Elon Musk - Walter Isaacson (Book).

Book: 15/52.

Elon Musk - Walter Isaacson. 

My Rating: 5/5.

Another book that I bought for my office library, which I'm finishing now that I'm on notice and my last working day is just around the corner (I have two more good books to go before I call it quits). This is my fourth biography by Walter Isaacson, and I can now confidently certify that he is my favourite biography writer. He keeps them pretty simple to read and engaging at all times. I am on the verge of finalising my next car or SUV, and as I was considering an electric vehicle too from the segment, I thought why not read about the man himself who started it all in the first place. It simply turned out to be a Wow story, thrilling, engaging, super informative on what is going on around the world when it comes to technology, and so much more about the character called Elon Musk, who refuses to get off the limelight. The richest and craziest man from our planet, who plans to reach Mars before his retirement, even shows his son (named X) the planet Mars by a telescope to tell him that the day isn’t very far when they will go, at the earliest and that too at any cost. He rather claims that humanity has no option but to make a move to Mars as our planet is dying, can you believe that? He has even designed the clothes we will wear, the houses that we will live in and the greenhouse that he plans to transfer from here. Let's not even talk about Tesla or his contribution to destroying Twitter as a freedom of speech platform. Walter leaves no stone unturned in telling us the truth behind it all and calls a spade a spade, much to Musk’s disliking or knowledge (since he claims he hasn’t read this one), I believe, in his biography. His relationships and number of kids are something which shocked me big time, but was hilarious to read how he handles his family and personal time. All Elon’s ventures are covered in great detail in this 600+ page book. His histrionics with Russia, NASA, a few Presidents of the USA and whatnot. And it was great to read about so many Indians involved in his personal as well as professional life, too. Every chapter starts with a picture, and all the chapters are like max 5-6 pages, with the longest being 10 pages at times. No doubt, this will go down as the best biography I have read so far from or on anyone that I know of. 

Have you read Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson, or if you have a favourite Isaacson? Do let me know, and I would love to read that too. 

 

Icebreaker - Hannah Grace (Book).

Book: 14/52

Icrebreaker - Hannah Grace 

My Rating: 1/5.

This was the second book of the three that I got from my bestie while she travelled from JFK (US of A) to India last month. Not sure what made her buy this one, as it turns out to be a teenager’s Fifty Shades of Grey in the worst possible, grossest way possible. I mean I have read erotic novels but this one takes it to next level (may be we can call it proper porn) by making the sex scene at times like 4-5 pages long. WHOA! On the other hand, it's a very simple Rich guy meets poor girl while ice skating, as one of the two rinks where they practice is vandalised by some other teenager, and they fall for each other immediately. Before that, the same girl is going around with her Figure Skating partner and one more dude as well. Books like these are some kind of guilty pleasure for my kinda people who read a lot of classics which take a lot of toll on my fragile heart and mind (wait for the upcoming post on War & Peace). And writers like Hannah keep it simple for themselves by making all their characters rich so there is technically no struggle for anyone barring broken down family and too rich to care about family kind of guys and all that crap. So if you haven’t read this one or anyone from this trilogy (I swore to keep away from), you aren't missing anything in life. The only thing that kept me going in this book was the mention of Skating by the female lead as she vows to compete in the Olympics figure skating (go figure), as I was a District-level skater back in the day (quads). 

If you have read this by any chance, do let me know your thoughts, but if you are a fan of the book or writer, please forgive me, as it wasn't my cup of tea. 

 

Chaos (In Romance, Sexuality and Fidelity) - Raksha Bharadia (Book).

Book: 13/52.

Chaos (In Romance, Sexuality and Fidelity) - Raksha Bharadia.

My Rating: 3/5.

After reading three hard-hitting books, I needed a light-hearted book, which had been in my TBR for quite a while. Looking at its cover, my teenage daughter commented, “Like really?? You are going through mid-life crisis, Dad, and so is your book choice too” :D. It was a very light read with some really good insight on Romance, Sexuality and Fidelity, too. Although all those topics are big time debatable with opinions of each to their own, too, but fantastic to read a modern Indian female’s perspective who has met and spoken to several counsellors, psychologists, sexologists and experts from the related fields. Her take was hilarious at times, but made me think hard about looking around my own life and of those I know personally coming into the same age bracket. It was kind of an eye opener as to what I’ve been doing wrong (if at all) and how I could go back to the right track, although the book and theory offer no solution, which was a bit of a turn off for me. I will call it a very brave attempt, especially when it comes from Indian mentality and society, when she accepts that fidelity exists and is an acceptable norm in today’s time in our part of the world - that was an eye opener (but with facts and figures). With barely 200+ pages with funny illustrations in almost all the chapters, I found it a very easy read and enjoyed it as well. The outcome is very simple that this Chaos has no solution, and still the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, and to top it all, if you jump the fence, the grass still remains greener again on the other side this time :), if you know what I mean. 

Do let me know if you have read this one and how you liked it. Any other book on a similar subject that you might like to recommend to me :) I would love to know that too. 

 

Small Things Like These - Claire Keegan (Book)

Book: 12/52.

Small Things Like These - Claire Keegan.

My Rating: 5/5.

My best friend was travelling from JFK (NYC) to India and calling to ask what she should get for me, other than, of course, chocolates and what my family demanded—the only thing I told her was books (as many as she could get). Hence, this book landed in my collection; she gave it to me only after reading it herself, as it is hardly 115 pages and quite a quick read. I am not surprised to read that it was selected for a Booker too, it deserves all the accolades as it covers such a sensitive topic. It is a fictional account based on the Magdalene Laundries in Ireland (late 20th century), where an estimated 30000 or more women and orphan girls, abused, deserted by their families or who did not conform to the then social norms. The protagonist, a coal merchant, takes one such girl to his home, even after having a few of his daughters whom he is not able to provide for. It was such a touching story, especially when he made up his mind that they would plough through somehow, even when they would have to struggle a little more each day. Initially, I wasn’t able to like it, but as the story progressed, it completely engrossed me, and the highest point was the way it ended, totally touching. I didn’t know that they had adapted this into a movie too, which now I am looking forward to big time, as it stars Cillian Murphy in the lead. 

Have you read Small Things Like These or any other from Claire Keegan? Do let me know, as I would love to read a bit more from her, and looking forward to the other two books, too, which my friend got for me from the US of A. 

 

Pachpan Khambe Lal Deewarein - Usha Priyamvada (Book).

Book: 11/52.

Pachpan Khambe Lal Deewarein - Usha Priyamvada.

My Rating: 5/5.

Time and again, I pick chaste Hindi classics to keep up with my father’s and mother tongue, but more often than not, they break my heart with the outcome. This one too was in the same league, but what a brilliant story, amazing writing and such beautiful prose that it would be an exaggeration to claim I haven’t read something like this in the past. On that note, I need to pick up a few more from Madam Usha and that too like NOW. It is indeed a straightforward story of Sushma, the eldest daughter of a middle-class family, who gets promoted as a Girl’s Hostel warden in a college in Delhi after serving for about a decade in the same facility. Unfortunately, she becomes the sole breadwinner of the family as her father goes bedridden, with two younger sisters and two brothers and an over-the-top emotional (call it cranky) mother, she has no respite. On top of that, she is in her mid-30s, which from the 70’s standpoint was quite a late age to get married. Neel comes into Sushma’s life as a breath of fresh air, but the tragedy is that he is five years younger than her. The rest you can imagine what all they both go through and how their life takes so many twists and turns. I kept rooting for Sushma to fight with society and do what she wanted to do, and kept hoping that the tides would turn in her favour. Heart-breaking was the way her family behaved with her, but what made me happy was that it didn’t exactly go the way I expected it and left me with some hope in the end. It reminded me so much of real-life-based Premchand stories from the time. But one must read the little gem of a book to go through the nuances of that era and read about the challenges, not much has changed even in today’s time, too, as we still have so many Sushmas around us even in 21st-century India. I must say the relevance of the title is something the reader is left with much after the book has ended. 

Have you read Pachpan Khambe Lal Deewarein? Do let me know how you liked it, and I am big time looking forward to the TV series based on the same, with wishes for so much more to read from Usha Priyamvada in the very near future.