BookRackTag Archive | 5 Star | BookRack

The Kite Runner by Khalid Hosseini

admin — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 10:49:02 +0000

By By Khaled Hosseini

Easily one of the most memorable books I’ve read recently. This beautifully written first novel by Hosseini presents a glimpse of life in Afghanistan before the Russian invasion and introduces richly drawn, memorable characters.

Quiet, intellectual Amir craves the attention of his father, a wealthy Kabul businessman. Kind and self-confident Hassan is the son of Amir’s father’s servant. The motherless boys play together daily, and when Amir wins the annual kite contest, Hassan offers to track down the opponent’s runaway kite as a prize. When he finds it, the neighborhood bullies trap and rape him, as Amir stands by too terrified to help. Their lives and their friendship are forever changed, and the memory of his cowardice haunts Amir as he grows into manhood.

Hassan and his father return to the village of their ancestors, and later Amir and his father flee to Los Angeles to avoid political persecution. Amir attends college, marries, and fulfills his dream of becoming a writer. When Amir receives word of his former friend’s death under the Taliban, he returns to Kabul to learn the fate of Hassan’s son.

It does take a despairing note in between, but what I loved most is the way it ended.

In hope.

Day Of The Diamond Earrings by Helen Brighton Wheeler

Sweta — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 02:52:00 +0000

Day of the Diamond Earrings

A Novel of Struggle, Love and Achievement

Helen Brighton Wheeler

Published by Book Pal

http://www.bookpal.com.au/

A very well written Novel, Helen is really good with her characters and plots. Her writing prowess comes from her journalistic background and she has done full justice to the story. It’s the story about a woman, Christine, struggling to make the best out of the moments thrown at her. The moments are very realistic and the reader gets deeply engrossed and no doubt the ending is surprising but the reader keeps looking for more. I find it the best when the last page of the novel makes me think what could have happened next….what if it had not been so… amazing… the fiction flows out into reality…

The story is set in Sydney’s eastern suburb, Sydney being the commercial capital of Australia; it’s a very true account of the corporate life. The protagonist is the ideal woman and someone who believes in good returns goodness. She will make you reaffirm your faith in beliefs and goodness of the souls… Angles on this earth… her strength of character reminds me of Catherine Zeta Jones’ role in the Hollywood movie ‘No Reservations’. Christine is so much like Catherine, being strong when all comes down; being soft when her loved once demand and making the perfect decisions which would take iron out of a man. I truly relished reading each page of the novel and never wanted to skip even a single page… such is the charm the author has spun around the characters.

Reviewed on request by Writer/ Social Media Strategist Sweta Lal.

To see more of Sweta’s writing open her Writer’s Page by clicking here.. Words for the Days.

Heartland by On the Side of Angels

Sweta — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 07:58:00 +0000

Heartland- On the Side of Angels

By TERRI SEDMAK

Kelly and Luke form the heart of this epic novel. The chapters are written in a very unique manner dedicated to the protagonist on the scene at that moment of the story. The stories are written in a conversational mode and one feels like it’s been enacted in front of the eyes with lots of emotions which the readers tries to visualize and enact through the verses. That’s one unique USP that has resulted in this huge compilation. The story is well written and plots have been woven well.

A good adventure read with romance forming its binding knot. It’s an epic story of people who cannot be bogged down by anything life and who make you feel that the right to freedom and good living has a new meaning. The characters have been etched out very strongly and there are some beautiful verses courtesies Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. These verses take you to a new high on top of the waves and you ride with the excitement and energy of the characters you are in.

You can find this fiction on the website www.terrisedmak.com.

http://www.terrisedmak.com./heartland.html

Reviewed on request by Sweta Lal.

To see more of Sweta’s writing open her Writer’s Page by clicking here Words for the Days.

Traegonia the Ember Rune

Sweta — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 07:10:00 +0000

Traegonia the Ember Rune

As soon as you start this novel you are inthe middle of action. An old Traegonia prophecy that had brought theprotagonists together was the beginning of an adventurous life for them in theprocess of which they learned many things in life together. There is a sweetmention of a game Track 20 which was innovatively created as a combination of hide-and-seekand Marco Polo. The game to me appears to be an initiative by the two differentspecies to make a step forward to come closer to each other. This had been thevery code of success for them in the first novel in this series.

Everyimpending event in the story is foretold or sensed by someone or the other andthat keeps the adventure alive in this novel. The blazing fires which scaredKaria in her dreams did have a link to the looming fate that the Traegons andDino had to face together. The cute little explanations of what California,mountains and planes are to someone who has never seen them in their life willkeep the young ones pepping with curiosity.

OracleBlastar’s role is as always an interesting one, unveiling old mysteries andgiving way to the new ones. The way he sits for a deep thought is quite amusingas karia and Juna always think that he has gone off to sleep. Such tit bitsmake the tale humorous and enticing. This series also has some interestingadventure on the cliffs and some tight gripping moments.

Thesecond series is refreshing and has lots of action and moments. The pace isreally good and there no dull moments. The characters are always up on theirsleeves for something or the other. A good read for the teenagers and grown-upswho are still kids. There is an interesting competition running now till December 19, 2011, whichyou can enter here www.WorldofTraegonia.com/contest . Loads of fun and activities packed with this novel, so get yourkids reading…

Reviewed on request by Sweta Lal.

To see more of Sweta’s writing please click her Writer’s Page by clicking Words for the Days.

Keeping Grace Alive

Sweta — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 05:06:00 +0000

It might have been a long time since I read a romantic adventure and the moment I held “Keeping Grace Alive” I liked it from the very beginning. Annie Lee has made a lovely attempt at creating a romantic adventure novel. It’s the story of two people, who are brought together by strange circumstances. These extraordinary situations make them explore probabilities and events that finally unfold the knots of fate.

It’s a romantic novel with its fair share of excitement, thrills and adventure. The backdrop is chosen well but would have been a treat if the beautiful locales of Pocono Mountains and St. Augustine had been described intricately to enliven their real picturesque beauty. The characters are well defined and very genuinely etched out; you will fall in love with most of them instantly because they are so natural. Even their furry snow dogs love them like crazy and that’s enough to bet that the readers will be treated with enough of warmth all throughout.

The pace is very interesting with no dull moments, at the end of every chapter you will feel like turning quickly to the next one and some chapters are so charmingly written that you can’t have enough of them. The story is closely knit with emotions and aspirations that make the plot interesting. You are sure to have goose bumps while going through the exchanges of the protagonists. The two leading characters have been created with hearts of gold and souls of steel. Nothing can bog them down, not even situations which can take ordinary mortals off guard.

The only things that ruffled me were the use of exactly same sentences while recalling some of the events. If they had been structured differently or used with different words it would have appealed more as there are more than one instance where this has been done in the novel. All facets of the story have been rounded off well and balanced giving it a sense of lucidity and soberness.

You will be entertained with some witty humor too, especially when one of the protagonists tries to propose and ends up making it like a threatening statement and sounds as if the other does not have much of a choice”. While writing the review I have deliberately tried not to reveal much, as even a little might give away the thrill which is so important throughout the story. So to keep you on the edge and make it worth a good read I trust you just need to get your copy and start reading.

To get your copy click the link http://tobiasbooks.com/

Reviewed on request by Sweta Lal.

Follow Sweta on her Writer’s Page by clicking this page Words for the Days.

>Where do colors come from – Children’s Book by Tulika

admin — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 18:28:00 +0000

>Colors have been there as long as we can remember, till it dates back to ramayan or mahabharat infact. There has been a color description attached to the clothes, from the white of the purity to the saffron of the rishis to the pink, blue and red for the youth. Ever wondered where these colors came from?

How did the people in the faraway age when synthetic means were not known, make their colors? Does this question make you think even for a second? If yes in that this is the book for you (well actually its for you child )

The Mystery of Blue is a book which takes us 1000 years back to a small town in South of India, the deccan region to be precise and introduces the child to how in that age the dyers and weavers used to make colors using various plants, the leaves, the flowers and also the roots. Its a story of a town where all colors exist but blue and how the girl Kunku and her pegion take up the task to somehow learn to make blue color for the village.

The book targets a reader of 6+ and has great visuals to go with it, explains the concept in a simple yet evocative manner. The child is introduced to the world of colors and how they are made in such a simplistic yet interesting way that its amazing.

Will it be enough to say about the book if I say that my hyper active 3.5 year old son sat through the book when I read it to him the first time? The book has brilliant big visuals which can keep a young child interested in the book too. When I read this book to my son I could see him getting curious about various things, asking more questions on how and why of colors, later I saw him taking a reddish leaf that had fallen down and rubbing to see if it will make red color so that he color is bat red And next morning he brought the book to me and said mumma lets see which color is Kunku making today

If u have kids at home I would suggest to pick up this one ASAP

Book Name – The Mystery of Blue
Story by – Muriel Kakani
Art by – Boski Jain

Poems from the Heart By Alana D.O. Babb

Sweta — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 04:46:00 +0000

When I started reading ‘Poems from the Heart’, being a lover of poetry I wanted to fall in love with the words. Few in the beginning looked quite promising but as I progressed I realized the writer was a novice and had left numerous loose ends in her poetry. Alana D.O. Babb has potential to be a good writer and she has done some very good writing too but she needs to learn and develop more skills of the trade.

‘An Open Book’ is one of the finest verses in this book. It’s a reflection of a pure soul. Some beautiful lines that keep soothing the readers are “You’re writing a story, a chapter each day, by the deeds that you do, by the words that you say.” ‘I’ve found a Friend in you’ has an honest glimpse of friendship in the lines “When I was at a jam and you were way ahead, you turned around and helped me instead.”

The very third poem ‘Mother Is’ is slack, I guess Kids are the target audience of this verse. Similarly ‘Climate Change Is’, ‘Save Our Seas and You Can’ are very childish but do have an earnest appeal. Never the less I moved on in search of some good ones and found a few in the pages that fluttered by. Here I would concentrate more on reviewing the ones that pleased me and the few notes that I have picked up through the reading process. In the poem ‘What Is Beauty’ the ending is not as effective as the buildup. The most creative line in there is “Beauty is watching the sunset, Clouds formed in the shape of a pet.”

There are some good poems that I would like to mention apart with my favorite stanzas that caught the eyes.

‘Jesus’ Name’- “Jesus Christ, a wonderful name, Eternal, unchanging, always the same. He’s the beginning and he’s the end, He’s my savior, my Lord and my friend.”

‘A Love So Powerful’- “Your departure brings death, I write, I wish you could stay with me for life.”

A very strong outcry of a person wronged in love can be found in the poem ‘While You Were’ –“Because while you were loving her I was still in love with you.”

‘Woman of Many Traits’- “She is always there to lend an ear, even when others don’t care, You can turn to her when you need a friend and be sure she’ll be with you till the end.”

The poetry ‘Love Is’ beautifully structured & emoted, reflects some real life & some hypothetical experiences.

‘What Does Love Look Like?’ beautifully emanates the feelings of people in love- “It has hands to lift another’s load, It has arms outstretched for you to hold. It has feet to go to the extra mile; it has a face to give a welcoming smile”.

‘I Asked God’ has lovely use of words and a much matured thought process running through the verses. ‘This Ring’ has rhyming resonance in the couplets which display the zeal & passion in the writer for poetry.

In ‘I Am Here for You’ I love the following stanza the most because of its simplicity and the strength of emotions. “In this time of sorrow and pain, you don’t have to cry again. Just lean on me when you feel to cry, I will not ask you why.”

As soon as I felt that the poems had potential and were getting better with the progressive pages there came a shocker. Suddenly there was a piece in front of me which made me feel as if I was falling into a dismal abyss. This poem ‘Water the Basis of Our Lives’ seems to have been created for kids. The poems are not weak, just that the poems have not been sorted out and are a mixture of different genres which give a confusing look to the book. It seems the poems have been picked up from a collection of Alana’s writings from adolescence till now and published all together with no target audience in mind. ‘Save Tobacco’ is another one from High School stuff. One message I would convey that writing anything does not and should not mean just filling up pages for the sake of it even though if it’s a self-published initiative.

‘I’ll Carry You Always in My Heart’ has a good array and hue of emotions covered through the couplets. The repeating stanza has been deftly used to connect one piece to the other.

‘Changes’ is a yet another childish portrayal and needs a better selection of words and styling.

‘One Chance’ is a lovely ending for this Self-Published poetry book- “One mistake is all it takes to end up with heartache, only one chance you really get to avoid a life full of regrets.” Some stanzas reflect out of the retrospection- “Only one chance at forgiveness, only one life to be true witness”

Overall the poetess is better with couplets than prose. I wish Alana the very best in her poetic journey. Hoping she strives towards growth and quality and sharpens hers skills with every verse she writes.

Reviewed on request by Sweta Lal

Feluda: Gorosthane Sabdhan! (Beware in the Graveyard!) by Satyajit Ray

Roshmi — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 19:40:00 +0000

Author’s note: To read ‘The Complete Adventures of Feluda (Vol I) by Satyajit Ray‘ please click here.

A disturbed grave in a centuries-old cemetery, a ciphered message and a mysterious ‘repeater’… On a visit to the Park Street cemetery (founded in 1767) in Calcutta, Feluda and his friends chance upon an old grave that has been dug into. Slight clues lead them into the heart of a mystery that is both complex and fascinating. When the jigsaw that involves Marquis Godwin’s dilapidated flat in a scary and gloomy old building on Ripon Street, a séance, a singer in a restaurant, a ruthless rich collector and a midnight vigil at the graveyard is put together, what emerges is one of the most intriguing mysteries Feluda has ever been faced with.

This is also the latest Feluda film to hit the marquee, and walks you through some glorious history of Calcutta (including showcasing the city’s oldest photographic studio – Bourne & Shepherd, Gorosthan [the Park Street cemetery that has around 2000 graves but has not had a single burial for many years], the mausoleum of Job Charnock, traditionally regarded as the founder of the city of Calcutta, the tombs of Henry Louis Vivian Derozio, the fiery Anglo-Indian teacher, poet, a radical thinker and freedom fighter who lived a rather short but a memorable life and played a major role in ushering modern ideology among the young generation of Calcutta; William Jones, founder of the Asiatic Society, John Hyde, a judge famous for his papers and Rose Aylmer who inspired the poem of the same name by Walter Savage Landor and other heritage venues of Calcutta – not Kolkata mind you). It also introduces you to the ‘Perigal Repeater’.

Sabyasachi Chakraborty once again essays the role of Feluda admirably – sophisticated, intelligent, sharp and mildly yet fashionably arrogant… in his own way. Bibhu Bhattacharya is back as Lalmohan Ganguly aka Jatayu. While chocolate-faced actor Saheb Bhattacharjee is Topshe (previously played by Siddhartha Chatterjee, Saswata Chatterjee and Parambrata Chatterjee). Yes, all three Topshes were Chatterjees until Saheb arrived! While another Feluda series fixture veteran actor Haradhan Bandopadhyay is seen as ‘Sidhu Jyatha’. The first Topshe who partnered Soumitra Chatterjee was Siddhartha Chatterjee – now a financial analyst in his own right. The next Topshe were Saswata Chatterjee and Parambrato Chatterjee. When Parambrato grew out of the character, director Sandip Ray’s choice was the young and fresh-faced Shaheb Bhattacharjee… and he has done a great job.

The sparkling cameos performed by some of the best veteran actors boost up the ratings of the acting cast… with top marks going to Tinnu Anand as Godwin’s gone-to-seed great-great-great grandson Marquis Godwin who, like his ancestor, has gambled away everything but a beautiful ivory casket that holds the secret to Thomas Godwin’s grave. Pradip Mukherjee as Naren Biswas is subtle in his understatement of an important role, underwritten by feelings of failure and guilt. Subhashish Mukherjee as Girin Biswas, his younger brother, has a layered role and performs it to perfection. This actor who is usually seen in comic roles has packed an impressive performance that underlines his versatility and indicates his range as an actor. Dhritiman Chatterjee as Mahadeb Choudhury is theatrical and flamboyant but that is just what the character demands – showy, conceited, slighting of others and cold.

Satyajit Ray wrote this Feluda story in 1977. Sandip has relocated it by flashing it forward to 2010 and making the slightly necessary changes to the script… to fit it into the present time frame. The city has completely changed in the last 40 odd years. So a large number of descriptions from the book had to be suitably changed in the film. Thus, Blue Fox, the landmark restaurant, had to be replaced with another equally old restaurant on Park Street and the signature Ambassadors and Fiats on the city’s streets have been replaced with modern cars.

The camera wanders around Kolkata. One discovers that the city of Kolkata with warts and all has evolved into a significant character in the film. Despite the time leap from story to film, the flavour of an old Kolkata comes back like an old gramophone record forgotten in some old shelf. But this Calcutta-Kolkata incorporates a sophisticated hospital, modern gizmos, a band playing at Trincas the old restaurant on Park Street that is still around, an Internet café Feluda steps into to Google-search some info, Seagull Bookstore in the southern parts of Kolkata, lunch hogged in a hurry at Chung Wah, a once-famous Chinese restaurant in central Calcutta, ending along the banks at Raichak, a new addition, and so on. All this is wonderfully portrayed with bytes of information flowing in naturally through Feluda’s encyclopedic knowledge. The magic cinematography is never in a hurry to reach a destination before it needs to… just as the editing decides to call it quits when it should.

‘Gorosthaney Shabdhan!’ has an extremely impressive and original opening on the original Park Street graveyard. The credits are engraved on the gravestones, the camera panning slowly to catch them in circles. The sound design is fantastic in all the night scenes in the graveyard – eerie sounds of bats, dogs, owls and frogs dotting the silence, or, muffled sounds of someone being pulled and hit, or, the planchette table tapping above that shakes Marquis Godwin’s ceiling and last but never the least, all the 250 clocks chiming together on the dot of six when Feluda, Topshe and Lalmohan Babu come to meet Mahadeb Choudhury in his opulent apartment (with its red-carpeted staircase) for the first time. Sandip Ray’s Gorosthane Sabdhan! informs, educates and entertains without dragging its feet over its almost lyrical closure. It blends some thrills, a bit of suspense and doses of action and adventure to take the audience on an entertaining trip through the city of Kolkata.

Thanks are due to Sandip Ray for bringing this magnificent story to life. Read the story – in Bengali or English and grab the DVD.

The film has been a huge success prompting the director – Sandip Ray – to announce plans to work on two more Feluda films in the coming years, namely, ‘The Royal Bengal Rahashya’ (‘The Royal Bengal Mystery’) and ‘Joto Kando Kathmandutey’ (‘The Criminals of Kathmandu’/ a novella, 1980). The days of suspense will be back soon.

Feluda is said to be a cross between Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes, Hergé’s Tintin and George Lucas’ Indiana Jones… and the films have been popular too. The global popularity of the sleuth is also enviable, as Feluda stories have been published in full in English and in part in many other major international languages (French and Spanish included). The charm of Ray’s Feluda stories lie, among other things, in their skillful mix of mystery and humour. It is good that his works are being translated into other languages – especially English. It’ll help bring on a larger readership. I think they have been translated into Marathi and Hindi too.

The original Feluda – Soumitra Chatterjee – was ageing while the mid-1980s saw the demise of the hugely talented Santosh Dutta (the original Jatayu) due to cancer. The latter prompted Ray to decide never to film a Feluda story again, although he went on writing them at a phenomenal rate till the end of his days.

Ray felt Santosh Dutta was irreplaceable as Jatayu. However, Ray Jr. looked at it differently… and felt one has to move on and that the show must go on.

Satyajit Ray had decided, and Sandip Ray agreed, that a big-screen film could not be made in a ‘whodunnit’ format, as it reduces the chances of repeat view while some spoilsport can kill the story/film and the thrills by disclosing the identity of the criminal. On the other hand, it is a good idea to follow the ‘whodunnit’ format on television, as there is less chance of repeat viewing. As we see in ‘Sonar Kella’ (‘The Golden Fortress’/ a novella, 1970/ filmed: 1974) and ‘Joi Baba Felunath’ (‘The Mystery of the Elephant God’/ a novella, 1975/ filmed: 1979), the thriller format had been adopted in filming, although ‘Sonar Kella’ was written in a ‘whodunnit’ format like other Feluda stories. However, for all the other films, which were made for the TV, the ‘whodunnit’ format was retained.

The Feluda stories continue to waft their magic fragrance through the books/novels and films – over 45 years after they were first written – and literally whet our appetite, the way the bitter starter is meant to do in Bengal. Feluda was and remains fatafati!

The Official trailer of Gorosthane Sabdhan! HERE.

Photograph: Poster of the film ‘Gorosthaney Shabdhan!’ aka ‘Beware in the Graveyard!’ Pic. courtesy: Link.

Reviewed by: Roshmi Sinha. This post is the edited version. The original can be read at: Musings of an Unknown Indian.

Traegonia The Sunbow Prophecy by K.S Krueger

Sweta — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 06:15:00 +0000

The author K.S. Krueger has presented the best of fictional world with a moral connectivity to the real world. The novel was first published by Author House and that attaches enough credibility to it.

As I read the epilogue I wondered how the author would have weaved such a delicate plot of inducing moral responsibility in the readers with fictional characters that looked strange to me. The readers can also visit the website www.WorldOfTraegonia.com to get to know the fictional characters which make the reading all the more exciting and thrilling. The story revolves around a young boy whose innocent charms adorn the plots of this novel.

It’s a sheer delight to discover that something so subtle could be the solution of all the problems on this Globe. The Sunbow has a special place in this story and a special meaning too. It’s a sheer delight to go through the adventures and excitement of the characters at every nook and corner. Every chapter takes off with a thrilling twist and makes the reader engross further in the details.

There are several magical moments in the novel to show how three unassumingly special creatures change the fate of many. The readers will have a thrill exploring these three special characters as the story unravels. The moments which keep coming back to the mind are the ones when the dress of a character is described with incomparable grace. “His robe and hood were of a deep forest green speckled with many tiny crystals sewn onto it, which sparkled in the darkness of the room.”

The story has some funny moments to behold. A character pretends to be really sorry for his act when in fact he is not and his mischief makes you chuckle. “I let out a huge sigh and collapsed on my bed. That went well, I thought sarcastically. I think I’ll go throw up now”.

The only sore is that the reader wishes to see more of the illustrations. The fantasy which has been weaved around these amazing characters would make awesome illustrations for some of the plots. One can follow its website and the Facebook Page to view some of these characters etched out in real world which make it all the more special for a child’s world.

The book has a very special mission of dispersing the message of the importance protecting the earth and its creatures. It’s a book for the believers as well as the achievers; a creative tribute to the efforts of the mankind in this direction. The mystery lovers would love it and keep asking for more. The reader has to keep guessing till the end for the mysteries have more to them than what meets the eyes. The end is very special as it sends a chill down the spine and the whole story just flashbacks with a new meaning to it. I would leave it to the readers to understand this new meaning attached… Krueger can we have more please…

Reviewed on request by Sweta Lal

>Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King

admin — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 12:59:00 +0000

>“All I know for sure is that Andy Dufresne wasn’t much like me or anyone else I ever knew… it was a kind of inner light he carried around with him.” – Red

Who hasn’t heard of ‘The Shawshank Redemption’, the 1994 movie starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman that received seven Academy Award nomination and many others! This is the book that the movie was based on. The characters were masterfully played by the lead actors, but then again, at the risk of sounding biased, I’ll say – the book is better.

Andy Dufresne is a smart man, and an ex-banker. He is wrongly accused of murder, and is sentenced to imprisonment at the Shawshank prison. There he meets the narrator, Red, an inmate who is known for smuggling contraband into the prison. Andy has an assignment for Red. Andy gets a rock hammer and a large pin-up poster of Rita Hayworth delivered to him in the prison. He then goes on to do something that has never been done before: escape Shawshank!

‘Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption’ is a novella by Stephen King that was published in 1982 as a part of his collection called Different Seasons. If there’s any author who knows how to create wonderfully complex characters and build up their lives, it’s Stephen King. And this book is definitely King at his best. King has done a great job by narrating the story through Red’s eyes, in stead of Andy, leaving just enough to the readers’ imagination. All the characters seem realistic, and you can relate to them, even if they are prisoners! The story is full of twists and turns, and the plot is as powerful and involving as the characters. The novel is fast paced and thrilling, and there isn’t a single time when you feel like putting the book down. There aren’t enough words to describe this novel! It’s a masterpiece.

Rating: 5/5

a review by Priya D

The Complete Adventures of Feluda (Vol I) by Satyajit Ray

Roshmi — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 09:06:00 +0000

‘Feluda’ is the creation of one of the greatest auteur of 20th century cinema – Satyajit Ray. Somehow people including analysts and movie aficionados tend to pigeonhole him into ‘Pather Panchali’ (‘Song of the Little Road’) – one of his seminal works… for the making of which he sold all his possessions. But, Ray was a genius and left behind a rich legacy of work… that went much beyond ‘Pather Panchali’. Standing 6′-4″ tall, he was a towering figure in the world of cinema… both literally and figuratively.

But chances are that… if you are an Indian but not a Bengali… you may not have heard of ‘Feluda’. But you would ‘know’ Satyanveshi Byomkesh Bakshi – Bengal’s contribution to the detective genre, superbly portrayed by actor Rajit Kapur and written/created by the celebrated Sharadendu Bandopadhyay in 1932. Incidentally Ray had directed his only Byomkesh mystery – ‘Chidiakhana’ (‘The Zoo’ in 1967) – starring the legendary Uttam Kumar – the matinee idol of Bengal, as Byomkesh. By his own volition it was his weakest work… but fetched Uttam Kumar his Best Actor award and Ray a Golden Lotus at the first ever National Film Awards (in 1967)!

It is generally believed that Byomkesh was Sharadendu’s alter ego. There are other fictional detectives/sleuths popular in Bengal: Kiriti Ray, Indranath Rudra, Colonel Niladri Sen aka Colonel, Kakababu, Neil Bannerjee, Narayan Sanyal’s Barrister P.K. Basu (from the ‘Kanta series’ – heavily inspired from the Perry Mason series by Erle Stanley Gardner) to name a few. The peerless Satyajit Ray’s contribution was ‘Feluda’ – a sleuth for all seasons, sharp, handsome, witty and 6 feet tall. ‘Feluda’ became a phenomenon. But then, it is difficult to say who is more popular – Feluda or Byomkesh. It’s a tie… I guess.

Yours truly was introduced to both as a schoolgirl (including the Byomkesh TV series directed by Basu Chatterjee and the Feluda movies directed by Ray himself) and have been under their spell ever since. Thanks to ‘Kolkata Book Fair’ I have the entire collection of Feluda and Byomkesh – in Bengali.

Not to worry. The language barrier can no longer prevent you from being a part of Feluda’s world as all the Feluda stories that Ray wrote are now available together – in English – in an omnibus edition of 2 volumes, of which this is the first. Volume I of this omnibus features 16 gripping tales (short stories and novellas) of suspense and mystery arranged in their chronological order of composition. This is the definitive Feluda collection – a treasury that all fans of detective fiction will want to possess. Originally written in Bengali (by Ray), this translation in English has been accomplished by Gopa Majumdar and Chitrita Banerji (no relation to Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, I think).

Between 1965 and 1992, Satyajit Ray wrote a total of 35 Feluda stories, featuring the 27-year-old, sharp and bright-eyed Calcutta based amateur detective Prodosh Chandra Mitra who uses the anglicized name Pradosh C. Mitter, his Watson – his fourteen-year-old cousin Tapesh Ranjan Mitra (Mitter) fondly referred to as “Topshe”, and Lalmohan Ganguli alias “Jatayu”, a comical, bumbling writer of cheap popular thrillers with funny names. “Felu” is the nickname of Pradosh Mitter. The suffix “da” (short for “dada”) means elder brother in Bengali. The plots involve murder, intrigue and adventure, narrated in a racy, humorous style. The locales range from Gangtok and Varanasi to Jaisalmer and Ellora, from Kedarnath to Kathmandu, and from Puri to London apart from Feluda’s hometown of Calcutta, of course. All of this makes for enormously entertaining fare – and it is no wonder that each Feluda book has been a best seller.

Pradosh C. Mitter is called Feluda in the novels, as the narrator Topshe – something of a Watson to Feluda’s Holmes – is his younger cousin. Though Feluda often teases his young cousin, he is extremely fond of Tapesh and is very protective of him. He lives with Topshe’s family at 21, Rajani Sen Road, Kolkata-700029. Although there really is a Rajani Sen Road in Kolkata, if one were to walk along that road, one would find it ends at #26, Rajani Sen Road, and there’s no #27. Not unlike 221B, Baker Street. Feluda smokes only one brand of cigarettes – Charminar. Goes to sleep late, but is an early riser. Never sleeps deeply. He is also a connoisseur of good food, popular movies and books. Is choosy about tea. Prefers tea from Makaibari Tea Estate in Kurseong.

Feluda is into martial arts and is an avid reader. He reads everything – about photography, travelogue, current affairs, the art and science of magic, space travel, geometry, etc. He has a vast knowledge about: architecture, botany, typography, automobile, etimology or history of sounds. He knows the names of all the Ragas and Raginis. Has a good hand in drawing. Can make a sketch of a person after seeing him just once. He is an expert with his .32 Colt revolver yet relies mostly on his ‘mogojastro’ – his incisive mind, and remains open to anything that can further his knowledge. Ray’s interest in puzzles and puns is reflected in his stories; Feluda often has to solve a puzzle to get to the bottom of a case.

Satyajit Ray thought of ‘Google’ long before ‘Google’ existed. Google’s creators were not yet born when Ray created ‘Sidhu jyatha’ whose formal name is Shiddeshwar Basu. Feluda describes him as ‘the walking encyclopaedia’ and Sidhu-jatha describes himself thus: ‘Sherlock Holmes had an elder brother, Mycroft Holmes. Although he was very lazy, he was really a big brother to Sherlock in intelligence. Even Sherlock often used to pay visits to Mycroft for his help. Similarly, I am the Mycroft to Felu.’

Sidhu jyatha lives in Sardar Sankar Road, Lake Market, Calcutta. He is a bibliophile and has an extensive base of general knowledge, current and historical affairs. He is said to have a photographic memory and is a vast source of information and comes in handy when Feluda is in need of some. His vast knowledge comes from his collection of varied kinds of newspaper clippings that he has accumulated over the years.

The word ‘potential’ is a big favourite in Bengal and Bengalis are big on all the unsung geniuses (heroes or otherwise) who could have made it but didn’t. The workaholic Ray too reveals a soft corner for the unsung genius; in the way he wrote Sidhu jyatha (played brilliantly on screen by Harindranath Chattopadhyay). When complimented by Felu (“If you had been a detective, we would have been out of work”), Sidhu jyatha responds: “If I had done a lot of things, a lot of people would have been out of work. So, I don’t do anything. I just sit here and keep the windows of my mind open… “

The Feluda stories involve mysteries/adventures largely set in India, with titles such as ‘The Golden Fortress’ (‘Shonar Kella’/ a novella, 1970), ‘The Anubis Mystery’ (‘Sheyal Debota Rohoshya’/ short story), ‘The Curse of the Goddess’ (‘Chinnomostar Obhishap’/ a novella, 1978), ‘The Emperor’s Ring’ (‘Badshahi Angthi’/ a novella, 1966), ‘Trouble in Gangtok’ (‘Gangtok-e Gondogol’/ a novella, 1970), ‘The Locked Chest’ (‘Ghurghutiyar Ghatana’/ short story), etc. The stories are refreshing and yet manage to retain the local/Indian flavour. That Feluda matures from an unknown amateur detective in the first few stories (starting with ‘Feluda’s Investigation’ ['Feludar Goendagiri'/ short story, 1965]) to a serious/professional, successful and reputed private investigator can be seen as the book rolls along. Some of the stories like the ‘The Royal Bengal Mystery’ (‘Royal Bengal Rohoshya’/ a novella, 1974) and ‘Caution in the Graveyard’ (‘Gorosthaney Shabdhan’/ a novella, 1977) are just absolute classics. You race through each story, the plot pulling you into a hypnotic rev, until somewhere the crime fiction and adventure loving epicurean in you, stops to savour the tasty morsels of thrills and adventure on offer. Ah! Bliss!

‘Badshahi Angthi’… set in Lucknow is one of the earliest stories (the 2nd to be precise) and one of my favourites. I also like ‘Royal Bengal Rahasya’ and ‘Chhinnomastar Abhishap’. ‘Gorosthane Sabdhan’ is a great favourite too. I love the Calcutta that Ray had written about in it. It’s a different Calcutta, with a completely different feel. The atmosphere is different. The Park Street cemetery was such an intriguing place. But things have changed now… thanks to ‘development’.

All Feluda films where Soumitra Chatterjee played the detective character – in ‘Shonar Kella’ (‘The Golden Fortress’/ filmed: 1974) and ‘Joi Baba Felunath’ (‘The Mystery of the Elephant God’/ a novella, 1975/ filmed: 1979) are a treat to watch and re-watch. Though mainly targeted towards children and young adults, both ‘Shonar Kella’ and ‘Joi Baba Felunath’ found a large number of loyal followers… cutting across generations.

Ray made the first Feluda film based on his novel ‘Shonar Kella‘ (‘The Golden Fortress’) in 1974. It was set against the backdrop of Rajasthan, strewn with desert, forts and royal stories, heroic deeds and folklore. The story deals with the kidnapping of a child, a treasure hunt, an attempted murder, identity theft and also explored the concept of reincarnation. This is also the story in which Jatayu is introduced.

Next came ‘Joi Baba Felunath‘ (‘The Mystery of the Elephant God’) in 1979. This story was set in Benares, the holy city of India. It explores religious exploitation, and the crime of stealing, or procuring by unfair means up to and including homicide, of art objects of ancient India and selling them to rich foreign collectors. The inimitable Utpal Dutt played the villain Maganlal Meghraj, who returns to appear in two more Feluda stories. Both these films had Soumitra Chatterjee, Siddhartha Chatterjee and Santosh Dutta playing the roles of the trio of Feluda, Topshe and Jatayu.

‘Sheyal Debota Rohoshya’ (‘The Anubis Mystery’) revolves around a statuette of Anubis, the Egyptian jackal-god. Set in Kolkata, the story explores eeriness, greed, lust and deception. This story did not have Jatayu as one of the characters.

‘Kailase Kelenkari‘ (‘A Killer in Kailash’) is an exciting thriller, starting in Kolkata, then moving into the outskirts at Siddiqpur, and on to Aurangabad in Maharashtra and finally to Ellora, famous for cave temples carved in the Rashtrakuta era of ancient Indian history. Even the film (directed by Sandip Ray) was a feast for the eyes. The story explores vandalism, the looting of historical monuments and temples for stone statues to be sold off to the West. The glimpses of architectural monuments in Aurangabad and the carvings at the cave temples in Ellora make the film a must-watch.

But I hope to see ‘Badshahi Angthi’ on screen someday. Actor Sabyasachi Chakraborty has been playing Feluda for 15 years now, under the directorial baton of Satyajit Ray’s able son Sandip Ray. These are: ‘Baksha Rohoshya’, ‘Bombaiyer Bombete’, ‘Kailashe Kelenkari’, ‘Tintorettor Jishu’ and ‘Gorosthaney Shabdhan’. But he is ageing… which means Sandip Ray will have to scout for a younger Feluda… if he were to direct ‘Badshahi Angthi’. And that will be one hell of a job. Who do you think could take up the mantle next? Methinks… Milind Soman would have fit in perfectly… but not sure about his acting skills. Priyanshu Chatterjee (of ‘Tum Bin’ fame) maybe… provided he lost some weight and underwent a makeover. Perhaps even a newcomer like Abir Chatterjee… the latest Byomkesh Bakshi to hit the screens. What say?

This is a must-have book. If you’re reading this, do yourself a favour and buy the book!

Details of the book: The Complete Adventures of Feluda (Vol I)/ Author: Satyajit Ray/ Paperback/ pp: 785 pages/ Price: Rs. 450 (Rs. 338 @ Flipkart)/ Publisher: Penguin Books India Pvt. Ltd./ Publishing date: 11/30/2004/ Language: English/ ISBN: 0143032771/ ISBN-13: 978-0143032779.

Photograph: Pic. courtesy: Link.

Reviewed by: Roshmi Sinha. This post is the edited version. The original can be read at: Musings of an Unknown Indian.

>The Shining by Stephen King

admin — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 06:07:00 +0000

Jack Torrance loses his job as a school teacher after assaulting one of his students. Jack Torrance is a man with a terrifying temper and violent streak. He is also an alcoholic; trying to keep his drinking under control to keep his family from falling apart. With the help of one of his friends, Jack gets the job as the winter caretaker at the majestic Overlook Hotel. What he doesn’t know, is that the Overlook Hotel has a terrible history, especially when it comes to winter caretakers. Not just that, the hotel has a mind of its own. Along with his wife, Wendy and his son, Danny, Jack moves into the hotel, with little knowledge of what’s in store for them. As the days pass, the hotel tries to control the minds of its inhabitants, and yearns to acquire for itself Danny’s ‘special gift’! Torrance’s story tells us what isolation and paranoia can do to the best of us.

The Shining is a horror novel written in 1977 by Stephen King. It is his third book, and one of his best.

You don’t just read this book, you experience it. An eerie feeling crawls into your mind, even as they step into the Overlook for the first time. If there is one thing that I love about Stephen King’s books, it’s the way he makes the unbelievable seem believable. It’s a horror story, centered not on the supernatural, but the horrors of the human mind. You can always relate to the characters’ experiences. You are connected to the book, in a more personal way, than you would have if it had only been about demons and ghosts. When I read the book, it was the middle of the night, and my entire house was asleep. It didn’t take much effort to picture myself right there in the hotel, inside the book. The story is pure, undiluted terror.

Stanley Kubrick’s film ‘The Shining’ based on this book starring Jack Nicholson is a good movie. But compared to the novel, it is just plain absurd. While the director focused on creating a horror flick, I think he lost the very essence of a Stephen King novel. The main aspects of the book have been changed, starting with the character of Jack Torrance. Jack Nicholson did a wonderful job of being terrifyingly crazy, it is just not what Jack Torrance ever was. When I read the book I thought that Torrance was one of the best antagonists, because all you feel even by the end of the book is pity for the poor guy. It can be argued that he is the actual victim in the book. Underneath the tough exterior, Jack is a sensitive man trying to improve for the sake of a son, whom he really loves. Torrance is not essentially evil; he only succumbs to the ghosts of his past and present. Even the ending is much better in the book. King himself was gravely disappointed with the movie.

What I am trying to say here is, don’t judge the book by its movie! The Shining is one of the best books I have ever read, it is what made me fall in love with the horror genre. It is a must read for all!

Rating: 5/5

a review by Priya D

Delhi Is Not Far by Ruskin Bond

Roshmi — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 12:11:00 +0000

Ruskin Bond steals into our thoughts and captures our hearts with his effortlessly charming stories. Having read a few of his books, I now know Bond’s stories of rural India will stay with me forever. His is the quiet voice that leads to calm, restful communities and characters we feel we all know. I first heard of Ruskin Bond after a friend recommended him to me… when I was a schoolgirl – and I am eternally grateful.

Ruskin Bond – the name conjures up misty hills, lush green valleys, gurgling brooks, long languid stroll through the forests, small-town vibes and of course, Dehradun or simply Dehra. But one reading of ‘Delhi Is Not Far’ is not enough… to quench one’s thirst, so to speak. Bond’s intensity of living, his joie de vivre and the breadth of his experiences are easily perceptible throughout each of his books… and that is Ruskin Bond’s signature style. And it is infectious… I tell you!

‘Delhi Is Not Far’ is a 1994 collection of Bond’s writings, from his first published poem (‘Lost,’ published in the Illustrated Weekly of India in 1952) to extracts from his more recent novels/novellas. Short stories, vignettes, travel pieces, poetry and two novellas are included in this collection. This is a sequel to his earlier two novellas – ‘The Room on the Roof‘ and ‘Vagrants in the Valley‘. The narration is much like in the form of a diary… where the past, the present and the future crisscross effortlessly. A slow but charming story of a (imaginary?) town called Pipalnagar. I am yet to read ‘Vagrants in the Valley’ and am currently reading ‘The Room on the Roof’ which he wrote as a 17 year old boy way back in 1951. It was published when he was 21 and brought him the John Llewellyn Rhys Memorial Prize in 1957. I actually started off with this trilogy in reverse chronological order! The other day, I had been to Crossword and Reliance TimeOut (both bookstores) but ‘Vagrants in the Valley’ proved to be elusive. I guess I will have to try some other day. Instead I picked up ‘Tales of the Open Road’ by whom else but Ruskin Bond!

The narrator – Arun, a struggling writer of cheap Urdu thrillers, feels trapped in dull and dusty Pipalnagar, where nothing ever happens. He hopes to write a blockbuster one day, and escape to Delhi. Meanwhile, he falls in love with a young prostitute, Kamla, and befriends the homeless orphan, Suraj. Written in 1960 and published now for the first time as a stand-alone novella, ‘Delhi Is Not Far’ is a memorable story about desire, love and loss in small time India… where Delhi is the metaphor for ‘dreams accomplished’.

Ruskin Bond has been writing for decades, quietly. He is not a recluse but does not make a song and dance about his books: novels, novellas, short story, poem, travelogue, essay… yet he has written on every genre for over half a century and counting. At the ninth edition of the Vodafone Crossword Book Awards held in Mumbai in Aug., 2010 the soft-spoken Bond was in a jocular mood, remarking how now that authors have become celebrities, they’d rather stay away from the limelight. “Writers are best read, but not seen in public, because most of them are not good-looking,” he said, leaving the audience in splits. For Bond, anonymity has come at a hefty price. The author narrated an incident at a bookstore many years ago, when he spotted a copy of one of his books at the very bottom of a shelf. He reminisced, “Once in 1967, India Book House published a book of mine. Like every author I would go to the bookshop and look for my book. Once I went to a small bookshop in Shankar Nagar in Delhi. I found my book below a pile of Harold Robbins, who was a very popular author during those days. I looked around, making sure no one was watching, and removing my book from under the pile, placed it on top. The shopkeeper saw me and, replacing it back in its original position, said, Yeh chalta nahin hai! Well, to teach the bookshop owner a lesson I bought the book (chuckles)!”

Bond says his early work was fiction, short stories, and novella – some of it autobiographical. Then, when he was in his forties he started writing non-fiction, even children’s books and that his favourite forms are essays and short stories. On being asked if he liked writing for children or adults he said, “I enjoy writing for both. I like writing funny stories for kids and making them laugh. Kids are very bright and it’s great fun writing for them and interacting with them. For instance, in Delhi not long ago, a teacher asked a nine-year-old girl, ‘What do you think of Mr. Bond as a writer?’ Now that was quite a serious question. She looked at me, thought hard and said, ‘You are not a bad writer.’ I thought it was a great compliment (laughs).”

He says he has run out of ghosts, but will try to write more ghost stories and make them scarier. “Actually I write ghost stories when I run out of people and I have nothing else left to write. To be perfectly honest, I haven’t yet met one though hill-stations are supposed to be the favourite haunt of ghosts” he states. His collection of ghost stories was roundly criticized by critics (who else!) but went into its 2nd edition the very next day. I guess critics should not take themselves and their jobs too seriously. What?

But his evocative stories set in small Hindi-speaking Indian towns and villages in the Himalayan foothills are delightful in the way that they capture the daily lives of common people, including gardeners, shopkeepers, tongawallas, sweepers and servants, kite makers, tea boys and street urchins. These stories tend to grow on you and bring to life a whole community forgotten by most Indian writers who generally like to set their books in the big cities/metros and target the multiplex crowd. While Bond’s quiet humour and affection for the little people shines through in his writings… which stands apart from the big-noise books currently out there.

This book brings together some of Bond’s best short stories. My favourites are the title story “Delhi is not far”, for the way it shows even the poorest have aspirations and dreams; the beautiful “Time stops at Shamli”, an evocative almost-love story; and “A job well done” where Dukhi, the gardener metes out a terrible, yet matter-of-fact revenge on a bullying master. The long neglected small towns of India are beginning to change now, with the arrival of cable television, mobile phones, designer clothes and a greater consumerism but Bond’s stories have a timeless feel to them. I can still believe the characters that people his books are still there, eking out a difficult living.

Book Summary of Delhi Is Not Far: Momentous things happen elsewhere, in the big cities of Nehru’s India. In dull and dusty Pipalnagar, each day is like another, and ‘there is not exactly despair, but resignation’. Even the dreams here are small: if he ever makes it to Delhi, Deep Chand, the barber, will open a more up-to-date salon where he might, perhaps, give the Prime Minister a haircut; Pitamber will trade his cycle-rickshaw for the less demanding scooter-rickshaw; Aziz will be happy with a junk-shop in Chandni Chowk. None, of course, will make that journey to Delhi.

Adrift among them, the narrator, Arun, a struggling writer of detective novels in Urdu, waits for inspiration to write a blockbuster. One day he will pack his meagre belongings and take the express train out of Pipalnagar. Meanwhile, he seeks reassurance in love, and finds it in unusual places: with the young prostitute Kamla, wise beyond her years; and the orphan Suraj, homeless and an epileptic, yet surprisingly optimistic about the future.

Few authors write with greater sensitivity and skill about little India than Ruskin Bond. ‘Delhi Is Not Far’ is a memorable story about small lives, with all the hallmarks of classic Ruskin Bond prose: nostalgia, charm, underplayed humour and quiet wisdom.

This is yet another classic masterpiece by Ruskin Bond, I loved this book for its simple narration style and the way he pulls you into the story. Go for it… you will be well rewarded.

Details of the book: Book: Delhi Is Not Far/ Author: Ruskin Bond/ ISBN: 0144000954/ ISBN-13: 9780144000951, 978-0144000951/ Binding: Paperback/ Publishing Date: 10/26/2005/ Publisher: Penguin Books India Pvt. Ltd/ Edition: 1st Edition/ Number of Pages: 120/ Price: Rs. 150/ Language: English.

Photograph: The book jacket cover: Ruskin Bond’s novella ‘Delhi Is Not Far’. Pic. courtesy: Link.

Reviewed by: Roshmi Sinha (cross posted from here).

Ruskin Bond’s Book of Nature.

Roshmi — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 22:26:00 +0000

This one came along with the delightful ‘Book of Humour‘. Well, almost. They were separated by just 4 days. Which does not make them twins… even fraternal ones at that… but so what, both make for a very good read!

I finished reading this book a while back… and I wonder how Ruskin Bond manages to weave such simple, joyous tales all the time. Refreshing, fragrant with the smell of nature, and a charm that makes you want to read them again and again. They never let your interest drift or your mind to wander. This one is yet another gem from his treasure-trove. When you relax in your small verandah or on a garden seat, take this book with you and open it at any page. You will be well rewarded.

Having grown up in the hills, in the lap of nature… in once idyllic Mussourie, Kasauli, Shimla, Dehradun and Jamnagar… no one understands nature like Ruskin Bond and it takes his ability to put this wonder into words. He is indeed nature’s favourite child. He has celebrated the wonder and beauty of nature as few other contemporary writers have, or indeed can… for over fifty years and counting. Apparently he has yet to lose faith in Indians. In 2009, a report was published which stated that he was seen going down to the Mall in the evenings and stopping drivers, pleading with them not to honk so much. Bond was 75 then. You have to be made of something special to be that age and yet optimistic about changing Indians. It is an indication of his love for the hills and for nature and speaks volumes of the incorrigible optimist that he is. He is a believer in universal culture. Only someone like him can weave such tales, given the serenity and lyricism of his prose. No one else can. For sure!

In these pages, he writes of leopards padding down the lanes of Mussoorie after dark, the first shower of the monsoon in Meerut that brings with it a tumult of new life, the chorus of insects at twilight outside his window, ancient banyan trees and the short-lived cosmos flower, a bat who strays into his room and makes a night less lonely. He captivates with his collection of nature pieces… not just from the Himalayan foothills that he has made his home, but also from the cities and small towns that he lived in or traveled through as a young man. And he is young at heart. Always. Forever. No wonder he has few equals. He shares a deep camaraderie with nature and his stories flow smoothly like a sparkling brook… no dramatic flourishes, no villains, ugly fights, in them. There is warmth and plenty of it and the simple pleasures of life… which make them so very endearing.

He is a painter of words. Bond uses his pen as a brush to paint captivating images of his observations on and his experiences with nature and beckons his readers into his imagination… like the sweet fragrance of a flower in full bloom during spring. A book that relaxes the eyes, rests the mind, lulls the noise and lets one drift into the idyllic life with nature that most of us are unable to lead… thanks to incessant ‘development’ made in the name of ‘progress’. The ‘Book of Nature’ is liberally sprinkled with gentle humour and gives you the feeling… that you are having a one-on-one conversation with the narrator himself over a cup of freshly brewed filter coffee. Or even a cup of masala chai. It is very, very soothing… almost like a lullaby on a hot summer afternoon. While the fragrance of his words… lingers on and on and on.

Some snippets about Bond: Come every Saturday, the portly figure of Ruskin Bond can be seen at the Cambridge Book Store sipping hot tea and obliging autograph hunters. Opened in 1952, just two years after Bond finished his schooling, he fondly savours the nostalgia of this place.

“I still remember buying Agatha Christie’s ‘Death on the Nile’ in 1965 for Rs. 3 from this store,” says the creative writer strolling down memory lane, while having a cup of tea. Thanks to Bond’s voracious appetite for words in black and white, the store has remained in business. “Bond is a loyal patron of our book shop and his presence provides readers a chance to interact with him,” states 85-year-old LD Arora, the owner of the shop. Unfazed by tourists and their accompanying children, who keep pestering him for autographs, he revels in showing his funny side to all the visitors.

“His mere two hours presence at the shop sells about 50-100 books every Saturday,” discloses Sunil Arora, the owner’s son and a personal friend of Bond.

When Jalandhar’s Vandana and Delhi’s Shelly Jain hurriedly purchased Bond’s books to get them signed, an avid soccer lover opted for his autograph on a Ronaldo picture. “I am also a Ronaldo fan,” reveals the storyteller later, while trying to catch soap bubbles blown by playful children in the shop. Clad in a red jumper, the ageing writer still retains his loyal readers, who seem to keep increasing by the day.

“He has an elephant’s memory,” recalls a lady from Delhi, who had last met Bond 21 years ago during a visit to the hill town as a student of St Thomas’ School and now seen getting a couple of Bond’s books autographed for her children. Funnily, when the poor weather dampened Arora’s business, it was a good time for writers, points out Bond giving slight heartburn to his friend. But how would he walk up to his Landour home without an umbrella?

Ergo, went the shop assistant and came with a bunch of colourful umbrellas. And Bond selected the obvious – the blue umbrella. Was that meant for Biniya – the 11 year old girl and the protagonist of his famous story ‘The Blue Umbrella’? Well, nobody knows. (But as it turned out later, Bond’s beloved Blue Umbrella had a gaping hole and had to be replaced).

In 2007, Bond’s short story ‘The Blue Umbrella‘ was made into a film… directed by Vishal Bharadwaj (of ‘Kaminey’ fame). It had a great lyrical feel and very good cinematography. As far as acting is concerned, Pankaj Kapoor, because of his tremendous histrionic skills, completely dominated the film.

Vishal liked another of his four-page short story, ‘Susanna’s Seven Husbands’. Bond expanded it into a 200-page piece, which could be filmed. The movie was titled ‘Saat Khoon Maaf’… and the cast included Priyanka Chopra, Naseeruddin Shah, John Abraham, Irrfan Khan, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Anu Kapoor and Vivaan Shah. Bond’s protagonist was a femme fatale who bumps off her seven husbands. He had to find ingenious ways of bumping seven people off while writing the story. According to Bond… that’s something he cannot generally contemplate. Interestingly, during production, the film underwent two name changes. The project was initially titled ‘Seven’, which was then replaced by ‘Ek Batta Saat’ and finally ‘Saat Khoon Maaf’.

It seems that the eminent author from Mussoorie is now enjoying his newfound love of acting in films nowadays. He shot a video, along with the noted Uttarakhandi singer Meena Rana recently. Ruskin Bond, speaking to The Tribune, said earlier he used to feel uncomfortable acting, but after his stint in ‘Saat Khoon Maaf’ directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, he is now getting used to the arc lights and the glamour world. However, his first love remains writing books, especially for children.

His novella ‘A Flight of Pigeons‘, a story set in Shahjahanpur during the revolt of 1857 was made into ‘Junoon‘ (1978)… starring Shashi Kapoor, Shabana Azmi, Nafisa Ali, Ismat Chughtai, Tom Alter, Deepti Naval, Jennifer Kendal, Pearl Padamsee, among others… and directed by Shyam Benegal. According to Bond… it was true to the story, only the ending was changed slightly. It was a good film, probably a bit too opulent. The acting, particularly Naseeruddin Shah’s, was excellent.

Ruskin Bond has his modest home miles from the madding crowds in picture-postcard pretty Landour, a quaint little ‘town’ above Mussoorie. His tiny living room is filled with books, pictures and ‘trophies’. The writer’s familiar chubby face is now framed by hair that was ‘more-salt-less-pepper’ and combed neatly, like a schoolboy’s. His eyes are sparkling blue, his complexion a healthy pink, and his smile ever so engaging. While his voice is deep and resonant. Bond has written in almost every genre – short story, novel, poem, travelogue, essay etc… and counts essays and short stories as his favourite forms. Prolific and popular, witty and wise, charming and cherubic, Ruskin Bond commands adulation across regions, age groups and gender. Here is a writer who has defied genres, challenged conventions and remained enduring and endearing down the years… and he believes that in order to become a good writer one has to be confident and perseverant. He says, “At times, when the chips are down and you are disappointed, you have to stick to this. I have seen young people who entered this field, but quit after some time and joined other creative streams like advertising or journalism. I stick to writing, since I had no other alternative.”

Ruskin Bond Profile: Ruskin Bond (born 19 May 1934) is an Indian author of British descent. He is considered to be one of the icons among Indian writers and children’s authors and a top novelist.

In 1992, he received the Sahitya Akademi award for English writing, for his short stories collection, Our Trees Still Grow in Dehra, by the Sahitya Akademi (India’s National Academy of Letters). He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1999 for contributions to children’s literature. He now lives with his adopted family in Mussoorie.

Ruskin Bond was born in Kasauli (Himachal Pradesh). His father was Aubrey Alexander Bond who served in the RAF during World War II. He had one sister and brother – Ellen and William Bond. When the writer was 4, his mother separated from his father and married a Punjabi-Hindu Mr Hari who himself was married once. At the age of 10, Ruskin went to his grandmother’s place in Dehradun. He has been living in Landour since the 1960s, and has previously stayed at Shimla, Jamnagar, Mussoorie, Dehradun, and London.

Details of Book: Ruskin Bond’s Book Of Nature/ Author: Royina Grewal/ Pages: 312/ ISBN: 0143064231/ ISBN-13: 9780143064237, 978-0143064237/ Publishing Date: 06/01/2008/ Publisher: Penguin Books India Pvt. Ltd./ Price: Rs. 299/- (paperback).

Photograph: Pic courtesy: link.

Reviewed by: Roshmi Sinha (cross posted from here).

Do and Die: The Chittagong Uprising: 1930-34 by Manini Chatterjee.

Roshmi — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 07:32:00 +0000

A forgotten chapter of Indian history brought alive.

Meticulously researched and skillfully narrated, the story of the young idealists, heady with patriotism and ready to die, emphasizes the role of the revolutionaries as an important part of the freedom struggle in India. Manini Chatterjee has presented perhaps the first comprehensive history of the uprising based on a large corpus of original source material. British records and official publications form just one part of this. She has made extensive use of India-centered sources in both English and Bengali: the writings by participants of the uprising, interviews with survivors, newspaper reports, and contemporary political records. Using the skills of a journalist to ask the right questions, Chatterjee uncovers the riveting saga of an intrepid band of men and women who engaged the might and wits of a mature and entrenched colonial state for four long years. Surjya Sen, Kalpana Dutta and their comrades, historical figures whom we have encountered but do not really know, acquire real-life stature in Manini Chatterjee’s telling.

The 1930 Chittagong Youth Revolt, which the British colonialists denigrated as the loot of the Chittagong Armoury, was one of the glorious chapters of the anti-colonial movement of the subcontinent and a valiant example of armed struggle. The exploits of the revolutionaries, whom the British denounced, brutally tortured, tried and hanged as “terrorists”, have entered our folklore of people’s struggle for independence from colonial oppression. The legendary ‘Masterda’ Surjo Sen, the leader of the revolt, has ever remained an icon of revolution and patriotism… in Bengal. The rest of India barely knows this heroic revolutionary… whom the British sought to portray as a midnight terrorist.

On a day (April 18, 1930) that is a landmark in India’s struggle for Independence, the fearless Freedom Fighter ‘Masterda’ Surjo Sen with his comrades-in-arms Ganesh Ghosh, Lokenath Bal, Nirmal Sen, Ambika Chakrobarty, Naresh Roy, Sasanka Datta, Ardhendu Dastidar, Harigopal Bal (Tegra), Tarakeswar Dastidar, Ananta Singh, Jiban Ghoshal, Anand Gupta, Pritilata Waddedar, Kalpana Datta and many others, and a boy barely into his teens… the 14-year-old Subodh Roy, took control of two armouries in Chittagong, raised the Indian National Flag, and declared independence under a Provisional Revolutionary Government operating under the Indian Republican Army. They achieved a siege of remarkable magnitude, against the fully trained and equipped British military.

It took an inordinately long period for new research and interpretations of Indian history to percolate into the school textbooks of independent India. The Uprising of 1857, for example, continued to be referred to as the “Mutiny” of 1857 (a term the British chose in order to minimize the spread and impact of a people’s uprising that enveloped large parts of the subcontinent) in Indian classrooms and textbooks till the early 1970s. An event that however never got upgraded in school textbooks from the status of an “armoury raid” to the popular anti-colonial uprising that it really was, is the Chittagong Uprising of 1930-34. The British used the word “raid” to wish away a challenge that shook their administrative apparatus, and morale, to the core. Wonder why, though.

The revolutionary chapter (or what Chatterjee says has been inaccurately called the “terrorist” chapter) of the freedom movement had a complex and not entirely inimical relationship with the non-violent freedom movement led by the Congress under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi. This took very interesting forms in colonial Bengal, of which Chittagong was a part. All the six original leaders of the Chittagong Uprising – Surjya Sen, Nirmal Chandra Sen, Lokenath Bal, Ambika Chakrabarti, Ananta Singh and Ganesh Ghosh, were participants in the Congress-led Civil Disobedience movement launched in 1919. They were bitterly disappointed by Gandhi’s decision to call off the movement in 1922 in the wake of the Chauri Chaura incident. It was as members of the District Congress Committee and other mass fronts of the Congress that they planned and trained for the armed attack on the Chittagong armoury, police headquarters and European club on April 18, 1930, an attack they hoped would yield them a sufficiently large quantity of arms and ammunition. They hoped it would be the prelude to a general uprising. They built up an ‘army’ amongst teenage recruits who were given physical training in physical training clubs, and secret training in arms under cover – a parallel activity which the district administration did not get wise to.

Despite an unforeseen hitch at the last minute, the carefully planned operation goes off flawlessly and takes an unprepared administration totally by surprise. “The strategy and success of the uprising,” Chatterjee writes, “rested on two conditions: the first was to capture the enemies’ armouries and the second was to repulse the attack of the enemy and protect the provisional republican government for as many days as possible”. The revolutionaries were however forced to change direction mid-stream owing to a fatal failure of intelligence on their part. While the armoury contained the best collection of weapons in the district, this proved quite useless, as the ammunition to use it was not stored there. A new magazine had been recently built which the revolutionaries did not know about.

Their plans in disarray, the leaders responded to the situation on instinct. Chatterjee describes the events that followed. The original group found itself separated and in two. The bigger group, largely comprising tired but exhilarated teenagers who did not know the extent of the setback they had suffered, retreated with “Masterda” (as Surjya Sen was called), Nirmal Sen and Ambica Chakrabarti into the Nagarkhana Hills that flanked Chittagong. Around four days later, in what came to be known as the “Battle of Jalalabad” – in a showdown with the mighty Queen’s army, this poorly armed group of 55 men and boys engaged a fully armed battalion of British troops numbering several thousand at Jalalabad hills. 10-12 of them achieved martyrdom, but not before taking down eighty of the colonizers. Several among the group sustained injuries while Ananta Singh, Ganesh Ghosh and two others had an eventful time, evading arrest and reaching Calcutta with great difficulty.

Striking and graphic accounts of the battle of Jalalabad, the encounter at Dhalghat, the attack at Pahartali and the underground resistance form the core of the book. Chatterjee scores in giving a human face to the dry bones of history. The enigmatic ‘Masterda’, the irrepressible Kalpana Dutta and the brooding, tragic Pritilata Waddedar all come alive with their zeal and fervour, love and loss.

Chatterjee traces the continuation of the struggle through many a tortuous twist. The official backlash was heavy (by the end of 1931, Chittagong had come under virtual martial law and the administration had special powers to arrest, detain and punish anyone it thought were connected with the revolutionaries). The survivors of Jalalabad broke up into groups to continue the resistance which now spread to the villages; more recruits joined the struggle, including Kalpana Dutta and Pritilata Waddadar (who chose to commit suicide in an armed action rather than be caught or surrender); several leaders were captured by the police; and an extensive plan to effect the escape of some of the jailed leaders was discovered and foiled by the authorities. Masterda and his comrades, continuously on the run, were finally caught in February 1933. Kalpana Dutta, Tarakeshwar Dastidar and a group of others were arrested in May that year.

The British hanged Surjya Sen along with his fellow revolutionary Tarekeshwar Dastidar on January 12, 1934. But before the death sentence was carried out ‘Masterda’ was brutally tortured. It was reported that the British executioners broke all his teeth with a hammer, plucked out all the nails from his fingers and toes and broke every limb and joints in his body. He was then dragged to the gallows unconscious. After his death nobody performed his funeral. The prison authority, it was found later, put his dead body in a metallic cage and dumped it into the Bay of Bengal. No tomb, plaque, or saintly epithets for him and his ilk… in independent India too. Sadly.

The Chittagong Uprising, Manini Chatterjee persuasively argues, marks a new stage in the participation of women in the freedom struggle. While the Gandhian movement drew women into ‘satyagraha’ in large numbers, the revolutionary movement attracted fewer women but offered them a different quality of experience and involvement, indeed of equality with their men comrades. While Chittagong may have been the first “instance of women decisively crossing the Lakshman Rekha that bound them to home and family” it was not, as Chatterjee suggests, the only instance of this happening. Women continued, at great cost to themselves and to their families, to cut themselves off from traditional support structures and join movements that sought to bring change in radical ways. Women who had cast off traditional roles during a period of struggle found it far more difficult than men to pick up the pieces and reconstruct their lives in “peace time”. They found that while they had changed, the societies in which they lived had not.

This is a book well researched and well told, and certainly enriches our understanding of an important part of our history.

Details of the Book: Do and Die: The Chittagong Uprising: 1930-34 by Manini Chatterjee/ Manini Chatterjee/ pp. 356/ Paperback/ Publisher: Penguin Books India (14-Oct-2000)/ ISBN-10: 0140290672/ ISBN-13: 978-0140290677/ Price: Rs. 295.

Photograph: Pic courtesy: Link.

Reviewed by: Roshmi Sinha (cross posted from here).

Man, Woman and Child by Erich Segal

Roshmi — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 11:01:00 +0000

This one came after the classic ‘Love Story‘ and the tepid ‘Oliver’s Story‘… and went on to become an international bestseller and a major motion picture.

Every book of Erich Segal is a delightful read and this one is no different. It explores the relationship between as the title suggests, ‘man and woman’, ‘woman and child’ and ‘child and man’. The only thing is that the child is not ‘theirs’, but is the result of ‘his’ affair with ‘another’ woman on a business tour. The novel details the lives of Robert and Sheila Beckwith and their daughters Jessica and Paula.

In the shape of this novel, comes yet another unforgettable story of love… penned by the master storyteller Erich Segal. The drama of a father and the son he never knew… and a marriage that must stand the greatest test of all. Robert (Bob) and Sheila Beckwith had everything, rewarding careers, two wonderful daughters (though Robert sometimes wishes for a son), and a perfect marriage. Well, almost perfect. For what Sheila didn’t know was that Robert had once been unfaithful – only once, ten years ago during a business trip to France. He had an accident and then had an affair with the doctor (Nicole Guerin) who treated him. What Robert didn’t know was that his brief affair had produced a son. Now a tragic accident – and one fateful phone call – will change Robert and Sheila’s life… forever.

This is the story of a man in a dilemma… of keeping his family intact and happy and on the other hand, his love for a son who was born out of an affair a long time ago. The story is very simple… it is about how a family accepts a child as ‘their’ own… more importantly how Sheila, the ‘heroine’ accepts the child. Perhaps this novel is supposed to draw sympathy and understanding for human weaknesses.

Plot synopsis: Robert is contacted one day by a friend in France, who tells him that Nicole, a woman with whom Robert had had an affair years ago, has died – and Jean-Claude, the son Robert never knew he had… is now an orphan. That evening, Robert explains the situation to Sheila, and they agree to take in Jean-Claude for the summer holidays. However, they also agree to keep Jean-Claude’s true identity a secret. Once Jean-Claude arrives at their home, their daughters Jessica and Paula take to the little boy in a big way. However, the boy – Jean-Claude – keeps his distance while trying to cope with his situation and the loss of his mother – his only parent.

Later that summer, Sheila (a journalist) is tempted by the possibility of an affair with an author she has been interviewing. At the same time, Jessica and Paula discover Jean-Claude’s true identity, through Davey Ackerman, Robert’s friend Bernie Ackerman’s son. They are extremely shocked and hurt, and refuse to speak to their parents.

As the Beckwiths are bringing Jean-Claude to the airport to return to France, he suddenly falls ill and is hospitalized. After the surgery, during which the Beckwiths become closer again, he makes a full recovery. He agrees to return to France, but will return to visit them at each holiday.

The protagonist, Robert, seems very real… and imparts the feelings of a man torn between his family and his son quite admirably. Every emotion is depicted very nicely and the ending is as true as it can be. What is more important about this book is the way it shows the relationships developing and breaking between people because of one ‘incident’… or rather a single ‘indiscretion’. For example, we have the protagonist, Robert… who cannot let go of his son, and then there is Sheila… who just doesn’t seem to forgive her husband for his ‘mistake’. The story unfolds beautifully and ends with Sheila eventually coming to terms with the child, and the child finally winning her love and approval.

I am also fond of this Erich Segal classic as it inspired Shekhar Kapur’s first directorial venture, the much acclaimed 1983 Hindi film ‘Masoom‘ starring: Naseeruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi, Supriya Pathak and Saeed Jaffrey, as well as child actors Jugal Hansraj and Urmila Matondkar. Tanuja too appears in a small role. It is a bittersweet yet captivating story of how a happy family goes through turbulent times because of a ‘mistake’ committed by one of the family members, and the repercussions of bad decisions made by people who are in a sense, essentially good. ‘Masoom’ is a wonderful; touching film loved by many. It is a masterpiece by ace filmmaker Shekhar Kapur and has achieved the status of an evergreen hit film in India.

The actors portray their characters with such knowledge and ability that you feel as if you are watching the real day-to-day lives and incidents of a family. The basic theme of this film to me seems to be, “the power of love”. DK’s love for Rahul battles against his love for the rest of his family. And it is Indu’s love for D.K., and her eventual love and respect for Rahul, that keeps the family from being torn apart. It is a film about strength, about having the strength to love someone no matter what they have done. Shabana Azmi’s “Indu” is both fragile but incredibly strong and dignified. Naseerudin Shah plays “D.K.” with such courage, but also shows his weak side… convincingly. The beauty of the movie is that it is like an onion… it has layers and layers of meaning. Each time you watch the movie, yet another layer opens.

The film’s title, ‘Masoom’, means ‘innocent’, and there are a number of innocent victims of DK’s transgression, not least the boy Rahul himself, who only wants to be loved, to be part of the family, and to find his father. All the three child actors performed admirably, especially young Jugal Hansraj as Rahul. He was simply angelic. Urmila Matondkar who played the role of Pinky (the elder daughter of DK and Indu) grew up to be an acclaimed actress… in Bollywood. Aradhana essayed the role of the younger daughter (Minni). Not much is known of her though. No matter where she is or what she does/has done; we all have her face etched in our memories as the cute little girl from ‘Masoom’.

‘Masoom’ is about beauty in simplicity. The raw emotions and the innocent charm have a rare quality of freshness that is seldom seen these days. Every lyric had been well thought out, well placed and of course melodious. No wonder, the magic of the movie still works… with such a good script and such impeccable performances from the very versatile and brilliant Naseeruddin Shah and the legendary Shabana Azmi. In this film, both vied for equal honors.

‘Masoom’ also features a handful of nice and hummable songs by the late music maestro, Rahul Dev Burman. The song, ‘Lakdi ki kathi‘ from this film was very popular too. My particular favourite is the one sung by Dr. Anup Ghoshal, ‘Tujhse Naraaz Nahin Zindagi, Heiraan Hoon Mein‘. A classic song with touching lyrics:

Jeene ke liye socha hi nahi, dard sambhalne honge
Muskurain toh, muskurane ke karz utaarne honge
Muskuraoon kabhi to laagta hai
Jaise honthon pe karz rakhaa hai.

Tujhse naraaz nahin zindagi, heiraan hoon mein…
Ohhh heiraan hoon mein…
Tere masoom sawalon se pareshan hoon mein,
Ohhh pareshan hoon mein…

Aaj agar bhar aayi hai, boondein baras jaayegi
Kal kya pata inke liye aakhen taras jayegi
Ohhh, jaane kahan gum huwa, kahan khoya
Ek aansu chhupake rakhkha tha…

Sheer magic! Hats off to the poet, lyricist and filmmaker par excellence, Gulzar Saab.

Details of the book: Man, Woman and Child: Erich Segal, pp 224, Paperback, Bantam, ISBN-10: 9780553562354, ISBN-13: 978-0553562354, ASIN: 0553562355.

Photograph: The book jacket cover of Erich Segal’s Man, Woman and Child. Pic courtesy: link.

Reviewed by: Roshmi Sinha (cross posted from here).

>Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri

admin — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 03:42:00 +0000

The Unaccustomed Earth is a collection of eight short stories where Lahiri explores the cultural issues and differences between the American born second generation Indians and their parents, who migrated to the U.S. in the 70′s-80′s.

The first five stories are independant and the last three are about the same two people,Hema and Koushik.The best part is that each story is long enough and makes sure that the readers bond well with each of the characters.

Lahiri’s writing is just brilliant and I was effortlessly dragged into each of the stories. I have a feeling that I’ve lived with each of the characters, watched them closely as the story unfolded. I eventually got too involved that I was disappointed when each story came to an end. It was such an amazing experience to read this book! I was left wanting to hear more.

You know you’ve read a good book when you turn the last page and feel a little as if you have lost a friend. ~Paul Sweeney

That’s exactly how I felt with each of the stories! I keep the review short as the only thing I have to say is, if you still haven’t read The Unaccustomed Earth, make sure you pick it up fast.

Crossposted here.

>Salem’s Lot by Stephen King

admin — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 05:02:00 +0000

“Alone. Yes, that’s the key word, the most awful word in the English tongue. Murder doesn’t hold a candle to it and hell is only a poor synonym. . . .”

Ben Mears, a writer, moves back to his hometown – Jerusalem’s Lot. He has had a happy childhood, but not all memories of the Lot are good! He is haunted by an experience he had at a certain Marsten House and plans to stay there and face his demons once and for all. But he has no idea what is in store for him! A powerful force is about to enter the town and change it forever. Ben gets caught up in the evil, and before he knows it, the vampires are outnumbering the mortals in the town! It is now upto Ben and his friends to save the Lot, but not without paying a price.

Written in 1975, Salem’s Lot is a classic 70s horror fiction novel by Stephen King. It is King’s second novel, and it is also one of the best in the genre of vampire fiction! King admits that the book is heavily influenced by Bram Stoker’s Dracula. In fact he has stated that he wrote the novel after wondering what might happen if Dracula came back, in the 20th Century, in a sleepy little town in the middle of nowhere? Stephen King has also claimed that Salem’s Lot is his personal favourite of his books!

Salem’s Lot is a ‘vampire’ novel in the classic sense of the term. The vampires in this book are pure terror, and not at all romanticized. The vampire-human relationship doesn’t go much far beyond: Kill or be killed! One of the reasons I love Stephen King’s style is the way he establishes the characters. The vampires aren’t the only evil in the town. The Lot is full of its own mortal evils; it’s a dark place, a perfect setting for a story like this. And it isn’t long, before the darkness takes us, humans, over and we turn into pure monsters. There is evil lurking behind the minds of all people. It is not just the supernatural that can give you goosebumps, and Stephen King’s books are a perfect example of that. The descriptions are vivid, and the details are gruesome, and it is the perfect recipe for a horror novel! It scared the living daylights out of me.

Rating: 5/5

a review by Priya D

Learning to Learn by Claire Odogbo

Sweta — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 07:05:00 +0000

Genre: Learning Skills

Author: Claire Odogbo

Price: Rs. 315/

Publisher: Cinnamonteal Publishing

The author of the book “Learning to learn”, Claire Odogbo clearly proves through her book her excellence

as a professionally trained consultant in creativity and learning methods.

Claire demonstrates scientifically how every human being is born with a good measure of creative ability. The key message she conveys is Quote “Understanding yourself, your creative ability and how to use it correctly, is the secret of effective learning at any level of study.” The book makes one learn how to use various tools to gauge their potential and shows through various real life examples to convert them into achievements. The tools which the author advocates are Personality Types, Learning Styles and Timing Preferences for Biological Clock.

Various methods have been encouraged principally for a student to gain specific skills of effective learning. The book rules out various myths about learning methodologies like Note taking, Reading, Research, Class participation and showcases them in a new light. The reader is forced to shed his inhibitions and wrong habits at academics by simple practical approaches.

The author has done commendable work by not only emphasizing on the effective Learning Skills but by propagating how to process these skills and use tools like Mind Maps to utilize the 100% of brain capacity.

Reasons have been illustrated with graphs and data to show what causes decrease in recalling power. Eloquent methods have been shown to prepare for tests and crack the code of getting A+ in papers. There are things which are so obvious and in front of our eyes yet we overlook them casting a shadow on our success. The book is great effort to overcome such shortcomings in our academic life and it mentors you till the end by making sure you know how to handle success along with failure.

Author intelligently shows that when writing an exam one should answer the questions presented to them not what they think the question should be by advocating the six degrees of difficulties determining the level of questions which must be mastered by a student in the area of learning.

It is truly said that Brain like any other muscle needs its food too for proper functioning. The “Personal Development” section of the book caters to this need of the brain by giving accentuating, quote “Things you can do to exercise your mental faculties and stimulate them to healthy development and creativeexpression”.

This book is a unique attempt to entwine all the factors responsible for maximizing human potential and thus can be benefited by people from various strata of work force. The publishers “Cinnamonteal Publishing” have made the right move to put together the book in the best possible outlay and have marketed it well with its price rated at Rs. 315/- A good collection to be sought for by Libraries, schools, universities, students and individuals.

About the Author:

Claire Odogbo is a freelance consultant in creativity and learning methods. She hasover four years of experience in the use of the whole brain technique.

She has facilitated several “unleash the genius within” training sessions at schools and organizations. Claire is ACCA qualified.

Odogbo currently resides in Doha, Qatar with her husband and daughter.

She is a member of the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) and currently works as a Senior Consultant with PricewaterhouseCoopers Qatar.

(This book is reviewed by Sweta Lal. Sweta is an Engineer turned Writer, passionately follows this profession as a freelancer and is chasing her dreams now.)

Love Story by Erich Segal

Roshmi — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 19:07:00 +0000

“Remember the Roses” is a magnificent love story and one of my all time favourite short story with a touch of romance, along with that excellent Erich Segal classic: “Love Story”. I have read its sequel too… “Oliver’s Story”… but it does not come close to “Love Story”… my personal opinion, entirely.

Not just a story – “Love Story” is an experience. It shows us the amazing power of love. This 120 page short novel made me laugh many times during the reading, and when I finished it, I had tears in my eyes. This book is a work of art, a masterpiece of literature… it has not lost its power to move its readers. The first Sentence: “What can you say about a twenty-five-year-old girl who died? That she was beautiful and brilliant. That she loved Mozart and Bach. The Beatles. And me.” That first line summarizes this phenomenal bestseller and enduring classic. There is also the memorable line: “Love means never having to say you’re sorry”. Spoken twice in this novel/book, once by Jennifer when Oliver is about to apologize to her for his anger. The second time, said by Oliver… to his father when Mr. Barrett (his father) says, “I’m sorry” after hearing of Jennifer’s death… at the hospital.

The storyline: “Love Story” is romantic and funny, yet a tragic story, that nearly 40 years ago had an entire generation in love and in tears… and still do. It is the story of 2 young college grads, whose love was stronger then any of the tests life threw at them. Oliver Barrett IV: a Harvard jock and a (very) rich scion or heir to the Barrett fortune and legacy. Jennifer Cavilleri: a working-class, quick-witted daughter of a Cranston, Rhode Island baker, with not much money, but lots of love. Oliver (Ollie) was expected to follow in his father’s huge footsteps, while Jennifer (Jenny), a music major studying at Radcliffe College was to go on and study in Paris. Both come from very different worlds… opposites in nearly every way. But when they met, Oliver and Jenny immediately attract… the sparks flew, and we get involved with them as their love grows deep and strong. The story of Jenny and Ollie is a realistic story of two young people who come from two separate worlds and are joined together in the most unlikely of ways.

Upon graduation from college, the two decide to marry against the wishes of Oliver’s father, who thereupon severs all ties with his son. Without his father’s financial support, the couple struggles to pay Oliver’s way through Harvard Law School… with Jenny working as a private school teacher. Graduating third in his class, Oliver gets several job offers and takes up a position at a respectable New York law firm. Jenny promises to follow Oliver anywhere on the East Coast. The couple moves to New York City, excited to spend more time together… rather than in working and studying… as it was previously. With Oliver’s new income, the pair of 24-year-olds decide to have a child. It is from then onwards, that there are several unexpected twists and turns… that make us smile and breaks our heart too. After failing (i.e., after Jenny fails to conceive), they consult a medical specialist, who after repeated tests, informs Oliver that Jenny is ill and will soon die. Oliver then tries again. While this is not stated explicitly, Jenny appears to be suffering from leukemia.

As instructed by his doctor, Oliver attempts to live a “normal life” without telling Jenny of her condition. Jenny nevertheless discovers her ailment after confronting her doctor about her recent illness. With their days together numbered, Jenny begins (a costly) cancer therapy, and Oliver soon becomes unable to afford the multiplying hospital expenses. Desperate, he seeks financial relief from his father. Instead of telling his father what the money is truly for, Oliver misleads him. From her hospital bed, Jenny speaks with her father about funeral arrangements, and then asks for Oliver. She tells him to avoid blaming himself, and asks him to embrace her tightly before she dies. When Mr. Barrett realizes that Jenny is ill and that his son borrowed the money for her, he immediately sets out for New York. By the time he reaches the hospital, Jenny is dead. Mr. Barrett apologizes to his son, who replies with something Jenny had once told him: “Love means never having to say you’re sorry”… before breaking down in his arms.

Jenny’s character wins your heart as she unsuccessfully tries to thaw the relations between Oliver and his father, the way she spurs Oliver on (in law school studies, his hockey games) and so many more moments. The story is unique because of its many beautiful moments like Oliver’s marriage proposal, Jenny’s simplicity in thoughts, their supposedly do-it-yourself-wedding, etc. Jenny’s final words are a simple, “Thanks, Ollie”. Although the reader knows beforehand that Jenny is going to die, you somehow get so involved in the plot that you don’t want her to leave Ollie… ever. The ending of the book is so simple and stark that many, including myself have had to reread the chapter to enforce the ending of the story. This story will provide imagery and wisdom, through the lessons of the characters, for many hours of inner contemplation.

There is a “Gift of the Magi” moment in this story: Oliver turns his back on his family and fortune to marry Jenny. Jenny gives up her dreams of Paris and being a musician. But to each other, there is nothing as important as the other in their lives. When life throws them a tragic turn, they find solace in each other arms, and the reader cannot help but feel their pain and their deep love as well. Here is a love that will linger in your heart now and forever.

Details of the book: Love Story: Erich Segal, pp 144, Paperback, Harper Paperbacks, ISBN: 9780060748098.

Photograph: The cover of Erich Segal’s classic “Love Story”. Pic courtesy link.

Reviewed by: Roshmi Sinha (cross posted from here).

R K Narayan’s ‘Malgudi Days’ – My Reflections

Roshmi — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 06:36:00 +0000

I guess blogging came about when folks moved away from their ‘Dear Diary’ moments onto the web. I wish Anne Frank had lived to see this day.

I read somewhere that if you own a blog, it better be something special. I have also read that if one is not putting up something useful or interesting, they are not blogging, they are ‘blagging’. Needless to say, I have no intention of doing the latter! Who would want to read about boring and sub-standard stuff? Not me, for sure. I feel that’s a criminal misuse of sacred space.

But, this being my blog post, I will write about things/events/situations that affected me.

I want to write about ‘Malgudi Days’ today.

In 2008, Sir Jeffrey Archer, the well-known English novelist, playwright and short story writer was on a trip to India to promote his latest book ‘A Prisoner of Birth’. During one of his interactions with the press and public, he mentioned about his regret for not having read R.K. Narayan’s works before. I am sure he must be doing everything within his powers to get himself acquainted with the same, including the classic ‘Malgudi Days’.

The ‘creator’ of ‘Malgudi Days’ – R. K. Narayan (October 10, 1906 – May 13, 2001) shortened from Rasipuram Krishnaswami Ayyar Narayanaswami at the behest of Graham Greene, was one of the best-known and widely read Indo-English writers. He created the imaginary town of Malgudi, located on the banks of the river Sarayu and surrounded by the Mempi Hills, where realistic characters in a typically Indian setting lived amid unpredictable events. These characters have proved to be timeless. ‘Malgudi Days’ was my introduction to R.K. Narayan… and I love this classic author! I really enjoyed this collection… they are the kind of stories that will stay with you for several days after reading them.

There is a saying ‘Don’t judge a book by its movie’ or for that matter, serial, if I may say so. ‘Malgudi Days’ proved to be an exception. The serial was directed by the late Kannada actor/director, Shankar Nag in 1987, and was shot entirely near Agumbe in Shimoga district of Karnataka. Who can forget the famous ‘Ta na na tana na na naaaaaaaa’… the title song/melody (by L. Vaidyanathan) of the serial? It was as popular, if not more, than the stories dramatized by the serials themselves. One could almost feel the aroma of the lyrics!

Here is the link to this evergreen song: http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=bEq0tC3djcg&feature=related

Although television had arrived in India in the 1950′s, albeit in its black and white avatar, it wasn’t a mass media due to its high cost, logistics and other technical issues. The Government of India undertook several steps to popularize the medium. The 1970s and 1980s saw a boom in television programming. The Ministry of I & B – Government of India… invited independent producers and directors to shoot TV serials on a regular basis. ‘Hum log’, ‘Buniyaad’, ‘Neem ka ped’, ‘Waghle ki duniya’, ‘Mungerilal ke haseen sapne’, ‘Nukkad’, ‘Karamchand Jasoos’, ‘Byomkesh Bakshi’, ‘Office Office’, etc., were some of the memorable serials of this era. These serials have eluded the calls of father time. ‘Malgudi Days’ was also one such TV serial which left an indelible mark on the Indian television scenario.

The stories revolve around the protagonist, ten-year old Swaminathan. ‘Swami’… to his friends and family. Swami portrays the growing pangs of a boy who despises school, as he makes excuses and roams around Malgudi with his friends, playing cricket and day dreaming along the way. Swami’s father works in a government office (of the British Raj era) and his mother is a housewife. At home, Swami shares his adventures with his aged granny, who lovingly addresses him as ‘Chamy’. Swami also has two close friends – the hotheaded Mani and the son of the Police Superintendent, Rajam – a cocky, brash, rich kid. Master Manjunath enacted Swami’s character while the sketches for the serial were done by R.K. Narayan’s younger brother and acclaimed cartoonist, R.K. Laxman. There were about 39 episodes in all. ‘Swami and Friends’, ‘Vendor of Sweets’, ‘The Undelivered Mail’, ‘A Hero’, ‘The Hoard’, ‘Leela’s Friend’, to name a few. No one has captured the essence of rural India like R.K. Narayan and ‘Malgudi Days’ is a glittering example. Each story stands out for its simplicity, innocence and Indian ness. A must and a thoroughly enjoyable read. The TV series of the same name… has done complete justice to the original book.

Following is the link to these episodes for everyone who would love to relive their happy childhood and keep it for posterity: http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=R7xvU95eXLk

‘Malgudi Days’ has been an integral part of my growing up years. I still remember the excitement and the scramble to grab vantage spots in front of the television every time the serial came on air. As they say… ‘Old is gold’. Does that mean ‘New is silver’ or ‘new is bronze’ or ‘new is brass’ or ‘new is carbon?’… Hmmm. Food for thought. What say?

After the liberalization of the economy, with the advent of the cable TV, we were flooded with channels and thought we would be spoilt for choice! Since a mere DD telecasted so many good nay great serials, not to forget the two mythological epics ‘Ramayan’ and ‘Mahabharat’… we were about to see several high quality ones from every channel, each vying for the viewers attention.

Or so we thought. And were quickly brought down to terra firma, left to reminisce about the past glories of television serials. ‘Quality’ and ‘Quantity’ do not go hand-in-hand any more. Sadly.

How a village was transformed into R.K. Narayan’s fabled town: Early in the 1980s, director Shankar Nag handed John Devraj a sheet of paper. It was the script for Malgudi Days, based on R.K. Narayan’s stories set in a fictional town in Karnataka. From the words on that page, Devraj, a sculptor, musician, art director and town planner, was asked to create Malgudi in Agumbe, a village in the Western Ghats, roughly 400km from Bangalore, with a population of about 180 families.

Devraj began to fabricate carts, statues, trains, avenues, shops and temples. “I had to conceptualize everything from scratch,” he says. “I had to then make everything by hand-often working 20 hours a day.” Twenty-one years after Doordarshan took it off the air, Devraj’s handiwork is now available for viewing in Big Home Video’s two-volume DVD pack… as well as complete VCD set. Go grab them! What are you waiting for?

The task of building Malgudi was made even more daunting by Agumbe’s isolation and by Nag’s obsession with detail, note Devraj and several members of the crew. Production controller Jagadish Malnad recalls how one bright day, when everything was in place for a shot, a cloud suddenly floated in front of the sun. “Shankar motioned to me and asked me to move the cloud,” he says.

Nag, who was killed in a car accident near Bangalore in September 1990 at the age of 36, invested loads of energy and enterprise into imagining the minutiae of life in Malgudi. “Nothing you see on screen was a result of an accident or chance,” says Arundhati Nag, his wife, who also acted in the series. “He went about things with precision. He once asked Malnad to bring in a donkey (accompanied by its master) from Theerthahalli, 20km from Agumbe.”

Arundhati says the cast practically lived in the village “in fits and starts” over the three years it took to make the serial. “Agumbe was not accustomed to film crews, so they just let us into their homes,” she says. “The village became such a huge part of our lives that my daughter Kavya, who was a year old, went to school there.”

Like most of Narayan’s works, Malgudi Days is woven with ordinary concerns: the financial worries of a goat-herder, the glee with which a long-awaited letter is received. Nag was intent on preserving Narayan’s vision, says Ashok Mandanna, who played the role of a postman in the episode ‘The Missing Mail’. “We made the serial at a time when it was possible to take over an entire village and transform it into a fictitious place,” says Mandanna. “The logistics and cost of such an enterprise now would prevent people from remaking it.”

Arundhati agrees with Mandanna. “If Shankar were to make it today, I don’t know if he would try it,” she says. “I don’t think you can recreate what he did in 1987.” That became obvious when director Kavita Lankesh remade the series in 2006. Those episodes, which are also included in this package, lacked the full original cast and were shot in a bustling Agumbe that was twice removed from the sleepy village of Nag’s time. No wonder they failed to impress audiences when they aired on Doordarshan.

Here are some excellent captures from Agumbe… almost 25 years after Malgudi Days was shot… courtesy Photographer Aniruddha Chowdhury (link).

Details of the book: Malgudi Days: R K Narayan, pp 246, Paperback, Indian thought publications/Penguin Classics. Flipkart (link)

Photograph: A caricature of people seated at the foot of a statue of a man. Two birds are hovering above the statue, a bicycle is parked at its side, a cow is roaming by near it, and a bus is seen in the backdrop. The people at the foot of the statue include a street vendor, an old man and two others; they are engaged in conversation. Pic courtesy link.

Reviewed by: Roshmi Sinha (cross posted from here. Some info courtesy link).

>The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris

admin — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 17:34:00 +0000

Clarice Starling is an FBI trainee, and a smart and independent young woman. She hopes to work in the Behavioural Science department of the FBI to track down serial killers. Her mentor, Jack Crawford assigns her to the case of a certain serial killer known to all as ‘Buffalo Bill’. He sends her off to interview the infamous serial killer, Hannibal the Cannibal, hoping that he might be able to help them solve the case. Dr. Hannibal Lecter, once a brilliant psychiatrist, is now kept in a secluded chamber in high security in a mental institution. As the story unfolds, it is he who leads Clarice to the solution and helps her uncover the truth.

The Silence of the Lambs is a novel by American author Thomas Harris. Published in 1988, this book has won the Bram Stoker Award and is without a doubt one of the best in the genre of thriller fiction. The 1991 movie based on the book, starring Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins, has won the five most prestigious Academy Awards. The novel is fast paced and gripping, and at times, utterly gruesome, but with no unnecessary drama. The writing is wonderful and the novel haunts you for a long time even after you are done with it. It is like reading your worst nightmare, and somehow you just want to keep on reading. A wonderful combination of horror and suspense, this is truly an unforgettable story.

Harris has done a wonderful job with the characters of this novel. Dr. Lecter is such a genius, it is a wonder the FBI caught him at all, and apparently, the FBI seem to think so too. He is an animal, savage and truly frightening; but you see a faint glimmer of his human side when he is with the ambitious Clarice Starling. You can tell he admires her. Clarice knows the kind of cold blooded creature he is, and yet there is something about him that intrigues her, that makes her respect him. It is her growing desperation to solve the case and to save the victims that makes her pour her mind out to him, without actually ever intending to, and Lecter eagerly feeds on it. It is like a crude seduction. But the relationship between Starling and Lecter is just one twisted thread in the novel. The clock is ticking. And before you know it, you are sitting at the edge of your chair, hoping to stop the next victim from being skinned by the terrifying Buffalo Bill.

Rating: 5/5

a review by Priya D

>The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris

admin — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 17:34:00 +0000

The Silence of the Lambs is novel by American author Thomas Harris. Published in 1988, this book has won the Bram Stoker Award and is without a doubt one of the best in the genre of thriller fiction. The 1991 movie based on the book, starring Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins has won the five most prestigious Academy Awards. The novel is fast paced and gripping, and at times, utterly gruesome, but with no unnecessary drama. The writing is wonderful and the novel haunts you for a long time even after you are done with it. It is like reading your worst nightmare, and somehow you just want to keep on reading. A wonderful combination of horror and suspense, this is truly an unforgettable story.

Harris has done a wonderful job with the characters of this novel. Dr. Lecter is such a genius it is a wonder the FBI caught him at all, and apparently, the FBI seem to think so too. He is an animal, savage and truly frightening; but you see a faint glimmer of his human side when he is with the ambitious Clarice Starling. You can tell he admires her. Clarice knows the kind of cold blooded creature he is, and yet there is something about him that intrigues her, that makes her respect him. It is her growing desperation to solve the case and to save the victims that makes her pour her mind out to him, without actually ever intending to, and Lecter eagerly feeds on it. It is like a crude seduction. But the relationship between Starling and Lecter is just one twisted thread in the novel. The clock is ticking. And before you know it, you are sitting at the edge of your chair, hoping to stop the next victim from being skinned by the terrifying Buffalo Bill.

Rating: 5/5

a review by Priya D

1984 by George Orwell

Vishesh Unni Raghunathan — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 16:28:00 +0000

Terrifying, Horrific, Brutal and almost real!

Winston Smith is a rebel- but then to even think about doing anything against the party is a crime- thoughtcrime. Yet, he dares to step out of line and even starts a diary! He meets a girl- Julia and they fall in love- again something which would get them killed or worse. In the end they do get caught and are put through horrifying torture. The purpose as O’Brien says is not to merely kill the rebels, but to make them accept and love the party and Big Brother before they are finally shot.

The idea of Big Brother(the iconic leader) is based on Joseph Stalin. But unlike the latter, we do not know if he is a living person. Yet, Big Brother is everywhere, he listens to everything to you say, he watches everything you do(somewhat like God?). The world is constantly at war and though the statistics say otherwise, people’s ration are decreased almost every week. There are four ministries which rule Oceania(the world has three super powers- Oceania, Eurasia and Eastasia), i.e. Ministry of Love, Ministry of Peace, Ministry of Truth and Ministry of Plenty, which deal with controlling people though constant monitoring and torture, war, falsification and propaganda and controlling rations respectively.

You can feel a sense of despair through out the book, not only is it palpable, it starts affecting you. the arguments and ideas are driven through with pain and anguish- what if the world turns out to be like this? Or are we really heading to a world like this? Maybe not, hopefully.

The book flows much like a saw does through wood, slicing and making you question the motives of the world you live in. While it may seem the author is nihilistic- there is enough of salt in there to see what he sees. If in the last 60 or so years(since the book was written), the world hasn’t moved one bit of the knife-edge in terms of falling into a world of hatred and war, then surely there is something we need to think about.

Even in an age of democracy- you can’t but help draw parallels between the book and the present day situation. The picture is no way pretty. In the end you are left with a damning silence, wondering what is reality. The characters are almost alive, in fact you believe they are real. You live every second of the book and know through out what awaits you. It doesn’t matter, what you know, all that matters is what ‘they’ think you have to know. 2+2=5.

A must read book, but be prepared to answer questions which you never thought you would ask yourself. There is no happy ending- there is nothing that makes you smile anywhere in the book. Big Brother is watching you.

rating:-10/10

Originally Published Here.

The NoteBook by Nicholas Sparks

Jyoti Babel — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 13:37:00 +0000

‘The Notebook’ by Nicholas Sparks is a simple yet heart rendering love story. It will make you smile and cry often. It is about the belief that true love never dies or dims, it remains with you through the thick and thins of life. I will definitely recommend reading it.

The story starts with eighty years Noah Calhoun reading out his ‘Notebook’ to a lady who does not remember him, in a nursing home. It is the story of his life, his love story. He does it every day, in the hope that it with stir her memory and she will remember things from the past which she seldom does these days with only a few exceptions!

As he reads out his notebook, the story flashes back to his past to October 1946. It is the time when he had recently returned from war to North Carolina. To keep himself busy and to forget the adversities of war he spends all his time restoring an old plantation house, which he has recently purchased to its old glory. Despite his best efforts, his memory often slips to a time when he had met Allie, her love, fifteen years ago. He has never been able to forget her, the summer they had spent together. He has finally learnt to content himself with the memories and thinks that he would never be able to find her. And suddenly one day she turns up!

Allie is engaged to another man, Lon Hammond-A well know man and their marriage is just three weeks away. But she realises that the memories of her long lost love has never dimmed all these years and that is what makes her go back and meet him one last time. Things that followed the meeting changes their lives.

The story does not end there, in fact it is quite the beginning of their beautiful love story. The ending is not exactly a happy or a sad one but a mixture of the too which will make you smile and cry at the same time. True love is eternal but some times memories fade away, because there is always something that is not in our hand, some circumstances in life we can’t change or avoid. The love described in the story is profound. It is poignant love story that will move you deeply.

To quote from the book:

“I am nothing special; of this I am sure. I am a common man with common thoughts and I have led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten, but I’ve loved another with all my heart and soul, and to me,this has always been enough.”