Truth is stranger than fiction

Wrote this based on a word prompt. It was in the wee hours of the morning when I set off for a run at San Francisco. The drive to the city took about 45-50 minutes from my place in the morning. Since the run was scheduled at 7 am I left my place at around 5:45 am. It was still dark outside as I got out of my apartment which was surrounded by numerous bushes and shrubs.  I walked out of my patio and shut the gate behind me. Just then I heard a rustling sound. I froze.  My mind immediately traced back to all those horror movies that I had watched in the past. As soon as I stopped, the sound stopped as well. Beads of sweat trickled down my forehead despite being a cold October morning. I flashed my mobile light but couldn't see a thing. I continued walking and immediately heard that rustling sound again. A Sudden gust of breeze blew and I shivered. Just then I heard a small wail. I looked around nervously and to my horror I spotted a pair of green eyes gleaming at...

Title: Skin Deep Author: Ajay Monga Genre: Fiction Skin Deep is the story of 4 girls from different walks of life and how they get embroiled in certain controversies surrounding the glamorous world and the beauty industry.  Simran is an investigative journalist who is working undercover. Shika is a girl from a humble background and is determined to make money and fame. Sania is a progressive girl from an orthodox background and Sunidhi is the daughter of a wealthy media baron.  All 4 are participants in a certain beauty pageant. Things do not go as planned and spiral into an ugly fiasco.  Each one discovers that they have been made a pawn in a dirty game.  Written in an unabashed manner, the author exposes the dark side of the beauty industry. In this complex plot, he has showcased fundamentalism, power of media, drugs, molestation, greed, deceit and power. Beauty, no doubt is the central theme here. It makes readers ponder about what is i...

I had recently re read The Call of the Wild by Jack London.  Its a journey of a dog named Buck which gets kidnapped and ultimately finds its true calling amidst the wild.  Buck leads a cozy life in sunny California until that day when he is kidnapped. To his dismay, Buck finds himself as a part of a pack of sled dogs. The story traces his change, survival and how he ultimately finds his place as a leader of the pack. Buck is also subjected to harsh treatment-the aspect that makes several readers hate the book especially dog/animal lovers.  The movie is a kinder version of the book. It focuses largely on the rapport between John Thorthon and Buck. John Thorthon played by Harrison Ford posts letters to his dead son and manages to rescue Buck from being beaten to death. He adopts Buck as his own son and ultimately ventures into the Alaskan Wilderness where Buck finds his home.  While some of the critics may have been disappointed with the movie, I per...

Title: Luxe Inferno  Author: Dr Mahul Brahma Genre: Faction (Intersection between fact and fiction)  Luxury has several meanings for many people. For some, its a status symbol, a way of living and for others its a sense of power. Luxe inferno is the 3rd book of the Luxe trilogy series. In the first and second, the author has explored the dazzle and the dark side to luxury.  Luxe Inferno explores the philosophical angle of luxury. The first part of the book consists of a fiction story of 2 characters namely Dante and Virgil. Dante is given an assignment on luxury and falls prey to its dazzle. The second part of the book talks about the different facets of luxury. This includes the brands, their USPs, face of the brands, logos, changing trends and how to capture the attention of millennial millionaires.  The book is an  interesting mix of fiction and fact. The author clearly has done immense research on the subject. Some of the exa...

Book review Title: The girl who disappeared Author: Vikrant Khanna Genre: Thriller A 23 year old girl named Nisha mysteriously disappears. Is it a murder, kidnapping or a supernatural occurrence? Rishi and Nisha head out for an impromptu getaway in the Himalayas. Nisha has an strange feeling that something would go wrong. After 72 hours, she disappears. When the police begin their investigation at the resort, the caretakers’ blind daughter claims to have strange visions. All the guests describe an eerie supernatural occurrence on the night Nisha disappears.  The guests include an eccentric writer and a strange couple. There is more to them than what meets the eye. Will  Nisha eventually be found? Will the police unravel this peculiar mystery? The girl who disappeared is twisty, complex and different.. Readers are taken into the beautiful locales of Himachal. A book that showcases the multiple layers of love and its complexities. Themes of loneliness and psycho...

Book review Title: The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake Author: Aimee Bender Genre: Fiction ‘The particular sadness of lemon cake’ is a story about a 9 year old girl with a peculiar gift. When Rose takes a bite of her mother’s home made lemon cake, she discovers her magical gift. She is able to taste her mother’s emotions through the cake. To her surprise, the lemon cake tastes of sadness and gloom which is unlike her usually cheerful mother. Gradually over time, she unearths several family secrets. Her mother’s clandestine affair with a co worker, her father’s aloofness and her brother’s retreat from the world. Written in first person from the point of view of Rose, the story gives a taste into her growing up years and her struggles to live with this rather exquisite gift of hers. Innovative , intense and engaging, it’s weird in a magical sort of way.  Themes of family and food are touched upon here. Reading this book will make you look at cakes with a different l...

It was one Monday morning when I had received a call from Amit. He sounded solemn and said that his 40 plus year old colleague had collapsed and lost life while running a trail run.  I was shocked.  He was apparently fit and had been running half marathons for a while. We both wondered about the cause for his sudden death. I couldn’t help thinking back to something that a senior runner had reiterated a while ago-about getting a regular checkup done. “ You never know what goes inside your body even though you may feel fine.”  Besides Trails are tougher and humbling. Not advisable to go at a rocket speed unless you are a pro. Such thoughts played in my head when I went for a trail run on Valentine’s day. It was a run by the ocean and a beautiful course. Alarmed by the increase in deaths in running, a strange fear engulfed me that morning. I decided to resort to a heart based run for a change.   It was a beautiful morning at San Leandr...

Title: me before you Author: Jojo Moyes Genre: Fiction ‘me before you’is a story about an unlikely camaraderie  that is formed between 2 individuals from different walks of life. Louisa Clark aka Lou is just a girl next door. She has a mundane life including a steady boyfriend and a close knit family. When she takes up a job that requires her to be a full time caretaker for the  wealthy Will Traynor, her life changes. Will is wheel chair bound after an accident.  He is crabby, domineering and sarcastic. Over time  Lou and Will develop a friendship. However when Lou discovers about Will’s shocking plans, she tries her best to make him see reason. Narrated mostly from the point of view of Lou and a few other characters at times , the book delves deep into the sensitive subject of euthanasia. It makes you ponder on the aspects of love and life. Does love mean letting go of the person or forcing him/her to see a brighter side of life against their own will...

Parasite: A movie about how a poor family con their way into finding employment with a rich family. It eventually spirals into a web of deceit and shocking discoveries. The movie  initially begins in a humorous way and later entwines into a satirical and a dark tale. Engaging and deep, Parasite brings the social inequality and the human emotions associated with it. It makes it quite relatable.  The film also depicts the psychological consequences of greed that manifests over time. Brilliant direction as it captures the stark difference between the 2 contrasting worlds. The last 30 mins gets a little gory. Overall it’s  a movie that stays with you for a long time. No wonder it swept the oscars.

Title: The call of the wild Author: Jack London Genre: Classic/Fiction Reading this classic again after many years. Wanted to do so before the movie releases next Friday. The call of the wild is a journey about a dog named Buck. Buck leads a comfortable life at the sun kissed Santa Clara Valley. Until that one day when he is kidnapped. He is then thrown into a difficult and a dangerous life. Those days there was great demand for sledge dogs so Buck finds himself amidst harsh conditions and a menacing pack. In his quest for survival, Buck learns to fight the leader of the pack and earns his place as the master. From a gentle pet dog, Buck’s transformation into a wild hound is appalling, heart wrenching yet extraordinary. The call of the wild left me with mixed feelings. The violent and brutal treatment towards dogs was disheartening. Similar feelings when I read the harsh treatment meted out to horses in Anna Sewell’s Black Beauty. Jack London’s lucid and descriptive wri...

'Running is an exercise in humility.' I had come across this quote sometime back on a running website. And I experienced this at the Half marathon held inside Golden Gate Park at San Francisco.  It was my first event of 2020 as I was recuperating from a viral bout in January.  The antibiotic course had taken a toll on my fitness levels. So, I decided to take this run easy.  Besides I was running in SFO after 4 months.  It was a cold February morning when I ventured out. It took me around 50 minutes to reach the point near Golden gate park from where I had to walk inside. I spotted some runners who were on their way to the start point.   The park was bustling with runners, volunteers and a couple of aid stations.  It was quite chilly so I began to walk on the lawns trying to keep myself warm.  Running/Triathlon events are a great way to meet people and get into a conversation with them....

Book review  Title: The Snow Child Author: Eowyn Ivey Genre: Fiction The snow child is a book that makes for a perfect winter read.  It’s the story of Homesteaders Jack and Mabel who are settled in the remote Alaskan wilderness. Both are coping the tragedy of a still born child and the inability to have another one.  During the first snowfall of the winter season, the couple in a childlike moment build a snow child.  The next morning, the find the snow child missing. However they keep glimpses of a little girl with blond hair amidst the trees behind their cabin.  Introducing herself as Faina, the girl appears at their doorstep with a little red fox in tow. She disappears into the woods and appears as per her own will. As the couple try and unravel this mystery, their discovery about Faina changes their lives.  The Snow child is ethereal and magical, immersing readers into the enchanting beauty of the Alaskan wil...

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 ...