING POINT- The sequel to WINGS OF FIRE. I am so very excited about finishing it as soon as possible and getting INSPIRED * 2. And, you think that I am going to rate this book? Itni aukaat thode hi hai bhai log. Go, get this book. PLEASE!!!
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ABHILASH RUHELA – VEERU

The Indian Army (or rather, The Armed Forces) occupies a special place in India… and this, in my opinion, is unique to our India. The Armed Forces are considered special, inviolate, upright, decent, relatively corruption free – in fact, the last bastion against corruption. Anything that involves the Armed Forces immediately captures the national attention – especially news relating to unsavory happenings, be it war preparedness, military corruption, ex-soldiers etc. The incident of the anonymous leakage of the Army Chief’s letter is still fresh in the public memory… which is why this book in particular holds special relevance in the current context.

I am not implicating that the Kargil War is not of central importance – it is, and always will be – but more of that later. The book is not just about the Kargil War – it has a very vast scope. It is an analysis of how the intrusion by Pakistan happened, how it was planned, what were the Pakistani compulsions and strategic objectives behind the plan, the historical perspective of Siachen and its relevance to Kargil & roles of various military and political personnel in Pakistan in the planning and execution. The book details failures on the Indian side- Army, Intelligence, Political, Bureaucratic, Procurement and Planning failures – why were we not able to detect the intrusions. Thereafter, the book describes the war and its implications in terms of strategic and military challenges, improvements, implications for Indo-Pakistani Dialogue & implications of South East Asian security. It examines the Nuclear question in some detail and looks at both sides of the coin.

The author is pretty much brutal, contemptuous and merciless on the bureaucratic and political class when it comes to defence planning and procurement. The disgust is apparent, and the Chief has made no bones about deficiencies as they existed in the Army. No only that, he has also expressed dissatisfaction with the progress on a number of fronts of cooperation with the civilian authorities. “Besides lack of funds, our procedures are unresponsive, cost escalatory, frustrating and demoralizing.” “March 1999: Major acquisitions get stymied, a feeling of cynicism is creeping in, the prevailing situation is that nothing much can be done about the existing hollowness in the Army”"23 June 1999: We shall fight with whatever we have” The total lack of awareness (as it existed at that point in time) among civilian officials in the Ministry of Defence has been brutally exposed – “The Army does not fight on rifles alone” – in response to a MoD question as to requirement of weapons, noting the thousands of rifles!!!!!!!!!!!

While the prompt political reaction (as can be seen today as well) has been noted, appreciated and highlighted by the General – who seems to be a fair man -the question remains as to the role of the Ministry of Defence officials in procurement. The plain fact is that they are simply not prepared for, have no idea of and no knowledge of a defence setup and its genuine needs. The current problem that the Army is facing is not a new one – it is a very old one! A telling comment by the author: “From then onwards, I found them -Cabinet Committee On Security CCS – and the secretaties of various ministries spending more and more time discussing elections rather than the War Situation” All in all, a blunt, brutal and merciless account that spares no one – Army or otherwise. Yes, where praise is due it has been effusively given -even on MoD or political leadership. But faults – whether systemic or otherwise – have also been equally harshly dealt with .And a no holds-barred approach is precisely what an Indian expects from an Army Chief!

The best part about the book is its transparent approach and blunt statements of facts – even where the Indian side is wrong, The author, in true Indian Military fashion, has not minced words in criticizing anyone- Army or otherwise. Similarly, he has been profuse in terms of praise. It is this balanced, transparent and fair approach – one that gels well with the average Indians’ perception of an Officer – that is the hallmark of this book. The book examines Indian shortcomings with brutal frankness. In the same sequence, the author deftly changes the tenor of the prose to detail how the shortcomings were catered to and overcome. The compromises and decisions made as to men, weapons and ammunition; the adjustments made and the decisions taken are so well laid out that the layman reader appreciates both, the problems as well as the decisions taken. The prose almost gives you a ringside seat as decisions are taken – all in a few short pages.

The section on the Armed Forces failures in monitoring has been equally bluntly written, and the decisions taken have also been laid out alongwith relevant reasoning. There is a bit of defensiveness that is detectable, but that is justified in the overall scenario as it plays out. The General has been merciless on everyone in this part, with no one being spared – all in a very few selected words. Similarly, intelligence failures have also been pointed out mercilessly. The General has taken pains to point out that there was no actionable information given at any point of time by anyone to the Armed Forces.

The part on the War…. no comments. Read it for yourself. I can only say one thing, the entire War has been strategically explained with adequate references and maps, reasons of strategic importance of various features, tactics employed and units participating. For those of us for whom Kargil was only about 4-5 Battalions picturised in the movie “LOC Kargil” this part will be a revelation. Further, the narrative is taught and well formed, and does not slacken at any point. The entire war has been covered in majestic detail in about 100 – 120 pages (one third of the book). You can see the situation unfurling right in front of your eyes, which enables a deep understanding of the entire sad episode. You are left breathless with the descriptions of bravery, at times with a lump in your throat…

The second great part of the book is the part covering the diplomatic maneuvers undertaken by various nations culminating in the Pakistani withdrawal, and the reactions of Pakistani Illuminati – both civilian as well as ex-military. The reader gets a ringside seat as the story plays out – you realise that you are getting an inside view of the momentous episode. The China chapter is a classic as it dissects China, its reactions and reasons in detail, enabling a fundamental understanding of the China angle. The Nuclear angle -the threat that Pakistan was preparing its Nuclear arsenal – has also been covered, as also the deterrence factor of the Bomb. This finds space throughout the book, and is a central theme, although covered in a very few short pages. Of interest is the section regarding the Indian Army and Political reaction to the Pakistani Sabre-rattling.

The book concludes with an examination of the India-Pakistan relationship after Kargil. The Agra episode has been well covered, and you have to appreciate the General’s far-sightedness as he notes before the Agra Summit “we could expect him to be courteous, apparently honest, and like all of them, good in the art of military and political deception. However, Pakistan’s military and Political history tells us that Military Presidents tend to be politically shortsighted” “Would his own mindset, his militray colleagues and jihadi elements allow him flexibility on the J&K issue?”

“There is no alternative to a gradual incremental peace process though political, economic and military confidence building” These are the words of a General of the Army! What more can anyone say? It is only one para in the book, but the closing makes a powerful pitch for peace, and states that building economic bridges will go a long way towards negating the possibility of another confrontation alongwith the normal dialogue… However, in the same tone, the essentiality of dismantling the terror mechanism has also been made…

As the name of the book suggests, this book is filled up with lots of SECRET that will CHANGE the way you THINK, LIVE and PRAY. For achieving anything, you’ll remember this book and recollect all the tips and examples that are being shared. And when you’ll apply them in your life, you will see the things coming towards you themselves. Your DREAM will not remain your dream anymore but they will be converted into REALITY. And before they’ll become REALITY for you, you will already know that I am going to achieve it. Such is the power of those tips that are being listed out in this book. The book is basically about the “Law of Attraction” and how it applies in our lives too. We never think about this “Law of Attraction”. This book will compel you to think about it and you’ll agree to each and every point that this book has made. I am just dissolved in the motivation that the book has provided me.

The book tells how by seeing and thinking everything positively makes it a Reality for you. For once, I thought that the authors are trying to sound too good by saying all this, but while reading the book itself, I experienced the biggest experience of my life. It was “Friday the 13th” yesterday, the day which is considered to be unlucky and devastating. The one who’ll see it with the same perspective, it will generate negativity in their day. The one who’ll ignore the fact and will keep talking to himself “This Day is special” “This day is good” “Thanks Universe for giving me this day” “Something beautiful is going to happen” will surely see the Positive effect of it. This is what I learnt from the book. They would be calling Positive energies towards themselves. And there is enough energies in this Universe. I kept doing this. The day when the college that I was to be allotted for MCA was to be declared today. But I kept saying to myself that it’ll come today and I’ll get the college that I need. I didn’t let the negativity come to me even for once. And the result, surprisingly, got announced yesterday itself and I got the college that I was praying for with all the positivism and pragmatism. I don’t think that I can give any better example to you for why you should go for this Classic Book.

While reading itself, I applied one of their suggestion and saw the result. I don’t know how many such results are coming up in my life. With every next page, the excitement of seeing our life getting changed increases and once the book ends, you want to read it again and again and again. I will surely read this once more. I have already read Robin Sharma’s 10 books and that gave too much positivism to my life and this book has just sharped them more. I will not tell you about any chapters, any other things, I just want you to purchase this book and keep it with you. It has tips for gaining anything that you want- Money, Car, Home, Wife, Husband, Children and even any imaginary thing if you dream about it. The examples and summaries are the best things about the book. I don’t think that I have the so-called GUTS to give any rating to this book. It has already started changing my life. It’s your turn now.
Buy The Secret from Flipkart.com

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA – VEERU

Whenever it comes to Chetan Bhagat, so many people have so many views. Many call him the Most Entertaining Indian Fiction Novelist while others thank him for releasing Toilet papers for them. If you ask about my opinion, I have been his fan from last 3 years. I have read each of his novels and I think my Fiction blog posts are quite influenced by his writing style. I don’t copy him but it is just that I admire him a lot as a Writer hence my Posts has some similarities with his Narrating style. I still can’t forget the day when I met him in September, 2011. Since then, I have been so motivated about my Blog and Writing thing that it has become an endless journey.

Now Chetan BHAGAT is out with his 6th novel. YES!!! This is not a Fiction story like the last five. But it is the compilation of all the articles, speeches and columns that he has written and delivered. He has tried to make it look as a 208-page novel. I have no idea about what exactly is in the book but I am as excited as I was before reading Revolution 2020. That’s a different story that I didn’t like Revolution 2020 but it has not converted me into a loser like every shit critic who call his book Toilet Paper just to gain some attention.

The name of Chetan Bhagat‘s FIRST NON-FICTION Novel is ” WHAT YOUNG INDIA WANTS” with the tagline of “Selected Essays and Columns”.

The synopsis of the book:

In his latest book, What Young India Wants, Chetan Bhagat asks hard questions, demands answers and presents solutions for a better, more prosperous India.
Why do our students regularly commit suicide?
Why is there so much corruption in India?
Cant our political parties ever work together?
Does our vote make any difference at all?
We love our India, but shouldnt some things be different?
All of us have asked these questions at some time or the other. So does Chetan Bhagat, Indias most loved writer, in What Young India Wants, his first book of non-fiction.
What Young India Wants is based on Chetan Bhagats vast experience as a very successful writer and motivational speaker. In clear, simple prose, and with great insight, he analyses some of the complex issues facing modern India, offers solutions and invites discussion on them. And, at the end, he asks this important question: Unless we are all in agreement on what it is going to take to make our country better, how will things ever change? Non-fiction If you want to understand contemporary India, the problems that face it, and want to be a part of the solution, What Young India Wants is the book for you.

The book is releasing on 7th August, 2012. Not even a month to go. Book is up for Pre-ordering at just 98 rs while its MRP is Rs. 140. Get it pre-ordered right now before it gets Sold out. You can pay once the book gets delivered at home to the Delivery Boy as “Cash on Delivery” facility is available. Go FOR IT. Link for purchasing “What Young India Wants” is given below.
Buy What Young India Wants from Flipkart.com

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA – VEERU