Languages of Truth: Essays 2003-2020 by Salman Rushdie

I've read three of his books and this is fourth and I'm writing it here not as a fan but someone who appreciates his style of writing. I never found them magical even if they call them magical realism. All I was looking for was a good story and it never disappoints you.

This one is a non-fiction which is a collection of essays, memoirs, and anecdotes. It is more of thoughts on stories rather than being a story. So, you can call it a story of stories if that helps.

Saying things in the easiest way possible is the sign of genius. A thing well said is half done. And this simplicity I have always enjoyed in his writing and when I was reading this one it was easy to understand without a lot of pomp. It never dulls the reading and keeps you engaged with the content rather than getting stuck in deciphering the content.

A world of stories is always fascinating and a good story is good irrespective of language or time it was told. A good one is going to be timeless and it is not just the moral ones that survive. They may have stood strong through the test of time but even the not so moral ones survived for long. These stories tell you the things which you may not hear otherwise. It is the attraction of the unknown that brings us to them. A lot of stories specially which are autobiographical in treatment may lead to some voyeuristic pleasures but in a whole they are just stories.

I hope we keep celebrating these stories not just for the entertainment but how they define us as a human being - the only storyteller among all the inhabitants of this planet.

Peace

Interpreter of Maladies and Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri

I got a combo of two books and just picked it up. I was interested in Namesake more but a collection of stories doesn't hurt.

So, Namesake was on the list since the movie was out more than a decade ago. I watched it long back and wanted to read the book. So, here I got it.

But before Namesake I read the stories and one of which became the title of the story collection (interpreter of maladies).

Most of the stories have immigrants as the main characters, and I was not surprised to see that Namesake sounds more like the extension of these stories because it has a similar theme. You can practically say that the stories were the trailer for Namesake.

First thing, the movie has cut down a lot of details and built on some others but that has more to do with the medium (book vs movie).

Second thing, the book is definitely worth a read if you liked the movie.

Last thing, is more of a thought on immigrants. Do all the immigrants are bitten by that travel bug which brings you to these countries where you don't have anything in common but your curiosity got you there? Or this is just a better job/life prospects that bring you here? Is it an act of refuge to get away from anything that you are facing right now? The list can be longer because everyone has their own reason. And it is very common to see them struggle, be in denial, being miserable or even being successful which is all part of a game.

So if you're there, just hang on and don't forget why did you come in the first place.

Love

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

In a royal conflict it is always obscure to pinpoint a single reason which is responsible for the whole mayhem. It can be anything from jealousy, lust, or rivalry to power, domination or greed. I do hear the arguments as the justifications that this is a primitive human nature which we couldn't evolve from. The whole idea of being an authority/power in the name of divine or intellectual is a botched attempt to over simplify the things which does more harm than the actual events.

I read the 600+ pages in a real long time because a lot of time it was difficult to focus on the plot when you don't remember the dynamics between the different characters (coming form a family or a camp or neutral). This revolves around the England in 1520 and what role did Thomas Cromwell played in the politics of kings, queens, church and noble men.

I don't have the courage to give a brief of such a big book here but the reasons I mentioned above can pretty much summarises how most of the characters behave. Their actions are based on one of the above irrespective of their stature in the society. They are always chasing one or the other oblivion to the other things until they face the consequences. 

As of now I'm still digesting it and not sure if I like this or not but this is the first book in the trilogy which Hilary Mantel has written and I'm not going to read the rest of them.

Peace

Under the Wave at Waimea by Paul Theroux

This is a story of a surfer Joe Sharky whose best days are behind him. A surfer who didn't anything in his life apart from surfing. Surfing sounds exotic for the story but if you replace him with any other trade the story would have left you the same way.

The turning point of the story is definitely an accident and how it jolted his routine life to bring him to introspection.

There are some minor characters who are portrayed as eager to exchange lives with our surfer because he is presumed to have the best of lives. But that again comes back to the point that he might have been an singer, dancer, painter or what not and people would have said the things (in the novel too).

The downside was that in the 400 pages it was a bit repetitive a lot. But that can be the writer's style as well.

Maybe not the best one but I did get to know some words in Hawaiian which has a really deep meaning. And yes, Pakalolo :) 

Love

The Food of the Gods by H.G. Wells

 Not a fan of science fiction but why not sometimes.

So, I picked this up and any fan of sci-fi fantasies would swear by Wells. He brought up so many of the concepts which were not only ingenious but also philosophical in nature. It brings a different kind of reality to the forefront which leaves you comparing your current reality to it, and being successful in finding some of the definite matches.

This one revolves around a scientific invention which make the ordinary subjects of giant size. This chemical is called food of the gods because this puts the mere humans to an inhumanly growth.

It was all going fine until one day the humans start seeing these giants as their rival. A threat to their own existence. A crisis which can end the current form of humans as the giants roam the earth.

If you look closely the giants are just humans with a bigger body. They have the same thoughts, feelings, and hunger as any other human of a different size. But this difference goes deeper than just being the physical one. It brings out the fear of a society which only understands the language of power. A grammar of victor and the loser. And before it goes out of hand they want to do what power tells you to do - crush what you don't understand.

Different species on the planet respond to their survival calls. Which is one of the reason that we see the clash between the hunter and the hunted. But it is not always the strongest that survive. It is always the adaptable who see it to the end.

But that is more rational thought and in the real world people go with prejudice and group thinking. Which means that there is no thought.

I don't consider this last line as a spoiler but the book doesn't have a traditional ending which gives you a champion but it ends on a note that opens up the possibilities of choice, and that is a fine ending.

Peace

Chances Are... by Richard Russo

 Hell we love a story well told.

This sounds too dramatic sometimes with love, friendship, college days, vacations, a lot crazy and music all mixed up in one with a bit of suspense in between.

But it is all worth reading the book.

How far do we go for our love and friends. It may take a lifetime to know the value of it. Also, does the unsuccessful love stories make the lives better. Maybe just that one unfulfilled desire keeps you going. Not waiting for anything to happen but still waiting that if it ever comes to happening you are still around to witness it.

Worth a read if you're looking for a good story.

Love!