Truth is stranger than fiction

    Book Review Title: World of Wonders Author: Aimee Nezhukumatathil Genre: Non-Fiction/ Essays/Nature     This book piqued by interest especially since Barnes & Noble rated this as book of the year 2020.    World of Wonders is a collection of beautifully weaved essays by poet Aimee Nezhukumatathil who is born to a South Indian Father and a Filipino mother. In these essays, the author illustrates the exotic elements of nature and drawing parallels to her own life. She takes us to the world of Catalpa trees, fireflies, whale sharks, peacocks, dancing frogs and vampire squids. In each of these essays, she blends the learnings with her own life and the perils of growing up as a girl with brown skin.  She addresses the racial prejudices, unsavory remarks about her artwork, fear of being kidnapped, wanting to belong, experiencing loneliness to more pleasant moments of meeting her husband and being blessed with two sons.    Written in a lyrica...

While I read this in December, it took a while for me to write a review for a book as complex as this one. Shuggie Bain deserves a review that lives up to the expectations of a Booker Prize winner. This may not be the first book to capture poverty, alcoholism or societal horrors but the manner in which its done deserves an applause.      Title: Shuggie Bain Author: Douglas Stuart Genre: Fiction   Some books are quick reads while others require time to absorb the complex world of the characters. The 2020 Booker Prize belongs to the latter category.    Set around the 1980s in Glasgow, the book takes you to the world Shuggie Bain-a little boy who grows up in a dysfunctional family. He is abandoned by his father, brother and sister and left alone to tend to his alcoholic mother Agnes. At the same time, he is puzzled at why everyone considers him “not right” and is grappling with his sexuality. The book also delves into the world of Agnes Bain who resorts to alc...

  The year couldn't have ended on a better note with India sealing a fantastic victory in their second test match against Australia. The first was a disaster with India being 36 all out. 36?? That is considered low even by IPL standards. It was disheartening to see the wickets tumble like a pack of cards. The team morale looked down and demotivated. I watched the second test with low expectations.  This time Ajinka Rahane was leading the team. It was gratifying to see a cool, calm and collected captain for a change. His field placement and bringing in the right bowlers at the right time certainly paid off and we restricted Australia to 195. It was also delightful to see a phenomenal Captain's knock. Like the captain of the ship, he stood there and steered the ship to its destination-a victory.  It was also nice to see some good debuts by Siraj and Gill. A proud moment indeed and it more than made up for their humiliating loss last week.  A  cool and calm demeano...

Book Review   Title: Strange Pilgrims Author: Gabriel Garcia Marquez Genre: Fiction   Reading a book by the king of Magical realism is always a delightful experience.   Strange pilgrims is a collection of 12 short stories of characters who are in some kind of a transit, emotionally, physically and spiritually. There is a president who is battling a disease, a father who hopes to earn the status of a saint for his deceased daughter, a woman accidentally landing up in a mental asylum, a prostitute selecting her burial site. Some of the other stories entail deaths in the form of accident, suicide or murder.    There exists a fluidity in the writing style which is lyrical and eloquent. He manages to weave magical elements in his story telling which makes the readers oscillate between fantasy and reality. The main focus is on Latin American characters who are in Europe. They are portrayed to be lonely, melancholic and dealing with some kind of a loss. The stories tha...

 There are just a few days left before 2020 ends and we usher in 2021. 2020 couldn't have been a bizarre year and it brought life to a standstill. Suddenly there was this big change during the lockdown-a life that I couldn't adapt to, very easily. I am sure it was the case with most of the folks around the world. It was challenging especially between the months of March-August. I missed the gym and my fitness took a toll which in turn affect my sanity levels, given that my body was used to that endorphins on an everyday basis. Yet there have been many positives this year that I'd like to look upon and end this year on a peaceful note.  January The beginning of the year saw Australia in flames. The raging forest fires claimed several lives and homes. It was heartrending to see Kangaroos and Koalas in terror. Sitting in a corner of the world, I could only feel a sense of helplessness. Now I have no connection with Australia but seeing so many living creatures lose their homes...

  Review  Title: The Gift of the Magi Author: O Henry Genre: Short story  Christmas isn’t complete without reading The Gift of the Magi- a ritual that I follow every year.  Every time I read it, I derive something new.  It’s the story of a young couple- Della and Jim and how they deal  with the challenge of buying Christmas gifts for each other when they are short of money.  The setting described by the author is morose and captures Della’s somber mood to perfection. What could she get with just one dollar and eighty seven cents? The theme of love and sacrifice rings throughout the story. As poor as they are in terms of material wealth, their love for each other is equally rich. So rich that they are willing to sacrifice their most prized possessions.  Christmas is all about little joys and moments of selflessness that eventually leads to happiness. The gift of the Magi is an embodiment of these emotions. Merry Christmas everyone. 🎄

  Title: All I want for Christmas Author: Nora Roberts Genre: Fiction Lately I have been reading intense books which revolve around poverty and a certain amount of dreariness  is reflected in the characters. I decided to opt for a light read to ease my nerves before I get back to those heavy reads. Stumbled upon this one and it seemed to blend in with the holiday mood.    The recipes for Bread pudding and Holiday painted cookies, given at the beginning sets the tone for the rest of the book. The sweet flavor lingers throughout, accompanied by a tinge of cheesiness that is expected out of a story that revolves around a Christmas romance.    All I want for Christmas entails the story of twin boys who make a Christmas wish to Santa. They want a mom who is nice, would bake cookies and loves dogs. Transferred from Manhattan, Nell arrives in their small town as the music teacher of the local school. When the twins’ father and Nell meet, sparks fly and i...

  Just as we finished setting up the Christmas Tree, I heard a thud outside the door. When I opened it, I was delighted to find a present from my secret Santa.  Secret Santa is an initiative taken by my book club-Did you read today around Christmas time, every year. Each one of us are assigned a Santee to whom we would be sending a book with a hand written note, signed from secret Santa.  Just last week, I was making a list of things to do this Winter Break, before my Spring semester starts in January. One was to read more books in the fantasy genre, take part in the MRR Xmas challenge where we workout continuously for 12 days wearing Christmas colors, starting from December 25th, finish watching The Crown on Netflix, catch some NFL games, the India-Australia test match (hopefully it isn't another disaster) write a couple of short stories and also spend some time for my own book promotions. I had downloaded the Throne Glass series on kindle and was looking forward to read...

 It's just the 20th and I feel that Christmas has already arrived. Today was the annual awards ceremony and the third anniversary of my book club- Did you Read today. (DYRT) 2020 has been a strange year with the pandemic and lockdown that brought a halt to the hectic lifestyle. All on sudden, we found ourselves with a lot more time on our hands. Deciding to use this time to channelize our creativity, we brought out our pens and set the words flowing. This gave rise to the idea of an e book-an anthology of short stories revolving around the lockdown. It was authored by 30 different people and the admins of DYRT asked me if I would edit it. I agreed.  The entire month of May was spent in reading different stories, editing and proof reading them. It was fun but also challenging as I was pursuing a course at Stanford and also editing my own book at the same time. I had also penned down a short story which was based on a true incident. Nevertheless it was a good learning experience...

   Book Review Title: The Boy, the mole, the fox and the Horse Author: Charlie Mackery Genre: Graphic novel   This book piqued my interest, especially when Barnes & Noble ran out of stock, stating that it was in high demand.  The Boy, the mole, the fox and the Horse is a set of illustrations that chronicles a boy’s journey in the countryside during Spring where he encounters a mole, fox and a horse in that same order. As they meet and walk together, they form an unexpected bond where each one shares their fears, insecurities and dreams.    This is not just a book of caricatures and calligraphy but a journey by itself and a metaphor for life. It’s interesting how these characters strike a chord and somewhere you will find yourself in them. The presentation may be childlike yet the messages are universal and mature. It sort of reminds you of Winnie the Pooh and The Wizard of Oz.  The theme of kindness rings throughout the book along with friendship a...

 It was a much needed thanksgiving break. Driving up the slopes towered by the tall redwoods that led to the quaint town of Mendocino was an absolute delight. The trees seemed to give us a warm welcome. The glorious sight of the sun's rays piercing through tithe thick vegetation remains etched in my mind even today. The woods paved way to the coastal town where a roar of waves greeted us. With one eye on the sheet of blue to our right, we drove up to our little cottage that overlooked the headlands. The inn reminded me of an Irish Cottage, right out of a Debbie Macomber book. Just like the title of one her books, it was a cottage by the sea. In the mornings, we would often spot a beautiful cat on its rounds, throwing us a haughty glare. Its majestic gait left me in awe as I'd gaze at it longingly, hoping that it would stop by to be stroked or petted. The cat did no such thing and continued on its walk instead. The cottage was surrounded by a beautiful garden with fancy plants....

Title: Letters from Father Christmas Author: JRR Tolkien Genre: Fantasy Fiction Tolkien has a wonderful ability to create a fantastical world that takes the readers on an escape from reality mode. Letters from Father Christmas is a collection of letters  illustrated by Tolkien between 1920 and 1943 for his children from Father Christmas.   These letters document the many adventures that take place in the North pole. This includes the antics of the Polar Bear, the goblin wars, description of  the fireworks that give rise to the northern lights. Through these letters, he also manages to convey the message of poverty, gratitude and acceptance. Accepting that one may not always get what they want. There is also a subtle indication of change that occurs through these letters. These messages are heartwarming, endearing and evokes a smile on your face.  This particular edition features the letters and drawings in the manner in which they were origin...

 Book Review Title: Up In The sky Author: Nitin Sathe Genre: Non Fiction I had interviewed Air Commodore Nitin Sathe sometime in 2014.  It was on his coffee table book which chronicles his rescue operations at Car Nicobar, post the Tsunami in 2004. Interviewing someone from the armed forces is always an intriguing experience, especially when you listen to them talk about their journey.  I was compelled to pick this book as I expected another interesting read. It turned out to be just as I had anticipated-an engaging one that I could read in one sitting.  Up in the Sky is a collection of anecdotes from his aviation life as a a veteran helicopter pilot. From flying in torrid conditions, adventures in Africa, helping strangers, cultivating unexpected friendships on trains, searching for lost mountaineers, flying in Siachen Glacier and his train journey, he also talks about his dear friend, late MP Anil Sharma and his relief work at Car Nicobar island. He imbibes learnin...

  Recently I have begun a watch documentaries on Netflix about nature. I have always enjoyed being amidst nature and I strongly believe that nature nurtures those who embrace it. After watching the endearing My Octopus Teacher recently, I watched A life on our planet by David Attenborough.  This documentary chronicles the perils of global warming that is on the verge of destroying our planet. This in turn,  has an impact on the lives of several species and their chances of becoming extinct are greater. From the Arctic to the forests to the oceans, he talks about his concerns and emphasizes on taking steps to restore biodiversity. It’s important to learn to co exist with other species as they too are a vital part of this world. The planet isn’t just for humans. He takes us through some heartrending and appalling scenes of certain species meeting their end.  This documentary left me spell bound. It’s thought provoking, insightful and informative. One line that stood ou...

    Title: The Running Dream Author: Wendelin Van Draanen Genre: Young Adult/Sports/Running   The Running Dream chronicles the story of Jessica-a track star who loses her leg in an accident. She is devastated at the thought of not being able to run again. After battling painkillers, a low self-confidence and learning to walk on crutches, Jessica makes an effort to get back to school with the help pf her supportive friend. She begins to gain hope when her coach shows her a video of amputees running on prostheses. The story goes on to describing her journey of overcoming hurdles, her friendship with a girl with cerebral palsy and getting back to running.    Written in first person from the point of view of Jessica, the author takes you through her feelings of despair, pain, awkward moments with her peers and eventually gaining acceptance of her new life. She touches upon the topic of disability in a sensitive manner, conveying a powerful message about looking at a...

Book Review   Title: Invisible Girl Author: Lisa Jewell Genre: Thriller   Having read and liked Lisa Jewell's earlier works, I was compelled to pick this up, based on a recommendation from a Professor.    Invisible Girl is a gripping thriller and revolves around a group of people and how their lives intersect after a mysterious disappearance of a girl named Saffyre. There is Owen, a former college professor who has been suspended after being accused of sexual misconduct. He is perceived as someone creepy by his neighbors-a family of four headed by Cate. Her husband is a psychotherapist under whom Saffyre had spent three years and she stalks him after he ends his sessions with her. When Saffyre disappears on Valentine's day, Owen is the last person to see her. From there on begins a gradual unravelling of the mystery which leads to a discovery of secrets, lies, deceit and ghosts of the past.    Set in a quiet neighborhood in London, the book i...

One thing that I usually like to do on vacations is to try and visit the bookstore in the neighborhood. As a bookworm, browsing through the titles at bookstores is one of my favorite pastimes. Eventually I'd end up buying a book or two as I consider it quite rude to walk out of a bookstore without buying anything.  Recently at Mendocino, I visited The Gallery bookshop which was a couple of minutes away from my Inn. I was told by the owner of the Inn that this bookstore had a lovable cat and customers could spend time with it Being a Cat lover, I was delighted to hear this. To be able to stroke a cat and gaze at the titles at the same time, sounded like a perfect evening. The bookstore was located right opposite the ocean and I could hear the sound of waves while I stood outside, waiting to be let in by the staff.  After a few minutes, I was greeted by a friendly lady. I walked over to the staff recommendations section and began to browse a few titles, keeping a sharp lookout f...