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
Monday, March 15, 2010
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
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 :)
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 :)
Thursday, March 4, 2010
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 :)
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 :)
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
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!
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!
Friday, December 4, 2009
The Lost Symbol
Writer: Dan Brown
Genre: Fiction
Ok, Angels & Daemons and Da Vinci Code were great but that’s because it was the first time (at least for me) somebody ventured into the lost world of symbols, ambigrams, secret sects,etc. Too much of anything is definitely boring!
In the Lost Symbol, you have Robert Langdon again, trying to avert a national crisis and at the same time help his friend Peter Solomon, a very prominent freemason. The setting, however, is Washington D.C. The book then essentially is running around all of the US capitol uncovering hidden symbols and secret rooms with a lot of symbology thrown here and there. The freemasonry ideas are distributed all over and Noetic Science makes its presence felt. As with his many books he again tries to bridge the gap between religion and science saying they are essentially one but have lost their meaning as humans progressed.
The book is huge and someone who hasn’t read brown would lap it up because the chase around Washington with all the secrets is fun. The problem is - I have done all that already! His previous books were the same. To add to woes the climax is not so riveting either.
No harm in reading it but do not expect something spectacular. It is same in-line as his famous two books.
Genre: Fiction
Ok, Angels & Daemons and Da Vinci Code were great but that’s because it was the first time (at least for me) somebody ventured into the lost world of symbols, ambigrams, secret sects,etc. Too much of anything is definitely boring!
In the Lost Symbol, you have Robert Langdon again, trying to avert a national crisis and at the same time help his friend Peter Solomon, a very prominent freemason. The setting, however, is Washington D.C. The book then essentially is running around all of the US capitol uncovering hidden symbols and secret rooms with a lot of symbology thrown here and there. The freemasonry ideas are distributed all over and Noetic Science makes its presence felt. As with his many books he again tries to bridge the gap between religion and science saying they are essentially one but have lost their meaning as humans progressed.
The book is huge and someone who hasn’t read brown would lap it up because the chase around Washington with all the secrets is fun. The problem is - I have done all that already! His previous books were the same. To add to woes the climax is not so riveting either.
No harm in reading it but do not expect something spectacular. It is same in-line as his famous two books.
Anthem
Writer: Ayn Rand
Genre: Fiction
The efforts I took to buy an original copy of this book were fruitful. Ayn Rand with her individualistic philosophy yet again! This time however, the book is just 100 pages long. Yeah, considering her epics like Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged this one is way too small but it can still hold you perplexed till the last page. If you are a hopeless fan of Rand that is!
Set in some dark age where mankind exists with its irrationality and collectivism you can’t help but notice the plural pronouns used as the book begins. Equality 7-2521, the protagonist is asked to be street sweeper by the World Council although he himself is more inclined towards becoming a scholar because of his undying curiosity. He, however, accepts the council’s decision and does his job religiously before he stumbles upon a tunnel left over from what the author terms as 'Unmentionable Times'. The discovery changes his course of life as he takes out time everyday to get into the tunnel, read scripts left behind and eventually rediscover electricity. He is soon caught and imprisoned for his transgression. He escapes and decides to submit his findings to the Word Council of Scholars with the hope that they will understand its importance.
The council however rejects his findings saying that they disrupt the equilibrium of their world. Disillusioned Equality 7-2521 runs into a forest where no man has been before and stays there and devours the manuscripts and ideas that he comes across in a house left back from the ‘Unmentionable Times'. He is joined by Liberty 5-3000 who is his love interest and understands his ideas and principles. The book ends as the protagonist rechristens himself as ‘Prometheus’ and discovers the meaning and usage of singular pronouns.
It’s crisp and talks of the same philosophy that her other classics spoke. For Rand fans, you need it in your collection definitely!
The classic line from the book –
"I need no warrant for being and no word of sanction upon my being. I am the warrant and the sanction."
Genre: Fiction
The efforts I took to buy an original copy of this book were fruitful. Ayn Rand with her individualistic philosophy yet again! This time however, the book is just 100 pages long. Yeah, considering her epics like Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged this one is way too small but it can still hold you perplexed till the last page. If you are a hopeless fan of Rand that is!
Set in some dark age where mankind exists with its irrationality and collectivism you can’t help but notice the plural pronouns used as the book begins. Equality 7-2521, the protagonist is asked to be street sweeper by the World Council although he himself is more inclined towards becoming a scholar because of his undying curiosity. He, however, accepts the council’s decision and does his job religiously before he stumbles upon a tunnel left over from what the author terms as 'Unmentionable Times'. The discovery changes his course of life as he takes out time everyday to get into the tunnel, read scripts left behind and eventually rediscover electricity. He is soon caught and imprisoned for his transgression. He escapes and decides to submit his findings to the Word Council of Scholars with the hope that they will understand its importance.
The council however rejects his findings saying that they disrupt the equilibrium of their world. Disillusioned Equality 7-2521 runs into a forest where no man has been before and stays there and devours the manuscripts and ideas that he comes across in a house left back from the ‘Unmentionable Times'. He is joined by Liberty 5-3000 who is his love interest and understands his ideas and principles. The book ends as the protagonist rechristens himself as ‘Prometheus’ and discovers the meaning and usage of singular pronouns.
It’s crisp and talks of the same philosophy that her other classics spoke. For Rand fans, you need it in your collection definitely!
The classic line from the book –
"I need no warrant for being and no word of sanction upon my being. I am the warrant and the sanction."
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
2 States
Genre: Fiction
Writer: Chetan Bhagat
Finally the author has come up with something that will ring a bell with all Indians. The cultural differences in a our single country is so huge that we could write volumes about it. If you have a nice sense of humour you could put some laughter in those volumes too.
That's the USP of this book. Its witty and sarcastic, something that is very difficult to achieve when you are writing a book. The story about Krish Malhotra who falls for his IIMA classmate Ananya Swamintahan is probably the story that could be enacted anywhere. Punjabis vs Madrasis - there is no dearth of humour. How this couple finally get the two sides of the nation on a single platform is what the book is all about. That is all that exists to the story. The climax is too predictable and almost ruined my read but I will still recommend this book for the remaining part. The conversations are hilarious and more so because they are day-to-day conversations. We always hear those remarks around us. Some get offended, some take it with a pinch of salt.
Chetan Bhagat has got his statistics right, the book is a very small one and costs much less than most of the books in this genre. So people who don't usually read would lap it up too. I, personally, have never liked anything apart from 'Five Point Someone' but this one is good. Its an Indian writer showing us a mirror and teaching us to laugh at our idiosyncrasies......have a good laugh!
Writer: Chetan Bhagat
Finally the author has come up with something that will ring a bell with all Indians. The cultural differences in a our single country is so huge that we could write volumes about it. If you have a nice sense of humour you could put some laughter in those volumes too.
That's the USP of this book. Its witty and sarcastic, something that is very difficult to achieve when you are writing a book. The story about Krish Malhotra who falls for his IIMA classmate Ananya Swamintahan is probably the story that could be enacted anywhere. Punjabis vs Madrasis - there is no dearth of humour. How this couple finally get the two sides of the nation on a single platform is what the book is all about. That is all that exists to the story. The climax is too predictable and almost ruined my read but I will still recommend this book for the remaining part. The conversations are hilarious and more so because they are day-to-day conversations. We always hear those remarks around us. Some get offended, some take it with a pinch of salt.
Chetan Bhagat has got his statistics right, the book is a very small one and costs much less than most of the books in this genre. So people who don't usually read would lap it up too. I, personally, have never liked anything apart from 'Five Point Someone' but this one is good. Its an Indian writer showing us a mirror and teaching us to laugh at our idiosyncrasies......have a good laugh!
Maximum City
Genre: Non-Fiction / Narrative (tell me if there is better genre)
Writer: Suketu Mehta
A lovely book with some great narration. The writer talks to the set of people who essentially make up what we call the city of Mumbai.
One section of the book deals with the gangsters and mumbai police. Interviews and point of views is what makes up this section. The coldness with which people kill and the brutality of their everyday life perhaps numbs your senses so much that you wish they had a more personal aspect to the killings than just money. But that would be a filmy expectation I guess! There are some big shots names that aren't probably changed because we all know about them.
There is a section dedicated to the dance bars of Mumbai. The character of Monalisa, a bar dancer, is probably a very interesting one because of the various layers of her personality. The trans gender Honey is another well etched character.
The section where Mehta talks to the Shiv sainiks and its supremo is another one that probably had me hooked but yeah I would rather not go by a someone else's account of some person.
How can you talk about Mumbai without talking about Bollywood? There goes another section with some interesting anecdotes. Personally, I think this section is comparatively dry when compared with others because the personalities in this section are too predictable and already well dissected thru' the newspapers and media. I didn't want to know anything more about them ;)
Finally, spirituality comes into a picture as a very wealthy businessman decides to take Sanyas along with his family. This section is another good read.
If you think with so much information clubbed together this book would be boring, its not so! Somehow, the writer has captured Mumbai as she would have liked to be captured......lively! The first person narration, the characters being spoken to as if they were his everyday friends, anecdotes being shared - some of them what we have probably read in newspapers, all of these things make this book fabulous. The writer must have had the time of his life talking and interviewing all these people and getting to know their perspective on life, death, money and love.
Grab a copy, you should have it in your shelves....Its that good :)
Writer: Suketu Mehta
A lovely book with some great narration. The writer talks to the set of people who essentially make up what we call the city of Mumbai.
One section of the book deals with the gangsters and mumbai police. Interviews and point of views is what makes up this section. The coldness with which people kill and the brutality of their everyday life perhaps numbs your senses so much that you wish they had a more personal aspect to the killings than just money. But that would be a filmy expectation I guess! There are some big shots names that aren't probably changed because we all know about them.
There is a section dedicated to the dance bars of Mumbai. The character of Monalisa, a bar dancer, is probably a very interesting one because of the various layers of her personality. The trans gender Honey is another well etched character.
The section where Mehta talks to the Shiv sainiks and its supremo is another one that probably had me hooked but yeah I would rather not go by a someone else's account of some person.
How can you talk about Mumbai without talking about Bollywood? There goes another section with some interesting anecdotes. Personally, I think this section is comparatively dry when compared with others because the personalities in this section are too predictable and already well dissected thru' the newspapers and media. I didn't want to know anything more about them ;)
Finally, spirituality comes into a picture as a very wealthy businessman decides to take Sanyas along with his family. This section is another good read.
If you think with so much information clubbed together this book would be boring, its not so! Somehow, the writer has captured Mumbai as she would have liked to be captured......lively! The first person narration, the characters being spoken to as if they were his everyday friends, anecdotes being shared - some of them what we have probably read in newspapers, all of these things make this book fabulous. The writer must have had the time of his life talking and interviewing all these people and getting to know their perspective on life, death, money and love.
Grab a copy, you should have it in your shelves....Its that good :)
Monday, July 20, 2009
The God Delusion
Writer: Richard Dawkins
Genre: Non-Fiction
Anything that comes from Dawkins does not need an introduction, does it? The British biologist comes up with some hard-hitting questions for people with religious affinities. He focuses directly on a wider range of arguments used for and against belief in the existence of God(s).
If you are a religious fanatic skip it. You need an open mind to understand the rationale behind his non acceptance of god. I read the whole book, liked many parts in it but it did not turn me into an atheist. He has criticized religion only because it seems to be the major contributor to conflicts everywhere. All he asks for is people to be able to question beliefs that have been handed over to them by century old traditions. Come to see it have we all not chosen our religion because our parents made us do it. I mean nowhere in the world is a kids religion determined by his/her own beliefs. As I said there are many things that get you thinking.
But just reading an atheist does not make you an atheist. Atleast i feel so! If you believe your faith why are you so scared of people scrutinizing or questioning it? Humans cannot exist without faith..... Some believe in god, some in nature, some in human mind.....but the bottom line is you have to believe in something. Probably I would not be able to state arguments for my faith the way Dawkins does against it. But what the heck? Someday probably I will if not today!
It’s a great book with real good arguments. Read it if you know you can digest it, don’t run asking for the writer's head. Faith that runs scared on questioning is no faith at all :)
Check also: The blind watchmaker
Genre: Non-Fiction
Anything that comes from Dawkins does not need an introduction, does it? The British biologist comes up with some hard-hitting questions for people with religious affinities. He focuses directly on a wider range of arguments used for and against belief in the existence of God(s).
If you are a religious fanatic skip it. You need an open mind to understand the rationale behind his non acceptance of god. I read the whole book, liked many parts in it but it did not turn me into an atheist. He has criticized religion only because it seems to be the major contributor to conflicts everywhere. All he asks for is people to be able to question beliefs that have been handed over to them by century old traditions. Come to see it have we all not chosen our religion because our parents made us do it. I mean nowhere in the world is a kids religion determined by his/her own beliefs. As I said there are many things that get you thinking.
But just reading an atheist does not make you an atheist. Atleast i feel so! If you believe your faith why are you so scared of people scrutinizing or questioning it? Humans cannot exist without faith..... Some believe in god, some in nature, some in human mind.....but the bottom line is you have to believe in something. Probably I would not be able to state arguments for my faith the way Dawkins does against it. But what the heck? Someday probably I will if not today!
It’s a great book with real good arguments. Read it if you know you can digest it, don’t run asking for the writer's head. Faith that runs scared on questioning is no faith at all :)
Check also: The blind watchmaker
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
If tomorrow comes
Author: Sidney Sheldon
Genre: Fiction
My favourite Sidney book after Rage of Angels (I probably like only these two).Tracy Whitney, a character I love almost as much as I love Jennifer Parker. No feminism here....just some fantastic storytelling and ideologies that you identify with.
All set to marry her wealthy and famous boyfriend Tracy doesn’t have any issues in life. Just as she is thinking that life couldn’t get better there comes a phone call informing her of her mother's suicide. Before she knows Tracy is caught in a web of lies and betrayals and lands up in prison.
Probably her jail trauma is the best part of the book. She is broken and almost gives up but a momentary thought that it’s no fault of hers makes her accept life and she chooses to live it her way. That’s when the book turns around as she plans and executes an amazing revenge against those who betrayed her. That completes half of the book.
The final part takes you on a whirlwind tour of some daring and brilliant robberies committed by Tracy sometimes together with Jeff. Read the chess plot carefully and you will admire Sheldon's ingenuity :) That what started for survival now has Tracy hooked and she loves it. But there are people who must stop her before she makes a fool of the entire system. This is a predictable part but yet has amazing humour and probably the optimist in me likes the part and the climax too.
This one is a must for your collection. It’s just amazing story telling with well defined characterizations!
Update: There is another Sidney book that I love - Tell Me your dreams (This time I am sure I adore only 3 of his books ;) )
Genre: Fiction
My favourite Sidney book after Rage of Angels (I probably like only these two).Tracy Whitney, a character I love almost as much as I love Jennifer Parker. No feminism here....just some fantastic storytelling and ideologies that you identify with.
All set to marry her wealthy and famous boyfriend Tracy doesn’t have any issues in life. Just as she is thinking that life couldn’t get better there comes a phone call informing her of her mother's suicide. Before she knows Tracy is caught in a web of lies and betrayals and lands up in prison.
Probably her jail trauma is the best part of the book. She is broken and almost gives up but a momentary thought that it’s no fault of hers makes her accept life and she chooses to live it her way. That’s when the book turns around as she plans and executes an amazing revenge against those who betrayed her. That completes half of the book.
The final part takes you on a whirlwind tour of some daring and brilliant robberies committed by Tracy sometimes together with Jeff. Read the chess plot carefully and you will admire Sheldon's ingenuity :) That what started for survival now has Tracy hooked and she loves it. But there are people who must stop her before she makes a fool of the entire system. This is a predictable part but yet has amazing humour and probably the optimist in me likes the part and the climax too.
This one is a must for your collection. It’s just amazing story telling with well defined characterizations!
Update: There is another Sidney book that I love - Tell Me your dreams (This time I am sure I adore only 3 of his books ;) )
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