Journey with Books...

Flow; the Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

2009-03-06T16:07:00.001+02:00

Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, is research based book about scientific study of people when they are in 'flow' or in the "the zone".

Author argues one of the critical components of flow is a complex self: a self that can weather change & maintain serenity. flow- experience is to concentrate attention on present moment instead of continually struggle with the past or worry about tomorrow. Ofcourse with potentially stress of daily life , book discusses how flow experiences can reduce stress. Author argues that flow will produce happiness, creates an opportunity for cultures to evolve.

“We have all experienced times when, instead of being buffeted by anonymous forces, we do feel in control of our actions, masters of our own fate. On the rare occasions that it happens, we feel a sense of exhilaration, a deep sense of enjoyment that is long cherished and that becomes a landmark in memory for what life should be like….. moments like these are not the passive, receptive, relaxing times…the best moments usually occur when a person’s body or mind is stretched to its limits in a voluntary effort to accomplish something difficult and worthwhile.”

But I should say, distinguish between simple pleasure and enjoyable flow is largely semantic & very unconvincing. And It was very interesting to find out that, this whole theory was applied while designing video games(which infact is addictive faux flow experience). flow is simply feeling of pleasure and like others this too can be addictive and its not an good.

Book is good(heavy) read if you are interested in Psychology.

You can also watch Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi discussing at TEDtalk

House of Stairs by William Sleator

2009-03-06T14:26:00.000+02:00

House of Stairs by William Sleator, is a novel about 5 teenage orphans(Oliver, Peter, Blossom, Lola, and Abigail) who find themselves in a strange building. Its not a hospital or a prison but it has no walls or ceiling, nothing but endless flights of stairs leading to nowhere and a strange red machine.

They begin to realize that the machine give them just enough food to keep them alive but only whenever they become to do certain gestures & acts. So they started make many efforts to please the machine and let it rule their behaviour. Initially they have to perform some kind of dance but soon they realize they have to be cruel to each other in order get any more food. Then teenage continually face hopeless situations, creating suspense. What follows is- set of events highlighting adversity they face and brings out their personalities—strengths and vulnerabilities.

While teenagers find themselves in an enigmatic suitations and place, narrative is not the enigma but the story is about these five characters, their weaknesses and strengths, their reactions to stress and about the relationships they develop.

Book is very well written and very interestingly highlights the conflict of society's rewards for conformity and personal satisfaction of asserting one's individuality.

Life of Pi by Yann Martel

2009-03-06T11:32:00.002+02:00

Life of Pi by Yann Martel, is a riveting adventures tale about a shipwrecked teenager(Piscine Patel) son of Pondicherry Zoo keeper who is stuck with a Bengal Tiger and their never-ending journey of up & downs, tragedy and triumph,. Book walks through details of zoo-keeping, connections between animal & man, Pi's religious & spirtual beliefs.

Pi's family decides to relocate to canada by taking much of its menagerie with them and selling the others. Half the way their ship sinks and Pi find himself stranding in a lifeboat with bengal tiger named richard parker, a zebra, a hyena. i.e ofcourse everybody is on each other's menu.

what follows is 200+days at sea with series of adventure journey of Pi with uneasy truce with his companion to find home and how they(Pi & richard/tiger) manage various troubles, main-easting island,etc.. by calling upon everything he learned both in practical & spiritual sense. Pi become to believe that his & tiger's fate are interlinked and they develops an deepening relationship.

"I must say a word about fear. It is life's only true opponent. Only fear can defeat life. It is a clever, treacherous adversary, how well I know. It has no decency, respects no law or convention, shows no mercy. It goes for your weakest spot, which it finds with unerring ease. It begins in your mind, always. One moment you are feeling calm, self-possessed, happy. Then fear, disguised in the garb of mild- mannered doubt, slips into your mind like a spy. Doubt meets disbelief and disbelief tries to push it out. But disbelief is a poorly armed foot soldier. Doubt does away with it with little trouble. You become anxious. Reason comes to do battle for you. You are reassured. Reason is fully equipped with the latest weapons technology. But, to your amazement, despite superior tactics and a number of undeniable victories, reason is laid low. You feel yourself weakening, wavering. Your anxiety becomes dread. Fear next turns fully to your body, which is already aware that something terribly wrong is going on. Already your lungs have flown away like a bird and your guts have slithered away like a snake. Now your tongue drops dead like an opossum, while your jaw begins to gallop on the spot. Your ears go deaf. Your muscles begin to shiver as if they had malaria and your knees to shake as though they were dancing. Your heart strains too hard, while your sphincter relaxes too much. And so with the rest of your body. Every part of you, in the manner most suited to it, falls apart. Only your eyes work well. They always pay proper attention to fear.Quickly you make rash decisions. You dismiss your last allies: hope and trust. There, you've defeated yourself. Fear, which is but an impression, has triumphed over you. The matter is difficult to put into words. For fear, real fear, such as shakes you to your foundation, such as you feel when you are brought face to face with your mortal end, nestles in your memory like a gangrene: it seeks to rot everything, even the words with which to speak of it. So you must fight hard to express it. You must fight hard to shine the light of words upon it. Because if you don't, if your fear becomes a wordless darkness that you avoid, perhaps even manage to forget, you open yourself to further attacks of fear because you never truly fought the opponent who defeated you."
Book isn't about silly, meaningless adventure story but a mystery about man's relationship with life & faith. while the book does explains in some details about all major religious belief and how a sincer belief on something can make it happen but doesn’t offer answers or suggestions but many questions.

I like the fun tone of the book even while handling such heavy subject. Its not preachy but a fascinating tale which might or might not make you believe GOD but will make you wonder, questions your belief and awareness.

20 books in 2009

2008-12-11T19:59:00.006+02:00

Iam getting into 20 books in 2009 challenge. The goal is to read 20 books in the 2009.
and I will update the progress here (@ my book review blog) with tag '20booksin2009'

Rules:

must have a website/blog post to keep an online progress page.
You must create a progress page, which will be updated each time you complete one of your 20 books. For more information about progress pages and an example of how you can do them, click here .
If the book is a re-read, it must be from a year ago.
If you begin the book in 2008 and finish it in 2009, it does count for this challenge.
The following do not count: comics, catalogs, manga, journals.
You must link back to this challenge with the button provided or one that you make for your own personal use, or even a text link.

Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer

2008-06-02T17:25:00.002+03:00

Into the Wild is the depiction of Christopher McCandless, a young adventurer who wandered across the american continent by Jon Krakauer.

After college McCandless donates all his asset worth $25k to charity to walk away for solo adventure. Finally in 1992, McCandless's boby was found in the Alaskan wilderness.

Krakauer(author) manages to track so many friends/people all the over the country which gives good insight of McCandless's life.
Krakauer try to chart out inner motivation of McCandless since he(author) was an adventurer himself. This was a interesting book with route he took, the people he met, jobs he picked up on the pass by, interviews, research and quotes from other books also from McCandless’s family. All of it is depicted and described in a very impressive way.

I noticed various controversy news articles about McCandless decision to move away from his family and never bother to contact them. I always wonder an idea of vagabonding but such trip is very wild. I still wonder about his decision and motivation. It would have been great insight if only McCandless manage to come back wrote about his experience. This book is second best to that.

And ofcourse- Sean Penn's movie version is brilliant directorial work.

On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan

2008-03-30T13:26:00.003+03:00

On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan, is story of one night in Florence's and Edward's life, Its about couple's experience of culture shift in 60s/70s. both being terrified yet thrilled about the wedding night and story is the journey of how both of them reaching brink of their adulthood and their private worried, shared joy.

Its sexual explicit yet it does touch deep into human emotions and illustrates the difficulties of communication & understanding of what goes in their inner secret world.

ONLY suitable for Adult. Good quick read & travel time killer.

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

2008-02-29T17:26:00.002+02:00

The Secret History by Donna Tartt, was recommended by my good friend/ex-boss and almost immediately I find this book on sale at Bankside. Without second thought and haven’t read any reviews about this book before hand- I bought this book. I wasn’t disappointed.

Story based in small liberal art fictional college at velmort, where small group(Charles, Camilla, Henry, Bunny, Francis) of elite students who signed up ancient greek course. Julian Morrow, professor of course accepts only few students every year. Richard Papen who recently relocate from California from a life which he was desperate to live behind. He finds myself initially unable to signup for ancient greek classes and later not just manage to join but gradually get to know the other student in the group. He later finds out that Bunny was blackmailing fellow-mates about a crime their committed during an effect to recreate greek ancient bacchanal. when Bunny’s intention become questionable, Richard had to decide to side with other friend to kill Bunny to cover up. Aftermath of Bunny’s dead is the second half of the book, in which group collapses with psychological stress. Professor Julian finds truth eventually and decided to leave the college without making crimes public and letting the students to deal with their problem in isolation.

Its a philosophical fiction with ethical, moral dilemmas. Although with no big surprises, journey of the characters in situations and they aftermath scrambling- that I find very interesting.

It sure is very exciting page turner. I would highly recommend.

Happy Days by Laurent Graff

2007-11-13T23:25:00.000+02:00

Happy Days by Laurent Graff, is often amusing but well-written funny novel with poignancy and also without getting heavy.

Set in contemporary France book narrated by the main character, Antoine- who believes he had lived life by his eighteenth birthday. But anyways he decided to give life more chance by getting a job, marriage and kids. He didn’t feel himself. So he decides to retire, a longtime dream. This choice ofcourse is not out-of-laziness but out-of-strong personal philosophy. His belief is nothing to do with life. So by the age of 35, he checks-into retirement home called Happy Days to await death. He bought his own grave and claims to be emotionally blank and wanted to be free from any ties. From him, settling at Happy Days is big experiment to understand individual’s life by stripping out of all diversions. But ofcourse he could do that completely. Despite the age difference, he find himself to be accepted by locals and settles into a routine uneventful and peaceful daily life. That’s until he develops a special bond with an old woman suffering from terminal cancer. He develop unique bond with her and goes on a very special journey. His understanding is proximity of death don’t bring elder near to the truth life is pretense right up to the end.

Author highlights various incidences which led him to retirement. A decade later he find myself in unchanged, a fitting end to the character that is unwilling to live his life.

Novel is more narrative journey. Graff manages to keep it light but without being very superficial. Author control his theme and episode of death stops- very well. Author making depressing argument that world is retirement home and all are biding the time before the trauma of death.

Its a pleasant read and Iam waiting to see Jonny Depp's version.

Freakonomics – Hidden side of Everything by Steven Levitt

2007-10-29T20:35:00.000+02:00

Freakonomics – Hidden side of Everything by Steven Levitt, If I have to choose one word to describe this book its – Brilliant.

Author is an unusual economist, who looked up for stories which data can tell and highlight things which normally ignored. Most Economic books are based on a particular concept but this about microeconomics at its better and pulled out from people who have no idea about economic theories. Its an attempt to the explain a theory of ‘truth’ without any underlying self-interest intention.

Although in some cases, I find myself with lot of questions since I fail to accept that sufficient explanations were given to make necessary conclusions. Some answers were obvious and many were surprises. Ofcourse, we don’t need to accept the answer and analysis by Steven made in this book but it sure does highlight a new way of looking at things.

If you a person who like to argue, accepts the other-side-views, interested in analysis then you will truly enjoy reading this book. As one review mentioned this book is the Unconventional Wisdom.

If god was a banker by Ravi Subramanian

2007-10-10T13:13:00.000+03:00

Bought this book in airport book shop for transit reading and 'Banker' in the title attracted me to this book. First impression- good read(not great). Its typical Indian movie story- story is about fresher men from B-school who rise corporate ladder in MNC bank, one the honest way(Swaminathan) and the other(Sundeep Srivastava) the dishonest way. ofcourse in the end, dishonest guy realize his mistakes. All right, book is fictional but still bad guy is very guy and good guy is too good. That to me, is suspense killer and book become very predictable.

Nevertheless book is decent, narrative is simple(especially if you have exposure to banking industry), easy to read and its good walk-thru of ugly side of power/money.

Will recommend for lite read over flight journey or if you like typical masala movie then you will like this as well. But if you are choosey then you can do away with this book and you wouldn’t be missing anything.

Vagabonding by Rolf Potts

2007-09-05T12:45:00.000+03:00

Iam not a Vagabond. I am a common man with desire for certain level of material comforts. But I always wondered for long-term travel and excused myself due to lack of money and time. Reading Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel, by Rolf Potts made me realize, may be I don't lack resources but desire to make such a journey. and may be my Indian DNA structure is constantly mapping my interest in the context of family, friends, material success and appreciate for all those while billion others lack those at our doorsteps.

In any/all culture, Travel is often romanticized and associate with lifestyle, luxury. Vagabonding by Rolf Potts explains the philosophy of long term travel which discourage material choices and motivates an idea that life experience not accumulating 'things' is the truest form of wealth and Travel is greatest resource for acquiring such rich life experience. And such experience doesn't cost as such as people think it would.

Beside being inspirational this book offer some basic attitude tuning before making any travel plans like willingness to try, learn & adapt, being open,etc.. This book is not Where to go, What to eat,..Lonely Planet kind of travel guide. Its timeless book which offers some simple & practical answers for issues of travel planning.

I find a fitting review for this book--

"Anyone who has ever thought about traveling, this book will make you go! Anyone who has ever been traveling, this book will make you want to go again and anyone who is traveling whilst reading this, this book will make you that bit more adventurous when ordering food in a cafe where a squat toilet is another eating area! It's definitely a case of, if he can do it then so can I! Of course if your not a traveling type then the book will mean as much to you as a tin of baked beans to a kipper, but for those who yearn for life as one of the wandering nomads of this world, this book will seem like the travel bible in as much as it suggests a life less ordinary. This book is about working to live and not living to work."

The Romantics by Pankaj Mishra

2007-08-04T11:21:00.000+03:00

The Romantics by Pankaj Mishra, is story about desire of first intimate but short-lived affair of Samar, young Indian student. Books narrators is journey of love & loss as he recalls his days at Benares/Varanasi as student preparing for his civil service career and Samar is introduced to expatriate circle by Ms.West, a Englishwomen who is tenant of same landlord.

Samar goes thru mysterious conflict between his Eastern upbringing, specially ideology about relationship, marriage-- where love follows arrange marriage And his fascination with west, where love is illicit excitingly experienced. Mid Novel soul search leads him to his homeland in Benares and is troubled by the scenes from difficult but still calming memory with good narrations. Author narrator the first experiences of love, infatuations with Western culture with exotic backdrops of "holyland" of India. Book completely and complexly renders love with its pain.

Book's doesn't have any particular point. Its starts and ends with characters flowing in & out. But its a good narration of East meeting West & temptations which comes with that encounter of cultures and for that very reason its an interesting read.

Book(Tag)ed..

2007-07-11T14:07:00.000+03:00

I was Book(Tag)ed.. to reveal my book interests

Swami and Friends by R.K.Narayan

2007-07-10T11:20:00.000+03:00

Swami and Friends by R.K.Narayan, is about story of idyllic childhood of Swaminathan(/Swami), when life for some lucky kids consists entirely of avoiding the homework and playing all the time in the street with friends. Swami is living in Narayan's beloved fictional town of Malgudi with his grandma with who he share very close relationship and often she help him from his oppressor's (his father & teacher)). Other characters are his closest friends, Mani and Rajam.

Swami & Mani just managing to crawl past exams to keep them in the class. Rajam is new student to Swami's class. Ofcourse with any new addition comes some scuffles but later Swami, Mani and Rajam became best of friends. Swami manages get thrown out school as he accidentally gets caught in Anti-British struggle. and even this changing school often, Swami manage to keep his friendship with Mani and Rajam. But his run away from the second continue. and final he finds no reason to stay home as well. years later Swami returns home only to find his childhood’s great calamities, in wait for him. book ends with bitter-sweet note.

Very nostalgic journey of school life with emotional high's & low's with friendship's, and little care but impacted by Nationalist movement of that times.

I cannot imagine anyone not liking this Book. Simple & Brilliant writing. Must Read and very good summer gift for kids.

The Argumentative Indian by Amartya Sen

2007-07-09T22:35:00.000+03:00

The Argumentative Indian by Amartya Sen, highlights India as more than just the home for effete mysticism that it has been portrayed to be in some western societies.

Books is collection of 4 essays which talks about culture, relationship with China, politics, protest, religion, ethnicity and much more. also an very important and interesting argument Sen makes about how inequities inherent in the discrimination against women, low castes and the poor endemic in Indian society deeply interrelated not only with each other but also with factors such as religion & ethnicity. He explains that it is not possible to challenge one of these factors without affecting or monitoring simultaneously by changing other.

Sen highlight who Greatest Hindu King Ashoka's was establishing human rights much before Jesus, when european catholics were killing each other, persecuting jews while Akhar was claimed Delhi without interferred on religion basis, when Aristotle still explaining about freedom but by excluding women and slave and such exclusion while no such exclusion where made in Indian monarch. Indian secularism unlike in the west, has never intended to separation of religion from state or the prohibition any religious activities. But by encouraging profusion religious tolerance without anyone being favoured or privileged or favoured by the state.

Its very interesting argument not just against Western stereotyping but also against Hindu hardliners who pushing for platform to ought India to be Hindu state. According to the author, the soHindutva movement has entered into a confrontation with the idea of India itself. With these essay collections, Sen demolishes premises of Hindutva along with Western religious reductionism.

If I have say one(of many) good take away from this book-- is that you can be cosmopolitan & you can be an Indian and that's no contradiction. I hope as many Indian will read this book not just to be very nationalist but for more rational analysis and pick-up sen's argument to (our own)world's stage.

Chasing the Good Life : On Being Single

2007-05-01T10:11:00.000+03:00

while bloging for Boos or Woos of Singlehood I landed on this book, Chasing the Good Life : On Being Single

Being single: for some, it means complete bliss; for others, it is a malaise that must be cured. Irrespective of one's point of view, in a society where the unattached person is viewed as an oddity, singledom comes with challenges: dealing with uncomfortable questions from well-meaning relatives and friends; the hushed whispers; the envy; and, of course, the unwanted attention from those who think singles are people of dubious morals.

Chasing the Good Life: On Being Single has a diverse crop of individuals bringing you their stories—the nonagenarian Khushwant Singh revels in gastric freedom; ‘single girl' Radhika Jha struggles to find accommodation in Delhi (she has since given up and married); Sheela Reddy lives the life of a ‘married single'; Suhel Seth perfects (or doesn't) the art of seduction; and Jerry Pinto finds unique ways to combat annoying people who ask him why he isn't married.

Through many such tales of bliss, exasperation, freedom, loneliness, self-discovery, hilarity and heartbreak (the editor, Bhaichand Patel, has found to his dismay that there is more to chasing the good life than lust and debauchery) this anthology captures the spirit of a person alone.

The Lucifer Effect : Understanding How Good people turn Evil

2007-04-12T13:41:00.001+03:00

The Lucifer Effect : Understanding How Good people turn Evil by Philip Zimbardo, is Book which re-examine human capabilities when caught up in the crucible of behavioral dynamics. Also, how we can exercises our capabilities in resisting evil actions and teach ourselves to be more heroically. Philip Zimbardo is Stanford University Professor explains Stanford Prison Experiment, a now-classic study which he conducted in 1971. with this he explain why human do things they do, what makes s/he to do so.

“The Lucifer Effect” represents this most extreme transformation imaginable from God’s favorite Angel into the Devil. My work has focused on lesser transformations of human character not as dramatic as this one, in which ordinary, even good people begin to engage in bad deeds, for a short time or longer, that qualify as “evil.”

Book has answers for -- why Virgin Tech incident, British Sail capturing, Abu Ghraib, etc.. happened and How we can avoid such incidents in future.

and with this I hope someone from Bush Administration is reading this book to understand the meaning of word "evil".

If you are interested in human psychology then this book is very good read.

FYI - If Interested... with similar subject, BBC documentary explore human behaviour which created 'Century of Self' and Discovering Psychology: The Power Of The Situation with Philip Zimbardo

The Paradox of Choice : Why More is Less by Barry Schwartz

2007-03-27T22:48:00.000+03:00

The Paradox of Choice : Why More is Less by Barry Schwartz, explains Choice are not always freedom. Self-determination that we enjoy at some points might turn to psychologically and emotionally dangerous.

In everyday life you have to face many decision making points be it shopping, education, work, health care,.. and day by day these decisions are increasingly becoming very complex due to too many abundance of choices we have today. General assumption is more choices means freedom, better decision and greater satisfaction. But due to excessive choices, we often end-up questioning our decisions after we make them and often, we set unrealistic(high) expectations. Result: we have no one to blame except us for our failures or inabilities that leads to decision-making paralysis, anxiety and perpetual stress. Growing up we are taught no excuse for failure and not to fall short of perfection since options are endless.

Author explains profound challenges of today's daily life balancing with family, career and our needs and how paradoxically its become problem instead of solutions. Schwartz highlight our obsession with choice encourage us to seeks options and still how end-up feeling worse. By synthesizing scientific studies and social research, author makes the interesting case -- Eliminating choice might result in stress, anxiety reduction. Author also explains some practical approach to limit choices in managing various aspects and have discipline to focus only on important decision by ignoring others and one which derive greater satisfaction.

Very interesting monolog and read. If this subject is too dry or uninteresting for you then you can also take look at brief(15mins) google video presentation by the author, explaining how & why abundance of choice in modern society is actually making us miserable.

An equal music by Vikram Seth

2007-03-08T18:33:00.000+02:00

An equal music by Vikram Seth, is very unusual novel. Story set in London, Venice and Vienna, is about Michael Holme violinist with Maggiore Quartet finding his ('so-called')love, Julia McNicholl who he had lost almost 10year ago.

Book is emotional roller coaster journey of Michael's object of obsession hidden deep in Michael's heart, which appeared to have departed straight from his mouth bypassing his brain.

Michael and Julia falls in love and play together but when Micheal has a nervois breakdown because of stern and very demanding violin teacher he leaves Vienna(and Julia) with warning. After some months & year, he tries to reach Julia and no luck. Ten years still in love with her, he meets her in London when she was attending his concert with his quartet. Still a pianist but Julia is now married to American banker with a child. Also due to her auto-immune disease, she is gradually becoming deaf.

Will past hunting, both begin to meet again, under the dark shadow of her marriag and her tragic hearing losses. Julia agrees for tour of Vienna and Venice with Michael and Maggiore Quartet, during such brief, magical time everything seems to be possible.

The idea that Violin is Michael's true passion over his obsession with Julia, is very interesting plot. thought at the end, he end-up satisfying neither.

Onething stands out in this novel, is that Art/Music/Poetry is as great as deep as truth, as important as love, and can be as redeeming.

This is story with flawed romance but very decent light read to fill your time. Personally I enjoyed and admired the narrative power of Seth's words.

A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier

2007-02-16T12:36:00.000+02:00

Normally, I don't buy books without reading reviews & plot/summary before. I have no addiction for new #1 or best sellers books. since I only read few, I prefer to wait for critics review so that I can choice for my interest. But this book I found while walking thru a book store. Just after flipping thru some pages for 5-10mins, I decided to buy. [/that's my way of saying 'Great Book and Must Read'].

Ishmael Beah one of many African children, who were forced into local conflicts as boy Soldier. He is now 26yr old living US.

A Long Way Gone, is his riveting true life story. In this book about 12yr old wandered a land rendered unrecognizable by violence and fled attacking rebels by thirteen picking sides with government army. Beah, simple small village boy, found that he was capable of evil acts. Most of African wars are fought by children hopped-up on drugs and wielding AK-47s. Children are becoming soldiers of choice.

This books explains -- How African Civil wars fought today? How Children are effect? What is like for child soldiers? How simple boy transform into a killer? How to recover humanity? Life story of boy soldiers cannot be described by NGOs, journalists, working on ground. Until now very few had manage share light like Beah, someone who came through this hell and survived. This one of those few Memoirs told with honesty and real literary abilities.

This book is yet another re-assurance that:
a) Yes, Hope & Faith do have voice
b) Most of us has nothing to complain about and we are among few of most blessed people in this world.

also, Interesting to read :
NewYork Times: The Making, and Unmaking, of a Child Soldier by By ISHMAEL BEAH

Einstein's Dreams by Alan Lightman

2007-01-29T12:33:00.000+02:00

Einstein's Dreams by Alan Lightman, is a fictional collection of stories dreamed by Albert Einstein applying the cosmic theories to an imaginary village. Explored concepts include: counter-clockwise time, frozen time, accelerated time, the end of time, and other parallel realities. Combining drama, movement, video, original music, and high-tech lighting, this production brings Lightman's meditations to life for a spectacular exploration of the fourth dimension.

Its wonderful fiction to imagine what Einstein might have been thinking in the nights before submitting his historic manuscript on theory of relativity in 1905. If time, energy, gravity, and even space are not the constants that they seem intuitively to us to be; if our understanding of those concepts is based on our own limited experience in the universe and on each of those dimensions; if their interactions might yield previously unexpected results, then how different might our world be from other possible worlds? Might time not stand still in some worlds? Or be rushed, or slowed to a snail's pace? Repeated endlessly? What would be the interpersonal consequences? Would the inhabitants notice? Would they care?

Lightman is absolutely brilliant. Despite that fact that he teaches physics at MIT, you don't need even the slightest background in the sciences to understand him. He's fascinating -- and from the standpoint of fiction writing, his stories are beautifully and simply written, so straightforward yet somehow lyrical. He's very moving in his simplicity.

This little book is proof that a simple idea need not result in a trivial composition.

The Luck Factor by Richard Wiseman

2007-01-08T13:38:00.000+02:00

How often we blame 'LUCK' for our actions and results. The concept of luck brings up an age-old question: “Are some people born lucky and others not?” I believe, answer to both parts of this question is “no.”

Research study published as book The Luck Factor: The Scientific Study of the Lucky Mind by Richard Wiseman, looks at elusive luck factor by investigating the actual beliefs and experiences of lucky and unlucky people. Looking at the results, Wiseman was able to identify four main factors which explained living a lucky and unlucky life. He was then able to show a group of people who considered themselves unlucky, how to think and behave like lucky people. The results were astounding, with almost all participants reporting significant life changes.

Right now - we have the ability to create your own luck. So-called luck is simply the ability to attract your desires into your life.

Attitude as the “mother of luck.” If a positive attitude is the mother of luck, then attraction and abundance round out the family. If you expect a positive outcome, you generally get one. If you pour energy into worrying about a bad outcome, you may create a self-fulfilling prophesy. The law of attraction influences luck as well. Like attracts like; what you put out, you get back. What you focus on influences your results. And a positive attitude plus positive attraction equals abundance in all areas of life - including luck.

Follow this acronym to create your own lucky breaks:

L - Listen and let go. Listen to your intuition and detach from the outcome. Stay focused on your intuitive desires rather than on attempting to control the outcome.

U- Understand and notice. Observe your environment. Be mindful of opportunities. Take your blinders off and see what you’ve missed.

C - Claim what you want. You’ve got to know what you want. Observe what you deny yourself. It’s impossible to create abundance from scarcity - as lucky people know.

K - Keep at it. Listen to your intuition, observe your environment and claim what you want; then take inspired action.

Once your “luck” begins to change and the good times roll in, be mindful. It’s common to experience an identity shift as you attract more desires into your life. This may unconsciously - or consciously - activate your fear. You may feel like you’re in unfamiliar territory and not entirely sure of the ground rules. Persevere. Stay the course. Continue to follow the tenets of the LUCK acronym to help you through this growth spurt.

The next time you catch yourself waiting for a lucky break, take luck into your own hands. Survey your beliefs and thoughts; be aware of what you attract and watch your deepest desires flow more smoothly into your life. Empower yourself and watch the good fortunes of lady luck come your way.

The Green Mile by Stephen King

2007-01-04T15:40:00.000+02:00

Stephen King's The Green Mile.., is about people causing harm to others. Death row in the Louisiana State Penintary is termed as Green Mile, where to be executed prisoners are held till they time to walk on a green floor to the electric chair.

Story told by Paul Edgecom, who is in charge of the death row inmates and to make sure prisoners are executed peacefully(!!?whatever that means) . Paul treats inmates with dignity and respect even with their history and conviction of horrific crimes. Assisting him are Brutus Howell, Dean Stanton and Harry Terwilleger, Percy Wetmore. Percy is newly-appointed guard, an sadistic pleasure of watching someone be put to death on the electric chair. Coffey got special healing powers and Paul-Coffey forge a strong bond. Many pages flows describing the positive bond between Paul and Coffey, contrasted to the negativity that Percy brings to the proceedings.

The book handles many topics and illustrates the true nature of the death penalty, showing how cruel and barbaric and how innocent people can easily be put in positions where they are executed unjustly. Its about compassion---Coffey a GOD-like figure who dies for humanity's sins, crucified by people who don't know better. Yet he himself is not capable of complete forgiveness, and thus involving him getting his revenge. Ultimately everyone seeks to harm someone else, whether justified or not. The parents of the children Coffey is believed to have killed have venom in their minds against him. Percy and a maniacal prison inmate seek nothing more than perverse destruction. Even the prison guards really have one sole purpose: to help killing. Coffey is who truly seeks to heal, but he too kills with his love.

King's stories are mixture idealism and cynicism view. Always, they exists a bleak view because of their exploration of darkness by humans. While the film does end up portraying a sanitised view of King's vision, underneath the surface lies the depiction of how depraved we "civilised" beings can behave.

The Hungry Tide by Amitav Ghosh

2006-12-08T14:43:00.000+02:00

The Hungry Tide by Amitav Ghosh,.. focuses on Sunderbans - a vast archipelago of islands lying below Calcutta on the gulf between India and Bangladesh.

Two travelers explore in forest of Sunderbans. Piya, a scientist -- Indian grewup in American of Indian, is researching about river dophins which are inhabit in tidal waters and Kanai, an translator and businessman from Delhi, is visiting his aunt to receive an old notebook written by his uncle before his died. Piya with illiterate boatman, Fokir, to guide her through the backwaters is in search for the dolphins and Kanai accompany her as a translate. Conflict between the three triggers each to learn about themselves during the face dangers at Sunderban.

Sunderban is explained in detailed, about its history and precarious ecology of the endangered river dolphins and Bengal tiger living on these waterlogged islands and their conservation project. Kanai's uncle's notebook reveals the shocking story of the Morichjhapi incident, where tens of thousands of displaced refugees try and settle on one of the uninhabited islands but are violently evicted by the government in the name of conservation.

Even with very different characters with different mind-sets, Author questions about human's role in nature. A suspenseful drama of love and survival that has particular resonance in the aftermath of the December 2004 tsunami.

The Hungry Tide is a compelling book about ordinary people bound together in an exotic place that can consume them all. It's the basest of human emotions, love, jealousy, pride, and trust.

One Night @ The Call Center by Chetan Bhagat

2006-12-04T12:26:00.000+02:00

Chetan Bhagat, got lucky with company of young lady while long borring train. she share a story of a night at the call center in Delhi with condition that it would be his next book. The story revolves around and told by Shyam's voice, a team leader in call center. His coworkers Varun, Esha, Radhika, his girl friend Priyanka and an aged Military Uncle. Shyam getting over from breakup of his relationship with Priyanka and from other threat all of them face on the uncertainty of their future at the center. The happenings of the night describes the romance and break up interludes of Shyam and Priyanka as flash back.

scripting makes you think Chetan is expecting the novel to inspire some filmmaker? Ok, it does have all ‘Dil Chahata Hai’ stuff.

as rediff commented - ON@TCC has its audience well defined-those who swot nights at call centres and have little to show for it but Adidas shoes to wear to work, and One Night @ The Call Center to read.

‘One Night @ The Call Center' is good door to peep into genX, their jobs, life, attitude, values & their dreams.

The Zahir by Paulo Coelho

2006-11-08T23:26:00.000+02:00

The Zahir by Paulo Coelho, begins with a glimpse or a passing thought. It ends in obsession.

Lead character is wildly successful novelist and celebrity who lives in Paris with his wife Esther, a war correspondent who speaks four languages. Their marriage hit rock bottom. Ester wanting to move-on in search of her own happiness. When Esther disappears, he is tormented and traumatized by the mystery of what has happened to her. Has she been kidnapped, killed, or has she left him for another lover? He struggle in trying to come to terms with something he cannot understand or control: the mystery of Esther's absence. It is very hard for him to let go of his feeling that she is the only one who fills his life with meaning. The inner journey he takes opens him up to new possibilities.

Its doesn't match Coelho's masterwork 'The Alchemist', but for those who are willing to travel lightly, there are some interesting insights here on obsessive love, the emptiness of celebrity-status success, and the courage needed to square off against the mysteries and rewards of letting go of ego and stepping into the dark unknown. Coelho show extraordinary insight into what it is to be a human being in a world full of possibility.

Londonstani by Gautam Malkani

2006-10-30T21:36:00.000+02:00

Londonstani by Gautam Malkani,.. is story with intriguing ride to perception and humor in an argot comprised of English, Punjabi urban slang.

The story is told entirely from the viewpoint of Jas, Hounslow district teenage. Jas is a perceptive and intelligent nerd. Yet he has quelched those attributes in a successful effort to join a small gang of "rudeboys," the desi version of gangstas who pride themselves on their style and fashion.His rudeboy group is led by Hardjit(Sikh body builder), Armit(Hindu nationalist) and Ravi(who brags about his sexual exploits, seemingly more imagined than real). The rudeboys themselves are an amalgamation of conflicting cultural notions. Their independence leads them to distance themselves from some of their parents' traditions. This inevitably leads to what Jas calls "complicated family-related shit."But group was very proud of their heritage and their "desiness" and hatred for their Muslim counterparts.

Jas school teacher attempt to rescue him by hook him with Sanjay, a former desi student who studied economics at Cambridge. Hardjit and Jas help run an illicit cell-phone reselling operation; their schoolmaster's efforts to mainstream and rehabilitate leads well-off Sanjay, who turns out to be even more corrupt. Sanjay introduces to "Bling economics" group which takes Jas in particular under his wing and the boys are soon living large as they move from being menial cogs in the stolen phone trade to relatively significant players.

Then Jas also involves not getting a crush on attractive Muslim girls like Samira, but Jas begins pursuing a relationship with her on the sly and hopes that Hardjit, the alpha dog of his group of friends and a hard-liner about crossing such lines, never finds out.

Better still, the novel concludes with a clever plot twist that upends the notions of identity and race Jas spends the novel struggling with. It's almost enough to make you forget that, despite those strengths, much of the book is a conventional coming-of-age story about a kid aching for the stability of friendship or a date.

Author adeptly combines the threads of each of these elemental struggles into a generally workable whole. Book nicely handles variety of internal, generational, racial, religious, and societal conflicts.

Warrior of Light: A Manual by Paulo Coelho

2006-10-09T22:47:00.000+03:00

Warrior of Light: A Manual by Paulo Coelho, is an inspirational companion and to rise to our own unique destiny In his inimitable style, Paulo Coelho helps bring out the Warrior of the Light within each of us. This is series of aphorisms and platitudes.

Author begins with very short story as prologue about a boy meets a beautiful woman at a beach, who proceeds to tell him about a hidden undersea temple. she tells him that he can hear the temple bells ringing. after many months when his hopes for hearing the undersea temple bells were vanishing, he starts hearing the sound.

Years later he returns to beach to meet same woman. this time she gave a book to write about 'The Warrior of Light'.. Book begins with his questions - who is warrior of Lights..

a warrior is someone capable of understanding miracle of life, of fighting to the last for something he believes in- and of hearing the bells that waves sets ringing on the seabed. Everyone is capable of these things. And, though no one thinks of themselves as a warrior of light, we all are.

With the exception of the prologue and the epilogue, the passages in the book were first published in column titled ’Maktub’ appeared in brazilian newspaper. This book is much awaited english translation for those columns.

The New Leaders by Daniel Goleman

2006-09-28T23:13:00.000+03:00

The New Leaders by Daniel Goleman
Transforming the Art of Leadership into the Science of Results

This book is with deep research and numerous studies of psychology and neurology to show that great leadership is primarily and essentially a matter of emotional intelligence. Authors have composed an intelligent, lucid, easily accessible presentation. Book highlights - with practice, you can develop the critical leadership competencies of self-awareness, self-management and social/relationship skills.

This new leader excels in the art of relationship, the singular expertise which the changing business climate renders indispensable. Excellence is being defined in interpersonal terms as companies have stripped out layers of managers, as corporations merge across national boundaries.

The four abilities have been defined into 18 competences. The authors argue that these competences are not innate talents, but learned abilities. From the four EI abilities(self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship management) and the 18 competences, people can identify their own abilities and competences. The authors have found that no leader has an across-the-board set but, rather, a critical mass of a selection of abilities or competences. with extensive research on global executives, he determines six different styles of leadership: visionary, coaching, affiliative, democratic, pacesetting, commanding. Styles 1–4 create resonance, but styles 5 and 6 should be used sparingly and with caution as they can easily create dissonance. It was also found that leaders with a positive emotional impact on the working environment saw better financial results.

The authors maintain that developing EI competences will allow leaders to be more in touch with
their organisation. They propose that building EI “cannot happen in a seminar or from a ‘how-to’
manual”, but rather by a process of sustainable learning. Repeated and sustained learning over a period of time develops deeply ingrained habits centred in the limbic area, the area most suited to the learning of EI competences.

A process of self-directed learning is prescribed, based on the five discoveries, which are:
• discovering the vision of yourself
• discovering your real self; from the difference between the vision and reality, a list is made of the strengths and gaps
• from these strengths and gaps, identifying an agenda to improve on strengths and close the gaps
• practicing the new competences required
• developing a trusting relationship with others who can provide feedback, through all the stages 1–4
This process can also be applied to groups, which, the authors maintain, will generate and develop a resonant group

The objective of the book is “not to provide another text on leadership” but rather to provide “hands-on support” to ensure things work as recommended. This book is essential reading to understand why there is a need for a new style of leadership development and learning

you can also refer to Goleman's articles in Harvard Business Review “What Makes A Leader?” and “Leadership That Gets Results”.

On Bullshit by Harry Frankfurt

2006-09-16T00:09:00.000+03:00

On Bullshit by Harry Frankfurt,,.tries to ask some of the preliminary questions--to define the nature of a thing recognized by all but understood by none. He explores the cultural impact of bullshit and its difference from outright lies. He looks at the philosophical implications of it and how its left the citizenry cynical of those who specialize in it: advertisers, public relations, and politicians. Bullshit is now such a dominant feature of most culture and most of us are confident we can recognize and rebuff it. But Book shows just how insidious (and destructive) it can be.

Like the documentary film Stupidity, Harry attempts to investigate what most won't: That bullshit is a mechanism that is essential to society because we've made it that way, not because it is by virtue of being.

The book goes through the many variations of bullshit and its child expressions, such as bull sessions, shooting the bull and just plain bull.

"One of the most salient features of our culture is that there is so much bullshit. Everyone knows this. Each of us contributes his share. But we tend to take the situation for granted. ... In consequence, we have no clear understanding of what bullshit is, why there is so much of it, or what functions it serves. And we lack a conscientiously developed appreciation of what it means to us. In other words, we have no theory."

Bullshitters seek to convey a certain impression of themselves without being concerned about whether anything at all is true. They quietly change the rules governing their end of the conversation so that claims about truth and falsity are irrelevant.

Frankfurt's conclusion . . . is that bullshit is defined not so much by the end product as by the process by which it is created. Although bullshit can take many innocent forms, excessive indulgence in it can eventually undermine the practitioner's capacity to tell the truth in a way that lying does not. Liars at least acknowledge that it matters what is true.

Harry remains the stuffy back-of-the-coffee-shop philosopher, and never comes out swinging. Reading the book felt like I was reading a preface—and not the best one either. I hate prefaces, especially when reading philosophy; they tend to be needlessly lengthy, pompous and pedantic.

On Bullshit serves as a gentle and straightforward demystification of the contemporary analytic philosopher's task.

The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri

2006-09-05T14:43:00.000+03:00

Recently I was talking to a friend in US. while normal friends talk was over, she started telling about how her daughter is growing-up with american attitude/questionings/culture and how that's freaking her out. and just back of that discussion, I heard about this new movie from Meera Nair, that triggered my interest towards this books.

The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri is a the cross-cultural, multigenerational story of a Hindu Bengali family’s journey to self-acceptance in Boston suburbs. book trys to explain the life of a first-generation immigrant boy Gogol, from his birth into his 30's as an architect in New York.

before share my thoughts about the books.. I saw harsh criticism for The Namesake especially from some Bengalis. some have attacked the book for portraying Bengalis poorly or for not being representative of certain Bengali immigrant archetypes. I too have my share of criticism but with regards to portraying bengalis - although I am not a bengali to comment on this but I support the author. frankly representation does not bought me since I dont expect the author of novel to work with the burden of sociological representation on her shoulders all the time. so if you looking for culture representation of bengalis aboard then you are better-off reading journals or scholarly studies.

Ganguli family from their tradition-bound life in Calcutta through their fraught transformation into Americans in 60s. On the heels of their arranged wedding, ashoke & ashima Ganguli settle together in Massachusetts. Ashoke is engineer by training, adapts far less warily than his wife, who resists all things American and pines for her family. Ms.Lahiri explores the themes of the complexities of the immigrant experience and foreignness, the clash of lifestyles, cultural disorientation, the conflicts of assimilation, the tangled ties between generations... and describes an Indian family torn between the pull of respecting family traditions, and the American way of life. It’s a tale of love, solitude and emotional upheavals with an amazing eye for detail and ironic observation

"For as grateful as she feels for the company of the Nandis and Dr. Gupta, these acquaintances are only substitutes for the people who really ought to be surrounding them. Without a single grandparent or parent or uncle or aunt at her side, the baby's birth, like most everything else in America, feels somehow haphazard, only half true."

Book describes quick summary of many years in Gogol teen life, raise some questions.. Once Gogol becomes an adult (when he goes off to Yale), the focus of the author is on a person almost entirely defined by his relationship to either his family or his lovers. I think this reduces Gogol's complexity and tends to make his character one dimensional. While in college, does Gogol not go through what undergrads regularly undergo, such as the struggle to figure out what to study, and does he not have anything else pulling at him, academically, culturally, even perhaps politically? And Gogol described as guy with no friends.. that's very hard to believe. may be representation of 70s american attitude towards immigrate child.!? but certainly that's not true today. perhaps because he does not have friends, his relationships with his lovers become the centre of his life.

The Namesake seems to me a quintessentially american book, this being a country always somewhat in flux socially, culturally, generationally. What seemed to me particularly indians in her telling is less the details, lush as they are, as the tenderness she shows towards the individual members of the family in their longings, in the restraint of their expressions, and in their struggles to find their own individual spaces and identities across a double continental divide.

book also covers how I as an Desi-American often stumble and ultimately get lazy on names and bring out a nickname that fits frame of reference. just to quote - their daughter's name is Sonali (beautiful) and her name is changed into Sonia. It's a great lesson for me to be very attentive to names because it shows a compassionate interest in someone's culture (its true, not just indian, even second italians, polish, greeks in america). Now, names are divisive. But it seems to me that lazily plunking a nickname down on top of someone feels like divisive...

It is this gentle handling of Gogol and his parents that made this book good read and yet it is in no way an overly sweet or sentimental portrayal. family is imperfect, their problems difficult, Gogol's search for identity leading him down somewhat cold and convoluted paths at times. No easy answers are offered, yet the ending, which is by no means pat, points towards a future in which Gogol may find a way to incorporate his family's past into his identity without losing himself in it.

This book is not lifestyle reference guide to understand next generation indian kids growing up in western culture but certainly gives us a dimension in to their life. would recommend to all specialy those in US(first/second/..generations Indians & americans too).

A Fine Balance by Robinton Mistry

2006-08-28T00:03:00.000+03:00

A Fine Balance by Robinton Mistry is set in an unnamed Indian city during unknown period.

The novel about four primary figures who carry the weight of the centuries of Indian culture, religion, and conflicts. There are contradictions too deep to overcome. The poverty is too grinding. The caste distinctions are also massive. Despite their disparate backgrounds, the four develop into something like a family, as they lean on each other in the face of financial hardship, personal troubles, and political turmoil.

But inevitably events eventually catch up to the little group and the centripetal force of their affection for one another proves no much for the centrifugal force of a society that offers little or no economic opportunity, no real prospects for single women, discriminates against religious minorities, and is embarked on a genuinely evil campaign of mass sterilizations of unwilling citizens. All of these forces come to bear on the apartment dwellers in ways that range from the merely sad to the truly horrific.

Through the dramatic and often shocking turns their lives take, we get an intimate view, not only of their world, but also of India itself in all its extraordinary variety. As the characters move from distrust to friendship and from friendship to love, book creates an enduring panorama of the human spirit in an inhuman state.

A Fine Balance is so ineffably sad that it seems only fair to caution readers that they may find it too heartbreaking. In the end, it avails the oppressed naught that their oppressors may share a skin color, it is ideas such as freedom and equality, opportunity which really matter and which provide the setting in which people, such as those so lovingly portrayed here, can maintain their balance and realize their dreams.

Not a penny more not a penny less by Jeffrey Archer

2006-08-23T03:51:00.000+03:00

Not a penny more not a penny less by Jeffrey Archer... this story is about scam by Harvey Metcalfe, a self-made American millionaire, finalizes an elaborate scam in which he cheats four strangers out of a million dollars. All four of them thought they would be rich; the next day, however, they discover that they are penniless. Stephen Bradley, one of the four strangers and a Harvard mathematics graduate now studying at Oxford, gathers together the other three and makes a proposition: although none of them have ever met each other before, they will now work together to get the one million dollars back from Harvey Metcalfe, using whatever means are necessary. At last, the other three--a doctor, a French art collector, and a lord--agree, and the plot is set in motion.

may be its just me..but I think, Jeffrey Archer is man of personal flaws.. but his books are fun.

this story begins - Henryk Metelski changes his name to Harvey Metcalfe. Wealthy enough at the start of the book, he is a person who would cheat people to earn more. The story starts with Prospecta Oil Company Shares. David Kesler a Harvard graduate working for Prospecta Oil in all innocence made four people invest in Prospecta Oil Shares. David was told that the company had made a fantastic strike in the North Sea and when they announce it the shares of the company would be at an all time peak. The four people involved were: Stephen Bradley, Dr. Robin Oakley, Jean-Pierre Lamanns and Lord James Brigsley. Stephen Bradley was David's friend during Harvard days and a visiting American professor at Oxford. David made a casual visit to the Dr. Robin Oakley, where he mentioned about the strike. David met gallery owner Jean-Pierre Lamanns when he went to buy a piece of art to furnish his apartment and he met Lord James Brigsley while having a drink. The four invested a good chunk of money in Prospecta Oil, only to realize they were tricked . They decided to get their money back.

All the four came up with their individual plans using their skills and area of expertise. James who initially did not come up so easily with the plan, ultimately surprised the other three with his plan. The four with their neatly laid plans went ahead in pursuit of their goal of defeating Metcalfe and getting their money back.

Not a Penny is a fun, light read--and well worth the afternoon it will take to complete it.

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

2006-08-18T16:57:00.000+03:00

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho..is novel tells the tale of Santiago, a boy who has a dream and the courage to follow it. After listening to "the signs" the boy ventures in his personal, Ulysses-like journey of exploration and self-discovery, symbolically searching for a hidden treasure located near the pyramids in Egypt.

when you really want something to happen, the whole universe conspires so that your wish comes true..

When he decides to go, his father's only advice is "Travel the world until you see that our castle is the greatest, and our women the most beautiful". In his journey, Santiago sees the greatness of the world, and meets all kinds of exciting people like kings and alchemists. However, by the end of the novel, he discovers that "treasure lies where your heart belongs", and that the treasure was the journey itself, the discoveries he made, and the wisdom he acquired.

An interesting way to look at this story is to ask the question: who is the title character? Alchemy is such a potent idea–the changing of one element into another has had a grasp on the human mind for as long as we have known about elements. But, of course, alchemy has secondary meanings–an alchemist transforms. Is the boy an alchemist, for transforming himself and the lives of those around him? Is God the alchemist, for transforming the destinies of humanity?

Described as a ‘publishing phenomena’ Paulo Coelho has a remarkable ability to teach one the age old lessons of life with a gentle reminder of the magic and wonder one believes in as a child; he makes it seem like we’re not alone at any point of time, we’re one with this world and it with us. The small things in life, like the gentle breeze and the sun have been given more purpose and magic, personalities by themselves.

The beautiful thing about the book is that the each individual reader can interpret the lessons in his own way, as Lynn Andrews says “Paulo Choelho gives you the inspiration to follow your own dreams by seeing the world through your own eyes and not someone else’s.” Need anything more be said?

"The Alchemist" is a novel that may appeal to everybody, because we can all identify with Santiago: all of us have dreams, and are dying for somebody to tell us that they may come true. The novel skillfully combines words of wisdom, philosophy, and simplicity of meaning and language, which makes it particularly readable and accounts for its bestselling status.

Everything the boy does is something you and I could do. I guess that’s the point of the book.

For the New Intellectual by Ayn Rand

2006-08-06T16:30:00.000+03:00

For the New Intellectual is Ayn Rand's is Non-fiction book.. AYN RAND challenged the prevalent philosophical doctrines of our time and the "atmosphere of guilt, of panic, of despair, of boredom, and of all-pervasive evasion" which they created. One of the most controversial figures on the intellectual scene, Ayn Rand was the proponent of a new moral philosophy -- an ethic of rational self-interest -- that stands in sharp opposition to the ethics of altruism and self-sacrifice.

In politics, we are told that America, the greatest, noblest, freest country on earth, is politically and morally inferior to Soviet Russia, the bloodiest dictatorship in history--and that our wealth should be given away to the savages of Asia and Africa, with apologies for the fact that we have produced it while they haven't.

We have all been physically beaten into place by the strong men of the world and morally beaten into place by the moralists of the world. Now we are walking around "with the whining injunctions that we must love everything" unafraid to judge, act, or be certain, "going through life in a state of unfocused stupor, merely repeating the words and the motions we learned from others."

Look at the moral atmosphere of today. Everything enjoyable, from cigarettes to sex to ambition to the profit motive, is considered depraved or sinful. Just prove that a thing makes men happy--and you've damned it. That's how far we've come. We've tied happiness to guilt. And we've got mankind by the throat. Throw your first-born into a sacrificial furnace--lie on a bed of nails--go into the desert to mortify the flesh--don't dance--don't go to the movies on Sunday--don't try to get rich--don't smoke--don't drink. . . . Kill the individual. Kill man's soul. The rest will follow automatically.

This gives us a new view of philosophers. According to Rand, Hume was an Atilla (he made us powerless by suggesting that there are no causes) and Kant was a Witch Doctor (made us believe that our understanding of the world is limited by preset categories). Then there was the "witch-doctor of Hegel, who proclaimed that matter does not exist at all." With Ayn Rand, we get a whole new reading of philosophy ("The great treason of the philosophers was that they never stepped out of the Middle Ages").

We believe that the soul and the body our separate. To Ayn Rand, a healthy human being is not a combination of body and soul, but an integrated intellectual producer and to think of man as composed of body and soul is to be ill.

Yes, I did enjoy reading this book. it is not empty philosophy. The Atilla/Witch-Doctor/Producer trichotomy as some substance to it in explaining the world's events and philosophical theories.

1984...by George Orwell

2006-07-27T16:15:00.000+03:00

1984 by George Orwell... is a highly antagonistic book of a totalitarianism government in a time of instability. BigBrother and ThoughtPolice constantly monitor all citizens of Oceania with telescreens and if people oppose the party, they were killed. The plot focuses around Winston Smith and the women he later falls in with (Julia) as they begin to realize the truth, quietly defy the party in any small ways they can, and eventually must struggle against the most terrible brainwashing of all.

Parts of the novel seem to be able to link to everyday life governments and their actions within their countries, and more and more nations are using their own form of doublespeak to make deep or embarrassing mistakes, or jobs seem less so by re-arranging the words. (ie: local Garbageman= negative connotation, Regional Trash Collector= important/respectful connotation)

I learned the author - George Orwell was the pen name of Eric Arthur Blair, born on 1903 in Bengal/India. Although his family moved to England when he was very young, he returned to Burma to work for British Imperial Police, which later resigned and moved back to London to pursue career in writing. author's preferred title The Last Man in Europe was regretted by publisher. I read author didn't object and suggested to change 1980 but since writing took longer than expected he changed it 1982 and than to 1984. popular belief is that author switched two last digit of the year he wrote (1948) but some believe it may also have been an allusion to the centenary of the Fabians socialist organization founded in 1884.

Must admit this book is very difficult to read. Not sure Why must the most interesting books are boring read. It took quite an effort for me to finish this book. While the concepts flow brilliantly, the writing style becomes a turn off, with many lengthy paragraphs, sentence structure and vocabulary sometimes went over my head, I found it challenging to read it for long periods of time. Interesting to share - while talking to greece/poland/czech friend they remember USSR years and consider this book as prophecy not fiction novel.

After fighting his way to the highest rung of German power, Hitler began inspiring massive support for his warped idealism. Using patriotism, swastikas, genocide, the incineration of historical documents and a mobilization of forces throughout Europe, his dictatorship became the woe of the twentieth century. A stain of darkness stretched across the world, and his legacy undoubtedly inspiration for this classic novel, 1984.

1984 revolves around 3 'superstates' which are Eurasia, Eastasia, and Oceania. All of these states are in a constant state of war with one another, yet all are self contained, and require no trade with one another, and therefor do not require war as a means of economical necessity. However, it is their feeling that as long as a constant state of war is prevailing, the people will be too preoccupied with the war effort to worry about whether or not the present political system is working. The government constantly reminds the people that when they win the war, Oceania will rule the world, and life will be better. So therefor, as long as the war is going (as it always will be), peace within the states can prevail. Another interesting characteristic I noticed about the book, was the fact that he only revealed to the reader the full names of only three characters in the book. The book features the main character, Winston Smith, who is a man in his late 30's and a member of the 'outer party' - the lower of the two classes. Winston Smith works for the government in one of the four main government buildings called the Ministry of Truth where his job is to rewrite history books in order for people not to learn what the past used to be like. As the book is beginning, Winston begins to contemplate setting himself against Big Brother and the Party, but of course is reluctant, knowing that even thinking about such a thing could easily result in his death. The three sentences sum up what the party stands for, and they are:

"War is Peace"
"Freedom is Slavery"
"Ignorance is Strength"

All appear to be oxymoron's, but make some sense once the reader has progressed through the book, for example, the term "War is Peace" has a simple, but somewhat complex explanation.

Perhaps the strongest aspect of the last half of the novel is Orwell's blunt answer to the question of why. Winston has read a book describing how the Party stays in power, but he is plagued by the question of why. When he asks O'Brien this question, the answer is as blunt as could be imagined: power for the sake of power. And we are confronted, not with some abstract homily about absolute power, but the reality of complete and utter social power perpetuating itself, confident of its own immortality. There should be tears in our eyes at the ending, for different reasons than Winston's tears, as Winston sits in the Chestnut Tree, thinking about how much he loves Big Brother.

to quote few the book:

Big Brother is always watching
Who controls the past controls the future: who controls the present controls the past.
Your worst enemy, he reflected, was your own nervous system. At any moment the tension inside you was liable to translate itself into some visible symptom.
It's the one thing they can't do. They can make you say anything - anything - but they can't make you believe it.

words like "Thought Police" and "Big Brother" have almost become part of western culture. I really didn't know what those terms meant until I read this book.

Important thing to remember while reading 1984 is the book never intended to be a prediction of the future. It was satire of political fiction. however, book capture the right track concerning future possibilities of a New World Order, or total government control. may be Orwell's hope in writing the book was to warn people of political warning signs he saw. In an age when more and more of our everyday activities are being scrutinized, Big Brother may not be so far off after all.

Reading this book on back of my trip to Germany(visiting hitler's camps,..) made me questions about freedom, free speech, responsiblities of human being..

atleast attempt to read 1984, It's worth the effort...

click here online eBook Source: 1984 by George Orwell

Tuesday's with Morrie by Mitch Albom

2006-07-18T13:59:00.004+03:00

watched "Tuesdays with Morrie" movie again.

Its story about the between mentor(Morrie) and his student(Mitch). Morrie is dying of ALS. he is brave man with a positive view of life, Morrie believes one cannot learn how to live unless one knows how to die. Mitch revisiting mentor for one final learn about Life. Mitch and Morrie subsequently spent the next sixteen Tuesdays together exploring many of life's fundamental issues -- family, marriage, aging and culture to name a few. Morrie was giving his last lecture while Mitch was writing his final thesis.

some critics come down hard stating not well written tale, very few literary qualities,.. but I find both the movie and the book is very real/relevant (atleast to me).

“Each night, when I go to sleep, I die. And the next morning, when I wake up, I am reborn.” when Mahatma Gandhi spoke those famous words he was inviting us all to live our lives to the full – for after all, if we don’t use the precious life we have then we may as well be dead – what difference would it make? It can take some people a good long time to learn the sense in those words. Mitch Albom learnt that lesson: relatively late in life he learnt it at the feet of a small dying man who had been his professor at college.

few to quote from the book:

“If you’re always battling against getting older, you’re always going to be unhappy, because it will happen anyhow.”
“Once you learn how to die, you learn how to live.”
“…detachment doesn’t mean you don’t let the experience penetrate you. On the contrary, you let it penetrate you fully. That’s how you are able to leave it.”
“It’s horrible to watch my body slowly wilt away to nothing. But it’s wonderful because of all the time I get to say goodbye. Not everyone is so lucky.”

although I had various mentors each contributed/ing to my journey of life in manyways- I wish, I had my 'the one morrie' to look-up-to.

Lesson, Listen & watch Mr. Morrie

Movie version is good too

The Firm by John Grisham

2006-06-19T16:39:00.000+03:00

The Firm by John Grisham, is legal thriller.

Story is about Mitch an Harvard law graduate, married to his girlfriend from college. Mitch takes an job offer from Memphis with a great pay, house, car.. ignore offer from other big law firms in New yOrk. Initial days of working at Memphis was great and he worked hard to get chance to become a partner in few years. Suddenly, Mitch's co-workers die in an accident. Later he learn from FBI agent that the law firm is a cover for Italian Mafia. They have a system in which new lawyers are successfully lured into the firm with promises of secure wealth. By the time a lawyer knows its actual operations, he cannot leave. No lawyer has actually quit the firm alive. He soon learns that his house, office and even his car are bugged. Finally, Mitch manages to escape plot from the firm and steal million dollars from various bank accounts belonging to the firm and also giving enough evidence to FBI to bust the firm. Mitch and his family are shown quietly enjoying their newfound wealth in the Caribbean.

This made me wondering in real sense.. The Firm is fairly a typical: a young man who is so stupid as to not realize he's just joined a Mafia-front law firm, is still smart enough to outwit the Mob and the Feds. The only interesting issue that I can think of here is that we're supposed to overlook things like his greed, infidelity and general callowness because he's the little guy going up against the big guys. This seems to capture Grisham's essential view of life: little guy good, big guy bad.

If you remove your logic hit then book is good read and the movie did justice to the book.

Of Marriageable Age by Sharon Maas

2006-05-06T22:07:00.000+03:00

Of Marriageable Age by Sharon Maas... is a rich, colorful explosion of Indian culture moving across three separate timelines that begin in different places tied to the three primary characters.

Three main characters dominate the plot - Nataraj, brought up in a village in Tamil Nadu, Savitri, the daughter of a cook on a estate owned by an English couple, and Sarojini, brought up in Georgetown, British Guiana. Nataraj and Sarojini who are of the same generation eventually meet in England. Each chapter is devoted to one of these three characters and the characters take it in turn to tell their stories. However, the confusing part of the plot is that these stories are not told in the same timeframe at all, but this is not made clear to the reader in the initial stages of the novel.

With a willing suspension of cynicism on the part of the reader, this novel could be quite fun, but it does require some tolerance from the reader. It is a carefully crafted piece of writing, praise-worthy for its ability to entertain and absorb the reader, but reads more like a fairy-tale for adults than any realistic portrayal of the life of diasporic Indians.

I remember reading fitting review for this book.. "If you like sweet, sappy love stories, or rich Indian culture and tradition, or even if you just liked the movie "Monsoon Wedding", this book is highly recommended for you."

A Time to Kill by John Grisham

2006-04-29T16:50:00.000+03:00

A Time to Kill by John Grisham, is a superb legal thriller about racism, murder and revenge.

Story begins with horror when a ten-year-old black girl is brutally raped by two white males and the girl's father, Carl Lee Hailey, decides that the only justice these two rednecks should receive is death. He takes the law into his own hands. The Hailey case quickly receives national attention as Carl Lee could now be facing the death penalty. A white lawyer, Jake Brigance, takes Hailey's case, which makes for an exciting, suspenseful story. At trial, Jake says that anyone with a daughter would kill the person that raped her. Carl Lee and Jake use an insanity defense. The case goes to the jury. Through gunfire and bombs, rallies and riots, the novel also contains a certain amount of sentiment and feeling.

The best thing about A Time To Kill is the way that Grisham relays what each character is thinking. Many novels you may read talks about the facts of discrimination and racism, but this novel does that in much more exciting and interesting way.

Also, Movie is also very good and done justice to the book.

(Un)arranged Marriage by Bali Rai

2006-04-09T23:37:00.000+03:00

(Un)arranged Marriage by Bali Rai.. Yes, yet another book about Indian arranged marriages. It starts remarkably well though - "Harry & Ranjit were waiting for me - waiting to take me to Derby, to a wedding. My wedding."

The book tells the story of a young Punjabi boy, living in Britain, who is strongly opposed to the marriage that his father has arranged for him. It looks at conflict across cultures and generations as well as addressing the universal theme of teenagers rebelling against his parents.

This story about Manjit's wedding is a typical one. This time, however, the perspective is a male one. Fourteen-year old Manjit (Manny) is a Jat Punjabi living in Leicester. He learns that his alcoholic, abusive father has already planned his marriage. It is to take place when Manny reaches seventeen; the bride will be the daughter of one of his father's friends in India. The character of Manny is that of a whining, self-centred, ignorant youth. In essence, Manny's selfishness is a reputedly common trait among second generation Asians in the UK. No longer able to consent to an arranged marriage, what exactly are the options? Manny's is hardly the courageous or heroic solution.

It comments on what people still have to do for their tradition. it deals with racism, relationship and family. The book also gives us an insight into life in india which is nice also for those of us who have not been for a while.

Must admit its not that great 'most read' book.

Nectar in a Sieve by Kamala Markandaya

2006-03-26T14:03:00.000+03:00

Kamala Markandaya's Nectar in a Sieve, is clearly influenced by events portraying some of the problems encountered by the Indian people as they dealt with the changing times. Story finds universality as there is no mentions about specific time or place. Some of the struggles that the main characters, faces are the result of the changing times, but they are the kinds of struggles (poverty, death, loss of tradition) that are experienced by many people for many reasons.

Far beyond its political context, the novel is appealing to modern readers(specifically women reader I should say.)) for its sensitive and moving portrayal of the strength of a woman struggling with forces beyond her control. It is a story about the resilience of the human spirit and the importance of values.

Have a good read..

The Republic by Plato

2006-02-11T00:25:00.000+02:00

Plato’s The Republic translation by Desmond Lee

Plato’s Republic is widely acknowledged as the cornerstone of Western philosophy. Presented in the form of a dialogue between Socrates and three different interlocutors, it is an enquiry into the notion of a perfect community and the ideal individual within it. During the conversation other questions are raised: what is goodness; what is reality; what is knowledge? The Republic also addresses the purpose of education and the role of both women and men as ‘guardians’ of the people. With remarkable lucidity and deft use of allegory, Plato arrives at a depiction of a state bound by harmony and ruled by ‘philosopher kings’.

The main discussion point is what makes the ideal society. According to Socrates (the main speaker) it would be totalitarian and undemocratic, Most people will disagree with this but it is a well argued point that shows that politicians in any age can never be anything but corrupt and challenges views that people may have about the correctness of democracy. This is more than just a book on politics. Society is also used as a metaphor for the individual and this book explores the nature of morality and living a just life as well as the nature of true goodness and true beauty. The concepts in this book are not easily grasped and it requires some re-reading but the effort pays off in the end. Some of the ideas may seem a bit obscure but this book still holds its own after two and a half thousand years

Book is done in a dialogue fashion, with the lead character Socrates (fashioned after Plato's teacher, the great philosopher Socrates, although the words Socrates utters in this and many other Platonic dialogues are undoubtedly Plato's own). There is a discussion on method (the Sophist Thrasymachus shows up early to make disparaging comments about the Socratic method) whilst trying to determine an adequate definition of justice, as well as a discussion on the virtues and/or utility of wealth and old age early in the text. Socrates moves the discussion of justice away from the individual toward the communal, and this is where the political philosophy gets played out in full.

Socrates, visiting Polemarchus’ house, enters into a conversation on the nature of justice. Several different definitions are presented by the various guests. After finding each of these lacking, Socrates attempts to define justice himself. This requires that he first describe justice on the scale of the state (or “The Republic”). Here, Socrates finds justice to be each person performing the task at which he1 excels. Since the modern “fevered” state necessitates soldiers, Socrates asserts that a method must be found to ensure that they do their job well. He then lays out a system.

Interesting parts of the Republic include the very early idea for equal rights and responsibilities for women, particularly in the guardian class. It is unclear whether Plato was aware of how self-serving his dialogue would seem, since his argument leads to the `natural' conclusion that the only ones who could really be in charge in such an ideal city would be the philosophers. Plato is not an advocate for democracy, and pokes fun quite a bit at democratic structures; he similarly disapproves of most of other types of government (oligarchy, plutocracy, timocracy, etc.) - one can discern the frustrated politician here.

However, the real power of the Republic lies in Plato's remarkable images and metaphoric stories in the second half of the dialogue. These include his expositions on theories of the Forms, and trying to explain what the Good is, and how humankind interprets such things. The images of the ship, the Sun, and the men in the cave are powerful images that have lasted in popular literature since the time of Plato.

List of Characters in the book

Socrates—narrator of the book.
Glaucon—son of Ariston (and brother of Plato, who does not appear). Presents the view that justice is something the weak attempt to force on the strong.
Adeimantus—brother of Glaucon. Describes justice as accomplished for its practical benefits. He and Glaucon are the only ones who respond to Socrates’ questions.
Polemarchus—host to the gathering at which Socrates speaks. He describes justice as giving others what they deserve.
Cephalus—elderly gentleman, Polemarchus’ father. He defines justice as honesty..

Call me crazy I find similarity with 'The Matrix'(movie) - Plato's analogy of the cave describes the mechanism by which our concept of truth can be usurped by our senses & social interactions. If you enjoyed The Matrix, you will probably be amazed at the insights of this book.

Anyone who is intersted in philosophy must read this book. From the natural ethic to the ideal state, this book has it all. I assure you that this book is not boring, but it is a masterpiece that should definately be read at least once in a life time.

Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking

2006-01-23T01:55:00.000+02:00

Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking is a tough one to get through because of the deep subject matter but it tells the fascinating story of important scientific advances during the last century. It chronicles the work of Einstein, Heisenburg, and Hawking. If you are looking for a good explanation why most scientists believe in the Big Bang this is your book. In addition, Hawking describes his no boundary proposal which attempts to do away with an absolute singularity in the beginning of time which reduces the role of God as the immediate cause of the universe. This book is very good and a must read if you are interested in origins.

to quote: "If the universe is completely self-contained, with no singularities or boundaries, and completely described by a unified theory, that has profound implications for the role of God as Creator. Einstein once asked the question: "How much choice did God have in constructing the universe?" If the no boundary proposal is correct, he had no freedom at all to choose initial conditions. He would, of course, still have had the freedom to choose the laws that the universe obeyed. This, however, may not really have been all that much of a choice; there may well be only one, or a small number, of complete unified theories, such as the heterotic string theory, that are self-consistent and allow the existence of structures as complicated as human beings who can investigate the laws of the universe and ask about the nature of God."

The book was on the cutting edge of what was then known about the nature of the universe, but since then there have been extraordinary advances in the technology of observing both the micro- and the macrocosmic world. These observations have confirmed many of Professor Hawking's theoretical predictions in the first edition of his book, including the recent discoveries of the Cosmic Background Explorer satellite (COBE), which probed back in time to within 300,000 years of the universe's beginning and revealed the wrinkles in the fabric of space-time that he had projected.

Eager to bring to his original text the new knowledge revealed by these many observations, as well as his most recent research, for this revised and expanded edition Hawking has prepared a new introduction to the book, revised and updated the original chapters throughout, and written an entirely new chapter on the fascinating subject of wormholes and time travel.

A classic work that now brings to the reader the latest understanding of cosmology, The Illustrated A Brief History of Time is the story of the ongoing search for the tantalizing secrets at the heart of time and space..

If you are interested in finding about constructing the universe then this book is MUST read..

Happy reading...

Five Point Someone by Chetan Bhagat

2006-01-10T22:45:00.000+02:00

Being a non-iitian, I was always quite curious-- about life in IIT! Obviously, it's not-just-another-institute. Afterall, it has produced the who's who in business and research! But still, I think there is too much hype about IIT!

Five Point Someone by Chetan Bhagat, gave me some insight about the students and their lives. If you ask me, every student studying engineering or a professional course goes through this. Anyways, it's not really fair to judge them so easily. About the book: it's a very well written book. I really loved the author's style of writing. The humor is great! There are times when I thought that even after putting in such long hours and efforts in studying, how come these people are just five-point-something? Anyway, the characters are really cool. Its very easy to relate to them. Whether you agree with the author all the way or not, you'll find it an amusing read.

Its about 3 buddies from IIT Delhi - Ryan, Alok and Hari - their experience with the IIT way of life - crammed schedules, booze, pink floyd, girlfriends and grey haired profs. Chetan Bhagat deserves a pat on this back for his style of writing. The language is simple, fluent, easy; yet very vivid; There is a lot of desi lingo and ’IITian speak’. Far from being great literature, the language is very casual. This teen-speak, in fact, is a real plus for this book. It gets you into the teenage mindset : Free spirited and Clueless.. Larger than Life attitude.

I found the book to be nostalgic at times... Yeah, these are the very things we did back in college. How we as students always complained about the education system, the assignments and the profs. How rock music was highly regarded and how guys could never understand the girls they went around with. The humour is well balanced. Witty and rib tickling. It keeps you glued and you can finish the book in a shot.

Five point someone does come out with some strong messages :

Academic performance is not everything is life. Yes, it is an important part of student life. But Friends, Freaking out and Fun are an equally important part of your life, as a student. Dont miss out on the later..

Most teenagers are cluless about what they want from life. Teenagers get in and out of the academic system with the ’herd mentality’. Good jobs, western lifestyle is what they seek.. thats it... There is a lack of passion, a lack of vision towards life.

Our academic systems, even the very best - IITs - are too course oriented. This, at times, supressses true creativity. As they say, ’’I was born intelligent, Education ruined me’’

One more addition to my favourite book list. Must Read - you will not be disappointed.

when Bad things happens to Good People by Harold Kushner

2005-12-10T12:14:00.000+02:00

When Bad Things Happen to Good People by Harold Kushner..when Kushner son Aaron was just three years old, he was diagnosed with a rapid aging disease; he died after his fourteenth birthday. Out of this harrowing experience, the author has created a meditation about God, human suffering and life's tragedies. He contends that bad things happen to good people because it sometimes just goes that way; we are given freedom of choice and consequently life is full of injustices; nature is morally blind; and there may be "corners of the universe where God's creative light has not yet penetrated.

All the responses to tragedy which we have considered have at least one thing in common. They all assume that God is the cause of our suffering, and they try to understand why God would want us to suffer. … There may be another approach. Maybe God does not cause our suffering. Maybe it happens for some reason other than the will of God.

book address three basic questions :

What should you do or say when someone you care about faces tragedy?

How should you think about and react to the tragedy in your own life?

What kind of God can we believe in when bad things can happen to good people?

He theorizes that God doesn’t cause the bad things to happen and according to him - the most profound and complete consideration of human suffering in the Bible, perhaps in all of literature, is the Book of Job. While reading this book I found conflicting messages in the Book of Job and Kushner acknowledges that it is difficult to understand. If you are not familiar with it, as I was not, reading this chapter many times may be necessary. The final thought that Kushner makes in this chapter is one that runs throughout the book: If we can bring ourselves to accept that there are some things that God doesn't’t control, good things can be possible. But we can’t hold realistic expectations of God because they may never come.

There is a lot of writing now about quantum physics(that theory which says that nothing is random). an interesting perspective would be to understand what the Kushner says and understand "Why Bad Things Happen To Good People," but at the same time, my own personal theoretical perspective at this point is that may be there are no accidents.

Avoid to author there is No reason and NO exceptions for nice people. He concedes that all we can really do is realize that death is one of the given conditions of life. “We can’t control it or sometimes even postpone it. All we can do is try to rise beyond the question “why did it happen? And begin to ask the question “what do I do now that it has happened?”

Kushner talks about feeling guilty about not getting what we prayed for but he says that if we don’t want to give up prayer there is another possibility. That possibility requires our changing how we understand what it means to pray and what it means for our prayers to be answered. To me, if things are random and God can’t change the past, what if our make up is to not be able to bear up under long-term illness? If God can help us with this, why can’t he help the illness? Perhaps it is my wishful thinking. I made lots of deals with God while my one of best friend was sick. (I now learn from Kushner that deals with God are wrong.) I lost the deals but I was able to cope because I believed there was a reason for my friend's death.

What Good, Then, Is Religion? I was wondering the same thing! glad this was covered in the book. wondered if he has made it harder for people to accept their illnesses and misfortunes now that we know, if we agree with him, that they are not sent “by God as part of some master plan.” He again cites his philosophy that this is the time we accept what has happened and figure out what we will do about it. Not “where does the tragedy come from? But where does it lead?”

Are you capable of forgiving and accepting in love a world which has disappointed you by not being perfect, a world in which there is so much unfairness and cruelty, disease and crime, earthquake and accident? Can you forgive its imperfections and love it because it is capable of containing great beauty and goodness, and because it is the only world we have?…

in my view on the human place in the universe, and the role of human judgement: I guess, we go beyond our station when we attempt to judge the universe as a whole, to proclaim that it is livable or unlivable, fair or unfair. may be our role is to accept what happens to us and to do what we can with the possibilities that life offers us--not to judge that we deserved to have something else happen to us, or that we should have different possibilities.

I must admit, Iam NOT a great follower of GOD(not very regilious person) but I believe supermepower/nature..evil, living life for self & others good with underline ethics & value systems. I know when someone is in pain, I simply need to say that Iam sorry, then I should “shut up and listen!”. may be People don’t expect an answer to the question – “Why did this happen to me/us?” They need to know it did not happen because of them personally, and they need you to tell them this

There are no answers to WHY bad things happen. No logical answers. The question is WHEN bad things happen what can you do? If you are the one in pain – you can go on. If you are a friend, relative, or even acquaintance – you can help others cope with their pain.

Book is heavy-hearted spiritual journey..if you are interested in the subject then you should try it.

Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman

2005-11-20T18:20:00.000+02:00

Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman..explains Why it can matter more than IQ.

Goleman's research studies the factors at work when those with high IQs flounder and those with only modest IQs excel. These factors respresent another way of being smart - one Goleman refers to as "emotional intelligence".

"At best, IQ contributes about 20% to the factors that determine life success, which leave 80% to other forces: forces grouped as Emotional Intelligence.."

Goleman defines five critical skills that make up emotional intelligence..:

Knowing one’s emotions — Self-awareness—recognizing a feeling as it happens—is the keystone of emotional intelligence. The ability to monitor what we are feeling moment-to-moment is crucial to psychological insight and self-understanding.

Managing emotions — Handling feelings so they are appropriate.

Motivating oneself — Marshalling emotions in service to a goal is essential for paying attention, for self-motivation, for mastery, and for creativity. Emotional self-control—delaying gratification and stifling impulsiveness—underlies accomplishment of every sort. And being able to get into the "flow" state enables outstanding performance of all kinds.

Recognizing emotions in others — Empathy is the fundamental people skill.

Handling relationships — The art of relationship is, in a large part, skill in managing emotions in others.

Goleman believes that emotional intelligence is not "fixed at birth". He gives instructions and examples on how we can as parents and teachers help our children improve their emotional intelligence thereby improving their lives and opportunities. For those of us past the age of adolescene, it is also possible to make improvements and changes in our lives.

As emotional problems continue to increase, this information is becoming essential in helping us master our emotions, rather than being controlled by them. This book gives other qualities besides just intelligence recognition for their importance.

A Passage to India by Edward Forster

2005-10-09T19:19:00.000+03:00

A Passage to India by Edward M Forster...written while England was still firmly in control of India, Forster's novel follows the fortunes of three English newcomers to India - Miss Adela Quested, Mrs. Moore, and Cyril Fielding - and the Indian, Dr. Aziz, with whom they cross destinies.

Miss Quested and Mrs. Moore are good Brits in turn of the century India. They have the best intentions and want to meet real Indians and see the real India. When Dr. Aziz takes them to visit the Marabar Caves, they seem to be penetrating deep into the heart of India. However, Miss Quested is overwhelmed by the caves & accuses Aziz of attacking her & for all their good intentions, they are shown to be just as incapable of understanding Indians as the worst of their fellow Brits.

The clash of cultures makes for interesting reading. However, after a century of decolonization and independence, it's legitimate to ask whether places like India are better off today, as independent nations, than they were in 1900, as colonies. Forster makes the point that the English will never understand the Indians & can never be friends with them, but will Hindus ever understand Moslems & can they ever be friends? More importantly, even if the English never could befriend the Indians, wasn't their governance, at least, enlightened & constructive?

That's very essence of the story - to the question, can Indians and Britons be friends? That is the heart of the novel, as Dr. Aziz and Mr. Fielding struggle to be friends as their societies conflict and they offend each other through misunderstandings. Book highlights the psychology of how people avoid other different(culture) people.

I wonder this was source/inspiration for the recently movie "Crash"...!?

very interesting read and might help in understanding across-culture difference.

Family Matters by Rohinton Mistry

2005-09-21T15:01:00.000+03:00

Family Matters by Rohinton Mistry.. set-in backdrop mid-90's at bombay about Nariman Vakeel is a 79-year old parsi widower.It is perhaps the most universal of them, as it focuses on a domestic crisis of one family and how they cope with it.

Nariman is the father of three grown children: unmarried and unemployed stepson Jal, quiet and unassuming; stepdaughter Coomy, domineering, bossy and pushy; and daughter Roxana. While the stepchildren live with and take care of him in an apartment in the spacious Chateau Felicity building which he has bequeathed to them, Roxana lives with her husband, Yezad, and two sons, Jehangir and Murad, in a newer apartment bought by Nariman, a fact that Coomy, envious and bitter, never stops pointing out.

Confined to his bedroom and bored, Nariman seeks solace in his evening walks, which represent to him bustling life and are like air for starving lungs, after the stale emptiness of the flat. These walks are therapeutic, magical and enchanting like a circus or a magic show. Using his umbrella as a walking stick, he saunters past the corner where vegetable vendors congregate and their baskets and boxes, overflowing with greens and legumes and fruits and tubers, transformed the corner into a garden. And from time to time he bends to touch the voluptuous onions, glistening tomatoes, purple brinjals and earthy carrots as they hallowed the dusk with their color and fragrance. In his youth he loved a woman whom he could not marry because she was not a Parsi and his parents would never stand for it. So he marries a widow with two children and even though they have a child together and he tries to make his marriage work, it never does. All their lives are ruined and he remains haunted by what could have been, should have been and what-ifs for the rest of his life. stepdaughter send him to Roxana’s small apartment. Depositing him on a couch in their living room, which becomes his home for the next few months, changes the lives of everyone. They struggle, they grow, they learn and they endure.

Mistry draws the conflict within each character: the guilt, compassion, family obligation versus desire for independence, and the building of human relationships. He also holds a mirror to the characters' consciences, so that they can acknowledge what they are and what they portray to the world. Perhaps that was author’s way of showing one more family scenario, one more way of pointing out family matters; but he’s tagged on epilogues before, so it could just be how he ends his novels.

book reminds my days in US, in temples old couples come for walking and waiting for someone to talk with them as they are very bored. Not that all sons/daughters are ill-treating parents but in middle-of-daily-life-running-around priorities changes, time availability are limited,.. No correct ways or approach with parents-children relationship in post retirement life. but increasely we grow apart with limited appreciation of each other. Reading this book seriously made think about my priorities living for away land(aways from parents) and what I should when they approach old-age (as they are in youth-of-old)

Book is a compelling, emotional, and persuasive testimony to the importance of memories in every family's history. In a poetic style rich with detail, Mistry creates a world where fate dances with free will, and the results are often more familiar than anyone would ever care to admit

Family Matters explores themes of family, the reversal of care between generations as they age, and the thin line between middle class and poverty in modern India. its an emotionally satisfying, deeply moving novel...

we could have seen many stories along this line about..

Love in the time of Cholera by Garcia Marquez

2005-08-28T13:56:00.000+03:00

Love in the time of Cholera by Garcia Marquez...is interlocked love stories with various relationship between men and women at Caribbean seaport. plotted in backdrop of the ravaging civil war. this story encapsulates love, desire, jealously, death, and passion.

During my spain visit one of my local friend suggested this book to me(otherwise I would not be aware of this book).Heard its very famous in spainish land and translated in english in later years.

The story revolves around Florentino Ariza, who is overwhelmed by Fermina (her teenage beauty and her gait). Exchange of love letters under the supervision of Fermina's Aunt Escolastica results in a disaster as Fermina's father, Lorenzo Daza discovers them and decides to take his daughter away from the port and Florentino because of his class.

Florentino is mad about the Daza, and chases her with letters and poetry. And just as success is within reach, the Daza is snatched away by a father who believes in making a match in the same class...yes yes...I know, it is not exactly the way I described above... actually, Florentino tracks our Daza's travel itinerary and keeps in touch with her through letters. Totally impressed with his ingenuity, she returns - when her pop thinks it is safe - to be reunited with her lover. But our heroine-made-wiser-by-travel realises that distance makes hearts grow fonder and that reality is not as sweet - or handsome. So, she avoids him like cholera and marries an eligible paris-returned Dr.Juvenal Urbin. They are happy as many married couples are, getting used to each other though not in love. with the usual ups and downs. All this while, our hero has a strange way of nurturing his love for her. He starts a series of ’’affairs’’ sleeping with women but never marrying any. Why love, why in the times of cholera..._0 meanwhile Dr.Urbino dies in an accident chasing parrot of age of 82.. there be culminating the marriage of convenience..

At the fag end of their life, they finally manage to fall in love with each other all over again and find togetherness amidst the epidemic of cholera, as Florentino Ariza remarks, Love becomes greater and nobler in calamity, amidst the nauseating stench of corpses floating down the river,and the vast silence of a ravaged land.

Interesting to note this book is very different from fairytale love stories (no..not that I hate fairytale) it puts love in a different plane. Its not the average romantic novel with a couple of protagonists and their experiences and passions. It may have been set in a distant land by the Caribbean a long time ago but it is as relevant in this part of the world at present when the world is being torn apart by wars. Everlasting love in the times of war and disease.. it still possible, no matter however cynical one is.

The book is very well written with no sagging moments. The characters are not stereotypes. The heroine is as worldly as one can be, and the hero as obsessed. The author obviously knows the character types well and has portrayed them true to life. He reveals a deep knowledge of human behaviour and relationships. It is a good novel to read...

The Rainmaker by John Grisham

2005-07-11T16:15:00.000+03:00

The Rainmaker by John Grisham.. is yet another gripping novel.

Its story about newly graduated lawyer Rudy Baylor, picks a case of young boy who has leukaemia face death since his insurance company refuse to pay the cost saying his illness is not covered in the policy. Rudy just cleared Bar examination and has never argued a case before a jury, now had to take case against a group of experienced lawyers from a large firm. Before trial could reach the court the boy dies. Rudy won the case but the insurance company declares itself bankrupt to avoid paying damages. There is no payout for the grieving parents and no fee for Rudy, though Mrs. Black is glad to have bankrupted the insurance company.

During trial Rudy meets and later falls in love with Kelly in local local hospital. Her husband's beating has put her in the hospital. Rudy continues to see Kelly and ends up killing her husband in self-defense. Kelly spends sometime in jail taking the blame for the murder before Rudy gets her charges removed.

Eventually Rudy & kelly start new life in new place - Rudy can become a teacher and Kelly continues her studies.

I haven't seen the movie yet but book is good.

The Inscrutable Americans by Anurag Mathur

2005-05-24T23:51:00.000+03:00

The Inscrutable Americans by Anurag Mathur, is story about small town(jajau) indian boy(Gopal) visiting US for higher studies. Gopal lands on Eversville, where he is going to spend the next one full year of his life, he meets Randy - a thorough-bred American. As soon as Randy hears Gopal's views and ethics, he announces his mission for the next one year, convert Gopal into a sex-maniac. Gopal steps to wider-world to explore american lifestyle. Its very very hilarious exploring americans though Gopal's experience. also the other-way, exploring Indian aspects through the eyes of americans.

Anurag infuses an amazing sense of humour in this regard, he creates an almost maniacal environment in which Gopal finds himself.. and he describes how Gopal adjusts to this environment and how Gopal becomes more mature in this environment, in a very efficient manner.

Its very funny from very the beginning when Gopal start's off with letter to home - "Beloved Younger Brother" that uses an overabundance of process verbs to imitate the intonation, I believe, of Indian English: "I am arriving safely in America and finding good apartment near University." Mathur's detail, even in Gopal's embarrassingly stereotypical voice, is hilarious. Gopal reveals his fondness for cashews, which he filled himself with also on the plane, "because I am not knowing what is food and what is meat." another two hundred pages to go after Randy's stated intention might suggest the obstacles. Gopal experiences of american life - football, "which had very little to do with the foot and nothing at all to do with a ball,"(I always thought the same)), parties, topless bars, drive in movies, even love, sex shops, brothels and even a gang bang.

Read this book long time back thought this should be in my favourite book list (even as back dated post). Fitting comment..: The Inscrutable Americans is a pleasure to read and an insightful scrutiny of an inscrutable population.

My Temporary Son by Timeri Murari

2005-02-10T14:09:00.000+02:00

My Temporary Son is a real life narration of an aged couple Tim & Maureen, whose life suddenly takes a change with the temporary entry of an abnormally sick, fragile orphan kid who had to undergo series of serious surgeries for surviving. Anachronously, the boy is named Bhima. Murari’s writing is just reliving of his whole period of life from the birth of Bhima(boy was born with his bladder outside the abdomen and abandoned by its natural parents in an orphanage), the discard, entry, enjoyment of his growth and exit. Book journey thru Murari’s childhood, growing, preferences, love affairs, likes and dislikes, opinions, his family members, friendship, happiness, frustrations. Tim writes ‘… that love had more substance and sustenance than food and drink; it was the buoy that had kept them afloat in the freezing waters of old age’.

The book also describes the most convoluted procedure of adoption and the exasperating rules and regulations prevailing in India. It projects the shocking state of the orphaned children in our country, apathy of the officials, indifference of the public, concern on the ever enlarging population, above all the deplorable conditions of living in India irrespective of one’s financial background. The book may be a useful guide for those who want to adopt a kid from India (will anyone after reading this book?) with the model legal documents and procedures as Appendices.

Its must read book if your intention is to adopt an orphan from india.