Message to the Modern World by Chief Si'ahl

During my recent trip to Seattle, I learnt about the city's history and our tour guide recommended we read a speech by Chief Si'ahl after whom the city is named. I was very impressed by the speech and so have shared the URLbelow:

 http://www.studiesincomparativereligion.com/public/articles/Message_to_the_Modern_World-by_Chief_Seattle.as

 

The Girl Who Played With Fire

After reading the poetic and literary beauty 'One hundred years of solitude,' I was looking for a quick read and so I picked 'The girl who played with fire'-the second novel in The Millennium series by Steig Larsson. I had read 'The girl with the dragon tattoo' a couple of months ago and was completely enamored by it.
 

The first book took me by complete surprise. The plot was intriguing and the characters unique. Especially Lisbeth Salander-the protagonist was so different from any of the novels I have read so far. The saga of the Vangar family was filled with drama and mystery. I liked the fact that it was a very fast paced novel with several twists and turns. It was a thoroughly enjoyable mystery novel.
 

Obviously, my expectations were quite high from the second novel. It is a great book but somehow lacks the same grip as the first one. On its own it is brilliant but in comparison to the first one and as a sequel, I was a little disappointed. The adventures of Lisbeth Salander and Michael Blomkvist continue and several characters from the first novel play important roles in this one. I finished the book in two days straight. That has to say something about how much the book can involve you but at the end of it something feels incomplete. Maybe I shouldn't have had such high expectations and I could have enjoyed the book a little better.
 

I am yet to read the last of the trilogy 'The girl who kicked the hornet's nest.' The unusual personality of Lisbeth is the biggest highlight of this series. Her background, talents and experiences are what make the books so popular and interesting.

One Hundred Years of Solitude

After falling in love with 'Love in the time of Cholera' and 'Chronicles of a death foretold', I got my hands on yet another Gabriel Garcia Marquez novel-One hundred years of solitude. I was prepared to have my mind blown away by the Nobel prize winning author. And I was not disappointed.

The novel is a saga of the rise and fall of a fictitious town Macondo through the story of several generations of the crazy Buendia family. There are so many characters and each one of them has a strong distinctive personality yet they all share a common fate because they are of Buendia blood. Much as I tried, I could not pick a favorite as each one of them is so real with their strength and flaws yet equally unreal with their own bizarre and almost supernatural traits.

Best known for its magic realism genre, this novel does not care or pass a judgement about moral or immoral. The characters simply behave according to their inherent nature. There are so many sub plots, themes and motifs in the character yet without overwhelming or confusing, it intrigues and evokes strong emotions in the reader's mind. The novel is an absolute treat for anyone who enjoys literature.The plot is linear with occasional flashbacks, language poetic and the plot fascinating. What I loved the most was the way the writer connects characters from the past with current events depicting the shared fate of the Buendias through generations. The hopes, dreams, fears, mistakes and quirkiness even though different have an underlying common point and that unites the entire novel through six generations.

After completing the novel, I feel an emptiness inside me which I think will be filled only by starting yet another of the master's novel.

Books -2013

For quite some time, I've thought about making a list of all the books I've read this year to keep track of my reading. The ones I can remember so far are:

1.  Jonathan Livingston Seagull-Richard Bach
2. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo-Stieg Larsson
3. Deception Point-Dan Brown
4. God of Small Things-Arundhati Roy
5. Love in the Time of Cholera-Gabriel Garcia Marquez
6. Chronicles of a death foretold-Gabriel Garcia Marquez
7. One hundred years of Solitude-Gabriel Garcia Marquez
8. Trading Up-Candace Bushnell   
9. The Girl who played with fire-Stieg Larsson 
10. And Then there were none-Agatha Christie 
11. The Good Conscience-Carlos Fuentes 
12. The Girl with a pearl earring-Tracy Chevalier 
13. Death on the Nile-Agatha Christie

I hope to see at least a couple more added to this list by the end of this year. Will keep updating. 

Deception Point

I just finished reading Deception Point by Dan Brown and I knew I had to write a review for it. I've read Dan Brown's 'The Da Vinci Code' and 'Digital Fortress' before and was very impressed by his super fast narrative and action packed story. Deception Point did not disappoint me at all.

Similar to his other book, this novel is also unfolds in twenty four hours. The protagonist is Rachel Sexton, a National Reconnaissance Office employee who is sent by the President to authenticate the NASA's recent discovery. With the help of two other civilian scientists, she uncovers the fraud that is being staged as the scientific discovery of the century. Do they manage to escape from there and expose the fraud in time forms the rest of the story.

In depth research in the technology used by the government agency as well as about meteorite, fossils and glaciers has been done by the author. There is never a dull moment in the book and enough twists and turns in the story to keep the reader engaged. The writing is simple and peppered with witty dialogues. The novel has a healthy dose of politics, science, technology, action and emotions.


On the whole it is a very entertaining novel that keeps the reader guessing and interested throughout.

Delusion Angel: Poem By David Jewell

Last evening, I saw the movie 'Before Sunrise,' again after nearly five years. And I found it just as refreshing and romantic as the first time I watched it. In one of the scenes, the couple in the film meets a poet on the streets who offers to write them a poem with a word of their choice for money. They choose the word 'milkshake' and this is the poem he writes for them. This was originally written by David Jewell and I find it utterly cute and romantic.


Daydream delusion,
limousine eyelash,
oh, baby with your pretty face,
drop a tear in my wineglass,
look at those big eyes,
see what you mean to me,
sweet cakes and milkshakes,
I am a delusioned angel,
I am a fantasy parade,
I want you to know what I think,
dont want you to guess anymore,
you have no idea where I came from,
we have no idea where we’re going,
launched in life,
like branches in the river,
flowing downstream,
caught in the current,
I’ll carry you, you’ll carry me,
that’s how it could be,
don’t you know me?
don’t you know me by now?

Weary Soles

During one of the meetups recently, I mentioned that I have a travel blog where I jot down my experiences and life in the US. This conversation got me thinking about how moving to a new city not only gives you several experiences but also affects your life forever.

I’ve had several big moves in my life so far. The first one being right after high school-from Pune to Coimbatore. Strangely, I wasn’t nervous or scared at all. I was looking forward to it and somehow knew that amazing things are in store for me there. And I was right! 

Coimbatore, a sleepy city at the foothills of Ooty, was different from the big bustling city of Pune in every conceivable way. The society was very conservative, I didn’t speak the language, I had no friends, heck I even had to change my entire wardrobe to suit the traditional environment. But a very strange thing happened. I started to fall in love with it-not overnight, but over time. I truly believe that the place a city holds in your heart depends on the friends you make there. I was blessed to meet an amazing group of friends –on the first day of college. Boy, was I lucky! This group of friends made the torturous college life a wonderful collage of fun filled memories.  I wasn’t made to feel like an outcast for being different or not knowing the language. In fact, I was helped every step of the way. I did not feel the pain of being away from a city that I had grown up in. I started to adapt the language, culture and eventually the soul of the city. So much so that when someone asks me where I am from, I say ‘Coimbatore’ without hesitation.  This city gave me friends, education, job, memories and a confidence to be the best at whatever I wanted. 

The next move came with graduating college. I got my first job and had to move to Hyderabad. From the familiar and sheltered embrace of my adopted home, I had to move to another big city. Somehow, I’m particularly good with dealing with moves and I was looking forward to it with anticipation. No nervousness whatsoever! I expected, rather naively, that Hyderabad had many wonderful things to offer just like Coimbatore. And how wrong I was! I realized that my optimism wasn’t sufficient to deal with the problems of the grown up world like roommates, job, self-discovery, loneliness and the ordeal of groom-hunting. Sure, I had some good times- I traveled quite a bit, made some good friends and enjoyed my work. Above all, I rediscovered old ties that blossomed into deep, meaningful friendship and helped me grow and heal. No surprises there that all these ties somehow belonged to Coimbatore. 

And then I got married! Another move-this time to Bangalore. Need I mention that I was excited and happy about the move? I stayed there exactly for a year and I knew from the beginning that I didn’t belong there. The charm that people associate with this city was lost on me. Maybe I didn’t spend enough time there to explore it fully. My stay was filled with several weekend trips-mostly the mandatory family visits, some fun travel. Coupled with the fact that I was going through a whole new phase in my life, I didn’t have any time to really connect with the city. I didn’t make any friends either so that is also another reason why I have no special memories of this place. The only ones I cherish are the short weekend visits from Hyderabad before I got married.

The most recent move was to the US. I relocated to the San Francisco Bay area almost a year ago. Moving to a strange new country comes with its perks. Exciting places to visit, new cuisines to explore, a different culture to experience and a chance to meet new people and make friends. So far things have been quite good. I have been busy setting up our new house, exploring the different cuisines, traveling to new places. Haven’t really made too many friends around but I’m quite hopeful. Unlike all my previous moves, this one has been the biggest and so I’m willing to give it more time before assessing it. Living in the US has definitely changed my outlook, personality, lifestyle in a lot of different ways but I guess it is still too early. That's a story for another post in the future!

Love in the time of cholera

I picked up this book from the book sale as the title was quite intriguing. And it has been a while since I read a love story.

'Love in the time of cholera,' the English translation of a Spanish novel by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, is an enchanting love story spanning an entire lifetime. Fermina Daza, the female protagonist, is the love interest of the intensely romantic Florentino Ariza. She marries Dr. Juvenal Urbino who  represents everything that Florentino is not-rich, powerful, respected and logical.  The story follows the adolescent love affair between Fermina and Florentino and the latter's rejection at the hands of the former. Unlike any other jilted lover, Florentino doesn't go into depression. Instead he decides to wait until Dr. Urbino dies to repeat his vow of everlasting love to Fermina. He takes to having several lovers during this time to help him get over his pain. And when the opportunity arrives after half a century, he does exactly what he had intended. 

I'm floored by the author's complete command over the language and the ease with which he paints beautiful pictures with words. The reader actually gets to experience life in the Caribbean complete with the landscape, superstitious beliefs, troubling times during the war both civil and against cholera along with the way of life of the Caribbean. This book evokes a strong desire in my heart to learn Spanish to relish the original version of the book. 

The characters are so well sketched out that they seem real. Each character has their unique quirks-Fermina has her haughtiness, Florentino his poetry and optimism and Dr Urbino has his passion to be a role model in the society. One can completely relate and sympathise with each one without being biased. 

The novel portrays different kinds of love with varying intensity-each having its own place in life. For example the puerile love between teenagers, the mature love between a husband and wife of many years and the love based on friendship and understanding in the later years. It reinforces my belief that life is nothing without love. 

I did watch the movie based on the novel and it was quite disappointing. It failed to capture the essence of this great novel and just focussed on running through the story. It simply did not convey any of the feelings or emotions. Although I did like one song which is quite haunting.

Kai Po Che

I watched Kai Po Che as part of a new meetup group that I had joined. Based on the highly popular Chetan Bhagat novel 'The 3 mistakes of my life,' it is a powerful tale of friendship, love and emotions. Although Chetan Bhagat may not be the best literary writer in the country, he understands the pulse of the Indian middle class and has a talent of creating simple, heartfelt stories that instantly connect.

The film follows the life of 3 friends-Ishaan, Govind and Omi played by newcomers Sushant Singh Rajput, Rajkumar Yadav and Amit Sadh. Born in a middle class Gujrati family, the dreams, aspirations and struggles of the trio is beautifully captured by director Abhishek Kapoor.

What really works for the film is the middle class characters to which the masses can relate to. Whether it is the miser yet grounded Govind, the selfless, passionate and hot headed Ishaan,  the bubbly Vidya or the loyal yet confused Omi, every character is well sketched out and each actor slips into their role with ease. The surprise package for me in the film was Sushant Singh Rajput. He plays Ishaan with utmost sincerity and is highly convincing.

There are no unnecessary songs or cliched dialogues. There is not a single dull moment in the entire film and the director knows how to keep the audience engrossed. The love story between Vidya and Govind is subtle and believable. The portrayal of the earthquake and the riots is also underplayed without taking away from the impact it was intended to create.

Music by Amit Trivedi is very refreshing especially the 'Manjha' song which fits in very well with the mood of the movie.

The dramatic climax is unexpected and leaves the audience emotional and makes Ishaan even more endearing.

Overall, this film has all the ingredients that are an integral part of middle class Indian life-emotions, drama, love, religion, politics and cricket. The writer and director have done a great job of blending these together to produce this brilliant film without succumbing to the danger of becoming an over the top Bollywood masala movie.

Special 26

I just got back home after watching 'Special 26' with 2 of my new friends. To put it simply, I loved the movie. After having read glowing reviews about the film, I had high expectations and boy was I impressed!

Brilliant script, tight screenplay, perfect comedy, superb acting and outstanding direction.

The film is set in 1987 and based on true incidents. It narrates the story of four con men who loot businessmen and politicians posing as CBI or Income Tax officers. It beautifully recreates India of the 80s. Akshay Kumar plays the lead while Anupam Kher, Manoj Bajpai and Jimmy Shergill are the supporting cast. Divya Dutta and Kajal Agarwal-the only two female characters in the film are wasted.

I personally liked Manoj Bajpai's performance as the upright (real) CBI officer. The dialogues are a winner and keep you in splits even during intense scenes. Akshay Kumar, who is known for his over the top acting in films like 'Rowdy Rathore' and 'Singh is King' is at ease and convincing as the smart and subdued 'Ajju.' Needless to mention, Anupam Kher brings life to his 'Sharmaji.'

The surprise twist at the end leaves the audience in shock. If you give it more thought (which one shouldn't considering this is a Bollywood film) one can see a few loopholes in the plot but those do not take away from the gripping narrative.

The love story between Akshay and Kajal is a major distraction and adds no value to the film. Even the bhangra number could have been eliminated.

This movie proves that you can make an entertaining film without being ridiculous. It is easily one of the best films in recent times. 

Virtual office

After years of a proper office job, for the first time I am telecommuting. I took it up initially to keep myself busy but now I see that there are quite a few benefits.

-I don't have to waste time every morning trying to decide what to wear to work. I can comfortably work in my PJs and no one cares.

-No worries about catching a cold or flu from sick co-workers.

-No one monitors how many breaks I take as long as work gets done.

-No time wasted in hearing co-workers crib about how the job sucks.

-Play any kind of music I like and at any volume.

-Increased productivity due to no disturbance

-Time spent on commute saved.

Of course, there are flip sides to working from home too.

-No real bond with co-workers.

-Sorting out technology (skype calls being choppy, email overload)

-Miss the watercooler chatter.

-Eat lunch alone.

As of now, I enjoy the freedom and flexibility offered by telecommuting. It has been only 2 months and maybe it is too soon to guess whether I prefer this arrangement over an office job. Only time will tell!

Vishwaroopam: Movie Review

After all the controversies related to the movie and V's interest in it, there was no way I could have missed watching it. It has been one week after its US release and is yet to be released in Tamil Nadu.

To be honest, I wasn't quite impressed by the trailer but went to watch the movie to find out for myself what the hullabaloo was all about.

Written and directed by Kamal Haasan, who plays the central character, this film is a treat for all his fans. We see him essay three different looks in the film-the effeminate Kathak teacher, the cool spy and the terrorist in Al-Qaeda camp. It's amazing how he transforms from one character to the other with ease and is highly convincing in each one.


The action scenes are stunning and I would say are the highlights. Some scenes are gory but are handled well and contribute to the mood of the film. Meticulous research has been done for depicting life in Afghanistan and the operations of the terrorist camps. The sets, costumes, and the use of dialogues in Pashto add a great degree of realism to the scenes. No unnecessary songs to interrupt the flow of the film. Having said that, it is a delight to watch the opening Kathak dance sequence.

Despite all these efforts, there are a few loose ends. The cheating wife suddenly getting attracted to her now transformed husband, she being allowed to accompany the FBI during the dangerous operation in the climax, the nuclear oncologist proving her knowledge by stating the atomic number of Cesium look a bit too silly and out of place in an otherwise strong movie. I wasn't too happy with Rahul Bose either. He did not have a strong screen presence and didn't look like the menacing terrorist he was supposed to portray. Andrea's role could have been better developed.

It is sad that a few people vying for political mileage have managed to delay the release of the film. There is nothing remotely controversial or capable of hurting any religious sentiments. 7 cuts for no apparent reason is rather unfair.

Overall, it is a stylish and entertaining spy thriller with a mediocre climax. 

God of small things: Book Review

I had picked up 'God of small things' by Arundhati Roy from a book sale at a local library. I vaguely remembered my friend recommending it to me a while ago and that it was a Booker prize winner. So I thought of giving it a read. And now that I've finished with it, I am so happy that I did. It's one of the most awesome books I've read in quite some time now.

It follows the story of a Syrian christian family in Kerala, while giving us a glimpse of the world through the eyes of children, the caste system and its influence on the actions of people, of love, innocence and hatred.

The plot is strikingly similar to the classic 'To kill a mockingbird' but that doesn't make the book any less worthy of praise. What I like about the book is not so much the story but the narrative. The author has a way of painting pictures through words and they come to life to absorb you into the story. The ability to convey emotions in very simple yet highly effective words is the writer's strength. After reading through the first few chapters, you get a good idea of the story. The beauty is that this doesn't deter the book from being a page-turner.

The details into which the writer goes to establish the characters is simply brilliant. The book throws light on life in Kerala and the caste politics in a very raw and straightforward manner. Love and betrayal are recurring themes in the story. Be it Estha's betray at the hands of the 'Orangedrink Lemondrink' man or Velutha's betray by Estha, each character has their trust destroyed at some point. All these incidents are interconnected and cause the story to progress.

My favorite part of the book is the depiction of the world through the innocent eyes of Estha and Rahel. It portrays how children view the world and how words spoken by adults assume a life of their own. Reading words backwards, blowing spit bubbles or planning to run away from home-all the typical childish behavior is beautifully described and brings the children closer to the reader's heart.

On the whole, this is a must-read for anyone who enjoys a descriptive and emotional novel. Those looking for a quick read without bothering about literary quality of the book may find this disappointing. Justifying its title, the book indeed is about the God of small things and is important and enjoyable for these very small things.

Adieu 2012

Good bye 2012 and welcome 2013. As I look back at the past here, I realize that there have been so many changes in my life.

New job: I started the year with a new job at Adobe. Despite Google being my first love, I absolutely loved my job here. It gave me such a high to be able to create magic with my efforts and have the management look at me with awe. I attended numerous meetings without the slightest fear and always got positive feedback. Nothing can beat the admiration of your colleagues. I got the opportunity to prove to everyone that I am best at what I do. It gave me the much needed confidence boost. Although it was a short stay, it will always stay a memorable experience. 

New country: The BIG move happened mid last year. The entire year saw me and V going crazy making lists and things to do for this move. The planning stage was much more hectic and draining than the actual execution. Nonetheless, it was very exciting. A new beginning to our life!

Travel: Just like 2011, last year was also full of travel. However, 2012 was leisure travel instead of the mad rush for buses and trains like the previous year. I covered Delhi, San Francisco, Coorg, TopSlip, San Diego, Las Vegas!

New hobbies: I started the year with Aerobics and then moved on to Zumba and baking. Throughly enjoyed all of it. Lesson learnt: Food and workout don't go well together. I also chanced up the Silva method and life hasn't been the same. 

Unemployed: The end of the year saw me being jobless for the second time. I didn't complain or feel lonely. Numerous job applications and interview kept me busy. 5 months of not working has made me all the more excited to join a full time job.

I have too many expectations from 2013. I see myself in a dream job, traveling to all the places that I have on my list, getting fitter and healthier and having wonderful friends. I already have a plan in place to achieve all of this. Now to start putting them into action!