Conversations with myself

Writer: Nelson Mandela

Genre: Collection of Letters, etc.

Picked up this book by mistake and was too stupid as to not verify its contents. I was actually scouting for his autobiography and bought this instead.  It’s a collection of letters, conversations, and written notes from the man himself - Nelson Mandela. Much of the data is from the days when he was imprisoned at Robin Island.

Decent read but not exciting enough and yeah the price is a little too steep for its contents! My take, skip it.

Money for Nothing

Writer: P G Wodehouse
Genre: Classic/ Humour/Fiction

Another perfect one from the master himself!  I am thoroughly enjoying my second stint with Wodehouse and I intend to read his entire collection again. During times when the going is not good, Wodehouse is the man for you.  Someone who can seriously make you smile with those smart one liners and comic but simple situations.

Lester Carmody and his old pal, Col. Wyvern are no longer on talking terms because of a silly feud and this has given poor Johnnie sleepless nights. Why? Because he, Lester's nephew, is in love with  Pat, Wyvern's daughter. He proposes her but Pat can never accept Johnnie as a lover because he is not the dashing kinds. When the American millionaire, Molloy and his daughter pay a visit to Mr. Carmody there is more to them than what meets the eye. 
Mr. Molloy's daughter seems to be interested in Johnnie and this makes Pat jealous.

All hell breaks loose when the Molloy's along with Lester Carmody and the local fitness man, Dr. Twist fake a burglary of the Carmody's ancestral heirloom. Johnnie decides to investigate and ends up as a prisoner at Twist's health resort.

How he manages the situation and finally wins Pat's heart makes for some real good reading.

The story is uncomplicated and carries a Wodehouse stamp all along. A must read for British English lovers and pick it up if you need some smiles as you turn the pages.

Much Obliged Jeeves

Writer: P G Wodehouse
Genre: Fiction/ Humour

Bertie Wooster, on insistence of his aunt Dahlia decides to help an old chum, Ginger Winship, in winning the House of Commons by-election. However, when he reaches Brinkley he is in for surprises. Florence Craye, his ex-fiancé is now engaged to Ginger. Spode and Madeline are in Brinkley too to help Ginger.

Bertie's butler, Jeeves who is a member of Junior Ganymede club tells him about a book that exists in his club where every employee writes about his employer. He also explains that book consists of some explosive material for Ginger. Unfortunately the book has been stolen by Bingley and he threatens to expose Ginger's past.

A simple situation and a fabulous British English narration. It’s a classic Wodehouse, something that’s short, sweet and extremely humorous. Go for it!

The Burning Shore

Writer: Wilbur Smith
Genre: Fiction
 
 
The first book in the Courtney 2 series, it concentrates on Centaine de Thiry.
 
The first part is a boring love story between Centaine and Michael Courtney. Micheal dies in air crash on the day of the wedding and Sean Courtney sends off Centaine and her nurse, Anna to Africa. They are to be welcomed by Garry, Michael’s father. However the ship they are travelling is torpedoed and Centaine is shipwrecked.

The next section is how Centaine survives against all odds in hostile environments and is the best part of the book. After almost giving up hope, Centaine meets and is adopted by an old Bushmen couple who teach her all the tricks to survive in the dangerous terrain. Her child, Michael Shasa Courtney is born in this wilderness and just when she has given up hope of meeting people of her own kinds she encounters them.

Lothar De La Ray, an outlaw has traded Centaine's safe delivery in return for a free pardon with Garry. He manages to save Centaine when she is being mauled by a lion and saves Cenatine and her son. He finally delivers Centaine and Shasa to the Courtneys but not before having a tumultuous affair with Centaine. Centaine breaks away when she realizes that Lothar had killed her Bushman grandparents. Centaine is happily welcomed into the Courtney family.

The book ends in Centaine delivering Manfred De La Ray and handing him over to Lothar. She has also uncovered a diamond mine owing to her wild travels and it would make her the richest woman in the world.

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest

Writer: Stieg Larsson

Genre: Fiction

The last book in the Millennium Trilogy and probably slower than the other two but its climax worth reading.

Salander is admitted to Sahlgrenska Hospital with bullets in her brain, hip, and shoulder and the man who discovered her is none other than Millenium's reporter - Mikael Blomkvist. Alexander Zalachenko is also admitted with an axe wound in his head, a wound caused by his daughter - Lisbeth Salander, when she tried to kill him.

The real story is what  Blomkvist knows but the Swedish media are delighted when Salander is captured. After all, she was wanted for 3 murders! But suddenly Zalachenko is murdered and Salander's allies realize that the war is still on. There are people who would go to any length to protect the real secret. And they are the people who are in control.

Annika Giannini, Blomkvist lawyer sister decides to fight the case for Salander. It will be long fight but armed with Salander's hand written biography she finally puts the whole truth in the courtroom to the amazement of everyone and manages to acquit Salander of every single charge.

The book ends with Salander having the final showdown with her half brother Ronald Niedermann but this time she uses a clever ploy to eliminate him without involving herself showing that she has finally managed to re-enter the society she was so carefully thrown out of.

The 3 books are a fiction reader's delight and if you buy, buy the whole set at once.

The Girl Who Played with Fire

Writer: Stieg Larsson
Genre: Fiction

The second book in the Millennium Trilogy, this book focuses more on Lisbeth Salander unlike the first one.
Salander has walked out of Blomkvist's life for reasons unknown to him and he tries to get in touch with her but in vain.

Dag Svensson has done a lot of research on the topic of sex trafficking and he wants Millennium magazine to publish the story. His girlfriend, Mia Johansson is writing her thesis on the same topic and together they are a threat to many. However, with the enlisted support of Blomkvist and Erika Berger they carry on their work which is currently focusing and has reached a dead end on a man who is simply called Zalachenko or Zala.

Suddenly Dag and Mia are murdered as also is Nils Bjurman, Lisbeth's guradian. To complicate matters it is Lisbeth Salander whom the police believe is guilty and are having a difficulty tracking down.

Blomkvist does not believe and is determined to get the truth; however there is onw problem - Salander has vanished. With help from Armansky - Slander's previous boss, Palmgren- Salander's previous guardian and a few police officers he uncovers a shocking story. He also realizes he has to stop Salander from carrying out the final attack all alone.

Fabulous narration and a climax that will make you lap up the sequel immediately.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Writer: Stieg Larsson
Genre: Fiction

Mikael Blomkvist has lost a libel suit against billionaire  Wennerström and is facing a jail term. He is professionally beaten and decides to step down from his magazine - Millennium, as a board of director. At around the same time he gets a freelance assignment from the ex-CEO of Vanger Enterprises, Henrik Vanger. The case involves tracing disappearance and possibly murder of Henrik's great-niece Harriet some 40 years earlier. Blomkvist agrees because Henrik has lured him with the offer of Wennerström's head on a plate after the stipulated time.

Blomkvist moves to Hedeby and starts the work on his book of Vanger Family history wherein he is actually tying to solve Harriet's disappearance. What seems to be a cold case at one point of time soon turns into mad hunt for probably a serial killer who has been working without remorse for decades. And in this work he gets the help from Lisbeth Salander, a freaky introverted but talented computer hacker.

Together they uncover one of the deadliest secrets of their time and solve the Vanger case. Also Blomkvist, with Salander's help manages to finally blow the lid off Wennerström affairs, thereby having his vengeance towrads the end of the book.

I feel the title of the book is misleading because its more about Blomkvist than about Salander but the first book in the Millennium Trilogy is riveting enough to make you reach for the next one.  

The Blind Watchmaker

Writer: Richard Dawkins
Genre: Non Fiction/Evolutionary Biology(to be precise)


Is the complexity of a human body reason enough to believe in the existence of the supreme? Richard Dawkins thinks otherwise and he has used arguments in favour of Darwin's theory of evolution to explain his point of view. He reiterates on the Theory of Natural selection as the reason why we are what we are!


My favourite argument in the book is something that goes like this - To explain the origin of the DNA machine by invoking a supernatural designer is to explain precisely nothing, for it leaves unexplained the origin of the designer. You have to say something like 'God was always there', and if you allow yourself that kind of lazy way out, you might as well just say 'DNA was always there' or 'Life was always there' and be done with it.


How do you refute this? My answer to that is, probably it is easier for normal humans to digest the fact that there exists a supernatural being (who always exists and is not be questioned) and then lead lives than understand evolution and theory of natural selection as the reason to existence. Right now my mind is caught in two worlds because I am a believer who can never convince anyone apart from me why I believe in god.


It’s a heavy book and you need lots of patience to sit through his grinding examples and explanations. A strict no for casual readers and highly recommended for people who want to tread the path of some unusual reading.


I personally like God Delusion more though.

Indira Gandhi

Writer: Pupul Jayakar
Genre: Biography

Finally I managed to get hold of a great biography for one of the India's most astute woman politician. Thanks to mom, a great reader herself, who lent me the book that she had borrowed from her friend. Reading thru' the book I realized I need to own it. Indira Gandhi, after all, has been one of the most enigmatic personalities I have always checked out. Alright back to the book!

The first part of the book - Indu's growing up years are an absolute treat. Such a normal childhood. A girl with innumerable problems - inferiority complex, shy, reserved and complete lack of confidence. But her father had told her that she has a bigger tryst with destiny than just being his daughter. Motilal Nehru's initial pomp, his later acceptance of the Mahatma's austerity are described very well. You also get a dekko into the conflicts between her mother and the Nehrus. Kamala Nehru was probably a misfit in the Nehru clan. The author has also mentioned Indu's frequent stand - offs with her aunt, Vijayalaksmi Pandit

The 1966 devaluation of rupee, nationalization of banks are the highlights of the next section. But the most important event which probably gave her the much deserved respect in the political arena was the 1971 war where 'Bangladesh' was born. Indira's visit to US just before the war is such a fantastic narration. The meeting with Nixon and Kissigner is one of the best reads here;)

The next section is probably what she is maximum criticized for - Emergency rule. 1975 - 1977 when the country was under Emergency rule Indira outlines her 20 point program which was hailed by many. Its important to note that many prominent personalities like Vinoba Bhave, Mother Teresa, Khushwant Singh and Ratan Tata were in favour of emergency and called it the period when the indian exchequer recovered. Ratan Tata had however regretted the support later. This section also shows how Sanjay Gandhi heavily maneuvered Indira. This section deserves a special mention because its captures the state of turmoil in a very lengthy and non preachy manner.

The last section(s) deal with Sanajay Gandhi's death and her face off with his wife - Maneka Gandhi. There is a big disappointment in the way 'Operation Blue Star' is covered. There aren't really any details. After all this was the event that cost Indira her life.

Overall, the book is very well written and a great read for biography enthusiasts! Yeah not to mention that just reading Indira Gandhi's life story saps up your energy, imagine she lived all of that!

A lovely Beethoven line used in the book -
I will take fate by the throat,it will not bend me completely to its will


Indira Gandhi: A Biography

Hungry as the sea

Writer: Wilbur Smith
Genre: Fiction

My best bet when I am down. Nothing beats reading a Wilbur Smith novel with all the trials and turbulations that the lead character faces, yet s/he fights back and emerges victorious. Typical morale boosting drama...alright I am biased but I really can't help it ;)

About the book, Nicholas Berg, the czar of Christie Marine corporation is outwitted from the empire that he created and cherished. Robbed of his lifetime dream and his family he is almost a broken man when he takes command of what is left of his empire - 'Warlock' and another ship.

However he takes all his chances and rescues the trapped 'Golden Adventurer'. He wins the big bet on his life from the man he most detests, Duncan Alexander, the man who robbed him of his fortune, wife and son. The reward in rescuing 'Golden Adventurer' gives him some breathing space and also introduces him To Samantha Silver, the young girl whom he rescued on Adventurer. As he steps into his new world, happily with Samantha, happenings in the old world pull him back and he again has to face his former wife who now is a changed woman. Also, Duncan has played heavily with Christie Marines stakes and embarks on a dangerous voyage that threatens to kill his son and destroy what he loves the most - the beloved oceans! He has no choice but to stop him and in the saga probably destroy everything that he has recreated.

The first quarter of the book his fabulous, till Nick rescues the 'Golden Adventurer'. Remaining parts are predictable but yet adorable for a stupid fiction fan like me.

Pick it! It has all the drama associated with Wilbur Smith's books - the seas, the passion and the untamed human spirit.

Connect the dots

Writer: Rashmi Bansal
Genre: Non Fiction

This one is a real quick book with short chapters on people who have made unordinary career choices. Not all of them were sure of what they wanted, many simply went with the flow but each one of them stuck thru the hard times and came out with colors that they wanted.

Crossword book shop, Reva electric car, dosa plaza are some of my favorite stories. The USP of the book is that since the chapters are so independent of each other you can comfortably complete the book without really bothering to complete it one shot.
Quick one when you do not have the time to stay connected on one long book!


Stay Hungry Stay Foolish: The Inspiring stories of 25 IIM Ahmedabad graduates who chose to tread a path of their own making

Theodore Boone

Writer: John Grisham
Genre: Fiction


John Grisham attempts to enter the youth market by creating a kid lawyer who knows more about law than adult lawyers do. Theodore Boon as the only son of two attorneys tries his hands at law even at the young age of 13. He helps his friend April when her parents’ divorce, rescues a cute colleague's dog from the pound and advises a kid when his brother is caught with drugs. All of this is fine until he gets caught in the biggest murder trial where the convict is about the walk free for lack of proof. But Theodore not only has proof, he has a witness too! The witness, an illegal immigrant refuses to go to the cops and does not even trust Theodore completely.
How does this 13 year old manage such a big issue?

Interesting read if read from the teenage point of view. You need not know law to understand for Grisham explains most of the adventures that the book takes you through. Not sure of the public reception through! My rating would be an average.

Johnny Gone Down

Writer: Karan Bajaj
Genre: Fiction

The second book from Karan Bajaj is a whirlwind tour and you would not keep it down for its extremely fast paced. And yeah, he keeps it real short, which is an added advantage.

Nikhil Arya and Sam are bosom buddies who have just graduated from MIT. On Sam's insistence they decide to vacation in Cambodia without realizing what they were getting into. The vacation turns sour as the government is overthrown by rebels and the country fights a civil war where Nikhil is almost killed. He manages to escape to the Thai border and tries to find peace in a monastery. But there is not a still point for our protagonist; he becomes a successful Brazilian businessman (reader drug peddler) and decides to settle done with a model. Something changes again and he is again on a run, this time to America. Sharing a room for the homeless he ends up creating a successful networking site before his daemons find him again. He ends up where he started - India!

Nikhil's journey is mind boggling and though I thought that the climax wasn’t really exciting as much as his journey I must say the end was definitely good. Nikhil's roller coaster ride is fun to read and I like this book better then the author's first one :)

Little Women

Writer: Louisa Alcott
Genre: Children's book/Classic


Go ahead and tease me if you want but I still like reading children's books and from the past many days I wanted to read an English classic. What better book than Little women!

The story of the March family has been told and retold for years but yet manages to keep new and old readers glued. Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy are sisters who lead a poor but happy life along with their mother and maid Hannah. Mr. March is away, fighting a war. The girls soon become close friends with their neighbor Laurie and the fivesome have a blast in spite of their economic differences. They fight with each other but realize that they can’t live without each other; they crib about their poverty but learn that there are many other things that matter more than money. Repeated plot, did you say? Yeah it is, but it started here and the simplicity of the narration is probably very enticing.

Said to be the author's biography where Jo is modeled against herself, Alcott manages to create a beautiful portrait thru her writing.

And yeah, this book is just the first part. The second part is named 'Good Wives' and is set in the teenage years of the girls.

Wings of Fire

Writer: A P J Abdul Kalam with Arun Tiwari
Genre: Autobiography

What happens when a former president of the world's largest democracy and a rocket scientist decides to pen down his life for us? We sit down in rapt attention and absorb every word and syllable that he lets out. A small book and an engaging one too!

The book starts with the life of Mr.Kalam as a child in Rameswaram. The characters in this section are some of my personal favourites because they seem so ordinary, as exactly as our neighbors and relatives. How this young lad from a small town village finds inspiration and takes on the space science program in the country can captivate every person to finish the book in one sitting. The space program spear headed by Vikram Sarabhai and carried forward by Prof. Dhawan has some great narrative and you personally miss being in the era when the country was indigenously making waves loud enough to let everyone notice.

The poems, lines that the writer uses in between the chapters are so very apt! Beautiful and long forgotten pieces most of them were :)

I am left wondering why I hadn’t read the book before. It’s a great book, especially for someone like me who as a kid would religiously follow the test fire of every missile from Sriharikota aired on Doordarshan.


p.s. Somehow this book also reminded me that I need to hunt down some un/official biography of Vikram Sarabhai. Any pointers would be appreciated



Update: Some poetic excerpts from the book -

For all your days prepare
And meet them ever alike
When you are the anvil, bear-
When you are the hammer, strike.

----------------------------------

Don't worry and fret, fainthearted,
The chances have just begun,
For the best jobs haven't been started,
The best work hasn't been done.

Eat Pray Love

Author: Elizabeth Gilbert
Genre: Memoir/Autobiography

When Liz realizes that her life is going in a downward direction she decides to embark on a journey to get back her equilibrium. Her journey takes her to the places she always wanted to visit - Italy, India and Indonesia. She leaves her life in New York and uses the advance that she received to write a book to sponsor her trip.

I presume that an introduction like that is enough to garner your interest in this book. Reading a friend's copy, midway I decided I should be having my own and hence I bought a copy. Must say I am not repenting it. There is something familiar about the way the author narrates. They are everyday situations that each one of us encounters and we all know how to handle them. We just enjoy reading someone else's crisis probably.

My favourite part of the book is her stay in Italy and yeah I slept through the India part. Must say that I agree with the critics.....there is much more to my country than spiritualism yaar!

A great read because it's so much real. No dramas here ;)


p.s. It has already been converted to a motion picture of the same name starring Julia Roberts

Ford County

Writer: John Grisham
Genre: Fiction, Short Stories

A quick book from Grisham which consists of 7 short stories set in Mississippi. Lacks the page turning, complex plots attributes that most of his books have. Simple and straight - that’s how all the stories are. At times the simplicity and no-fiction kind of feeling irks you but after the book is done you probably think you have read something from everyday life.

Good book but non Grisham readers can skip it.

Heidi

Writer: Johanna Spyri
Genre: Fiction, Classic, Children's book

Probably the best known book in Swiss literature, it still remains my personal favourite after I got its abridged version as a prize in my 5th standard. My teacher, Ms. Elizabeth's personal line on the first page of the book is another reason why I still hold the book extremely close.

Alright, back to the story! I wonder if classifying this book as a children's novel makes sense. You can read this well past your childhood, probably even when you are into your ripe old age. The story haS been made re-made a thousand times in Bollywood and Hollywood.

Heidi is an orphan raised by her aunt. When her Aunt Dete can no longer take care of her because of her job she drops Heidi to her grandfather's place. Her grandfather is a rough old man who is against odds with the villagers and stays up in the mountains. Heidi however manages to penetrate his heart and lives a delightful life with her friend Peter. As she is enjoying her stay, in comes Aunt Dete again and whisks her off to Frankfurt as a companion for a disabled and wealthy girl, Clara.

The stay in Frankfurt is the second part of the book. Heidi enjoys being with Clara who is also very kind to her. But the strict disciplinarian housekeeper Ms.Rottenmeier disapproves of her village ways. Heidi ends up throwing the well managed household into peals of laughter and chaos with her innocent acts, much to the dismay of Rottenmeier. But Heidi misses her life with her grandfather and Peter and becomes homesick. She is soon sent back home owing to her failing health.

Back home, Heidi manages to convince her anti social grandfather to visit the local church and thus gets him on talking terms with many of the village folks. She also teaches Peter to read and write. Clara soon joins them for a stay. Peter gets jealous of Clara and pushes her wheelchair down the mountain. Without her wheelchair and owing to a better clean climate Clara manages to start walking. And that’s how this beautiful novel ends.

I think I managed to put the whole plot, usually I don’t do it but this time I couldn’t resist. The story may be boring for many because as I said it has been narrated a million times thru different mediums but believe me the book is a classic. A must have in your collection

The Appeal

Writer: John Grisham
Genre: Fiction

Back to my fiction reads ;) I had stopped reading Grisham after a few recent misadventures and I guess i ended up skipping his most interesting book in recent years.

When Mary Grace and Wes win a verdict against Krane chemicals for wrongful dumping toxic wastes in Bowmore, they have won a second life because they have lost everything in a trial that has taken up years. However, Krane's owner Carl Trudeau won’t give up without a fight. He hires extra elements to rig the Supreme Court election to elect a justice. Whether or not he succeeds is what the the book is all about. The climax is pragmatic and probably very well written.

One of my favourite writers, Grisham keeps the book interesting enough with his writing style. In his elements completely ‘The Appeal’ makes you forget you are reading a fiction novel. At times, you start wondering about the election process and if it really makes sense.


With another book to go I would yet again reach a state where I have read every single book written by an author. Grisham is probably the only one who has managed that first with me :)

Outliers

Writer: Malcolm Gladwell
Genre: Non Fiction

Another top notch book from Gladwell, where he tries and brings before us the factors that contribute in making somebody famous.
What’s common between Bill Gates, Paul Allen, Steve Jobs apart from the fact that they created millions with computers? How much of a person's IQ really matters in making him a celebrity. Ever heard of Christopher Langdan! He is the man with an IQ that ranges between 192 - 200...even Einstein didn’t have that much, then why doesn’t that name ring a bell in our ears?

Compelling questions and a strong statistical analysis to get the answers. Outliers does more than make you think. It shakes a lot of faithfully adhered concepts.

On a personal note, the book was so overwhelming that I had to compulsorily google 'Gladwell Criticism' to let my mind think about the other side of the coin!

Must in your collection but again heavy on statistics. Read the first 5 pages, if it entices you (I am sure it would) buy it :)

Blink

Writer: Malcolm Gladwell
Genre: Non Fiction

The writer probably needs no introduction but it was not so for me. I picked up the book after reading the first paragraph at a friend's place . Yeah, it was effective enough to compel me to buy it!

The book describes the ability of our sub conscious mind. Although we all presume that we do things according to our consciousness, the sub conscious mind plays a big role in our spontaneous decisions, conflicts and even prejudices. The author terms this as 'thin slicing'. So in short, even the most spontaneous response is actually an organized and planned one. That’s the reason some people are so good with their guess work because they are good at thin slicing. That’s also the reason when given too much of information we generally lose our intuitive self and run around in circles often taking the wrong decision whereas less information could have been processed better and accurately by us. The author points out that better judgment can be executed from simplicity and frugality of information, rather than the more common belief that greater information is needed.

There are citations of various techniques, experiments used all over the world to help us understand the thin slicing. The ability of the sub conscious mind is very strong and it can be trained to help us in being a better judge of a seemingly hopeless situation is the note that the book ends on.

The book is a heavy read in spite of being tiny with respect to the number of pages. It requires some amount of patience to go through all the examples provided and yet keep on turning the pages. However, its definitely a great read. Hope to catch his other best sellers - Tipping Point and Outliers soon!