Truth is stranger than fiction

Book review Title: Radha’s revenge & other short stories Author: Ramanan Gopalakrishnan ( Gopal Raman) Genre: Short stories It’s always wonderful to read books written by authors on this forum called Did you read today! Simplicity evokes powerful and emotional stories. This aspect is manifested in this book which is a collection of short stories with meaningful messages. From children running away from alcoholic uncles towards a hopeful future, dealing with sexual harassment at work places, spiritual encounters, acts of kindness to some interesting twists - the author weaves some poignant tales in his simple yet lucid style of writing. The narrative style took me back to some of the works written by RK Narayan. The characters and instances captured in these stories are relatable and memorable.  Couple of stories that that tugged the strings of my heart were ‘An act of kindness’ and ‘The shoeshine boy’. Some of these tales leave you moist eyed while others mi...

It’s always wonderful to see a sports film especially one that revolves around women’s Kabaddi.  Panga is the story of a woman/ ex Kabaddi player,who gives up her dreams of playing in a major Kabbadi tournament due to family responsibilities. Instigated by her son and husband, many years later, at the age of 32, she attempts to revive the sport.  Its a well made film that takes you through the challenges faced by mothers in maintaining that balancing act. Making a comeback is never easy. Especially when you are competing with players younger than you. The lack of practice over time makes you rusty and slow-almost like a ghost of your old self.  Panga resonated with me in many ways. I could relate to the torn feeling between responsibility towards your family and at the same time finding your identity. I am a mother/wife by default. However, who I really am is defined by partly my profession and my inherent abilities. The pursuit for this identity is what...

Book review  Title: My grandmother asked me to tell you she’s sorry Author: Fredrik Backman Genre: Fiction It’s normal to be different.  The essence of this line is captured in this book which is a story of a girl and her grandmother and their little magical world. Elsa is 7 years old and mature beyond her years which makes it tough for her to fit in with her peers. Her grandmother at 77 is as crazy as she could get and also Elsa’s only companion. Elsa finds refuge  in granny’s magical kingdom of miamas and land of almost awake where every person is far from normal.  When granny succumbs to cancer, she leaves behind a bag of letters of apology to people whom she has hurt. Elsa embarks on an adventure delivering these letters. During this quest the mystery of the magical kingdom is unveiled as Elsa discovers the several  queer characters.  Endearing and heartwarming, this book touches upon the themes of lonelin...

Title: Supercop of Aryavrat Author: Mithilesh Kumar Genre: Fiction/Mythology Its always nice to read books by new authors.  Supercop of Aryavrat is a view of the Mahabharata through Lord Krishna's lens.  The book starts off with Krishna helplessly watching his Yadav clan destroy one another.  Slated to be the Supercop of the Aryavrat clan by his brother Balram, he sits in the forest alone retracing the journey of his entire life. He wonders if playing the role of super cop costed him his own clan.  The story showcases his birth, childhood in Vrindavan, killing Kamsa, relocating his kingdom to Dwaraka, his several marriages, his friendship with the Pandavas and his role in their lives right up to the Mahabharata war. He mulls whether he had been used as a pawn in his entire life by volunteering to play a cop.  The author weaves a tale that showcases, lies, deceit, treachery and deadliest battles fought. In short its a retelling...

One of the best movies That I have seen in recent times. War movies tend to be nerve racking and this was was no exception.  Set during the world war 1,  two British soldiers must cross over to the enemy camp to deliver an important message. A message that will save 1600 soldiers including the brother of one of the soldiers. Traversing through corpses, barbed wires, bomb blasts, it’s a mission that entices viewers to watch it with bated breaths. Was just blown away with the cinematography. The performances were subtle yet powerful. Especially in the scene where the soldier conveys the news to his comrades’ brother. Every scene has me on the edge of the seat. Brilliant direction by Sam Mendes. I sincerely hope and pray that it wins an Oscar. A must watch! 

Title: A lonely Harvest Author: Perumal Murugan Genre: Fiction/Translation A lonely harvest is one of the sequels to the author’s  previous book titled One part woman . It’s the story of a childless couple whose love is tested against the taunts of the villagers. It ends with the male Protagonist Kali killing himself in anguish after learning that his wife Ponna had visited the annual chariot festival.  Ponna is shattered that Kali has abandoned her in this manner. Kali continues to haunt her mind as she learns to survive on her own. An unexpected discovery helps Poona find a purpose in her life.  The author in his inimitable and brazen style takes us to a different world altogether. A world of incessant wagging tongues, family disputes, complex dynamics, queer practices and beliefs. He also manages to subtly touch upon themes of suicide and the super natural world.  The book showcases a silent fight by women against a patriarchal society ...

Title: Born a crime Author: Trevor Noah Genre: Memoir This book was recommended to me by my professor at Stanford.  Born a crime is the story of Trevor Noah who was born to a black mother and a white father. It’s an account of his childhood experiences of growing up in South Africa during apartheid.   He narrates his experiences of dealing with being a coloured individual, trying to find a sense of belonging in a community, his social awkwardness, falling into bad company, dealing with heartbreaks and an abusive and alcoholic step father.  In his compelling style, Trevor traces his bitter sweet journey with a dash of innocence, humour and darkness. What stands out in the book is his rather unique and unconventional rapport with his mother who is a rebellious and an independent woman.  The narrative style hooks you right from the time when he mentions about how his mother threw him out of a moving car.  The book showcases the b...

Sometimes watching some powerful scenes in a movie tends to make you draw parallels to life. In this case it was running.  I was watching the new Ajay Devgan starrer Tanhaji the other day. There was this particular scene where his son expresses his concern about the Mughal army being huge.  "I heard that the Mughal army is huge in comparison to ours," quips the son. To which Tanhaji replies, "How many Pandavas were there?" Son: 5  Tanhaji: And how manyKauravas were there? Son: 100. Tanhaji: Who won the war?" Son: Pandavas.  With a smile Tanhaji bids good bye and braces himself for a fierce battle.  During a run, those humongous distances may appear like a 100 Kauravas while our mind is a culmination of the 5 pandavas. The mind is a powerful weapon and can destroy evil in any form.   A run is always a battle against those inner demons or voices which is asking us to quit. However if our mind has conque...

 What a movie!  It's always wonderful to watch historical period dramas. Not only does it take you back in time but it also manages to instill a sense of pride.  Tanhaji is the story of an unsung hero who is determined to reclaim the mighty Kondhana (Sinhagad) fort which Shivaji had offered as a peace treaty to the Mughal emperor.  Amidst the preparation of his son's wedding, Tanhaji is summoned by Shivaji to counter the attack of the Mughal forces led by wily and ruthless Commander Udayban. Amidst all this isa display of treachery and a test of loyalty.  A fierce battle ensues between the Marathas and the Mughals.   Watching those fight sequences and valor depicted by the resilient Marathas gives you goosebumps. Especially with the war cries and holy chants. The dual combat between Ajay and Saif with the former battling with just 1 hand makes you gawk in admiration. The rest is history (pun intended).  Stellar performances by...

Title: Running with Sherman Author: Christopher McDougall Genre: Memoir Running with Sherman is a delightful story of Sherman, a rescue donkey and how it ran one of the the toughest races in America. On his daughter’s insistence, Christopher McDougall agrees to adopt a donkey. When he comes across Sherman, he finds the animal almost at the brink of death. With the help of his friends who are farmers in the Amish community, he understands that Sherman needs a purpose to keep him going. Christopher gets this unique idea to enroll themselves in the Burro race. Burro means donkey in Spanish.  Burro racing is a unique race where humans and donkeys run side by side over the mountains and streams at an high altitude in Colorado. Christopher begins his training with a team that includes Christopher’s wife Mika and Zeke- a family friend suffering from depression. During the course of the training, Christopher makes certain references to his earlier book ‘Born to run’. He a...

It was one of those days when I came across a post by one of my runner friends. His son had got an opportunity to work along with Rajnikanth in a movie.  Understandably it was an exciting moment. Who wouldn't want to share the screen space with the Super star?  After a rather stressful week after battling some heath issues, we decided to unwind ourselves and watch a movie that was purely an entertainer and a no brainer. Darbar seemed to fit the bill, going by the reviews.  The story is about a mad cop on a mission to attack the drug mafia responsible for substance abuse and women trafficking in Mumbai city. His path crosses with a deadly criminal Hari Chopra-one who had killed and burnt 17 policemen. After which it spirals into a revenge drama.  As always, the superstar exudes style and charm. The movie has a mix of everything-right from a tinge of romance, emotional moments, songs, dances, fight sequences and an ode to the Police force for their ded...

I had read this classic by Louisa May Alcott as a little girl. It was wonderful to see all the characters coming to life in the reel world.   Set around time of the civil war, Little Women is a coming of age story of 4 sisters-Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy. It showcases their trials and tribulations while each of them try and pursue their own dreams. Each of the 4 March sisters showcase a distinctive quality about them.  Meg thrives on domesticity that includes a happy marriage with kids in tow. Jo March is feisty, independent and an aspiring writer. Someone who seeks a life and identity beyond marriage and kids. A tomboy by nature, she has no time for frills or fancies. Beth is slated to be the peacemaker and one with a penchant for music. Amy loves painting and yearns to be a part of the elite society.  With their father is away at war, these 4 women live with their mother.  Together they deal with the challenges that come their way. Amidst the quarrels, s...

Title: The Family Upstairs Author: Lisa Jewell Genre:Thriller/suspense Was thrilled to read this book gifted by my Secret Santa- Amal Mitra. 3 dead corpses found with a suicide note. 4 teenage children missing from the mansion. And a 10 month old baby girl found in her crib.  25 years years Libby Jones finds a letter in her mail and finds that she has inherited a mansion. It is revealed that she is that baby. The story then  unfolds into the past of that mansion.  The once rich couple with 2 children namely Lucy and Henry are almost bankrupt. Couple of families move in along with their kith and kin. The 4 teenage children lead a rather oppressive life under the rule of David. Dealing with the strange dynamics between members and their eccentricities makes the children lose their innocence. A tragedy forces them to go separate ways and the story showcases the fate of each one of them. Narrated from the perspective of 3 characters, Libby, Lucy a...

Title: The Giver of Stars Author: Jojo Moyes Genre: Historical Fiction The theme of a traveling library mentioned in the synopsis piqued my interest. The Giver of Stars is the story of 5 extraordinary women who call themselves the pack horse librarians. Alice Wright marries American Bennett Van Cleve, hoping to escape her rather oppressive life in England. Yet her marriage and life in Kentucky isn't what she envisioned to be. She begins to feel claustrophobic living with a rather overbearing  father in law who doesn't hesitate to raise a hand over a woman who stands up to him. When a request goes around asking for women to be a part of a library team which can deliver books on horseback to the remote rural side, Alice eagerly volunteers. She begins to find a purpose and a friend in the group leader Margery O Hare-a feisty, unconventional and independent woman who lives life on her own terms. However Mr. Van Cleve-Alice's father in law is dead against the...

When you look beyond the world of triathlons and running, there exists a world that is sadly in flames today. Been following the news of the raging bushfires in Australia. It's heart wrenching to see several homes and lives snatched away by nature’s fury. The heartbreaking images of the poor koalas and kangaroos brought tears to my eyes. What must they be thinking seeing the fiery red flames engulf their habitat and homes? We as humans dial for a fire brigade and these poor souls can't even do that except hug their close ones in fright and terror.   500 million animals have lost their lives. The sky is a fiery orange and air so polluted. Apparently the effect of the fires have had a spill over effect on its neighbors. Makes me wonder about nature's fury. Year after year, summers are getting hotter and there are untimely rains. In short, its the effect of the infamous global warming.  These bushfires remind me of California's wildfires that oc...

True to one of my resolutions, I decided to make some time to catch up on some good and meaningful movies. Having received 2 Golden Globe nominations, Jojo Rabbit piqued my interest. Movies or books set around the World war 2 era always manages to tug the strings of my heart. Be it 'The boy in the striped pajamas' or the latest Taika Waititi's flick 'Jojo Rabbit.'  Based on the book 'Caging Skies' Jojo Rabbit explores the story of a boy in Hitler's army who discovers a jewish girl named Elsa,being hidden by his mother, in his attic. Jojo's father is fighting a war and has been missing from their lives for last 2 years. His sister succumbs to the influenza virus.  Jojo derives the name rabbit from an incident at the army camp. In order to prove his zest to kill, the higher officials challenge him to kill a rabbit by placing it in its hands. Jojo refuses and runs away only to be mocked as Jojo Rabbit. In the meantime, Jojo spots his m...

Nice to have a book review as my first post in 2020. Was compelled to pick this title from the book store after hearing some good reviews about it. Title: The Dutch House Author: Ann Patchett Genre: Fiction The Dutch House is a sort of modern retelling of the fairytale Hansel & Gretel. Its a story that begins at this lavish mansion called the Dutch House. Partly by luck and partly by fortune, Cyril manages to purchase this posh estate as a surprise for his family. Under mysterious circumstances, Cyril's wife leaves the house, including her 2 children Maeve and Danny.  After Cyril's death, Maeve and Danny are thrown back into poverty by their step mother Andrea. Together Maeve and Danny pick up threads, learn the art of survival and build back their lives. The story is narrated from Danny's perspective and set over 5 decades. It explores the strong bond between the siblings as they try and reconcile with the ghosts of the past and the trying circumstan...