When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
Every now and then one comes across a book which serves as a timely reminder of living life in the now. What sets When Breath Becomes Air apart from a number of these books is Kalanithi's penmanship. When charting his bitter discovery of cancer and his subsequent battle with it, he exhibits not an ounce of self pity. Instead, we are offered an account of a life lived with grace and dignity under the most trying of times, written so elegantly. At the end of the book, I found myself wondering how is it cancer takes away some of our best!
Recommended if you want to be inspired to make the most of your life.
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
Gosh, what do I say that has not been said before. A review here seems quite redundant. What I will say, is that yes, this is a book that must be read. It is a grim book that horrifies. And as reviewers have pointed out, the scariest part of the book is that the situation portrayed does not seem unconceivable in today's world as parallels with Trump's America are all too clear.
Recommended to remind one of the need to be vigilant in order to safeguard one's rights.
Frankenstein in Baghdad by Ahmed Saadawi
It took me a while to get into this book, perhaps due to the unfamiliar names and locations but then after a bit the narrative really picks up, specially once the monster comes to life. What I really liked about this book was the way the writer has incorporated people from different economic and religious groups to try and give one a composite picture of Baghdad. Composite perhaps is the key word when describing this book, for we are presented with a real melange of characters. The section which really stood out was the description of the different groups of Frankenstein's followers where we are given a commentary on the different types of sects that really exist in Baghdad. The novel presents a really turbulent picture of the city, so that by the end of the book one gets a sense of the despair that pervades Baghdad with no solution in sight. However, we are offered a glimmer of hope in the decency that exists in certain people, who do their best to do the right thing even in adverse conditions.
Recommended for an insight into the mess that is Baghdad.
Chinatown Days by Rita Chowdhury
This book stands out not so much for its writing but for what it recounts: the story of the Chinese in Assam. This is a story that has eclipsed the mainstream narrative of Indian history. Interestingly, the Chinese came to Assam as part of the slave trade to escape a bleak existence in China. They were an industrious group who worked their way up and mingled with the local society becoming a part of the country. Given that they came in the 19th century, they had no papers with them and never really got around to getting Indian passports leaving them vulnerable to the xenophobia of 1962. With the Chinese invasion, all the Indian-Chinese in the North-Eastern states were rounded up and transported to an internment camp making one ask if Nehru was inspired by Hitler. As with Nazi Germany, this was a time when envious neighbours and swayed students (a la the Nazi Youth) seized the hard earned possessions of the Chinese. With the war, unfortunately, their trials did not end, for many of them were then evicted from India and shipped off to China, where there were never quite accepted and treated shabbily.
Recommended for an account of racism under Nehru's India.
The Power by Naomi Alderman
Dystopian novels are quite the rage and one had thought that there was nothing new left to the genre; but then I picked up The Power and was proved wrong. For once, instead of having women as the powerless, they are the ones with the power. Alderman very skilfully presents an alternative history wherein women are wresting control in all arenas of life across the globe. And as we all know power corrupts and intoxicates; so soon the powerful women start behaving like men. Unfortunately, in Alderman's vision a world ruled by women is really not much different than one ruled by men. I guess she too subscribes to the Orwellian revelation that power corrupts and soon the revolutionaries are not much different than those they overthrew. While a rather bleak premise, I have to say it was quite a change to see men in such a subservient position and I kept thinking…hmmm now you know how it feels! Through the course of the book, Alderman depicts the various ways in which power can be seized: spontaneous mob behaviour, murder of the incumbent, unpredictable voters, manipulation of faith and pure brute strength. The question then is posed that once in power how does one remain in power—and the answer of course is through the manipulation of truth. What I particularly liked about the way Naomi incorporates historical images such as the Indus Valley Dancing Girl or the prehistoric cave art of France and presents a completely alternative--yet wholly believable--reading of them, which makes one question traditional readings of ancient sources.
Read this book for a 180 degree view of the world as we know it.
The Woman in the Window by AJ Finn
Please, please, please not another novel with a female protagonist suffering from substance abuse…that aside I do have to admit that this was quite a gripping novel and one is in for quite a revelation at the end. Of course, if like me you have read Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine not everything comes as a surprise
Read this book if you are in a mood for some neighbourhood intrigue
A Man Rising by Sam Wyndham
Set in colonial Calcutta this is the first of a mystery series. The book attempts to give a balanced perspective of India at the time. It was a quick and easy read and I quite enjoyed reading about the colonial experience from a novel lens—a non Heat and Dust one!
Read for a mystery series set in Colonial India
Mr and Mrs Jinnah: The Marriage that Shook India by Sheela Reddy
I picked up this book with a lot of anticipation…ah, I thought a juicy, gossipy read about a couple that had fascinated one for a long time. What a let down the book turned to be, no real gossip, nor a real explanation for what went wrong in the marriage, just lots of information and conjecture but no real substance about the marriage that shook India. What redeemed the book were all the extras: Vijay Lakshmi Pandit's tryst with a Muslim that even Gandhi frowned about, a glimpse into Sarojini Naidu's hectic political life, the brief mention of the discord between Fatima and Rattie. The real gem was chapter 16 of her book where she recounted the antagonism between Gandhi and Jinnah from 1915-1920. What was particularly illuminating for me was to see how Gandhi was quite sneaky and underhand in getting his way such as changing the constitution of the Home Rule league without even consulting Jinnah; even more disturbing was how he allowed mobs to heckle Jinnah at the Congress session of 1920--certainly not the actions of a saint.
Read for slivers of insight of our founding fathers.
Khullam Khulla: Rishi Kapoor Uncensored by Rishi Kapoor and Meena Iyer
This book transports one back to the Bollywood of yesteryears….reading about the stars, musicians and directors of movies one grew up on made this book a nostalgic read. The narrative could have been better organised as there was a fair bit of repetition but that did not stand in the way of one enjoying the book. There was not much of gossip as such in this book..though Rishi Kapoor did present his version of the famous story of Dimple and the ring. I would have liked to see some of his acerbic twitter comments here but I guess in a book that is collaboratively written that may not have been quite possible.
Read for an interesting chronicle of Bollywood of the past.
China Rich Girlfriend by Kevin Kwan
I loved his first book and thoroughly enjoyed this sequel set in mainland China. Sometimes reading about the jet-setting lives of the super rich can be fun.
Recommended if you want a breezy, entertaining read.
My Father's Garden by Hansda Sowendra Shekhar
I was so excited when I heard that Shekhar's latest book was out, though I was a bit disappointed to see how it was a a rather slender volume. Despite being only three short stories long, the book had enough meat to keep one thinking long after it had been read. Clearly Shekhar is a master of his art and has once again provided the reader with a thought provoking volume. The only criticism that I have is that the the first short story was rather too graphic for my taste in its descriptions of the sexual life of the protagonist.
Read for stories that will stay with you long after the book is over.
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