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.

जिंदगी एक सफर है सुहाना – a Wonderful Hindi Travel Guide Book

Books have a very important place in my life and I love to travel. In the last year, I was fortunate to grab quick trips to nearby places when places opened up between these two COVID waves. But today I am talking about a book which encourages you to travel. Recently while browsing through the library of Blogchatter eBooks, I came across a book by Hitendra Gupta. Titled with a lively old Bollywood number “जिंदगी एक सफर है सुहाना”, it immediately takes you on a road trip.

Why should you pick this book up

Hitendra has described many places in northern India ranging from glorious temples to the natural beauties in North Eastern states of India. He has presented important information about things or places which you should not miss if you happen to visit that particular destination in a very easy to understand Hindi. I have not come across any Hindi travel language book on Blogchatter eBooks library. He gives the best route to reach and best time to visit the destinations at the end of the chapter. This makes it easy for readers to plan their travels accordingly.

I found this book interesting for a couple of reasons. First highlight was the inclusion of COVID appropriate checklist for travelers during and post pandemic situation. This will definitely come in handy while preparing for our upcoming travels. And next one is the weekend getaway or one day destinations in and around the capital city of our country, Delhi. These weekend get-aways are a very important part of youth from metro cities of India. Have you have recently shifted to Delhi to study or to work? Then, I will definitely recommend you to go through the details of amazing weekend destinations around Delhi described by Hitendra. You will save a lot of world wide web searches while planning your itinerary.

The only thing which I would have liked more was the visual appeal through the photographs. If there were more photos in the book, it would have helped us readers to create an image of what to expect when we visit the destination.

Blurb:

इस ई-बुक से आपको देश के प्रमुख पर्यटक स्थलों के बारे में जानने समझने में आसानी होगी और आप सैर-सपाटे का भरपुर आनंद ले सकेंगे। इस ई-बुक में सैर-सपाटे के बारे में जो जानकारी दी गई हैं, उसे पढ़कर आप सैर का पूरा मजा ले सकेंगे।

About Author:

Hitendra Gupta – Travel Blogger, Explorer, Nature- Music Lover, Vegetarian Delhi- Noida

My rating: ★★★✰✰

You can get your copy from this link.

Want to know more about my favorite books? Checkout my bookshelf.

June 5, 2021
Being Good Enough- Gripping Contemporary Indian Novel

When you grab a book, it entices with you by it’s cover and blurb. Being good enough, a debut novel of Rohini Paranjpe Sathe ticks all the checkboxes for you to get this book from the shelf. Vibrant shades of colors of dusk with a classic Mumbai skyline catches your eye. Blurb says it’s a story of Jyoti who’s living a hard life in a small chawl in the city of Mumbai with her son. Struggling to keep the ghosts from her past far away from herself and her son. However, those ghosts show up at their doorsteps disrupting her life in Mumbai.

Story opens up the door of the past and starts telling us what these ghosts are. Glimpse from Jyoti’s early life in a wealthy influential family of Delhi opens wide the story of these ghosts from the past. Completely in accordance with Murphy’s law, anything that can go wrong, will go wrong, Jyoti keeps getting surprises at every corner and struggle continues. If you want to know how it ends, what happens with those ghosts from the past, you should not wait to pick this book as your next read.

Coloured in the shades of religious divide, dirty politics, youthful love affairs and “khandaan ki ijjat” book is full of drama and reads quickly. Story is so gripping and enticing that it becomes really difficult to keep the book away if you have some work to get done. Even though it’s the debut novel of Rohini Sathe, it never shows up in the book. She is a master storyteller.

Places, Characters and Writing

Sathe has structured lives from both the worlds with finnes. One is posh affluent Delhi families and other is close-knit community of Chawls in Mumbai. Story goes back and forth in time and space. It travels between Jyoti’s present residence of Mumbai and her past home in Delhi. Jyoti’s Delhi times is full of religious divides, social stigmas around love affairs, a trap marriage with gay man. While for Mumbai, we read about life in a chawl. It’s characterized with helpful neighbours, their bonding, constraint of space, common activities of community, their daily routine, etc.

Another strong point is the characterization and the relations they share. We can’t put every human in black or white. Life is full of grey areas. All of the characters in this book show this grey tint as the story unfolds. Sometimes, black part flares up when provoked by religious divide or power struggle. Even a fierce fighter in Jyoti takes a step back with compassion at a couple of moments. The bond of friendship shared by Jyoti and her husband in the trap marriage is a nice touch. It shedes some light on the LGBTQ+ community and stigma which our society has around it. These spectrums of emotions make Sathe’s characters more humane.

I would definitely recommend this book if you are interested in reading a contemporary Indian story. If this fast paced, gripping tale of fierce Jyoti is not Good Enough reason to pick up “Being Good Enough” then I am not sure what will be. So, don’t waste time and grab your copy here.

This review is powered by Blogchatter Book Review Program. If you want to know more book recommendations from me, then don’t forget to follow my social media accounts and check past reviews here.

May 10, 2021
Starting a new

It has been days for me turning that page. I put the full stop on our relationship. You know how difficult it is to move on and start a new life. When there is no further page to turn, you have to accept the end. We had such a good time together. But alas, the journey has its destination. Wait, wasn’t I aware of this destination since the beginning? Ever since I took that first step with her, back of the mind I was always staging for the moment when we reach the end of this road.

Isn’t it obvious for a book? If you open the cover and dived in the amazing world created by an author, 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 medieval Japan. I have roamed in London with Sherlock and Poirot.

However, 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 fulfill 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. But hey dude, you forgot 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 traveler of this journey when you wrote a book?

This is my condition when I turn that last page of every fascinating book. I need more time to come out of the world between those covers. I know it’s crazy to some other level, but hey my fellow bibliophiles, aren’t we all crazy in the same way? Just like some love yearning person, I fell for a new world. I get pulled to the bookshelf. Aroma of those printed pages always fascinates me. It entices me to pick up a new book and start anew.

February 14, 2020
Undelivered letters – पुस्तक परिचय

“साठेsss….” अशी लांबलचक आरोळी देऊन दारावरल्या टपालपेटीत पत्र टाकणारा पोस्टमन मला आजही आठवतो. पण वीस वर्षांपूर्वी पोचवायला हवी असलेली पत्र जेव्हा एखाद्या पोस्टमनला अचानक अनपेक्षितपणे सापडत असतील तेव्हा काय होत असेल? दोन दशकांच्या काळात पत्र ज्यांच्यापर्यंत पोहोचायला हवी होती त्यांचं पुढे काय झालं असेल? आणि आत्ता त्यांना ही पत्र पोहोचवली तर त्यांना काय वाटेल? हे सारे प्रश्न तुम्हाला पडलेत ना?

मग जे. आल्कम ( J. Alchem) यांनी लिहिलेलं Undelivered letters हे छोटसं पुस्तक तुम्हाला नक्की खिळवून ठेवेल. पोस्टमन अरॉन आणि त्याची पत्नी सारा यांना अचानक ही न पोहीचवलेली पत्रे सापडतात आणि सुरू होतो एक नवं द्वंद्व समोर उभं ठाकतं. पत्र पोहोचवावी की न पोहोचवावी. ज्यांच्या नावांनी ही पत्र आहेत ते काय म्हणतील? त्यांना काय वाटेल? आपल्या हलगर्जीपणाने झालेल्या या दोन दशकांच्या उशिरामुळे काही भयंकर तर नसेल घडले? या साऱ्या प्रश्नांच्या गदारोळात अडकलेल्या अरॉनची ही गोष्ट आहे छोटीशीच पण थेट मनाला जाऊन भिडते.

दोन दशकांच्या वेगवेगळ्या काळपट्टयावर चालणारी ह्या पत्रांची गोष्ट आपल्याला ज्यांची ही पत्रे असतात त्या वेगवेगळ्या पात्रांनाही भेटवते. एक वेगळ्याच पद्धतीने गुंफलेल्या या वेगवेगळ्या पात्रकथा, ‘न पोहोचवलेल्या’ पत्रांच्या धाग्याने छान घट्ट विणलेली आहे. एखाद्या निवांत सुट्टीच्या दिवशी हे पुस्तक हाती घेतलं तर एक बैठकीतच तुम्ही संपवूनच खाली ठेवाल. अगदी छोटेखानी असलेलं पुस्तक आपल्या अगदी साध्या मुखपृष्ठानी तुम्हाला नक्की खुणावून घेईल यात शंका नाही.

पु ल देशपांडे म्हटले होते की “पोटापाण्याचा उद्योग तुम्हाला जगवेल पण कलेशी जमलेली तुमची मैत्री तुम्ही का जगायचे हे सांगून जाईल”. जणू हीच भावना मनात ठेवून जे आल्कमनी प्रत्येक व्यक्तिरेखेला कोणती न कोणती कला दिली आहे. चित्रकला, लेखन, संगीत अशा अनेक कला आणि त्या जोपासणारे कलाकार निरनिराळ्या व्यक्तिरेखांच्या रुपात आल्कमनि अप्रतिम गुंफल्या आहेत. आल्कमची साधी सोपी भाषा दोन वेगवेगळ्या काळपट्ट्यांची गुंफण या पुस्तकाला एक वेगळाच रंग देतं.

अरॉन त्याला सापडलेली पत्र पोहोचवतो का? पत्र मिळाल्यावर लोकांची काय प्रतिक्रिया असते? सारा ज्या पत्राची वाट आतुरतेने कित्येक वर्ष पाहत असते ते तिला मिळते का? या साऱ्याची उत्तरं या पुस्तकात दडली आहेत. तेव्हा नक्कीच तुम्ही हे पुस्तक मिळवा आणि जरूर वाचा.

My rating: 4/5

Kindle version
Publisher: Westland Publications Ltd.
Language: English

August 12, 2019
Stories on wheels

Putting all the necessary gears for a tour in a backpack, taking out your car or a bike, and hitting the road for your ‘have to do before dying’ trip is the dream of everyone. But for getting paid for these trips is part of being lucky with your life. Rishad Saam Mehta is this lucky chap who is telling his stories from those roads which he tamed sometimes on two wheels and sometimes on four.
Traveling and Tea sounds best companions just like, book and coffee. This ‘T&T’ love of Rishad made him write all the memories of those companions in his book “Hot Tea Across India”. ‘Kindle Unlimited’ has gifted me the opportunity to grab plenty of books, and I found this treasure of memories in that pile.
Those magnificent Himalayan memories about its beauty, weather, outdoor camping, some incidents which makes you feel measly in-front of mother nature’s forces if you neglect them, made my dream of visiting mighty mountain king stronger by every page I turned. After giving chance to enjoy chilling Himalayan weather, he takes us to have some fun in Rann of Katcha in his chase of a herd of wild asses. The excitement, speed and a battle with treacherous bogs with quicksands in dessert make adrenaline rush through your body.
He also makes us believe that anything can and will happen when hitting the road, some local thug can make you run away with fear of losing your bike to his son in so-called ‘fair trade’ offer, or some anarchist trying to prove their point in local ‘bandh’ by asking you ‘Please can we burn your car?’. But there are many good people out there who make your trip memorable. He found interesting persons to show him around magnificent temples of Khajuraho, or to take in the times of Rana’s of Jaisalmer.
Sometimes, your travels make you acquainted whit some not so famous and posh looking food joints which serves food which can truly be labeled as delicacies. Then let it be in some houseboat in Kashmir or some roadside ‘dhaba’ on legendary Grand Trunk Road. Or even some native nomads ask you to join them for a meal or help you to cook some of their traditional recipes.
In-short your craving for food, fun, drive/ride and photography is increased tenfold when you put down the book after reaching an end. Grab your copy and have some fun with Rishabh’s memories.

October 29, 2018
Book Review – Age of Azmoq: The Valentian Imperium

As soon as I opened the package containing the book, the cover caught my sight with its beautifully blending colors and the magnificent design of a keep at the center of the cover. The blurb on the back did the trick which it is supposed to do. It enticed me to dive in the book immediately. The mysterious Azmoqian weapons and unearthing of an old forgotten legend are all that you need to get yourself immersed in the book.

I have always felt envious about fantasy writers who can create the entire new universe with all the complexities like geography, society, culture, economics and add a dash of mysteries to it like a cherry on top. When I realized that Age of Azmoq is Rajamayyoor Sharma’s debut novel, I got extremely jealous. Now as you know about my jealousy about his talent, you must have got some idea about the fabulous world he has created in this book. The book is a story of a Villasboro lad who is out on the quest of getting the justice for his loved ones. But as the title says, “Age of Azmoq, Book 1: The Valentian Imperium’, this is just the first book of the series. We are in for a long journey through this fantasy world containing rarest and most coveted metal, Azmoq. Though I am not much of a book series fan, I am very excited for the next one.

The way Sharma open up the secrets throughout the book is the most fascinating part. You are told only those things which you need to understand the events described in next few pages. Small nuggets of knowledge about mysteries and legends from past are revealed on a ‘need to know’ basis. Along with these nuggets, you get the staple doses of wisdom. It’s not unique to find such small bits of wisdom in a fantasy, we have had the wisdom of General Iroh in Avatar: the last airbender. Rajamayyor has mastered the same perfect blend. I like the contrast between the protagonist’s optimistic nature who wants to put everything to the good use in spite of the whole world is busy in the power struggle and putting the Azmoq in use only for its destructive powers.

I am very thankful to Rajamayyor that he did the amazing thing of self-publishing the book. I have few suggestions for the printing and font. The small font makes it bit tough to read but thanks to the captivating plot, I didn’t even think of leaving it halfway. Being a mapmaker by profession, I am very much aware of the difficulties in designing a cool map even of the known world. However, illustrators had done a great job of producing a map of a fantasy world. It would have been great and more easy to understand the geography if the map could be printed in a larger size. Other illustrations in the book are as cool as the map.

I am glad that even after doing MBA from IIM Bangalore and engineering from a prestigious BITS Pilani, Rajamayyor has not walked on the set path of writing same old ‘on-off college romance’ novels. Instead, he came up with this amazing idea of creating a series of novels which will be a tale of Azmoqian legends and mysteries which can make you most powerful in the world if you wield it. All in all, It’s a wonderful enticing read. Go grab your copy from nearest bookstores or hit on the links below.

My rating: 3.5/5

Paperback
Publisher: Self Published (2018)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1976882087
ISBN-13: 978-1976882081
Product Dimensions: 13.3 x 2.8 x 20.3 cm

Amazon

April 3, 2018