Norwegian Wood - A Book Review

“How wonderful it is to be able to write someone a letter! To feel like conveying your thoughts to a person, to sit at your desk and pick up a pen, to put your thoughts into words like this is truly marvellous. Of course once I do put them into words, I find I can only express a fraction of what I want to say.”

Above portion from the book seems equally relevant to writing a book review for Norwegian wood, a love story from Haruki Murakami. This book is distinctly different from his other books that I have read. It involves no tear or gate in space and time to travel to the other world and remains strongly tethered to the mortal world we all know and live in. However this aspect doesn’t limit the book in anyway. 

Story of this book revolves around a boy named Toru Watambe and his journey from adolescence to adulthood. It poignantly describes the dilemmas of growing up. Toru struggles to reconcile the differences in world he sees ahead of him and the one he sees behind him. The world ahead is constantly barraging him with larger than life success, living on one’s own terms, and a quasi immortality created and fostered by popular culture. Whereas the world behind has a gripping memory of loss of his friend Kizuki to death, guilt of being in a relationship with Kizuki’s girlfriend, his other adolescence romances and the eternal urge of staying seventeen forever. 

Post Kizuki’s death, Naoko and Toru come close for a brief moment, however things fall apart as Naoko further sinks in grief and has to be transferred to a mental institute for treatment. Toru finds himself conflicted whether to wait for Naoko to return to normalcy or to move forward with other romantic interests that life may bring to him. 

Through wide range of characters the book’s story transcends from just love story to a wider narrative about current times. For example, character of Nagasawa shows to Toru difference of hard work and manual labour. Nagasawa is shown as supremely successful young man who always believes in staying one step ahead of the time to ensure he can position himself at the right time at a right place. Toru contrasts his input to the condition of a man on deathbed who has worked just as hard in maintaining a book shop and raising his daughter. If that man did not get a chance to check what was ahead of him and place himself to leverage that, is it really his fault ? 

Another interesting character is Midori, a girl Toru finds attractive. She is the one who lends Toru much needed relief from his emotional conflict between waiting for Naoko and moving forward with life. Even by the end of the book, we are not sure which road Toru finally took, but one can definitely say that Midori was the only source of comfort when Toru found it very hard especially after Naoko succumbed to suicide. 

Story of this book brings many other characters that touch readers’ lives, Reiko, Storm Trooper, Hatsumi - all of them are brief yet able to offer a glimpse into different parts of human psyche with which readers can connect easily. 

Murakami’s strong understanding of human nature reflects throughout the book, and provides soothing assurance of finding beauty even in most dark moments of life! 

Italicised part is taken from the book. 

Book Review The course of Love – Alain De Botton

The course of Love – Alain De Botton

“Our understanding of love has been hijacked and beguiled by its first distractingly moving moments. We have allowed our love stories to end way too early. We seem to know far too much about how love starts and recklessly little about how it might continue.” That we concentrate far too much on beginning and far too little about the continuance of love is reflected in a question

the couple is bound to be asked, “How did you two meet?”

In this book, Alain De Botton takes us through the progress of love through a story of a couple.

Rabih and Kirsten are young professionals when they first met. Enamored by each other, after a brief courtship they decided to explore the meaning of a vague phrase, “happily ever after”. That’s where this story begins. The story revolves around touchstones of a marriage from infatuation, irreconcilable desires, challenges of raising kids etc. They understand the harrowing amounts of energy it takes to sustain and blossom a household through routine life. Lead characters of this story serve as extended case study for the author – who keeps up with his style of extended commentary on what is going on with his characters.

For example difference of opinion, between the two over which set of tumblers to buy for kitchen, ideal room temperature at night, how early should one leave for a party, positioning of blinds on window, etc. provide us a useful insight that these seemingly silly things are actually just the loose threads that tie back to the fundamental contrasts of their persona which requires better recognition and reconciliation.

It also brings out how crucial it is to be able to communicate better, author hints that were Rabih or Kirsten better communicators – one of them might have told the other in response to insistence for over punctuality that “Leaving early, is ,in the end, a symptom of fear. In a world of randomness and surprises, it is a technique I have developed to ward off anxiety and an unholy unnamable sense of dread. I want to be on time (in fact a little ahead of it) same way others lust for power and form a similar drive for security.”

The story moves on and we see other sides of their marital bliss, the sulks resulting out of their differences or their conjoined exploration of each other’s bodies. Here too, through an intricate example where Rabih mentioned that a particular young waitress crossed his mind while having intercourse with Kirsten, the author helps us tease out something very important about marriage. Rabih acts defensive and ashamed at a weirdness of his thoughts whereas Kirsten, furious at first and judgmental later- frowns at the presence of someone else even in Rabih’s fantasies.

In an alternative, better communicating versions of lead characters this scenario might have played out differently per author. Rabih might have been able to square up to Kirsten with his desires like a natural scientist holding up for colleague’s inspection some newly discovered, peculiar looking species which both of them might strive to understand and accommodate themselves to.  And Kirsten in response might have told “the nature of this particular daydream is foreign, unfamiliar and frankly not a little disgusting to me; but I am interested in hearing about it nonetheless because more important than my relative comfort is my ability to cope with who you are. I will never be able to do or be all that you want –and vice-versa but I would like to think we can be the sort of people who will dare to tell each other who we really are. The alternative is silence and lies – which are real enemies of love.

Sadly in the novel, Rabih and Kirsten just move on to things that give instant gratification – by going to a movie and then a dinner, rather than engaging with each other and thereby quelling any chance of understanding weird byways of their psyches.  

As we go further this book it turns to parenthood and children. What children have to offer us about understanding love is amazing. William, their son, for example- is pleased by rudimentary things that as grown-ups we have forgotten to enjoy. Author’s excellent description makes for a heartwarming reading, he writes, “William is an enthusiast of a class of uncomplicated things which have, unfairly, become boring to adults; like a great artist; he is a master at renewing his audience’s appreciation of the so-called minor sides of life.” Further, he adds for parenting that, “The role of being a good parent brings with it one large and very tricky requirement: to be the constant bearer of deeply unfortunate news. The good parent must be the defender of a range of child’s long-term interests, which are by nature entirely impossible for the child to envisage, let alone assent cheerfully. Out of love, parents must gird themselves to speak of clean teeth, tidy rooms, bedtimes, generosity and limits to computer usage. Out of love, they must adopt the guise of bores with a hateful and maddening habit of bringing up unwelcome facts about existence just when the fun is really starting. And as a result of these subterranean loving acts, good parents must, if things have gone well, end up as the special targets of intense resentment and indignation.”

De Botton excels in Montaigne-like close observations of the routine and banal aspects of life, such as lost car keys, professional anxieties, burdens and boredoms of child rearing etc. While he may not be the kind of great novelists one knows like Flaubert Gustav, Rabindranath Tagore or Tolstoy – in an age troubled with shortage of time, lack of patience and ever increasing need for speed he is surely one of the most useful ones!!   

The present book provides a useful perspective on how love is not just an emotion but also a skill that needs to be developed over one’s lifetime.

è Italicized portions are from the book

Tuesdays With Morrie - By Mitch Albom

Have you ever shivered a little before making any phone call? Ever put off a phone call or getting in touch with someone for many days, months or even years? That confrontation which we so dread, is often the confrontation we all most need. 

This confrontation may be in different forms, sometimes it is with people you fear you have let down, sometimes its with ideas, sometimes its with self reconciliation. In this book, author takes us through his journey of confronting series of such ideas that we normally put off during day-to-day life. His teacher, Morrie, who is dying of ALS becomes his guide through the journey and helps him see things with a refreshingly different perspective.

Mitch is fairly successful professional, a self made sports journalist who has everything that takes to win in the world, skills, understanding, connections and hunger for even more success. He has a lady love in life too, whom he intends to marry sometime. He considers himself happy and when asked “Are you happy?”  usually his reply would be, “I guess, I cannot complaint.” Though successful he struggles with finding meaning of life, purpose of existence and shies away from thoughts of death, sympathy, empathy and compassion. Until he met Morrie once more. 

Morrie cuts through Mitch’s defenses with deft of an old lover, one after the other and helps Mitch face some of the bigger questions of life which he had been putting off until now in guise of getting more work, more money, more success. The fact that Morrie is suffering from ALS and is diagnosed to die in a few months, makes their journey even more poignant and inspiring.

Morrie reinforces some of the timeless truths which we all know but only some apply. He crusades against following advertised values, cautions against expecting that material things will yield us any solace, advises to keep close with family members and friends. However it is not so much what he says, but how beautifully he exemplifies all that he says makes this story wonderful. For example, when during a football match, when everyone in stadium was shouting - we are number-1 , we are number-1 - he got up and asked a rhetorical question to the crowd, “What’s wrong in being number-2?”  Or his insistence on holding a living funeral for himself, because he wanted to hear the good things people had to say of him while he was alive and not after his death. 

While it comes across as a book filled with bright spots Morrie doesn't feign positivity or happiness at all. When asked, if he laments his condition, he candidly answers that he often cries in morning for having this disease which is killing him slowly. As much as he is sad of his health, he never allows himself more than a few minutes of self-pity every morning, after that he thinks about the day ahead, all the people who he is going to meet today. Morrie’s daily quota of limited self pity is such a contrast to everyday cribbing we hear constantly from people around us about far more routine stuff than their life. 

Another very inspiring aspect of Morrie’s character is that he gives everyone his complete attention. He defers phone calls when in an in-person conversation, and maintains a very doting eye contact with his audience despite his flailing health. In an age where personal space is so intruded with gadgets his was really an amazing example of how to go about talking to people in person. 

Book is replete with such examples of everyday events that we often neglect and avoid. It also provides a new perspective towards death and shows a more welcoming, warm and friendly approach to that eternal truth of everyone’s life. 

Like all great teachers, Morrie offers a lot to learn and think - his last class was on life, it had no textbook or curriculum, there were no exams and learning from that goes on for anyone who has been touched by this book.

Book Review - The shadow of the wind

If a writer’s book is read by only one person, and it transforms the reader’s life, is he successful writer?

At the age of ten, Daniel is a loveable kid, just like most other ten year olds. He has lost his mother a few years back and lives with his loving father who constantly tries to make up for the Daniel’s mother.  Daniel has a great fascination for books, and aspires to become a writer some day. Daniel’s father runs a book shop and is a man of modest means.

Daniel gets his hand on a book named “The shadow of the wind” by an author called Julian Carax. This book enthrals Daniel and he sets out to find more about its author. The search that would eventually transform his life completely, and link him to so many individuals’ lives in a breathtaking way.

Julian Carax is little known name in Spain that had seen a terrible war during his lifetime. According to some account, Julian was dead, for some he had fled to Paris long back and lived an anonymous life there.  Daniel’s search leads him to many dark secrets of war time, and puts his life in risk as well. However gritty as he is, he continues to peel off the layers of mystery that surrounds Julian’s life.  

The novel presents some of the finest characters, Senor Sempere – Daniel’s father is portrayed as a fine gentleman who always stands by his son, even while his physical strength and capacities are on decline due to advancing age.  Fermin, an accomplice and friend of Daniel also comes across as a very interesting character; at one point he says “The man who used to live in these bones died Daniel, sometimes he comes back in nightmares.”    The character of Antony Fortuny, Julian’s father is also very well depicted. Beatrice’s character is a little too make-shift, I believe it could have played some more role in the novel.

The book is replete with some stunning observations and messages which cut through the boundaries of the plot and are relevant to all readers even in their personal lives, for example – the short message on war delivered through a character goes like this – “Nothing feeds forgetfulness better than war Daniel, we all remain silent and they try to convince us that what we have seen, what we have learnt about ourselves and about others is an illusion, a nightmare that will pass. Ware has no memory, and none has courage to understand until there are no voices left to tell what really happened. Until the moment comes when we no longer recognize them and they return with another face and another name, to devour everything that they left behind.”

Or the following, “An old man waited for me almost every thrursday and offered me pastries and coffee that he scarcely touched. He spent hours reminiscing about Julian’s childhood, how they worked in the shop. He would take me to Julian’s room which he kept as immaculate as museum, he took out old notebooks and photographs with enthusiasm without realizing that he had shown them to me just on the previous visit, that he had already told me all those stories  - he seemed to be reconstructing the past that never existed. Until one day when I went there and found the doctor going out, “How is the hatter?” I asked. Doctor looked at me strangely and asked “Are you a relative?”

It is a bulky book of 500 pages, for those who think thrillers have to be quick read and pointed this book is a good case study to support alternative argument.

Shadow of the Wind is thriller, historical fiction, occasional farce, existential mystery and a passionate love story – all at once.

Book Review - Chinaman the Legend of Pradeep Mathew

“I find myself in the same position as the internationals who dared tour apartheid South Africa in 1980s. I am universally shunned.” This line best describes the storyteller of this novel. W.G. Karunsena is an old cynic, sports journalist.

He has been fired from three magazines, ridiculed by his peers, distrusted by his wife and disappointed by his son and has a diminishing life (thanks to alcoholism). Yet the fact remains, he too has a story to tell. And it is a story that, I bet will interest many of us.

W.G. Karunasena (henceforth, WG) is obsessed by the miraculous and mysterious character in Sri Lankan cricket, Pradeep Sivanathan Mathew. According to him, Mathew was the greatest spin bowler their country had ever produced. However, the mystery begins when there is not a single record available against his name. It looks like this character has been purposely deleted, erased and rubbed off from the canvas of Sri Lankan cricket. What could be the reason behind this? Was it due to his unbridled and brash attitude, his lack of fitness, involvement in match fixing or was it something hereditary?

His father was a Tamil and mother Sinhala. That too in a nation which has seen havocs in the name of differences between these two sets of people.

Ever wondered why we call ourselves world champion, despite the fact that all we have won is matches against just handful of countries!!!

Perhaps a sport has a great role in the way people of the nation see themselves. It is a defining part of any nationality, especially so if you are hailing from subcontinent and if the sport you love starts from C!

This fact has played out significantly in the novel, which in its search of this mysterious, mythical genius reveals certain aspects of the social-political and national structure of Sri Lanka. During these descriptions we find that Sri Lanka has some strong similarities with India when it comes to the social texture.

Nagging relatives, craving for social approval, bomb blasts, fear of both the makers and breakers of law, father-son differences, sacrifices for friends, cynicism for the system and last but the most, craze for cricket!!! We are indeed very similar.

WG breaks out of all these vagaries of day to day life through his passionate and poignant hunt f Mathew. It is through this search that he finds himself also. He anticipates his end, and plans last few months of his life extremely well. Despite all the planning, he could only achieve 2 out of the 10 things that he wanted to do before his death. His son, Garfield, sees it and thinks that he can improve the score to at least 5 out of 10 for his dead dad. (Another similarity to India).

The story ends in Garfield, finally meeting the master called, Pradeep Mathew, and writing his story fully. He even gets it published despite scheming and plotting by the Sri Lankan cricket board and politicians.

Since the narrator is a drunkard some parts of story make reader feel dislocated at times, but in the end it seems that this dislocation was by choice and not by design.

In the end, I was unable to conclude if this was a story of the old man who gave street cricket in Sri Lanka something that it always lacked, in the form of accurate LBW decisions. Or it is a story of a man who gave Sri Lankan national cricket team what it always lacked, self belief, aggression and brashness and made them the real lions.

I was also unable to conclude if the man called Pradeep Mathew ever existed, who was right in the tussle between WG and his son Garfiel, did Johnny, a Brit and WG’s friend actually sodomized kids in Sri Lanka, was WG a mad man….. the list of inconclusive is long,

But one thing that I could conclude was that,

if the sweetest sound you've ever heard is leather on willow, if some of the most exciting moments of your life have consisted of watching a five-day match end in a draw, if the most important question around the partition of the subcontinent is "who would have made it into Undivided India's cricket team in any era?", if your mind keeps returning to that one extraordinary spell by a bowler (say, Mohammad Zahid to Brian Lara at the Gabba, 1997) who, for one reason or another, couldn't hold his place in the national side, if no amount of scandal and venality within the game can keep you from spending weeks or even months living in a different time zone from the one in which you're physically present – then this book could be the best thing to happen to your life since the Ashes/World Cup/away series win against the best team in the world[1].

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[1] http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/may/07/chinaman-shehan-karunatilaka-review?INTCMP=SRCH

Antigone

Antigone is a tragedy written by Greek playwright Sophocles. This play portrays many conflicts that humans go through in their lives. The backdrop of the story is set in the competing motives of a teenager girl Antigone and her Uncle, the king Creon. Antigone had two brothers who killed each other in a battle to the throne. Upon their death, Creon declared that, since Eteocles was the one who was fighting to save the state and Polynices was trying to evade it only the former should be rewarded with the rites of death. And the body of Plynices should be left to the dogs and birds without burying.

Antigone considers it her duty to provide proper burial to her brother Polynices also. She out rightly disobeys the decree made by Creon which instructs people not to touch or bury the body of Polynices. Creon’s position is that since Polynices was an enemy of the state, society, no personal relations or duties to him should be observed. On the other hand Antigone thinks that whatever may be the stand of the society, personal duties to her brother must be observed.

This point brings about the oft felt dilemma between the society and the individual. It paints a picture where what an individual considers to be correct and essential is at complete contrast with what society holds true. Antigone believes that the laws made by humans are inferior to the laws made by god and therefore she can disobey them. Creon strictly maintains that laws of the state should be above everything and no personal ties of relationship should prevent one from following them.

Creon sends Antigone to the prison, with an intention to kill her. However he later realizes that due to this act Gods are angry at the state. However by the time he knows this he is far too committed to the decision of killing Antigone and hence can’t reverse it. Creon’s son Haemon was in love with Antigone. He kills himself when he finds that his father killed his fiancé only in order to set an example, win a debate or prove a point that his opinion was correct.

On hearing the news of Haemon’s death, Creon’s wife also commits suicide. Creon is the only character alive at the end of the play. The play leaves reader with several questions, who was more right between Creon and Antigone? Intuitively we may find Antigone to be right yet, Creon’s stand can also not be entirely wrong or rejected. Definition of what is just, is also something that becomes very crucial in the play.

But just as in the play, most of the times just can’t be defined, universally. And if it were left to the personal definitions, people will only use it to commit unjust acts all the time under the garb of personal definition of justice.

Tiya, A Parrot's journey home

This book is a wonderful account of experiences that one face during the course of life. Tiya, protagonist parrot listens to the voice of his invisible guide, Hans. Motivated by this he leaves the cosy comforts of his life at banyan and moves into the unexplored lands. Through his journey he encounters myriad types of people and creatures. Each encounter is a challenge of life, and it just keeps getting tougher as Tiya moves ahead in his journey.

Character of Tiya is an illustration of how an individual moves up from one stage to the other in life. Each stage is different and offers unique perspectives on the psyche and learning of an individual at that particular stage. This is described beautifully in an event where Tiya initially shows exuberance for being a teacher to all, soon discovers that it is impossible to teach anyone anything. In addition to this, one also sees that the progression from an insolent young parrot to a poised parrot was not an overnight transition; Tiya had undergone a lot in order to achieve that transition.

Another thing that the book very subtly describes was the importance of all the people that Tiya met in his journey for the attainment of his ultimate stage. This underscored the importance of all the experiences in one’s life.

Another thing which is worth thinking is perhaps, that there is no clear definition of what all we could achieve, what all we could be, the limit to the function of life is dependent totally on us. However one thing is sure, however and wherever you may take it, it will have to have some essentials like humility, simplicity and truthfulness in order for it to be called a true attainment.

This book will have to be re-read after some time to see which stage of journey am I now at?

I hope to return home soon, and successful.

Ghare-Baire (The home and the world)

Ghare Baire – Rabindranath Tagore

Translator: Nivedita Sen

This is novel is a story of subtle transformation. It captures two way changes that emanate from an individual’s interaction with the society around oneself.

In the backdrop of Pre-independence era, this novel not only illustrates the story of its characters but also is a sound account of evolution that was in process during that time. Moreover, careful attention of the author to ever relevant issues of feminism, caste politics, lust for power and wealth, religious bigotry and societal pressures make this novel a wholesome reading experience.

Story begins with Bimala who is a simple lady in the starting. Like all, she too craves for beauty, envied and annoyed by sister in laws, worships her husband and idolizes her mother. However when her life comes out of the “Andarmahal” of the house to the drawing room, in garb of discussions with Sandip, it takes a U turn. Sandip is another significant character in the novel. His character perhaps reflects an extremist ideology initially and is later exposed as someone who channels the enthusiasm in the young and gullible to use it for personal goals. He inspires Bimala that she is the torch bearer of freedom for India. He constantly exalts her, adulates her as Queen. This constant adulation sways Bimala’s mind, she starts comparing Sandip with her husband. Her husband, Nikhilesh, is a complete contrast to Sandip, in manners and in thoughts. Sandip is expressive, whereas Nikhilesh reticent, sandip believes in Machiavellian means in service of nation’s good, Nikhilesh does not approve of application of unfair means, even for the national purpose. Sandip snatches whatever he wants, Nikhilesh believes in the power of will and wait.

There are times in novel when one sees Bimala tilted towards Sandip and completely neglecting Nikhilesh. However with the progress in story Sandip’s other colors are exposed; he takes lot of money from Bimala in the name of national struggle. Bimala comes out of his spell and realizes his weak side, dark side and loathes him for that. She also feels tremendous guilt for the misdeeds she undertook from his inspiration and instigation.

All this while, through Nikhilesh author conveys the difficulty of being good. He is always cheated, towards the end he realizes and expresses that “it is well and good if people are compatible with men of self-willed ideas like me, but those who are not, cheat us. We make even innocent people deceitful.” This expression, though submissive, shows the strength of his character and clarity of his thought. His character also seems to be conveying, indirectly the frailty of women’s character in some parts of he novel. Expressions like, “women were not created for sophisticated men who indulge themselves in ideas” are extreme, derogatory and shows that in mental tumult even men like Nikhilesh give in to the anger and cross the line of propriety. Even in such situations, he is very controlled and composed in outwardly behaviour. This leads to the deterioration of his health.

Nikhilesh’s character also relates to three other characters in brilliant ways and portrays significant aspects of our lives. Chandranath babu, his teacher, is someone who is just like his father. The old man shows great strength in countering the popular opinions. He is the only support of Nikhilesh when almost all around him, mock him, criticise him and hates him. Such support is necessary to nurture the truth and strength perhaps.

Ponchu is a miserable man who seeks help from Nikhilesh in several instances. His misery causes lot of discomfort to Nikhilesh. The best part unfolds in the last chapter wherein the reader sees the bond between Mejorani and Nikhilesh, as that of a mother and child. This revelation comes as a solace in overall chaotic situation, and is full of poignancy.

There is another bond that deserves mention, between Amulya and Bimala. Bimala considers him as his younger brother. Amulya too is initially follower of Sandip but in the end seeing his wickedness draws himself away from him. He symbolises both, deceived and disillusioned youth, who in the end meets poignant death.

All other characters, Mejorani, Barorani, Harish Kundu etc. reflect the societal characteristics vividly. Perhaps all Bengalis and Indians would identify and relate with them easily.

Just like all great creations, Ghare Baire, does not end, it simply blends into our minds and stirs it up with lot of questions. In the end Sandip returns all the money he had taken from Bimala, Bimala confesses her theft to Nikhilesh like a brave lady, Nikhilesh and Mejorani, Nikhilesh takes on to a violent religious mob in order to stop it spreading further violence and is severely injured in that course; Amulya is shot in his chest. Reader is left pondering over these instances and several others.

The answers may be found not outside not inside, only in the intersection of the two perhaps!!

Sack the CEO

A book review

Sack The CEO is a satirical book written by Jeetendra Jain. The book revolves around main characters of Smallfry, Fastrack and Takeiteasy who are co-workers in a multinational called Twist in the tail Limited! The company, justifying its name completely, offers them bucketful of surprises and shock every now and then.

The trio tries to fight their way out of corrupt environment that prevails in the (mis)leadership of Topgun, CEO of the company. In the process of fighting corruption Smallfry identifies several different patterns of behaviour of corrupt CEOs. Smallfry, elated with this discovery plans to put this on paper and he begins to write a book on these corrupt CEOs and the techniques to get them out of the organization!

The book is divided in three parts of which two are the parts of Smallfry’s book describing the corrupt CEOs as various malignant diseases and giving the doctrines for kicking them out. All the characters in the book are very vividly portrayed by the author. Author successfully generates humor from the art of giving very suggestive names to each of its characters! For example the secretary of Topgun is Miss Alarm Belle. The poor accountant who is always being transferred just because he does not fudge the figures is Onewayticket! Even the names of main characters (Smallfry, Fastrack and Takeiteasy) are chosen with dexterity.

The book presents the corruption prevailing in corporate world, the experience of author of having worked with various companies helps him lot in knitting the plots of stories. It is a strong satire on the red-tapism and corruption of Indian corporates. The story is so well-packaged that the reader can have the taste of both a fictional novel as well as of a reflection of REAL world. Never in his writing the author gets cynical, on the contrary the humor of the book has made it a humble description. Some of the dialogues are comic yet most philosophical, For example; when Takeiteasy tells Smallfry “ I have told you so many times that a company is vague and abstract concept, there is no such entity as a company; It is them.” The friendship between the three lead characters also forms an emotional bond in the mind of the reader. But above all it is the humor that Jeetendra Jain successfully brings out of situations that makes the book a good read.

The plot story and characters are such that we can relate ourselves with it. Who doesn’t feel the simple sooth of Smallfry and the dashing, vigorous and heroic machismo of Fastrack and lethargy and carelessness of Takeiteasy? It is our story in our style!

An enjoyable book which presents to you the corruption in comic way and in the end keeps a hopeful candle of honesty lit by showing a victory of the terrific trio over vicious corrupation.

Painter of signs - R.K. Narayan

Once a critic had commented “R.K. makes you feel, through his writings, what it is to be an Indian.” With lot of books springing from the soil of Malgudi, “The painter of Signs” is yet another book in which the author, in subtle, comic and poetic way, captures the picture of the Indian society and its interaction with social and global challenges and changes.

Raman is portrayed as a self-satisfied man in the beginning of the book who is happy living in his small, closed world. His life takes a huge toll when it intersects with Daisy’s completely different, outgoing world! Daisy is portrayed as young, bold, beautiful, passionate and hardworking woman, committed to the mission of controlling India’s unbridled population explosion.

To me the characters of Raman and Daisy, who eventually fall in love with each other and decide to get married, are suggestive of two different types of people existing in our society. With vivid description of central characters the author successfully transcends the message of present day social challenges and issues.

The best component or characteristic of R.K.Narayan’s writings is that he makes serious comments in comic manner! This serio-comic style makes reading of his books a hilarious experience! The characters like stern and superstitious lawyer, the lecher bangle-seller, ever irritating Gupta, mystic saint, cow like school teacher keep reader amused throughout the book.

R.K. Narayan is a kind of author who gives space to almost every flavor of thought prevalent in Indian society. The character of aunt represents the integral part of our society, family life.

Her character commands special mention as, though she is always shunned and overpowered by Raman, she is the one whom Raman badly craves for in the end of the story. Her selflessness in treating Raman is very touchy, even she has a story but that is hardly paid any attention…..her character brings somewhat poignancy to the plot of the story.

Daisy after being very close to Raman, leaves him. He feels she deserted him, she is concerned about the cause. The one who provides some stability to the story and also to the reader, aunt, has gone to pilgrimage!

Readers are as shaken as Raman might have been!!!!!!!!!!!!!