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_askthebookbug's Reviews (1.34k)
Gwal Mudra.
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Thank you for the review copy @eccentric_mystic :)
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In his previous book 'My journey with the enlightened masters', the author spoke about his encounter with wise men and mystics in his past life. Gwal Mudra seems more like a continuation to the previous book. But in this book, he focussed on only one master. Krishna.
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The author narrates a story of his previous life where he was a ruthless landlord who went by name Janak Pratap from Baldeo. He got greedy as he acquired more land and treated his people with no mercy. This resulted in his end where people stoned him to death by finally deciding to take matters into their own hands. The author then goes ahead and brings into light about his rebirth as a girl who gets kidnapped by pimps. She's sold to a brothel and her life takes the darkest turn with each passing day.
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When she eventually escapes and finds Krishna, she finds solace. He soothes her with his words and gives her a new purpose. Rest of the book talks about various teachings laid out by Krishna in guiding people towards the righteous path. He talks about forgiveness, ego, love, kindness and also anger. He focusses on a form of meditation called Gwal Mudra which is proved to be divine and helps people in leading a long and healthy life. He explains the importance of meditation by giving examples and by narrating various stories.
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This is my third read by the author and I must admit that he has done a tremendous job in explaining such a complex topic with ease. Religion, faith, morality are often difficult subjects to be discussed about and yet in all three of his books, he has mastered the art of narrating gracefully. This book being an extended part of his previous work, was quite similar and hence predictable too. But the teachings and concept should be applauded.
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I would rate this book 3.8/4.
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Thank you for the review copy @eccentric_mystic :)
~
In his previous book 'My journey with the enlightened masters', the author spoke about his encounter with wise men and mystics in his past life. Gwal Mudra seems more like a continuation to the previous book. But in this book, he focussed on only one master. Krishna.
~
The author narrates a story of his previous life where he was a ruthless landlord who went by name Janak Pratap from Baldeo. He got greedy as he acquired more land and treated his people with no mercy. This resulted in his end where people stoned him to death by finally deciding to take matters into their own hands. The author then goes ahead and brings into light about his rebirth as a girl who gets kidnapped by pimps. She's sold to a brothel and her life takes the darkest turn with each passing day.
~
When she eventually escapes and finds Krishna, she finds solace. He soothes her with his words and gives her a new purpose. Rest of the book talks about various teachings laid out by Krishna in guiding people towards the righteous path. He talks about forgiveness, ego, love, kindness and also anger. He focusses on a form of meditation called Gwal Mudra which is proved to be divine and helps people in leading a long and healthy life. He explains the importance of meditation by giving examples and by narrating various stories.
~
This is my third read by the author and I must admit that he has done a tremendous job in explaining such a complex topic with ease. Religion, faith, morality are often difficult subjects to be discussed about and yet in all three of his books, he has mastered the art of narrating gracefully. This book being an extended part of his previous work, was quite similar and hence predictable too. But the teachings and concept should be applauded.
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I would rate this book 3.8/4.
The Ryder's Riddance.
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Who wouldn't like a book that revolves around Secret service, Police and Dons? I have always been fascinated with books that pack a punch and includes characters that are powerful and street-smart. The Ryder's Riddance is one such book that speaks in abundance about how the Underworld works and I for one, was thrilled to read it.
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When the young Samson Ryder gets a chance to avenge his parents' death backed up by the Secret Intelligence Agency, he doesn't think twice before accepting the job. Brought up by his guardian Ulrich, who was no less than a father to him, Samson has always been a strong contender in any challenge that life threw at him. Samson has only one mission in his head, to kill The Falcon a.k.a Vetero Horacio whose face only a handful of people have seen till date. He is then teamed up with Khloe Denver and Pablo Kippins, one a smart police and the other a tech wizard. Together, they undertake the journey of bringing down The Falcon. The story gets interesting when the Global Police decides to pitch in and assist the group. What follows next is the unpredictability of the story and where it leads to.
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The Ryder's Riddance is a solid debut book by Nikitesh who does not fail to impress the readers with his smooth writing skills. The language is simple yet delivers the story with utmost ease. The characters are well constructed considering how they portray strong roles as required by the story. The pace is fast and urges you to finish it within few days. Though few chapters will quite lengthy, you might find them worth it when you wrap up the story. There's going to be a sequel and I cannot wait to read it :)
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Rating -4/5. #therydersriddance
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Who wouldn't like a book that revolves around Secret service, Police and Dons? I have always been fascinated with books that pack a punch and includes characters that are powerful and street-smart. The Ryder's Riddance is one such book that speaks in abundance about how the Underworld works and I for one, was thrilled to read it.
~
When the young Samson Ryder gets a chance to avenge his parents' death backed up by the Secret Intelligence Agency, he doesn't think twice before accepting the job. Brought up by his guardian Ulrich, who was no less than a father to him, Samson has always been a strong contender in any challenge that life threw at him. Samson has only one mission in his head, to kill The Falcon a.k.a Vetero Horacio whose face only a handful of people have seen till date. He is then teamed up with Khloe Denver and Pablo Kippins, one a smart police and the other a tech wizard. Together, they undertake the journey of bringing down The Falcon. The story gets interesting when the Global Police decides to pitch in and assist the group. What follows next is the unpredictability of the story and where it leads to.
~
The Ryder's Riddance is a solid debut book by Nikitesh who does not fail to impress the readers with his smooth writing skills. The language is simple yet delivers the story with utmost ease. The characters are well constructed considering how they portray strong roles as required by the story. The pace is fast and urges you to finish it within few days. Though few chapters will quite lengthy, you might find them worth it when you wrap up the story. There's going to be a sequel and I cannot wait to read it :)
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Rating -4/5. #therydersriddance
21 Kesaris.
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Thank you for the review copy @bloomsburyindia :)
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When the movie came out in March of this year, I was surprised to know that such an event had even taken place. I was in awe of the bravado shown by the 21 Sikh soldiers who stood their ground to protect the fort. There are very few History books that talk about this incident and I'm thankful that @authors_kiran_nirvan decided to write a detailed version of this incident. I have always been fascinated by History both as a subject and also in terms of art and re-telling of the lost era. And this book proved to be an eye opener in more ways than one.
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On September 12th 1897, 21 Sikh soldiers defended the fort of Saragarhi against a platoon of 10,000 Afghani tribesmen. They had every reason to abandon their post be it for the fear of death or the impediment loss but these brave men decided to follow the preachings of their Guru and fight valiantly against a group of savages. The book encloses the courage with which they fought without giving up till their last breath. It's utterly shocking to see how just 21 men killed close to 600 tribesmen and reduced the enemy's army significantly. An interesting fact about the book is how the author has explained in detail about the Sikhs' origin and their teachings. He goes ahead to describe the horrors that the Mughal rule brought with them while they mercilessly killed innocents, raped women and murdered many children.
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This book portrays the Britisher's opinion about the Indian soldiers and how proud they felt to work with them. It includes letters and messages written by many respected British Officers recalling the famous fight. There are pictures and sketches of the Sikhs, Officers and maps to help us understand better. A perfect book for those who ardent lovers of History. The very detailed descriptions might not be everyone's cup of tea but it's a solid attempt at bringing this magnificent fight into light.
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Rating - 4.3/5.
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Thank you for the review copy @bloomsburyindia :)
~
When the movie came out in March of this year, I was surprised to know that such an event had even taken place. I was in awe of the bravado shown by the 21 Sikh soldiers who stood their ground to protect the fort. There are very few History books that talk about this incident and I'm thankful that @authors_kiran_nirvan decided to write a detailed version of this incident. I have always been fascinated by History both as a subject and also in terms of art and re-telling of the lost era. And this book proved to be an eye opener in more ways than one.
~
On September 12th 1897, 21 Sikh soldiers defended the fort of Saragarhi against a platoon of 10,000 Afghani tribesmen. They had every reason to abandon their post be it for the fear of death or the impediment loss but these brave men decided to follow the preachings of their Guru and fight valiantly against a group of savages. The book encloses the courage with which they fought without giving up till their last breath. It's utterly shocking to see how just 21 men killed close to 600 tribesmen and reduced the enemy's army significantly. An interesting fact about the book is how the author has explained in detail about the Sikhs' origin and their teachings. He goes ahead to describe the horrors that the Mughal rule brought with them while they mercilessly killed innocents, raped women and murdered many children.
~
This book portrays the Britisher's opinion about the Indian soldiers and how proud they felt to work with them. It includes letters and messages written by many respected British Officers recalling the famous fight. There are pictures and sketches of the Sikhs, Officers and maps to help us understand better. A perfect book for those who ardent lovers of History. The very detailed descriptions might not be everyone's cup of tea but it's a solid attempt at bringing this magnificent fight into light.
~
Rating - 4.3/5.
I keep thinking I'm you.
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Thank you for the copy @rupa_publications
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I'm not one to read philosophical books and I have my own reasons. Partly because I do not get the urge to finish the book and also because these books do not inspire me. I tried my very best to like and appreciate this in particular but I failed miserably. The problem wasn't with the concept of the book but the way in which the stories were narrated. This book ecloses 22 short stories with reference to Biblical principles and practices.
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Each story starts and ends differently, be it the one where a pregnant woman is made to buy furniture from a thief, a man who commits suicide after finding out about his wife's affair and the one in which a man leaves his wife and follows the footsteps of a saint. The stories are simple and often felt too stretched. While I did enjoy a couple of them, rest of the tales felt very tepid. There were few instances when I felt like abandoning the book, a feeling that I rarely feel but I urged myself to finish it. The feeling of satisfaction that one experiences post reading a book wasn't there in this one.
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A cluster of stories that conveys the faith of God and includes few morals, this book is probably a one time read. Since this is not my preferred genre, I cannot say for sure that others might not like it. Those who are into philosophy and spirituality might enjoy this read. Personally, I wouldn't choose this book when I go shopping. But it was a welcome change from the usual fiction and non-fiction books that I read.
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Rating - 2/5.
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Thank you for the copy @rupa_publications
•
I'm not one to read philosophical books and I have my own reasons. Partly because I do not get the urge to finish the book and also because these books do not inspire me. I tried my very best to like and appreciate this in particular but I failed miserably. The problem wasn't with the concept of the book but the way in which the stories were narrated. This book ecloses 22 short stories with reference to Biblical principles and practices.
•
Each story starts and ends differently, be it the one where a pregnant woman is made to buy furniture from a thief, a man who commits suicide after finding out about his wife's affair and the one in which a man leaves his wife and follows the footsteps of a saint. The stories are simple and often felt too stretched. While I did enjoy a couple of them, rest of the tales felt very tepid. There were few instances when I felt like abandoning the book, a feeling that I rarely feel but I urged myself to finish it. The feeling of satisfaction that one experiences post reading a book wasn't there in this one.
•
A cluster of stories that conveys the faith of God and includes few morals, this book is probably a one time read. Since this is not my preferred genre, I cannot say for sure that others might not like it. Those who are into philosophy and spirituality might enjoy this read. Personally, I wouldn't choose this book when I go shopping. But it was a welcome change from the usual fiction and non-fiction books that I read.
•
Rating - 2/5.
| Book Review | I've Never Been (Un)happier.
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"I am who I am in the now, and I have to work my life around that. That isn’t giving up; it’s adjusting to the reality of my condition and giving myself a higher chance of living a successful life by not chasing after unrealistic goals." - Shaheen Bhatt.
•
Depression is a difficult thing to understand if one hasn't gone through it. For others it might seem like much of a nuisance, a desperate attempt at seeking attention or just plain old drama. But for those who have daily combats with depression, it's just a sign of being helpless. We call names or bully people for being sad constantly not realising that sadness is beyond their control. They didn't ask for it yet they are constantly hounded by it. The minute this book hit the shelves, it created a tsunami of emotions in the literary world and thanks to this, I now know how tough life can seem for someone who's truly depressed. But Shaheen doesn't address only the grief part. Perhaps this is why I have come to love this book and I'm sure you will too, once you read it.
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The Bhatts are a starry family, through and through. Born in the '80s, Shaheen tells us how she came out as a red ball of fury. It was proof enough that she was already displeased and angry at the world. As she grew up, she was prone to bouts of sadness and insecurity and it only increased with time. Comparing herself to her star sisters, Shaheen turned severely conscious about her appearance and saw her performance at school and college dropping rapidly. It's shocking to learn that depression has such a strong hold on people, making it impossible for them perform even the simplest tasks. Our country is still quite hush-hush about mental illness making it extremely tough for people to admit their relationship with depression. As she explains about anxiety and grief, her constant thoughts about death and the fear of it, she also makes an important point in mentioning that being rich does not make one immune from depression.
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She stresses on therapy and how it helped her on the days she felt little. She has bared it all including pages from her personal diary for the entire world to read. She's honest, brilliant and also quick witted. I love a book in which the author displays a sense of humour and Shaheen has the ability to make people laugh even when she's addressing serious issues. There's not a single flaw in this beautiful book. This book is important, sensitive, thoughtful and quite emotional too. Shaheen's book reminded me of Walt Disney's famous line 'After the rain, the sun will reappear. There is life. After the pain, the joy will still be here'.
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Rating - 5/5.
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"I am who I am in the now, and I have to work my life around that. That isn’t giving up; it’s adjusting to the reality of my condition and giving myself a higher chance of living a successful life by not chasing after unrealistic goals." - Shaheen Bhatt.
•
Depression is a difficult thing to understand if one hasn't gone through it. For others it might seem like much of a nuisance, a desperate attempt at seeking attention or just plain old drama. But for those who have daily combats with depression, it's just a sign of being helpless. We call names or bully people for being sad constantly not realising that sadness is beyond their control. They didn't ask for it yet they are constantly hounded by it. The minute this book hit the shelves, it created a tsunami of emotions in the literary world and thanks to this, I now know how tough life can seem for someone who's truly depressed. But Shaheen doesn't address only the grief part. Perhaps this is why I have come to love this book and I'm sure you will too, once you read it.
•
The Bhatts are a starry family, through and through. Born in the '80s, Shaheen tells us how she came out as a red ball of fury. It was proof enough that she was already displeased and angry at the world. As she grew up, she was prone to bouts of sadness and insecurity and it only increased with time. Comparing herself to her star sisters, Shaheen turned severely conscious about her appearance and saw her performance at school and college dropping rapidly. It's shocking to learn that depression has such a strong hold on people, making it impossible for them perform even the simplest tasks. Our country is still quite hush-hush about mental illness making it extremely tough for people to admit their relationship with depression. As she explains about anxiety and grief, her constant thoughts about death and the fear of it, she also makes an important point in mentioning that being rich does not make one immune from depression.
•
She stresses on therapy and how it helped her on the days she felt little. She has bared it all including pages from her personal diary for the entire world to read. She's honest, brilliant and also quick witted. I love a book in which the author displays a sense of humour and Shaheen has the ability to make people laugh even when she's addressing serious issues. There's not a single flaw in this beautiful book. This book is important, sensitive, thoughtful and quite emotional too. Shaheen's book reminded me of Walt Disney's famous line 'After the rain, the sun will reappear. There is life. After the pain, the joy will still be here'.
•
Rating - 5/5.
Adulting.
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It's right when they say don't judge a book by its cover. This book for example, has a very interesting cover but what's inside is not something that I expected. I finished this book in a single sitting and more often than not felt like abandoning it. But I hoped against hope that there might be something at the very end that might make me change my mind about the book. But it failed miserably. I do not enjoy writing bad reviews but I have no choice.
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Adulting has been written keeping the lives of young adults in mind. The entire story revolves around the ones working in the publishing industry. The book is narrated from the perspectives of three protagonists, Tejas, Ruhi and Aisha. Tejas gets his debut book published through Ruhi's publishing house. After spending much of their time together, they eventually end up in a relationship. Aisha is a popular social media manager who has her own thriving blog. She is then hired by Ruhi to enhance the sales and support new authors. What starts off a decent read, begins to drag terribly.
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Tejas is stuck in a rut and finds it difficult to write another novel as per his contact. He also begins to doubt his relationship with Ruhi as he finds himself being attracted to Aisha. He breaks up with Ruhi and starts dating Aisha immediately. Ruhi is heartbroken by this discovery and hatches a plan to teach Aisha a lesson. She manages to get Aisha fired soon after. Aisha on the other hand starts putting on weight and gets addicted to junk all the while struggling with the hate comments popping up on her blog. She begins to have confidence and body issues which takes a toll on her relationship with Tejas.
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What follows next is the strangest love triangle between the three. Tejas keeps shuffling between Ruhi and Aisha only to realise that he's better off focusing on himself. The story does not lead anywhere. The characters are built in a very haphazard manner. There was not a single incident that I liked reading. The title and the story is not related in any sense. I was left utterly disappointed as I finished reading the last page. The entire story seemed very immature, something that a teenager would write.
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1.5/5.
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It's right when they say don't judge a book by its cover. This book for example, has a very interesting cover but what's inside is not something that I expected. I finished this book in a single sitting and more often than not felt like abandoning it. But I hoped against hope that there might be something at the very end that might make me change my mind about the book. But it failed miserably. I do not enjoy writing bad reviews but I have no choice.
~
Adulting has been written keeping the lives of young adults in mind. The entire story revolves around the ones working in the publishing industry. The book is narrated from the perspectives of three protagonists, Tejas, Ruhi and Aisha. Tejas gets his debut book published through Ruhi's publishing house. After spending much of their time together, they eventually end up in a relationship. Aisha is a popular social media manager who has her own thriving blog. She is then hired by Ruhi to enhance the sales and support new authors. What starts off a decent read, begins to drag terribly.
~
Tejas is stuck in a rut and finds it difficult to write another novel as per his contact. He also begins to doubt his relationship with Ruhi as he finds himself being attracted to Aisha. He breaks up with Ruhi and starts dating Aisha immediately. Ruhi is heartbroken by this discovery and hatches a plan to teach Aisha a lesson. She manages to get Aisha fired soon after. Aisha on the other hand starts putting on weight and gets addicted to junk all the while struggling with the hate comments popping up on her blog. She begins to have confidence and body issues which takes a toll on her relationship with Tejas.
~
What follows next is the strangest love triangle between the three. Tejas keeps shuffling between Ruhi and Aisha only to realise that he's better off focusing on himself. The story does not lead anywhere. The characters are built in a very haphazard manner. There was not a single incident that I liked reading. The title and the story is not related in any sense. I was left utterly disappointed as I finished reading the last page. The entire story seemed very immature, something that a teenager would write.
~
1.5/5.
| Book Review | The Mountain of the Moon.
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Originally written in Bengali in 1937, Chander Pahad still remains a very significant work of Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay. Although this novel was specifically written for children and young adults, it was hugely loved by many others irrespective of their age. This piece of art was later translated into English post 2003 and has been considered a highly renowned book ever since. Considering how I've never been fond of travelogues, I was initially very hesitant to read this but just a few chapters into the book, I knew I made the right decision of picking it.
•
Shankar is a twenty year old graduate who enjoys swimming, reading and learning about astronomy. While he has important plans for his future, his father's illness forces him to take up a job in a Jute mill. Thanks to his neighbour, he gets a job as a clerk in Uganda. Rest of the story narrates Shankar's adventures in the wild land of Africa. He faces near-death experiences from lions and snakes but somehow survives all of them. After moving around for quite a while, he stumbles upon an elderly Portuguese adventurer named Diego Alvarez who has been on the lookout for the yellow diamond caves in the Richtersveld. And how this treasure was guarded by a monster named Bunyip. Diego narrates his previous journey to the Richtersveld during which he loses his exploring partner named Carter. The two men then make up their mind to find the cave this time around.
•
After facing a lot of difficulties, both the men spend more than six months in the dense forest surviving on next to nothing. Shankar faces misfortune and doubts his ability as an adventurer when a series of bad events comes his way. After miraculously surviving death time and again, he comes out of the forest successfully. The description of Africa is so vivid and the research behind bringing this book alive is so intensive that one has to applaud the author's efforts. The translation work is splendid, often making people forget that it wasn't written in English originally. Although the narration is beautiful, I did find it a bit lengthy and perhaps this was why I couldn't give it five stars.
•
This book will also make a perfect gift to the little ones whose imagination will take wings, thanks to the author's brilliant description of Africa. I have always enjoyed reading translated works starting from Kannada, Japanese, Korean to Bengali and this particular book of adventure was undoubtedly the best I've read so far. I recommend it.
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4.3/5.
•
Originally written in Bengali in 1937, Chander Pahad still remains a very significant work of Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay. Although this novel was specifically written for children and young adults, it was hugely loved by many others irrespective of their age. This piece of art was later translated into English post 2003 and has been considered a highly renowned book ever since. Considering how I've never been fond of travelogues, I was initially very hesitant to read this but just a few chapters into the book, I knew I made the right decision of picking it.
•
Shankar is a twenty year old graduate who enjoys swimming, reading and learning about astronomy. While he has important plans for his future, his father's illness forces him to take up a job in a Jute mill. Thanks to his neighbour, he gets a job as a clerk in Uganda. Rest of the story narrates Shankar's adventures in the wild land of Africa. He faces near-death experiences from lions and snakes but somehow survives all of them. After moving around for quite a while, he stumbles upon an elderly Portuguese adventurer named Diego Alvarez who has been on the lookout for the yellow diamond caves in the Richtersveld. And how this treasure was guarded by a monster named Bunyip. Diego narrates his previous journey to the Richtersveld during which he loses his exploring partner named Carter. The two men then make up their mind to find the cave this time around.
•
After facing a lot of difficulties, both the men spend more than six months in the dense forest surviving on next to nothing. Shankar faces misfortune and doubts his ability as an adventurer when a series of bad events comes his way. After miraculously surviving death time and again, he comes out of the forest successfully. The description of Africa is so vivid and the research behind bringing this book alive is so intensive that one has to applaud the author's efforts. The translation work is splendid, often making people forget that it wasn't written in English originally. Although the narration is beautiful, I did find it a bit lengthy and perhaps this was why I couldn't give it five stars.
•
This book will also make a perfect gift to the little ones whose imagination will take wings, thanks to the author's brilliant description of Africa. I have always enjoyed reading translated works starting from Kannada, Japanese, Korean to Bengali and this particular book of adventure was undoubtedly the best I've read so far. I recommend it.
•
4.3/5.
| R E V I E W |
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Over the course of time, I have read many books that infuriated me to no end. And when I chose this piece of biography, I mentally prepared myself to expect the worst but it somehow still managed to shock me. Set in Syria and Iran during the Islamic revolution(1979) this story is one's idea of a nightmare. Based on the life of the author's mother, this story is truly very disturbing. Dr Rafizadeh had a difficult childhood, often witnessing his mother being battered at the hands of his father. But what I couldn't understand was the detached manner in which he wrote this book.
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Amira was born into a poverty ridden family to a hateful mother and a neglectful father. At a time when girls were considered as a burden, Amira took over household chores and looked after her siblings from a very young age. In spite of her good grades, she was forced to quit school and was married to a man who was almost twenty years older than her. Her marriage was a disaster from the very beginning, as she often ended up being beaten. Soon, she moves back to her maternal home only to be treated as a servant where everyone considered her unlucky. Her second marriage, which starts off on a good note what with her husband appearing charming and kind turns out very similar to the first one. She finds herself at a loss of words when she realises that her husband is already married.
~
Amira's character is one that oozes warmth and kindness yet all that she receives from the people around her is hostility. Her life in Syria grows difficult with every passing year as she bears the brunt of hatred from her husband and his first wife. With no support from her maternal family, she was often left all alone. While half of the book talks about his mother's hardships, it suddenly takes an abrupt turn and focuses more on his education. In addition to the personal incidents of his life, he has also shed light on the cultural and political situations of both Iran and Syria. As much as I would have loved to know more about the author's journey as a student and then as a working man, I couldn't help but feel disappointed by how the book deviated from staying true to its title.
~
There's no doubt that this book is highly disconcerting in nature and I often felt enraged by the manner in which women were treated in the name of religion and scriptures. Rafizadeh often quotes verses from Quran and Hadith that men used to vent out their anger at women or to curb their sense of individuality. It's heartbreaking to see how men had (still have) a strong hold on their wives and daughters, leaving them deprived of a decent education and life in general. He even describes the disgusting and unbelievable manner in which young boys were raped in his father's village and how it was considered masculine for men to do so.
~
Albeit the story was intense and well described, I couldn't help but feel dejected at how the book turned out to be. The title seemed mismatched and fell short of my expectations of being a female oriented book. If you're looking for an eye opener, the sort that puts in display the dirty laundry of many families and how thousands of women were and are still supressed even in mordern times, then pick this one up.
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Rating - 3.8/5.
~
Over the course of time, I have read many books that infuriated me to no end. And when I chose this piece of biography, I mentally prepared myself to expect the worst but it somehow still managed to shock me. Set in Syria and Iran during the Islamic revolution(1979) this story is one's idea of a nightmare. Based on the life of the author's mother, this story is truly very disturbing. Dr Rafizadeh had a difficult childhood, often witnessing his mother being battered at the hands of his father. But what I couldn't understand was the detached manner in which he wrote this book.
~
Amira was born into a poverty ridden family to a hateful mother and a neglectful father. At a time when girls were considered as a burden, Amira took over household chores and looked after her siblings from a very young age. In spite of her good grades, she was forced to quit school and was married to a man who was almost twenty years older than her. Her marriage was a disaster from the very beginning, as she often ended up being beaten. Soon, she moves back to her maternal home only to be treated as a servant where everyone considered her unlucky. Her second marriage, which starts off on a good note what with her husband appearing charming and kind turns out very similar to the first one. She finds herself at a loss of words when she realises that her husband is already married.
~
Amira's character is one that oozes warmth and kindness yet all that she receives from the people around her is hostility. Her life in Syria grows difficult with every passing year as she bears the brunt of hatred from her husband and his first wife. With no support from her maternal family, she was often left all alone. While half of the book talks about his mother's hardships, it suddenly takes an abrupt turn and focuses more on his education. In addition to the personal incidents of his life, he has also shed light on the cultural and political situations of both Iran and Syria. As much as I would have loved to know more about the author's journey as a student and then as a working man, I couldn't help but feel disappointed by how the book deviated from staying true to its title.
~
There's no doubt that this book is highly disconcerting in nature and I often felt enraged by the manner in which women were treated in the name of religion and scriptures. Rafizadeh often quotes verses from Quran and Hadith that men used to vent out their anger at women or to curb their sense of individuality. It's heartbreaking to see how men had (still have) a strong hold on their wives and daughters, leaving them deprived of a decent education and life in general. He even describes the disgusting and unbelievable manner in which young boys were raped in his father's village and how it was considered masculine for men to do so.
~
Albeit the story was intense and well described, I couldn't help but feel dejected at how the book turned out to be. The title seemed mismatched and fell short of my expectations of being a female oriented book. If you're looking for an eye opener, the sort that puts in display the dirty laundry of many families and how thousands of women were and are still supressed even in mordern times, then pick this one up.
~
Rating - 3.8/5.
~ r e v i e w ~
•
"Our gods kill only to raise the Other to the divine status. Violence inflicted by the gods doesn't remain violence but becomes a narrative of redemption and liberation. Even violent battles and lynchings become dharmayuddha. Shrouded and concealed in religious myths, this was India's secret history of blood justice." - Aparna Vaidik.
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Although the word 'lynch' comes from the time of American Revolution, it has often been put to use in our country, even more so in the recent times. While we claim that our nation has been a torch bearer for preaching and practicing non-violence, Aparna puts forth many instances that teaches us otherwise. This book which serves as a memoir makes for an eye opener when it comes to how we have been viewing our mythological stories. When one finishes reading My Son's Inheritance, there are no longer unanswered questions but a simple fact that our country wasn't built on non-violence.
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The entirety of this book is addressed to Aparna's son whom she fondly refers to as Babu. A simple encounter with her neighbour, sets her mind whirring about how unfairly we associate violence with only muslims. It is then she goes ahead to think of her grandfather who was closely associated with Arya Samaj, who believed in Gaurakshak. Through various pieces of information, she presents to us the history of beef-lynchings in India. Although in the past, cows were slaughtered by Hindu butchers, with the onset of Arya Samaj, this came to an end. She also mentions the coming together of Rajput and Vaishnavism. Through her grandfather, she visits places that has shrines and tablets dedicated to cow protectors (Bharmall) and learns how lynching first came into existence.
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When she moves on to explain how we have been romanticizing our myths that portrayed worthy and righteous men getting lynched or killed so that the gods can win, it made me rethink the way I have been perceiving such stories all these years. She doesn't stop there but goes on to talk about how casteism came into existence. How Brahmins are deemed to be of the highest value while Dalits were associated with the lowest of low jobs.
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There are mentions of Jyotirao Phule and his wife, Savitribai Phule who set up schools for Dalit and Muslim children at a time when they weren't allowed to be educated. The vicious cycle which didn't allow Dalits to have access to education was broken through them. I found this book fascinating for it covered a multitude of aspects be it religion or mythology, or something as simple as humanity. In spite of being written realistically, there's an intimate touch to Aparna's way of writing probably because of the fact that it was addressed to her son or because of the constant recollection of her grandfather's involvement in Gaurakshak. This book has powerful narration, often making me highlight big chunks of lines ever so frequently. My Son's Inheritance is a brilliant book that makes one think about the choices we make, the paths that we have been following in the name of tradition and how casteism has come to be so important that we have pushed humanity to the background.
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She concludes with this hard-hitting/beautiful message to her son - "Inheritance by definition, is not always of your choosing. But while you are tethered to it, you are in no way bound by it. You are free to choose the elements of your inheritance that you wish to own , to discard, to celebrate, to be indifferent to, or even to fight. You inheritance will acquire the meaning you give it."
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Rating - 5/5.
•
"Our gods kill only to raise the Other to the divine status. Violence inflicted by the gods doesn't remain violence but becomes a narrative of redemption and liberation. Even violent battles and lynchings become dharmayuddha. Shrouded and concealed in religious myths, this was India's secret history of blood justice." - Aparna Vaidik.
•
Although the word 'lynch' comes from the time of American Revolution, it has often been put to use in our country, even more so in the recent times. While we claim that our nation has been a torch bearer for preaching and practicing non-violence, Aparna puts forth many instances that teaches us otherwise. This book which serves as a memoir makes for an eye opener when it comes to how we have been viewing our mythological stories. When one finishes reading My Son's Inheritance, there are no longer unanswered questions but a simple fact that our country wasn't built on non-violence.
•
The entirety of this book is addressed to Aparna's son whom she fondly refers to as Babu. A simple encounter with her neighbour, sets her mind whirring about how unfairly we associate violence with only muslims. It is then she goes ahead to think of her grandfather who was closely associated with Arya Samaj, who believed in Gaurakshak. Through various pieces of information, she presents to us the history of beef-lynchings in India. Although in the past, cows were slaughtered by Hindu butchers, with the onset of Arya Samaj, this came to an end. She also mentions the coming together of Rajput and Vaishnavism. Through her grandfather, she visits places that has shrines and tablets dedicated to cow protectors (Bharmall) and learns how lynching first came into existence.
•
When she moves on to explain how we have been romanticizing our myths that portrayed worthy and righteous men getting lynched or killed so that the gods can win, it made me rethink the way I have been perceiving such stories all these years. She doesn't stop there but goes on to talk about how casteism came into existence. How Brahmins are deemed to be of the highest value while Dalits were associated with the lowest of low jobs.
•
There are mentions of Jyotirao Phule and his wife, Savitribai Phule who set up schools for Dalit and Muslim children at a time when they weren't allowed to be educated. The vicious cycle which didn't allow Dalits to have access to education was broken through them. I found this book fascinating for it covered a multitude of aspects be it religion or mythology, or something as simple as humanity. In spite of being written realistically, there's an intimate touch to Aparna's way of writing probably because of the fact that it was addressed to her son or because of the constant recollection of her grandfather's involvement in Gaurakshak. This book has powerful narration, often making me highlight big chunks of lines ever so frequently. My Son's Inheritance is a brilliant book that makes one think about the choices we make, the paths that we have been following in the name of tradition and how casteism has come to be so important that we have pushed humanity to the background.
•
She concludes with this hard-hitting/beautiful message to her son - "Inheritance by definition, is not always of your choosing. But while you are tethered to it, you are in no way bound by it. You are free to choose the elements of your inheritance that you wish to own , to discard, to celebrate, to be indifferent to, or even to fight. You inheritance will acquire the meaning you give it."
•
Rating - 5/5.