Book Review: A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

This book review is going to be slightly different. 

There are some books which can be explained, and some which needs to be felt. This one falls into the latter for me. 

So, if I try to explain this book in words, that will not work. But, if I do try to show you what this book entails, that just might work. 

’Tis a funny thing, reflected the Count as he stood ready to abandon his suite. From the earliest age, we must learn to say good-bye to friends and family.

Sometimes you just do not know when you are going to be thrust into a situation which you have no idea how to handle! 

"But the Communist Party was not a “State of Nature.” Quite to the contrary, it was one of the most intricate and purposeful constructions ever manufactured by man. In essence: the hierarchy of all hierarchies."

This book offers a whole lot of perspective into the Russian communist times, though answers very few questions you might have around it.

"Yes, he continued in his thoughts, how fine almost any human endeavor can be made to sound when expressed in the proper French." 

Some of the references in French are beautiful. So, if you understand French, it will bring a smile on your face.

“Manners are not like bonbons, Nina. You may not choose the ones that suit you best; and you certainly cannot put the half-bitten ones back in the box. . . .”  

I am a stickler for manners and especially table manners, which brings me to love the etiquette which is spoken of here. 

"Nina coming back and with a small girl to be entrusted into his hands... Not something I saw coming. Makes it all the more interesting!"

"As a parent who has been thrown into being one, the Count has picked up so many innate things which parents naturally do. Many things which come as a part of being protective and an inherent love that you see for them." 

The relationship between the count and the girl is one which is filled with beauty. The parent role he has played to this small girl will make you believe that learning and parenting are mutually dependent once you become a parent.

"Surely, the span of time between the placing of an order and the arrival of appetizers is one of the most perilous in all human interaction."

Some wonderful anecdotes which will leave you in peals of laughter! 

Now if, as a rule, the Count generally avoided drinking after eleven, he absolutely never drank after midnight. In fact, he had even found himself quoting his father to Sofia on the subject, asserting that the only things that came from the practice were foolhardy acts, ill-advised liaisons, and gambling debts. 

A peek into the fascinating world of aristocracy, Russian aristocracy.


This is a book I enjoyed and would gladly give this one a 5/5.

Book Review - Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman by Lindy West

As always, I was wary of an autobiography, and moreover of a writer, who is known for her comedy. She had also done stand up comedy... now I was so unsure whether this is my kind of book! This was the book club pick, and I always try to read all the picks just so that I am exposed to different genres and I am not stuck in my own rut of Literary fiction, historic fiction etc.

Source: Lindywest.net

Shrill by Lindy West. I had never heard of the author, or read any of her columns, but I googled and read up about her and what she writes about. Her writing style was very direct, conversational and moreover like how you would hold a dialogue with a friend. I decided to pick the Audible version as I was still not convinced that I will get myself to read the complete book if it was on Kindle. Looking back, it was a good decision; I was listening very intently to Lindy speaking to me and somehow the reading was so much better than how I would have read to myself. Her speaking style and personality reflected in the reading which added great depth to the words.

Women, fat, rape, abortion, marriage, love - So many topics and I am sure every woman would have gone through  some of these comments and unnecessary interference in their life. Hell, men even have an opinion on whether you should wear a bra or not! Whether you should cover up your arms or not! They seem to have an opinion on all things women, and take it upon them to comment, suggest, solve our problems and show us the path which is the best! The best path which suits them.

As I listened to the book, I was nodding along on many instances when I recalled how life always hands out those typical misogynist views to everyone and it doesn't really matter whether you are petite or fat, rich or poor, educated or not, in fact nothing really matters. And when it came to the numerous rape jokes and how Lindy tried explaining to the men around, from the producers to viewers why it was important to not trivialize serious issues such as rape... I was still nodding alone, as this is what you see everyday across media, news sites or Twitter/Facebook. The world keeps saying that these things are just being made a big deal about. The world says that this has always been the case, always been what has been happening, just that social media has made a platform to bring all this to the forefront. But, does that make it right or fine or not to be bothered with? The question about intrinsic right or wring was not the question here, it was more of why bother about it, since everyone is aware.

This was a book which I was not sure whether I would like, but it proved me completely wrong. It has all the right elements to make us sit up and see what is happening around, and to think that this woman has been fighting it for so long. She says there have been small changes, but when is a true big change coming?

When will that happen? Or will it take a lifetime to see that change?

Rating: 5/5

Book Review: Less by Andrew Sean Greer

Less by Andrew Sean Greer, as everyone would have heard of it by now, a satirical comedy which has won the Pulitzer prize. Coincidentally, it was picked by the book club I am a member of, as the first book for 2019. I am not the usual Pulitzer reader, and in fact i stay away from them from fear of not understanding the essence of a story without repeated back and forth! And, in this regard, I must add, this was a pleasant surprise. I could pick it up, read and get back to it on the go making it a perfect weekday read.

A not so great author, being pushed to take up many engagements, all against his will. But, a path he must walk down because his love is walking down another path with another man. It seems that there is so much going on in his head, so much to complain about and look back upon. As I look back it is one my first books where the protagonist is a homosexual, but that is not one of the highlights of the book. There is very little which is specifically around his orientation, it is more of his mind and the thoughts that run through. His continuous urge to get away from and keep no contact with anyone who can possibly give him information of the fated marriage of his love is the primary focus.

As I read the book, there were many instances when I related strongly with the protagonist. He questions the very essence of relationships, much like how I wonder how marriage functions as a practice. How is it feasible that two every evolving pieces stick around together for years. 10 years seem to a good enough time, but beyond that seems very questionable. This has been my vice with marriages also, but sadly this isn't something I thought through before. This 10 year ideology made perfect sense for me and helped me see how human beings change through time. And changing people mean they need not change in an ever aligned manner, but as different beings, completely moving away from each other. Very pertinent questions!

The writing style was one which I did find difficult to follow, not very frequently though. At times with the quick period jumps, it left the reader scrambling to get the pieces connected. One minute you are in a house party somewhere in Paris, and the next minute you are far back in your house trying to figure out why your current marriage is not going to work. We move through a marriage, cheating, spending time by oneself, not speaking of feelings and then regretting all that not expressing.

But at the end of the book, a happy ending was not what I was looking for. It felt too perfect and one which I was not too happy about. And that alone would be the reason why I would not rate it a perfect five!

Rating: 4 /5

Book Review: Liberation of Sita by Volga

Liberation of Sita was a title which I had never heard of. It came to me via the Bangalore Book Club, which I am a member of. It is a translated work from Telugu, written originally by C. Vijayasree, who goes by the pen name Volga.

This book picks on the smaller unknown women in Ramayana and highlight their interaction with Sita, and each of these interactions changes her perspective about the meaning of her life, and what society has made her believe, and all that she has to unlearn. The story starts off when Sita has been abandoned by Rama and she lives in Valmiki's ashram with her two sons. She meets Surpanakha, Ahalya, Renuka and Urmila through her years on being married to Rama and each of them impart their learnings to her, helping her shape herself and be ready for the time when her sons will leave the forest to head back to their kingdom.

Surpanakha helps her see how beauty and the importance given to women's beauty by the society need not be a shackle on the woman itself. She explains to Sita how she found peace and solace in growing beauty in her garden and growing beyond physical beauty.

Ahalya questions the importance attributed to chastity when it comes to women only. She tells Sita much ahead in time they she should never prove her chastity, and at Lanka, that is exactly what she is compelled to do. Sita assuages her broken heart by trying to explain Rama's plight, but fails to look at the alternative, how Rama could have stood by her, being the king of the land they were headed to, Ayodhya.

Renuka and Urmila similarly opens Sita's eyes to the injustsice to women and how society has set rules which are unfair. They show Sita how breaking out of these bonds is essential to find your true self, and how each one of them has achieved peace and happiness on their own, with no husband, no societal rules and no bonds.

The interweaving of mythology and fiction is beautiful. and it did leave me in a state where I was believing each of the stories to be true. A very short read, and being a translated work, I am unsure how the language would have flowed originally in Telegu, but this book felt a little too simplistic, for a writer who is so acclaimed in Telegu. I believe, there is always some bits which are lost in translation.

Rating: 4/5

Book Review: Mandodari, the Queen of Lanka by Manini J Anandani

A book which will give every reader a completely different perspective on Ravana and it might even help in appreciating his decisions. The view on Lanka, the ruling of Lanka and how the kingdom came to stand at its zenith before its downfall at the hands of Rama.

We see a woman, thrown into the hands of fate, married to a powerful man, a determined and shrewd man, who she can only follow. She tries many times to advice, but Lanka seems to be ruled by a man who believes strongly in his beliefs alone. A man set to prove the world wrong in their expectations from him, and in the process, lose sense of how and where life is taking him.

Although the book is named, Mandodari, Queen of Lanka, I felt at the end of the book, that I knew so much about Ravana, his life, his achievements and his deeds. I can not say I know the same about the Queen though. The life at Lanka through the eyes of the Queen is what the book portrays, but if you are looking to understand the Queen more, that is something you would be left craving for, as I was. The only bit where I saw Mandodari, and her views and thoughts clearly, was when she decides to go away and deliver her baby, who she wants to bring into the world without anyone's knowledge. Her conviction, her belief and decisions are seen only here.

But, I have to add I enjoyed the story, the narrative was simple and engaging, at times a little too detailed though. I can very confidently say I learnt so much about Ravana and Lanka. This seems to fit the missing link, more like the alter story when we think of the Ramayana. 

Book Review: A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

A science fiction for children, which my book club threw up and I wanted something light after some recent heavy reading.When I started reading the book, I was not even aware that the movie is coming out in 2018, or that this is a very wonderful read as per many.

When I started this book, it send me back to Famous Five and Enchanted Tree days, as those were the last few books I read about school, holidays and adventure. And this one here is also about that exactly. A family, siblings, and an adventure, it has it all.

And physics is the core of the book, and imagine a 12ish or 9ish kid knowing university level physics to get them through to space, so that was an odd factor as I read on. But, keeping that aside, the bond between siblings are nicely captured across various instances and family bonds played well in bringing the story together.

Being a children's publication, there was not much more that I could gather, though I did think that maybe I would have enjoyed the book more if I read it when I was 10!

Rating: 3/5

Book Review: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson

I am not much of a self-help book person. In fact, I am not a non-fiction person. I can frankly count off on the fingers on one hand, the number of non fiction I would have read in my entire years of reading.

Then why did I pick up this book? The title intrigued and the premise - how to get your mind around the way the world is moving nowadays. Well, who isn't affected by people and how the world is super connected that we seem to see all happy faces always!

Starting off, this was a very difficult one to get around to... I did not connect with the author's writing style, maybe by virtue of being a predominant fiction reader, I was not accustomed to the style which threw many questions at the reader. And being a self- help book, I think that would be a natural style, now that I look back at it.

Once I got around that, the author talks of how we all seem to be drawn into unnecessary thoughts and instances and we care about those things which we ideally shouldn't. Everyone has problems, they might vary and the importance of these problems will be dependent on who faces it. The book suggests that in life, we need to derive happiness in solving problems, and accepting that every solution to one problem, will sow the seed for the next also. Once we accept this, and focus on solving our problems, we create a  path to improvement and eventually happiness. He says finding the meaning to your life is the first step to happiness and to achieve what you yearn for, you should focus on the problems that matter and leave those which do not, essentially, not care a F*ck about them.

If you were to ask me how I felt about the book...

 

I would say many a times, you know all this, but having it written makes you re-think and hope that this time it does stick around to make a difference. It is a breezy read, short and easy, making it great for weekends and travel.

Is this a book which I would suggest to someone...

 

I would say, if you are in a juncture in our life where you need to bring back your energies into things which matter, and start focussing on your happiness, you should definitely pick this up!

Rating: 3.5/5

Book Review: Sialkot Saga by Ashwin Sanghi

The title got me intrigued... it did make me look up some history too. Spanning across the life of 2 men, from childhood to adulthood. It is set in an India which I have become familiar with and one which I have seen change in front of my eyes. How crime and politics and money are all interwoven in a warp like state.

As I proceeded with the book, there was a fair bit which made me think this could be made into a movie for sure. And, with a great deal of the story based in Mumbai, the chances seem quite a bit. The story moves very fast and how the characters are built is very interesting, with a great deal of information being thrown at the reader but yet not seeming to be too much.

This is a book about the different men of India and their roles in the society... and in the process the book has given very limited if not a passing character make up for all the female characters. I felt there were some roles which could have been emphasised upon, but the author chose to reveal the plots rather than build on the female roles.

Overall, I enjoyed the quick read, even though quite a few pages to cover here. And knowing the India of today, it creates a connect and brings about a sense of familiarity.

Rating: 3.5/5

Book Review: Hedon by Priyanka

Hedon by Priyanka... when I read the blurb I was expecting something of a metro read. But, I was in for a surprise. The language though much more easy an breezy, than what I usually like, I thought this was a good debut nevertheless. Falling into the category of a romance and fiction, bringing about new elements to the writing style and the usage of these elements to bring in a stronger influence of the story on the reader.

We look at Tara's life through school, college and once she enters back into society as a woman on the path to setting her own life and home soon. When the book starts off, there is a disconnect one feels with the flow of the story, but soon as the story picks up. The age difference between the two main charachters in a way pulls you to see how things will pan out for them over the years. It is heart warming to read about the small meetings, exchanges and talks between them which paves the path for love.

The prose has a poetic quality which makes the reader savour each word and I also believe it does bring more feelings into the story. Or maybe it brings a softness to the long love story starting at the tender age of 17, the child like love story which transforms itself some heart ache and finally a strong and forbearing love. At times I did feel that the indepth explanations very a tad bit unncessary and in a way took my mind away from the real story. I did not enjoy these bits, and did tend to skip some of these small bits which really contributed in no great way to the story as a whole.

Rating: 3.5/5

Book Review: The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak

When I first came across this book, I was very unsure whether I would enjoy this book, in spite of adding it to my to - read list. And I must say, it has been on that list for a very long time, and each time i read the synopsis and put it off thinking its too romantic for me and Sufism is something I really have not much idea about. This time around, I had ample time on hand and my mind was free to concentrate and read a trying book ( as that was the impression I had gathered).

The Forty Rules of Love is a story of self discovery and freedom for a 40 year old housewife, from the shackles of daily mundane activities and a loveless marriage. And she discovers love and a deep understanding of self through the story of Rumi and Shams, via a work of fiction which she has to read, to write a literary review, in her capacity as an assistant to the editor of a publishing house.

Sufism, what does it mean? Where do these people dwell? There were so many questions when I think of Sufis and now its a world which I have been given a peek into, through the work of Elif Shafak.

This book speaks of the meaning of being a Sufi, and why they are many times misunderstood, but yet revered as they are considered very close to God and his teachings in Islam. Spiritual, psychic and drawing on the inner energy, Sufis are at times said to have special capabilities, but most often, they just have an aura about them. The author speaks of those who are born with a Sufi heart, and others who choose the path to become a Sufi, by following strict conducts and rules.

We are thrown into the path of Shams, from 13th century Persia, looking for the One, to share his knowledge with and someone who he will connect with at a spiritual level. The journey he makes looking for this person, and how he identifies Rumi when he meets him, as his true companion is a journey which when I read, brought me to think about many ideals that we follow in life, and how they can be changed, modified to bring peace and love around us.

One of the forty rules that Shams talks and which spoke to me, was submission. When I think of submission, I think of giving in, but why not look at it as trust. Its a difficult task, to believe and trust someone to know what is right for you. It speaks of love and oneness between two individuals, maybe something which we have not given to in today's world. This is demonstrated between Shams and Rumi, across many situations, and you are left wondering how can you manage that level of trust.

Is it that the world today does not allow for it? I am not sure whether thats the reason, the world depicted around Shams and Rumi is also dotted with people from varying backgrounds and hidden motives. I think its a matter of the mind, and as Shams trains Rumi to accept, love and forgive, it left a huge impact on me, and has led me to look for more works by Rumi.

This book speaks to you, the author does a fantastic job of bringing together so many different aspects, and very seamlessly at that. This will be one of those books which I will recommend to many when they ask me for a suggestion on what to read next!

Rating: 5/5

Book Review: Mrs Funnybones by Twinkle Khanna

Have I read her columns?

Yes, a few.

Have I enjoyed her columns?

Yes, they are short and brings home a point which many women face everyday.


Now coming to the book. A work of fiction, more like a conversation with her mind, in topics ranging from parenting, marriage, fashion and work divided into various chapters. But, they are written in very much the same way as her columns, and some of them are just re-written versions of her weekly column itself.

Did I enjoy that?

I think after her column, I expected a different approach for her first book, so I must say I was not too thrilled about the book. 

It was very quick to read, in fact I finished it in one sitting, in about 2-3 hours. The language is very simple and she gets the humour across without much effort. But, once I was through half of the book, I felt there was a repetition in the prose. The peek into the Bollywood lifestyle which seems to be the core of the book became boring and extremely superficial by then.

Prodigal Son, Baby, the man ... it all seemed to lose its charm.

I believe its the short chapters and a column like approach which caused me to lose interest mid way. But, her language and style is fun to read, but maybe in a better setting.

Rating: 3/5

Image credit: Image linked to source

Book Review: The House that BJ Built by Anuja Chauhan

Anuja Chauhan's new book, The House that BJ Built, was sure to be on my to- read list after Those Pricey Thakur Girls, which I thoroughly enjoyed. She has a way of bringing in situational humor to play and setting a beautiful scene in your head through detailed descriptions.

The House that BJ Built, is a sequel, set almost 20 years after D gets married and the next generation is grown up and working their magic in the world. Their ancestral home being the crux of the story, as the title suggests, and how this home brings the once separated sisters (and their kids) from across various states and countries. B's daughter stays at the property with BJ and runs a tailoring unit catering to designer whims and fancies of customers abroad. A's son, Samar, is a new and upcoming Bollywood director, who falls into a row with the film fraternity and runs off to his step - grandfather's abode at 16, Hailey Road to sulk, lie low and spend some time with him after a long 3 year hiatus. BJ foresees how there might be property related disputes, and tries to dispose off the ancestral home and hand over the inheritance to the heirs , but that was not to be so, and we have his sudden death and Pandora's box being opened up with a rolling list of impediments in the face of the sale of 16, Hailey Road. And to top it, we have Samar, left with the responsibility of seeing to the correct disposal and disbursal.

As the story proceeds, one does get a whiff of Bollywood, not talking about Samar, but the plot and the twists and turns which roll out with it. Having said that, the writing and the flow is beautiful, which does make it a very gripping work. The eventual ending is predictable from way before the ending, but the turn of events which lead to the ending kept me at it.

The writing style and the author's capacity to incorporate humour is the same and to the same effect as with Those Pricey Thakur Girls. So if you enjoyed the previous work, this is a surely one you would not regret picking up.

Rating: 4/5

Book Review: Rebirth by Jahnavi Barua

Rebirth by Jahnavi Barua was shortlisted for the Man Booker 2011, and this on the cover of the book, alongside the woman on the cover, drew me to go ahead and pick up this one.

Every woman who has been pregnant will say that during those months, you fret and worry about how what you are doing affects the small life within, and how you would like to do the very best in your ability to ensure that life is unharmed in every which way. This story revolves around a woman, who is pregnant after many years and trying. And after all these years, her husband chooses to leave her, because of not having a child, or because of the 7 year itch, it is unknown. But he does come bounding back on knowing about the child.

And does a child set everything straight?
Do the mistakes made get washed away with the arrival of a child?
Or is it that what is expected for the want of a family for the child?

It is a book which flows so beautifully, the prose keeps you engrossed to the extend that you are transported to the Brahmaputra in Assam, and the fountain in the park at Richmond Town, Bangalore. The imagery which the author portrays is vivid and most importantly, it reached me. There are some detailed accounts of North east cultures/ rituals / and lifestyle. It is a region of India which holds  lot of surprises and secrets. Many would say there is so much about every region which might be new, but there is really something about the North east and its limited connectivity, which only adds to the charm which is otherwise too, immense.

The book moves across the 9 months the woman interacts, cares and changes herself to her changed life, all in anticipation of her child. It is a very short read, but it leaves you with a calm and peaceful feeling, though it does not really close the plot or give too many answers.

Book review: Disappearing Daughters, The Tragedy of Female Foeticide by Gita Aravamudan

The first 5 pages of this book, give you so many numbers, statistics to be more specific and you are left gaping at the words, wondering how and when the world will change.

Mothers, fathers, grandmothers, grandfathers, uncles, aunts, everyone of them has played a part in ensuring the many girls in India do not learn how to crawl, sit up, stand, walk or speak. The means which they employ, it seems like they have studied to ensure the best practices and have optimized on the success ratios.

As a reader moves through the book, the primary thought that comes is, "Who is the true perpetrator of this crime?"


The father who wants a boy to take forward his family name?

The mother who wants a boy for a better standing with her in-laws?

The doctor who wants to earn that extra money in spite of doing what is illegal?

Each of them play a role in systematically eliminating the female fetuses across many districts, cities and regions. This is a practice which has infiltrated across strata and the methods might vary, and the complexity of processes, but the end out come is always the same - A Girl Dies.

Before I started reading this book, I had an image wherein the women were helpless, crying and were being forced into it. But, after reading Disappearing Daughters, I view the world through a different outlook. There is nobody who is not involved, but circumstances, or pressure is not always the reason. Many a times, those involved, do not see it as anything wrong, and many ethnic races view it as a tradition.

How does one reduce this atrocity or make people understand? 
By giving a positive reward to those who keep their girl child?

I am not sure.

But, neither is the government, or the many NGOs who are working in this field. There is a fair bit which education can change, and there is another large chunk which will be changed by society and the expectations set by it, and only by this!

But, all said and done, it is such a shame that one gender has been picked and picked repeatedly over these many years.

Is it a time for things to reverse? That would mean revenge.
I do not think that would be sustainable either.

The way ahead is for a change, a change from everything what everyone knows as of now.
New rules, and  new thoughts.

But, again, how long would that last!?

Book Review: Cobalt Blue by Sachin Kundalkar (Translated by Jerry Pinto)

A book with 2 chapters. A book with just 6 charachters. A book which makes you think of love very differently.

A paying guest with a free spirit in a house where a family of 4 resides. A son who falls in love with the paying guest and the daughter also follows suit. But the daughter being more feisty, decides to run away with the man and live a life away from the eyes of parents and society. But, alas, only to be left stranded and in need of counselling to get back her life and goals in order.

The son is distraught and does not even know what has happened. But he fathoms the impossible when he realizes his sister is back, and his love and sister had run off. No one understands the son, he goes into depression, and that too is not even accepted by his parents who are only fussing about the daughter, getting her fine and marrying her off. There is a certain pathos which has been shown on the side of the parents, in their dealings with the children. Society and expectations mould the behaviour of parents towards adult children. They are expected to understand and comply to keep with the traditions, and to the extend that they do not see what is blatant enough, but not the norm.

This book left me with a feeling of unknown. It did not end, per say. I felt there was a closure required, which was lacking, in my respect. But, the work was beautiful in seeing the feelings coursing through love, despair and rejection. It was beautifully portrayed.

Rating: 3/5

Book Review: Sessiv Ev (Silent House) by Orhan Pamuk

 Sessis Ev, or Silent House is the second novel by Orhan Pamuk originally written in turkish and later translated into English. His first novel being a turkish book called Cevdet Bey ve Oğulları (Cevdet Bey and His Sons), which I believe was not translated to English. So, for all practical purposes of the Bingo Reading challenge, where I am to read a first book by a favourite author, this book fits the bill. And at the onset I should also add that this book did nothing for me as My name is Red did. That was a different setting and maybe more complex and intertwined to my taste. This was something I picked up, and read through, without really feeling anything much.

Set in a small town outside Istanbul, and revolving around how 3 grandchildren come to visit their ailing grandmother and her help about the house, a dwarf. As we proceed through the book, we see how the past plays out and how the many people in the small town are related yet believes to be unrelated.

 Eldest drinks and binges all through his stay and wonders about his ex-wife and how she enjoys life. He is shown to be someone who wallows in misery and drinks till sleep overbears. Sister lives a life analyzing the communist era and trying to be there for eldest through the rough patch. She aims to spend time with the grandmom though the grandmom does not really believe so. Youngest, with money in his pockets, from private tutoring classes, wishes to woo and live life with the party crowd in this sleepy beach town. He seems to believe he is in love with a girl and it is interesting to see how he misread her intentions, and almost forces himself on him, before taking control of the situation and rethinking what he is going to do. 

One of the characteristic things which I liked when reading My Name is Red was how every chapter would be in the first person narrative of each charachter in the book. This was something new for me, but this book also had the same method of narration. But, when I look at this book, the method seems to be a little more ineffective, or something which he has not mastered to that extend. This book was a good  20 years before My Name is Red, so I believe its safe to believe he was testing out strategies long before the master piece.

Overall the book was not as thrilling as My Name is Red, the plot was not that gripping either. The story was told mostly about thoughts and what each charachter felt as the summer proceeded and how things pan out for each. It was a little slow and also did not really evoke much feelings neither in terms of story or language.

Rating: 2.5/5

Book Review: Septembers of Shiraz by Dalia Sofer

Set in Iran during the uprising, when being against the uprising was a sure way to the gallows. A man is picked up by the militants and thrown into the prison. His wife awaits for his return, his daughter does not know what is happening. His son lives across the ocean in the U.S trying to study an make ends meet with the money sent by his father.

This is a book which had so much to offer with such diverse characters and locations, did not, in my opinion, pick up to its true potential. It does not draw on the culture of Iran or the Jewish customs. I felt I was reading a story about the insurgents, or militants, and their outlook which was affecting a family.

I had such great expectations from the book, especially after I read the NY Times review of the book and so on. But, I did not see this book leaving me with a wonderful feeling of having read something beautiful. There was little about the place, and maybe it is that I was expecting more historic references as the book dealt with the difficult times when the family was looking to leave Tehran and make an escape away from the madness.

Most of the book is in third person, and the most effective prose all lies in the conversations Shirin, the daughter has with her mother and her friend. Her feelings and fears have been very nicely articulated, and how she at her age believes how the universe functions, and how she can cause harm to her parents by her innocent attempts to help. One of the interesting bits was the feeling and life led by Parvin, the son who is studying architecture in New York, living as a paying guest with a Hasidic family, and does seem to like the daughter of the family, though he is unsure how the family will accept his non - religious ways.

All said and done, I think this book lacked the punch, which I was very much expecting considering the setting and the time period of the plot.

Rating: 2.5/5

Book Review: The House of Kanooru by Kuvempu

When we can gone to Thirthahalli, little did I know that I would come back with a book which would surely show me a life which is far beyond what I would have imagined. The House of Kanooru by Kuvempu, was a pick from Kuvempu's house which the State of Karnataka has turned into a historic museum. It housed many artifacts, books, articles of daily use which I remember being used by my grandmother! Things which I never thought I would see again were the items on display. And I had a strong urge to buy something from there as a memorabilia. And this book is what caught my eye.

Written by Kuvempu himself, and with a introduction by Girish Karnad. This was made into a movie by Girish Karnad, called Kanooru Heggadithi in the year 1999. He acted, directed and wrote the screenplay for this movie, and this movie won the National Film Award for the Best feature film in 2000.

Based around the Kanooru family, two brothers and their love for a girl. The ancestral property which plays as the stage for all that transcribes through a period of 10 years. The seasons change, the people age and children grow up and marry, but some of the smaller things in life such as family, love and respect stay on forever!

The language of the book, being a translation, works to be not that smooth, and at times you can see the Indian speaking style being translated as is in English. This does get a little while getting used to, but nevertheless it was a wonderful read. It narrates the life of villagers and farmers and their seamless association with nature and all that is available around them. I was left many times wondering why didn't I think of all these things which one could do.

The story is predictable and meanders around the main characters and their life. There are many small tit bits which are woven in to strengthen the characters and give depth to the narration. But, overall, I think this is a book for the writing and the clear picture it portrays of the life in the country. The story shows the feudal nature of life and at times the faces people assume with power, poverty, money and loss.

Rating: 3.5/5

Hootsuite or Buffer?

Recently I had asked my social networks whether anyone had anything specific to say about Hootsuite and Buffer for social media management, and I wanted some user reviews based on corporate profile management. Most of the inputs were in favour of using Hootsuite, but having started off with buffer, I thought I needed to find out if Buffer would work too. Also, added to the fact, I was falling in love with Buffer's clean and simple approach without the entire tutorial need as I saw when I signed up for a Hootsuite trial, this was more an attempt to stick to something which was more pleasing to the eye.

No doubt buffer is certainly more pleasing to the eye, but Hootsuite seems to offer more.

Buffer

• Clean, simple, intuitive
• Adding content from feeds and adding feeds in themselves are a breeze
• Scheduling posts and fixing time and days 
• Quick analytics on retweets/favourites and most importantly, the reach of each post, essentially things which really matter. For better analytics, they have a business subscription
• Allows 10 social profiles, 1 team member and 15 feeds for the Awesome plan ( approx. $10/month)

Hootsuite

• Looks very similar to tweetdeck and hence for those who have used it, would find it simple
• Its easy to pull content from one social platform to another, and makes it simpler to discover content
• The auto scheduler does an auto scheduling based on your message cap and with the days and time period which you would like. Very similar to buffer
• Exact times can not be auto-scheduled
• Hootsuite Syndicator works well for adding posts from feeds, but the overall interface is cluttered.
• The reporting section looks more swanky with more things to show your boss
• Allows 50 social profiles, unlimited feeds, 1 team member and 1 report/month ( approx. $10/month)

And when I am looking to manage about 6-8 social profiles, and the chances of it increasing is very high, then I do not see how Buffer will work, even though it seems so much more easier. Maybe it is simpler for a person to use for their personal social media management, but I doubt it will work for a corporate profile.

Do any of you have any thoughts?

Images are linked to their original sources

Book Review: The Calligrapher's Daughter by Eugenia Kim

Set in Korea during its occupation by the Japanese. That was a setting, I had never looked at, and knew very little about. Many of my historic fiction reads have put me back in touch with history and in fact I think I retain these stories and those pages in history much more after reading stories weaved around the facts.

The Calligrapher's daughter was lent by a friend, and it fit into my Bingo requirement too! Set in a small village, a calligrapher who believes the Japanese are spoiling his country. He who wants a son so bad, he refuses to name his daughter when she is the healthy born child after numerous child related misfortunes. It gives the reader a peep into the ways of traditional lives, with separate living quarters for male and female members of the family. Rules and regulations are abundant and a small girl who struggles to keep up with them, and yet have some fun. As I progressed through the book, a clear message which I seemed to be receiving was that with the influx of Christianity, there was a women's empowerment movement which was being brought about, with new rules and regulations, some which were in complete opposition to the original Korean way of daily living.

The position royalty holds in this Japanese occupied country, and how they navigate through their traditions while imbibing the new Japanese ones also. A life of boredom and confinement portrayed through the historic narrations by the aunt has a lasting impression on the calligrapher's daughter. The story moves through childhood, marriage, WW II, moving houses and losing people on the way. All through we see how a girl who was not wanted, and always chastised for her open, rebellious attitude bring her family together and leave many things behind to be there for them at the time of need.

There were numerous instances where I felt that the protagonist's mother portrays the typical women of the yester years. How they know what is the right thing to say, and they know what is the unsaid. Myself, I fail at it miserably, so this was interesting to read and in fact see how my MIL usually achieves this quite effortlessly. My mother on the contrary I see as myself, who doesn't bother too much about unsaid things, and look at the words which are spoken and act upon that alone.

Personally, this book was a very simple read, very well written and infused with much regional specifics which was good to learn. Traditional beliefs, doings, rules, however you wish to name them, this book is filled with them, but it was all new to me, so I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Rating: 4/5