Truth is stranger than fiction

Title: Come home papa Authors: Scholarship-winning daughters of truck drivers Genre:Short stories  When we think of a truck driver, an image of an uncouth illiterate flashes in our mind. They are often viewed as a menace and blamed for several accidents on highways. Yet there exists a difference facet to them which is explored in this book. ‘Come home papa’ is an initiative by Mahindra Trucks and buses Ltd and Tell me your story to bring to light the road safety measures that need to be incorporated.  It is a collection of short stories written by the scholarship winning daughters of these truck drivers. Its an attempt to look at truck drivers as fathers who toil for long hours to provide for their families. At the same time, it gives an insight into the hazards faced by them during their journey on the road.  The stories consist of horrifying escapades that involve truck drivers' encounters with robbers, natural calamities, accidents due to drun...

Title: Educated Author: Tara Westover Genre: Memoir  Educated by Tara Westover is one of the best memoirs that I have read so far. This is a true story of a little girl who grows up amidst the mountains in Idaho. Her family is rather queer and does not believe in education or treating ailments in hospitals. Her father is quite radical in his views and her brother suffers from bipolar condition that makes him quite violent. Out of frustration, Tara begins to educate herself and manages to get admitted in Brigham Young University (BYU). For the first time she learns about significant world events like the civil war and holocaust. As Tara delves deeper into her academics, she finds education taking her across the world and to places she only dreamt of including Cambridge and Harvard. ‘Educated’ describes the struggles with a little girl trying to survive in a world different from the one she was exposed to. It’s also sort of a coming of age story. Dealing with themes of family, los...

It was sometime around the month of February when Doc (Kumar Janardhanan)- one of our runner friends from Chennai told us about the ADA 5k run. It was a run organized by the American Diabetes Association scheduled on June 9 th 2019. Doc said he was coming for a conference and said that the run would be a good chance to catch up. Amit and I signed up immediately and the registration was free of cost.  We were up by 3:00 am on June 9 th . Partly because of the India-Australia cricket match, tracking our friends at the Comrades runners in South Africa and partly because we had to be at San Francisco city by 5:15 am for our bib pick up which was at a place called Pier 32.  One of the best things about being an early morning runner is the sights that you are treated to. It’s an entirely different world and nature paints a vivid picture. Streaks of pink in the sky are reflected in the ocean. The sun slowly begins to peep out of the clouds. The radiant glow of y...

As a runner/triathlete, I always appreciate the volunteer support at any running event. To me they are our unsung heroes without whom our runs would deem impossible. Placed at regular intervals, these kind-hearted souls provide the much-needed hydration and refreshments like energy gels and fruits. When I got an opportunity to volunteer at a running event organized by Vibha, I eagerly accepted. Vibha is a non-profit organization in the Bay area that focuses on the development of underprivileged children in India. One of the members of Team Asha-the group whom I train with, introduced me to one of the race coordinators. I was supposed to be the bike lead for the 10-km event. The bike lead usually leads the front runner/elite runner throughout the course.  The day before the event, I was given a course preview. Incidentally I had done an event sometime end of March which was on the same course. It was an out and back route. So, it was important for me to know the exact turn...

On the occasion of global running day, penned down a poem which addresses the rhetorical question that runners often get asked. Why do you run?  Why do you run A question so rhetoric Makes me grimace  That I reach for a gin and tonic. Often asked by a non runner to a runner Sometimes in a curious way,sometimes critical This fail to understand us runners Their comments get caustic and clinical. To which I reply I run because it’s fun To experience the endorphins That comes with being exposed to the sun. I run because It keeps me stable and sane It keeps the worries at bay As I cruise on the roads and lane. I run because It makes me feel happy It keeps me fit and fine My mind so agile and far from being snappy. I run because It gives me a community Of like minded folks And helps me gain a new identity. I run because I see and learn new things That refreshes my curious mind To grow new wings!

The memorial weekend was here. As runners, my hubby Amit and I decided to start the Saturday by running the armed forces half marathon organized by the armed forces at Concord. I had run this one last year and it was a beautiful course that took us through the naval weapons station. This was usually closed for civilians.  Concord was an hour and a half away from Santa Clara where we lived. So, we decided to pick up the bib the next day before the race even if it meant waking up at 3:00 am. It was better than driving 3 hours back and forth the previous day. We reached Todos Santos Plaza by 5:15 am and collected our bibs. Having more than an hour to spare, we walked around inside the park, smiling at fellow runners and scanning the area with interest. The downtown was quaint with plenty of eating options. The vibe was friendly and warm which made up for the cold morning air.  We assembled near the start line and listened to the national anthem being sung. The crowd...

                                                    Title: Memoirs of an imaginary friend Author: Matthew Dicks Genre: Fiction There was probably a phase in our lives when we all had that imaginary friend-the one who only existed in our fantastical world.  Budo is that imaginary friend of Max who has been alive for more than 5 years. Probably that’s the longest existence as far as imaginary friends were concerned. Max is different from other children. Diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, he is socially awkward and is the victim of the class bully. Budo loves Max unconditionally and tries to save Max from trouble most of the time. However, one fine day when Max is kidnapped by the school teacher, Budo just watches helplessly. Will he be able to save Max by connecting with the human world even at the cost of sacrificing...

Title: Grit, Gravel and Gear Author: Dhruv Bogra Genre: Memoir 15000 km, 10 countries, 400 days and a solo ride. In 2016, Dhruv Bogra decides to embark on this unconventional voyage on his touring bicycle named quest from the Arctic to the Andes.  Facing extreme weather conditions, Dhruv describes his hardships and struggles which are accompanied with a sense of joy and freedom. He narrates about his his tryst with nature in its purest form while camping outdoors and coming face to face with bears, wolves, raccoons and elks. Simultaneously he also encounters fellow cyclists, tourists, homeless and experiences some kind heartwarming gestures from people enroute.  It is often said that a book has the ability to take the readers to exotic locales just by sitting in one place. 'Grit Gravel and gear' is one such read. The author is vivid in his descriptions as he goes on to describe the history and culture of every place that he lands in. Be it Alaska, California...

Title : The island of sea women  Author: Lisa See Genre: Historical Fiction  I had read the author's earlier book titled 'The tea girl of hummingbird lane' and was quite impressed with the narrative. The island of sea women was equally impressive if not more.  This book explores the story of 2 women from different backgrounds who work together in their village’s female diving collective. Mi-ja is the daughter of a Japanese collaborator who lives with her uncle and aunt in the Korean island of Jeju. Young-Sook is born into the Haenyeo clan who are primarily divers. They develop a close bond over several incidents that occur during the dives.  Set in the time of 1930s and 1940s, the book traverses through political situations like Japanese colonization, World war 2 and the Korean War.  It showcases the severe impact of war on several lives. This includes indiscriminate killings and unsafe conditions for women especially.  Despite t...

When I woke up at 3:15 am on the day of the Big Sur race, my part of the world was still and dark. On another side of the world, London city was bustling with energy with the London marathon where Eluid Kipchoge was competing. While getting ready for my race, I was simultaneously tracking the elites. I drove down to the Marriot from where I was supposed to board the shuttle bus that would take the 21 miler participants to the start point at St Andrew park.  Before boarding the bus, I saw that Kipchoge had won the London marathon and clocked a terrific timing of 2:02:37. What a performance, I thought, my energy levels instantly spiking up as it always does when I watch sports or my favorite athlete winning. The 45-minute bus ride wasn’t so tiring as I engaged with a fellow runner seated next to me. When we reached the starting point at 5:30 am, I still had an hour to go before my race began at 6:30 am. It was cold and runners were huddled together on the ground. Some were sipp...

Did I really finish Ironman 70.3? Wow. It still hasn’t sunk in yet. I keep pinching myself time and again to ensure that all this isn’t a dream. A few years back I wouldn’t have imagined myself doing a triathlon. I was skeptical about open water swimming and had never sat on a road bike before. Running was my only claim to fame since I have been into this sport since 2012. However, whenever I would see those athletes in wetsuits jumping into the waves effortlessly  during a triathlon race, I would often visualize and hope that I too would end up doing this someday. When I landed in the Bay area in 2017, I decided to get out of my comfort zone and embrace some opportunities here. It was in August 2017 when I tried open water swimming at Cowell beach at Santa Cruz, California. I remember gasping and spluttering as the waters were freezing here. Despite wearing a wetsuit, I took a while to acclimatize and ended up doing my first sprint distance with my head above the water. After...

Lost in the woods I was running on a trail. The redwoods were a magnificent sight and I was basking in the glory of running amidst nature. The organizers had asked us to follow the arrows marks and said that volunteers would be stationed at regular intervals.    I was soon lost in the beauty of the pristine green surroundings, the chirrup of the birds and the rustling sound of the leaves.  So much that I failed to keep track of other runners.   All on a sudden, I came to a halt. I seemed to have missed the arrow marks. Was I going in the right direction? Where were the rest of the runners?  I looked around frantically hoping to see someone who could guide me in the right direction.    I looked at the ground hoping to see an arrow mark somewhere as an indication of  where I was headed. All I saw were wild mushrooms. Beads of perspiration began to form on my forehead. I took out my phone and saw there was no signal. I almost cried ...