#12 Book Review : POONACHI or The Story Of A Black Goat by Perumal Murugan ( Translated by N. Kalyan Raman)

A fiction based on animal’s human emotion. This is the second book of such a genre I have read, first was George Orwell’s Animal Farm, which I read while doing my English Honours. The name distinctly suggests it to be a children’s book, which is erroneous. It’s a book completely written in all its intuit for the adults and specially for the grown ups.

Poonachi is a black goat. In the beginning of the story she is perceived as a blessing in disguise and a gift from the heavens, by our species, humans. While the reader walks through the story and realises that she truly is the blessing for humans. In frame with her capacity of littering seven kids at a time to providing milk in sufficiency to her poor human owners, she leads a comfortable and ingratiating life as persuaded and reckoned by the humans. Whereas on other side the human emotions pictured in Poonachi and her fellow goats in herd states a different story, of Poonachi’s life being rather impulsively iffy. She is devoid of the motherly love and had to compromise with care, dedication and love of her female human owner. Poonachi also suffers the separation from her lover Poovan the buck, confronts the accidental death of her friend Uzhumban and planned death of her lover Poovan. Alongside the fable of Poonachi there is this engaging depiction of village life and its people, finding joy, companionship, wit, strength and durability in simple yet onerous life. One rarely finds villages in fictions these days, to be honest. Poonachi’s story is not only her story, it is as well the narrative of the flux of life most prominently in its socio-cultural perspective, of a village in Tamil Nadu, perhaps.

A work of fiction has its natural source in subjectivity and it is not just an aesthetic act but also social. The author dynamically stands on the substructure of entrusting to the society a very profound and delicate message of the human and animal connection, from the inception. Perhaps, we have somewhere failed to recognise that we all have other species instincts and other species in nature do posses the human knacks.

✍️Author: Perumal Merumal / Translated in English from Tamil by N.Kalyan Raman

📇Publisher: Context, an imprint of Westland Publication

📚Genre: Fiction

🌟Star: 5/5

#11 Book Review : Unveiling India By Anees Jung

I picked up this book because of its earthy skin coloured woman in half veil and her quite eyes looking down. I was truly mesmerised by the simple, minimalistic cover design of the book. The book is a collection of real life events and wisdoms shared by few of the unknown women across the country who are from different social status, backgrounds, religion & communities. The women in this book are not extraordinary or famous and yet their stories and testimonies narrated in the book by the author provides a passionate, often deeply touching revelation of what it means to be A WOMAN in India even today. No matter how much developed as a country we are now, there is still the other side of the coin of womanhood. 

The headings of the chapters in the book resonates the idea of women from all walks of life, perceiving different aspects of survival as they gradually age, travel & mature. Even if a woman is confined in the four walls of her house and may not pursue her free choices, she is capable of acquiring a set of values which is commendable to lead life with zeal. It’s like you don’t know until you see by yourself the treasure beneath the sand.

The women in the book tell of different semblances of life, how it is to be married, how is life for a widow, unfair work practices, sexual servitude, the problem of bearing & rearing children in poverty, religion, discrimination, other exploitation. And they as well talk about the other side of the coin, the joy of marriage, the happiness that motherhood brings in, the exhilaration of breaking free from the bonds of tradition, ritual, caste, religion. Interwoven with all this is the story of one women’s journey….how Anees Jung, the author, brought up in purdah / veil, succeeded in shaking off the restricting influences of her traditional upbringing to become a highly successful, independent career woman. The book evinces that all Indian women are stories of each other at some point and some circumstances.

#unveilingindia #readingonthego #aneesjung #binge #readerslife #bookreview #reader #readersofinstagram #lovetoread #readinglove #storiesofhope #storiesoffaith

✍️Author: Anees Jung

📇Publisher: Penguin Books India

📚Genre: Non Fiction

🌟Ratings: 5/5

#10 Book Review : Curfewed Night by Bashrat Peer

Our own story is connected with too many stories of people in and around us…Curfewed Night is one such collection of sagas of a Kashmiri muslim boy (the author – Basharat Peer himself). The struggles of Kashmiri Muslims and Pandits have been rendered so perfectly that doesn’t evoke any rage emotions in the reader, infact one is consoled about the hopes and positivity of the people of Kashmir dwelling in the times of communal war and destructions, trying to make life as smooth and sorted inside their homes for their families and kids specially, amidst the gunfire and depression. The incidents as well talks about how differently Kashmiri Muslims were treated after the Parliament attack in 2001, and still the hope sprouted for Basharat in the form of his landlady, who allowed him to stay in her kothi on rent, when whole of Delhi was doubtful in the mere existence of Kashmiri Muslims in the capital city. His Landlady was a Kashmiri Brahmin and hence was able to connect with the pain of leaving the Jannat on earth and than not being accepted as human in human society. There are many such instances/stories that the author has shared in his book leaving the reader to have a profound belief in hope and faith irrespective of all odds and giving so many reasons to the youth to not turn jihadis/militants.

#curfewednight #readingonthego #basharatpeer #binge #readerslife #bookreview #reader #readersofinstagram #lovetoread #readinglove #kashmir #storiesofkashmir #storiesofhope #storiesoffaith @bashpeer #sonalisbookclub

✍️Author: Bashrat Peer

📇Publisher: Random House

📚Genre: Non Fiction

🌟Ratings: 5/5

#9 Book Review : The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger

I read this book when there was no Instagram, Facebook Iam not sure and we used to get overjoyed with Orkut. I clicked this picture today to post it on Facebook for 7 days book challenge and went all nostalgic about my college, Orkut and less social media days, when book reviews used to happen in college library, on cup of chai and sutta on the street sides (since we had limited monthly pocket money & there was no Starbucks in India at that time). Those days of reviews were more flesh and blood. Well, coming back to the review, Iam a fan of this book and the movie too. I first read this book when I started my career with Hotels and re read it don’t know how many times. Also I never miss a chance to watch the movie whenever it comes on the TV. No it doesn’t show any dissentious facade of a woman who is equally career driven, bossy and fashionable, like Miranda, the editor in chief of Runway, the most sought fashion magazine of New York. And it doesn’t reflect either that a woman who chooses to remain careless about her dressing sense & looks is a looser, like Andrea, PA of Miranda and an aspiring writer. Both the women strive and struggle to fit in the demands coming in while walking towards their goals in life and both of them learn each other and gradually soaks in that they have their own spaces and one cannot be the other and in the process they eventually support and discern a kind of respect for the individual that they both are.

The book and the movie ( wherein my favourite Meryl Streep plays Miranda, the devil and a diva boss & Andrea is played by Anne Hathaway) are strongly recommended to read and watch. I loved the part in the movie, where in Andrea, tries to fit in the expectation of her boss Miranda and goes so chic and fashionable ( I got so many ideas for my wardrobe 😉). And Streep kills you with her formidable vogue looks as Miranda, her bossy attitude as well is onerously a’la mode and irresistible. In the meantime the Author, Lauren Weisberger has been stylishly able to put across the impregnable bonding between two women with a huge age difference and who have a completely opposite definition of success and lifestyle.

✍️Author: Lauren Weisberger

📇Publisher: Broadway Books

📚Genre: Fiction

🌟Ratings: 5/5

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#8 Book Review : Gujarat Files, Anatomy Of A Cover Up by Rana Ayyub

I thought of taking a break from only talking about my book for a while and give sometime to share with you all the authors I read and I am currently reading. I am not sure how many of you believe in things or occurrences happening around you according to the book you pick up from your shelf to read. This book was recommended by my ex colleague in office, who is extremely anti Modi. My own opinion on Indian politics is actually no opinion. During the discussion in which my colleague was quite adamant on me reading this book even if I have less or no interest in politics. Since this colleague of mine is on the top level management in my company, I respected his suggestion and ordered Gujarat Files by Rana Ayyub. Honestly, I did this to be in good books of people around me, don’t we at times do it and I don’t regret my this decision now at all. I was reading Gujarat Files when the political battle for the next ruler (PM) was being fought across the country in May, 2019. Rana is one of the valiant & ruthless writer’s I have ever read. I have closely experienced Gujarat riots in 2002, since this was the year I was doing my graduation from L.D.Arts College in Ahmedabad & was staying at girls hostel on Swastik Char Rasta, Navrangpura. The incidents, facts and the outrageous behaviour of communities (Hindus & Muslims) mentioned by Rana in this book is similar to what I saw happening around. The dead body of Home Minister Haren Pandya, spotted in Law Garden, and many such callous incidents followed in those days on radios and daily newspapers. And yes Modi did came into the power immediately after this massacre in the name of communism. However, the sting operation that Rana has penned in the book contemplates & projects more of Modi to be the puppet of Amit Shah, the real game planner of a King maker and the one who actually is in power. If you will go by the book you will be compelled to question your own political choices and endure with the confusion of what happens behind the scenes of a power coming into existence.

This book surely leaves you with too many questions about the Government that is in rule right now and about the man who is ruling right now…..Amit Shah or Narendra Modi¿

✍️Author: Rana Ayyub

📇Publisher: Self published by the Author

📚Genre: Non Fiction

🌟Star: 6/5 ‘coz one needs such audacity to stand by what one fearlessly believes in, be it your own Government.

#bookreaders #bookreview #book #readers

#7 Book Review : Wild Card 2 by Asfiya Rahman

The will must be stronger than the skill.

:- Muhammad Ali

Tahira has a dream and she leaves no pages unturned irrespective of all emotional and physical hurdles to pursue it. The flow of Tahira’s story is very captivating. It’s unlike Karan’s story, who had all the logistical support available to achieve what he wanted – to win Wimbledon. But Tahira, on the other hand is someone who has to even look for emotional strength to pursue her dream of become a professional tennis player. Somehow, I as well felt that the author Asfiya Rahman has tried to highlight the dearth of encouragement, support and infrastructure for women who aspire to have a career in sports in our country. As everyone is not opportune to have a coach like Karan and get a wild card entry, like Tahira.

The other side of the story of Tahira is that, although she lost in the match but she is approached by few players to partner up for other events. You give your 110% to win and you loose, but is it really loosing? Or the failure as well gives you some new opportunities to rise and shine? Tahira might had lost in the match, but her efforts did not go waste, infact she won lots of other facades related to tennis and personal life as well……

✍️Author: Asfiya Rahman

📇Publisher: Half Baked Beans

📚Genre: Sports Fiction

🌟Rating: 4/5

#bookstagramindia #bookrecommendation #bookreview #booklovers #stories #books #poetry #loveforbooks #readers #fiction #readersofinstagram #book #reading #indianbookreview #happyreading #happyreadingweek #wildcard2

#6 Book Review: Katihar To Kennedy, The Road Less Travelled by Sanjay Kumar

We lead our lives like water flowing down a hill, going more or less in one direction until we splash into something that forces us to find a new course.

:- Anonymous

If we all sit for a while and look back into our live’s the above lines you will find very relatable. While walking through the life journey of the Author, I felt the same nostalgic endurance. Our own stories surprises often, that how we dared to walk this far off, loosing and winning various battles, almost all of them with ourselves. The Author is no Bollywood superstar, whose fate has changed overnight. He is one of amongst us. Hailing from small town called Katihar, in Bihar and at times giving up and then picking up again on his bigger aspirations and goals in life. Bihar is a state where till date the growth prospects are measured by education and qualifications. Likewise, the author has only one strong aid to move ahead in life and that was education. Breaking the conventional fields, which is being followed in Bihar of opting Science as subject, the author chooses Political Science to pursue his studies further. Our choice can only create an impact, if we are confident enough to be consistent with them and leave no pages unturned. And that’s what the Author’s educational facade of life inspires us. Along with his own journey, the author as well has successfully escalated the weak and unnoticed education system and infrastructure of our country, which leaves one to introspect the role of Government and as a responsible citizen, what we have given back to at least our school’s and colleges where we grew up from being ignorant to an individual with defined visions and views.

My pick from the book: Education is the key. It is the only tool which can bring about intra-generational change.

✍️Author: Sanjay Kumar

📇Publisher: Vani Prakashan

📚Genre: Autobiography

🌟Rating: 3.5/5

#bookstagramindia #bookrecommendation #bookreview #booklovers #stories #books #loveforbooks #readers #fiction #readersofinstagram #book #reading #indianbookreview #happyreading #happyreadingweek @vaniprakashan

#Currently Reading 3

There are things about our childhood we hold onto, simply because they are so much part of us. The places we lived, the places we went and the people we knew. Just received my copy of Sanjay Sir’s life journey – Katihar To Kennedy, The Road Less Travelled.

Katihar happens to be my birthday place and as a reader Iam all exhilarated to walk through those old alleys and roads, rambling with the story of Sanjay Sir. Iam expectant to read both, the charm of a small town & railways and the setbacks of conquering something big in life irrespective of belonging to a confined town like Katihar.

Perhaps the cities, towns and villages are our stories and will belong to us even when we are gone.

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Stay tune for the book review…..

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#bookstagramindia #bookrecommendation #bookreview #booklovers #stories #books #poetry #loveforbooks #readers #fiction #readersofinstagram #book #reading #indianbookreview #happyreading #happyreadingweek #katihartokennedy @vaniprakashan

#5 Book Review: A Season Of Ghosts by Ruskin Bond

Do you believe in Ghosts? Have you ever seen one? No? What about your old pictures, may be of last year? What about the nostalgias you discern, when you walk through this old building of your school, college, home? What about the forgotten moments you accidentally recall someday when you are swimming in the waves of loneliness? Aren’t all of them ghosts? For the past that we have already walked through and left behind long back are ghosts. Perhaps, the emptiness and melancholy that we endure are ghosts. Ruskin Bond is a lonely man who is never alone. Unlike us, who are surrounded by companions and acquaintances, but still are alone. It could be that he has accepted his ghosts generously and we are as yet too scared of accepting our ghosts. You are extremely kept in thrall while reading A Season Of Ghosts. Iam time and again not tired to avow that Ruskin Bond is a magician of words. He plays with them with such coherence & simplicity, that the reader is automatically dragged to interpret the other side of the coin. He is the best story teller I have come across.

My pick from the book : Justice is greater than the law. And personal loyalties come first – if they don’t, we are doomed as human beings. We are better ghosts than.

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✍️Author: Payal Kumar

📇Publisher: Penguin India

📚Genre : Essay Collection

🌟Rating: 5/5

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#bookstagramindia #bookrecommendation #bookreview #booklovers #stories #books #poetry #loveforbooks #readers #fiction #readersofinstagram #book #reading #indianbookreview #happyreading #happyreadingweek #ruskinbond #aseasonofghosts #penguinindia

#Currently Reading 2

Reading now…

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2002 Gujarat Riots, three days period of inter – communal violence commenced from 27th February 2002 with the burning of train in Godhra, which caused death of 57 Hindu pilgrims/karsevaks returning from Ayodhya. Many scholars and biggies claimed this to be a planned attack and a planned riot. I was in my 2nd year of graduation and was about to leave for my college from my hostel at Swastik Char Rasta, in Ahmedabad. Suddenly, saw my hostel gate being shut and bolted by the security guard and my hostel warden calling for an urgent meeting in the hall. This is how I got the news of this riot. The one week stay in hostel and no or less contact with family, was the span of horrified emotions and scary moments. We dared not to open our windows also, even for fresh air. The hoarding of girls hostel was as well removed from the main gate. It was a girl’s hostel and what if the mob broke in the premises and what we if we suffered rape and killing by the mob? Since, the mob doesn’t have a religion, their religion is of a murderer and of a rapist. The most safest city in India for women had turned out to be the most unsafe place, overnight.

The truth behind the walls remains uncovered…

Reading now the truth discovered by @ranaayyub ,of 2002 Gujarat Riot…..

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Stay tuned for the book review…..

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#bookstagramindia #bookrecommendation #bookreview #booklovers #stories #books #poetry #loveforbooks #readers #fiction #nonfiction #readersofinstagram #book #reading #indianbookreview #happyreading #happyreadingweek #gujaratfiles #ranaayyub