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