Thursday Challenge #1

My first Thursday Challenge ! The theme for this week is "MOVEMENT" (Shaking, Falling, Bouncing, Jumping, Curling, Sagging,...)

What better way to describe movement than the swirling,lunging,whirling sea !

The following pics of whirlpools were taken at Awaji Island, that falls between the Japanese islands of Honshu and Shikoku. Its very famous for its huge and magnificent whirlpools known as the Naruto Whirlpools. These whirlpools are known to have a radius of 30 m at times.
We took a specially powered boat deep into the sea to see these whirlpools, and even though we were at a safe distance from them, it was scary and exhilarating at the same time!

Wordless Wednesday #9



Gandhiji ke Teen Bandar - Sabarmati Ashram



Life is What You Make It - Book Review

Author-Preeti Shenoy

Publishers-Srishti Publishers

Price-100/-

Life is what you make it is Preeti Shenoy’s second book. Her first book, 34 Bubblegums and Candies is a lighthearted book about the journey called life and the bittersweet experiences that we get out of it. It’s delightful and it’s peppy. Her second book however, is in a totally different league.

Life is what you make it is a story about Ankita Sharma, a regular college kid. Her life is like that of any youngster, revolving around her friends, studies, with a few romantic swings thrown in as well ! She is smart, intelligent and very sure of what she wants out of her life. Life for her couldn’t be better. Suddenly and totally unexpectedly her life is thrown out of gear as starts showing symptoms of a mental illness and is finally diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. What follows is a gripping tale of how a mental disorder turns a young girl’s life topsy turvy and how she manages to come out the abysmal depths of her depression and fights tooth and nail to regain her sanity and her hold over life. This book is about growing up, not only physically but mentally and emotionally, by redefining your beliefs, your opinion about life and emerging out of a life threatening incident as not only a stronger but a far more insightful person.

There are two things that stand out about this book. One is the unusual but very sensitive topic that Preeti has chosen to write about. Almost all the books that we read now days are either chic lits, or books about college life (I am sick of Books about life in IITs and management institutes! ) or about the corporate jungle. Preeti has dared to go off the beaten track to write about a topic few people know anything about, let alone would care to write about. The second thing that actually makes this book such a good read is the way Preeti has written it. The topic could have been dealt in a cold clinical manner or in an over emotional rambling way that would just make the reader pity Ankita and shed tears. Preeti however, has dealt with the issue in a very sensitive and perceptive manner without being over dramatic. In the first part of the book, She takes us through Ankita’s life as a college student with the usual escapades and happenings that gives us that `been there done that` feeling and brings a smile to our lips. But Preeti truly comes into her own as a writer in the second half of the book when Ankita goes through an emotional roller coaster thanks to Bipolar Disorder. Preeti has described the fears, agonies, frustration and pain that Ankita goes through in a very touching yet realistic manner that moves you beyond words and leaves you totally numb. The narration is simple, yet extremely eloquent. Words flow easily and lucidly and do a much better job in portraying feelings and emotions than complicated or intricate sentences would have done. Life is what you make it is that rare blend of emotions, sensitivity and excellent writing that makes Preeti a class apart from the other writers that we see these days.

This is a very intense book. A book that moves and inspires you immensely and makes you realize that life can change at any moment and within the happy, carefree and supposedly balanced individuals that we see every day a mental illness can rear its ugly head at any time. This is also a highly inspiring tale of determination, courage and a tribute to the indomitable spirit within each one of us.
My Rating:4/5

Bala Takes The Plunge - Book Review

I was a bit surprised when Melvin Durai sent me his book to be reviewed so many months after it was published but never one to miss reading a new book I readily agreed. Besides I have been reading his blog on and off for quite some time and was curious to read his first book.

Synopsis:
The book is about Bala, a mediocre student, who would rather direct Rajnikant movies than become an engineer. His parents, not surprisingly thwart all his dreams of becoming a movie mogul and he finds himself studying engineering from one of the lesser known colleges in South India. Soon he finds himself working in the Golden Land for engineers – America. He loves his new country so much that he has even named his dog America, though he sometimes still yearns to go back and become a film director. Although Bala is Happy in his new country, he realizes and that he is lonely and decides that getting married won’t be such a bad idea. Plus he is fast approaching the big Three-Oh. He wants to find a wife on his own rather than settle for what his Amma might find for him back home. Thus begin the hilarious escapades where he tries everything from trying to chat up the girl behind the cash counter to joining cycling clubs and book clubs in quest of meeting girls to even buying a book titled “How to find a wife in thirty days with no help from your parents in India”
My Take on the Book :
Melvin Durai is a extremely witty blogger and he has done justice to his first book. Bala takes the plunge is entertaining and extremely funny without going overboard with the humor. The best part about the book is the way Melvin Durai has played with words. He has twisted and turned them to create such subtle wittisms that you have to read the sentence carefully lest you miss them. On reading for the first time the sentence would just seem normal and boring till you read it again to catch the hidden nuances.It’s also amusing how Melvin Durai hops from one witty repertoire to another in quick succession, before coming back to the topic at hand. Although this topic –about Desis in America has been written about many times, this book is still a refreshing read. The book is sprinkled with quotes from Rajnikant movies – although Melvin has provided translations I think someone knowing Tamil might enjoy them much more.My only complaint is that the book dragged slightly the middle and sometimes the humor became rather predictable. The only thing I really didn’t like about the book was in fact its cover. Its dull and boring and does not do Justice to the book at all!

Bala takes the plunge a Good Read especially if you are a Rajnikanth fan. Even if you are not, this book is sure not to disappoint you!

My rating - 3.5/5

55 Fiction - Cafe Ginger Chai

This post is published as an entry for the KING AND QUEEN OF 55F CONTEST – The first ever unique, challenge for the coveted title in micro fiction category. To catch the crowning moments and also be part of future editions and other contests, visit and register at Cafe GingerChai

The rules of the contest are:

•You have to write a set of three 55F.
•The first two sets should be a story on its own
•The two stories should climax / conclude / inter-twine in the third set of 55F.
•The story could be of any genre i.e, love, crime, mystery or thriller etc.

 

Hope

Rain mingled with tears on his cheeks at the funeral. Nothing to live for now, Arun thought dully. My house burnt, wife dead, son missing. But I will find my son, he thought resolutely. However long it takes, we will meet again. A feeble ray of sunshine peeped through the clouds, growing slowly stronger. Hope.

 

    

  Friendship

Lonely, desolate, the little boy wandered about in the streets. Exhausted, he sank down on the pavement, crying. Something wet and warm licked his face. He looked up to see soft brown eyes in a furry head. Tentatively, he patted the pup. It nuzzled closer. The Two new found friends walked away in the twilight.

   A lost Chance

It started raining. Just like that fateful day ten years back. He still searched for his little boy, believing his heart would know him instantly. “Finished Saab”, said the shoe shine boy. He looked down distastefully at the scruffy urchin and his mangy dog. Arun threw a few coins at his son and walked away.

To read More 55 Fiction by me click here