Who’s that Girl?

- By Alexandra Potter

Splendid! This book is insightful, funny and definitely an indulgence.

It is about Charlotte Merryweather, owner of a successful PR agency. She runs on a tight schedule and hardly has a minute to spare. At thirty two, she has everything- a steady boyfriend, a luxury house, a car and a successful enterprise. On her way to office, one day, she suddenly notices someone driving a familiar car, her old car, when she was twenty one and as she proceeds to look at the driver, she shocks herself when she sees a reflection of herself, ten years younger. She proceeds to follow her and to her dismay notices that the girl stays in her apartment, the apartment she stayed in, when she was twenty one. She was wearing the same dress, driving the same car and living in the same apartment. At a chance meeting she realizes with some fascination that her name is Charlotte! Too much of a coincidence? Well, hell, yes. And before I realize, I was caught in this web of fantastic write up that takes the story from one twenty year old girl, full of life, to thirty year old successful entrepreneur and back, with many insightful points to remember, and certainly many incidents to reflect.

Charlotte feels that this is some sort of a second chance for her life and is determined to make certain changes in her life, so as to not let certain incidents happen. With this thought, she sets out to change the twenty one year old girl and help her not do certain things, that, as she got older, realized she should not have done. But, as it turns out, she realizes that those mistakes were what made her stronger and wiser. But she also realized that, at this age, with more wisdom under her hat, she does not have answers for everything. Perhaps, she needs to address few issues in her life first. And as this realization hits home, there certainly are few surprises for her…

“Who’s that girl?” is certainly a life every woman would want to live, but more importantly, it also points out many things that could slide down, when one stops realizing their dreams and starts compromising. Mistakes can happen and mistakes make one stronger. But, when one forgets that they need to realize their dreams, there comes a point when one will have to do a little retrospection and stay silent when the inevitable question of “happiness” comes out. This is a chick-lit for sure, but I can assure that this book is for everyone. It holds a mirror to one’s life and forces one to reflect their paths chosen.

I could not keep down the book, it is a  page turner, with its ease of writing and it certainly is entertaining!!!

Reconstructing Amelia

- By Kimberly McCreight

Amelia, a bright student is caught cheating on an English paper and is suspended from school. Kate, her mother, a lawyer by profession, gets a call to pick her up from school in the middle of her work day, without any explanation. While she gets to the school an hour later than the appointed time, she is in for a nasty shock, that Amelia committed suicide. Kate is devastated with the police investigation closing the case as suicide, despite having her doubts. And when she tries to swallow the pain and re-enter her work, she gets a text on her cellphone, that Amelia did not commit suicide. Though she initially thinks it to be a sick joke, she begins to reconstruct Amelia and the many facets of a teenage daughter she thought she knew.

The central plot of the story begins with the question of why is Amelia dead?! While the mystery is traced through the texts, mails, phone calls, Facebook updates, school blog, many subplots are thrown in the gauntlet. New characters are introduced into the story, unfolding the last few days of Amelia’s life. The novel progresses with alternating point of views, primarily, from Amelia, a POV of past and Kate, a POV in the present tracing back Amelia. The characters are not overly developed. It seemed like they entered and exited with voice of their own, stating their case. For me, personally, that left me feeling a little alienated in the novel, as though I am a by stander watching a play that is too fast to fully get into it. The story gives a peep window into the lives of high school students, the teenage choices and their repercussions, the friendships and the lies interwoven into the daily fabric of life, the insensitivity of the bullies, the desperate need to belong, the constant struggle between right and wrong, the need to follow the crowd for the fear of rejection – the typical teenage drama comes through effectively in the novel. The bullying goes into a new level, but the reasoning behind it sells the story short of its charm. And despite the suspense, the ending was not a punch in the gut, but more like a logical conclusion, with a lot of sadness for all concerned.

The author, Kimberly McCreight, with her debut novel, puts a compelling case to the conclusion, with enough twists in the plot, to make it a page turner. The novel uncovers bit by bit, the life of a teenager that ended tragically.

Who was Amelia’s father? Why did she suddenly become obsessed with picking through her mother’s story about a one night stand in a bar? Why is Amelia part of a secret club? Was she bullied into it? What was her inner turmoil with all these secrets in her life and no one to talk to? Why could she not open up to her mother? Why could she not confide in her best friend, Silvia? Did her best friend not really know about the club? Were her secrets not really secrets at all?

In parallel, Kate’s life, which is central to the story is also unraveled, as the questions surrounding Amelia’s death haunt Kate too. Did Amelia know about her father? Did she somehow get to know the secret Kate thought was safe? Is that somehow related to Amelia’s death? What was Kate’s dark secret? Who texted Kate about Amelia? Why did her daughter suddenly keep secrets from her? Why was her daughter bullied? Did Amelia really cheat on her English paper? Why was the school blog that despicable? How did that fit into the story?

Those are the questions that trace back part of mother-daughter life and reveal a small window into the lives of other characters involved in their lives.

I personally liked it because it was a simple page turner, told succinctly. Our life is not just influenced by our decisions, but by the decisions of people around us too. As the story progresses to its conclusion, it left me feeling sad and a little upset, that despite a front row seat to the unfolding drama, some chose to let the tide ride out.

While I recommend the book, I would advise you to not pick it up just before you go to sleep, as I did. It will cost you a night’s sleep. And if you do, don’t come back that I did not warn you!!! Have a good read fellow readers!!!

The Google Story

- By David Vise

Google is a miracle to me. It became an integral part of almost every walk of life, that it is difficult to imagine a day without it. “The Google Story” is about, Google. (No surprises there!). It is about the meteoric rise of two young students who dared to dream and cared enough to achieve that dream. Just as every dream begins with no foundation apart from self belief, their dream of providing easy access to the web became a reality through their belief in it. Luck favours the brave and it is proven again, by the inspiring story of this software miracle.

Sergey Brin and Larry Page, the two founders of Google established this company in a hope to provide a quality service to the internet users and their quest to build a superior quality search engine and their page ranking system did what seemed to be trivial for other software giants to care about, to provide what the internet users want accurately and at a right pace. Right from the start, Google had its goal clear, to provide a quality service to its users and true to its goal, it continues to do so. I am a faithful Google user, with or without their lock in, I use Google every single day. With their bold and aggressive steps, the two pioneers took the search phenomenon to new heights and shook the monopoly of Microsoft and challenged Yahoo to make Google a world wide business.

What began as a statement, “I want to download the entire web”, went on to become a reality as the idea took shape and the search engine took birth. The book is written as a detective story, engrossing the reader into understanding the Google and its culture. David Vise had done a fantastic job in bringing the Google to the readers and it forms an interesting journey. It is an inspiration to every one who cares to dream, however unrealistic and far fetched it may be, as long as one believes in them.

Creating a college atmosphere and giving perks that are unchallenged by any industry out there, Google made quite a few loyal employees. However aggressive the targets are, if the loyalty of employees is guaranteed, the targets will be met. By providing an atmosphere that is closer to college, with unique design to the place and a touch of youth to the interiors and encouraging gadgets that the employees like, providing them the chance to explore their personal interest every day and evoking a creative thought process, the company earned a loyal set of followers and it is no surprise that almost every software engineer who value their thought want to work for Google. Right from the computers the employees use to the food that they are provided in their cafeteria to the other free benefits that they get, the place is practically a second home to most of the Google employees. Falling in love with a company is something that no one should do, but I dare say, Google employees might differ to it.

The book details the journey of Google, from a mere search engine to a world wide business and how it challenged every software company on its way, before making itself public and how the two pioneers personally sought out to expand the Google and continue to do so and are millionaires by thirty. The quest and the challenges that were thrown in the way were met with arrogance, sheer brilliance and unequalled audacity. The mistakes were few, yet the lessons learnt were valuable and the public offering not only made the employees rich, but also increased the funds that can be channelled for the future projects that come out of the Googleplex, the creative giant of the industry. Be it the chef who provided multi cuisine to the employees or the different style of Google founders in rewarding the employees for their hard work, the company set on a journey that is unique and different and engrossing not only to the people involved in it, but also to the people who aspire high.

The book provides an insight into the company and leaves an impression of voyaging through a journey that is inspiring.

A Thousand Splendid Suns

 - By Khaled Hosseini

Mariam Jo – this is about her.

Separated from her father (Jalil) and living with her mother in a place devoid of people, her only link to the world is the visit of her father every week. The anguish she has to endure, while waiting for that day in the week, under the wistful eyes of her mom who never fell short of words of discriminating her father and the torment she had to endure after he left and for the wait of another week, dreading he might not come and visit her… “She always held her breath as she watched him go. She held her breath and in her head counted seconds. She pretended that for every second she didn’t breathe, God would grant her another day with Jalil.” Things change with one broken promise and all the truth of her life is in front of her. Suddenly the accusations of her late mother and the false pretensions of her father fall down upon her. Living life in her father’s house as a burden to them, her life throws another whirlwind at her: an alliance (suitor) who was 20-25 years elder to her.

In twenty four hours after she heard about her proposal, she is in a new house, new place, far away from the comforts of her own house and from the familiar people in her father’s house, separated by mountains. She begins her journey as a wife to a person she knows nothing of, and her first step was a lie that she was unafraid of him, when she was petrified. Walking through the house, she looked at the things round her, trying to get a grip on the havoc that struck her. Slowly she begins her duties as wife and slowly she finds some kinship with her husband, Rasheed. Like a ray of hope, she becomes a pregnant and the couple dream of a family, she of mother hood and he, that of a prodigy. The agony she has to endure when that hope crashes, the brooding for a child she has never ever seen, and the pain that she has to bear for a consequence she has no say in, though the writer does not get into the gory details of her agonies, the narrative is heart touching.

Laila, a girl born to a different back ground. Her father was a teacher, who believed in equal justice between men and women and encouraged her to pursue education. Her child good friend, Tariq was an ex-service man, who lost his leg during the war. She grows up dreaming about some good she can do for the country. And nurturing her love towards her childhood sweetheart Tariq. Her two brothers fought against the Soviet in Afghanistan and were dead. When the war ended, and a civil war broke in the streets of Afghanistan, she was forced to discontinue her education. Tariq decides to leave Afghanistan and begs her hand in marriage and asks her to leave with him. She refuses on account of her parents, saying that she cannot leave, lest her parents should feel lonely. After a few days, her family too decides to leave Afghanistan and leave to a safer territory, when a stray rocket kills her family.

While recovering from her bruises, she notices herself in the company of Rasheed and Mariam. And just as fate has it, she hears that Tariq is dead in a hospital, by someone on the doorstep and she is queasy about the situation, knowing that she cannot hide the pregnancy from the world. Rasheed, meanwhile, makes advances towards her and she does not refuse, owing to the fact that she was pregnant. Though mariam does not approve of the situation and the advances Rasheed makes, she has little say in it. When Rasheed gets married to Laila, he starts treating her like a princess and with her pregnancy news, he clings on to the hope of having a baby boy. When Laila delivers a girl, he banishes all the pretence of love and treats her like a slave.

In the days that follow, Laila befriends Mariam and together, they try and escape to Pakistan. Unfortunately, they are caught and are sent back home, where Rasheed severely beats the two women and threatens to kill them if they ever repeat that again. A few years later, she becomes pregnant again and though she abhors the idea of bearing Rasheed’s child, she cannot bring herself for an abortion. This time she gives birth to a boy child and Rasheed takes complete control of the child, not giving a chance for Laila to bestow her motherly love onto the child. As a boon, Laila gets to know that Tariq is very much alive, by his presence in her house one morning and detests Rasheed even more for having lied to her. As days progress, visits of Tariq become frequent and the insecurities of Rasheed increase to the extent where he beats her and Mariam to death and the only option left for Mariam in order to save Laila was the most severe one and she, with all her might swings the shovel onto Rasheed and kills him. She begs Laila to leave, along with her children. After begging Mariam to accompany her and her denial, Laila leaves the house, to Tariq and they move to Kabul.
Mariam is jailed for her act and is publicly beheaded.

The story is written compassionately and just when the story is turning too melodramatic, the writer comes up with a compulsive narration, that takes one through a roller coaster of emotions. Though the writer does not go into the gruesome details of physical abuse, lives of Afghan woman or the politics of the time, he manages to convey a strong emotion that rips you apart.
A must read for all book lovers.

Bridges of Madison County

- By Robert James Waller

“So here I am walking around with another person inside of me. Though I think I put it better the day we parted when I said there is a third person we have created from the two of us. And I am stalked now by that other entity.”

I read “Bridges of Madison county” last night. It is a small novel and it is just simply fabulous. There were a few words that were just not words but pricks in your soul. A pure ecstasy - that is what the book left me feeling. I saw the movie first – Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood, both portrayed their characters beautifully. But, words have a way for me, they convey beyond their meaning and they possess me in a way nothing else can and hence I fell in love with the novel more than the movie. Though the style of writing or the concept of love has not been as authoritatively conveyed as Ayn Rand, the feeling of being in love and the feeling of longing and the feeling of romance has been beautifully portrayed. (It is not a comparison of styles of the authors, since both conveyed a completely different concept all together.)

Attempting to define love is like trying to imitate Shakespeare, close to impossible, but one cannot refrain themselves. I already tried and I know I failed and attempting again might be commendably catastrophic. That being very candid of me, I am humbled by these authors who can perceive the thought and can portray it in a way that echo my feelings. (Laurels to the author and claps to me too :D, well, let me take a piece of their pie, hmpf!)

Living in an age where insecurity is the word that creeps in every minute, seeing love has become a myth that folklore sing, forget about feeling it. Sometimes I wonder, if there is love in this world, other than rotten selfishness. But then, again, I come across these writings and think, there exists love somewhere, if I open my eyes to see it and stretch my arms to embrace it. Lucky are those who feel it.

This is a story of compassion and longing between a Nat Geo photographer and a farmer’s wife. Like any other romances, this novel encompasses passion in its true sense and dives you into a world of hope and despair, just as every love story does. Nat Geo photographer, Robert Kincaid, travels all the way to Madison County, Iowa to do a story on covered bridges. Those bridges that mean nothing to people who live there, but in the hands of a photographer who MAKES the photos, they are something else all together, affirming the phrase, “Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder”. Having temporarily lost his way, he drives into the driveway of Francesca Johnson, a farmer’s wife, whose family is in Illinois state fair for the week. Taking a moment to catch his breath and to admire the beauty of the simple figure clad in jeans and a cotton shirt, he steps out of his car to ask for the direction to the covered bridge. While walking down the drive way barefoot and unhurried, Francesca takes a moment to study the person and to brace the flutter in her belly. Answering the question that it is not far away, she surprises herself by saying that she would be glad to show the bridge herself, if he wants it. Flabbergasted, yet recovering fast, Robert acknowledged the offer and appreciated it, much to her delight. Thus, began a journey into the land of passion and lust and love.

“Modest intimacy descended upon the kitchen. It came, somehow, from the cooking. Fixing supper for a stranger, with him chopping turnips and, therefore, distance, beside you, removed some of the strangeness. And with the loss of strangeness, there was space for intimacy.” Amazing how a simple invitation can turn out into something more than a casual conversation. Before the animal instinct takes over, the human nicety of conversation… he spoke of his trips, art and poetry and she spoke of her life in Italy and her life as a farmer’s wife, confessing finally the truth she buried deep within her, for her family. Bidding a farewell, he left and she already looks forward for another day.

"Jesus," he said softly. All of the feelings, all of the searching and reflecting, a lifetime of feeling and searching and reflecting, came together at that moment. And he fell in love with Francesca Johnson, farmer's wife, of Madison County, Iowa, long ago from Naples.

The simple things hold meaning, the unnoticed things were noticed, suddenly the perception of human mind changes, from mere courtesy to lust. Dressing for dinner, which turns into a whirlwind - entwining two souls in ecstasy and changing their lives forever, forgetting the world and living for that moment in pure and exquisite passion. Whispers of love, warm caresses filling them up in the heat of the moment, telling their fondest dreams and creating a world of their own, Francesca and Robert Kincaid begin a journey that day, in the aftermath of their passion.

"What are we going to do?" he said.
She was silent, torn‐apart silent. Then, "I don't know," softly.
Torn between her responsibilities and her love, she chooses an alternative that is never easy. To nurture her love to the one man she loved, day after day until she could be his, in ashes.

"As much as I want you and want to be with you and part of you, I can't tearmyself away from the realness of my responsibilities. If you force me, physically or mentally, to go with you, as I said earlier, I cannot fight that. I don't have the strength, given my feelings for you. In spite of what I said about not taking the road away from you, I'd go because of my own selfish wanting of you. But please don't make me. Don't make me give this up, my responsibilities. I cannot do that and live with the thought of it. If I did leave now, those thoughts would turn me into something other than the woman you have come to love."

With the decision taken, they part with heavy hearts, each knowing that they would be haunted forever. Though there were many women before Francesca, Robert Kincaid never lay eyes on another woman again, not as some vow of celibacy, but because he simply was uninterested. And despite executing her responsibilities as a wife of a farmer and mother of two children, Francesca, thought about him. Love can exist in the heart and can find no means of expression, yet can fulfil us in a way nothing else can.

After her husband’s death, Francesca tried reaching Kincaid once, though unsuccessfully. She receives a parcel from his attorney’s after his death, the memories of their love and a strange request that his ashes be scattered at the Roseman Bridge – the uncovered bridge that brought him all the way from Washington to Iowa, where he met her. On her birthday, every year, it is a part of her annual ritual, to re-visit those memories in her mind’s eyes, every single moment – from the car in the drive way to the painful parting…

Finally, her kids could understand her strange request of her ashes to be scattered from the Roseman bridge. She wanted to give herself to him – in eternity. “I gave my family my life; I gave Robert Kincaid what was left of me.”

“In a universe of ambiguity, this kind of certainty comes only once, and never again, no matter how many lifetimes you live."

Love happens once and sometimes it does not survive the test of times or the responsibilities, but, love is within you forever. Walking into another relation or living with another person – all these are material comforts, but love that touches the soul, lasts through times immortal and that is the true meaning of commitment which cannot be defined by a thread or a ring.

A book that left me overwhelmed.

The Last Lecture

 - By Randy Pausch

The Last Lecture– a truly inspiring book written for three kids by their father, who wants to impart his wisdom for he would not be there to see the growth of his kids nor would he be around in times of their need. Written by a man who lived life to the fullest every single day and aptly titled – “Achieving your childhood dreams” – and how he went about achieving them with simple anecdotes and timeless metaphors, his speech stands out as an inspiration to the hundreds of students present there, in the university auditorium and to the millions of readers world wide …

Randy Pausch, a Carniege Mellon university professor, diagnosed by Pancreatic Cancer and was given a short span of three to six months, goes about the last few days LIVING a life as he normally did. There is a sense of fulfilment in achieving childhood dreams. To dream and to hold on to that dream and to work for fulfilling that dream is not an easy task. Many a time, we tend to be influenced by circumstances, situations, people. Most of the decisions either due to emotional or relations bonds, are either shunned or modified. But, out there are few who live a life, every single day and go about achieving their desires with a passion that is rare and unflinching to the time. Not that there will not be difficulties, as Randy pointed out, “brick walls are there to show us how badly we want something”, but to work with those difficulties and to achieve – that is a true achievement.

The simple anecdotes of his life imparting wisdom and how he goes about fulfilling his child hood dream of being a Disney Imagineer and then, how he goes about fulfilling his students dreams, daring them to go beyond their strengths and urging them to hold onto their dreams and polishing them to become better at what they were already good at – It simply forms an amazing read.

A short book, which can be completed in three hours time – but will last with you for a life time. This book is not just a legacy left by a dying man, but also a book that inspires one to hold the right priority for the right things in life. Though Randy Pausch was a man of family values, which becomes clear from the book, he is also a man to whom work is of paramount importance. The diligence with which he goes about his job and the commitment with which he drives his children is truly brilliant. In the times where pay by the work hour has become common, to stretch oneself beyond that and to spread the passion with his fellow students is a rewarding experience, as many students of his go about achieving their dreams, giving him a reason to be proud of.

There were quite a few invaluable lessons learnt from this book, but most importantly is to dream and to hold on to those dreams. Despite not knowing the paths to those dreams, clinging onto them and step by step moving forward, will one day or the other land you in that dream. If not, nothing is lost, I have travelled with hope and on a path that meant something to me, that alone should be fulfilling and enriching. Mentors are hard to find and if one finds a mentor who can make us believe in the beauty of our dreams and helps us in fulfilling them, well, one has found the gift of their life, a gift that is worth living for.

To take a pick of his metaphors is a tough choice to make, but this will stand out:
“Time is all you have. And you may find one day that you have less than you think.” Though I have heard this in varied forms, may be, this last lecture by a professor whose days are numbered and having read the effective utilization of time, well, it stuck and it hit a chord…

Keep off the Grass

 - By Karan Bajaj

Keep Off the Grass by Karan bajaj forms an interesting choice for any book worm. It is certainly not a classic, a long way from a romance or a thriller, and a very long way from a family saga or detective story line. It is a choice for a light and quick read, to take the mind off something, but will also raise a few thoughts in mind through the characters in the story.

It is a journey through the life of Samrat Ratan, the Yale graduate and Wall Street Investment Banker, who comes to India in search for his roots. Joining in IIM-B school, he meets an IIT student and an ex-army guy, who become his buddies through the B-School journey. The topper, conscious of marks and grades, begins to lose his way, where his self-confidence, self-belief all take a roll, as he becomes addicted to drugs and alcohol. The journey which began as a soul searching hunt for his confused mind becomes an experience of drugs, a stint in the police cell, meeting Aghoree in the ghats of Benares and finally in the end, meeting Ruskin Bond who stirred his soul.

The book focuses on rolling the story right from the word ‘GO’. Samrat embarks on a route to self discovery having been caught in a web of confusion about being an Indian or an American, as with many America born Indians. The cross culture of being brought up by an Indian family whose roots are deeply buried in the culture of India and studying in a different culture, having friends from a different culture, he struggled to find a balance always feeling belonged as well as alien in the same place. In his quest to break this confusion, he enrolls himself in the IIM-B school and begins his taste of cut throat Indian competition and to pacify himself from the self pity, he takes to drugs and drinks.

The camaraderie with Sarkar and Vinod is the highlight of the novel, as their journey together progresses with weird twists and subtle sense of humor in the dialogues exchanged by the group. The style of the author is funny, witty and easy going. The spiritual discussions between the three and the punch liners form an interesting read.

On the other hand, it leaves a lot of food for thought and the story is not something that will captivate the reader as much as the style does. And the few words of exchange between fellow B-School graduates shows that success will leave the people a bit sour and the journey to success need not necessarily be a plunge into the field forgetting human values, but it is rather a journey along with those human values. To struggle or not to struggle is a choice. And sometimes competition can leave out a lot of people, for there can only be one winner and as the journey begins uphill, he finds himself alone. Now, to take that journey uphill is the choice of that individual and the consequences are to be faced by that individual. Success is always a double edged sword.

There are quite a few thought stirring lines in the story which will make one to ponder on the quint essentials of living a life.