Category: From My Bookshelf

There are lots of books stacked on my bookshelf. When I pick one of them, I dive into the amazing world created by an author as soon as I open the cover. However, there is always “the end” written on the last page of the book. Have you ever felt that you are in the same world with those characters? Witnessing those scenes written on pages in your hand, hearing voices of characters speaking dialogues scripted for them? There are a few books which have taken me in their world. And I must say, they are magnificent. Valentia created by Rajamayyoor Sharma is on top of my head as far as Indian fiction is concerned while James Clavel has taken me to mediaeval Japan. I have roamed around London with Sherlock and Poirot.

And yet, the journey in those realms, started from the cover page, has its end marked. The author takes the characters by hand and takes them to their destination by the end of the book. They fulfil their destiny. If a writer chooses to give happy moments at the end, we enjoy them. If it’s a tragedy, characters at least get closure at the end. Many times, I wish to ask the author if he or she has forgotten to write something for me? What about my destiny at the end? What about my share of the closure? Haven’t you thought about me as an uninvited traveller on this journey when you wrote a book?

Here you will find my reflections on my readings. Hope you will also enjoy these stories as much as I did.

  • So Kul: Her lookout about life

    So Kul: Her lookout about life

    It was on my to – read list for long time. Finally I just finished this. Every thing is so short but still complete in itself. Sonali portrays her point of view about various things in life. Somewhere she appreciates work of good people. In other she shows her anger about abuse that women need to face in public cause of taunting. She also points out some misconceptions which are making their roots in women mind for glamour, fem or being fashionable. Such small incidents in our day to day’s life, most of the time we keep making negatives out of it. Sonali tries to take them positively. No body have life so perfect, or one can not make right for things which you feel wrong. In some of occasions they just shows her pain for those events or persons.

    I appreciate her work of giving details of various organizations whose work she appreciates. It really comes handy when you are inspired about someones work reading her article about it and you are keen to know more, those details makes that search very easy. She really appreciates Policemen for their  endless work, Dr. Sancheti for his work in joint replacement field. She perfectly captured joy of finding seamless beauty  around places where she visits frequently in article describing her visit to film city.

    Sonali got the skill to put her views about something in short but well contented article. Its really gives insight to see things in cool way. Its really good collection of thoughts. Hope she will keep writing her blog in Loksatta, leading Marathi newspaper and we will get second book of So Kul..

    Name of Book: So Kul

    Author: Sonali Kulkarni

    Publisher: Rajahans Prakashan Pvt. Ltd.

    Publication year: 2009

    Pages: 235

    ISBN: 978-81-7434-476-2

    Price: ₹ 300

  • India in Slow Motion

    India in Slow Motion

    Being in BBC covering India first and entire South Asia later, Mark Tully witnessed journey of free India. Mark Tully got eminent style to get details about story. He describes event so lively as if we are present there when it’s occurring. Mark got the nerve of Indian culture. Mark tries to bring very uncommon but deeply humane portrait of India with help of wide range of incidents happened in India after independence. Sometime this portrait shows humorous shades while somewhere it become very provocative, on one point it become very promising about future but immediate next it comes with setback of unfortunate present.

    This book is collection of his essays focusing on very wide range of events took place in India in Mark’s days in BBC. Being in India for so long time Mark feels India as his home and cares for bright future of this country. Mark has narrated very wide range of subjects in all these essays. Right from Ayodhya issue in “The Reinvention of Rama” to child labor issue in Mirzapur carpet Industry. In other essay, he tries to put light on Sufism.

    Going to the political aspects he tries to keep hopes alive by sharing CM Chandrababau Naidu’s IT revolution in “Creating Cyberabad”, on the other hand his interview with irritated Farukh Abdulla in his essay about Kashmir. Dealing with weed of corruption, Mark narrates Tehelka Case in “Corruption from Top to Tail”. While talking about innovations and dedicated work of men in Gujrat dealing with water scarcity in drought prone areas.

    Even Mark being British we can find some warmth for India as he shows interest in wellbeing of this country. He has spent almost all of his youth in India covering all major events for BBC. This wide experience and wisdom is available for readers in his essays collected in form of this book.

    Name of Book: India in Slow Motion

    Author: Mark Tully

    Publisher: Penguin India

    Publication year: 2003

    Pages: 320

    ISBN: 0143030477

    Price: ₹ 350

  • Raavi Paar

    Raavi Paar

    Stories are most close to everyone in this world; whether he is in America or India, Rich or poor. Stories don’t divide people. Since childhood stories keep walking with you. The way they are told that you feel yourself at center of it. Till the end of story you are so involved that you smiles when character smiles, cry with him/her. You struggle with him. These story tellers have the blessings from god to keep you with him till their last word. Fortunately India is blessed with such eminent story teller; whose command over language cannot be challenged. His Urdu is so fascinating as if he is the creator of language. Who travels in all the forms of literature yet he is famous for his shairee and stories. Yes, you got him correctly. The one and only – Gulzar Sahib.
    Raavi Paar and Other stories is just perfect blend of stories which takes you on journey in the past, across the India. Sometimes even in Europe. It comes with sorrows and fear in mind of people fleeing from Pakistan on partition, on the other page it tells the story of mother remembering her youth when she thinks about her daughter. Lekha jokha tells about missjudging the peson’s view about career of his would be daughter in law and on the other hand ‘lekin?’ touches the misterious flavour. Once Gulzar tells story about michel angelo’s face hunt for Judas which concludes with bitter truth of changed man along time.
    Seriously we get so engrossed with his stories that time get forgotten and pages kept turning till we reach the end of book. Even after finishing book, Dalia, Seema, Bimal Da, Iqbal Singh, T.K. keep coming in mind.

    Name of Book: Gulzar’s Raavi Paar and Other Stories
    Author: Gulzar
    Translation: Various
    Publisher: Rupa
    Pages: 196
    ISBN: 978-81-291-1013-8
    Price: ₹ 195