I don't think i could ever rate this below 5 stars because its a true account and being a Keralite this book is very relatable. I had read this when iI don't think i could ever rate this below 5 stars because its a true account and being a Keralite this book is very relatable. I had read this when it got released but probably didn't pay much attention to it i guess. Now with the the feature film being out there i felt i need to reread this.
One draws into this story right from the start when Najeeb asks us to imagine the suffering he must have endured to voluntarily choose imprisonment. He landed in prison because of his utmost desire to live. Despite the harshness, he concluded that the prison was the best option to survive out of his circumstances. After this the book delves into the ill fate and ultimate tragedy which a human could endure. Najeeb survived 3 years, 4 months and 9 days of this and yet somehow made it to normal life. The book is an absolute survival thriller but just that its a humane story of ultimate hope.
During the difficult moments in the desert, Najeeb could truly comprehend the meaning of nostalgia. Its a craving. An acute craving that makes you absolutely hate your present condition. The craving takes form of a crazy urge to rush home. It happens only once in a while. But when it does, it is not easy to shut down the surge of emotions. I am sure every expat has felt this but i would refrain to draw any parallels because it belittles what Najeeb went through.
One of the striking themes discussed in the book is the overall presence of faith in this journey. A non believer like me cannot ever imagine the sort of belief that Najeeb had in Allah. I mean Najeeb is inflicted with the worst a human could endure but yet his faith is unshakable. On the contrary its actually his faith which allows him to persist through this. Moreover its his faith that stops him from taking his own life.
Goat days/life(Aadujeevitham) leaves a strong impression on you no matter whats your locus standi is. Its inherently a humane story of survival and takes you on journey. Najeeb lets you enter into his world and never leaves you. The recurrent theme of becoming one amongst the very goats he looked after is a fascinating thing to read. Probably the animals there were the only reason why he could get through it. ...more
I was bit on a reading slump and was looking for short but yet impactful reads. This book was perfect because it tries to put things in perspective. II was bit on a reading slump and was looking for short but yet impactful reads. This book was perfect because it tries to put things in perspective. I have always been fascinated with the concept of death. And it's wonderful to see how different cultures and individuals view death and process all the things which come with it.
The book doesn't try to achieve grand things. Rather its strength is that it tries to convey what really matters in life. And mind you these are not some extraordinarily fancy things. We all might have some grand to do lists but at the end I feel it doesn't matter. The book touches on various aspects like these and it does strike a chord within readers.
I know a lot of people are too focussed on the use of cats and the story around it. I am kind of neutral about it actually. I feel if the author had replaced the cat with any animal and still I would pretty much feel the same as I did with the cat.
Some of my favourite lines from the book are-
1. We all know life has to end someday,but even so we act as if we are going to live forever.
2. After death, life goes on for others. My hope is that my life would go on in someone's memory.
3. You only realize what the really important things are when you have lost them....more
The book manages to hold your attention throughout and has enough twists and subplots to get you fully immersed in the life of Sam. It's just like anyThe book manages to hold your attention throughout and has enough twists and subplots to get you fully immersed in the life of Sam. It's just like any other underdog story and will make you root for Sam and probably his close set of friends. The book does a great job in knitting the fabric of human relations. I specifically liked the way the relation of Sam vis a vis parents and close friends was portrayed.
The other thing I liked about the book is the use of quotes and life lessons in between. It does get melodramatic sometimes but I think that's still fine. Of course I don't subscribe to the whole God thing but it plays a key role in the book for sure....more
One would think that there is not much to read by the title of the book right ? But I would rather say that there is still a lot to read within the seOne would think that there is not much to read by the title of the book right ? But I would rather say that there is still a lot to read within the serial killer spree. I am surely not rooting for any character because I see so many moral flaws with more or less all characters. But then who am I to get into the morality of a fictional character right ?...more
A very enjoyable book about an athlete who wants to make a comeback after being the greatest to play the game of tennis. Going into the book I had my A very enjoyable book about an athlete who wants to make a comeback after being the greatest to play the game of tennis. Going into the book I had my own apprehensions. Primarily because I have read Open by Andre Agassi and I don't think anything comes close to it in terms of sheer clarity and brutality of professional tennis. But what I really liked about this book is that it is rather a genuinely engaging plot with beautiful character development.
If you are a tennis fan then just like me you would absolutely enjoy reading through it. Some of the resemblances to real life Tennis greats are so uncanny. You get so invested in the matches that it really feels like you are involved in all the action going on. The author also manages to highlight issues associated with professional sports through the plot of the book and that was really well done....more
It's tough to categorise the book into any sort of compartments we would naturally assume. It's gripping, hilarious, dark and yet strikes a cord with It's tough to categorise the book into any sort of compartments we would naturally assume. It's gripping, hilarious, dark and yet strikes a cord with readers so beautifully. You just get soaked into the world of Geeta and other women in the novel.
I thoroughly enjoyed the nuances of female friendships rooted in the rural backdrop of India. It was fascinating to go through such passionate and intense emotions throughout the novel. I absolutely enjoyed reading them....more
It was an extremely engrossing read for sure. The author kept the momentum and managed to catch my attention throughout the book. The main theme of thIt was an extremely engrossing read for sure. The author kept the momentum and managed to catch my attention throughout the book. The main theme of the book is kind of satire on the whole publishing industry as it stands now. I loved reading through it and felt so much like being in contemporary times. The whole discussion on cancel culture, online trolling, discrediting works and legitimization of cultural tragedy was on point throughout. I still would have loved more depth to individual characters presented but that's nowhere a major criticism of the book....more
It was a wonderful read all along I must say. I have picked up fiction after a long pause and it doesn't disappoint. Initially one thinks that the ploIt was a wonderful read all along I must say. I have picked up fiction after a long pause and it doesn't disappoint. Initially one thinks that the plot might be too childish and one might not like it. But the character development and the simplicity of writing keeps you hooked throughout. I specially love the core of the narrative which is unravelling the relationship between grandmother and granddaughter. The people belonging to these two age groups are often not very worried of social consequences. And this makes it very endearing to witness the unravelling of plot through their eyes. But the narrative has much more to offer while you keep peeling off the different layers of the narrative.
I did feel that there was much more which could be unveiled between the various characters but that's surely not a reason good enough to not read this hook....more
Mahabharat has been a subject to multiple adaptations and reimaginations. It is one of those popular epics which is very ingrained in Indian cultural Mahabharat has been a subject to multiple adaptations and reimaginations. It is one of those popular epics which is very ingrained in Indian cultural quotient. This book tries to assess the epic through the eyes of the consequential woman characters. There has been some liberty but then these epics indeed are different interpretations by various viewpoints and locus standi. It was a refreshing view point....more
Again hourly history does a great job in summarising the sequence of events. Ofcourse such religious fanatic phases are best to be forgotten. But yet Again hourly history does a great job in summarising the sequence of events. Ofcourse such religious fanatic phases are best to be forgotten. But yet they convey the fault lines present in society and makes us cautious about it. Whatsoever might be the motivation, what cannot be debated is that 1.7 million ordinary people, both Christians and Muslim, died as a result of crusades (officially), and that loss of life cannot be considered chivalric in the slightest....more
It was an interesting read and I liked reading fiction after a long time. It's true that we Indians can never get bored of Ramayana and are ready to gIt was an interesting read and I liked reading fiction after a long time. It's true that we Indians can never get bored of Ramayana and are ready to go through so many retellings and interpretations. I still feel the story can be developed bit more. I feel the 3rd book in this ram chandra series was probably the best and that still continues to be the case. The character arc of ravaan could have been explored more but that's just my view. Overall it's a nice read and one can sit with the whole series....more
After a long period of time I have finished a book in one stretch. The book is highly readable and is very immersive too. I find it admirable that theAfter a long period of time I have finished a book in one stretch. The book is highly readable and is very immersive too. I find it admirable that the authors chose graphic novel format to convey some of the most profound ideas and logical underpinnings of mathematics. The greatest advantage this book presents is the accessibility of the content. It helps common people who might not be well versed with foundational mathematics to atleast have a peak into that world. I also liked the psychological interplay of various personalities in the book. Some of them are indeed respected philosophers and mathematicians of all time. The content manages to bring out the human side of the story through interactions. Although some literary liberty has been taken to give depth to the story but it isnt completely masking the reality. The authors have tried to build the story through the eyes of Bertrand Russell and his foundational quest in mathematics.
The parallel track of authors discussing these grand ideas also makes it more interesting. The authors have very well stated that it's by no means a serious maths/science/philosophy book. The fundamental focus is on the narrative and the development of logic. Through this they also go on to discuss the political and social condition of the times the personalities lived in. The book starts with the profound conviction that all the great problems are solvable rests on the principle that the world is totally understandable by reason. That if a question can be rigorously stated, it can be logically answered. But probably towards the journey and the epic search for truth one realizes that this might not necessarily be true always....more
If you are an avid reader then this book is like a must read for sure. Atleast it will be a great asset to your library. The scope of the book is hugeIf you are an avid reader then this book is like a must read for sure. Atleast it will be a great asset to your library. The scope of the book is huge and it does manage to cover diverse fields. If all the recommendations are mentioned then the total number of books rises up to 5000 or 6000. This is the case because the author also mentions about other works of the mentioned author and also other recommendations which are from the same category. This book has surely increased my tbr list by huge margins.
Apart from this it was like a therapeutic journey while I was going through all the descriptions and other things. It was a page turner for me and I am sure that I will keep going back to this book. Ofcourse there are some misses and some unexpected titles but that's completely understandable. To compile a list of books is indeed a tedious task. More tedious is to get consensus on that list. Overall this book was a life enriching experience....more
The short story revolves around a personal tragedy of two siblings in japan post world war 2. Its tragic to read through the experiences. Although it'The short story revolves around a personal tragedy of two siblings in japan post world war 2. Its tragic to read through the experiences. Although it's a short story but manages to leave a deep impact. Wars only bring misery to everyone involved. In this case it showcases the tragedy it brings to personal lives....more
The author manages to cover most of the beliefs regarding death in Hinduism. It is indeed a great read just for the sake of curiosity. The accuracy caThe author manages to cover most of the beliefs regarding death in Hinduism. It is indeed a great read just for the sake of curiosity. The accuracy can be debated about since there are many versions of a belief in Hinduism and hence many interpretations. The book is short and sweet which kind of makes things perfect....more
In this book the master storyteller is describing about things which are close to him. The writings delves into his family, frAbsolutely heartwarming.
In this book the master storyteller is describing about things which are close to him. The writings delves into his family, friends, love for india and many more personal things. Ruskin also talks about how fortunate he is able to live his life by doing what loves the most which is writing. Here I think we readers are the fortunate ones to have a companion like bond who brings little joys of life.
In some of the ending chapters bond indeed delves into his love for the nature and tells readers about the inquisitive nature he has. "As we journey through the world, we must inevitably encounter meanness and selfishness. As we fight for our survival, the higher visions and ideals often fade. It is then that we need ladybirds! Contemplating that tiny creature, or the flower on which it rests, gives one the hope — better, the certainty — that there is more to life than interest rates, dividends, market forces, and infinite technology."
He also beautifully underlines his relevance when it comes to writing - "We expect our work to influence people, to affect a great many readers, when in fact, its impact is infinitesimal. Those who work on a large scale must feel discouraged by the world's indifference. That is why I am happy to give a little innocent pleasure to a handful of readers. This is a reward worth having."
The last chapter is about his reflections about the later stages of life in which he is. It is actually very insightful to read the chapter. He beautifully summarises about the life and death dilemma in his witty and simplistic manner. "The presentiment of death is what makes life so appealing; and I can only echo the sentiments of the poet Ralph Hodgson — Time, you old gypsy man, Will you not stay, Put up your caravan Just for one day?"...more
It was a delightful read. There was overlap of stories between this one and the recent one I read few days ago. This book also talks about things whicIt was a delightful read. There was overlap of stories between this one and the recent one I read few days ago. This book also talks about things which are personal to ruskin bond. He brings in that innocence and simplicity which can easily win over hearts....more
" It is always the same with mountains. Once you have lived with them for any length of time, you belong to them. There is no escape."
Similarly once " It is always the same with mountains. Once you have lived with them for any length of time, you belong to them. There is no escape."
Similarly once you are accustomed to ruskin there is indeed no escape. And frankly speaking I dont want that escape too. Give me a ruskin bond book and I can travel the world with him. His greatest asset is his simplicity with which he writes. When he talks about harold the hornbill I feel I am indeed there in front of a hornbill nest.
This book contains short stories around the nature theme. And not one of them disappoints....more
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