English Bytes – Book Review

Title – English Bytes
Author – Manish Gupta
Publisher – Penguin (2012)
Price – Rs 250/-

Though studied in English medium school, my love for language started only after joining corporate job as we were suppose to speak with ppl across the globe. When author contacted me for review, from blurb I thought it would be just like any other self help book and I never prefer reading them..To my surprise this book is unique in its narration and promise you a hearty laugh while learning nuances of English.

Author started book with his personal journey of convent education where English was rarely used and he got himself into difficult situation during his engineering days. He has explained in a story form different ways which helped him in mastering the language skill like first he started watching English movies and started speaking with his close buddies in English only. This technique can help you but to become perfect in English you need to be in company of those who are expert so that you can make them your benchmark .
Another such technique is use of mnemonic.

My Take on book – Though it comes in genre of self help book, you will never feel it while reading. ITs so interesting and engrossing that you may tend to like this as any other fiction book around. . It has something for everybody. If you want to learn English, this is excellent book and if you are pro then also its useful to brush up your skill. There are lot of words which we don’t use in our day to day conversations. Author has used humorous anecdote to start describing a situation and then has explained all possible difficult word associated with that scenario.
Lot of time while reading book we come to a point where a particular word is not clear and we hardly take trouble to open dictionary. The best thing in this books is Author’s footnote with detailed explanation of difficult word make it quite easy read and as claimed by author in blurb –
You will add 1000 word to your dictionary..It may help you to love the English language little more 🙂

Those who are sitting for GRE/GMAT/CAT will get huge benefit from this book.

About Author – Manish Gupta is a banking professional. When not crunching numbers he is busy engaging with and examining the vagaries and idiosyncrasies of the English language. He also likes trivia, travelling, adventure sports, delving into human psychology, and giving professorial discourses to colleagues, family and friends, and practically anyone who can give him a patient hearing

Epic Love Stories – Book Review

Title
Ganga and Shantanu – A love story written on water

Satyavati and Shantanu – A love story made possible by a son’s sacrifice

Author – Ashok.K.Banker
Publication – Westland
Price – 599/ – Set of 5 Books , 125/- per book

I never feel interested in reading mythology..never felt its my cup of tea. Read a lot abt Ashok Banker’s Ramayana series..some very good reviews from my blogger frens still never get courage to actually get hold of one of his book. Now when blogadda announce that his new series is up for review..i immediately applied and also got selected to review two books ( Ganga and Shantanu And Satyavati and Shantanu ).

Was surprised to see such a short book. Its only 75 pages.
Ganga and Shantanu
Mahabhisha king of ikshwaku clan went to pay homage to lord brahma. Ganga queen of all rivers on earth also came to pray her homage to lord brahma.Typical love at first sight scene from bollywood happen and he fall in love with beautiful Ganga. Lord brahma felt offended by these lovebrids and gave curse to live one mortal life on earth. Same time 8 Vasu also went to a trip and steal the holy cow on persuasion of wife of duoy. They also got curse to spend one year of mortal life on earth and duoy has to spend one fulllifetime in mortal form. Mahabhisha took birth in form of King Shantanu and got married to human form of goddess Ganga and story continues with love lust and betrayal by ganga. Ganga is dutiful wife but has to sarcifice her children year after year. Bound by his vow to not question Ganga, Shantanu never asked any question but couldnt stop himself when ganga gave birth to their 8th child. Ganga gave answer to all his question but left him afterwards.

.

Satyavati and Shantanu

Second book ( Satyavati and shantanu) starts when shantanu return to his capital found a tall young man waiting for him. This man was his son Devarata who later on become a great king of Hastinapur. Shantanu still misses ganga and during one of his hunting trip met fisherman daugther Satyavati on ferri ride and lost his heart. He want to marry satyavati but got down by demand from her father ( fisherman king panchmani) of giving throne of hastinapur to son of Satyavati instead of his elder son devarata. Devarata got to know about this and took two vows to get back his father’s love. He later got famous as Bhisma after taking these vows.

My take on book ;-> First thing – While reading book TV stars who portrayed these character were coming to my mind 🙂

We have read the Mahabharta stories from our elder during lazy afternoon after school hours..but this is fresh take on old stories with modern-day outlook and language. However there is a lot of lust involved in language that you keep on wondering is this true love or just body desire of God and Goddess. I wish author has added some of his creative take on old stories. We know these stories by heart and just adding physical attraction touch doesnt make it an intersting read.

Other Title from the Series ->
Satyavati and Shantanu
Amba and Bhishma
Devayani, Sharmishtha and Yayati

About Author -> Ashok Kumar Banker is internationally acclaimed epic reteller whose work is published in 56 countries.His writing is used as a teaching aid in management and educational courses worldwide. His e-book venture akbebooks.com is India’s first best-selling e-bookstore and e-publisher. Ashok is 48 years old and lives with his family in Mumbai.

My Rating – 3.5/5

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RIP – Book Review

Title: RIP ( Resurgent Indian Patriots )
Price: INR 200/-
Publisher: Westland
Author : Mukul Deva ( http://www.mukuldeva.com/)
Pages – 286

This is the Firth thriller by Indian author which i really really liked. Colonel Krishna Athawale (Retd.) with his 6 member “K -Team” is on mission to kill corrupt politicians and induce fear in remaining one.This team is called K team as all team member’s name start with K ( Remind me of Ekta Kapoor’s K mania 🙂 ) K team is bold band of people who are taking on corruption riddled establishment in thier own way.They first perfectly executed killing of 3 near and dear ones of politician with injection and later on by shooting from very far roof top which only an army officer can do. The most scared person by RIP warning is Home-Minister Karunakaran. He want to kill all RIP team members so that their dirty secrets dont come out and appointed his personal commando Raghav Bhagat in addition to officially assigned cop CBI Head Vinod Bedi to get rid of RIP.

Vinod and Raghav both are trying to stop RIP but will they succeed in their mission or not. K team members are normal indian national who has family to feed. Will their desire to make India shine on world’s map by removing corruption will make their families suffer… I m so tempted to write more but that will spoil the reader’s surprise/joy in reading hte book.

There is also romantic angel in book but it has lil to do with main story line. Author has kept name of all character name very close to real life politicians. Indeed a very bold step… you can quickly know which politician author is talking about in real life and he has also used real life scams like 2G and bofors also about lokpal bill

My take on book -> Author is from army background and it’s clearly evident in the to the point description of weapons and shooting method. I really felt from the heart that this book should turn into reality and we get some commandos who shoot all corrupt politicians and youngster get a chance to lead our nation.
India will be dream country to live in then 🙂

Perfect thriller, true page turner and one that leaves desperate feeling in your mind that wish somehow this turn into reality in our country. Wish some RIP

I like following lines from book – He knew there would be a way. There always is. One just have to look hard enough.

About Author -> Mukul Deva is alumnus of National Defence academy Pune and worked 15years with Indian army. His experience with army is clearly visible in book. Currently he is entrepreneur, motivational speaker and executive business and creativity coach.He says in his Author’s Note –

“This book was born out of an extreme sense of anger and shame. Anger at the appalling, naked greed so shamelessly displayed by the Indian political class. And shame that they happen to be fellow-Indians

My Rating – 4/5
This review is part of blogadda book review programme. participate to get free books.

No.1 Ladies Detective Agency

 

Title – The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency

Author –  Alexander McCall Smith

Price –  Rs 389 – Flipkart

Precious Ramotswe lost her mother at young age of 3 and her father’s cousin took care of her in initial year.  During early years Mma Ramotswe is brilliant student and extremely honest. She also won state prize for drawing. After having failed marriage , she returned to her hometown to stay with her father. Her father runs a cattle farm with more than 200 cattle and expect Mma ramatswo to take over business after he is gone. Though Ramotswe is not at all interested in cattle business and sell everything after her father’s demise.

With lot of money in her hand , she started her dream business : Ladies detective agency at Gaborone, capital of Botswana.. ..agency which is run by women but work for both men and women and then started her journey as a detective working on some hilarious, some extermely honest and some really intriguing cases.

I loved the case in which one Indian father want to get information about her 16yr old daughter boyfriend. Mma Ramotswe followed daughter for couple of days and also inspected her and concluded that she doesn’t have boyfriend and she is just creating illusion for her father to get him worried as she is fed up with her constant questioning nature….Mma feel pity for young lady and convinced her father to give some freedom to daughter ….at the end we found that tis was not case 🙂

Then there is another story of doctor , sometime he is best and other time it seems he is too naive to work on patients, another story revolves around husband who got missing in holy water. There is another beautiful story of duplicate dad and story with subtle humour

My take on book :->

If I have to review the book in one word , I would have said “innocent”. There is impalpable innocent in all the residents of Botswana. I like the way author has described the people and surrounding of Botswana. It gives  you insight into lives and times of Africans. It gives  you real literary pleasure unlike typical page turner murder mystery. This book shows there is still honesty alive in some part of world and there are true pleasure hidden in most simple things

Rating 5/5

There are several other books in this series and I m brought all of them now 🙂  . this book also turned into TV series – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_No._1_Ladies%27_Detective_Agency_(TV_series)

3’s A Crowd – Book Review 2

                                                                                           

 

 

 

 Title : 3’s A Crowd

Author:    Vijay Nagaswami

Price:        INR. 250/-

Publisher: Westland

   This book is 3 rd in series by Chennai based relationship counsellor Vijay Nagaswami. His earlier two books “24* 7 Marriage : Smart Strategies for good beginning” and ” The fifty – 50 Marriage : Return to intimacy” dealt with some tips and tricks abt surviving in marriage in era where divorce are ever increasing.

3’s A crowd deals about understanding and surviving infidelity. Quoting from back page

ITs a myth that only men have affairs.

Who do you think they are having affair with ? It’s not only the aggrieved partner that needs to  understand and survive infidelity. The perpetrator too is sometimes a victim of affair.

Book is divided into two parts 1) Understanding Infidelity 2) Surviving Infidelity

 First few chapter explains how affairs are so common these days specially in middle and higher socio economic class and its like everybody has a token in their hand and waiting for their turn. Author has included several stories about couple who think they are just fren and sharing some 50 sms and 20  mails and few hours on call everyday  is perfectly normal frenship 🙂 Every line is followed by a story of affair..most of the time ppl think they are casual frens and soon they start feeling emotionally attached.

There are several examples of couple who found their spouse in relationship with colleague and it was so easy to track them down coz of sms/phone bills/email etc.  He also covered e-affair in which couples havent met but are actively involved each other through internet.  And there is something called “peer pressure affair” ( I actually laughed out loud after reading this 🙂 ) How ppl look for affair just to get out of image of ” party pooper “

Second part which cover surviving infidelity deals with trauma of aggrieved and transgressor patrner and later how to survive the bandwagon.

My take on book – I got this review copy from Blogadda. When I showed my interest in book, i didn’t realise that this in nont fiction book. I hardly read any non-fiction so at first moment i repented when I got review copy but it was not disappointed at all. I liked the fact that author has not looked those in affairs as villian and made book interesting with lot of short stories probably from his clients 🙂

My Rating – 3/5

This review is a part of the Book Reviews Program at  “http://www.blogadda.com

“>BlogAdda.com</a>. Participate now to get free books!

 

 

Sister of my Heart – Book Review 1

Title:           Sister of My Heart

Author:     Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

Price:           INR. 812/-

 

Anju and Sudha are cousin not by blood relation but due to different kind of love which evolves from the day they were born on same day. They are lucky enough to get love of three mother but their father’s died before they were born due to an accident on adventurous trip. Anju belongs to upper class , typical, orthodox Chatterjee family and Sudha is distant cousin who stay at Anju’s house with her widow mother.

 

Anju is rebellious, book lover, practical and Sudha is day dreamer, one who think her life is fairytale and one day prince charming will come and rescue her from this traditional house. Anju want to study till college and Sudha want to open her own business.  Anju always protect Sudha from her ill mouthed mother and Sudha always want Anju to be happy. Anju’s mother  is bread earner of family and Sudha’s mother Nalini and her aunt Pishi take care of house.

 

One day Sudha got to know abt secret of their father’s death and her feeling toward Anju changed. She was no longer equal to Anju and she feel indebite to Anju’s family.

 

As always things didn’t turn out as planned and family decided to get girls married after their  12th exam. Sudha could go against her mother’s will and said yes instantly. Anju tried to rebel but found herself  saying yes after a heated argument with her mother.  Bond between sister shake when Anju saw her bridegroom falling over Sudha. She felt a pang of jealousy toware her sister of heart.

 

Sudha got married in traditional home of Bardhaman and easily fit into role of good bahu who do everything at her mom in law’s will .  Anju went to America with her husband and start college and was leading comfortable life when tragedy strikes her and she look toward sudha for help

 

Will Sudha sacrifice again her happiness for Anju ?

Whats the secret of their father’s death ?

 

Books is full of secret and every chapter reveal one secret. Go and read to know the answers 🙂

 

My take on book :-> Mesmerizing, one book which remains with you for longer time. Its written in poetic tone and you feel enthrall with each page. I felt as if I am in Chatterjee’s house, and I am going through same emotion as the sister. I totally loved the book and feel sad when it end.  Loved following lines most

 

“You must make your own happiness. You must be wise enough to recognize it when it comes. And if it doesn’t come in spite of all your efforts, you must do something about that as well.”

“Isn’t it funny, that sometimes the things we’ve feared the most, year after year, turns out to be the best thing that could have happened to us?”

There is sequel “Vines of Desire” and I have already ordered it 🙂

 

Rating – 5/5

Chankaya Chant’s – A Book Review

                                                                                    

Title:           Chankaya’s Chant

Author:       Ashwin Sanghi

Price:          INR 190/-

Publication: Hachette India

 

Story is set between 2 era, one is present world and other in 340 BC around 2300 years back in the times of Chandragupta and his guru Chankaya.Chapter 1 talk about Chankaya and chapter 2 talk about his modern version of chankaya “Gangasagar” and same trend continues throughout the book. Its like similar situation or their similar way of handling situation is describen in alternating chapters. Much like we saw in movie ” Rang de Basanti” where the story revolves between freedom fighters and modern version of youngster fighting for present problems of India.

 

Gangasagar Misra’s father died when he was quite young and for the sake of his family he started working with wily businessman – Agarwalji. He learnt rule of business, politics from his employer. To serve the country and to save our nation form politicians gangasagar jumps first into state politics and then into center politics.

 

Later he met with oxford graduated girl Chandini gupta who become her protege and like a kingmaker gangasagar helped her in becoming primeminister of India. Story revolved around tacts and techniques through which he manipulate situation and people around him to achieve bigger goal of Unified India

 

 

Ancient story deals with Chankaya who also lost his father early in life and partly to take revenge from his enemies and partly for unified Bharat …..helped Chandragupta in becoming ruler of Bharat.

 

End is revealed in prologue itself but its the path taken which keep you hookd to book.

 

My Verdict  : I neverpreferred reading historic genre…this is my first ever book politics/history based book and I m happy to say that i m not disappointed. The best thing i like abt books is author has done lot of ground work. Its extremely well reserached book.Twisting the facts, gossip, blackmail and removing of obstacles are all part and parcel of dirty politics and are very well depicted here.  Book shows the politics is not only about pulling each other’s hair  but involve much more  and requires understanding of  a lot of varied fields.  Present date story gives hintes about present day  happenings  around us  and gets the reader wear thie r thinking caps. Overall interesting  book. Story moves very fast and at no point you feel bored. Author has proven the point that basic of politics remain same though era has changed . Lot of information is still basis of ruling the country/state .  Stage is changed , characters are different ……tactics and stratergies nevertheles remain same in every era..

 

Author has interweeved past and present in perfect way and never let you feel confused between two different stories.

 

 

My rating 4/5

 

This review is part of <a href=”Book Reviews Program at  BlogAdda.com“>Blogadda book review programme. To get review copy of book you just need to show your interst by mentioning your user id in book promotion post. Do let me know your views in case get your hands on this amazing book.

 

 

I too had a luv story

                                                                    

This is not book review….there is more to it.

I picked up this book just on my instinct from flipkart and also coz price was too less 🙂 But due to busy schedule it kept lying in my bookshelf  for more than a month . Last week I was bored with idiot box..as nothing good was coming ..so picked up this book.

Story started with guy name “Ravinder” who is software engineer and working with infosys and looking for perfect match through most common channel of  geeks – Shaadi.com. Soon he find luv of his life Khushi and stayed in touch with her through phone only without seeing her.  After few months they met and get ok from family side to get married soon….Pretty normal like any other luv story.

But there comes twist in tale. Khushi met with accident just two days before her engagement. This news unfold in last section of book…hardly 15pages left….but in those 15 pages i got bigger shock

From lot of facts mentioned below…I just recollect I know Khushi.. …We shared cab for 5-6 days …there were so many facts similar in my colleague Khushi and this khushi mentioned in books

Like

• Accident two days before engagement
• Date of engagement 14th Feb 2007
• House near to one of famous hotel of city ( Name of hotel is mentioned in book)
• She shifted one week before accident from emea to NA ( night shift ) shift  and accident happened while coming back from work at 5:00 AM
• City where she lives and where she works
• Religion – Punjabi sardaar
• Hospital name she stayed in first and after few days move to next hospital.
• She got multiple fracture in her jaw and that was main cause of  her death
• She was sitting at back seat next to driver….driver died on spot and person next to driver was safe and car hit truck from one side.
• Blood was arranged from company where she works by sending mail to all employees
• And above all name

 

All the above mentioned things are same with my colleague and girl mentioned in book.  At the time of death she was kind of hi-hello fren….I felt bad at news of her death but now after reading book…after reading all her emotions and splly abt Ravinder….what he must be going through…I felt terrible. It was big shock for me to read about someone i knew in real….

Two States !!

                                                                                   

 

Two States – thats chetan bhagat recent book…which i read luckily…After having angel..its kind of touch to catch up on my activities and interest..I am not kind of book loving person but really love reading all CB’s book…infact his “one night at call center” was the first one i read completely

Story is simple but way of narration is simply superb..

Boy loves girl. Girl loves boy.They get married.

In India, there are few more steps

Boy loves girl, Girl loves boy.

Girls family has to love boy. Boy’s family has to love girl,

Girl’s family has to love boy’s family.Boy’s family has to love girl’s family.

Girl boy still managed to love each other .they get married

This is what is written at back of book and summarize whole story… There is guy krish who loves south indian beauty ananaya swaminathan…Falling in love is easy but to materialise it till  marriage is not peice of cake.They met in IIMA campus and got mad for each other..Soon college life got over and they got job in  different company.  pre=””>Krish managed to get posted in Chennai which is ananaya’s hometown…He tried his level best through his amusing ways to impress them by giving coaching to younger brother Manju , giving chance of singing at concert to her mother , helping dad with his office work  In second part its ananya’s turn to plead krish’s family and she also did it well..problem came when family have to meet…Well i m not gonna write whole story here..go and grab the book..its worth reading !!!

 

There is good comparison between south indian and north indian living style and mentality. He tries to make fun of both so that nobody feel offended Like for what marble flooring is for north indian family ..its iit degree for south indian

There is important lesson also which i like most.. ” Forgiving – For you ..forgiving doesnt make the person who hurts you feel better…it makes you feel better”  ..so apt and true !!

 

There is something different in chetan’s writing style which makes me hooked to it until i finish it..though for this one i took 1 week to finish…like my homework i use to read it mostly at night or early morning hours