chill therapy

All 3 of them get their time table and portion. This happens twice a year. The fun begins....

cooling off

Office Shocks - Sumit Aggarwal

There is nothing shocking/novel in this novel but has lots of ROFL/LOL moments. It caricatures the first day of a young man in the corporate world. A fast 'anytime anywhere'  read with only 98 pages. The best part is the office memo. And I find the suicide attempt and the dare devil rescue part quite cinematic but fatuous.

Read out and laugh aloud during your office break time. By the by, is this Dude Lit/ Guy Lit /Corp Lit ?

The Post Office - Rabindranath Tagore

Forget about symbolism and spiritual awakening , this two act play is totally captivating and heart-rending. Amal an orphan boy who lives with his uncle in a small village is ill and is on his death bed. He is lively, dreamy, imaginative and his enthusiasm is infectious. He spares no one- the dairyman, watchman, florist and even the haughty and pompous headman falls for him. He dreams to receive a letter from the King via the new post office that has been set up near his house. And he wants to be become a postman in the future and visit faraway lands. Finally the Royal Physician arrives and conveys the King's imminent visit and Amal drifts to sleep/death dreaming and smiling.

Wonderful though tragic.

Percy Jackson and The Sea of Monsters - Rick Riordan

A fascinating fantasy. Now I know why juniors are crazy about Percy Jackson series. He is a hero in every sense - genuine and brave. And the book is about filial relationships , friendship , taking big fat chances , standing up for oneself etc. And is a huge relief n distraction from the drab realities of daily life. Don't miss out on 'Chiron's guide to who's who in Greek mythology' given at the end.  So , Odyssey continues and demigods reign... Fantabulous.

The Witch Of Portobello - Paulo Coelho

Imagine your Boss as a modern witch on constant fight with her inner demons, struggling hard to find her place in this world ! Witch ! It can be me, you or your mother-in-law. Interesting. Ever since I become a fan of Paulo Coelho, I'm hoping to meet a witch/wizard. X-men, Mutants, Martians, Aliens or even Men n Black will do. Also Vampires. I'm a sucker for magical creatures. xoxo

This book is for witches and wannabe witches. And also for you. It asks you some basic queries like - Are you a witch? If not, what is your goodself doing here? Find out the purpose of your earthly avatar and customize it. That's it.

Pearls of wisdom

''What is a teacher? It isn't someone who teaches something, but someone who inspires the student to give of her best in order to discover what she already knows.''

 

''You don't need 'positive thinking' to tell yourself that you are loved, strong and capable. You know it already. Believe.''

 

Manushyanu Oru Aamugham - Subhash Chandran

I read one of the serialized parts of the novel last year and was dazed n mesmerized by the beauty n strength of the language n characters and the sagacity n candor of the writer. Though captivating , the entire novel did not evoke the same response. The novel chronicles the life n times of 4 generations of a prominent Keralite Nair family along with the people and the society concerned. According to the author, the novel portrays 100 years of Malayalee's futile life and laments at the lack of a milestone event/ development/ evolution; the failure to produce a single maha athma/great personality. Thus this novel and it unveils the inanity of our life. So, this is sort of a trumpet call to perk up and ...........  'be the change you want to see in the society.'

Kudos to the young writer. Good job. The best parts are Jithendran's letters to Ann Mary. Wow !

Superstar India - Shobha De

An all India tour with Shobha De`. It being India's and hers 60th b'day, Mrs De is here in her shining Merc to take us out for a joy ride. Yeah, why not? She chirps, hums, croons and rants n raves incessantly about India A-Z. Her orgasmic optimism is infectious. You laugh n cry and what not ... along with her. Hilarious.

Thanks for the ride, Mrs De`. It was sooo unreal. You are a damn good professional guide. You are the superstar. Now that we are back from your dreamy, dazzling n shining India, allow us to face our real India.

fete

So , this is what a church fete is all about.

1. 'couple's for christ's  food stall
2. zero malabar malayali food stall
3. filippino food stall
4. konkani food stall
5.  ice-cream corner
6. magic show
7. games stall with 5/6 games
8. lucky draw

A dozen relaxed n lite colleagues.
Loads of familiar ''hi , bye'' faces.
A closer visual of Fr.Buffy. ( excuse my faulty vision, he looks like a buffalo)
We talked ate n perspired.
Not bad. I mean the fete , except that biriyani got over and had to have a late lunch at home with all the left over stuff.

You are a keeper

There is this new friend of mine I'm quite dotted on. She's a heaven of a lady. Today I been to her apartment. Yes, alone, without Boz and my 3 tails. OMG ! The whole time (1 hr) she was out of breath , shoved me around like a tourist guide , tried to stuff me with eateries , fretted over this and that like a mother hen and babbled nonstop. How embarrassing !  Athithi devo bhavah ?  I dono.  But wow ! I'm floored and flattered beyond this blog.

conquer the world ?

Why should I? Is it necessary that I should be always smart, fight against all odds, stand up to myself, leave my footprints and legacies ? Since I find life totally meaningless and do not give two shits about rebirth/reincarnation, I wish to live and die peacefully now and here. This is to all the Smarties out there - I'm not a competitor, but a mere spectator. Let me be .

The White Tiger - Aravind Adiga

Mr.Adiga wanted to portray the ''mirthless humorless weaklings from the 'Darkness' of India without a trace of sentiments'' and that he did exactly in 2008 in his debut novel The White Tiger  and bagged Man Booker Prize for the same. Splendid ! This dark parody set in contemporary India makes the reader laugh n hoot as well as provokes to ponder on the much cliched topics like poverty, caste, corruption, globalization, freedom, individuality etc.

Brilliant.

Riot - Shashi Tharoor

This is the upteenth novel written upon the Babri Masjid-Ayodhya communal riots, yet absolutely unique in theme and plot. The story line revolves around the mysterious murder of a 24 year old American social worker in the backdrop of the riot. The ingenious narrative techniques allow the readers to peek into the events that lead to the riot, murder and its aftermaths. Shashi Tharoor experiments with narrative threads like journals, interviews, letters, poems, diary entries, newspaper cuttings and monologues and transforms the otherwise worn-out theme n cheesy love story into a brilliant work of art. Superb !

The French Lover - Taslima Nasrin

Nila a Bengali, ditched by her lover, marries a Punjabi restauranteur and settles in Paris. Soon she leaves her incompatible hubby and is on her own in the 'city of love'. She goes through a series of cultural shocks and even a bit of lesbian adventure. A brief trip to India finds her motherless and an alien in her own native place. She comes back to Paris and falls for a Frenchman but ends their torrid affair when she realizes that her lover is  in love with himself. Thus she frees herself from all shackles and is on her own again and thus liberated. How come?

The author seems to be extremely biased against men. To her all men are selfish, self-centered, lecherous hypocrites............. which is almost true...hehehe..... but here Taslima is clearly bugged out. Nila is a messy confused bundle of contradictions and her love life surpasses that of Mills&Boon series. Hah !

The novel parrots explicitly the way Indian society treats their girls/womenfolk in all its glory. If only the adult content was less, this book could be ideal for wannabe brides though the personal freedom and the subsequent liberation of the protagonist is quite ambiguous and unconvincing.

The book of Woman - Osho

An awesome book with lots of powerful and inspirational observations that will stay with you for a long time. This book is sure to make the ladies extremely happy. It covers almost all the aspects of the female species, projects her as a superior being and analyses women's liberation in its true essence. A must read for all the girls who are ready to explore their womanhood .

All said and done, to be worldly-liberated , women not only need awareness but financial independence and huge support from the same gender. What you think?

Can Love Happen Twice ? - Ravinder Singh

My friend Jess gives me this book - a holiday read. Jess is the only one who gifts/sends me books. But Alas ! this is not my cup of coffee. It won't help me age gracefully. The book is a hit among youngsters it seems. Good. The story goes like this:  True lovers part as the rich girl wants them to settle down in Europe with her parents but the middle class boy wants them to roost in India with his mother. After much tearshed and drama the boy wins the girl all over again via a radio show on Valentine's Day thus love triumphs. Piece of cake.

About the title - You kidding? Love happens on a daily basis I reckon.

Sthraina Kamasutram - K.R. Indira

Vatsyayana writes Kamasutra around 4th century to guide n educate men about carnal pleasures. K.R. Indira writes Sthraina Kamasutram  in 21st century....... why?

The book is a successful critical study of Vatsyayana's Kamasutra. The first two chapters are dedicated entirely for that purpose. Heavily impressive. So KS is outdated and the postures are inhuman and if practiced the woman concerned may end up in traction. Hmm...point taken. Hey, the author seems to agree with Vatsyayana at one point though. ''Size matters''. O.K. Some relief. Then comes the ridiculous survey conducted among women about love n sex life , satisfaction quotient etc and the author arrives at the conclusion that the womenfolk are not yet liberated nor improvised or skillful in the above concerned field. Really !? Amused. Next is the most awaited part of the book - Kamasutra for women. Drat ! Dang ! Darnit ! Yet another rebuke about KS and a sermon on self protection. Good Grief ! Apart from highlighting the faults of KS this book has nothing new to offer ! Not even a single tantra or mantra or sutra. Forget about seduction tips. 281 pictures without tags ! Why bother? Disappointed beyond repair.

How can you effect sexual liberation n equality by reading n rewriting  a book - written centuries ago exclusively for men - in a woman's perspective ? What's your take on proper sex education n guidelines from school level onwards?

the dragon tattooed, fire proof girl of Stieg Larsson

I loved 'the girl'. She is "a pale, skinny young woman who had hair as short as a fuse, and a pierced nose and eyebrows. She had a wasp tattoo about two centimeters on her neck, a tattooed loop around the bicep of her left arm, another loop around her left ankle, a Chinese symbol on her hip and a rose on her left calf. On those occasions when she had been wearing a tank top, a dragon tattoo can be seen on her left shoulder blade." Exotic. But the books are nightmarish , too chilling and inhumane. The italicized parts give you the creeps. They are bulky and I took almost 1 month to read. This is my holiday read ! No complaints , as expected these thrillers leave me numb and dumb.

who are you?

We been to the new Jayalakshmi showroom the other day. At the counter a lady with a cool bag approaches me and you know what , she seems to know a lot about me - my name, age , place , friends and esp  everything I did during my sweet 16 &17. Gross. She also mentioned my stint as Jesus Christ in one program. OMG !

Dear classmate,

You look very young and beautiful. I'm flattered that you recognized me. Sorry that I can't remember your good self. It must be the greying grey matter. Please don't take it personally. You are a doctor? Great. Give me an appointment , please.
Thank you.

The Waiting Room - Anupa Mehta

Maya's life is a series of sexual exploitations right from her childhood. The cook molests her , the husband abuses her mentally n physically and the psychoanalyst takes advantage of her. Her daughter suffers the same fate. Instead of confronting the monsters , she goes through a series of loveless affairs , spiritual quests and meets her soul mate who has a wife to claim and she dies single and unhappy. It's a real story I guess. I don't enjoy reading this book. One gets more than enough warnings about child abuse, marital misdemeanor , deranged shrinks etc. Very disturbing and sort of haunting.

Baumcartner's Bombay - Anita Desai

Set in Germany , Calcutta and  Bombay during the troubled times of World War 2 , the novel tells the pathetic story of Hugo Baumcartner , a victim of the Holocaust , a lone firangi in India . The German is too passive , unambitious and dull - a drastic change from time-honored heroes. Yet one can easily relate to his life , times and tragic end. Thanks to Desai , the Holocaust is painted in minimal colors.

An offbeat , interesting and engaging read though not very perky.

amu - Shonali Bose

Shonali Bose released the movie Amu and the novel written based on the screenplay en masse on Jan 7, 2005. She seems to be the first Indian to do so. Cool feline. The tiny book Amu details the horrible and disturbing anti-sikh riots happened in 1984 followed by the assassination of Indira Gandhi. The adopted daughter of a Hindu social activist uncovers her true identity and the massacre unravels for our benefit. No , I haven't seen the movie yet. The star attractions are Konkana Sen and Brinda Karat. Yes, the beautiful Brinda Karat , the first woman politburo member. Shonali Bose is her niece. I would love to watch the two awesome ladies perform....

You Are Here - Meenakshi Reddy Madhavan

Why read? The front cover says it all. This is a blog turned book about the love and night life of a 25 year old in a metro. No, not good like the stuff she used to write earlier. Just a caricature of some of her posts. Oh yes, I subscribe her blog. 

On the sunny side, the book is an easy read. No brain damage. The language is very refreshing. It is difficult to ignore her sense of humor. She is one certified bold chick. I want to try out something she brags about everywhere - Tequila shots !  Fingers crossed ....

Revolution 2020 - Chetan Bhagat

I pined for this book almost 1 year. Darn! I didn't see or feel any revolution or spark. May be the author was not aware but Bollywood movies depicted this kind of 'revolutions' decades ago. Improvisations in settings haven't helped the subject matter. It pokes at  entrance coaching classes & private engineering college rackets and highlights corruption in the educational system, all in the backdrop of an inflated love triangle. A misfired make over.

One Night @ the Call Center - Chetan Bhagat

The novel kicks off with the usual formula of motivational books - the author meets a stranger who obviously has a brand new bottled up story to uncork. And then the author befriends the stranger and re-produces the true story. Here , the author has allowed to the story to unravel through the eyes of one of the 6 friends who works at a call center. Cool. The story is written in a very simple language. Thank you. The filmi version - 'Hero' bombed the box office. Sorry about that.

Hey , this is what a call center is all about? Seems like a kooky place to work. Anyhow the unexpected phone call from God straightens the lives of the people concerned and the story ends with a happy knot. All is well. 

Why God? Did you watch the movie 'Zindagi Na Milegi Dubara' ? In that movie 'bull run' becomes the turning point in the lives of 3 friends. Bulls or Gods , the moral of the story is this :- Let the messiah mend your messed up life. Ok , point taken.

Who Moved My Cheese? - Dr.Spence Johnson

Halleluiah ! This book is lucky to catch me at the pudding time. I'm staring right at the only possible change of this year - the 3 month sabbatical. And this very tiny book is there to help me handle all the big changes in my life. Amen.

As usual the secrets are story-wrapped ; a short story of 2 mice and 2 little people who live in a maze in pursuit of cheese. Interesting. Cheese is the symbol of what you aim to achieve in life and the maze is where you search for it. If out of stock or displaced , remember the following:-'' They keep moving the cheese. Get ready for the cheese to move. Smell the cheese often so you know when it is getting old. The quicker you let go of old cheese , the sooner you can enjoy new cheese. Move with the cheese. Savour the adventure and enjoy the taste of new cheese! Cheers !!


Why cheese? I don't like cheese, but I love butter and so shall be looking for butter all my life. People , don't you dare move my butter. Grrrrrrr

The Inheritance of Loss - Kiran Desai

Like mother like daughter. She writes beautifully. She has inherited the splendid gift of portraying landscapes in all its vividness from her mother, Anita Desai. Progenies are expected to excel their makers and so Kiran Desai is the youngest woman to receive The Man Booker Prize. So far so good.

About the book:- It's like watching a dry dreadful black&white art movie all alone in a huge cinema hall. In a beautiful n poetic language, the novel describes the stale yet serene life of a retired judge, his grand daughter, her Nepali tuition teacher cum lover and of the cook who live in the post-colonial north-east India. The reader gets a fair idea of the short-lived Gorkhaland revolution too. The story is snail-paced n reaches nowhere.

I liked the cover design.

Fire on the mountain - Anita Desai

Anita Desai secured Sahitya Academy Award in 1978 because of this work. Generally I'm prejudiced against books with award tags. But this is a rare book, quite an impressive work of art , perfectly embroidered with beautiful landscapes so typical of Desai. One can easily relate to the main characters - the grandma , her friend and the grand child. I didn't want this touching story to end and is still mad at Desai about the tragic end. It's horribly disconcerting. Anyway , what fun if all the books end with their funny side up , huh?

Birds of Passage - Kiran Doshi

Birds of Passage is a hilarious novel written by the diplomat , Kiran Doshi. His Excellency has proved his worth in many Indian missions in Washington and Islamabad and been Ambassador to at least 4 countries. That explains this 'diplomatic satire'. The novel is set in a world of diplomacy , India - Pakistan - USA relationship as its theme. No doubt , this book is quite a valuable addition to 'diplomatic literature'.


Even our good old Ambassador car has been modified with groovy features ! Any such hope about our doormat diplomats and Ambassadors?

Charles Darwin: Evolution of a Naturalist - Richard Milner

Charles Darwin ! Oh yes , he is the father of evolution and his name is invariably associated with terms like natural selection , survival of the fittest , Australopithecus , Orangutan and Homo Sapiens. And of course this picture too is a synonym for Darwin. Sorry about the final stage. 

Evolution of a Naturalist discloses the personal and professional life of Darwin the human being. No, this biography won't bore you down with the details of evolution theories you have learned in secondary school. It is much more informative , funny and interesting than the Wikipedian Darwin. It also sheds light on his famous contemporary naturalists and scientists like Alfred Russel Wallace , Charles Lyell , Thomas Henry Huxley and many more.


If Homo Sapiens are not the pinnacle of creation/evolution , what's the next phase??
                                                                                       

World Famous Unsolved Mysteries - Abhay Kumar Dubey

This book reminds me of 'Sastrakeralam', published by 'Kerala Sasthra Sahitya Parishad', an inspiring magazine about scientific discoveries and mysteries. I haven't seen one since high school. Sighs.....


This book is ntended  for middle school children , I guess. It elaborates on 26 baffling mysteries which are still unsolved - lost civilizations , strange monuments , hidden treasures , ESP, ghosts etc. Junior read the book and only one thing piqued his interest - UFO. Why no reference about aliens?


The book speaks volume about the end and total collapse of many civilizations. Will that be our fate too? When will be the next continental collision and drift?

Wide Sargasso Sea - Jean Rhys

The 'writing-back' of a classic becomes a classic ! Whaoh ! Wide Sargasso Sea is the life story of the most marginalized character - Bertha Mason aka Antoinette Cosway- of Charlotte Bronte's classic Jane Eyre. In her attempt to  portray the childhood , unhappy marriage and the inevitable madness of Antoinette  the first Mrs.Rochester , Jean Rhys has actually composed a touching and chilling psychological drama. Cool. 


No , I haven't read Jane Eyre. But this novel can be read and enjoyed independently. By the way , what's that bunch of bananas doing there on the carpet? The novel is full of beautiful Caribbean sceneries and the publishers have come up with a bunch of bananas? Nonsense. Cover design matters too , right?

Silas Marner - Mary Ann Evans

Why should a classic begin with such dreadful descriptions? If  you can plough through the first 3 pages of this classic , the rest will be a smooth slide. Mary Ann Evans uses a male pen name - George Elliot - to be taken seriously and to escape from the women writers' cliches. But still her third novel 'Silas Marner' is quite a heartwarming and emotional tale. Painted in a beautiful rural Victorian backdrop, it's all about love n hope; a fantastic treat for a romantic heart. Relish.

Life changers Dreamers Doers - Robert H Schuller

This inspirational book looks quite puny and tidy yet it holds 96 messages tied at the end of tiny stories. The stories have been baked freshly out of life experiences with preachy fillings and religious coatings - strange and funny. I learned 2 things from this book. 1.The secret of a great speaker/author is the ability to tell a good story with a neat conclusion. 2.We need something desperately to make us think positively on everyday basis. Fine. The second one explains my reading this book today. What about tomorrow?

By The River Piedra I Sat Down And Wept - Paulo Coelho

It is the story of Pilar , who wants to love her high school sweetheart , but is scared of getting hurt. It is also the story of the spiritual leader, who wants to be with Pilar , but is confused about love as a digression from his spiritual path. At the end it becomes clear that love is not an obstacle in a spiritual journey or rather is essential to fulfill one's dreams. Though written in beautiful prose , this simple love story has been made heavy and complex with religious and philosophical connotations. Read if you have lots of time to mull over spirituality , faith , the feminine side of God , self-forgiveness and the likes.


                         ''All love stories are the same.''
                                 Oh, really?

Letters From A Father To His Daughter - Jawaharlal Nehru

Letters ! Oops , snail mails...They bring back memories of yester days......... Soon letter writing would be listed as an antique art form but not yet. It doesn't matter whether we use email , snail mail or female as long as we communicate cogently. 


Coming back to letters, we cherish letters out of personal acumen and sometimes preserve them because of their historical importance. Nehru's letters to his daughter fall in the latter category. Nehru wrote these 30 letters, to his 10 year old daughter Indira , while he was in the British Raj jail. They are unique and different in subject matter and outlook. Through the letters , he strives to fill his absence and tries to arouse his daughter's curiosity on various subjects. The letters in the book form can be read as a history textbook- very simple and interesting. It talks about the origin of the earth , nature, history , civilizations , kings and the beginning of religion. Though personal and atheistic , these letters stir up the children to learn more about our past. Perhaps the book form should be included in the middle school curriculum.

My kids aged 10&12 , started the book with much excitement, stopped after the first letter. Can't blame them. Unlike Goosebumps , Famous Five , Hardy Boys , Secret Seven and Nancy Drew , Nehru's letters urge the kids to think and use their brain. Kids , this book is much more interesting than your history textbooks. This is the right time to read it , not at my age.

Tuesdays with Morrie - Mitch Albom

Mitch Albom rediscovers his Sociology professor Morrie Schwartz ,when the latter is diagnosed with terminal illness - ALS. He visits his teacher every Tuesdays and takes lessons on - the world, feeling sorry for yourself, regrets, death, family, emotions, the fear of aging, money, love, marriage, culture and forgiveness - simple life lessons we always forget. Mitch tapes their conversations and compiles them - the 'final thesis' and thus this book.

 
The book is a very quick read. One Tuesday is more than enough to learn all the life lessons. What makes this memoir different from any other self-help book is that it's the true story of Morrie Schwartz who celebrates his illness and death chivalrously. Awesome. Since Morrie is on his death bed, he can't talk much and go deep into the life lessons and so spills out his pearls of wisdom in anecdotes and aphorisms. Short, sweet but slight. If only life is as simple as that.... 


 ''Accept and enjoy aging.'' 
  Oh , yeah? Don't tell me...


So, be prepared always and fill up love and bank accounts to have lots of loving ones around you to wipe your bottom on your d-bed.

The Road Less Travelled - M. Sott Peck

'Life is difficult.' True. Not only the opening sentence , but the whole book deals with the bitter truths about life , love , reality , religion , relationship , parenting , miracles and grace. The road lighted by Dr. Scott Penn is a less travelled one. This self-help road is dedicated to discipline and love. According to him , discipline is the basic set of tools we require to solve problems and love provides the motive and energy for discipline. He defines love as 'the will to extend one's self for the purpose of nurturing one's own or another's spiritual growth'. The book offers a very rare and open discussion on the mystery-love.


The root cause of most of our problems lie in our childhood. A psychologist's job seems to rub off those stains and scars. The past is reparable. What about preventive measures? Give your children a stainless and happy childhood. And the best way to spend quality time with your children is to play with them. Hmmm...




 Dr.Peck attributes original sin as entropy , caused by fear and laziness , which prevent us from attaining godhood. So , scared and lazy to question or converse with God , Eve & Adam take the short cut and land on the Earth. This theory looks good.  The bad news is that we still follow their footsteps and walk farther away from the Garden of Eden and God. Ha !

This is the most simple , useful  and motivational book I've ever read written by a psychiatrist. The chapter on miracles and grace is an eye-opener. It inspires me to read Carl Jung and the new developments in Psychology. To the shock of my life ,  I discovered that I suffer from schizophrenia , addictive personality and passive dependent personality disorder !! Hey , who is the best shrink in town?

women's day in Dubai street

Accidents Like Love & Marriage - Jayashree Misra

Yes , an accident of course. The shocking pink jacket in itself is a huge turn off. Yet the South Indian name - Jaishree - provoked me to pick up and read the book. Inside the jacket ,  the content is frivolous and preposterous. The novel is about the triangular affairs of the Sachdevs , Menons and the Singhs. The plot has been stretched beyond limit. The impeding doom that been predicted in the first few chapters to evoke suspense in turn tests the reader's patience. There are numerous laugh out loud dialogues and situations , but they look laborious and artificial and the end product is a bleak satire. True , love and marriage are irreparable accidents...


Hey , she is the Great-niece of Thakazhi ! Her first novel is still a best seller !! No comments...

Roobaroooo

A memorable musical evening. Naresh Iyer ! He starts off with my all time favorite Roobarooo... Cool. Music was unbearably loud, but anything for Naresh n Sweta Live!

The Prophet - Khalil Gibran

Gibran is one of the most quoted writers of our time. The Prophet is an omnibus of 26 poetic prose. The Prophet, Al Mustafa, who has lived in the foreign city of Orphalese, is about to board a ship that will take him to his homeland. The people of the city entreats him to speak his truth and teach the mysteries of life. Thus this discourse on varied subjects like love, work, marriage, friendship.........This book is one among the few ''to be chewed and digested''. Here are some chewys:-


On Love
Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself
But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires:
To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night
To know the pain of too much tenderness,
To be wounded by your own understanding or love,
And to bleed willingly and joyfully.


On Marriage
But let there be spaces in your togetherness.
Love one another, but make not a bond of love.
Give your hearts ,but not into each other's keeping.
And stand together yet not too near together


On Children
You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls
For their souls dwell in the house of to-morrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.


On Giving
All you have shall some day be given;
Therefore give now, that the season of giving may be yours and not your inheritors'.


For in truth it is life that gives unto life-while you, who deem yourself a giver, are but a witness.


On Work
Work is love made visible.


On Joy and Sorrow
Verily you are suspended like scales between your sorrow and your joy.


On Houses
You shall not dwell in tombs made by the dead for the living.
And though of magnificence and splendor, your house shall not hold your secret nor shelter your longing.


On Clothes
Forget not that modesty is for a shield against the eye of the unclean.
And when the unclean shall be no more, what were modesty but a fetter and a fouling of the mind?


On Crime and Punishment
And as a single leaf turns not yellow but with the silent knowledge of the whole tree,
So the wrong-doer cannot do wrong without the hidden will of you all.


You are the way and the wayfarers.


On Pain
Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding.


Much of your pain is self-chosen.
It is bitter poison by which the physician within you heals your sick self.


On Teaching
No man can reveal to you aught but that which already lies half asleep in the dawning of your knowledge.


On Friendship
Your friend is your needs answered. He is your field which you sow with love and reap with thanksgiving.


And let your best be for your friend.


On Speaking
You talk when you cease to be at peace with your thoughts;
And in much of your talking, thinking is half murdered.
For thought is a bird of space, that in a cage of words may indeed unfold its wings but cannot fly.


On Good and Evil
You are good in countless ways, and you are not evil when you are not good,
You are only loitering and sluggard.
Pity that the stags cannot teach swiftness to the turtles.


On Prayer
For what is prayer but the expansion of yourself into the living ether?
And if it is your comfort to pour your darkness into space, it is also for your delight to pour forth the dawning of your heart.


On Pleasure
Even your body knows its heritage and its rightful need and will not be deceived.
And your body is the harp of your soul,
And it is yours to bring forth sweet music from it or confused sounds.


On Religion
Your daily life is your temple and your religion.
Whenever you enter into it take with you your all.


On Death
For life and death are one, even as the river and the sea are one.


Your fear of death is but the trembling of the shepherd when he stands before the king whose hand is to be laid upon him in honor.


And when the earth shall claim your limbs, then shall you truly dance.

The Time Machine - H.G.Wells

After an accident that damages his kidneys , he takes up on writing. Not only did he write, but becomes one of the founding fathers of science fiction genre. He is none other than H.G.Wells !!! His most famous work 'The Time Machine' is about a scientist , who invents a time travelling machine that takes him to the future. He goes through astonishing and amazing experiences and finally   witnesses the world's final silent decline as the sun cools off. That's his first trip.The scientist hasn't returned from his second trip so far. Hopefully he must have gone to the past. Let's wait a bit more...

 
This scientific thriller written in 1895 is greatly relevant even today in terms of scientific developments and ecological integrity.


Don't worry folks , our sun is expected to burn brightly for the next five billion  years. So , live and let live....

Burial st sea - Kushwant Singh

'Burial at sea' features pre-independent India in technicolor !! Of course the novel tells the lives of the elite of the elites without much reference to the freedom fight. Most of the characters are caricatures of famous figures esp that of Nehru family and Mathai. Mercifully, Mahatma had been given as humane touch as possible.The novel ends abruptly with the royal murder of the hero-death by bullets.


The sardarji effect is very feeble in this work. I expected a lot more tips on 'tantric exercises' and 'yoga postures'.

Lajwanti and other stories - Mulk Raj Anand

Real , comprehensive and subtle , these 12 short stories explore the little known and not-so familiar corners of the Indian soul . They take us back to 1960s and cover a wide range of topics like love , family life , plight of women , politics , social issues etc . The first story-Lajwanti- is quite tragic and touching. 

The Sandgame - Uri Orlev

Uri Orlev

Many a stories been written about the Holocaust , but none so antic and affecting like this book.The autobiographical narrative is full of fun and adventure.It is the true story of young Uri , a Jew , who lived through the Holocaust , survived it and became a well-known writer.Written for kids , from the viewpoint of a child , it's  meant for adults also because it's impossible to understand Uri's life without grasping the horror of the Holocaust.


Are the Jews safe now?

The wanderer - Khalil Gibran

50 short stories !!And all of them offbeat and unique and very short with  twisted tails . Each end leaves you with a chuckle and a chewy thought. They won't bore or beat you down like parables or fables but most of the time you nod and wonder at some amusing universal truths. Published posthumously in 1932, this last work of Gibran is presented as the tales told by a wanderer.
Savor slowly....

Manual Of The Warrior Of Light - Paulo Coelho

We are all warriors , no doubt. Still, how I wish I could believe these lines from this manual in this brand new year :-


''Warriors of light often ask themselves what they are doing here. Often they find their lives meaningless. That is why they are warriors of light. Because they fail. Because they ask questions. Because they keep looking for a meaning. And, in the end, they will find it.''