Monday, September 26, 2011

To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee

Hello people,

  To Kill a MockingbirdTo Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Recommended for: Any one with parents or siblings or children or friends or enemies ;)

I had no idea what the theme or the publicity[except for a few reviews of 'very good' from various places] of this book was before I chose to read this one. I prefer to read that way as I will be free of prejudice.

To Kill a Mocking bird is a story of a simple family, with 2 siblings Jem and his younger sister Scout along with their father Atticus. I started to like the novel from the start as I could identify myself as I too grew up with a sister 3 and half years younger to me in a similar simple neighborhood with simple friends. The book addresses the racist mindset of the society prevalent at the time [1935] and through children tries to explain the naivety of our life.

You will find everything that a brother and sister of 10 and 6 years respectively, do and will be entertained mostly. But what it also successfully does is to promote a simple message of 'not hating anybody' and not taking any offence to heart and simply think from under the other mans skin.

To go into the story the siblings are leading a simple enough life with their vacation friend Dill when Tom Robinson, a negro and the real 'Mocking Bird' is accused of rape by a white, but notorious family. Scouts father Atticus takes up the hard job of acquitting Robinson of the crime. There are a few other characters like judge Taylor, Calpurnia, Miss Maudi, eccentric Boo Radley, Link Deas, etc who take this novel forward with their kindness while, some others like Bob Ewell and others who are of the opposite kind.

Author has succeeded in passing the cliched but eternal message of naivety of life and not hating others. I think its a must read.

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Friday, September 16, 2011

Sons of Fortune by Jeffrey Archer

Hello people,

Sons of FortuneSons of Fortune by Jeffrey Archer

My rating: 2 of 5 stars








I actually went for another book but because I could not find that one I just picked up this one up. Having read Jeffrey Archer before and thus made up an image of really fast moving work from this author, I thought no harm.

The book is very aptly titled 'Sons of Fortune' as while reading we would think or are constantly reminded to think of the fortunes of 2 of the leads had one moment of decision making by a nurse hadn't happened.

Nat Cartwright and Fletcher Davenport[ Peter Cartwright] are two twins separated by fortune and a nurses/nanny's wish to please her mistress. The story goes ahead slowly as Fletcher , in a well to do family, meets a politician and at the age of 14 meets his partner for life. Both get their best friends Tom and Jimmy on their first day in school. The common villain also appears first day in one of their classes.

The story goes forward with an unrealistic scenario as except a couple of people all of the other characters, however small they are, are projected as men of principles, sincerity, integrity etc. Nat's life takes an unexpected turn[ the story is mostly of those] when he gets an army call up which occurs because of an act by the villain. Nat meets his life-partner subsequently and both the twins go different ways as a Banker and a Lawyer. The villain has moved on to trouble Fletcher as they become professional.

Nat's life takes another twist as a currency devaluation occurs in France and Fletcher also resigns from the famous law firm in New York. Then its like Nat - Villain - Fletcher all together in one place. They all end up in the field of politics and in more twists to come, the villain gets killed.

The twins are busy rescuing each other and in the process learn that they are twins. But not to hurt their family, they keep it a secret and it comes to the end with both shown as heroes and the winner in the election didn't matter any more. Though I wanted one of them to win the election and ended the book on a happy note as my candidate won!

But over all the book has too many twists[perhaps the title forces that], too many heroes and too much feel good factor. Despite that villain is quite strong, may be because the heroes are too lenient and are not ready to hurt the villain back. There is some American rock and roll culture depicted too in bits and pieces and the author also tries to show a generation gap. But it felt artificial some times. For me the book felt ok but artificial at times. But I would recommend it if you have a couple days of travel with nothing else to do.




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Wednesday, September 14, 2011

A Prisoner of Birth by Jeffrey Archer

Hello people,

A Prisoner of Birth by Jeffrey Archer

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars


A 3.5 would have been apt. Its a gripping book, which you can never put down unless its natures call! A shortened version of Dumas classic,which is why I have just given it 3.5 instead of a 4+, this one never loses its pace. A prisoner falsely accused of murder, impersonates his cellmate ,who was perhaps unfairly accused of manslaughter, and sets about to correct a few things. In the process his life completely changes and from a small town lower middle class brash man he ventures into uncharted waters and excels.

The closing was superb with a retired judge and a veteran esteemed solicitor stealing the show. Only thing which is questionable is perhaps the practicality of the story at the time it was set.

A really fast read which could just refresh you completely.

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Death at My Doorstep by Khushwant Singh

Hello people,

Death at My Doorstep by Khushwant Singh
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I am reading Khuswant Singh, 'seriously', for the first time. I had read his short stories as lessons in school and that's that. I thought or had an image of him as an elderly man who loves children and writes soft stories. So I had a great man in my mind. But how all that was shattered by this one.

This is a book of memoirs of some people he had come across in his life and are presently dead. It's like he is awaiting his death and thinking about some others he knew and are currently dead. He doesn't necessarily criticize or praise anyone with intent, though does that inadvertently some times.

He comes across as a typical rationalist who seeks proof for every single thing on the earth or the universe which cannot be sensed by humans or which could be sensed. Though he only bothers to ask this from others and not at any time is concerned about a proof for his won theories. Example when he says there is no proof for life after death, he also has to think about there not being a proof for NO life after death! But I think thats why he calls himself and agnostic.

About the book itself I found nothing interesting as a whole. Though some parts like that of Bhutto, one Rajni Patel and lastly his dog, Simba was interesting. I think I could see the first impression of him,that I had, only in the Simba portion. He is not having an open mind for an agnostic and I expected much better thoughts and a heart from a man 96 years old and with all that experience.

If you have nothing else to do and a couple of hours to spare, you can pick this book up and go through.

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Tuesday, September 13, 2011

The Language of the Gods in the World of Men: Sanskrit, Culture, and Power in Premodern India by Sheldon Pollock

Hello people,

The Language of the Gods in the World of Men: Sanskrit, Culture, and Power in Premodern India by Sheldon Pollock

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I left this book just 10% into it. It starts by saying that Sanskrit is 2000 - 3000 years old, while the first written material in Sanskrit was found to be from about 4000-3000 BC. Also when the origin of the language is not clear, it was not apt to finalize its age as around 2000 years old.
Next I came across, usual things like Sanskrit being forbidden for the "lower" varnas. The author emphasizes the ranking for the varnas and says that the Shudras would have thought what they could not do that the "higher" varnas can. But the author doesnt bother to think that its one who cannot think or is not interested in education is called a shudra while not the reverse as in a shudra was not "banned " from education. The author bypasses the important fact that Valmiki who wrote the epic "Ramayana" in Sanskrit was a Shudra. I couldnt bear with the usual western view of Indology and left the book.
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