Categories
Book Reviews

2nd Delhi Literature Festival

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First things first, I am not in Delhi, and unfortunately cannot be a part of this.

But the festival looks awesome to say the least and its going to be a rocking affair looking at some of the names we have in attendance. So get set and be there at Indira Gandhi National Center for Arts!

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Starting today evening with the Chief Guest in an author minister Mr. Veerappa Moily,  it would be a great 2 day affair culminating on Sunday evening with the Chief Minister and author Mr. Arvind Kejriwal in a discussion with Barkha Dutt.

Here’s a tidbit about Mr. Moily –  He  is a literary figure having received the prestigious Moortidevi Award of Bharatiya Jnanpith. He has authored several books in Kannada. The Bangaluru connection 😉

The first day inauguration session will be followed by a session : Reminiscing Rajendra Yadav – A Tribute

Rajender Yadav, who recently passed away in October 2013, was one of the most well-known writers of Hindi language. He is most known for pioneering the Hindi Literary Movement – Nayi Kahani. He also revived Munshi Premchand’s Magazine Hans in 1986 and has extensively written for the cause of Dalits, Women, Rural India etc. through it.

This session will have Namvar Singh, Ajit Kr. Chaudhary, Rachna Yadav, Dr. Nirmala Jain as Moderator.

So that’s for the day  one. In case you want to keep yourself abreast of the happenings, track it here https://www.facebook.com/events/591054270962795/

and also follow @DelhiLitFest and the hastag #DelhiLitFest on twitter.

Senthilkumar

Categories
Book Reviews Books Reading / Read

The Hunt for Kohinoor by Manreet Sodhi Someshwar – a book review

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Publisher Westland Publisher
Publication Year 2013 October
ISBN-13 9789383260607
ISBN-10 9383260602
Language English
Edition 1st
Binding Paperback
Number of Pages 432 Pages
Book Type Fiction Book

I should admit that I am being introduced to Mehrunisa the protagonist of this wonderful story for the first time courtesy – Westland who sent this book for review.

After going through this novel – a 96 hour episode in as half the time given my relocation pangs, I am sure this is one of the racy pacy thrillers, call it a clean race from the lights to the chequered flag. A classical story with the background of a dad and a daughter in search of a secrets that could change the way the world is. What does it mean to see your father after 17 long years not knowing if he was alive or dead? And when you want to see him, you are assigned a mission impossible.

An extremely  well researched and well thought of plot carries the story with twists and turns as much as the geography and topography of the place it is happening across the border. The play of emotion and the characterization of the yearning daughter and the dad who has found his lovely daughter after 17 years and the motive to live the dream for both of them works very well. This takes them through the terrains, on the roads, and the hilly slopes, literally in between the bomb blasts and firing across the terrain.

Intricately woven story with the emotional tag of both the characters will get on you and that makes for a fast reading and a lucid writing narrative works like magical flow making you live the pages through.

The author has used a great deal of imagination with reality as she moves on with the saga and you can easily identify with the characters and their reactions. You have a best seller and a page turner in this book.

On another plane, I think we know very very less of our neighbouring nation  and in this story, the portrayal of the human connect and sanity is also well woven to suit the times and issues here.

It was a happy reading of the ways even in a fiction that some people stake their lives and family for the sake of the nation and it is being done without the fanfare that we are always used to.

I would consider these stories  as a celebration of the unknown men and women who are wide awake so that we could sleep without a second thought.

Read this and you will love the characterization, the human bonding especially the one with the family that drives people to heights and terrains that can best be described as geography in real.

Thanks Westland for sending in this book. This is a fast read, has the best twists and turns to keep you on the hook and get you racing till the end.

You would not take more than 96 hours I say! Literally

You can buy your copy here:   Amazon Click Here  |  Flipkart Click here

 

Senthilkumar

Categories
Book Reviews Books Reading / Read

Baramulla Bomber (Svastik Trilogy – Eka) by Suraj Clark Prasad – a book review

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The Baramulla Bomber at the outset is a great attempt in the espionage genre if you ask me. The author has his homework done, with the intersection of quantum physics, the study of ancient scriptures Vedas and ofcourse human frailties.

The story is set in Kashmir, I am looking forward to see many more Kashmir related stories and it gives a pretty insight into the workings of the intelligence wings spanning the important players including some European Nations. The story happens across time lines and takes you through with the characters at ease. We find the characterizations very deeply knowledgeable and hinting at the possibility of extremes.

One other important link central to the story is well you guessed it – cricket. And when you have a cricketer from the valley rocking internationally, you know India has made a point. The title of the book is a dedication to a fast bowler hailing from the valley – Mansur, for his exploits in the field and the press giving him this title.

We have other characters, Aahana his girlfriend, Adolf the spy from Sweden and ofcourse the Indian Home Minister and negative characters in Dr. Nazir.

The narration is fast moving, cutting across the time zones, interconnected events that surprise and make it racy towards the end.  I think the time gap could have gotten shorter in my opinion.

You get streaks of mined information on a weapon which you won’t be able to see it nor feel it and when you start to feel it, it would be the end. That could be spine chilling in real. The possibilities of such a weapon is what makes the intelligence sleuths spend sleepless nights to understand the science and the people behind all this. The coming together of characters sees a commonality in professional and personal interests to unlock the mysteries that have eluded them.

Some parts took me back to my college days, (did graduation in physics) and some readings to my classes in Atma Bodha about the spiritual part.

The author has touched upon the human sensibilities in a portrayal at the UN General Assembly with speeches delivered by the Indian contingent in Agastya Rathore and Mansur. After all the nations are all but lines drawn by human beings themselves. The fact is known but the realization of this fact is not easy at all.

A brave attempt in a trilogy and hope the next one already has some more fireworks in the days to come.  Eka will keep you with doses of quantum physics, vedas and reality.

The cover gives you ample things to imagine and anticipate. The author is a wonderful addition in this genre.

This review is a part of the Readers’ Cosmos Book Review Program. Visit www.readerscosmos.blogspot.in for more details.  Thanks Nimi for the literally “gifted” opportunity

Senthilkumar

Click here to buy the book at flikart.com

Categories
Book Reviews Books Reading / Read

Books reading / pending reviews

Its nice two books thats been waiting to be read will be done this weekend.

Baramullah Bomber and The Hunt for Kohinoor! Both are a treat because of its genre… espionage thrillers…

Am half way with the book and will get the review up and on the blog in the next 2 days…

Cheers

Senthil

Categories
Motorsports Stories/storification

Schumi! You can do it!

 

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I didnt think when I resolved that I will blog more on F1, I would have to have a different Schumi story to start with. The news from the Alps from France was like a thunderbolt, which has muted so much of enthusiasm for the fans aross the world.

Micheal Schumacher, the 7 time world Champion is in coma after a skiing incident. The irony of the accident is we have seen Schumi drives at speeds over 300 kmph and the safety of the F1 car giving its drivers the best on what it can offer today. This incident probably brings back a lot of memories of the past era espeically the accident of Senna which happened during a race. It took a long time for those fans to recover.

Accidents like these have demonstrated the will power of extraordinary sports persons to fight against all odds. The latest news coming from the hospital bulletin and social media updates do give the feeling that Schumi is not the one to give up.

I always have Robert Kubica in mind and the eternal fighting spirit that he personified since his accident and getting back to drive in world rally a few years later. I have always believed the sports person have this innate ability to come back, mentally stronger and physically robust after every fall.

The outpouring of grief and the prayers are testimony to the way the man and way he handled the mean machines – the way Schumi has impacted a generation of motorsports fans across the globe. I am sure these are extraordinary times for the immediate family and the friends.

Yeah Schumi, you will win, and you are fighter and only known to cross the line with finesse and great elan. While we await your recovery here’s praying that you get back and see the flood of emotions that the world had for you.

I know Schumi, you can do it and you will, for the world is just waiting to see you back.

Your fan always!

Categories
Book Reviews Books Reading / Read Spirituality Stories/storification

The Almond Tree by Michelle Cohen Corasanti – a Book Review

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Publisher Prakash Books
Imprint Fingerprint
Publication Year 2013 November
ISBN-13 9788172344870
ISBN-10 8172344872
Language English
Binding Paperback
Number of Pages 352 Pages

‘..The book will be  a best seller of the decade…’ Huffington Post was right! This would be a best seller for sure.

An awesome debut by any standards, this is a story that would resonate with the reader no matter where he is from. The purpose of literature would be to the serve in a way that it transports him to the realm of the story telling and make him an inclusive witness. If you wanted this experience then give it to the author MIchelle Cohen Corasanti for she makes you live the experience.

Its so very much like the title and the tree that stand the test of time this story would leave you with a healing touch for ever, standing beneath the tree like the characters do.

The story has a kind of uplifting experience when you take the trek through the eyes of the protagonist Hamid and his family. The author takes the audacious route to actually celebrate human weakness in the characters. It takes a kind of extraordinary guts to make the characters live through the situation and yet not give in to the kind of sword mongering that can happen.

The relationship among the characters are well etched throughout with each character standing on their own. The reader has the task of not judging since that’s the very aspect that the author wants to take a stance on. 

There are times you would be hearing the rain pitter patter and some time you can hear the gunshots just beyond the window pane.

It has been an experience to read through the novel which travels across a lifetime in a perspective that has a chance to redeem the lost love between human beings who on the garb of nationality and religion have discarded their own nature of being good.

To be frank, you will have tears swelling up as you read, sometimes anger seething within and sometimes empathy as you travel with the story. To think this is a debut novel, an extraordinary effort that goes into understanding human emotions and human relationships this is a great surprise and a revealing novel from the author. More than that it has the opportunity of talking to the people holding the guns across the borders of the land they call their homeland.

A story of positive human emotions, moulded by the characteristic of looking at other men and women as an extension of their self so much articulated by the character  Hamid. I loved the characterization of the relationship between a father and a son.

There are many inspirational times that you get to be a part of the tale and makes you sit up and decide. You would pause and recreate the image as the story progresses.

It’s a fast paced tale for sure, but a gripping one with pauses to think over and decide for the characters. I would be failing in my duty if I don’t thank Readers Cosmos for the book.

This review is a part of “The Reader Cosmos Book review Program” to get free books log on to : thereaderscosmos.blogspot.com 

The flipkart link here for the book http://www.flipkart.com/the-almond-tree/p/itmd9z5daznxxmgs?q=The+Almond+Tree&as=on&as-show=on&otracker=start&as-pos=p_1&pid=9788172344870

Categories
digital Internet Mobile Advertising social media

I voted for India – #voteforIndia

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Rahul changed his WeChat status to “Voted today, feeling proud! Have you?” He changed his profile pic with an image of his finger with the ink – a specialty dye that will take some time to go off.

Its been a nice day, and it was a nice feeling to be a part of nation building, he knew he has done his duty in right earnest, but there still remains miles to go for our nation as a whole – he thought.

A few minutes later his friends also buzzed on WeChat with updates and statuses.

A look at some of them and Rahul was feeling happy.

“A long line of people to vote” , “Another 10 min to Polling station”, “The candidate looks pretty”, and one more caught his eye – “The President is voting in my booth, and he is waiting for his turn”

How nice Rahul thought, and as he sat on his veranda overlooking the study, he could hear the television anchors going berserk on the voting and long queues at all the polling stations their reporters are visiting.

The last few days have been very incidental for Rahul and his friends or rather the people of his age. They have been vowed, courted and prayed for their support. There has been FB Page invites, Twitter pushes, Voice recording messages on phone and apps. Infact one party had an app to help him register his voter id, get his name located and showed up the way to his voting booth.

It also urged the users to disseminate information as much as possible. There was a referral program to get the friends their voting rights and the card whichever would help people vote.

The app was also a ready reckoner in a sense giving the details of the candidate, with his past history in terms of governance, and any criminal record would show in big icons. It was a big help they could get the candidate’s details especially when you get into a constituency.

There was also a lot of voice messages on WeChat from candidates and they were also offering themselves to be on a Q&A everyday in the evening.

The best was the message from the Election Commission to vote fair and free on the day of voting. It has been one of the best of the democracy at work. A new paradigm has been created in reaching out to the new voters online. Absolutely the social media has been at play.

Rahul was happy that he was a part of such a historic exercise and the generations to come will for sure have this election scripted in the history for the simple reason that social media and the internet made an impact for the better.

As the day wound, the statuses had become a unitary one “I voted!” It was not an individual’s vote but a #voteforIndia!

Categories
Advertising digital Internet Mobile Advertising Online e-Commerce social media

ComScore’s India’s Online Display Ad Landscape

A young and upwardly mobile population with growing income levels and increasing online penetration makes India a very lucrative online market. In line with this trend online advertising has seen a very healthy growth pattern in the last few years. Just in the last passed quarter more than 96 billion ad impressions were delivered across India’s websites.

From ComScore

Have a look at this infographic, pretty interesting insights…

 

India’s Online Display Ad Landscape

”India’s

Categories
Book Reviews Books Reading / Read

The Homing Pigeons by Sid Bahri – a book review

The Homing Pigeons Cover -shashi tharoor

The Homing Pigeons by Sid Bahri is a great debut from a blogger turned author. The tale of two individuals who go through various paths ultimately come to roost to their nest. He takes the tale from the pigeons who fly the valleys and plains yet long for that coming home to the love that they have seen and can be always be sure of.

There’s a take on the middle class morals and ethics which the author casts aside in the way of making the life of individual the fulcrum of his story. The characters look surreal sometimes and also delve deep into the psyche which is formed in the childhood years. At one point I think this is the story of woman protagonist Radhika, because it is in her story that the author takes liberties in transforming the character with the aid of the situations that she is in.

The narrative is good and has a little bump towards the end, where Aditya’s take is a bit behind that of Radhika. The first person account is a nice revelation especially when some personal choices have to made by the characters.

This story is also that of the rising Indian consumer centric individual who is now pushed into material pursuit and makes a statement of choice, especially when you have the protagonist taking the road which would be impossible some decades ago.

As the narrative progresses there is a certainty to the story in the end, possibly that could have been avoided. Quite often the case of the characters is that of the real life where in the decisions could have been taken a little later. It’s a reflection of the life that we live.

A very fast paced read and very close to reality, and goes forth back in time without actually taking you off.

On the typos, for someone from Kerala the name of my state was wrong in the book.

Senthilkumar

“This book review is a part of The Readers Cosmos Book Review Program. To get free books log on to thereaderscosmos.blogspot.com

Categories
digital Just about it Spirituality

Yoga Tab – the #betterway to self realisation…

The Zen Master was explaining the Yoga to the students with his tab! “So dear students, this is a new Yoga Tab, before we proceed can anyone tell me what is Yoga?” The Master was calm and serene as he put this question. The students were wondering why would he ask them the basic question.

Nevertherless, they thought fit to answer the same. One student rose and said, “Yoga is process to manifestation of perfection already in man!”

The Zen Master smiled and said, “So you have come to create your own definitions, well I am liking it. especially when I have a Yoga Tab in my hands.”

“See for example the Yoga Tab is an example of creating your own definition of Tab, or may be redefine it the way it should be. There may exists many a ways to happiness, but when it comes to Yoga, that creates a new sensation of happiness within. Like the Yoga Tab, perfectly designed to perfection, as an art. Holding it is a nirvana in itself helps you immerse yourself in what you do, rather than think about the way you hold or getting your hands go tiring!”

“Thats so good Master, when we practice Yoga, the body  becomes attuned to being relaxed, this is an achievement with the Tab as a default without practice and helping us better our concentration in what we do! Thats amazing to say the least!”, one student said.

“If you know the posture of the Tab is almost like our way of Yoga, Straight, tilted and ofcourse standing – all the time delivering on performance to the last detail and well, there’s always a better way isnt it?”

“Master is nt it true that our posture holds the key to being in comfort?” asked one student.

“Yes my dear, and that’s why you will see Yoga Tab being designed to take the pain out of the tablet.” said the Master, adding “It comes in three modes, akin to our three states of being awake, dream and sleep” he said with a chuckle.

“The three modes of the tab – HOLD Mode, STAND Mode and TILT Mode are all expressions of our physical robustness in us and re-imagined to the design of a Tab – the Yoga Tab.”

“Imagine taking the pain out of holding – sounds nice right thats what the Tab does – HOLD mode and all!” the Master continued. “And when you want to watch any thing on the tab, simple go to the STAND Mode and then behold  – you are enjoying music and movies and may be yoga classes too! ” the kids were all attention as he continued. “When you think fit you can go TILT mode and browse, type and game in a relaxed way”

“Master, all this will take the pain out of the tabbing experience and make it the way Yoga should be!” said one student.

“You the brightest kid.” He said pointing to that student. “And put it literally this tab takes a STAND and does a TILT whenever the user wants it!” added another student spreading his arms and meaning handsfree.

“Why didn’t they think of all this Master?” queried a student.

“There is always a time for things to happen and that time has come my dear and exactly thats what Lenovo is done with the Yoga Tab!” “Master what if I go an a trek tomorrow, how do i charge it?” asked a young student.

“Can the Yoga be without power,” asked the Zen Master and continued “Its got over 18 hours of battery – perfect Yogic way of poise to do what you want!”

“And When you are into Yoga everything becomes effortless and you will surely find #betterway every time. Now that’s what Yoga Tab does – a #betterway is here”

All the students bowed before him and left after the class.

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The next day. At the monastery the disciple students were practicing yoga with the Yoga Tab in front of them with the Zen Master online in STAND mode. A little farther away, a younger lot were watching the Yoga with the Tab in TILT position.

And on the other side of the town, the Zen Master was busy watching the kids in the HOLD position traversing the mountains. Its been over a day he is away from his Monastery. As the day wound, he put the tab aside and thought what a #betterway the day has become.

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For others in the plains and valleys reading this go here to know more about the Yoga Tab!  facebook.com/LenovoIndia This is a part of Indibloggers  #Betterway contest.