Hijab Butch Blues by Lamya H

Can things become as complicated or as simple as we want them to be?

This was such a confused book. It looks like being written by at least 5 different people. On one page the author is ecstatic, fun and lively, and on the next page it is dark and depressing.

Even if you just ignore the haphazard structure of the whole narrative, this looks like a complain book rather than a memoir.

The worst part is identifying with every single character from Quran, which looks like a force fit since the author has not given anything from own account, and just keeps borrowing from other sources.

Maybe not worth a read.

Love

Against the World by Tara Zahra

Why it is complicated to move from one country to another irrespective of the reasons? What are the reasons to keep a geographic region insulated from the rest of the world? Why does the loyalty to a nation state is the first requirement or criteria for being considered as a citizen of the country? How does an idea of resource independence get stronger even at the cost of sacrificing living conditions of its inhabitants? How the narrative of framing people for the bad situation works at a global level?

These are some of the questions which are discussed in this book. It focuses largely at the period between the two world wars but the problems and ideas more or less apply to the current timeframe as well. The idea of finding a scapegoat and pushing a personal agenda on masses is something which has been an integral part of history but it never goes out of style, and just comes back in a new form.

The book doesn't provide an answer but tries to frame the narrative, and leaves it to a reader's own perception to draw a conclusion.

There is nothing like a citizen of the world but we can always hope for a future of humanity which goes beyond the artificial borders, conflicts, and skin colour.

Peace

Forever, Erma by Erma Bombeck

Erma the columnist :)

This is a compilation of Erma's columns which she wrote over the decades.

It covers a lot of day to day mundane things in a funny way (kids, family, marriage, shopping and what not). These are really funny until you start reading them in a single sitting which is a mistake I made. It was funny initially to read but once I was through with the first half, rest sounded more similar to the previous ones. But I'm sure the readers who will be seeing these weekly would have definitely enjoyed all of them.

Comedy is a serious business, and there are some real gems. And, yes it has some serious ones which hit it hard.

Love

Africa Is Not a Country by Dipo Faloyin

What defines a country? Is it a geographical border with the citizens who are harmonised/connected with language, food, culture, God etc or is it a jingoistic world created by the power hungry to mobilise the mass of people to fulfil the vested interests?

This is not an easy question to answer. The definition of a country is very fluid until we put it down in terms of a boundary around a land mass. So, the first look of the title here was a bit unclear because you don't know if you're talking about a country in a geographical sense or a sublime thought.

To clarify, it is about the fact that Africa is not a country like mentioned in a lot of narratives, mostly negative, but it is a mix of people/tribes/clans who own different traits and attributes which varies on a wide range of scale but mostly misattributed to just one world "Africa" which is actually a continent and not a country.

All the arguments are correct as long as we're talking about the discriminations, brutalities endured, and sufferings. The path of differentiating between people based on visible traits and behaviours is a critical one because it has all the options of slipping open for anyone who misses a single step, which is more closer to human nature then all the language, food, culture, and Gods put together.

Since the situation can be improved by our own efforts which is why it is important to have zero to minimal dependence on external factors. Which is correctly very much stressed in the book. People need more support then pity.

This is definitely a good one to read, and highly recommended if you think Africa is a country. Plus it does talk about serious things in a lighter way which keeps the tone brighter.

Love

Otherlands by Thomas Halliday

Evolution is a small word but represents and unimaginably long time.

This one was such an excellent read to know how the whole ecosystem on earth has evolved over billions of years. It picks up various regions from earth's current configuration (my funny word!!!) and puts the narrative of evolution behind it. So, you will be reading about the plants, animals (on ground or water), how they not only evolved but survived the ever changing atmosphere. The most interesting part is when it tries to give you some semblance of different floras and faunas from the present but shows that there is a limit to it.

However, the biggest takeaway is the all changing conditions of earth. Something which happens at a level that can only be survived and not fought or adapted in short term. Our surrounding shape everything around us, and it gives us a lesson of being humble, and cautious about how we use or misuse what we have.

After reading a rant against civilisation, this one was a breather which puts a lot of things in context and actually tells about the things which go beyond any human knowledge and experience. This doesn't tell us to prepare for the future or charge us on counts of exploiting the nature but it does end up with the cautious and optimistic words of how we can be conscious about our surrounding, and appreciate what we've been endowed with.

Peace

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.

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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