Civilized to Death by Christopher Ryan

Was it a good thing that we moved from the foragers to what we're today. Rather than calling it civilisation, we can call if the evolution was good or bad for humans (and for the whole ecosystem).

We evolved over a really long period of time. The modern era is comparatively tiny when we started on the wave of modernisation and advancement in all the fields with growing our knowledge leaps and bounds. The author tries to put a perspective that humans had a choice to stay the way we were but we chose to be different. We made a mistake by exploring how to increase the comfort and change the way we live. This in turn improved a lot of vital factors but we paid a price for that.

Unfortunately or otherwise, we always pay a price for the changes (not just for the material things), and the complicated part is that we don't realise the full potential of a life choice when we're actually making it. It shows up only in hindsight.

Another argument is that we're living longer but is this long life free from the ailments of old age. Are we the healthiest version of ourselves when we get old. Well, we're not in our best of our health even when we're young. Of course, one can counter it with the lifestyle diseases but will that stop us.

And the last thing about contentment and happiness. Are our fellow beings (animals) happier than us? Is this is a state of living or a state of mind? Does our modern day comforts do anything to make our life any better or worse? The best way is to not over generalise the outcomes.

There are some passages which sound like a rant but a reader can differ.

We may not agree on a lot of points but it is good to be aware of different thoughts. And yes, this is not a made up of things by rich.

Legacy of Violence by Caroline Elkins

This is not the first record of violence but it is very well comprehended to include all the "colonies" and how the whole empire was run with consent of everyone who could make a difference.

It is difficult to challenge the status quo, specially when doing nothing can get you far with all your desires, needs, and a stupid sense of accomplishments. The whole narrative of civilising the world was nothing but a mirage of self satisfaction, and it went so far that it made everything else so minuscule in comparison to the fake grand promise of improving subjects' lives at the cost of killing them.

There will be no end to this as more and more resources will appear in public domain. However, that doesn't do much to change the narrative which starts and ends with greatness.

No number of fallen statues and reparations can wipe the memory of atrocities done to improve the lives of a few. Specially with the whole glorification, and bring back empire campaigns are going big and strong.

We learn from the history that we never learn from the history.

Peace

Richard Feynman by John Gribbin

Myths are born or they are made?

Reading this one looks like a myth making. This is full of anecdotes and statements from the friends and colleagues for Feynman. Plus it explains a lot of scientific ideas which it is not as good as Feynman would have loved it to be.

Feynman singlehandedly changed the whole understanding and perception of quantum physics/mechanics. He prepared the ground for the future researches in this field. But the most important part of his legacy is his teaching. He somewhere claimed that he couldn't prepare his students in the best way possible but his lectures are one of the most amazing source of learning physics. Maybe he couldn't nourish the curiosity in others as well as he did for himself for which he gave credit to his parents.

It was difficult to believe a lot of instances where he come up with solutions over a night which others were struggling for months or years, but this is not a unique thing that one generally hears about someone labelled as genius. When I was reading Mozart's biography as well, one of the key point which the writer mentioned from the reference of different sources was that he could do a lot of things in parallel to music making. He could dance, play pool, and while away but still making music in his head.

Does these abilities come naturally or we pick them up at the very young age? Feynman said he was not brilliant but just studied hard. This was easy to say if you are Feynman.

Love

Why They Killed Gandhi : Unmasking the ideology and the conspiracy by Ashok Kumar Pandey

This is rather a small book for such a big topic but this goes deep into a lot of documents and statements around Gandhi's assassination.

Its very difficult to bring all the perpetrators to light forget about justice but the books like this can make one think about how dark thoughts can lead you to devastating actions.

An accused was allowed to speak for hours justifying his crime, and the debate is still on whether it was right or wrong tells the sorry state of things.

A bullet can't kill an idea but it can definitely create a lot of space to put the wrong ones around the right one.

Peace

The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

 Nope, not this one!

Mythology is the best place to take inspirations for any literary work because it gives you the freedom of interpreting the essence of myths from various point of views.

This one takes inspiration from Mahabharat and tries to tell the story from Draupadi's point of view. It doesn't matter how a reader connects with the original character, the retelling can't be the rephrasing of the whole plot. Which unfortunately is true in this case.

The whole books doesn't really offer a new perspective on Mahabharat but just tells the same story with Draupadi mostly adding the ambience (hills, palace, trees, garden etc). But this is a common pitfalls for the authors retelling the stories, when the original is so profound.

It might be slightly different in case of unknown ones from different countries or cultures but that is not the case here.

Maybe not worth reading if you know the original one.

Love

Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart

This one for Booker prize.

Alcohol is a real problem, and been responsible for the destruction of a lot of families. But it does show up in its worst form in a self destructive personality. First, it doesn't let you accept the issue, and second it will never let you accept some real help.

The plot is good, and does come with its own twists and turns but eventually this one is more of a story of a kid coming to age in as twisted way as possible. But the hardships in life make people a different person based on what they choose to be. The things they want to remember and forget from the past. And where/in whom they find solace.

Peace

A Good Provider Is One Who Leaves by Jason DeParle

Immersion journalism is a new word. The approach is not being just a bystander reporting hard facts but also being the part of the life of the subjects.

This was a really good account to read from a different journalistic approach. It tells the story of a Filipino family where a mother moves from a ghetto of Philippines to the US hospitals as a nurse. And how the whole family made the transition from a fragmented family (in different timezones) to a united family in US who ends up winning in their own sense of triumph.

Immigrants are the easiest target in a political game. They look different, and they are most vulnerable to any kind of attack be it physical or otherwise. More importantly, it is difficult for a lot of people to accept or even tolerate the people they don't understand because of the rhetoric they are served with, which alienates their own experience to a built-up image of immigrants. This is a long debate over the claim to nativity which stands on the very wrong grounds.

This is worth a read to get an idea of what an immigrants world and struggles look like.

Peace

Babel, Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators’ Revolution by R F Kuang

The problem with a fictional account of reality is that sometimes it is difficult to know where the fiction ends, and reality begins. And it has less to do with a writer's ability but a reader's prejudices.

The author has politely suggested that this is a work of fiction, and beyond that everything else stays with the reader. And, yes, eventually it does start sounding like a conspiracy theory in the end with a lot of incorrect history lessons.

It is a mix of Dickens, Harry Potter, tragedies, lost love and self sacrificing zeal, and all of it falls as fast as it flies. It is above 500 pages, and part of it sounds like a page filler rather than supporting the plot.

I'd definitely be not picking up anything from Kuang to avoid mixing the fiction with actual facts. Specially about poppy war.

Love

Mozart: The Reign of Love by Jan Swafford

Mozart is not really a musician which we listen to very often but he is a kind of myth which goes beyond his work. Being unsure between listening and reading, proceed with the later :)

Hence this book which is really a big one. Something which needs to be tracked how much is still left.

The book digs down into different pieces (symphony, opera etc) explaining why it sounds like the way it does or how it developed. Which is obvious from the point that the writer himself is a musician, and has the academic/professional capacity to dissect a music piece like this. But unfortunately it doesn't resonate with an ordinary reader. In fact, after finishing it, I realised that I could have picked something else on this topic.

Doesn't make much sense to give a word on Mozart's greatness but he definitely was a prodigy trained by his father who make it a point that he keeps getting benefitted by Mozart's talents for the rest of his life. Apart from that, most of his life seem to be an ordinary one with worries about a job, house, disease, and love.

Reading such a piece also makes one think that if the greatness it universal or it limits into a certain circle? Does it come with an expiry date beyond which it is not understood/appreciated widely? Anyone can answer this question from one's point about the personalities in the field they are interested in, and that is where the question about the circle is answered. And yes, everything comes with an expiry date.

Love

Sayed Haider Raza: The Journey of an Iconic Artist by Yashodhara Dalmia

Not being much aware of the modern art I was expecting it to be a good one specially about such an established artist.

However, it didn't cover a lot of things which could bring him out as a person, and not focusing too much on his master pieces. It has a good commentary on some of Raza's contemporary artists which gives the glimpse of artists' struggle in those days in India or abroad.

Raza was a real gem who came out shining out of all the adversities just by pulling everything with his passion for art. He not only found his own style but also established himself as a pioneer in modern art and this is not because the auction value at Christies but the emotions his paintings evoked.

A man who painted for the love of it, and lived for it till his last breath.

Love

Against White Feminism by Rafia Zakaria

There will always be a gap between the saviour and the saved. And this gap is for real, and the only thing that can fill this gap is that the saved have to save themselves rather then depending on some outsider.

This is easier said than done because different people are into the saving business for the vested interests. It is nearly impossible to reach a conclusion, and agree to someone who has not been in the soup with you. People do come with their own expertise, perceptions, and pre conceived notions which are difficult to challenge and more difficult to change. And, yes, nobody wants to miss out.

There are a lot of holes in many theories proposed here but this does a good job to bring a lot of points in one place. It elaborates on the struggle of doubling the discrimination but rather then putting it into one basket, it is better to define as a different one. But the fight is for the resources as well. The idea that someone will suddenly start looking at things from your perspective is too much to ask.

You should never pay for Sangria pitcher which you never had, and it starts from there. Plus, no more crying, it doesn't solve anything specially when it comes from a bruised ego, and not helplessness.

Love

Say What? by Doreen Chila-Jones

This will leave you in splits :) 

Some of the most funny, controversial and stupid quotes are here. You might have heard/read a lot of them but nothing beats this compilation.

And, yes, stupidity comes in all shapes and sizes irrespective of whatever else they achieve or do in life :)

Love

God: A Human History by Reza Aslan

This a different perspective on evolution of God.

It is called a human history because it tries to track the God idea from the very initial development of human cognitive abilities to its current form of politicomorphism.

But in essence it doesn't challenge the God as a thought, and ends up promoting a different kind of faith where all faiths are welcome and free to practice independently.

A lot of times the religious practices are labelled as primitive or rooted in fear, and it never stands against the rationality, but the point is not to pit it against rationality. It is more of a haven for human life in the face of difficult situations, and unexplained phenomenon. It look forward to a greater power which can make the things different, and and give a reason to live/appreciate the life itself.

It is not one of his best but worth reading.

Peace

Elektra by Jennifer Saint

We all know the story but sometimes its good to hear it from different mouths.

This one is no different apart from it narrates from the side of the 3 female characters of the story.

As always, this is a myth and a work of imagination. A cluster of stories, and characters which entwine with no end.

The story is immortal but the book will be forgotten as it doesn't really stand out for anything.

Love

Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout

It is difficult to say that Olive is a central character here. The whole book is more like different stories but somehow connected. And Olive gets a mention or appearance (central character many times) in all the stories but the whole construct is so, that it doesn't really bring her into the limelight. And, it still brings her whole image, and personality out even when she is not present.

A story of a whole town, and the families with their own tragedies. The things that they deal with on daily basis. The hopes, desires, disappointments and horrors they have been witness to.

It was a light one to read.

Love

Six Impossible Things by John Gribbin

The difficulty level was quantum :) 

It is a real nice (and quick) read on some of the key principles of quantum mechanics which is supposed to be the most difficult field of study out there. But what makes is difficult is not the principles but the explanation of those ideas in a common language. A lot of these principle work out of the purview of a regular observation capacity which makes it more difficult to find a similar example to explain the phenomenon. When they say that the particle was spinning up or down and the wave was travelling partially in the future and in the past, it is incomprehensible for human faculties.

But just because it is not easy to understand doesn't mean it is not happening. The universe exists even if we don't have a direct observation into it as a whole or in parts. And, the best part is that this field is expanding rapidly with the higher sophistications of instruments that can help run the tests at the quantum level. So, we can expect that in the future we'll have better explanation in what we call as "worldly terms".

You don't need a doctorate to read but it will be a bit difficult to understand specially as a standalone book if you are not privy to some other fields of science and maths which support quantum mechanics.

And, yeah, don't be bothered by multiverse :) 

Peace

Atoms and Ashes by Serhii Plokhy

This one is about the nuclear accidents, and is a record of all the key events during those accidents. It covers the six major disasters in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. This is something which was something more relevant to read with the war going around a nuclear power plant, and thinking about one miscalculation which can lead to another disaster, which will be unfortunate given that both the sides had been witness to one of the worst of the six.

Doesn't make sense to go through a summary of all six here but the main reason which one can gather is that the designs were not perfect. They were/are the best of their times but sometimes even the best is not enough. Some of these designs flaws got aggravated by human error in handling the setup which eventually come to a shape of a disaster followed by evacuation, casualties, and long term after effects.

The science of Nuclear is quite old since we started understanding how we can harness the energy at an atomic and sub-atomic levels. But putting this into action was always a challenge. There were multiple designs which tried to operationalise the whole process but none of them is meltdown proof. In fact, the latest one at Fukushima was caused by a rare (not unforeseen) external cause, tsunami.

There is always a balancing act to find out what factors of safety we can play with. Choosing between a less efficient and more polluting fossil fuel energy against a more efficient and less polluting but with catastrophic long term consequences is not an easy.

But there is optimism in expecting a future technology which will be better controlled (not meltdown proof) which comes with discipline of operations, and prepared for the possible natural or other events.

Peace

By the Sea by Abdulrazak Gurnah

Of course for the Nobel prize winner :)

Story told by a broken man (Saleh Omar) who moves from Zanjibar to Gatwick in the old age. With no purpose left in life apart from just live the life. But the arrival in a different country brought back the memories of a life time not only for Saleh but also the forgotten son of his namesake.

Both of them cleanse themselves from the burden of the life when they found a lost relation in each other.

We rarely get to know the consequences of our actions, specially the ones driven by stupidity but when it does it brings back the futility of all the things which were given undue importance. But those mistakes are the important part of our human side which is more prone to make mistakes based on the reasons which even we don't understand. But the salvation lies in accepting them and moving on to be a different person, hopefully better.

Peace

The Molecule of More by Daniel Z. Lieberman

Dopamine is an old story now. The science is still researching all its affects but there is already some good content available all over the net.

When I picked this one, I was not aware that this is around dopamine otherwise may have not. And after finishing it I didn't get to know anything new that is out there. Most of the things mentioned in this book can actually be summarised in a well written article.

The only plus point was to have the stories with some use cases of dopamine going up/down or how it interacts with other neurotransmitters in the brain. But that was more decorative, and not really a value add.

For a real read on dopamine, maybe a good article but not this one.

Peace

The Children of Jocasta by Natalie Haynes

Ever heard about Oedipus complex? It is a psychoanalytic theory by Sigmund Freud.

I heard about this complex long back but never gave it much thought. It was a bit absurd but that was what makes it complex. But like a lot of other theories, this one is also comes from Greek mythology where an abandoned boy eventually killed his king father and married her mother (without knowing).

This is a story and like all the mythological ones, this comes with cues, symbols and imagination. There is no real evidence that such a behaviour exists but a form of over possessiveness by kids towards parents which leads to more complications in the adult age is qualified as Oedipus complex. It rarely has any marriage or sexual consequences involved but a twisted emotions between the parents and children.

And, that is the part which gives the writers a lot of room to imagine and retell the old myths. This one is exactly the same. It tells the story of past and present together, one chapter after the other, which is, at times, a bit confusing to connect while reading. But the story eventually comes out well.

Most of the storyline is same which you can find in any traditional Greek mythology book, and it is the work of the writer to put flesh and meet on the bones (the basic structure of the story).

It is not the best fiction on Greek mythology but if you don't know much about the myth, it might interest you. And, it does leave you with puzzling about what was true because there was none.

Love