Truth is stranger than fiction

Book Review Title: Daisy Miller Author: Henry James Genre: Fiction Customs differ from country to country. It is interesting to observe that what is acceptable in one may be considered inappropriate in another. Author Henry James explores this in Daisy Miller.  The book follows the life of Daisy-an American teenage girl who is on a vacation in Europe with her mother and younger brother. She becomes acquainted with Winterbourne and later with an Italian man named  Giovanelli. Her flirtatious  nature and carefree demeanor is frowned upon by the conservative society. They ostracize her and in turn she dismisses their wagging tongues.  The story is narrated from the perspective of Winterbourne and his changing perspective on Daisy. It explores the mind of a young woman who lives life on her own terms. The writing style is easy and conversational, compared to the language used in The Turn of the Screw.  The author uses this book to describe how society tend...

Another Friday evening. This meant I could unwind and take a break from my current read which is about the atrocities in the life of a young Nigerian girl. I ended up watching another hard hitting movie which incidentally is an adaptation of the book by the same name.  I had read The White Tiger back in 2008 and had mixed views about it. It took me a second reading to understand and appreciate the nuances of the book. There was some speculation about why it won the Booker Prize despite its ordinary language. For me the tone and the language provided authenticity to the character and the setting.  The movie chronicles the life of Balram Halwai-an ambitious village boy who manages to get a chauffeur job with a rich family. He strives to escape from the rooster coop-a metaphor used to describe the oppression of the poor. Throughout the movie, written in a form of a letter, he expresses his frustration about corruption, the caste system, the class divide and poverty. The wry and d...

Book Review Title: Several Short Sentences about Writing Author: Verlyn Klinkenborg Genre: Non Fiction We have been taught to believe that short sentences appear childish. In this book the author not only talks about the importance of short sentences but also gives tips on how to write better.  He emphasizes the importance of reading out loud to check for syntax or grammatical errors in your sentence. The ear is much smarter than the eye, he says. He also talks about the writer's block, hooking the readers, how thinking and noticing are a vital part of the writing process and the misconceptions about the writer's flow. Along with tips on revision and composition, he introduces a few exercises towards the end.  Reading this book makes you realize some of the misconceptions in relation to writing. The tone may sound authoritative but compels you to approach your work with a new perspective. Several Short sentences is a good read for anyone who is looking...

Book Review   Title: A Wizard of Earthsea Author: Ursula Le Guin Genre: Fantasy Fiction   There was a phase when I used to love the fantasy genre. Somewhere along the way, I migrated to reading more books in the literary fiction genre. I decided to change that in 2021. Besides, I was looking to get out of my comfort zone with respect to reading and writing, explore different genres and experiment with my stories for my upcoming Fiction book.    I decided to start with Ursula Le Guin’s ‘A Wizard of Earth Sea.’    The story chronicles the life of Ged, a goat-herder from a tiny village, who shows some early signs of magical power. He is then sent to study in a Wizard school on Roke Island. Ged possesses all the making of the world’s greatest wizard. However, when his pride and ego compels him to accept a power challenge with another boy, he accidently unleashes an evil shadow from the land of spirits. Will Ged be able to get rid of this shadow?    Th...

After watching Sir, I was just about to switch off the television, when I stumbled upon another movie. The Lift Boy looked interesting and the duration was just about an hour and forty seven minutes.  The story chronicles the life of Raju-a carefree engineering student who has failed a particular paper four times. His father is an elevator operator in a posh apartment complex. When he gets a heart attack, Raju fills in for a while. After taking over the position of a lift boy, Raju encounters several people who change his life for the better. You have Mrs D Souza-a non nonsense old woman who has recently lost her husband. She treats Raju like a son and motivates him to pursue his dreams. You have Princess who is forced to join films by her mother.  As the story progresses, you get to understand the dreams and aspirations of the various characters. It subtly brings out the classic case of parent vs child phenomenon when it comes to making a career choice. Something that resonat...

  One fine evening, I received a message from a friend saying that I should watch this movie. "Watch it for 20 minutes and decide if you want to continue watching it," he said. I relied in affirmative and switched on my television. It was a Friday evening which made it ideal to unwind with a good movie.  Sir is about two individuals who are drawn together but are limited by societal barriers. We have Ashwin-the US returned architect who called off his wedding after his fiancee cheated on him. On another side is Ratna, recently widowed, and Ashwin's live-in maid. They form an inexplicable bond of trust and understanding as love manages to creep in over time. Ashwin finds in her a strange sense of solace and intimacy while Ratna finds in him a lending ear for her professional aspirations of becoming a fashion designer.They also realize their ability to transcend societal barriers and resign to their fate.  One thing that struck me about the film was the subtlety in emotions...

Book Review Title: Letter to the Father Author: Franz Kafka Genre: Non Fiction In this  revelatory letter to his father Hermann, penned in November 1919, Author Franz Kafka  unravels his pent up feelings about his father.  He begins by disclosing his fear and presents numerous instances that affected his psychological well being. He blames his father for being narcissistic, abusive, hypocritical, controlling, lacking empathy, self righteous and domineering. In the process, he highlights the contrast in his own personality as someone who grew up to be timid,shy and insecure.  The sardonic tone reflects the author's raw emotions, excruciating pain and anguish. The suppressed feelings erupt like a volcano accompanied with some accusatory statements. The underlying message of the letter entails how a particular parenting style shapes up one's character.  Reading this letter instills some amount of discomfort initially. However, after a point, it begins to feel ...

 The series started out as a disaster with a 36 all out.  It left the fans in a disarray. The next match managed to bring smiles with Rahane taking over as captainc and the team displaying a renewed vigor on field. The third match was almost snatched by the opponents if not for grit, patience and persistence displayed by Vihari and Ashwin. This draw almost felt like a win, once again inducing the million dollar smiles on the faces of the fans. With some of the crucial players injured, India had to go with the substitues in the fourth. Nevertheless they managed to seal a phenomenal victory. The players not only hit boundaries but pushed their beliefs beyond their boundaries. The hunger in them to win was apparent and they weren't letting go without a fight. This series has led to a discovery of new talent and some vital lessons. Sports in general is a great teacher and some of the learnings can be incorporated into other aspects of life.  Received this forward that I'd lik...

  Being a long weekend in the US, I browsed through the channels to look out for some good films and stumbled upon Tribangaa. I vaguely recollected someone putting a post about this movie on Facebook which had piqued my interest. I decided to watch it.  Tribhanga is the story revolving around three women of three generations, their emotional struggles and ambitions. When her estranged mother slips in coma, Anu looks back at her life with remorse and regrets. Anu is a Bollywood actor cum dancer while her mother Nayantara was a renowned writer. Both Anu and Nayantara are feisty, bold, unconventional and complex. While Anu's daughter is the more subdued one, married into a conservative join family and yearns for a normal life that she never had.  The movie touches upon several sensitive subjects like child sexual abuse, domestic violence, perils of single parenting, having professional aspirations and the agnostic attitude towards the girl child. A lot of elements showcased ...

Book Review Title: Undertow Author: Jahnavi Barua Genre: Fiction This book piqued my interest as it was long listed  for the JCB Prize 2020.  Set in Assam, Undertow is the story of twenty five year old Loya who embarks on a journey from Bengaluru to Assam  in search of answers and reasons for her mother's estrangement from her family. Rukmini was disowned by her parents for marrying a man outside of her caste and community, several years ago. Simultaneously,, Loya is also on a quest to study Asian Elephants as a part of her project.  The story gradually unfolds in layers, showcasing the depth in the characters and telling their side of the story. Each one of them is  grappling with remorse, regret and loneliness.  In her lucid style, the author takes the readers through the landscapes, culture, cuisines, history and political scenario in Assam. She manages to blend the emotions along with the forces of nature. Amidst this, the feisty Brahmaputra river becom...

  After watching the Oscar winning film Parasite, I was impressed with Bong Joon Ho's direction. Eager to see more of his works, I decided to explore Memories of Murder. The film is based on a true story of Korea's serial killings that occurred in the last 80s and early 90s.  The film begins with the image of the ditch where the bodies of two women are discovered. The case is handled by  Local detective Park Doo-man. As he begins to dig deep into the investigation process, h discovers a set pattern leading towards the murders. All the women are murdered on a rainy night and are discovered to wear a red clothing.He is then joined  Seo Tae-yoon, a detective from  Seoul , whose methods are different from his and this leads to an inevitable clash. Suspects are  narrowed and a cat and mouse game ensues. The movie keeps you on the edge of the seat, impatiently waiting to see the murderer revealed.  One thing that stands out in Bong Joon Ho's is his unflinchi...

Book review Title: Strange Happenings at Landings Castle & Other humorous stories  Author: Ramanan Gopal Genre: Fiction/Short stories It’s always nice to read the works authored by members of this forum.  Strange Happenings at Landings Castle is a collection of  uproariously funny stories that will leave you in splits. It includes a spoof of Sherlock Holmes, James Bond, a story of a man who wants to change his name and other anecdotes based on the author’s personal observations and experience. The airlines fees and the story of the vacuum cleaner bags especially left me chuckling.  The Humour used in this book is bound to remind you of the classic PGWodehouse style. Some of the names allotted to the characters elicits a grin. The expression of the constable character in the first story reminded me of Mr Goon in the five find outer series of Enid Blyton. This book is bound to melt your worries and leaves you with a feel good factor and a good dose of laughter....

Winter was here. For a change there were no travel plans this winter break, given the increasing number of cases in California. It appeared that Christmas and New Year would be a rather dull affair in 2020. Just as I braced myself to prepare for the inevitable dreariness that was bound to set in with the cold spell, an unexpected Facebook invite dispelled that dreariness instantly.    I clicked on it to see that it was an invite to participate in the Christmas challenge for 12 days, wearing the colors of Christmas-red, green and white. It was organized by Mumbai Road Runners. As per the challenge, we were required to do some sort of a fitness activity for 12 continuous days, be it a run, bike, swim, strength training or a hike and post it on their social media page.    My eyes lit up and my lips curved into a smile. I almost felt like a little girl being handed her Christmas present by Santa. Finally! There was something to look forward to. I always enjoyed these lit...

Book Review Title: Home Before Dark Author: Riley Sager Genre: Thriller/Psychological fiction This book was nominated for the Goodreads choice award  2020 in the Thriller genre.    Every house has a past and a secret waiting to be discovered. Baneberry Hall in Riley Sager’s Home Before Dark is no different.    Maggie Holt returns to the Gothic mansion that she and her family had fled- years ago, when she was just a five-year-old kid. This experience is documented in her father’s nonfiction bestseller-House of Horrors. Refusing to believe the facts of the book and determined to find out the truth, Maggi returns to Baneberry Hall. However, the events that unfold in the house defy logic. Is it a really a house of horrors? What made the family run away from a mansion that they just bought, in a span of 20 days??   Home Before Dark is written in first person narrative, alternating between the past and the present from the points of view of Maggi and her father. ...

  After hearing a couple of friends' praise Maara, I immediately logged on to Amazon Prime and braced myself for a good movie. I wasn't disappointed. Maara chronicles the story of a girl named Paaru who hears an enchanting fairy tale in her childhood. Years later when she comes across the painting of the same fairy tale in the coastal town of Kerala, she sets off on a quest to find out more about the man behind the painting-Maara. During this endeavor, she learns about how Maara made a difference to the lives of several people. Be it a daughter of a dead prostitute by ensuring her education or preventing a lady doctor from committing suicide.  Maara isn't just a movie. It's a journey that needs to be experienced. You come across some endearing characters grappling with their own regrets and sorrow that almost makes them give up on life. You smile and cry with them as you delve deep into their psyche.  You are appalled when you watch a father almost selling his own daugh...

Book Review               Title: Twin Tales from Kutcch Author: Saeed Ibrahim Genre: Historical Fiction   The books that are prescribed for work, sometimes turn out to be delicious reads and great recipes for nostalgia.     Set in the Colonial India, Twin Tales from Kutcch is a poignant tale of two women, incidentally with the same name Aisha. An untimely death of their respective parents leaves them orphaned at a tender age. The parallel stories chronicle the lives of these two women, separated by a huge age gap, their ability to survive and deal with tragedy. The story sees them through the journey of their lives until they intertwine in an unexpected manner.    Twin Tales from Kutcch offers the readers a great opportunity to visit Gujarat and Mumbai during the colonial era. It is evident that the author has done considerable amount of research. The detailing with regards to his descriptions...

Book Review Title: Snow Country Author: Yasunari Kawabata Genre: Translation (Japanese)   This title piqued my interest especially since the author won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1968 and that Snow Country was one of three books cited by the Nobel committee.    The story takes you to the beautiful snowy mountainous landscapes in Japan, to a remote village where two individuals attempt to connect despite realizing the future and consequences.    Shimamura, a wealthy married man who often returns to the mountains to recover the lost side to his personality.He forges an acquaintance with Komako-a mountain Geisha. Shimamaru also forms a bond with another character Yoko-whom Komako appears to dislike. The story delves and explores the complexity of human relationships.    The writing is aesthetic and beautifully weaved in a poetic style. There is a certain sensuality that the author brings to his descriptions of the beauty of the snow laden mountains ...