Just One Look - Harlan Coben (Book)

Just One Look - Harlan Coben.

I love murder mysteries especially when I am travelling and have to sleep alone in the night, of-course I am a little unsettled by the experience but that makes me wake up early the next day :) without an alarm clock. And I needed a new author with a light book to read post my first Kafka. Bought this book from a friend who was moving to a foreign land and was gifting (practically) all her books at throw away prices. I guess this was the only Harlan Coben that I picked up and it became the first from him that I read and it even worked (most of it) to keep me hooked throughout (although I didn't like the convenient ending) and had me finish it in flat three days. As I said, I haven't read nothing from him earlier but just one book is good enough to tell me that he isn't a Christie or Conan Doyle but his cops and detectives plus the protagonist was good enough to keep me guessing. But unfortunately after a terrific start and hooking mid time, the ending and the secret of the missing or dead people was too jumbled up to my taste and sensibilities derailing the total story for me making me call it a stricly average read, nothing special. One very good thing about the book and the Author is that he actually involves the reader in the story, i.e. if he misses a particular word for a situation he uses something regular and request the reader to make do with that :) and a few times he just leaves it to the readers imagination too, the best part? he mentions it that we need to take it with a pinch of salt.

Story of a happy go lucky married couple with two kids and a decade old marriage to boast off, goes totally haywire when an old picture suddenly makes an appearance in their life with five people in it, two of them dead already, one missing, one unknown and the fourth one turns out have an uncanny resemblence with the husband himself who again as fate would have it - goes missing since the picture comes in his hand. How the wife gets the picture and what is wrong with all those characters? There is a parallel track of a serial killer too who only kills "Men" and he decides to confess about the only Girl that he killed to her surviving brother who happens to working for the District Attorney's office. Now these two families too have a common connection and link :) Confusing? it gets better and remains that ways till the reader reaches 70% mark before the things start getting too convenient and jumbled up at the same time. There is even a rock concert in-between which was like a start of the events in the firt place. The plot and idea was simply brilliant but I will say the execution wasn't top notch, somewhere towards the ending the author got confused about how to end it all and who to put in the driver's seat for the entire story and screwed it all for me. But still it wasn't a bad time pass and on top of that it was able to wake me up on time early in the morning to read some more and get to the ending fast. The only good thing about the whole book, if my mom read this she will again get angry on me to love a serial killer and his modus operandi, if I ever recommend this book to anyone, it will be for the silent killer otherwise it isn't worth it.

Have you read Just One Look? or any other Harlan Coben which worked for you? I guess I have only this one from him and I will know in next six months if I have anything else from him :).

PS: Can that be an issue that I read this one as well as its likes in between a Kafka and a Bronte and likes? I don't think so, it should rather work like a charm, isn't it. I gotta give some more tries in between and see how they work. 

Siddhartha - Hermann Hesse (Book)

Siddhartha - Hermann Hesse.

Hermann Hesse is my Dad and Mom's favorite writer, I got a few of his books for them last year and now I know why he is their favorite :). Going by the name, I thought it was going to be some kind of story of Gautam Buddha or may be related to the period before he became Buddha. We too have our own little connection with Buddha too as I said that my parents are not only Buddha's followers, they named my elder brother after Buddha's only Son Rahul. Way back in late 90's when I was working in Delhi, I met a prospective client for consulting business, I have no idea why but after the meeting and handing over the business to us successfully she said "Can I call you Siddhartha"? and I thought "Why"? but said "Of-course, why not, I love that name" :). She called me Siddhartha, for I believe as long as we did business with them. It was hilarious to get a call on the office line from a client asking for a name of a person who didn't exist in our office but gradually I was the one who was forced to attend her calls and meetings too :). Although neither me nor anyone in our company ever asked why she called me Siddhartha. Going back to the Siddhartha that I read about wasn't a person who followed Gautam Buddha blindly, he rather questions his teachings and made his own path as per his own belief and understanding. I loved the way his path actually crosses with the original Buddha and the way he proceeds from there. Author very clearly at the very start makes it very clear that it isn't about Buddha but a different Siddhartha and his own life story.

Another thing that I loved about this gem of a little book of wisdom (hardly 200 pages) is that it is one of those few books that I find myself totally incapable of reviewing or rating. Now that is one reason why I would like to read it again as my Dad too told me that one reading will surely not help understand the deep meaning it offers to the reader. And as far as I know of whatever I have read of Hermann Hesse or heard about him, he isn't an easy man to understand. It is totally philosophical and has so many metaphors spread over the course of 200 pages that I kept smiling as I kept making my own theories of sorts. Our lives in comparison to what he told in the form of this story of Siddhartha looks so futile and meaningless. Siddhartha's experience with his best friend Govinda who leaves him midways as he wants to follow the Buddha as their paths cross with the great man. Siddhartha's experience with a courtesan how he finds love, his friendship with a boatman during the course of his journey in search of meaning and his companionship with a local rich businessman was simply amazing (and the highlight of the entire story). I loved the way he clearly says that the knowledge can be imparted but not wisdom, for that you need to choose your own path and find it yourself, you can get the guidance, someone can show you the path but it is you who has to actually walk on it and learn it yourself. It was heartening to see Siddhartha trying the same thing with his own son, while his son revolts and gradually he gives up because of the same that his friend tells him to let him learn his own ways and there is no way Siddhartha could pass on Wisdom to such a young kid.

I am definitely going to read this shortly again and will discuss it further more with my Dad once we meet next month and come back with another blabber :).
Have you read Siddhartha? Which one is your favorite Hermann Hesse book, do let me know, I am going to do a little more reading of his books soon.

Dear John - Nicholas Sparks (Book)

Dear John - Nicholas Sparks.

To whom it may concern.
I hereby certify that Nicholas Sparks is one of the best romantic writers I have ever read. So if you ever are looking for a book which is a quick read, will always put a smile on your face, choke you mid ways, a tear or two will spill by the time it ends, will surely give you some food for thought that you will stare at empty space doing all the permutations and combinations how you could have ended it in a different (read more predictable) way. But I will say it again, he is indeed a terrific writer, the lat book that I read from him was "Three Weeks with my Brother", it made me so emotional that I called my own brother after ages, worked out our differences, he finally visited and we had such a great time together. I also read his "Message in a Bottle" and as the book ended, I turned and kissed my wife admiring our beautiful life together, who was sleeping peacefully besides me as I was finishing the book, was all emotional, she almost kicked me down the bed (reflexes you see). And as I finished this book today, I actually called my dad (yet again at the end of a book) and said "Pappa, Sorry yaar, I was an arse as I was growing, can you forgive me ever?" and he laughed saying "What are you reading? as I am sure you don't drink over the weekdays" :). Now, let me tell you, if a book makes you do any of that, it has to be a great book (at least amazing) and the writer has to be loved, praised and cherished too. Undoubtedly, he is one of my all time favorites as far as genre of Romance is concerned. I've got another of his six books to read before I run out of data from the man. Hope he is writing another fantastic story as I post this :).

I am sure I must have read a dozen of Nicholas Sparks books by now (almost loved them all) and they are so easy on the reader, just like a good bottle of wine. Usually the protagonist is a very good guy, with a heart of gold, struggles through his initial days, falls in love (almost in no time), at times he loses his love mid-ways to get her back in the end, or he loses her in the very end :(. Now this one starts with the loss in the very first page and makes the reader hoping against the hope that it can't be true what the Author shows us at the very start. And the superb way it ends on a brilliant high made it work so much more for me. Although I tried my level best to predict the ending, putting his earlier 12 books weight on my brain, I still couldn't guess the exact ending (and I am glad I couldn't). Nicholas Sparks is just too good not only with his stories or emotional quotient, but also with the character names. I seriously love the names that he uses, like in this one, imagine a girl named "Savannah Lynn Curtis", now how can you not fall in love with a girl named like that, and on top of that she loves horses and is an excellent rider, she dreams of owning a ranch someday where she will teach Autistic kids how to ride. How fantastic is that. The way she falls for John Tyree and gives him his own dad back for life, was the best-est part of the entire story. The way John's equation was with his dad (my life story) to the way it turns out gradually was so heart-warming, choked me up big time. No doubt, this was a superb Father Son relationship story too that I read in a long long time. Also, this was a great story about some best friends you make in the course of a very short time, accidentally too at times.

The entire book actually made me feel as if it was written with 80's if not 70's audience in mind, where you fall in love with a girl without knowing nothing about her, you don't mind getting into cliche ridden promises like watching the full moon every-time when you are not together and think of the good times spent together and all that :). I was pleasantly surprised to find his protagonist doing these things in 2006 :) where loving someone was a priority and there was no hurry to make love with. And again like I mentioned earlier too, I love the stories where there are no villains :) yet there are situations beyond the human control much to the shock, surprise and sadness of the reader, they do go out of hands.

Have you read "Dear John"? If you have, do tell me how much you loved it and if you haven't read it, you've seriously got to read it at the earliest. And yes, do not watch the movie, it isn't quarter as good as the book is and they have screwed the story royally (yet again). Which one is your favorite Nicholas Sparks book? if you have read any or all of them.

The Castle - Franz Kafka (Book)

The Castle - Franz Kafka. I have read at least five Haruki Murakami books and that too back to back :). But one actually isn't required to read a full Murakami book to get a hang of the man as how it is to read a Murakami. And if you have read one, you precisely know what I am talking about but what has Kafka got to do with Murakami? Right? Kafka is Daddy of Murakami on that front and I am triply sure that Murakami himself must be a huge huge fan of Franz Kafka, that much I can tell you after finishing my first Kafka :). I mean, I have read a lot of books with open endings but I haven't read (before this) any-book which doesn't actually have an ending, neither a story which goes anywhere but revolves around one subject which is very intriguing but I guess Kafka decided to never to give out too much to the reader or may be I am wrong as one reading may not be enough to scale a Kafka? is it? And that's where Murakami came to my mind, One of the trilogy (Rat) that I have read from him, he simply refuses to name even one character, I read them with a microscope and couldn't seriously find any names even in the Epilogue which was the fourth book of the series and even there he simply steered away from any names to my shock, amazement and later awe. Same to same is the case with Kafka uncle, he wasn't any easy on me that too on my first book from him. But I firmly believe on the saying that "What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger" so since this didn't kill me, it made me strong enough to pick another Kafka very near in future. Now the story, contradicting myself as I said earlier that there is no story, there actually is a Castle where our unnamed protagonist wants to go as he is called by the count (only one mention) for the job of a surveyor (that as per Kafka is giving out too much). Now this guy is named after an alphabet :) and I kept all four of my eyes (two behind my specs) to see if we get a full first name at least if not more. While his target is to reach the Castle which in itself is not very easily visible, he has to go through a lot of struggles in the form of the surrounding village(s) and the people living therein are no respite on the man. To his (and mostly our) amazement, he does indeed has some help in the form of his assistants which he himself isn't sure he knows them :) now you are getting a hang of Kafka I tell you. What happens next is the rest of the story of this man's struggle, acquaintances he makes, a little love he may find on the way to the castle, mysterious disappearing characters making an entry and exit at their own whims and fancies. A lot of people do not like him getting the job, a lot of others actually like and respect him (or his title) and a few have their own doubts on the mans originality, there is so much more to it all than what I can blabber about in my post. I still firmly believe that I haven't got a quarter of the whole book (read 280+ pages) still it was a fantastic intriguing read till I realized that the pages were coming to an end and I could not see any ending in miles. It has everything from similar sounding names to doubts whether one character is really what he or she is supposed to be to a new character popping now and then and disappearing suddenly. I mean tell me this, how can an Author introduce a new character at the second last para of the book and let us live with that? pray tell me about it if that has ever happens in any books that you have read. I have my own doubts that the paperback that I got from one of my all time favorite book store (Blossoms Bangalore) has some 50 odd pages missing. Which I will be checking out tomorrow at a bookstore near me to make sure it does have an ending unlike the book which I just finished which has a new character introduced in the very last chapter who says something yet there is no words following it. Please tell me that you have read this and it actually has an ending, Kafka cannot be like Murakami (other way round is acceptable to me), that he will give me a few sleepless nights thinking of an ending. Have you read The Castle or any other Kafka? Do let me know which one is your favorite Kafka book as my next from him is going to be "The Trial" which I will read after a few books break. Edit: No change, that's actually how it is :(.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood - Quentin Tarantino (Movie)

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood - Quentin Tarantino.

Me and my wife just walked out of a theater in Pune with our minds totally blown to pulp, wifey was thoroughly entertained although she found the movie a bit slow from Tarantino standards (She has seen all QT movies and Kill Bill 2 is her favorite). Unbelievably we were only 8 people in total watching a 12 O clock show but I wasn't surprised that almost all of us cheered, shouted, yippied so many times, guess each one of us was the fan of the man behind it all. Yes, it isn't one of his best works and we have seen better QT movies still I will firmly maintain that one should see it on the big-screen only, the impact of it all, darkness, suspense, music, dialogues, blood, gore, spit, curse the rumble of the cars is something your television and home theater system will do no justice to. I am definitely up for a second viewing myself as soon as I get company to watch it again, may be this time I will check it out on an IMAX screen, the bigger and the louder the better. censor board did screw it up very partially (say 5%) as they did mute some words :) but I am super glad that they left "FUCK" as it is in the whole movie :) as that'something I love counting in a QT movie and of-course I lose the count in the very first 10 minutes only at all times, this was no exception.

As so many have mentioned previously that the movie has no set story, it just goes on to tell us how it was back in the late 60's and 70's, a few months from the life of a fading (TV) star who goes on (kind of) to make a career again and the best part of the whole movie is his body double (the Stuntman). Of-course LDC is the man in lead with Brad Pitt as his Stuntman but undoubtedly for me too, Brad gets the cherry on top, totally loved him for a change. Wifey too exclaimed that she hasn't seen any Brad Pitt movie so far she guessed and I have vowed to correct it by showing her "Fight Club" this weekend :). Imagine one movie with LDC in lead, Brad Pitt in toes and they both come in one frame (may be for a fraction) with none other than Al Pacino :) I can watch that again and again on a repeat mode as long as it will last. With hot Margot Robbie, Kurt Russell and a guy playing Steve McQueen and before I forget about Bruce Lee :) with so many movie references thrown here there and everywhere - makes it a movie worth all the money for movie-freaks especially. And Quentin Tarantino makes his fan laugh out loud, whistle and jump on their seats with that superb mind-blowing ending. You've got to watch this movie for its pace, unbelievable lines, expressions, crazy characters and that total kick-ass ending. I want to tell you so much about the movie, but unfortunately that will take so much fun and surprise element away from you. So I will keep my horses in the stable till the second helping and will edit this post again, you have time till then to watch it or take the spoilers with a pinch of salt.

If you haven't seen Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, do yourself a favor and watch it on big screen, you can criticize it later but go ahead, have the experience of a QT movie on Big Screen as next may or may not come at all in future.

Songs of the Cauvery - Kalyanaraman Durgadas (Book)

Songs of the Cauvery - Kalyanaraman Durgadas.

The best that can happen to a reader as per me is to get a book in gift from someone :). But it becomes double the happiness when you get it straight from the Author, that too personally and of-course, he's got to sign it as well ;). The highlight of my last month's Bangalore trip (Official) was my visit to the book-readers pilgrimage called "Blossoms". I posted the same on Facebook a couple of hours prior to my visit and Mr. Kalyanaraman Durgadas messaged me saying that he was in the area and we could very well catch up over a cup of coffee. Guess what, I had no idea up to the very moment I met him that he has written Books :) and he delighted me by buying and gifting a copy of his own book from the next door books store "Bookworm". Briefly he told me that it was based on an important chapter from History and as I love not reading a blurb or a review of any book that I plan to read, I didn't ask him much about the book. So technically I had no idea what I was getting into and I am glad I didn't ask him either as it turned out to be a FANTASTIC Historical Fiction, If I may call it that because the unfortunate ignorant that I am on the subject, I have no idea of its historical accuracy but that takes nothing away from the awesome story. Also, another best part which worked big time in favor of the book was that I haven't read many Historical Fictions in the recent times and NONE from our part of the world. But now that I have read his book, I can very well guarantee you that none of the contemporary Author's book(s) will come any closer to this one, especially the subtle way he has told his story. Wow, I am already looking forward to his upcoming works, as and when he writes, gotta text him and ask what is he up-to these days :).

The beautiful book I kept on my book-rack for quite a while as I was in the middle of a mammoth book series and I picked it up early this week and the fantastic story it was, I finished it too fast. I guess that is always the case with a good book, the better they are, the faster they finish :). My initial impression of the book and its story from late 19th century was that it was a love story of sorts from a small town on the banks of Cauvery, but the way it turned and picked up the pace mid-ways, my mind totally got blown and let me tell you this, the way it reaches the mid-ways, it becomes simply unputdownable and by the time it ends, it simply becomes a superb thriller with awesome action. Now, since the timeline is late 19th Century, pre-independence days and life are so beautifully captured by the Author that it refreshed the memories I have of my mother's book, she is a huge huge fan of Indian Revolutionary heroes and I have read most of them. Story of a simple straight-forward Brahmin, who loses his wife very early in life, marries his wife's sister (as per her own wish), story goes forward as his Son and Daughter take up the reins forward. It was quite a refreshing change to see a doting father from that era who gives so much freedom to his daughter, you've got to read this father-daughter story. In the meantime his fragile son (almost good for nothing for me initially) goes through his own challenges and life. But the day he gets the right direction, and wakes up, there is no looking back. I actually didn't imagine in my wildest dreams of what he becomes and how he does what he does best. Hats off to Mr. Kalyanaraman especially the way he has carved out these beautiful characters.

The entire story is narrated so beautifully, especially the life back then, the cloths that they wear, traditions, Britishers, our own struggles but the most important character among all is the river Cauvery, it actually feels as if the river is telling a story that she herself witnessed. I mean if Cauvery actually has to tell us a story, it will exactly be written the way this story is written, simple, subtle, beautiful, romantic, suspensive and thrilling. The book indeed put a big smile on my face with two very important characters from our History as they make brief appearances. I totally loved it and those precious words, simply superb. I am super glad that I made that trip and thankful to him to have me read his beautiful book. If you have read "Songs of the Cauvery", do let me know how you like it but if you haven't, I will say wait no more, Go get it and enjoy the story. It is a terrific story which has to be read by all.

PS: I am going to mail this book now to my mother ;) as she will be super excited to know that I actually got it straight from the Author and I am doubly sure that she will love the story big time.

Shall We Tell the President - Jeffrey Archer (Book)

Shall We Tell the President - Jeffrey Archer.

A couple of months back I re-read the iconic "Kane and Abel" but unfortunately this time around it didn't work for me. That typical Jeffrey Archer magic was missing, I just couldn't believe myself that I wasn't able to like it that much as I expected it to be. So I went ahead and read its sequel with very high hopes of liking it, and guess what, I was right :). The sequel "The Prodigal Daughter" was fantastic and with very high hopes I picked up the last of the trilogy last week to check if it will keep the momentum going. And let me tell you at the very start, the third book of the trilogy is technically the best book of the lot, it was simply superb and I must say Uncle Archer was totally back with all the action, on top of that a terrific love story too as an added bonus in this one. Although the character of Florentyna Kane took a backseat and makes way for the FBI agent(s) who just keeps asking his boss "Shall We Tell the President?". What secret they keep from the President or do they actually get to tell her, is something I read the book for and it did keep me glued to the very end in the most mesmerizing way. My trust on Archer Uncle is back with a bang and I am so much looking forward to read so much more from him. May be I will get all his earlier works and read them as and when I can :). He is one of my all time favorite writers for sure.

At the end of the second book, Florentyna is made the President of United States. At least in fiction, Archer gives Americans their first woman President and the first thing she wants to do is to control the fire arms. How kool is that :) again, this can be done only in fiction, and no ways in real life. As she gets closer to pass the bill for controlling the fire arms and their sale in USA, there are people who want to remove her from the power. The only way to do it is to kill her, who is behind the conspiracy and how a rookie FBI agent comes across the information and takes it ahead with the agency makes up for a perfectly thrilling Cat and Mouse chase game. The three most important characters of the story are the agent, his accidental girl friend and the terrific Director of FBI, whose first name is never disclosed in the whole story as that carries a cash prize of $3516, to anyone who gets it first. I actually had to keep a keen eye to see if I could actually find the name mentioned somewhere. Why that odd figure? You've got to read the book to find that out. It was such a thrilling story with so much going on in typical American way, on top of that Archer leaves no stone upturned in making it a superb love story as well. How he does that in so much style is something which always impresses me big time and makes me a fan of the man. Life inside the Capitol building in DC as well as inside the FBI headquarters is captured in such a beautiful yet hooking way that it kept me glued to the book throughout.

Have you read the Kane and Abel trilogy? Which one is your favorite from the three? Mine is definitely "Shall We Tell the President" without any doubts. Even as an Individual book, it will be a wonderful read as not much connection with the previous two parts but just a handful of characters, who again get not so much attention in this one.

Mukkabaaz - Anurag Kashyap (Movie)

Mukkabaaz - Anurag Kashyap.

Can a Director like Anurag Kashyap ever go wrong? Every time I see any of his movies, I yet again fall head over heels in love with the man and the art of movie making that he does so beautifully. Last night we had the opportunity of watching this gem of a movie called "Mukkabaaz" with almost an unknown cast, barring of-course our common all time favorite Jimmy Shergill, yet again in a terrific character that we loved to hate :). What amazed me was the way Mr. Kashyap picked up an unknown guy and makes him a superhero of sorts that too in full style. I have now become a huge huge fan of Vineet Kumar Singh, who I saw last in Anurag Kashyap's "Bombay Talkies" as he actually was the part of one of my favorite track wherein he fullfils his Father's last wish of making Mr. Amitabh Bachchan eat his "Murabba", Wow, what a touching performance this guy had in that movie and finally with "Mukkabaaz" he gets a full-fledged role and he steals the show with full marks.

I have no idea why and how we missed this movie while it was on Big screen but my daughter so beautifully summed it up saying "Papa, achcha hua humne ye movie theater main nahin dekhi, achchi nahin lagti tab apne ko and we wouldn't be able to rewind it the way we did it so many times, repeating so many scenes". That was the magic of the movie, the guy's performance, story, action and everything else is so amazing in this one that we almost saw it twice back to back. Although the movie had a terrific start yet it falters or slows down mid ways leading to a terrific finale but that takes so much time in coming that I felt its length was a little too longer for the subject it was made on. All four lead actors did total justice to their characters. Especially Vineet as the "Mukkabaaz" who knows nothing but mukkebaazi and just can't do anything. His love interest "Zoya Hussain" the mute girl was superb, she reminded me so much of "Mahie Gill" and she so easily made me fall in love with her. The way they talk was so amazing. Ravi Kishan finally gets a role he is been waiting for all his life in a Hindi movie I guess. But the Jimmy Shergill yet again takes the cake away from all of them. Stony eyed villain (Girl's shrewd Uncle) a totally corrupt politician with an ego equal to the size of Himalayas :) was simply stunning. How he screws Mukkebaaz's life and his career was totally convincing and so much true to real life I believe.

Wiki says this about the movie: "Mukkabaaz was conceived by Vineet Kumar Singh (Hero) who wrote it with his sister, Mukti Singh, based on his observation of several sportsperson's condition in the country. He then faced rejection from several producers but was accepted by Kashyap, who agreed to make the film if Singh becomes a real boxer. For the preparation, Singh went to Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports, where he trained boxing for a year. Hussain also learned non-verbal language for her role". His transition from a mango-man to a Mukkabaaz onscreen is so stunning that we just couldn't believe how one could do this.

Loved it's unpredictable ending too.

It is indeed a big crime to miss a movie like this. If you haven't seen this one, do watch it ASAP. I am sure it must be available on all platforms by now. I regret missing it earlier but glad that I finally saw and loved it too. Do not miss it anymore at any cost.

Unhurried Tales - Ruskin Bond (Book)

Unhurried Tales - Ruskin Bond.

Ruskin Bond is one of my favorite writers and I am super confident that whenever I pickup whichever of his books, it puts a wide smile on my face throughout the time it takes me to finish it. Although I always (read always again) find them too short and a breeze to read and they just get over too fast. I believe in humor department, PGW and Ruskin Bond have no match (do let me know if you think they actually do). When I need to laugh out loud I pick up a PGW and it without fail makes me roll over my chair and sofa where I do most of my reading. And when I need to go back in time in search of Nostalgia about good old days, I pick up a Bond book. No doubt, he is a true blue Indian, the use of so many typical Indian words confirms that time and again. For example so many times he says in his story that when he was "small" and not "young" :). And the use of so many authentic Indian terms like in this one, the laugh riot story of a guy selling "Saande-ka-tel" :)or Bond himself using "Lifebuoy" soap or even better, his love towards Indian cuss words, for which he says there is no other language cuss words which come any closer in giving him any satisfaction :) till he uses most of them to chill himself down a little, whenever he is angry. I am surprised that the stories that he has written in this book are mostly from the period between the late 50's to early 60's, yet not much has changed in our part of the world in last 50 odd years. Especially the small towns, life out there, the train travels, highways, friendly people you meet all over the country and so much more as he captured so beautifully in his heart touching stories.

I have another reason to love Ruskin Bond stories or shall I say I feel more closer to them as I have almost spent a good 2 years going off and on to Mussoorie almost every month while I stayed in Delhi. And the nearby areas which keep cropping up in all his stories, Chakrata, Kemptee, Landour, Dehra(doon), Simla, Shamli and a lot of more smaller lesser known areas. His love for the wild, animals, adventure and mis-adventures are to die for. Totally hilarious accounts of him going recluse with no money in the pocket, no set job, no recognized way of making money, yet he is able to survive on little mercies of people like Hassan who runs a bakery and lets him live in a room upstairs. The room although is no good but he praises the view from the little window of the attached toilet, where he spent most of his time :)writing and creating his stories, now how funny and super kool is that. I had a jolly good time imagining Mr. Bond sitting on the western potty with a rickety old mammoth of a typewriter on his lap, furiously typing stories for us to laugh with :). His landing the fortunes accidentally and letting them go are not only hilarious but heart touching and tell a lot about the man we all love too.

All of his stories are straight from the heart and they feel so real that I seriously believe that they actually are cut out from his own life and I want to believe that none of them are really a work of fiction. The locations, the surroundings, the real life like characters, the animals, especially the tigers, leopards and bears, on top of that his adventures with them and mis-adventures too. I have learned so much from his stories in the past that I would really love to try a few of his stunts myself like the one where he is sure that if you call a Tiger an "Uncle", he will not attack you and let you live :). And if you run into a Bear some day, try running downhill as Bears hate running downhill, so he may spare you :). His friendship with a pickpocketeer or an exiled Prince a last of his own kinds are super heart touching accounts. This book is more dedicated to the friends that he had made while living a couple of years in and around Pipalnagar and Fosterganj, not too far from Mussoorie. A Baker, a banker, a pick-pocket, a hair-lipped youth, an old boozer (a royal actually) who makes his own booze, and a few more that he keeps meeting off and on. But the best story of the lot is "The Blue Umbrella", that I totally loved. Although I have seen the movie that one of our own acclaimed Director - Vishal Bhardwaj has made, but I don't know why the Movie didn't impress me much. May be I will see it again after reading the story and see if it works this time around. The story is about a little girl and her brother, who find (or acquires) a beautiful Blue Umbrella and what all she faces because of the same is the story.

Have you read "Unhurried Tales"?, if not, you have to read this without fail, a gem of a book full of terrific stories. Which one is your favorite Ruskin Bond book? Do let me know, I would love to read it too. Although I am yet to get my own copy of his recently launched Autobiography "A Lone Fox Dancing", have you read that?

PS: Do you know why Ruskin Bond calls God a "Mathematician"? Guess I need to read more of him or may be his Autobiography will have the answer.

Sinners: The Dawn of Kalki - Naveen Durgaraju (Book)

Sinners: The Dawn of Kalki - Naveen Durgaraju.

The best day of the week or a month is the day I get a book as gift from someone and it makes it even better when I get it from an Author directly. How kool is that :) to get a book straight from the source and the only thing I am supposed to do is to read, rate and post my thoughts. Can life get any better? I don't think so. So, this one came couple of months back when Naveen approached me to review his book but since I was in mid of an epic book series (A Song of Ice and Fire) it took me quite a while to finish it and get on with this one. After reading five huge books back to back from the master story teller, I anyways wanted a short break before picking up anything. Also, I wanted a little break from paperbacks as my hands were actually aching after holding those thick books constantly for good two and half months I guess. Hence I picked up my Kindle and this one was right on my home screen which I started right in the morning as soon as I woke up and surprisingly finished it by late mid-night. Whether it worked for me or not is altogether a different matter. What is commendable as per me is that someone not only wrote a whole book, but also got it published. And the most irritating thing as per me in a book is mistakes, although I am no expert but if I am able to find a dozen mistakes, it breaks my heart.

The book took me way back in time some 25 odd years and refreshed the memory of couple of "Surendra Mohan Pathak" and his likes that I read, but the only difference was that this was in English but the feel was exactly the same. It was more of a mix of B grade Hollywood movies where the world has come to an end and the left over humans are looking to decode the cause and effect as well as trying to survive the times. Heroes have risen for their own causes (and every hero has to have a heroine too). They ride the left over Bullets, now how kool is that, I expected a couple of Ducatis or may be a few Harley's too but since the fuel and food is something which is depleting they do not make an appearance. I guess too many movies and the plethora of TV series(s) on apocalyptic theories have taken their own toll on the writer's mind. Nuclear attack, its after effects (not in details), the talking creature, the Purohits and a Katana wielding Hero takes the lead in the story. The "Sinners" are dying on their own and there are some who are not touched by it all are the "Forgiven". The way two sides greet their own people reminded me so much of Star Wars' "May the Force be with you" as they keep saying again and again (One side) "Kalki Commands" and (the other) "Forgiven, Forever", hilarious that was. The creature he made and the way they hunt him reminded me so much of iconic movie "Tremors". Even Stannis Baratheon's flaming sword from Game of Thrones makes an entry here and what's with Horse blood drinking - that had me in splits. At the first sign of Apocalypse all the pregnant females vanish (remember all the fertile ones were hijacked by "Handmaid's Tale). I am still not sure if it was intentionally or unintentionally funny, I was laughing with it or on it. Initially the way story starts, it had a huge scope which I will say not at all explored by the Author, rather he looked in a hurry to reach the end of the first book without disclosing much to the reader since I believe he wants to make this into some kind of a trilogy of sorts.

The one thing that is missing big time from the story is that there is no detailing, half baked characters, almost no backgrounds, I even had a hard time imagining the background, surroundings and even what they were wearing while riding bikes in one place and running around in horses in other scenes. This book and story is more of a "telling" than actually "showing" something to the reader. Visually it was a big let down.

A Dance with Dragons - George RR Martin (Book)

A Dance with Dragons - George RR Martin.

I just bought a sleeping bag last evening from a sports store next to my office. Now, you may like to ask me, what a sleeping bag has got to do with this book? or the book series in question? If you have read this one, you already know my answer but if you haven't, let me tell you, I am preparing myself for the upcoming book(s) launch of this series that eagerly, that I will be sleeping in front of the bookstore to grab the very first copy of its upcoming part. George RR Martin is one heck of a writer, no two things about it, he has left the story in such a suspension and hanging state that I will keep on wondering what happens to my favorite (twenty) characters from the story. I can bet that no one can have one favorite from this series, at least a dozen or half a dozen for sure will be my all time favorite without question. Five books down in the series and after reading a little more than 5000+ pages, there are a 100 question that I need to ask him and some 20 theories running parallel to the narrative that he is going to twist, turn and resolve hopefully in upcoming books as and when they come out. I really actually admire (read hate) those friends who didn't stop me from reading this, even after knowing that I will be hitting a dead end with no ending sooner than later. People rather forced me into it and I have one brilliant friend who actually handed me over her complete box set with a smile :). Do we really need these kind of friends in life :). On top of that I have a cousin who just handed me over the entire TV series on a pen drive, drooling that I should watch it quick so he gets to talk about it with me, may be next weekend as it is 70 hours worth. That would take me at least two weeks for sure.

Fifth book of the series and some 1115 pages later, I am totally (still) in love big time with some half a dozen character and pray every night (being an atheist) for their good health and no sooner death by Mr. Martin. Seven kingdoms now are in ruined state, with no true born king in sight to take the reins of the realm. Dragon queen missing from action, dead or alive, no one knows. Starks too totally missing from action, all sons dead (almost), two missing daughters, wolves totally missing from the action, Bastard (my Hero) not getting enough support and opportunity to take the revenge or find his half brother and sisters. Lannisters, lets not even talk about them as it will stretch this blabber to no end :). My love Jamie is again absconding totally and his Wench to is missing big time. Cersei finally getting her long due :). My second best love Tyrion, aah! My heart pains to mention what is being done to him. Hopefully he will join hands soon with the Dragon queen (my wish) and come back strong for the Iron Throne. Where is Benjen Stark? Where are the "Others"? Where is Samwell Tarly? Where are the Hounds? Anyone?

The great Wall on the verge of being abandoned or taken over, the "Others" are yet to arrive, the missing last king (Stannis) again no clue dead or alive. Being a reader, it is at times too tough, still doable for me to keep a track of all the characters in small compartments of my memory but I really wonder how Mr. Author does that himself, is seriously beyond me. If I actually make a list of all the characters, I guess he must have named close to 2000 or more characters in this series by now. And they are so aptly named that it always puts a smile on my face as and when a new character crops up :). One of my favorite name is "Damon-Dance-with-me" I mean imagine a character named like that :). I especially love the Dothraki names, Khal Drogo (the best) Jhoggo, Jhiqqi :) Khrazz and all the others. I so much wish Ser Barristan the Bold gets a detailed story of himself in coming books and so does the two Dogs (Hounds) the Clegane brothers big time. I hope and am sure they are not dead and out yet.

If I have to chose one favorite book from the series that we read so far, I will say almost each one of them is equally good if not better than its prequel. The series just keeps getting better by every book and just doesn't lose any steam I will say. ...... and the painful waiting period starts for the next in the series :(.