C'est la vie!!

In the Convent of Little Flowers by Indu Sundaresan

2011-03-31T05:35:00.000-07:00

                   Having read 'The Twentieth Wife' by Indu Sundaresan , I immediately grabbed this book from flipkart as I seem to like the author's style of writing. Indu's writing is very contemporary and she covers Indian history as well as present day India in a very descriptive manner.
                  'In the convent of little flowers' is a collection of short stories with each story set against different parts of rural and urban India. The stories deal with many aspects of life .. marriage , freindship , death , betrayal ,etc . The first story takes you from Chennai to Seattle where an adopted Indian girl is suddenly getting to know the whereabouts of her biological mother. The story is very well written and a slight climax in the end makes it a pleasant read.
                    The story 'Three and a half seconds' is written in an unusual manner where only at the end of the story u realise the value of the title. Other stories deal with common issues such as parental betrayal , sati and wife swap practices and are written with elan and turn out to be quite penetrating.
                  An interesting afterword is available where Indu talks about how she was inspired to write each of these stories . Newspaper anecdotes and online articles and incidents from known people served as the themes for many of her stories in this book. Overall a good read on issues little publicized about in the Indian society

The sharper your knife the less you cry by Kathleen Flinn

2011-02-06T23:03:00.000-08:00

                    This book narrates a true life story of 36 year old Kathleen Flinn who pursues her long cherished dream. Kathleen when laid off from her high profile corporate job decides to pack bags and move to Paris - reason being a degree at the well renowned Le Cordon Bleu.
The story unfurls in a quaint manner ....like a diary entry with a mouth watering recipe to complement its conclusion. Each chapter talks about Kathleen's trials and triumphs at Le Cordon bleu. The friends she makes, the chefs she needs to deal with and the perfection that is expected all form a part and parcel of her life at Cordon Bleu.

                    I have always been a great fan of anything French - language , the country , the food , the fondue and what not. After recently watching the movie 'Julie and Julia' i was very inspired to try my hands at french cooking. After reading this book I am convinced that I should atleast enrol for a Basic Patteserie course in Le Cordon Bleu (maybe when I am 36!!)
                   Jokes apart this book is a good read. It could get a little boring at parts due to its monotony . However for anyone who wants insights into the Frencg chef's way of life you could grab this book.

The Secret by Rhonda Byrne

2010-09-19T21:33:00.000-07:00

                     'The Secret' is a book that I picked up from the Best Sellers rack in the book store. Having heard many reviews of this book including an exclusive show in Oprah Winfrey show dedicated to it, I was curious to read this much acclaimed book.
                      The book is based on a simple law termed 'The Law of Attraction' , the law that determines our destiny and draws things towards us. The primary concept of this book is that each individual is the author of his destiny and thinking positive powerful thoughts enables him to achieve his goal. At various points there are quotes from famous doctors, scientists , social workers ,etc discussing how they happened to transform their lives following 'The Secret'.
                      A lot of content of the book is based on the 'Ask , Believe, Receive' mantra. When you ask for something and whole heartedly believe that it will happen , you will reap the rewards. The first thought that came to my mind when I finished this book was that , a book published in the 20th century carries the same message present in the Indian vedas written eons ago . So great and priceless is our Indian Vedas and upanishads that 'The Secret' by merely picking gists of it has become a best seller.
                        Overall a good read and narrated in a very positive tone. Also the glossy pages with comforting text will make your reading interesting . A nice read for anyone looking for some optimism and hope in life :)

The Twentieth Wife by Indu Sundaresan

2010-08-20T10:24:00.000-07:00

   History has never ceased to amaze me and personally it was one of my favourite subjects back in school . I would almost always dreamily move into war zones , battle fields and court scenes in my imagination . My reverie during history classes would transport me to the Maurya kingdom , the Mughal grandoise or our very own modest Chera , Chola Pandya dynasties. However I always had an inclination towards the Mughal dynasty and like any one else Akbar's reign fascinated me .
   The Twentieth wife by Indu Sundaresan is a historical fiction set in the backdrop of the Mughal Empite. The book's protagonist is Meherun-nisa popularly known to the world as Noor Jahan.The story revolves around the undying love and passion that both Nur jahan and Jehangir had for each other from their adolescent days. However it took them more than fifteen years to sanctify it into a wedding. It depicts Nur jahan to be a strong willed woman , well learned and as a woman who could run the show with an iron fist. She proved to be a filial daughter , a dutiful wife , a nurturing mother and a soulmate to the Emperor. Though history glorifies kings and their conquests , very little is spoken about the women behind them running the show. This book could be an eye opener to people who thought that women were subdued characters in the yester years.
   This book gives us good insights into the Mughal way of life. The Mughal harem in particular is described in great detail . The harem comprised of the Emperor's wives, slaves , eunuchs and his concubines all pining to spend time with him . The one who would bear a son (heir) would be considered lucky.
   Primarily set in Lahore, Agra and Kabul this book is definitely an interesting read. It transports you to a time of pomp , grandeur and valour. A time about which we have read from mere text books. A book worth reading for anyone who likes history ...else you can just read it as a wistful romantic novel

The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy

2010-05-31T21:59:00.000-07:00

                      The much acclaimed book - 'The God of Small Things' won the booker prize in 1997 and ever since Indian women authors have shared a special respect in the literary circles. I wonder why I had postponed this book so long since books by Indian women always captivate me - be it Chitra Banerji or Jhumpa Lahiri or the most recent Indu Sundaresan .
                        The story is based around the life of dizygotic twins Estha and Rahel and the town of Ayemenen in Kerala forms the backdrop for the tale. The book entirely has a Kerala touch to it right from the pleasantaries used to the communist activists rampant there to the way grandparents are addressed as Mamachi and Pappachi. The story is told from the view point of the 7 year old twins and what is gripping is that it is filld with flash backs and forwards that sometimes you will have to context switch your mind to tune it from past to present to future.
                         The book left me with mixed feelings. Arundhati's writing style is indeed mind blowing . Her knack of drawing humour even in the saddest of situations makes it a good read. However the book was a tad too sad for me. It kind of left me thinking that there are people whose life is filled with hopelessness . There is no situation in the book where the family (the twins and their mom) see any form of happiness. Abandoned by a drunk dad ,admonished by their aunt (Baby Kochamma),being blamed for the death of their cousin ,Sophie all left me thinking that there is no light at the end of the tunnel for these characters.
                     A good read as it gives you a lot of insights into the Kerala culture . Also worth reading for the innocence dripping in the book since the incidents are narrated from a 7 year old's perspective. Overall a mixed bag of emotions with sadness ruling it .

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

2010-05-24T19:35:00.000-07:00

   The book begins with one of literature's most popular opening lines 'Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again' and this immediately transports us to the microcosm that Manderley turns out to be.
   Rebecca is one of the most reknowned British novels and a BBC poll even awarded it the 'Britain's Best Read' title. This novel is a tale of love , murder suspense interwoven with a fairy tale-ish touch and the captivating Manderley estate serving as a background as the story unfurls.
   The nameless narrator is faced with an impromptu proposal from Maxim de Winter who is the master of Manderley. Being young and literally homeless the young , naive girl agrees to be his bride. Little does she realise what she has in store when she reaches Manderley. Rebecca , Max's ex wife died in a sailing accident about a year back. Soon the narrator realises that the entire household is haunted by the late Rebecca 's memory. She finds it impossible to put herself in rebecca's shoes and take charge of the household. The rest of the story is about how a mystery unfurls regarding Rebecca's death and how to de Winters tackle it.
   An important character in the novel is Mrs Danvers, the efficient house keeper. She was Rebecca's maid from her child hood and she loathed the new bride as she could not imagine anyone taking her beloved Rebecca's place. She is cold to the new bride and even urges her to commit suicide saying she is out of Max's league.
   Overall the book turned out to be an entertaining read. Gripping at some points and very vividly descriptive at other instances.The book has also been made into an Alfred Hitchcock movie which won two academy awards. This book will be my entry for OT 2010 (country - England since Daphne was an English born writer)

A Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

2010-05-10T02:54:00.000-07:00

                      I was looking to read something different from my usual monotonous reading routine and what could be more interesting than a Sherlock Holmes novel!!! So I picked up 'A Study in Scarlet' which surprisingly is the first book written featuring Sherlock Holmes.
                      The book gives a background about Dr Watson's life and how he got acquainted with the famous Holmes. They move in together to the unforgettable 221B Baker Street (which now of course has become a house hold name) and Holmes never ceases to ammuse Watson with his observation skills.
                     The plot of the book then moves on to a murder mystery where the murderer does not kill for money but for revenge. Holmes deduces the traits of the suspect by sheer observation and analytical ability much to the surprise of Watson (the famous 'Elementary my dear Watson' dialogue however is missing in this book :)) . Holmes earns Watson's adulation in the very beginning and soon even Watson begins to involve himself in the sleuthing bit.
                       Any other details about the story would be a give away as it is a typical Sherlock book. A refreshing read and it brought back a lot of memories of school days where summer vacations were spent reading Sherlock Holmes' adventures.
P.S. This is also my entry for the OT 2010 ( Sir Arthur is Scottish hence I will post this under Scotland reviews)

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

2010-04-11T20:08:00.000-07:00

   The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society(TGLPPPS) is as distinct and entertaining as its name suggests. I was initially wary of picking it up since the plot is set against World War II and I felt that it could have an unsettling effect on me if gory incidents were mentioned. However this book proved me all wrong ...the novelty of this book lies in the fact that World War incidents are interwoven with tales of camaraderie,love and books :)
   TGLPPPS is an impromptu society that gets formed when a bunch of Guernsey residents are spotted on the road past curfew time by the Germans. The addition of potato peel pie to the name has an interesting background to it - in the absence of flour and other ingredients needed for the pie during war time,potato peel was used as a substitute. This was served during the literary meetings and hence appended to the society's name.
   This book is written in an epistolary manner and through each letter you will see the characters come to life. The beauty of this book lies in the fact that the content of a letter would help you paint vivid images of the person writing it. Juliet Ashton the protagonist of this book is a character whom you will completely fall in love with as you read on. She is 30 something, single, a confused writer wondering about the plot of her next story. A few letters from Guernsey sets her mind ticking and soon she lands there to meet friends whom she was only met through letters.
   Throughout the book there are references to works of Charles Lamb , Bronte sisters , Jane Austen , Oscar Wilde and what not. It is a treat for any literary loving person as they discuss Wuthering Heights and Pride and Prejudice.
   Juliet Ashton would often mention that though she had not met the people in Guernsey she felt she was a part of them. I got the same feeling about all of them . I could imagine living in Guernsey with Isola and Dawnsey and Kit and Eben. (the characters in the book)As I was reading the book , I felt closer to some of the characters , fell in love with some , adored a few ...felt like I was living next door with them. This is one of the very few books in recent times that has made me feel this way. A truly heart warming read.
   TGLPPPS is a must read for any one who loves a dash of literature thrown in with World War details. It is a book that is a complete page turner as you would want to get closer to the characters.It is a book that would make you feel like a part of you was in it. An awesome read and one of the best books I ve read in a while.
P.S. This is my first entry for Orbis Terrarum 2010

The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown

2010-03-15T21:56:00.001-07:00

Personally I am quite fond of Dan Brown's works and his books never cease to amaze me. I picked up 'The Lost Symbol' hoping it would be an engrossing read and it didn't let me down one bit.

'The Lost Symbol"'s primary hero is still Robert Langdon who deciphers cryptic symbols and archaic transcripts like its a child's play. However that is just a meager part of the main plot. The plot revolves around the FreeMasonry brother-in and how they hold the key to the Ancient Mysteries of the world. It might sound convoluted in the beginning but as you read and grasp the philosophy highlighted in the book it leaves you dumbfounded.The plot is set in Washinton D.C and the description of the places are very vivid.

Peter Solomon,a free mason entrusts a talisman in the hands of Robert Langdon. However little does he realise that a person out there wants to take possession of it and decipher it at any cost. To obtain the talisman , Malakh takes Peter under custody. He also tries to destroy Peter's sister, Katherine's work. Katherine conducts experiments and research on Noetic science which if proved succesful could change the way the world thinks. The rest of the story is about how Robert and Katherine save Peter and also end up deciphering the Ancient Mysteries.

This book however is a little different from Dan's previous books. Apart from the mystery involved , there is so much of philosophy that is explained . What appealed to me the most, were the references to hindu and Indian philosphy. He talks about how are ancient scriptures are so rich with information that science draws its inspiration from the Vedas. To quote an example he says that Heinsenberg's uncertainity principle which we all have come across in Physics , drew its origin in the Upanishads . Dan stresses that the concept of dualism is the one introduced by Lord Krishna. He gives instances of the various practices followed and their significance and original meaning.

The final few chapters are extremely interesting and his perception of God and humans is mind blowing. It gives you a completely new perspective of life. However I dont want to go on more about it as it would be a spoiler to anyone who hasn't yet read the book.This book is a fascinating read and I would recommend it to anyone who likes philosophy and mystery rolled into a unique book.

Man,Woman and child by Erich Segal

2010-01-26T06:46:00.001-08:00

It is truly coincidental that the day I picked up this book to read was the same day that Erich Segal was declared deal. I have always liked his books and my personal favourite was 'Doctors'. I was so drawn by the characters in that book that i started drawing analogies of the those characters to my classmates.

The book 'Man , Woman and Child' is a story which we would have come across in numerous Bollywood movies. It is basically about infidelity in marriage and it goes a step further when an illegitimate kid born of the affair.

The Beckwiths are a perfect family until Sheila Beckwith gets to know about her husband's affair in France. To complicate matters , he has a child out of wedlock and the mom of the child is dead. The rest of the story is about how the wife and children come to terms with this delicate situation.

The story briefly touches upon the lives of the various characters but none of them leave a lasting impression on you. It is a simple read with a shallow story and a kind of predictable ending. It definitely does not live up to the author's renowned books like 'Doctors' and 'The Class'.

To Sir with Love by E.R. Braithwaite

2010-01-18T21:02:00.000-08:00

I am winding up the Orbis Terrarum challenge of 2009 with this final book by an author from Guyana. Though technically is is already 2010 and past my deadline to post the review , I say 'Better late than never'
This book is an autobiography of Braithwaite where he narrates the various testing times he had to go through to find a place in the hearts of his students. Edward is a coloured person who takes up a job as a teacher in a school in London. He is faced with copious amounts of racial discrimination and is subject to ill treatment.
The crux of the story is about how he brings about a change in a batch of unruly students who are disrespectful, crude and unkempt. He rectifies their behaviour , enforces them to address each other with courtesy and even makes them dress up more tidily. The story is about how students behave when you treat them like young adults and explain things to them without being dogmatic and dominating .
The book is a very simple read and the story is very heart warming. It kind of makes you look back on school life and reminisce on a few teacher(s) who made a difference to your life. Pick it up if you are looking for a light book with a touch of sensitivity .

2 states-The story of my marriage by Chetan Bhagat

2009-12-01T03:44:00.000-08:00

2 states is a book that does not even need a review since anything that Chetan Bhagat writes sells. In all the book stores ,this book is already on the best-sellers shelf and while waiting in the billing queue , I probably saw every person having this book in hand.

The story is simple ,straight forward and middle-class like which would immediately appeal to any youth in India. It revolves around Krish and Ananya who come from backgrounds that are poles apart and decide to marry. The story is typically about how in India , you don't just marry the person..you also marry the family. So the author describes the turmoils and frustrations that go into getting the parents' consent.

Krish, a Punjabi guy with a brash mom who can't think of anything but calory laden food and the "worth" of her son is scandalized when she hears that her son has fallen in love with Ananya. On the other hand Ananya hails from an orthodox Tamil family whose outlook is traditional to the T. The various plots,schemes and adjustments that the two of them make in order to get the families to accept them is quite amusing.

The plot is centred around Ahmedabad,Delhi and Chennai. Being a true blue Chennaiite I felt that Chetan Bhagat had exaggerated and ridiculed many traits of the Tamilians. Initially i found myself nodding in amusement, however there was an overdose of it. For instance he ridiculed the fact that people ate out of banana leaves and kept inquiring if the leaf also should be eaten. I felt he was being to petty despite being an IIT/IIM grad. :)

Altogether this book is a total breezy read. A story so central to many of our lives and reactions so typical of our parents'.I am not a great fan of Chetan Bhagat, however this book is way better than his recent ones like 3 mistakes of my life and one night at a call centre.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

2009-11-01T22:17:00.000-08:00

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is my next entry for the Orbis terrarum challenge - I have landed in Sweden this time. The book is primarily set in Sweden and the author, the late Stieg Larsson is also Swedish.
This book is the first of the millennium trilogy and it proved to be a complete page turner. Murder mysteries have always aroused my enthusiasm and this book was no different. The story had everything - suspense , climax, mystery, murder,libel all rolled into one enthralling read. This book was termed as one of the best sellers of the year but I was a bit apprehensive about picking it up because it is a mere translation of the original Swede book. I was wondering if it would bring out the content and depth of the original. However it turned out to be one of the best detective/murder mysteries I have read in the recent times.
The gist of the story is as follows : Nearly 40 years ago Harriet Vanger disappears from Hedeby island. This island is primarily occupied by a powerful business family , the Vangers. On the day of her disappearance there were many social events that took place on the otherwise isolated island. Hence the number of suspects is enormous. Also neither was her corpse found nor was there any witness which makes the mystery even more thrilling.Henrik Vanger who is her guardian does not wasnt to give up the search and so he hires Mikael. Mikael Blomkovist is a journalist convicted of libel and his magazine is on the verge of sinking. In his effort to save his skin and reputation , he agrees to solve the mystery.
Actually this story has two mysteries that are interwoven with each other - one is Harriet Vanger's disappearance and the other is about Lisabeth Salander's life. Lisabeth Salander is Mikael's accomplice in solving the mystery. However she is not a typical 'goody two shoes ' detective a la Nancy Drew and Miss Marple. She is a complete dare devil ,a professional hacker, a master of disguises and would go to any extreme to get her facts straight. Infact her past life and her actions seem to be like a mystery of its own.
There are parts of the book that are kind of gross and a bit too gory to bear. However that apart its a completely gripping read. I would recommend it to anyone who is waiting to read a fast paced book. This book has made me want to complete the trilogy series. So keep waiting for reviews on the next book- 'The Girl who played with fire'

Little Women by Louisa May Olcott

2009-10-07T01:27:00.000-07:00

The penultimate book for my classics challenge is 'Little Women'. A funny incident made me select this book. I was watching an episode of the popular TV series 'Friends' where Rachael asks Joey to read a classic named 'Little Women'. Joey immediately springs up with the question ' Rach, how little were they" .
Jokes apart, when I picked this book , the first thing that struck me was its size -it was nearly the size of my pillow ...infact thicker. After reading 'Animal Farm' just a few weeks earlier which hardly spanned to 100 pages, this book was my 'Everest'. However reading a classic is always wonderful no matter how long it takes and so I went ahead with it.
The book clearly stands for all that Louisa Alcott was - a feminist , an abolitionist and a bread winner for the family .The book is set in the American Civil war period and revolves around the lives of four young sisters and the triumphs and hardships faced by them. The book is so simple , refreshing and a delight to read. The first few chapters of the book characterizes the March sisters (namely Meg,Jo, Beth and Amy) to perfection that you would feel like you've known them forever.

The central theme of this book is the importance of family in a person's life. In every other page the author would have stressed the need of family and the comfort that a family brings to you. In this book , the March sisters are portrayed to be truly altruistic beings. They are so selfless that they are willing to sacrifice anythin for their parents'or sibling's happiness.

The book begins when the girls are barely in their teens and are brought up by their caring,practical and strong willed mom. The story unfurls into how each of them go their different ways, pursue the profession they want and ultimately find the man of their dreams.However the setting is not always merry and jubilant. The girls are made to face testing times with their dad hurt in the war , with a sibling in her death bed and poverty. However through all this they find comfort and support in each other.

This book is one of the best classics i have read. Louisa wrote this book for 'girls' based on the experiences of her childhood. It might not be very romantic or flowery as other classics , however it carries a strong theme that makes it worthwhile.

Classics Challenge 2009

2009-07-24T02:19:00.000-07:00

Classics have always been my personal favourite and in my 'growing up' years I remember being totally intrigued by Jane Austen's works. There was a time when I was engulfing so many classics as it transported me to a world so different than mine. However after a while the number of classics read started dwindling to a point where I forgot how it feels to read one . To re kindle my love for classics I have joined the Classics Challenge hosted by Trish .
I have opted for the 'Classics Snack' where I need to read 4 classics by the end of the year .
My list so far (subject to change) :
1. Animal Farm - George Orwell
2. Anne of Green Gables - L.M.Montgomery
3. Little Women -Alcott
4. (Thinking which one to choose ...suggestions are welcome )

Animal Farm by George Orwell

2009-07-21T03:20:00.000-07:00

Animal Farm by George Orwell is a novel which provides an unique insight into the Russian Revolution of 1917. Orwell in a very creative manner analogizes human traits and raw animal characteristics. He conveys that how greed , ignorance and all the negative factors can prevent us from creating an Utopian World.
The book starts off with how all the animals in 'Manor Farm' decide to drive out their master because they felt they were being treated cruelly. The animals got together and framed 7 commandments that they would follow once they ruled the farm themselves. After successfully de -throning the master , the pig named Napoleon takes full charge of the farm. Napolean the pig actually depicts the traits of Joseph Stalin.
Napoleon becomes a total tyrant and he becomes a self proclaimed leader. He disillusions the other animals into thinking that their lives were much more relaxed , while in reality they were actually stressed . In a very tricky manner he amends the 7 commandments and fools the gullible animals. The highlight is when he amends the commandment 'All animals are equal' to 'All animals are equal but some animals are more in equal' . He uses this commandment to his complete advantage and all the pigs start misusing their power and start behaving like humans.
The book amazes me because of the fact that in 150 pages, Orwell communicates such a heavy topic in a light herated manner using animals that talk . It is indeed ingenious. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes classics. This book would be my second entry for the Classics challenge hosted by Trish .

The English Teacher by R.K.Narayan

2009-07-17T02:26:00.000-07:00

After 'virtually' globe trotting to various countries due to the orbis terrarum challenge, I realised that it has been a while since I read anything simple and Indian ...and what could be better than curling up with an R.K.Narayan book on a summery day ,sipping coffee andthoroughly enjpying the experience.

"The English Teacher" by R.K.Narayan is a spiritual journey of a man in his quest to reconnect with his deceased wife. Though the subject may sound heavy and unfathomable , Narayan in his true style has made the book quite interesting. This story from its various incidends seems to be set in the pre independence era (or rather just before the Britishers left India).

The story is about the life of Krishna , a professor teaching English in Albert Mission School.He leads a regular mundane life which suddenly seems to spicen up with his daughter and wife moving in with him. His marital bliss doesnt last long as his wife passes away due to typhoid. The rest of the book is about how he deals with his wife's loss , raises his daughter and finds a way to communicate with his dead wife.
Krishna in trying to come to terms with his wife's death finds that life is just a big illusion. He starts reflecting on life in a new manner. He finds inner peace and contentment due a unique communication that he establishes with his deceased wife.
The book is full of vivid pictures of south Indian traditions and practices. It kind of makes people like me imagine how my fore fathers would have lived. It is so simple , crisp and very well written. This 140 page book is a nice read for anyone who is a great fan of R.k. Narayan and his Malgudi days :)

Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding

2009-07-07T01:27:00.000-07:00

For the orbisterrarum challenge I leaped all the way from the woods of Canada to contemporary Britain. After reading a classic like Anne of Green gables I moved to a completely different genre book - Bridget Jones's diary
The book as the name suggests comprises of the diary notes that a 30 something spinster (oft quoted as 'Singleton' in the book )makes every single day . The book is an ensemble of all the incidents and happenings in the life of Bridget Jones .
Since most of us would have seen the movie , the book is no different . It revolves around the life of Bridget who is single and who just loathes the one question - "When are you getting married ?" . In an attempted humorous way , the book talks about her relationship first with her cold , infidel boss Daniel and later with a more sensible Mark Darcy. Apart from that there are rambles about how she makes resolutions to lose weight and cut down on alcohol etc.
The one annoying character in the book was Bridget's mom. She proved to be extremely nagging and over flirtatious. Also she was extremely critical of everything that Bridget wore and said. In fact the preface of the book says " Thanks to my mom for not being like Bridget's " :)
Apart from that the book was a mediocre read. A very mundane account of the happenings in Bridget's life. I would definitely not call it a "must read". However anyone who has not seen the movie and would like to read the book might find it interesting.

Anne of Green Gables - L.M.Montgomery

2009-06-04T01:09:00.000-07:00

My next stop for the orbis terrarum challenge would be in the land of the maple leaf - Canada! I read the book "Anne of Green Gables" based on the rave reviews that I have been reading about it. I was quite surprised that in my school years I had not come across this series.
Anne of Green Gables is the first book of this series and Maud's style of writing is indeed laudable
The book revolves around the life of Anne Shirley who is an orphaned child and comes to live with the brother sister duo ,Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert. Within the first few pages of the book, I fell in love with the extremely affable and gregarious Anne. Anne is so full of life, our typical day dreamer and a person you could not resist liking. Anne was adopted by the Cuthberts by accident since they were looking for a helper boy and not a chatty , dreamy girl. However Anne being her usual amicable self , found a place in the Cuthbert's home. The rest of the book is about how well Anne fits in the Green gables household.
There are parts of the book that made me want to go back to the secure comfort of being a 11 year old child. A phase where you could dream about anything and everything without wondering if they would ever come true. Maud brings to life the desires, whims and fancies of a child. She amuses you with Anne's antics and quirks.Apparently , Mark Twain wrote to Montgometry that in Anne Shirley she had created " the dearest and most lovable child in fiction since the immortal Alice"
This book is definitely very 'Enid Blytonish' and for all those who grew up reading her books, am sure you'll like this book too. I regret to have not read this book at a younger age where would have related to it more. However better late than never ...this book definitely wins my 2 cents :)

Marley and Me by John Grogan

2009-05-18T01:55:00.001-07:00

For the orbisterrarum challenge my next stop would be the USA . I happened to read the book Marley and Me a few days back and boy did I love it!!It is a truly heart warming narration of the joys and emotions that a dog brings to you .
Marley and Me by John Grogan will have you smiling at some points , amused at other times and will make you weep like a baby towards the end. This was one book that I just could not put down once I started reading it. Though I haven't owned a dog , I could relate to the book so well that I felt that the labrador in the book was mine.
This book is about a labrador retriever, Marley that is always getting into trouble. The owners John and Jane find it difficult to control his antics and decide to send him to obedience school. But Marley being the true brat , was promptly thrown out. Apart from this the master finds out that Marley is terrified of rains,storms and creates a wreck when he has to encounter them. Inspite of all this shortcomings Marley served as a pillar of support to the family. He was the comforting factor in Jane's life when she had a miscarriage. He connected well with the Grogon kids and kept an eye on them . He was very much a part of the Grogon family that they could not imagine life without him.
The book in many places describes the emotions and unconditional love that a dog gives you. The author feels that all a dog expects from you is a liitle bit of love and in return he gives you his complete love, gratitude and loyalty. ..something that is difficult to find amongst the humans.
A dog makes you realise the true meaning of love and compassion . Until the dog is gone you fail to realise the void it creates in your life.
I have had many friends who refused to own a second dog because parting with the first was immensely painful. You feel as if your family is incomplete once they die. The sad part is a dog's life never exceeds 14 years and there is a sure possibility that you would have to live through their death. This concept is described very well in this book .
This is one book that I thororoughly enjoyed reading ...it totally overwhelmed me . A book that is sure to touch any dog lover's heart . A book that would make you yearn to own a dog :)

The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga

2009-04-30T03:22:00.000-07:00

The much acclaimed book 'The white tiger' was one of the books I was itching to read.The reasons being the fact that not only was the author a booker prize winner but also a Chennai born.
The narration of the story was refreshing as it was based on letters written to a Chinese premier, in a style very different from other contemporary books.
The content is our every day rags to riches story of a commoner named Balram Halwai. However it is the narration and the wit of the book that keeps you going.
The story is centred around the life and plights of the servant class in India. The picture he paints of the trauma that the servile class undergo is partly true (though not completely). The author uses subtle wit and humour to mock at the various characters and their doings.
I have conflicting views on the book. At one hand I could relate to the fact that 'In India you do not have drivers, gardeners,etc. You only have servants'. He says that irrespective of what you have been appointed for you should be able to fit into another servant's shoes with ease. Thus a driver would also need to sweep the floor, make dinner and cater to the master's whims. However the portrayal of the master's cruelty and insensitivity is slightly overboard.
There are parts of the book which make me think 'Why does he have to portray India as a poor ,destitute country living in "Darkness"?'However certain parts of it make me smile as I find some of the incidents so real
In short it is definitely worth a read. Once you start reading it you wont realise that you have reached the end of the book - it is that interesting.

Purple hibiscus - Chimimanda Ngozi Adichie

2009-04-22T04:17:00.000-07:00

I read the Purple Hibiscus as a part of the Orbis Terrarum challenge . The author is from Nigeria and this book truly was quite a different read
Its about the life of a 15 year old girl, Kambili whose life is bound by rigid schedules set by her father. Her life just revolves around church , studies, reciting the rosary and 'set-aside' family time. Suddenly her life changes when she visits her liberated, hip, broad minded aunt whose house seems to be filled with incessant laughter , joy and contentment. Kambili sees that though she lived with great comfort in her parental home, she lacked the sense of joy and independence which she enjoyed in her aunt's house.
This story is set in the background of the Nigerian unrest. The author describes so many conflicting thoughts in the young girl's mind. Her father's tyranny had prevented her from enjoying even the small things in life . Towards the end of the book ,she says " I have nightmares of the silence when Papa was alive.In my nightmares it mixes with shame and grief and so many other things that I cannot name ....." which shows that the mere fact of living with her father was filled with dread and discomfort. However the end of the story was a little vague but I wont comment on it since it will become a 'spoiler' for the readers who havent read the book yet.
To sum it all up , the book was a good read. This is the first book on a Nigerian theme so I learnt a lot of things like their life style , food habits , dressing style, etc. A nice weekend read for anyone who wants to read something different

Food for though - Trivia for this week #4

2009-04-20T01:37:00.000-07:00

Being a true blue South Indian and of course a foodie , i had to post this bit of news
The rava idli which is a mouth watering dish usually served with chutney and potato sagu has a unique origin.
It was first invented by the popular Mavalli Tiffin Room (MTR) in Bangalore. The normal idli is generally made with rice flour however the rava idli is made with semolina (rava). During world war 2 , there was a shortage of rice supply . Hence MTR tried to make idlis using semolina(rava) and hence the birth of rava idli!!

Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts

2009-04-12T23:16:00.000-07:00

This is my second book for the orbisterrarum 2009 challenge.
When i picked up Shantaram and started reading , I suddenly started paying more attention to places that were mentioned in the book. For starters , shantaRam's oft visited hangout was the Cafe Leopold ( where the first terror attack started on 26/11). Also there is a constant mention about the Taj Mahal hotel , the Colaba streets ,etc which have all become a house hold name after the dreaded terror attacks.Anyways that apart,this book is an intersting read and all of its 900 + pages is filled with so many characters , incidents ,learnings and what not.
The story of the bokkin short is about an Australian criminal who sets foot on the Indian soil (Mumbai to be precise) to start life afresh as an anonymous person. But he just has no idea whats in store for him . He starts off as a local doctor in the slum , serves a sentnece in Mumbai's Famous Arthur Road prison, acts in a few movies that need firangis , fights the mujahideen in Afghanistan and what not. In short this book is a spiritual journey of a man and triumph of a human searching for love
Gregory David paints really vivid pictures of all the people and places that the main character Lin (a.k.a Shantaram) encounters. His writing takes into account every minute detail - the way he describes Cafe Leopold and its surroundings,his characterisation of people like Didier, Prabhakar and Karla is impecabble.His narration of the life style of people in the Mumbai slums would give Danny Boyle a run for his money .
Well , what do I have to say abt the book ? Its definitely a must -read. Reading about India (Mumbai) and Indians from a foreign author is definitely an experience that you must have. The story and characterizations are so awe inspiring. However I felt that at some point hte number of characters kept increasing and sort of threw me off track . Also the enormity of the book made reading it a little tedious. Overall a good read and a good learning experience

Trivia for this week #3

2009-04-12T23:12:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered why the popular game console by Nintendo is called Nintendo Wii ?
Nintendo spelled Wii with 2 'i' s beacuse it represents two people standing side by side (i.e. its a game console where people gather together to play it)
Interesting huh?

Trivia for this week

2009-04-05T21:15:00.000-07:00

Hey all
There are a couple of interesting things that i keep coming across every day. So what better way to record it than blog about it. So starting this week (err...actually last week) I plan to post some interesting trivia every Monday. Some would be funny, some unimaginable and some just pure facts

Going on to my trivia for this week :
1. What is the cpital of Sweden - Ans : Stockholm
2. What is the capital of Peru - Ans: Lima
Hey dont worry ...the above 2 questions are not the actual interesting facts.
So u now know Stockholm and Lima ,but have u heard of Stockholm Syndrome and Lima Syndrome?
Stockholm syndrome is a psychological response sometimes seen in abducted hostages, in which the hostage shows signs of loyalty to the hostage-taker, regardless of the danger or risk in which they have been placed. The syndrome is named after the Norrmalmstorg robbery of Kreditbanken at Norrmalmstorg, Stockholm, Sweden, in which the bank robbers held bank employees hostage from August 23 to August 28 in 1973. In this case, the victims became emotionally attached to their victimizers, and even defended their captors after they were freed from their six-day ordeal.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stockholm_syndrome

The Lima Syndrome is a psychological condition, which is almost the reverse of the Stockholm syndrome. While in the Stockholm Syndrome, affected hostages develop sympathy for their abductor, in the Lima Syndrome, affected abductors begin to sympathize with their hostages.

Trivia of the day

2009-03-30T05:15:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered why the company yahoo has always been denoted as 'yahoo!' or y! (i.e. yahoo with the exclamation mark appended)
The reason is the word“Yahoo” had already been trademarked for barbecue sauce by EBSCO Industries and that’s why Jerry & Filo(founders of yahoo) had to put an exclamation to get a unique trademark for themselves..

Orbis Terrarum for 2009

2009-03-26T23:01:00.000-07:00

Hey
I will be joining the Orbis Terrarum Challenge for 2009
Check out http://orbisterrarumchallenge.blogspot.com/2009/01/rules-and-regulations.html
for the rules and regulations

The book list I would make for this would be :
1. The White Tiger - Aravind Adiga (India)
2. A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseni (Afghanistan)
3. Purple Hibiscus - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Nigeria)
4. The Complete Persepolis - Marjane Satrapi (Iran)
5. Shantaram - Gregory David Roberts (Australia)
6. Siddhartha - Herman Hesse (Germany)
7. Marley and Me - John grogan (United states)
Will update the list with the remaining books once I decide them

Siddhartha

2009-03-26T21:56:00.000-07:00

Siddhartha by Herman Hesse could deceive you into thinking that it is a light book ...but the light bit ends merely in its size. You would wonder how a book of just 130 pages could carry so much thoughts, so many learnings and make you reflect on your own life.
After reading Shantaram which spreads over 1000 pages, this book was both inviting as well as thought provoking.
The story is about the spiritual journey of a young lad Siddhartha and how he attains nirvana at the end. Written in very simple language , the contents are powerful . It deals with the soul searching process of two friends Govinda and Siddhartha. Govinda opts to serve Gautama Buddha in order to attain inner peace while Siddhartha moves on. The rest of the story is about how everything in human life is just an illusion and is constantly changing. Towards the end Siddhartha meets Govinda and tells him that 'Wisdom cant be communicated though knowledge can'. Siddhartha's spiritual quest ends when he realised that innder peace is attained not by just following teachings/preachings of great souls but by the the experiences and challenges that life throws at you.
Being a not so philosphical person and being a not so great fan of Paulo Coelho I wondered how I liked this particular book . However it really was an interesting read. I would definitely recommend this soul searching book to anyone who likes these philosphical reads

Palace of Illusions

2009-02-12T21:45:00.000-08:00

Author : Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

India's greatest epic 'The Mahabharath' is brought to life by Chitra Banerjee.
The Mahabharat is a house hold name in every Indian home . Raised in India, my memories would be of listening to tales from the Mahabharat as a little kid or a curious school goer reading Amar Chitra Katha illustrated versions of the Mahabharat or as a teen ager totally in awe with Arjuna's shooting skills.
However when reading this book , it was the first time I got the grasp of the epic from Panchaali's perspective.Her character is unique right from the fact that she was born out of the fire to her distinction of being the person to marry all 5 heroic Pandava brothers. All this apart , deep inside she is like any other woman ..having her own dreams , fantasies and desires. Her bitterness and duels with mother in law Kunti , her day dreaming of Arjuna's valour before meeting him , her secret admiration of Karna ,her friendship with her confidante Krishna are all parts of the book that are very intriguing. It would take you by surprise , make you look at incidents from a woman's point of view
This half-mythical , half historical and ceratinly magical tale is truly worth a read especially for the women folk
i would definitely recommend this book for those who would like to see The Mahabharat from a totally new perspective

Encore!!!

2009-02-12T21:38:00.000-08:00

Hi all ,
Am back ... once again!! After a long hiatus of I am back to the blogging world.
Between my last post and now there have been a whole bunch of interesting /intriguing incidents that have taken place in my life : I have switched jobs ,tied the knot (maybe thats y i was tongue tied) all this while , started cooking :) and of course started reading A LOT .
So this blog is mainly to keep you all (myself included) of the books recently read, movies seen , blah blah.
Anyways will stop with that. Keep visiting my blog and ur comments are most valued

40 things i miss doing in SVCE

2005-12-25T20:57:00.000-08:00

hmm...well vani told me " enough u rambled about christmas celebrations in church park ...write something about college " ...and hey thats what i am doing now!!
Well 40 things is definitely not the apt title coz given the time i could make it 400 things i miss abt SVCE ( well i am not exaggerating and 400 is not a hyperbole!!)
okie here it goes:
1. Boarding bus No 47 and having these awesome conversations with kanchana, vani n deepa
and not running out of things to talk or gossip inspite of travelling together for 3 hrs each day!!
2. Entering B batch classroom each morning and finding lot of small gangs havin their own fun
and yet feeling so much at home jus to see everyone around!
3. Eating during classes and tea break and realising that there is no food left for lunch!!
4. Doing lab sessions with Ramya and Yd and spend 2 hours ragging each other,then
realising tht we are clueless about whats happening in the lab and of course promptly
running to johny's place to ask him 'weird' doubts
5. Fighting for fan in the Unix Lab and devising schemes to drag it to our bay
6. Hogging Ramya's pudina rice, suganya's idly, dd's pulao ,manju's sandwich and then having
discussions about how boys have 'huge' appetites!! lol...wht an irony
7. Planning study timetable with Dd before every Cat and every sem exam and taking false
oaths tht from next sem we would be more efficient and not cram things in the last minute!!
8. Calling Ramya 'Teresa' and telling her to stop calling every tom, dick and harry 'sweet'!!
9. Meeting up at Dd's place declaring to do combined studies and end up talking about movies,
hunks, crushes and the likes and of course being blank in the next day's test!
10. Having marathon phone conversations with all my buddies from class and make my mom
wonder if my mouth would ever cease to talk!!
11. Doing observation and record work in the bus and feeling proud that our handwriting still
looks major inspite of scrawling something in the bus!!
12. Studying together for Cat tests and realising that question banks were no substitution for the question paper itself and so ragging profs to leak out jus 4 two mark question and the
compulsary essay!!( well tht was the entire Cat question ppr!!)
13. Sitting in Padma priya's class and laughing at her choice of words and also appreciating her
dressing sense(??)..well not to forget her shoes!!
14. Asking for OD s to attend every other college's symposium and always claim to have
paricipated in the 'Debugging' competition!! (when actually we wud have conveniently
settled in satyam to catch a movie)
15. Getting teased royally about the fact that Evam Kartik is committed !!(well now he is
married!!!)
16. Yd and I taking turns and sometimes ganging up to rag johny and promising to hold GD s
and PI s for socially relevant causes!! (lol....johny hope u reading this!)
17. Having a million bets with Adi about my 'bravery' and losing all those bets!
18. Spending days planning surprise birthday parties for everyone and takin care to see that
they dont get any clues about whats in store!
19. Fighting with A batch students claiming that B batch rocks and at the end of the day
reaching a compromise saying "CSE Unity rocks" ...he he
20. Ragging muthuraman sir to the maximum possible extent and yet going to his house to visit
his kid the day tsunami hit chennai!!! (Ohmigosh we really did tht!)
21. Getting tensed before Sivaselvan's OOP s classes and preparing in advance in order to avoid
hearing the phrase "The Faculty is not pleased"
22. Joining T. Srinivasan 's 'elite' group of project students and realing what a 'veti' he is.
23. Spending hours cracking T. Srinivasan jokes about 'positive motivation' and 'international
conferences' and of coz not to forget his 'house visits'
24. Doing project with Vani and Manju and spending more time deciding where to go for lunch
than planning what to do for the project!
25. Making chocolate fudge and swelling with pride when everyone claimed it was the best ever
made fudge! :-)
26. Sitting in the canteen and sharing 1 puff and 1 coke between 10 people and yet feeling so
satisfied!
27. Trying to get out-pass by cooking up awesome stories like "Divya M has to sing in the
temple for which we are the audience" ,"my brother is getting engaged this
evening" (lol)," I need to go to some xyz company to discuss about my project"(yeah
right....wud tht company be satyam theatre?)
28. Having these major Cse outings and basically loads of fun!!
29. Causing endless confusion about whether to have the farewell in a beach house or in a Hotel
and taking umpteen number of polls to reach a consensus!
30. Knowing each other's login and password in the lab in order to make copying of programs
easier!
31. Playing Dumb c and antakshari during TQM classes and yet quickly copying down notes
when Mari calls for a note buk check!
32. Having spirutual conversations with Anupama and feeling so blessed at the end of it!!
33. Visiting a 'horticultural farm' as a part of an Industrial Visit( Wht on earth were CS students
doing in a farm?)
34. Screaming for free hour during every other class, even during Nedunchezhian's class when
it was already a fre hour!
35. Meeting up at 4 in the bus stand and catching up with everyone on that day's events
36. Sitting in 'php lab' and getting bugged whenever Satish asked "where are your
DOCUMENTS?"
37. Burning IC s in Electronics lab and trying to fan away the smoke and also trying to look
innocent so tht another group gets caught
38. Using the same PPT for all three reviews only with minor modifications in each!
39. Consoling people who suffered anna univ's erratic paper corrections and also getting consoled when u went thru it!
40. Finally Jus being able to be yourself!

Well like I said 40 is jus not enough but i just cant go on!its been 7 months since college got over and when I think of any of these incidents it always brings back fond memories! At the end of the day it doesnt matter what grade you got or how well or horribly you performed in class....all that matters are these small things that bring a smile to our face and making friends and yeah making them for LIFE!!

My first blog!!

2005-11-25T03:33:00.000-08:00

yippe....finally started my own blog!! Well thanks to wipro's 'flexi' timings and total 'vettiness' and 'ramya's inspiration' (ok ok will cut the the oscar acceptance speech) tht i am compelled to start the blog!!
Will start updating it with anything tht appeals to ME and caution no one is allowed to call any of my posts MOKKAI!! lol