Truth is stranger than fiction

Week 4 #Dyrtjunechallenge A book with animals Describing In three words: Philosophical, endearing and reflective  Book review Title: If cats disappeared from the world Author: Genki Kawamura Genre: Translation (Japanese)  If cats disappeared from the world is a story about a man who discovers that he has only a few months to live. He has a cat named cabbage. Before he makes his bucket list, a strange phenomenon occurs. A devil appears with an unusual offer. The man gets an extra day to live in exchange for making one thing in the world disappear.  As the man begins to reflect, he asks questions about what is important in this world, what can’t he live without and what really matters in life. Narrated in first person, the book takes us through the last few days of a dying man, his relationship with his cat, mother and estranged father.  The endearing aspect of this book is the conversations the narrator has with his cat. His anxiety of finding a new owner for his cat tends to remind on

Book review Title: Yellow Wife Author: Sadeqa Johnson Genre: Historical fiction Set in 1850s, Yellow wife is based on a true story and a harrowing tale of an enslaved woman’s journey from a bell plantation to Lapier Jail.  17 year old Phebe Delores lives in a bell plantation and is extraordinarily beautiful. Due to her mother’s illicit relationship with the plantation owner, Phebe is promised to be freed when she turns 18. And Phebe is also in love with Essex who works in the plantation. But things do not turn out the way they are expected to. Instead Phebe finds herself at the receiving end of deaths, tragedy and betrayals. She ends up in Lapier Jail where she becomes the yellow wife of the owner of the slave house and finds means of survival in brutal conditions.  The first person narration from the point of view of Phebe, gives a glimpse into her emotions, hopes and burden that she carries. You see an inhumane world with sadistic individuals who mercilessly beat up slaves and sexual

Book review #dyrtjunechallenge Week 3: Book by a local author (California) Why did I pick it up: The title piqued my interest and I was curious to read the journey and experiences of a Chilean author from her hometown to California. Another interesting aspect is that this book was written during the pandemic last year.  Title: The soul of a woman Author: Isabel Allende  Genre: Non fiction/Memoir The soul of a woman traces the journey of Chilean author Isabel Allende from her tumultuous childhood in Chile to California. In this memoir she talks about growing up without her biological father, her rebellious nature ,  being an outlier with her different ideas about life, her two divorces, the loss of her daughter and her strong ideas about patriarchy and feminism.  She narrates with brutal honesty and in an unabashed manner. The memoir moves back and forth in time as the author talks about the different phases and experiences in life.  Her fervor for feminism propels her to address severa

Book review Title: The Curse of Gandhari Author: Aditi Banerjee Genre: Mythology  The Curse of Gandhari is an interesting retelling of The Mahabharata from the lens of Gandhari- the mother of the Kauravas.  Through her eyes we are privy to her childhood and growing up years in the kingdom of Gandhar, her betrothal to Dhritarashtra and her vow to blindfold herself. We see her journey as a newly wedded bride of Hastinapur and her dynamics with the Queen mother- Satyavati. The plot delves deep into her psyche revealing her bitter feelings of resentment towards Kunti who always seems to get the better of her, her failure as a mother and her introspection of how the entire war started in the first place.  The story alternates between the past and the present where Gandhari has taken refuge in the forest along with Kunti and Dhritarashtra. The characterization of Gandhari is one of the finer aspects of the book. Written in close third person, the author brings to light her complexities, suff

Book Review Title: The Nature of Fragile Things Author: Susan Meissner Genre: Historical fiction/ Mystery/Thriller Set in the backdrop of the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco, The Nature of Fragile Things explores the unlikely camaraderie and friendship between three women. It also tells the story of an Irish immigrant who ends up in San Francisco before the earthquake. Our protagonist Sophie Whalen responds to a matrimonial ad from Martin- a widower who lives with in San Francisco with his daughter Kat. She immediately responds to the ad with hopes of beginning a new life and settling down with a family and a home of her own. However when a pregnant woman named Belinda appears at their doorstep looking for her husband,a few hours before the earthquake, things take a drastic turn. Everything isn’t what it appears to be. Along with the earthquake, their lives turn topsy turvy. There is physical and emotional upheaval as they discover hidden truths, secrets and motives. Narrated in first

  #dyrtjunechallenge Week 2 : Reading a book with a red cover  Favorite quote: “Freeing yourself was one thing; claiming ownership of that freed self was another.” Book review Title: Beloved Author: Toni Morrison Genre: Fiction/Horror Beloved is that kind of a read that leaves you with an expression as though you have seen a ghost.( pun intended) Based on a true story and set in 1873,  it chronicles the horrific lives of former slaves. The book starts off with a description of the house 124 where a woman named Sethe resides with her 18 year old daughter named Denver and a baby ghost. One day when Paul D- an old friend from the past shows up, Sethe is once again forced to confront her past.  As the story progresses, we get to delve deep into the lives and experiences of each character. This includes Denver’s birth under strange circumstances, the pain, suffering and hardships endured by these former slaves and their quest to earn their rightful freedom. We also get to understand Denver’

  Book Review  Title: The Accident victim and other stories  Author: Ramanan Gopalakrishnan Genre: Fiction/ Short stories Always nice to read a book by an author member of this forum called Did you read today, especially when you have enjoyed his previous works.  The Accident and other stories is a collection of ten heartwarming stories that tackles some serious themes.  The first two stories are set around the time of India’s independence and the implications of partition on several lives. The other stories range from the predatory behavior of land sharks, an old man’s dream of writing a novel, a dog with a musical ear, two men caught in the rains and a victim of a hit and run case.  In his simple and evocative style of story telling, the author entices the readers into his world. He creates characters who touch a chord. The stories are set in different parts of India ranging from villages, small towns to big cities. It delves into the political and social issues touching upon themes

 As a part of the DYRTJunechallenge, we are supposed to select a book pertaining to the theme each week.  Week one was to read a book set in a foreign country.  My pick was The Sound of waves which is a story set in a Japanese fishing village.  Week 1 of #dyrtjunechallenge  Story set in a foreign land.  Book review Title: The Sound of Waves Author: Yukio Mishima Genre: Fiction/Translation (Japanese) One line review: The sound of waves is an engaging coming of age story of two lovers in a Japanese village narrated with a mystical touch.  Set in a remote fishing village Japan, The sound of waves tells the story of Shinji, a young fisherman and Hatsue- the beautiful daughter of the wealthiest man in the village. When Shinji and Hatsue fall in love, it leads to some malicious gossip in the community and dealing with some arch rivals. Will Shinji and Hatsue manage to battle the class divide and win the blessings of their family and the villagers?  Primarily a coming of age story, the author

  It was interesting how two days dedicated to my favorite sports came one after the other this week. First it was global running day and then world cycling day. As a triathlete, both these disciplines are a vital part of my training. But running holds a special place in my heart as I was a runner first before I ventured into triathlons. Its almost been a decade and I still remember how running change my life. In fact I'd say it was my savior. It gave me a boost in my morale when I was probably feeling the lowest.  I had endured a ten day hospitalization, a serious illness which forcibly altered my lifestyle. I had quit my job as a counselor. In short, there were too many changes that overwhelmed me. I didn't feel like socializing with people as the conversations usually ended up with my illness, unsolicited advice which I completely loathe and not taking the hint when I tried to change the conversation. I had lost a lot of blood at that time and I had to rebuild my strength. I

There was a time in my life when I'd be glued to the television on Monday evenings, watching F.R.I.E.N.D.S.  Not being a TV person, this was probably one of the few sitcom series that grabbed my undivided attention, besides Full House and Mind Your Language. And there wasn't a single episode that didn't evoke a chuckle. What with those funny and witty one liners, antics by the characters and the expressions on their faces! Just watching these actors on screen would drive those blues away. I was in my first year of College, trying to find my feet, new friends and studying a new subject. The inevitable stress set in and I'd often find solace immersing myself in this world of six people and their complicated lives.   It was a walk down memory lane when I watched F.R.I.E.N.D.S: The reunion on HBO the other day.  The main cast got together, reminisced their experiences and the bond they formed over the years. It was heartening to see them seated in front of the fountain wher

 May was an interesting month and I got to read different genres.   The Fifth Season is the first book of the Broken Earth trilogy series. It chronicles the story of three Ore-genes women at different stages in their lives, the tragedy and hardships endured by them and how their purpose is directed towards a certain mission. The world building,its complex layers to the characters and plot made it an immersive read.  The Elephant of Belfast: This Historical fiction novel is set in the city of Belfast against the backdrop of World War II. It captures the bond between a twenty year old woman zoo keeper and a three year old elephant. It explores the political turmoil, implication of war on people and also the complexity of relationships.  My mother's secret is based on a true story set during World War II. Its an uplifting tale of a mother-daughter who shelter jewish families in their home. Interestingly these jewish families are unaware of one another's existence and their lives a

Book Review   Title: My Year of Running Dangerously Author: Tom Foreman Genre: Memoir/Non Fiction   It feels good to share a review of this running memoir on the occasion of Global Running Day today.    My Year of Running Dangerously chronicles the journey of CNN Correspondent Tom Foreman from a couch potato to an ultra-marathon runner with four half marathons, three marathons and 2,000 miles of training in between.  When Tom’s daughter college going daughter asks him to sign up for a marathon with her, he agrees albeit reluctantly. Even though Tom has been a runner in his 20s, he has lost touch and is trying to get back the momentum at the age of 51.    What starts off as a small request from his daughter turns into an undying passion and madness for the sport. We see Tom’s process of starting from scratch-finding a suitable training plan, running small distances, his gradual addiction to the strides, upping his mileages, braving winters and his tenacity throughout.  Tom manages to sk