Tag Archives: Flipkart sponsored

In Other Words by Jhumpa Lahiri #bookreview

In_other_words

 

BOOK DETAILS
Publisher Penguin Books Ltd
ISBN-10 0670088897
Imprint Hamish Hamilton
Number of Pages 224 Pages
Publication Year 2016
Language English
ISBN-13 9780670088898
Binding Hardcover

A translation by Ann Goldstein of the original Italian work by Jhumpa Lahiri.

One of the most personal relationship books I have ever come across, simply the best since it outlines the way the relationship is taken forward, quite a few times it looks as if this is the way love works, may be courtship too.

It’s the growing of the bonds between the seeker and the one which is sought perhaps, here its the language which is being learnt by the author, the language is Italian!

It is quite a revelation at a very personal level for the author the way Italian language grasps her attention and how she wants to live the language like no other. It becomes all the more interesting that Italian has never been a part of her upbringing in a way as to experience this kind of approach to language.

Over the years she feels an intimate connection as if this was the call the soul has been waiting for. The way she takes it up learning and the travails and travels in literary world is an nice journey that she takes the readers with.

And when you know this is a translated masterpiece, it makes it all the more alluring and when you read the explanation I think she has put the right perspective. And when we complete the book we know what she meant and she meant every word of it. Probably that is the relationship that she has been nurturing with the language.

There is an air of romance in the way the language is treated as a person, trying to know him or her, the fulfilment of having achieved the goal of possessing the other person or seeing yourself in the other.

Kudos to the translator, we can feel that the justice has been done the way the book progresses in short but sure steps, sometimes looking back to stories that will augment the theory that she holds forth, and sometimes stop to listen to the inner rumblings and sometimes to the practical difficulty in getting to know the perfect grammar and the translator has the pulse and does an excellent job of giving us the feel.

Its a nice book and well its a non fiction and that makes it a must read title. If you are interested in literature this will surely give you an idea of how language can be looked at as an extension of you.

Pick it up in case you see it at the book store or click here.

This was a part of Flipkart Book Review Program! Thanks Flipkart for the book.

Senthilkumar R

The Dark Side of Light by Sanil Sachar #Bookreview

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Publisher Rupa Publications India
ISBN-10 8129139766
Number of Pages 200 Pages
Publication Year 2016
Language English
ISBN-13 9788129139764
Binding Hardcover

Sometimes the cover of the book says it all. The photograph on the cover gives you an idea of the title in a way. But the content in this book will leave you in dark for some time.

Travelling through the negative mind as we have known or being portrayed is a genre by itself, but Sanil Sachar takes it to a whole new level. Sometimes I think how he has been able to think through the thought of the thought.

The climax that he weaves at the end of the story is a sheer brilliance in prose and in such short captivating mastery of language and narration, he holds the attention span till the end of ever story.

That darkness can be celebrated is not often that you come across, but herein lies the trick and ofcourse you will sometimes think how it could be possible to be thinking exactly like the character you just met.

The best part is his taking us through the stories, the poetic prose and the real poetry with ease and keeping you mesmerized till you put the book down.

There are stories and there are poems that characterizes darkness explained like never before. The author / poet in Sanil Sachar seems to be at ease navigating the dark and traverses seamlessly across the prose and poetry with ease that’s probably only he can take pride in.

The words in poetry and prose leaves you with a visual imagery blended in the darkness of mind’s remotest corner. It would not be an understatement if I said he had a a bit of O Henry’s twist to the tales even thought they were dark. I refrain from using the word negative for the fact that I realised you could have it dark the way the author has woven stories after stories.

I think you take time to read sometimes break and then continue even as you let the words sink in.

Not to mention there are play scripts too to take time off from those serious words.

So that’s the book for you, pick it up for listening to some voices you thought would never speak or you would want to hear.

Now that you think you should take a read go over here to buy the book.

Senthilkumar

This is a part of Flipkart Book Review Program, and thanks Flipkart for sending the book.

Mother, Wheres My Country? by Anubha Bhonsle #bookreview

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Publisher Speaking Tiger
ISBN-10 9385288350
Edition 1
Number of Pages 256 Pages
Publication Year 2016
Language English
ISBN-13 9789385288357
Binding Hardcover

The title is as intriguing as the story that unfolds in the pages of this book, Mother, Where’s My Country? by Anubha Bhonsle.

The very affable TV anchor and the champion of Citizen Journalist, Anubha makes this book a compelling read with graphic imagery of what Manipur is all about. That the tyranny of distance has been shortened in this book is a very great attempt in bringing the stories from Manipur to the masses or even take them to the TV studios because of the way it has been written.

The imagery presented in this book is not just the lush green forest cover but uncovers the militant and the govt, the life and times of Irom Sharmila. An mammoth effort spread over long years of journalistic work, this book is a testament to true inquiring journalistic reporting of a story especially of the North East that comes into news only when there is an election or a riot. The everyday trespasses that the army or the naxal make against the dutiful citizens get mired in local press not much coverage again.

Heart rending stories, and anecdotes from first person account and trailing the Irom Sharmila’s fast all make for an intense storytelling. At time makes me wonder how we take our life for granted. We cant even adjust to some bad roads and some municipal issues, whereas there is a part of the country where rules are not rules nor laws are enforced.

Like P Sainath says in his quote this is perhaps a reflection of the North East and ofcourse the topic happens to be Manipur. This I am sure would be one of the best non fiction books to come in a long time. The context of North East makes it more compelling and the way  it has been presented to the audience is note worthy.

Engrossing read is probably an understatement, makes you immerse  yourself and think where’s my country, this book is a classic attempt by a journalist who knows what she is doing – going after truth at all cost.

You will thank me for this reco, I m sure! Check out the book and buy it here 

Thanks Flipkart for sending in the book for review as a part of Flipkart Book review program!

Senthilkumar

River of Flesh and other stories – Book Review

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Publisher Speaking Tiger
ISBN-10 9385755587
Edition 1
Number of Pages 272 Pages
Publication Year 2016
Language English
ISBN-13 9789385755583
Binding Paperback

When I got a mail from Vivek Flipkart on two different books for review, it appealed to me in a way that this has got to be different probably, changing the way I would start looking at society.

I replied stating this must be a different perspective given the topic and how they have been seen in the way the society draws a line. So when the Sunny Leone interview happened the same time, it showed how deep those lines run in our mind rather than on the roads where these unprivileged women make the ends meet.

And to put together some of the most acclaimed writers in a collection must have been a task and getting to the topic on hand must have been a great decision by itself. I see this as a big and bold step simply because that was what ultimately got me to read this book. And the editor Ruchira Gupta has done a fabulous job on this front.

And when you read those stories you get to read those innocence writ on their lives and how those innocence has been tarnished and trampled to a state of prostitution.

It took sometime to realise the gravity of the context in each of these stories which come to life with words from some of the classic writers as Kamla Das, Indira Goswami to Mushi Premchand.

Poignant sometimes, rebellious sometimes,  meek and mild and varied the expressions are myriad in more ways than one.

This book also opens up to the regional intricacies and the thoughts that pervade through the countryside. Some the endings are sure to give you goose pumps and some make you sit up and almost have a stuck throat. Quite often the end is a dark twist of fate if you may call that. How would you rationalise the woman going to bed with another man in the darkness to feed a hungry, ailing husband a mouth full of gruel.

The characters will live with you for sometime and sometimes you will feel the bitterness of the words. I am amazed by the fact that some of the works are recreated in the sense translated and I could sense the emotion when I could connect with the original language and the author. (eg. Ponnagaram)

It’s not just the woman’s plight that is portrayed here but the whole of the society which gets the whiplashes from the authors through the characters.

Pick this book and you will be led to a neighborhood you didn’t want to walk through. Gripping stories narrated so intensely and with appeal that makes you think.

Check out and buy the book here

Senthilkumar

The House That BJ Built by Anuja Chauhan – a book review

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Publisher Westland
ISBN-10 9385152181
Book Type Fiction Book
Imprint Westland
Number of Pages 433 Pages
Publication Year 2015 May
Language English
ISBN-13 9789385152184
Binding Paperback

Let me start with a confession that I am reading Anuja Chauhan for the first time.

This book is a journey of the minds and the machinations of every character unfolding in front of us in a way that you can only imagine. All about the characters that occupy the house that BJ built.  The brashness of the language, adds a certain authenticity to the character’s lives is unforgettable. In case you have lived in New Delhi and you would want to get back there for atleast the way the action happens at No. 16 Hailey’s then this is a trip worth taking.

There is an eclectic mix of the bollywood, the family saga and the sisters in tow and ofcourse the big house in the plot. You would be a witness to many a whims and fancies and start thinking through the minds of the characters.

Probably that’s one of the biggest traits that the author has and makes you go with the flow.

The story of Bonu Singh  and whether she would give away her part of the hissa for the sale is the story, with her past especially her mom’s words ringing in her head.

You will enjoy the Punjabi dialect and the whole some family story of the sisters and the two characters in Bonu and Samar. Pick up this book for its sheers story telling ability and keeping you engrossed with the mind reading ability of the author.

The Delhi girls attitude and the Bollywood’s touch in the making of the characters would make you think if you are watching a bolly wood movie. Quite a possibility that this could even be a film in the making, well there is already a film in the making in the story!

Overall a nice read I would rate 3 stars out of 5 for the style of the author where she does the story telling very effortlessly. I had only this if there were too many characters in the book and may be we had too many stories nevertheless.

The book was sent to the blogger for a review by Flipkart. You can buy the book here: http://www.flipkart.com/house-b-j-built-english/p/itme6ahbmkhezb2k

Senthilkumar Rajappan