The Mystery Of Edwin Drood - Charles Dickens

The last and the unfinished novel of Charles Dickens. It's intended to be a suspense drama. The killer can be John Jasper , but there can be new twists and turns . Who knows? Pity that he has to leave this world without finishing not only this book but many of his dreams.

The Bonesetter's Daughter- Amy Tan

Yet another story , churned out from the tightly packed first novel, deals with delicate filial relationships. The characters, incidents, even the dialogues repeat itself yet her stories are unique and powerful. The plot is fixed- China during second world war and America of '90s. The daughter discovers the extraordinary past of her demented mother and thus rediscovers herself. The novel is heavily autobiographical.

The diary of a young girl- Anne Frank

Ann Frank gets the diary as her 13th birthday gift. She uses it to pen down her most candid and private thoughts. Soon her life changes drastically and for the next two years she pours her heart out to 'kitty'.She records daily happenings, family life, her growing sexuality, conflicts, confusions , hopes, her dreams and aspirations.She passes away at the age of fifteen and the rest is history.

'Dear diary' days have long been replaced by blogs.Still, Anne's diary withstands the test of time, because of its political and literary merits.A must read for all especially teenagers.

The essence of Yoga - Osho

Osho !! Cool , concise and condensed. This is not a yoga guide but a guide to yoga or meditation. Osho here addresses a series of fundamental queries of the unhappy souls. This book has definitely changed some of my attitude towards Osho and on Life and so I can't help but write down some of his powerful words:

• Life is a mirror.
• A person is an infinite mystery.
• When love dies , duty enters.
• Judgment is ready made. Discrimination comes from awareness.
• All comfort is , deep down , womb-like.
• The more you seek your happiness , the more you will help others to be happy.
• Misery is destructive , happiness is creative.
• Anything private is going to be unreal.
• A master is a catalytic agent.
• Life is a gossip in the eternity of silence and existence.
• Myth is nothing but a beautiful gossip , it helps you to live.
• Man is like an iceberg.
• The tongue should not be the controller.
• That which disappears by watching is sin, and that which grows by watching is virtue.
• A stupid mind always acts out of the past.
• Mind is accumulated past, its memory and so is stupid.
• Intelligence is mastery of all the mechanisms within you.
• Introspection is thinking about yourself. Self-remembering is becoming aware of yourself.
• God loves those who make others laugh.
• Cry, weep and laugh - let these be your prayers.
• Nobody is here to fulfill anybody else's expectations.
• All rules exist for averages.
• All great teaching is indirect.
• Whenever you are in love , you are gaining energy to hate.
• Be in the middle.
• In deep love, people breathe together.
• Narrow is the way. Straight of course.
• All choice is of the extreme.
• Balance is totality.
• People who are self conscious have no self.
• When ego dies, you will grow.
• Love is possible only when you have known your depth.
• Senses by themselves are impotent - unless you cooperate.
• Man is a bridge between the animal and the divine.
• Life is a blissful cosmic play.
• To be is to suffer.
• The sin is to fight, not to accept.
• All problems are unreal.

The Kitchen God's Wife- Amy Tan

Amy Tan's second novel explores more into mother-daughter relationship and picks up the thread left by the first novel. Moreover it's the story of 2 Chinese women- their miserable childhood, unhappy married life, ordeal through second world war,escapade to America, new life, more secrets and their love-hate relationship throughout their life. Immigrants and expatriates force their children to follow their values an traditions, but the new generation always refuses causing much stress and strife. The central character is Amy Tan's own mother. It's their story.

 How do my daughters rate me? Totally disturbed.....