Journey to Ithaca

Author: Anita Desai
Publisher: Vintage / Random House India
ISBN-13: 9788184000771
ISBN-10:8184000774
Binding: Paperback
Number of pages: 400 Pages
Copy courtesy: Publisher
Rating: 3.5/5

Now she knows why the Mother went on that pilgrimage, why anyone goes on a pilgrimage, and why she must go too.

Journey to Ithaca by Anita Desai is about poignant pilgrimages of the protagonists, painted with so much beauty and pathos, it takes you on one of your own. Desai does that. She is masterful in carrying a reader in her arms to surreal places, in unforgettable realms. I shall always remember the time I read my first Desai novel, The Artist of Disappearance. I shall always remember how she took my breath away with almost every sentence. She weaves similar her magic in Journey to Ithaca, but in certain places, in certain ways. It is not a sustained work of genius like The Artist... is. I remember wanting to cry sometimes, so overwhelmed I was with the beauty of her language.

Like here: Isabel is quiet, separating two ideas and then putting them together again: Grandmother does not want them to go to their parents, and grandmother does not want them here. 'Then where can we go?' she asks, not knowing a third place for themselves. 

And here: ...and a jasmine that flowered and flowered as though it thought itself to be in paradise.

But I also remember being bored at times. Especially the last few pages. Perhaps I was tired of reading the the book, perhaps Desai of tired of writing it. The end of Matteo and Sophie's story and that of Laila or the Mother's and that of Giacomo and Isabel all come to a laboured end, but that's perhaps how it feels when one reaches Ithaca.

Journey to Ithaca takes us along on the arduous road to self discovery of Matteo, his antithetic wife, Sophie, and the spiritual journey of the Mother/Laila. As Mateo tires of his bourgeois Italian upbringing and heads to India with his newly-wedded wife, Sophie in search of life's true purpose, we fall and flail along the path with them. Sophie is disgruntled with the dirt, the disease and the poverty of India and wants to live the 'Goa' life, while Matteo suffers in his search for a guru, until at last he finds refuge in the Mother. Sophie does not understand Matteo's blind faith in the Mother and proceeds to uncover her past in the hope to open her husband's eyes. Sophie learns about the spiritual guru's past as Laila, a rebel, who dances her way to India, and finally meets her spiritual master and destiny.

Desai's portrayal of Matteo and Laila strike home particularly hard because their search for the Supreme is laced with a lot of pain, doubt and conflict. The author is brilliant when she deals with strong emotions such as these. You can feel it sometimes like a body blow, when Matteo lies on the cold hard ground in wait and Laila weeps in agony to be united with her divine lover. Sophie's bewilderment draws sympathy too, but not as much. The characters are stark and the plot sublime. Reading Desai needs you to be buoyant, to float, and to let it take you to Ithaca and beyond.

The God of Small Things- Arundhati Roy

The God of Small Things
Author: Arundhati Roy
ISBN: 9780143028574
Price: Rs. 395
Genre: Literary Fiction
Publishers: Random House

Excerpts:

On the next bed, his niece and nephew slept with their arms around each other. A hot twin and a cold one. He and she. We and Us. Somehow, not wholly unaware of the hint of doom and all that waited in the wings for them.

They dreamed of their river. Of the coconut trees that bent into it and watched, with coconut eyes, the boats slide by. Upstream in the mornings. Downstream in the evenings. And the dull, sullen sound of the boatmen’s bamboo poles as they thudded against the dark, oiled boatwood.

Maithili Speaks (Feb 9, 2012):

The book is about two twins, two egged twins as they are called, Esthappen and Rahel. The story is written in pieces and alternates between the present and the past. Estha and Rahel are about 31 now. Estha doesn’t speak at all and Rahel is lost. An emptiness seeped into their lives ever since they were separated years ago following the death of their cousin- Sophie Mol.

Years back, Rahel and Estha lived with their Ammu (mother) in their ancestral house along with their uncle Chacko and grand aunt Baby Kochamma. Ammu was divorced and worked in the Pickle factory which was started by her mother. The little arguments, jealousy and prejudice is a part of life for the twins and their mother. Only when Chacko’s ex-wife- Margaret and their daughter Sophie come down to live with them, the twins feel unloved and worry about their standing. What follows next changes their life forever. Sophie is dead and everyone feels it best to send Estha away to his father. Ammu is broken and Rahel has to live without a part of her.

It is a sad story narrated in a heart wrenching way. It will make you smile at the innocence and bonding of the twins, it will make you disgusted with the ways of society and it will make you wince in pain at the injustice done. The writer has a poetic way of writing and sometimes you start predicting the next lines. Some lines repeat but in a pleasant way.

Rating: 4.9/5

Dozakhnama by Rabishankar Bal

Author: Rabisankar Bal
Translated by: Arunava Sinha
ISBN-13: 9788184003086
Publisher: Random House India
Binding: Paperback
Pages: 544

Have you ever been burnt by a book? Been trapped between its pages, gasping for air? Have you felt that if you read any more you'd die; but if you didn't read, you'd die anyway? If you've not had the pleasure of such a pain, read Dozakhnama.

Page after page of this book, I've been burned. Page after page, I've suffered as a reader. Page after page, I've yo-yoed from heaven to hell and back. I've seen creations divine, and endured the labour pains that every creation demands. Author Rabishankar Bal takes you through the agonising journey of two creators of beauty and if you are a writer/poet yourself, the book feels like a kick in the gut. And yet I held on, read it as slowly as I could, wishing this sweet pain would never end.

Dozakhnama is originally a Bengali novel by acclaimed author, Rabishankar Bal and it has been translated into English by Arunava Sinha. Between its pages lie Saadat Hasan Manto and Mirza Ghalib conversing with each other from their graves. The sutradhar is an author who has stumbled upon an unpublished work of Manto's and has set out to translate it. In this mysterious manuscript is recorded this fantastical conversation between modern Urdu writer, Manto and one of the greatest poets in Indian history, Ghalib.

Speaking across nearly a century, Manto and Ghalib share the stories of their lives with ghosts for company in the night. Manto and Ghalib take turns in every alternate chapter to share a piece of their lives and soon the line between historical facts and fiction is blurred. Bal owns their voices with such confidence that one is loathe to believe that the words are not really Manto's or Ghalib's. Sprinkled with little dastaans and poetry by greats like Mir and Rumi and of course, Ghalib, the book charts not just the life of these two artists, but also the literary ethos of India from the 19th through the 20th centuries.

Though far removed from each other in time, Ghalib's and Manto's journeys seem similar. But then, all artists have journeys like these - travelling through their personal dozakhs, their private hells while creating honest art. Ghalib and Manto both had their share of love, poverty, victory, heartbreak, alcoholism, and persecution for their truth, their words. Ghalib's India at the end of Mughal rule, and Manto's India at the end of British rule are very different, yet the trials of an artist's life are the same, the cycle of pain and creation neverending. Bal chronicles their lives and poetry and pain in one seamless breath, creating this masterpiece of a book. A thought must also be spared for Arunava Sinha and how he too must have partaken of this fire when translating this book. It's brilliant and I believe none of the effulgence of the original work was lost in translation.

Do yourself a favour. Read this book.

RATING: 4/5

Philida

Author: Andre Brink
ISBN: 1846557046
Binding: Paperback
Pages: 320
Publisher: Harvill Secker
Copy source: Random House India
Rating: 3/5


I started reading Philida with great enthusiasm, compared as the author was with Gabriel Garcia Marquez in the PR note. Sure, there was some trepidation, because Marquez, although magical, is a tiresome author to read. But it had been a while since I read '100 Years of Solitude' and I was ready to take on another work that promised to be 'Marquez-esque'. Alas, I was reminded a few pages into the book that PR notes are only to be half-believed. That is not to say that André Brink is not a good writer or Philida not a good book; but it is not half as fantastical as the award-winning Spanish writer.

Coming to Philida, the story is set in the Cape in the year 1832 and is about a slave woman, Philida. On the eve of slave emancipation, the feisty Philida's voice of dissent kicks up some serious dust on her master's farm. Tired of unfulfilled promises of freedom by her lover and father of her children, Frans Brink, who is also her master's son, Philida approaches a slave protection agency and files a complaint against the Brinks. Predictably enough, Philida is banished from the Brink farm with her children, but she takes with herself her desire for freedom onward to life on another farm.Eventually, her dream is realised but not without some trials by fire.

While the plot is straightforward and even unimpressive, André Brink's strength lies is in his use of language. Although the novel is in English, the flavour of Afrikaans comes through very strongly. It is easier to empathise with the slave woman Philida, who speaks in the way English movies have made us believe Blacks do. Brink's talent as an Afrikaans writer has been recognised with him winning South Africa's most important literary prize, the CNA Award, three times. He has also twice been shortlisted for the Booker Prize. Another aspect that makes 'Philida' interesting is the author's ancestral connection with the protagonist. Had I not glanced at the acknowledgements page (as I usually do), I would have missed out on this important tidbit. The story is not entirely fiction, for Philida really features in the Brinks' family tree. It has made the author write like one would about his own.

Brink also throws in a good measure of philosophy in his narrative, and that is perhaps why some see the resemblance between his work and Marquez'. Sometimes, there are whole chapters on philosophic 'discourse' veiled in African myth. So, prepare to sometimes trudge through lessons from a chameleon's point of view or look at life through a bamboo copse.

Philida took me a long time to finish, dragging me through the long, hot days of the Caab (Cape), breaking my back with the injustice of the life of a slave, making me witness the atrocities of the Baas (Boss) and finally letting me breathe the intoxicating air of freedom. Take up Brink only if you can take all of it.

Book Review - Herogiri - Mainak Dhar

Mainak Dhar, this is his second book I have read and it has left me wondering how the hell he gets ideas for writing his books. His first book that I read was The Cubicle Manifesto, which is a self help book and makes you think about your professional life and how to stabilise it with your personal life. Herogiri is nowhere near that. It is out and out masala book which is an absolute page turner. 

The book opens with a bank robbery. A guy in his twenties who looks like as if he doesn't eat anything and wears big glasses. He somehow manages to give those robbers a run for their money and ends up being a hero for everyone. Only he knows the truth, what had happened that day. Arnab, the protagonist of the book is an orphan, who is working as an assistant librarian in a Delhi University college. His boss, head librarian Jayantda, is a tough guy to please and keeps taunting Arnab for something or the other. 

Arnab has his own issues with the crime in the city. He manages to save a girl from being raped in a city bus and also teaches a lesson to some rich brats who are always on hunt to rape one woman or the other. In this course, he realises that he has developed some super powers. He takes help of Khan Chacha, who is an ex-armyman and develops these powers and becomes the guardian angel of Delhi. Then comes the real task, a terror attack in Delhi and Arnab had to deal and shake hands with all those people who had tried to harm in time and again. The plot of the book keeps getting better and better as it progresses. 

Mainak Dhar's writing has got style. He knows the which nerve of the reader he has to hold and carry on with the plot. Herogiri is also getting made into a movie. Director Riya Kapoor is doing it and I would definitely catch up with the movie as well. If you are looking for an out and out masala book with loads of action and innocence personified, pick Herogiri by Mainak Dhar, you would love it. I am sure. 

Book Source : Publisher
Publisher : Random House India
Genre : Fiction
ISBN : 9788184001334 

Book Review - Operation Lipstick - Pia Heikkila

Operation Lipstick, the title of the book gives an impression that it is related to fashion world, which it definitely doesn't.

Set up in Afghanistan, this is Pia Heikkila's first book. She is a journalist with over 15 years of experience in international media and the organisations for which she has worked would surely impress you. She has also done a small stint in Afghanistan also, hence I think the idea for this book must have come up.

Anna Sanderson, the protagonist of the book is a war journalist, working for a UK based news channel GNN. She has been into all the troubled and war struck places in the middle east and is a kind of go getter. She doesn't think much and is always up to some or the other mischief. Her cameraman, Tim and her friend Kelly, who is also a journalist live together in Kabul. Both of them are really close to Anna and Kelly specially is like her soul sister. There is another dimension to Anna's personality is, she always looks out for men who can satisfy her emotionally and physically. During all these her, she has hooked up with many men, slept with countless men and is on constant hunt even in a place like Afghanistan and she does manage to find some action. But Anna is looking for a man, whom she can be with all her life.

The plot of the story is about Taliban and how they get their weapons. Kelly's unfaithful boyfriend Richard, he is somehow involved in this whole thing and as he dumps Kelly for some other women, the trio decides to do a scoop on him and find out what actually is happening.

Pia Heikkila's writing has got a style. She is upfront, brash and witty at the same time. Its her writing that makes the book an absolute page turner, but when it comes to the plot of the story, I found it to be a bit confusing. Towards the end, you get this feeling that the ending of the book could have been better. This is what I felt. Anna's character and the way she keeps talking to herself in the whole book makes you laugh almost every time. The book is a good option for some light reading. Try it out sometime.

Book Source : Publisher
Publisher : Random House India
Genre : Fiction
ISBN : 978-81-8400-174-7

Death In Mumbai - Meenal Baghel

This book was recommended to me by a friend. Honestly, I never follow real life murder cases, political news or whatsoever. I dont like to thrive on negative things. I look for positivity and thats why I hardly read newspapers, watch news channels. I am too uninformed about everything going around until unless I wish to know what actually is going around. Death In Mumbai is about the famous murder mystery of Neeraj Grover, a young TV executive, who was brutally killed by Maria Susairaj ( an actor cum dancer ) and his fiancee Emile ( a naval officer ). The case stirred the nation back then as far as I can remember, but I never really followed it. I didn't want to follow it. 

When my friend told me about this book, I decided to pick it up and absolutely loved reading it. The way Meenal Baghel, who is currently working with Mumbai Mirror as editor-in-chief spoke to almost everyone associated with the case. Some known names and some spoke to her only on one condition that their identity should be kept under cover. The book psyches you out completely when you read some things. The insanity of the whole case will actually drive you crazy at points. 

The author spoke to Neeraj's friends, family, people who had worked with him, Ekta Kapoor as Neeraj used to work for Balaji Telefilms, Moon Das, who was approached to play the character of Maria Susairaj and herself was a victim of another insane killing of her mother and uncle by her ex-husband. Ram Gopal Varma, who made a movie adapting the entire case history, Rakesh Maria, top cop of the Mumbai crime branch who resolved the whole case. 

The way this book has been written, it throws light on many things. The way when Maria Susairaj confesses her doing psyches out again completely, it did happen to me. It leaves you aghast, that how can a human be so insane, so brutal to another human being. I highly recommend this book if you wish to know what exactly happened. It is an unputdownable, roller coaster ride. 

Book Source : Random House India
Genre : Non-Fiction 

ISBN : 978-8-184-00065-8

Powder Room

Author: Shefalee Vasudev
Publisher: Random House India
Genre: Non fiction
Binding: Hard cover
ISBN: 978-81-8400-161-7
Pages: 332
Rating: 3.5/5

Powder Room made me wait. Powder Room made me read (and review) many other books. I wanted to lay my hands on it the moment I saw it in the list of books Random House India wanted me to review. It came to me after a while, and was worth the wait. Shefalee Vasudev's debut book held this special attraction for me because I am closely allied to the industry and wish to crossover sometime in the near future. The glamour of this world, as Vasudev testifies, is undeniable, and I am drawn to it like thousands in this country.

Powder Room, however, makes people like me think twice about charting this murky territory, and therefore succeeds as a book. It means to tell the inside story of the glittery, dog-eat-dog world of fashion, and it does so without mincing words. Although non-fiction, the book reads like a story, with a generous sprinkling of anecdotes that render the near-legendary fashion personalities, real. She also, often, speaks of her own experiences as the 'misfitting' fashion journalist, offering the reader fairly intimate views of what goes on in the wings.

The book is divided into 10 chapters, each offering insights into different aspects of the fashion industry. Fashion, explains Vasudev, has many faces: a sales girl at a luxury brand's kiosk in a city mall, struggling female and male models by the dozen, powerful and experienced models, rich industrialist wives, young designers, old designers, fashion journalists, luxury brands, tailors and masterjis, retail chains, fashion weeks, Page 3, Bollywood, fashion magazines and artisans to name a few pegs in this complex tapestry. The author tells the story and struggle of each of these players to help the reader understand the rather large, and often ugly, underbelly of this industry.

As the ex-editor of Marie Claire, Vasudev has an insider's perspective on fashion. That she has written this book after leaving the fashion world has served her well, and helped keep the book objective. When she narrates the life stories of, say, Nagma - the B grade model, or Rohit Bal - the King of Indian fashion, Imcha Imchen - the young and depressed designer, or the Salvis of Patan - the last standing family of Patola weavers, it is all believable. The author claims to have interviewed about 300 people as part of her research for the book, and it shows in the extensiveness and conviction with which she writes about fashion. Whether it is the politics of the designer lobby, the marketing tactics of international brands, the poor conditions of weavers, the lack of a code of ethics, the gigantic egos of designers, she knows what she is talking about.

The book concludes with the author's disenchantment with the world of fashion and her eventual exit from it. Fashion journalism, Vasudev states, is really a sham in this country, where brands with clout and money run the real show. Powder Room shows how in this world of excesses, any person with half a conscience soon begins to squirm with discomfort. Yet the lure of its arclights is so powerful that it draws people like moths. Those equipped with the author's clinical detachment, swim, and those without, sink.

Read this book for many such truths.

Cross Fire - James Patterson

 Title : Cross Fire

 Author : James Patterson

 Genre : Thriller, Fiction

 Publisher : Century, London

 Pages : 356

 ISBN : 978-1-846-05459-4

This was my first book by James Patterson and I must say, his writing has got style. As I always say, murder in the beginning and the book is an instant hit for me. Same was the case with this one. A murder in the prologue itself and something more wild in the second chapter of prologue and hence began the roller coaster ride. I never knew that James Patterson has written a whole Alex Cross series and Cross Fire is the 17th book in the series. The earlier ones are

Along Came a Spider (1), Kiss the Girls(2), Jack & Jill (3), Cat and Mouse (4), Pop Goes the Weasel (5), Roses Are Red (6), Violets Are Blue (7), Four Blind Mice (8), The Big Bad Wolf (9), London Bridges (10), Mary, Mary (11), Cross, Cross (12), Double Cross (13), Cross Country (14), Alex Cross's Trial (15), I, Alex Cross (16), Cross Fire (17), Kill Alex Cross (18)

The book is a fast paced thriller. It starts with when Washington DC's two most hated public figures, a corrupt congressman and an underhanded lobbyist are murdered in public. A lot of other killings in the same fashion takes place. The common things in all the killings are, the shooter kills the most corrupt and hated people and always using long-range shots that too in public. Excessive media coverage explodes the entire killing business and people start having divided opinions on everything. Also, the protagonist of the book Alex Cross is all set to marry her lady lady, Brianna Stone (Bree). Too much happens in the book that keeps you engaged from the beginning till the end.

The best part about the book is, short chapters. Yes, I absolutely loved reading them leaving you aghast most of the times. There are 117 chapters in 356 pages. If you ask me, I would tag the book as "Quick Fix Thriller", yes thats what it is. It will keep you on your toes. Though at times, the relationship between Alex and Bree and also their weird love making scene breaks the momentum of the book. But if you love fast paced thrillers, this one won't disappoint you. You have my word for it.

(Review asked by Random House)

The 6 P.M Slot - Naomi Dutta

 Title : The 6 P.M Slot

 Author : Naomi Dutta

 ISBN :  9788184001709

 Genre : Fiction

 Pages : 294

 Publisher : Random House

The cover of the book makes it look really cheesy but trust me it is not. As they say never judge a book by its cover and I completely agree with it. Naomi Dutta's first book, The 6 P.M. Slot is a take on reality TV shows and how they are conceived, conceptualised and how they are put on air. Also, the plot deals with crisis management when things go haywire when you least expect them. 

The book opens with the managing director of YTV, Rahul Singh with his counterpart Harish Swamy, the master of obscene expletives that would crack you up at times, thinking about filling in The 6 P.M slot for their Youth TV (YTV) channel. Its a famous quote by Neha Dhupia that, in this industry, either sex sells or SRK, the duo opt for the former option and go for a sex driven show and hire a raunchy anchor, Vrushali, for it. The show was supposed to be called "Love Calls" and Tania, a girl from Baroda was assigned to it as the producer. And thats how things roll in the plot. 

Two characters in the book were inspired from real life personalities, Rajneesh Tiwari, from Arnab Goswami of the The Newshour fame and Charlie Angel from Bobby Darling. Their dialogues and actions were completely lifted from what we have seen Arnab and Bobby doing on TV. 

Honestly, the book didn't go well with me. Personally I think, it should have been at least 70-80 pages shorter. Also, the plot loses its track in between. Though, I must appreciate Naomi's writing and adding humorous lines and wit which cracked me up almost every time. The characters are well defined and are used well in the story. Also, Vrushali's nasty attempts for english speaking perfectly were nicely woven in the story. All and all, if you work for entertainment industry, specially TV, I am sure you would be able to relate to it at many levels.

( Review asked by Random House) 

The Cubicle Manifesto - Mainak Dhar

Title : The Cubicle Manifesto

Author : Mainak Dhar

Pages : 115

Genre : Self Help

Publisher : Ebury Press
ISBN : 9780091947972

I got this book few hours back. The title was intriguing and I picked it up. Hardly 115 pages this book has but its a complete eye opener. The book has been categorised under "Self Help" section by the publisher, but I would say its much more than that. If you ask me to summarise this book in one line, I would like to put it this way

"Its all about prioritising, making rules and follow them religiously"

This is what the book tells us in an rather way and a huge shout out to Mainak Dhar, the author, to coming up with it. I absolutely loved it.

Honestly, when I read the author's note, I was a bit disappointed. I thought, its another of that "Gyaan Giving" books. Towards the end of the author's note, I was absolutely sure, this one I am gonna drop in midway. But, the first chapter took me by complete surprise.

Mayukh is a happily married man and has his dream job. But, his work life is taking  a toll on him. One morning when he is too scared and going berserk about the current project that he is working on, he realises that his computer has been attacked with a virus named "The Cubicle Manifesto". Just imagine, how pissed off you would be, when something like this would happen to you.

The virus was nothing more than nagging girlfriend. Telling him, what to do, what not to do, how to do and turned Mayukh off so badly that he wanted to smash his laptop on the floor. Little did he know, what the virus was up to, when he realises that the virus is actually trying to help him, and thats when things start getting better for Mayukh and how? Well, for that you need to read this book.

I have often seen and have experienced myself that when you are at your workplace, there is this eerie tension and baggage that you always carry on your shoulders. Well, if you read this book, you would know why it is like that. Mainak has come up to sort out the issues in quite an interesting and appealing way which I am sure, if someone is facing the Cubicle Tyranny, would instantly connect to and would try to implement the things being told in the book.

Give it a shot, you workaholics. I am sure you would not regret reading this one.

(Review asked by Random House)

The Confession - John Grisham

Title : The Confession

Author : John Grisham

Pages : 456

Genre : Fiction 

Publisher : Arrow Books

ISBN : 978-0-099-54582-8

I think I like thrillers more when it comes to fiction. I had never read a John Grisham and when given a chance to opt from a long list of books, the first book that I shortlisted was his latest writing on the board, "The Confession". The best part about John's Grisham is simple writing. The language is really very simple and honestly I didn't keep dictionary by my side as I always do while reading books. (That's a confession) :D

The book is divided into 42 chapters and begins with when Travis Boyette, who has been charged with several sexual abducts, an evil man who has been diagnosed with brain tumour comes to Keith Schroeder, an everyman's minister, to confess his crime out of nowhere. He confesses that he has raped and murdered a famous high school cheerleader, some 10 years back, named Nicole Yarber and the whole blame has been put on to Donte Drumm, a local star football player. Drumm is tried, convicted and sentenced a death penalty for the hideous crime. One Keith finds out and makes Tavis confess the hideous crime that he did, thats where the story begins. 

Grisham's writing is tight with no non-sense. He focuses on the plot and makes sure that you dont put the book down till it reaches its conclusion. The twists and turns in the book, can be quite sickening for the reader, but Grisham ensures that you are hooked to it. Keith's dark narrative is one of the highlights of the book. Definitely. For me it was. The book also touches something that we always hear in news and stuff, Racism. As Donte was a black man, and Nicole was white, there is an another dimension to the whole case. 

So, all and all, if you love reading thrillers, then this book is surely for you. If you ask me to categorise the type of thriller, it is a legal thriller, which is what Grisham is known for. 

(Review asked by Random House India)