Right from our childhood we have been told this is an epic story that is a classic book. I always use to wonder who makes them epics or what do they contain to be termed as classics. If you also would like to know then this is a book for you – Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
In case you are wondering like me what a Geisha is – It is a Girl who performs at tea houses in Japan. I always wanted to know nuances and aspects of different cultures and when twined with such a touching story it becomes a lethal combination. It all starts with two young girls in a Japanese village and moved on to their life which has succumbed to the circumstantial and fatal blows of life. Entire childhood went into coming terms with the new found life or rather slavery.
The minute details like dressing, rituals and social intricacies are explained in an elaborative and yet spellbound way. How a girl child is coping with a traumatic childhood with a little bit of vengeance and indifference together and then fighting back to rule (or if not “rule” then to make her place in) the same society is remarkable. Very subtly Arthur has roped in a love story in the entire second half of the book which comes in the fore front towards the end. You would experience the meaning of “Memoirs” throughout this read.
Ending of the book is apt, character depiction is marvelous and I feel overall this score above then most of the books I have read so far.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Mistry’s FINE BALANCE
By now it must be evident that I am having an “all asian fest” in my literary world and the writer of the month is Rohinton Mistry. Have been hearing about him for a long time and finally decided to have a go at “A Fine Balance”.
The story revolves around the lives of a group of people during emergency times in India. This group is a mix of an old generation Parsi Lady, two contemporary tailors and a young ambitious lad. The story starts by bringing this group together and then visiting their life saga individually. I was intrigued with an insight in Parsi culture and at the same time how the caste division was still evident in India after all these years of independence. The young lad represents any of us having our own set of values (which coincidentally does not match with our previous generation each and every time), who is enthusiasts enough to carve a way of his own.
The writing style is gripping and the twists and turns make it a spellbound read, with various characters chipping in seamlessly playing their part and vanishing in an equally unobserving way. Then there comes the ending part which as per me is the most sad and ironical one. The ending of the story is like a series of catastrophe which takes the reader through various emotions and unfortunately all sad and gloomy. Overall a very interesting read but I feel the ending could have been more “balanced”, but as they say for this particular book probably “journey is the reward”.
The story revolves around the lives of a group of people during emergency times in India. This group is a mix of an old generation Parsi Lady, two contemporary tailors and a young ambitious lad. The story starts by bringing this group together and then visiting their life saga individually. I was intrigued with an insight in Parsi culture and at the same time how the caste division was still evident in India after all these years of independence. The young lad represents any of us having our own set of values (which coincidentally does not match with our previous generation each and every time), who is enthusiasts enough to carve a way of his own.
The writing style is gripping and the twists and turns make it a spellbound read, with various characters chipping in seamlessly playing their part and vanishing in an equally unobserving way. Then there comes the ending part which as per me is the most sad and ironical one. The ending of the story is like a series of catastrophe which takes the reader through various emotions and unfortunately all sad and gloomy. Overall a very interesting read but I feel the ending could have been more “balanced”, but as they say for this particular book probably “journey is the reward”.
Monday, September 3, 2007
"That thing called love......"
This was my latest venture into light reading. Tuhin A Sinha has weaved a lot of characters together with a spicy tadka of cosmopolitan values and the contemporary relationships. Have you seen the movie “Metro”, if yes and you liked it then you may love to read this as well.
Though I was slightly disappointed as I felt it is written by taking into consideration the commercial aspect of selling the book by making it “James Hadlee Chaeez”. The intricacies of relationships are explained at a much shallow level and the details of physical intimacies are as good as a playboy article. It starts in the same way as “One night @ call center” where the storyline and the characters are established. Thereafter it took off like a soap opera with episodes full of situations, twists and turns.
The only thing I like about the book is the situational context which at times becomes very intriguing and relevant. Be it adultery, sacrifice or lust. The book ends with one to one culmination of all the stories and brining them to logical / philosophical ending. One or two endings might also remind you of “Arth” (Hindi Movie), but again it would not be fair to draw parallels as most of the endings are a lift offs and fail to tantalize your literary buds.
Though I was slightly disappointed as I felt it is written by taking into consideration the commercial aspect of selling the book by making it “James Hadlee Chaeez”. The intricacies of relationships are explained at a much shallow level and the details of physical intimacies are as good as a playboy article. It starts in the same way as “One night @ call center” where the storyline and the characters are established. Thereafter it took off like a soap opera with episodes full of situations, twists and turns.
The only thing I like about the book is the situational context which at times becomes very intriguing and relevant. Be it adultery, sacrifice or lust. The book ends with one to one culmination of all the stories and brining them to logical / philosophical ending. One or two endings might also remind you of “Arth” (Hindi Movie), but again it would not be fair to draw parallels as most of the endings are a lift offs and fail to tantalize your literary buds.
Thursday, August 9, 2007
(Maxi)mum-bai City
I was given a very lucrative offer in the start of my career in Mumbai. I couldn’t take it as they wanted me to relocate to Mumbai. No offence to mumbaikars but I feel Mumbai is a love-hate city (People either love it to the extent of swearing by it or do not want to be there at all).
A month back I happen to get my hands on “Maximum City” by Suketu Mehta which has presented the Mumbai city in a different way (to me at least). The book started by establishing his long lost connection with the city and drawing out interesting comparison between then and now. Slowly it becomes more generic where it talks about various facets of Mumbai like the underworld, the cops, the pros, film industry and roping into all this is the common man’s life.
The real life depiction and the nitty gritty’s make it very easy for the reader to associate with it and understand it. In between it also has a subtle class in capturing emotions, aspirations and dreams. This could strike well with the readers who are neither fiction obsessed nor heavy on class and serious literature.
At the end I would say a slightly elaborative read but gripping and worth a read.
A month back I happen to get my hands on “Maximum City” by Suketu Mehta which has presented the Mumbai city in a different way (to me at least). The book started by establishing his long lost connection with the city and drawing out interesting comparison between then and now. Slowly it becomes more generic where it talks about various facets of Mumbai like the underworld, the cops, the pros, film industry and roping into all this is the common man’s life.
The real life depiction and the nitty gritty’s make it very easy for the reader to associate with it and understand it. In between it also has a subtle class in capturing emotions, aspirations and dreams. This could strike well with the readers who are neither fiction obsessed nor heavy on class and serious literature.
At the end I would say a slightly elaborative read but gripping and worth a read.
Friday, July 27, 2007
Coming out of Age
I am very content today, finished a long pending game of AoE by winning it. AoE (Age of Empires) for me is more then a game and even at times I wonder is it's more then a cult.
I am a post grad, a professional in my late twenties and still interested in a game, sounds alien / childish / stupid to my parent's generation. But what is it which attracts me towards it, it allows me the freedom to form strategies, execute them and live them irrespective of the result.
We can say this is what we normally do in our lives.....think again? No I am not cribbing about life just that this enriches my life by making me content and bringing some entertainment value.
Out of varios versions rolled out by Ensemble Studio I loved AoE2, the reason being the right mix (for me) of visuals, strategy and features.
Have a go and you may also like it demo versions is available on the web........
I am a post grad, a professional in my late twenties and still interested in a game, sounds alien / childish / stupid to my parent's generation. But what is it which attracts me towards it, it allows me the freedom to form strategies, execute them and live them irrespective of the result.
We can say this is what we normally do in our lives.....think again? No I am not cribbing about life just that this enriches my life by making me content and bringing some entertainment value.
Out of varios versions rolled out by Ensemble Studio I loved AoE2, the reason being the right mix (for me) of visuals, strategy and features.
Have a go and you may also like it demo versions is available on the web........
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Why Black
Black..... color to start the blog. Gloomy, dull, non legible.
Yet I think I was adequately inspired by the concept of blackle.com. So here I am posting the first blog entry, what more to come....I do not know exactly but probably I would love sharing all the major and minor aspects.....hey nice name "Aspects". Lo I got the title for my blog.
The aspects would range from a book review (The kite runner, being the latest I read), to invetsment, to guitar chords to gaming (with AOE, my favorite)
What not to expect from aspect is simple - my daily routine :-), moral debates, indian economy, politics and sports and other related topics
So keep watching the space (courtesy Lowe's)
Yet I think I was adequately inspired by the concept of blackle.com. So here I am posting the first blog entry, what more to come....I do not know exactly but probably I would love sharing all the major and minor aspects.....hey nice name "Aspects". Lo I got the title for my blog.
The aspects would range from a book review (The kite runner, being the latest I read), to invetsment, to guitar chords to gaming (with AOE, my favorite)
What not to expect from aspect is simple - my daily routine :-), moral debates, indian economy, politics and sports and other related topics
So keep watching the space (courtesy Lowe's)
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