Wolf Totem Jiang Rong/Penguin Books

I wonder why I picked up the book. Maybe China was the major attraction.Someone like me who stays away from dogs and cats and all kinds of animals should have thought twice before buying this book.The title is pretty straight forward and the book is centred around wolves of the Mongolian grasslands. I did not find much of literary flavour in the book though it is supposed to be fiction. Finding it a bit difficult to digest all these details about eating dogs and wolves, hunting ,killing ,bloodshed and barren landscapes where all the drama takes place. It will take me ages to finish reading this book. I am coming back to it now and then in between my other readings.

Letters from the Edge: 12 women of the world write home.

 Published by New Internationalist

I picked up this book on a friend’s recommendation.The foreword says the letters, though written from different locations of the world, have a timeless quality about them. Very true. When Elisabeth writes Nigeria is a nation of hoarders and savers and poverty forces people to find a use for virtually everything I can jolly well relate this to the habits of people here. Plastic pouches,old newspapers, broken taps,glass bottles ,old clothes,old computers, even hair which falls while combing and brushing everything is hoarded and sold at a price to be recycled. Igbo customs like shaving off a widow’s head in Nigeria is similar to an ancient Bengalee practice which you fortunately do not see any more. The book presents a snapshot of different cultures but also shows how similar human aspirations, hopes ,concerns for family and community ,pain and suffering can be.

The letters are from India, China, Pakistan, Bolivia, Zimbabwe, Russia, Colombia, Lebanon, Mauritius, Egypt ,Colombia ,Mongolia. Good read.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Letters-Edge-Women-World-Write/dp/1904456979

The Journey Home

"The Journey home" is a beautiful , inspiring book on Radhanath Swami’s quest for God .It is also a book about India , a book about triumph of the human spirit against all odds , a tale of adventure and fulfilment of a dream. It is a tale of human endurance ,love and kindness. The book also reveals the wonder of nature as the author recounts his experiences of travelling across continents . The book reiterates the clichéd concept that the trials and tribulations of life can teach you more than books and formal education. The book more than anything else can serve as a guide to daily living and life in general.


Written beautifully in a lucid style The Journey Home is a must read for the believer . To me the belief can be about anything good and meaningful .



http://www.thejourneyhomebook.com/

Love life Goethe : how to be happy in an imperfect world /John Armstrong, Penguin Books

While reading this mesmerizing biography I was transported to a different age and time. This is exactly what happens when you read a well written biography. Such books are enjoyed best with your favourite music playing in the background.

What comes across is Goethe’s balanced view of life which he achieved through a wonderful integration of “ material and emotional stability with an astonishingly fertile creative life”. Armstrong has been extremely insightful in trying to analyse Goethe’s standpoint on life in general . It is probably a very personal interpretation on Goethe’s life and work . It is a good read and keeps you engaged throughout.



The Independent wrote a very critical review of the book. Check link below
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/love-life-goethe-how-to-be-hapy-in-an-imperfect-world-by-john-armstrong-474010.html



I could not be bothered as long as the writing keeps me hooked.

In Spite of the Gods by Edward Luce

http://www.amazon.com/Spite-Gods-Rise-Modern-India/dp/1400079772
I read Luce's remarkable book after coming across a reference in Tharoor's book "The Elephant,the tiger and the cellphone". It is absolutely mesmerising.Well researched , well documented it presents India in a most interesting and unbiased manner.As an Indian I did not once feel hurt or unduly elated by any of the facts presented so lucidly by Luce. There was lot for me to learn , details ,facts, perceptions which I would not have discovered otherwise. The prose is simple and easy to read. I felt it was a book more for people who knew India well .People who would be able to understand the complex issues discussed and described so lovingly. Luce's fascination for the subject is unmistakeable.

The Roots of Ayurveda by Dominic Wujastyk

I discovered this book at the Penguin bookstall at the Kolkata Bookfair 2010 .This book is subtitled "selections from Sanskrit Medical writings".It is an absorbing book even for a lay person like me.Writings from Caraka,Susruta, Kasyapa,Vagbhata, Sarnagadhara are covered in this book.The book takes you on a journey through ancient Indian life its culture, traditions,practices and beliefs.
Apart from the various medical descriptions , it is an interesting study of a bygone era.

Love in the time of cholera

I discovered Gabriel Garcia with this book. I am floored . It is a stunning book and I am hooked. Will have to read all his works