The Secret Letters Of The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari

Title : The Secret Letters Of The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari
Author : Robin Sharma
Publication : Jaico Publishing House

The Secret Letters Of The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari is a self help book which uses Jonathan, a man, albeit doing well in his professional life is not satisfied with it and whose personal life is not so good, as a mouthpiece, to express how one can lead a better life and start enjoying it.

Jonathan is compelled to travel across the planet to collect "the life saving letters" that carry the extraordinary secrets that Julian Mantle, a relative of Jonathan's, had discovered when he had vanished into the Himalayas. The book takes you from one place to another in a fascinating way from sensual tango halls of Buenos Aires to the vibrant Turkey, to the bright lights of Paris and through the polite Japan to the archaeological excavations in Mexico and through the artistically rich Barcelona and to a few other beautiful places on the globe .

As Jonathan's travel progresses so does his self questioning. Somewhere along the way he starts opening himself to the lessons being taught by the "secret letters". The author talks about the power of authenticity and being true to oneself. He says life is a journey after all and what matters most is not what you are getting but who you are becoming. By embracing our fears we grow fearless. On the other side of fear lives strength and every time we step into discomfort of growth and progress, we become more free. We should focus on the opportunities that the life provides rather than the inconveniences it may pose. It is important to remember that just as our words are our thoughts verbalized, so our deeds are our beliefs actualized. What we need today is patience and we need to take things slowly, one brick at a time. We need to realise that genius is a process. Small daily improvements lead to great things. The tiniest of actions is always better than the best of intentions. He says to lead your best life, do your best work. There is no insignificant work in the world. Lead a life that most honors the real you, celebrates your deepest values and respects your highest dreams. He further goes on to say that we must choose our influences well and see the preciousness of human relationships. We should be of service to as many people as possible. What is important is that we contribute and we make a difference.

The self help part of the book is good. But the story around which the author has woven this part falls short of the standard of the rest of the book. Towards the end I felt as if the author was in a hurry to finish off the book. I was expecting a better ending.

The book is simply written and is easy to connect with. In spite of not being a travelogue it partly works as one. Robin Sharma talks about very basic things in life and makes sense. I liked the eloquence with which he has described the various places and the beautiful small details that he has captured about the surroundings and the traditions.

A lot of words that I have used here are either excerpts from the book or Robin Sharma's direct words from the book itself. Robin Sharma's words are so self descriptive and they so beautifully put across his sentiments that I felt that if I played with his words I would not be able to do justice to this book. I agree with the author when he says that we can make the world better, one person at a time. I'd wrap this up with another excerpt from the book, which I simply loved "With every person we engage, in everything we do, we must be kinder than expected, more generous than anticipated, more positive than we thought possible."

The Golden Pathway

Title : The Golden Pathway

Author : Donna M. McDine

Illustrations By : K.C. Snider

Publication : Guardian Angel Publishing , INC.

The Golden Pathway is a historical fiction which transports you to the times of underground railroad and there you meet a boy called David, who is courageous enough to befriend his cruel father's, sixteen year old slave, Jenkins. David is a compassionate boy in spite of growing up in a hostile environment. He helps out at home by doing various chores. But he defies his father though not openly and helps Jenkins howsoever he can. He secretly tends to Jenkins wounds after his father's beatings and feels strongly about Jenkins circumstances.

Do read on to find out how does David plan to save his slave friend from his father's merciless abuse and how does he go about it? Is David successful in saving Jenkins or does he get caught?

At the end of the book the author has provided a bibliography for reference and there is an author's note which explains the terms used in story, which I found very helpful.

The illustrations done by K.C. Snider, an award winning artist, are really beautiful. I especially liked her illustrations of the farmstead.

Donna M. McDine, is an award winning children's author and it comes through in the book. The way she has handled such a delicate and emotional subject is really good. She has given a good twist to the tale in the end. The story imparts an important message to the children, of being courageous and yet compassionate towards fellow human beings. At the same time the story makes the children realise the plight people went through in those times.

The Golden Pathway definitely makes a good read for the children.

Hot Tea Across India by Rishad Saam Mehta

Title : Hot Tea Across India

Author : Rishad Saam Mehta

Publisher : Tranquebar

ISBN : 978-93-81626-10-8

Roadside tea stalls, though unassuming, make their presence felt almost everywhere throughout India. They do not just serve a rejuvenating drink - tea, to wary travelers but work as perfect guides for some priceless information to the people on roads - local news updates, correct short cuts to reach next milestone, current updates on road conditions, pointers to inexpensive places to stay, nearest eating joints as well as restrooms. Tea which is soon going to get its due by being honored as India's national drink, humbly conjoins the adventures of Rishad Saam in 'Hot Tea Across India'.

Rishad Saam Mehta is a travel writer and has embarked on many journeys across the length and breadth of India from Leh to Munnar and from Rann of Kutch to Khajuraho. He sums up his experiences on roads by pointing out - 'If there is one certainty about roads in India, it is that - no matter where you are or what the hour is - if you want a cup of tea, you'll find a chai ki dukaan within a few kilometers' .  Through this piece of writing, he brings a slice of Indian-ness on the highways and roads. He is an enthusiast traveler and took up a job with Autocar Indian that had him going on a driving holiday to exotic locations within India once every month for eight years.

After having partaken many cups of tea - in different parts of India, in different situations, hosted by diverse people ranging from dacoits to sadhus, at various altitudes and in multifarious mental states, his belief got reinforced that tea is one beverage which brings the security of known in unknown and a bit of solace amidst confusion.

The book is full of adventure and the narrative is hilarious and breezy. Vivid descriptions of various characters and places are weaved beautifully which make the scenes buzz with life. Special mention needs to be made of the bus ride experience in Himalayas from Haridwar to Manali with all sorts of  co-passengers including a herd of bleating goats.

It is a travelogue but not a travel guide though it leaves the readers resolving silently in their hearts to visit some of the exotic places that are described in the book.

The author seems to take keen pleasure in cracking jokes on anything related to daily ablution routine and such jokes crop up quite frequently through out the narrative. At some points it is very obvious that the author is trying too hard to make the narrative witty and hilarious but such instances are rare and far between so can be ignored easily. 

Delhi : 14 Historic Walks by Swapna Liddle

Title : Delhi 14 Historic Walks

Author : Swapna Liddle

Publisher : Westland

ISBN : 978-93-81626-24-5

Delhi just completed its centenary year as capital of India in 2011. But Delhi's history goes back much beyond these 100 years. As I wrote in the review of 'City of Djinns' - Delhi is the city which bore testimony to the zenith and nadir of great dynasties and empires and it continues to mesmerize many people by being culturally and historically rich city while at the same time adapting with the changing periods. It has innumerable stories hidden beneath its surface which enthrall historians and followers of history.

Swapna Liddle has compiled a wonderful guide book to 14 walking routes in Delhi which includes some signature tourist attractions like - Qutub Minar, Lodi Gardens, Red Fort and Humayun's Tomb - some of these have been identified as World's Heritage Sites. However, this list includes some lesser known sites too, for instance - Satpula and Khirki.

There is a detailed map with each of the sites which marks the 'not to be missed' places. A few pages are dedicated to giving a glimpse of historical background behind the buildings, monuments or ruins, some architectural details, concepts and techniques adopted in building them while some interesting anecdotes and legends keep the narrative interesting.

I specifically liked the parts where she has brought the attention of the tourists and readers to the subtleties of architectural details. I must quote a small excerpt from the book here - 'The pillars in the Quwwat-u-Islam Masjid in Qutb Minar complex, are elaborately carved and on close inspection one can see many human, animal and divine figures. Such sculptures seem out of place within a mosque, since depiction of human or animal figures is unacceptable to orthodox Islam as being akin to idolatry. The answer to this mystery lies in the fact that these are reused materials from twenty-seven Hindu and Jain temples that had stood in the vicinity and were mostly destroyed by the invading Turks as an act of war."

I wish I had this book with me while I visited the major heritage sites in Delhi last year. If you are visiting Delhi, you must take this book along so as to take a guided tour of the interesting places in the city. This book is educational, informative and readable much more than regular tourist guides. It can work as a nice supplement to the history books in grade classes too. The author Swapna Liddle is a historian who completed his PhD thesis on cultural history of 19th Century Delhi. She has been conducting historical walks in Delhi for over a decade and has been actively involved in heritage protection and public awareness programmes. So she writes on Delhi with authority and it is interesting to read the facts behind these significant monuments.

She goes on to enlist some very practical information about these sites too - nearest Metro station, price of tickets, parking availability and amenities available in the vicinity, which is absolutely required before heading towards any destination.

Bali And The Ocean Of Milk by Nilanjan P. Choudhury

Title : Bali and the Ocean of Milk

Author : Nilanjan P. Choudhury

Publisher : Harper Collins

ISBN : 978-93-5029-125-2

A fiction (The Immortals of Meluha) blew me off completely last year by the sheer magic of its originality of the plot and it did leave a lasting impression on me. I am glad I picked 'Bali and the Ocean of Milk' up which made me relive some of that wonderful experience once again.

Indrah is gripped in the fearsome fangs of ageing and he seeks the help of the holy trinity to attain back his youthfulness and his omnipotence. His Asura counterpart Bali has his own set of issues too. Many threats are looming large on Bali - from some disgruntled powers within his own territory as well as from the all time enemies, Gods. And a very cleverly planned assassination attempt on him brings to fore the failure of his invincible protective cordon. But there is only one elixir which is the answer to all problems that Bali and Indrah face and that is the Nectar. To extract the same, Ocean of Milk has to be churned by two opposite powers - Devas and Asuras with the assistance of tortoise incarnation of Viru and under the supervision of Jai. The narrative vacillates between Indrah's empire - Amravati and Bali's dominion - Tripura.

The story has everything - treachery, vengeance, tables turning, switching sides, power lust and much more. The intelligence of such authors is evident from the way they create a fictional background yet integrate the same so seamlessly with the well known facts and beliefs such as the Big Bang in this case. The author has clothed the story of manthan in a completely new avatar with contemporary touch by - incorporating political references, astutely naming the churning process - Operation Ocean's Twelve and including the lingo of prevailing times in the narrative - facebook, mobile phone cameras, animal rights violation, low-fat milk and most interesting of all, Indrah having to use hair colour - Molten Midnight by So'Real.

First 2/3rd of the book is a treat to read through - the setting of scenes, the building of characters, the amalgamation of modern age vocabulary with mythology, the witticism, the wackiness, the humour, everything is just perfect.

The initial setting is exceptionally impressive to such an extent that the expectations of readers soar too high for the climax and conclusion but I found the latter part not living upto the expectations. Not that there is any flaw in that part of the story, its just that the remaining 1/3rd fades a little in comparison to the initial section of the book which raises the bar too high. Another grouse that I have against the author or the story is - a very fleeting description of The Destroyer of the famous holy trinity - christened as Jai here. (I think the author is one of the strong patrons of 'Sholay' movie !?) The other being Sambha - the creator (I wonder why he did not pick Gabbar as the creator) and Viru - the preserver.

There are not many occasions when we get to read good English written by an Indian author and I was mightily impressed by the selection of words, phrases and overall expression of Nilanjan. The editor has done a remarkable job too and not a single sentence seems redundant in the whole narration. A true page turner. My compliments to a new rising star in the Indian literary firmament. I surely will look forward to reading more written by NPC.

Zero Percentile - 2.0 Missed IIT Kissed Gurgaon

Title : Zero Percentile - 2.0 Missed IIT Kissed Gurgaon
Author : Neeraj Chhibba
Publication : Rupa Publications India Pvt. Ltd.

Neeraj Chhibba's ZP - 2.0 is a sequel of Zero percentile -1 Missed IIT Kissed Russia ,but still can be read independently.

The story is written around the thought "Intertwined destinies are a portent of greatness and a place in history unless certain evil destiny's juggernaut crosses their path."

The story revolves around Gaurav better known as Motu ,CEO of Pure Consultants and his friends who also happen to be working for him except for one called Pankaj. ZP- 2.0 has Motu trying his level best to save his company from hostile takeover bid. In between all the chaos that reigns in PureConsultants, a part of the story has been told in flashback mode where Motu reminisces about Pankaj his best friend and how they had started their first company NumeroSoft together and also made it big. About Priya, Motu's childhood love but Pankaj's wife, how Pankaj and Priya come together but differences sprout between Pankaj - Priya as well as Pankaj - Motu, because of difference in their ideologies . There are also substories about Nitin and Tanya, Arjun and Muskaan, San and Jaanvee. ZP-2.0 has Nitin an HIV afflicted person, who because of this affliction has to suffer humiliation and is also socially boycotted and how Tanya comes to his help and fights his war along with him and they emerge winners. The story also has Arjun and his wife Muskaan and their daughter Diyaa , brilliant but a child with "special needs ", how Muskaan is unable to reconcile with the fact that their daughter is a "special child" and walks out on them. The way the father and daughter duo overcome their difficulties and try to lead a normal life and try to bring Muskaan back. Then there is San an IIT dropout but brilliant at his work who tries his best to woo a few years elder to him Jaanvee, the CFO of PureConsultants. The story has greed, love, friendship, conspiracy, an attempt to murder and a hostile takeover bid. What happens to Priya, who does she choose Pankaj or Motu? Who is involved in the attempted murder, does he/she survive it? Are Arjun and Diyaa successful in wooing Muskaan back? What happens to San and Jaanvee - do they get together? Is Motu able to save PureConsultants and what happens to Pankaj? Do read on ..

The book is interspersed with a lot of business and IT lingo which stretches over quite a few pages at a time, this makes it very boring. Although I finished the book, I felt like putting the book down at these intervals. If one can overlook this, then the book can be considered good.
The story is well woven and the author jumps from one time frame to another with ease and is able to hold the interest. The book picturizes the work related stress in the IT sector quite well. It talks about a social cause like HIV and also about children with "special needs" and what do these kids and their parents undergo. I liked the quote with which the author began the book "Everything that goes up comes down. The important thing is to know when it reached the top of curve."

Tales of Historic Delhi - A walk through its many cities

Talesof Historic Delhi- A walk through its many cities
Authorand Illustrator: Premola Ghose
Price:Rs.225
ISBN:978-81-90561-95-2

As Delhi celebrates 100 years of its capitalhood, the animals of Janwar Dosti, a friendly animal association, travel through the city to discover the many cities that lay within. They travel from Suraj Kund to Qutb Minar to Siri Fort, unearthing the history that lies buried there. They visit the dargah of Nizammudin and try to find out what Sufism was all about. Going from gardens to villages to tombs to over crowded streets that can only set one thinking ofDelhi’s rich heritage, the animals have a delightful time. In their pursuit of discovery of the many cities of Delhi, they discover the quiet existence ofNizammudin, Tughlaqabad, Hauz Khas, Firozabad/Firoz Shah Kotla, Dinpanah, Shahjahanabad, Jaisinghpura- all of pre-British era, Civil Lines of the Britishtimes and the modern landscape marked by malls, metro stations, flyovers and much more.

Colourfully described using characters like Tunnu tiger (TT), Zero, the African giraffe, Bula bear, Pt. Ooo Lala, the wise owl, Lucky rabbit, Mayurdas, the pompous peacock and many other animals, the story emerges as a pretty tool for a quickglance into the history, the city of Delhi boasts of. From the time of Pandava kings to the modern age developments like malls and flyovers, the book tells it all.

Written in the prevailing lingo of ‘Gawd’ and ‘Whazzat’, the book is a must read for anyone who wants to know the charismatic history of our national capital. Though the story is interspersed by a number of grammatical errors, the beautiful illustrations take the reading experience to a new high and eventhose who are not particularly fond of history will find it fascinating.

Bridging the ancient ruins that still remain and the modern developments, there layssomething called memories. “Well” sighed Pinky again, “now there are only memories in the names: in the kuchas, whichwere, occupation specific zones; in the katras, which were the workplaces and homes of craftsmen; and in specific markets like the spice market of Khari Baoli, the glitter and gauze shops of Kinari Bazaar, or the paper market of Chawri Bazaar. But some famous eating placesare still around, of which the earliesare the Ghantewala Halwai, the parantha shops of Paranthewali Gali, and Karim’s, famous for its Mughal cuisine.”