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_askthebookbug's Reviews (1.34k)
// The Greatest Kashmiri Stories Ever Told
I rarely indulge in short stories and amongst them, I have only a few favourites. When Aleph announced the publication of Kashmiri stories, I was intrigued. Selected and translated by Neerja Mattoo, these twenty five stories are quite interesting. Neerja herself has published several anthologies and three books so it came as no surprise that her language prowess shone through her flawless translation.
As it so happens, I did not enjoy all the stories but I did have a few favourites. There are stories about people who come looking for their homes from which they had to flee years ago, about women who are nosey, about kids who settle down with ease in other cities while the elders miss their roots. No two stories are similar, giving us a wide array of topics to read about. Some of the stories are touching, and some just ordinary. But what impressed me was the seamless translation that Neerja managed to carry throughout the book.
If you're interested in short stories, then chances are that you may enjoy this collection. Most of the tales are of normal people going about their lives in a mundane manner. But look out for the ones that somehow burrows into your heart and makes a tiny nip, smarting your eyes with unshed tears.
Thank you for the copy @alephbookco
I rarely indulge in short stories and amongst them, I have only a few favourites. When Aleph announced the publication of Kashmiri stories, I was intrigued. Selected and translated by Neerja Mattoo, these twenty five stories are quite interesting. Neerja herself has published several anthologies and three books so it came as no surprise that her language prowess shone through her flawless translation.
As it so happens, I did not enjoy all the stories but I did have a few favourites. There are stories about people who come looking for their homes from which they had to flee years ago, about women who are nosey, about kids who settle down with ease in other cities while the elders miss their roots. No two stories are similar, giving us a wide array of topics to read about. Some of the stories are touching, and some just ordinary. But what impressed me was the seamless translation that Neerja managed to carry throughout the book.
If you're interested in short stories, then chances are that you may enjoy this collection. Most of the tales are of normal people going about their lives in a mundane manner. But look out for the ones that somehow burrows into your heart and makes a tiny nip, smarting your eyes with unshed tears.
Thank you for the copy @alephbookco
// Annapurna Devi by Atul Merchant
Reading about Annapurna Devi was a learning process. Atul Merchant takes us into the world of a reclusive legend who barely appeared in the public eye. Much of her life was a mystery, only a handful of her close acquaintances being aware of her charming personality. Having gone through certain tragedies, much has been written about her relationship with her husband, Pandit Ravi Shankar. Atul Merchant thought it only fair to put forth the life of his Guru Ma whom he came to respect and adore in complete transparency. This birthed the book that I've now read.
Atul goes way back, starting from her legendary father who was a renowned musician. Allauddin Khan was well respected and revered in the musical community and he trained his children, Ali Akbar Khan and Annapurna Devi from a very young age. He was a strict teacher. We watch Annapurna Devi transform into a talented young lady who later went on to make her name in the music industry. Her marriage with Pandit Ravi Shankar was perhaps her biggest tragedy. It pulled her down, turning her into a private person who stopped giving public performances.
As Atul explains the relationship she shared with her famous students, he writes about how this woman was compassionate and genial. Although this book was meant to focus on Guru Ma, I couldn't help but feel that it leaned more towards her father. I could feel her being sidelined. This book has been knowledgeable but I wish there was more about her in the pages.
If you're a music enthusiast, I have a feeling that this may just be your cup of tea.
Reading about Annapurna Devi was a learning process. Atul Merchant takes us into the world of a reclusive legend who barely appeared in the public eye. Much of her life was a mystery, only a handful of her close acquaintances being aware of her charming personality. Having gone through certain tragedies, much has been written about her relationship with her husband, Pandit Ravi Shankar. Atul Merchant thought it only fair to put forth the life of his Guru Ma whom he came to respect and adore in complete transparency. This birthed the book that I've now read.
Atul goes way back, starting from her legendary father who was a renowned musician. Allauddin Khan was well respected and revered in the musical community and he trained his children, Ali Akbar Khan and Annapurna Devi from a very young age. He was a strict teacher. We watch Annapurna Devi transform into a talented young lady who later went on to make her name in the music industry. Her marriage with Pandit Ravi Shankar was perhaps her biggest tragedy. It pulled her down, turning her into a private person who stopped giving public performances.
As Atul explains the relationship she shared with her famous students, he writes about how this woman was compassionate and genial. Although this book was meant to focus on Guru Ma, I couldn't help but feel that it leaned more towards her father. I could feel her being sidelined. This book has been knowledgeable but I wish there was more about her in the pages.
If you're a music enthusiast, I have a feeling that this may just be your cup of tea.
// Be a Triangle by Lilly Singh
I don't often read self-help books but on the rare occasions that I do, I end up disappointed. There's this voice in my head that finds it strange that people pay to know about things that somewhere already lies in the corners of their minds. But when Be a Triangle was out, I was intrigued because I've watched and enjoyed Lilly's videos over the years. The book not only looked gorgeous but also had relatively lesser pages compared to other self-help books and so I dived in.
The 112 pages of this book boils down to basically three things ; to practice self love, to meditate and to live in gratitude. There! As far as self-help goes, this book doesn't really offer much. I didn't learn anything new and Lilly's attempts at cracking jokes fell flat as well. I did however like the concept of her 'be a triangle', where she points out that our foundation has to be solid and wide (just like that of a triangle) upon which anything can be built.
I read this in an hour and ended up being disgruntled because I honestly expected more. More from a book that has a catchy title and more from someone as sensational as Lilly Singh. The illustrations too were fairly ordinary. All in all, it was a lukewarm experience.
But if at all you are interested in this light weight book that just touches upon the surface of deeper issues, then go ahead and give it a read. Who knows, you may actually enjoy it.
There's only one thing that I learnt from Be a Triangle. That self-help will probably never work for me.
I don't often read self-help books but on the rare occasions that I do, I end up disappointed. There's this voice in my head that finds it strange that people pay to know about things that somewhere already lies in the corners of their minds. But when Be a Triangle was out, I was intrigued because I've watched and enjoyed Lilly's videos over the years. The book not only looked gorgeous but also had relatively lesser pages compared to other self-help books and so I dived in.
The 112 pages of this book boils down to basically three things ; to practice self love, to meditate and to live in gratitude. There! As far as self-help goes, this book doesn't really offer much. I didn't learn anything new and Lilly's attempts at cracking jokes fell flat as well. I did however like the concept of her 'be a triangle', where she points out that our foundation has to be solid and wide (just like that of a triangle) upon which anything can be built.
I read this in an hour and ended up being disgruntled because I honestly expected more. More from a book that has a catchy title and more from someone as sensational as Lilly Singh. The illustrations too were fairly ordinary. All in all, it was a lukewarm experience.
But if at all you are interested in this light weight book that just touches upon the surface of deeper issues, then go ahead and give it a read. Who knows, you may actually enjoy it.
There's only one thing that I learnt from Be a Triangle. That self-help will probably never work for me.
One just cannot ignore Manoranjan Byapari’s words. Originally titled Cherra Cherra Jibon in Bengali and translated to English by Arunava Sinha, Imaan is an consequential book about the penurious living in Kolkata. But as I delved deeper into the story, it often felt like I was peeling an onion. Each layer opened up into a different story but somehow all of it comes together in the end. There’s no doubt that great translation elevates a novel significantly and every time I read anything by @arunavasinha ,this fact is again reaffirmed.
One would think that Imaan is mainly about a six month old baby who enters prison in the arms of his mother and continues to stay there for two decades. Prison becomes his home, a place of comfort where everyone loves him and when he is finally released, he finds himself in a strange world. Contrary to what the title suggests, I believe only a small piece of the book revolves around Imaan.
The bigger chunk introduces us to an array of characters, all of them living in shanties. The men are seen resorting to various tactics to earn money while the women are seen with a sharp tongue, going after what they want. We see poverty, theft and death but somehow the use of dark humour makes it all seem not so glum. To write about the underbelly of the world so honestly and clearly comes only with acute observation. It is applaudable that in spite of there being so many characters, their personalities aren’t confusing, each carrying his/her own role seamlessly.
Imaan is so much more than just a novel. It removes the rose tinted glasses and makes one see the world for the way it is. Manoranjan Byapari writes with such conviction that I could watch the story unfold right in front of my eyes.
It makes perfect sense about this novel being shortlisted for the @thejcbprize . Also, I think it’s time I read There’s Gun Powder in the Air.
One would think that Imaan is mainly about a six month old baby who enters prison in the arms of his mother and continues to stay there for two decades. Prison becomes his home, a place of comfort where everyone loves him and when he is finally released, he finds himself in a strange world. Contrary to what the title suggests, I believe only a small piece of the book revolves around Imaan.
The bigger chunk introduces us to an array of characters, all of them living in shanties. The men are seen resorting to various tactics to earn money while the women are seen with a sharp tongue, going after what they want. We see poverty, theft and death but somehow the use of dark humour makes it all seem not so glum. To write about the underbelly of the world so honestly and clearly comes only with acute observation. It is applaudable that in spite of there being so many characters, their personalities aren’t confusing, each carrying his/her own role seamlessly.
Imaan is so much more than just a novel. It removes the rose tinted glasses and makes one see the world for the way it is. Manoranjan Byapari writes with such conviction that I could watch the story unfold right in front of my eyes.
It makes perfect sense about this novel being shortlisted for the @thejcbprize . Also, I think it’s time I read There’s Gun Powder in the Air.
Couple of years ago I read Rahul Pandita’s Our Moon Has Blood Clots and it has remained one of my top non fiction books since then. When @penguinindia sent across Hello, Bastar, I jumped at the chance to read and review it. Much like the former book, this one too has been researched extensively and it shows. As much as I liked this one, I do admit that this book probably wouldn’t work for everyone. But if you do want to know about the birth of Maoism and the slow yet inevitable rise of it, this is probably the best book to learn from.
Rahul Pandita writes crisply and this is what I enjoy most about his books. He introduces the biggest names responsible for the evolution of Maoism and where they derived inspiration from. It’s no secret that India has a severe imbalance of the rich and the poor. The poor keep getting poorer and the rich keep getting richer. Landlords for years have been abusing bonded labourers or tribals for their own benefit and over time they have begun to fight back. Maoism has undoubtedly helped these communities by taking justice into their own hands rather than leaving it up to the judicial system. Because as it so often happens, history has shown how they side eventually with the powerful.
The trials and tribulations of being part of the Maoist community is well known. They don’t have a home of their own and are on constant move, with the risk of being arrested or worse, of being executed. There’s bloodshed on both sides. The government and the Maoists have hands dripping with blood.
I read this book slowly and understood the reason behind their fierce actions. It’s always conflicting to side with either of them but I do understand what Rahul Pandita tries to say through this book. Imagine to what extent did they have to suffer to take guns into their own hands?
Thanks for the copy @penguinindia
Rahul Pandita writes crisply and this is what I enjoy most about his books. He introduces the biggest names responsible for the evolution of Maoism and where they derived inspiration from. It’s no secret that India has a severe imbalance of the rich and the poor. The poor keep getting poorer and the rich keep getting richer. Landlords for years have been abusing bonded labourers or tribals for their own benefit and over time they have begun to fight back. Maoism has undoubtedly helped these communities by taking justice into their own hands rather than leaving it up to the judicial system. Because as it so often happens, history has shown how they side eventually with the powerful.
The trials and tribulations of being part of the Maoist community is well known. They don’t have a home of their own and are on constant move, with the risk of being arrested or worse, of being executed. There’s bloodshed on both sides. The government and the Maoists have hands dripping with blood.
I read this book slowly and understood the reason behind their fierce actions. It’s always conflicting to side with either of them but I do understand what Rahul Pandita tries to say through this book. Imagine to what extent did they have to suffer to take guns into their own hands?
Thanks for the copy @penguinindia
In Tell Me How it Ends, Valeria addresses the 40 questions that are part of the immigration forms. When undocumented people enter America (mostly children), the federal immigration system interrogates them thoroughly before deciding whether to keep or deport them. Luiselli who works as a translator in the immigration court often works with children who are confused, hurt and vulnerable, recording their answers day after day. This short book is powerful, one that shines a clear light on how immigrants are treated for simply trying to survive.
Luiselli writes beautifully, her language crisp and to the point, yet one can detect compassion just below the surface. She feels for the children who flee from poverty and death to an alien country only to be treated like criminals. Thousands of people have gone missing in the process of escaping to America, their remains scattered somewhere between the two countries. Having moved from Mexico herself, Luiselli can’t help but connect with the kids. She knows what it’s like to live with constant suspicion and threat hanging over their heads in this place.
Luiselli’s kids often ask their mother about how the stories of these children will eventually turn out to be. A question to which she doesn’t have an answer yet.
‘Tell me how it ends’, they ask.
‘I don’t know’, is what she says.
I can’t recommend this book enough. It’ll take lesser than a day to finish it but you’ll be mulling over Luiselli’s words for weeks to come.
Luiselli writes beautifully, her language crisp and to the point, yet one can detect compassion just below the surface. She feels for the children who flee from poverty and death to an alien country only to be treated like criminals. Thousands of people have gone missing in the process of escaping to America, their remains scattered somewhere between the two countries. Having moved from Mexico herself, Luiselli can’t help but connect with the kids. She knows what it’s like to live with constant suspicion and threat hanging over their heads in this place.
Luiselli’s kids often ask their mother about how the stories of these children will eventually turn out to be. A question to which she doesn’t have an answer yet.
‘Tell me how it ends’, they ask.
‘I don’t know’, is what she says.
I can’t recommend this book enough. It’ll take lesser than a day to finish it but you’ll be mulling over Luiselli’s words for weeks to come.
Reading Anna’s books have been such a joyous experience! Perhaps she’s the only one I can think of who adds sunshine to the story even when there are gruesome murders involved. Fallen Butterfly, the third book in the Isabel Flores series is as good as the former ones. After Nancy Drew, Isabel is my absolute favourite woman detective and this has been reaffirmed after reading the third novel. Set in the joyous island of Mallorca, surrounded by her loved ones and her eccentric ferret pet, she goes on to solve many a mysterious problems.
Contrary to other detectives, Isabel leads a fun life in Soller village surrounded by those who love and adore her. She leads a rather carefree life, taking baths in the sea, downing cups and cups of cortado and wolfing down all the delicious food that her mother makes. She has very little to worry about the ongoings of her daily life, but when an occasional murder pops up she eventually burrows her way into it and solves it. In Fallen Butterfly, when a local transport minister is found dead in a rather cruel manner, the police force is quick to rope in Isabel. Although Isabel resigned from the force years ago, her help is often sought in case of tough cases.
In trying to resolve the murder of the minister, Isabel uncovers a much larger crime situation. While munching on sunflower seeds, and savouring chupa chups, with her assistant ferret assistant in tow, Isabel sets out to figure out the secret. Like in her previous books, I still found Isabel extremely likeable and her antics quite entertaining. My only qualms with the story was that it got a bit stretchy in the middle but the end makes up for it.
If you’re looking for a fresh face in the detective world, this one’s just for you. Can’t thank @annanicholasauthor enough for sending me a copy the minute I reached out to her
Contrary to other detectives, Isabel leads a fun life in Soller village surrounded by those who love and adore her. She leads a rather carefree life, taking baths in the sea, downing cups and cups of cortado and wolfing down all the delicious food that her mother makes. She has very little to worry about the ongoings of her daily life, but when an occasional murder pops up she eventually burrows her way into it and solves it. In Fallen Butterfly, when a local transport minister is found dead in a rather cruel manner, the police force is quick to rope in Isabel. Although Isabel resigned from the force years ago, her help is often sought in case of tough cases.
In trying to resolve the murder of the minister, Isabel uncovers a much larger crime situation. While munching on sunflower seeds, and savouring chupa chups, with her assistant ferret assistant in tow, Isabel sets out to figure out the secret. Like in her previous books, I still found Isabel extremely likeable and her antics quite entertaining. My only qualms with the story was that it got a bit stretchy in the middle but the end makes up for it.
If you’re looking for a fresh face in the detective world, this one’s just for you. Can’t thank @annanicholasauthor enough for sending me a copy the minute I reached out to her
I first read Raman’s work when @reader_girl_reader gifted me his novel, A Will to Kill. In many ways it reminded me of Bhaskar Chattopadhyay’s Penumbra but with its own unique twist. When I heard that his latest book was out, I knew I had to read it. This one was quite different from his previous book. Firstly, I took almost a week to wrap up this murder mystery which isn’t usually a good sign. Although the premise was interesting, with the concept of supernatural powers mingled with murder mystery, somewhere along the way the story became very stretchy. Grave Intentions isn’t definitely a great novel but surprisingly, it wasn’t too bad either.
Harith Athreya is known for solving cases that are as enigmatic as him. He is often roped in by the police when they find it difficult to crack certain important cases and it is on one such mission that he stumbles upon Naaz Tapu, an islet with the myth of being haunted by a pair of ghosts. There’s an archaeological site set up quite close to it and in addition to solving a financial scam happening within that organisation, he is also entrusted with an unexpected incident that involves an elderly woman who heads the archaeological team and also with a bunch of thieves. Naaz Tapu is known for being dangerous and no local would voluntarily step onto the islet for the fear of facing the wrath of spirits. So when Athreya is pulled into this mysterious case, he carefully untangles all the causes until he finds the truth.
I personally loved the setting of this book and Raman’s clever idea of mixing a thriller with that of a supernatural aspect to it. My only qualm was with how the story felt stagnant somewhere in the middle, forcing me to abandon it almost twice. The end is certainly unexpected but it didn’t leave with the sense of satisfaction that usually comes when you finish a good murder mystery novel.
All in all, Grave Intentions didn’t impress me much but I would still very well read his next book.
Harith Athreya is known for solving cases that are as enigmatic as him. He is often roped in by the police when they find it difficult to crack certain important cases and it is on one such mission that he stumbles upon Naaz Tapu, an islet with the myth of being haunted by a pair of ghosts. There’s an archaeological site set up quite close to it and in addition to solving a financial scam happening within that organisation, he is also entrusted with an unexpected incident that involves an elderly woman who heads the archaeological team and also with a bunch of thieves. Naaz Tapu is known for being dangerous and no local would voluntarily step onto the islet for the fear of facing the wrath of spirits. So when Athreya is pulled into this mysterious case, he carefully untangles all the causes until he finds the truth.
I personally loved the setting of this book and Raman’s clever idea of mixing a thriller with that of a supernatural aspect to it. My only qualm was with how the story felt stagnant somewhere in the middle, forcing me to abandon it almost twice. The end is certainly unexpected but it didn’t leave with the sense of satisfaction that usually comes when you finish a good murder mystery novel.
All in all, Grave Intentions didn’t impress me much but I would still very well read his next book.
I don’t know how @alephbookco does it but they release one excellent book after the other. This chunky book is another great collectible item that you can adorn your bookshelf with. And undoubtedly the best part of this book is the selection and editing done by the renowned author/translator, Arunava Sinha. I’ve read many books translated by him and none of them had any lost in translation situations. And so when I heard that he carefully handpicked the fifty stories that were to be a part of this book, I immediately jumped at it.
This book is diverse in every sense because not only does it feature stories by authors both old and new, it also comprises stories of different languages. From Rabindranath Tagore to Mahashwetha Devi, to Ruskin Bond, I was delighted to see all of their phenomenal work included in the book. The book may appear intimidating, what with its size but I finished reading it in no time. Spanning across time, @arunavasinha has cleverly brought together tales that makes Indian literature shine. I’ve also had the pleasure to discover some new stories through this book. Presenting such rich stories under one umbrella correctly signifies why Indian literature cannot be put under a single category. The prose has a richness to it and emotions brim in many chapters.
But mostly it was the cover that caught my eye. It’s vibrant, much like the contents within it. This is most definitely another hit by Aleph. Thank you for the copy @alephbookco ✨
This book is diverse in every sense because not only does it feature stories by authors both old and new, it also comprises stories of different languages. From Rabindranath Tagore to Mahashwetha Devi, to Ruskin Bond, I was delighted to see all of their phenomenal work included in the book. The book may appear intimidating, what with its size but I finished reading it in no time. Spanning across time, @arunavasinha has cleverly brought together tales that makes Indian literature shine. I’ve also had the pleasure to discover some new stories through this book. Presenting such rich stories under one umbrella correctly signifies why Indian literature cannot be put under a single category. The prose has a richness to it and emotions brim in many chapters.
But mostly it was the cover that caught my eye. It’s vibrant, much like the contents within it. This is most definitely another hit by Aleph. Thank you for the copy @alephbookco ✨