Mini Shopaholic Book Giveaway Contest Winner

It was as much fun for me to host this book giveaway as much it had been for all the readers who participated. Open ended questions can throw some exciting and unexpected answers too.


The winner for this book giveaway is Rashmi Sehgal (Gurgaon). Congratulations!


I thank all those who participated in this contest. 
Keep reading, and sharing good books!

Book Giveaway: Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

I am not so much into chicklit. But when I read ‘Confessions of a Shopaholic’, I fell in love with the book instantly. I immediately bought the entire series because I empathized with the protagonist, Rebecca Bloomwood. (OK! She is much crazier but she embodies the craziness that overwhelms most of us when it comes to shopping!)

I have a copy of “Mini Shopaholic” from Random House India, and I will be happy to pass it on to one of you.

If you are as crazy about the ‘Shopaholic’ series, as I am, this Giveaway is for you.

And if you are one of those who has never read or came across any book from this series (it happens to all of us), check this link to know more about the series.

Catch the author, Sophie Kinsella, talk about ‘Mini Shopaholic' here.

Check out my review of the book here. Trust me, reading from 'shopaholic series' is such a stress buster!

Answer this simple question, and you might get this copy!

• You have Rs 5,000 and 2 hours, what would you buy and for whom?
• Mail your answer with the subject line ‘Shopaholic Giveaway’ to reemasahay(at)gmail(dot)com

Terms and conditions:

• The book will be sent to a location in India only
• The contest closes on Saturday, 14 July 2012
• Only one answer per person will be considered

Book Courtesy: Random House India

Tamarind City by Bishwanath Ghosh

Title: Tamarind City
Author: Bishwanath Ghosh
Publisher: Tranquebar Press (Westland)
Pages: 315
Price: Rs 295
Genre: Non Fiction / Travel
Rating: 9/10

Chennai is usually never on the radar of city hoppers - too hot, too humid, too far, too conservative, and so on and so forth. Friends who visit the city for short periods like for training, want to get away as fast as possible. I always thought their prejudices were unjustified.

I have been to Chennai a couple of times. First as a tourist, visiting the usual beaches and temples. The second time, I stayed in Chennai for 4 months while I was preparing for MBA entrance exam. My brother was working with an IT company there. I finished my graduation, and joined him for coaching and big city exposure. It was certainly my first brush with city life. And thankfully it started with the conservative Chennai, because coming from a small place I would have been more scandalised by other cities.

Staying there, even for a short duration of time, I never had a problem with Chennai. In fact, that period has been one of the high points in my life. I didn't mind not listening to enough hindi, I didn't mind the idli-dosas ( I love them), I didn't mind the extreme climate much. Getting up very early, with the sunrise, getting 'The Hindu' at my doorstep, and watching women draw kolams on their porch was as much my routine as it were theirs.

However, 'Tamarind City' is a different experience altogether. Bishwanath Ghosh opens my eyes to a fascinating Chennai, which I now regret not exploring enough. His 300-odd pages book captures the essense of Chennai for an outsider - from history to historical relevance, from culture, religion and social set up to political history, from distinguished people to ordinary, from temples to beaches; he has covered almost everything. The history part was a little overwhelming for me though.

Throughout the book we meet different people, learn about important events and places, and each provide a window to understand the city better. To give a few glimpses, the book dwells into the historical importance of Fort St. George and its connection with illustrious men from the East India Company; the rise and fall of the once successful Appah and Co.; how religion is part of everyday living; the feud between Iyer and Iyengar Brahmins; the apparent Dalit and non Dalit segregation; the delectable South Indian food at Ratna Cafe owned by a North Indian; Susie, the transgender, who is forced to take up the world's oldest profession because the society does not offer any other option; Dr. Narayana Reddy, a much sought after sexologist in an otherwise conservative city; the increasing old age homes; Gemini Ganesan, the film industry's king of romance, who took his title seriously in real life too; Chandamama and its famous illustrator Sankar; S. Muthiah, the passionate historian educating people about the city's rich heritage and culture, and author of several books on Madras; the beaches, Tsunami, the Music festival and Carnatic Music, medical tourism, manufacturing hub and so much more. But eventually for me the line that describes Chennai best in comparison with other metros is:
"In a place like Delhi, you'll have to hunt for tradition. In Kolkata, you'll itch for transformation. Mumbai is only about transformation. It is Chennai alone that firmly holds its customs close to the chest, as if it were a box of priceless jewels handed down by ancestors, even as the city embraces change."

The book does not adhere to any strict format, so occasionally the author takes the liberty of digressing a little. But that does not impact the narration, rather makes it interesting.

The title and cover page are apt. The language and narration work for me, wherein occasionally the author takes the voice of people who he meets.

As an outsider, I cannot judge whether he has done complete justice to his subject. I don't know Chennai that intimately. But the fact that his book inspires a curiosity in me, and makes me want to visit the city again, explore those places, see those structures, meet those people and take in the surroundings, so the book definitely succeeds in its purpose. It helps an outsider to look beyond the stereotypes.

Reading Tamarind City for me was illuminating as well as nostalgic. I recommend it to everyone who loves travelogues or reading about culture and people.

Image credit: Amazon

The Newsroom Mafia by Oswald Pereira

Title: The Newsroom Mafia
Author: Oswald Pereira
Publisher: Grey Oak Publishers (Westland)
Pages: 259
Price: Rs 245
Genre: Fiction / Thriller
Rating: 6/10

Though I am sure this book draws inspiration from the real, yet it is hard to overlook its strong Bollywood appeal. The main characters also seem to come alive straight from an underworld movie - a Hindu Don, Narayan Swami, ruthless and astute in his dealings, has a heart of gold for the poor and the needy. He puts together a coterie of shrewed and promising scribes as his advisers, for channelising his money as well as for handling the politicians and the police; a supercop, Bombay Police Commissioner, Donald Fernandez, who takes it upon himself to finish the Don and his empire. And the usual right hand men, side kicks, corrupt politicians and police thrown in good measure. The story even has a moll in the form of Stella Kutty. But over and above these cardboard characters from a hindi movie of the 70s or the 80s, the most interesting aspect about this book is the insight it offers about the media.

The naive common man assumes that the role of media is to report what goes on in the society but this book opens our eyes to how easily media can orient public opinion by planting stories in collusion with benefitting parties, timing the release of news articles which can deviate our attention from important issues to even preconceiving a scoop.

Oswald Pereira, veteran journalist and author, conceives a fast-paced crime thriller in 'The Newsroom Mafia'. The book begins at an interesting point, when a huge inside scoop goes awry. The Bombay Police Commissioner, Donald Fernandez plans to capture Narayan Swamy with much planning and secrecy. But his plan falls flat when the Don trumps him by sneaking away to safety from under the nose of a huge police contingent. This event sets pace for a story full of twists and turns where one trumps the other every now and then. Meanwhile, the story also charts Narayan Swamy's efforts to transform his image from an underworld Don to a charitable, social worker. Aiding both the parties in this game of cat and mouse are journalists. The narrator Oscar Pinto, a journalist, sides with Donald for exclusive stories, while a slew of scribes jump on the Don's bandwagon for money.

The cover page and the title are fitting, but the language and narrative are too flat for the theme of the book. The dialogues on several occasions are too filmy and cliched. I also felt that the end was a little let down in comparison with the high drama in the rest of the book. The book could have been much shorter as some details and events seemed irrelevant for the total narrative.

The book may not merit to be a part of literary hall of fame, but it can certainly give you good company on a journey or a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Image source: http://www.westlandbooks.in 

Libraries for Books

Since the time I moved to Pune, about 5.5 years back, I have bought a lot of books. The frequency peaked in the last 1-2 years. I love reading but I am not able to read as much as I buy. You know what I mean! I just love buying great books.
Anyways, like all the things, I have to set a good example for my baby. So I decided enough of buying books left, right and centre, let me join a library. That ways I will always have good books around and I will be able to inculcate library habit in my kid too. Imagine if he sees my mindless buying of books, what is he going to imbibe? No prizes in guessing.
My little research and some observation brought these 3 names to my mind:
1. Librarywala: I was a member about 3-4 years back for a month, neve utilised the opportunit much. The good part is I neve withdrew my Registration and refundable deposit, so technically I am still a member. I wrote them a mail and they activated my membership. They have a host of plans and reasonably good collection. So I am going to start off with them. Let me see how it goes, then I will look at other libraries too.
2. Tender Leaves: It is another online library. It works more or less in a similar way as librarywala. They have good plans but since I am already a member with librarywala, so I will be trying out them first. I found them on Facebook ads. The collection did not seem to be as exhaustive as librarywala though.
3. JustBooksClc: Just Books is a chain of physical libraries. I saw one at Vimannagar near Naturals. It is the closest from my home and I may check them out too.
4. British Council Library: I have seen one on FC road while going to college but never walked into it. I have heard a lot about it and they have some great workshops for kids too. Though it is long way from home but I will surely check it out.

Resources for children books

I found 2 interesting resources for kiddie books. I loved both of them and therefore sharing here:

1. Little One Books
2. Curled Up with a good kid's book

Books for the little readers

These days, alongwith books for myself, I also search for good books for children, of all ages. I want to collect a good collection of books for my son. It is very important that the books they are reading have good, unbiased message. I would hate to encourage any kind of prejudices even before he has stepped out into this world.
I am in love with 'The very hungry Caterpillar' by Eric Carle because

1. The mini board book withstands rough handling (read chewing) by my baby. The mini part makes sure he is able to hold the book. My son is just 10 months right now, by the way!
2. The illustrations resemble drawings of a child
3. Very simple language and interesting
4. Life cycle of caterpillar to butterfly
5. Numbers and names of days
6. Night / day
7. Names of different fruits and food items
8. Die cut holes which kids can finger for fun
I also have a cloth book called 'Fuzzy Bee and friends', and another board book called 'Squishy Turtle and friends'. Actually both came together as a set.

I chanced upon this very interesting link about '50 inspiring children's books with a positive message'

Bollywood's Top 20 by Bhaichand Patel

Title: Bollywood’s Top 20 Superstars of Indian Cinema

Author: Bhaichand Patel (Editor))

Publisher: Penguin Viking

Pages: 279

Price: Rs 599

Genre: Non Fiction / Film

Rating: 7/10

If you ask me, my expectations with ‘Bollywood’s Top 20’ were to first find out who all made it to the Top 20, and then discover new facets of their personalities, growth as performers and their cinematic journeys. There are no issues with the essays per se but personally I felt that they were quite on the surface and do not succeed in presenting the superstars intimately.

Most of the stars who make it to the selected top 20 are expected. So you have the tragedy king Dilip Kumar to the evergreen Dev Anand to frighteningly popular Rajesh Khanna, there’s the angry young man Amitabh Bachchan, the quintessential lover boy Shahrukh Khan, the perfectionist Amir Khan alongwith the self-effacing K.L.Sehgal, charismatic Devika Rani, showman Raj Kapoor, Indian earthy beauty Madhuri Dixit and a few more. Frankly, for me - with all due respects to these actors – Shammi Kapoor, Kajol and Kareena Kapoor don’t quite make the cut. If we are talking about “the” Top 20 Superstars of all time, then, no. But as Mr Patel clarifies in the ‘Introduction’, these superstars have been picked up from different decades. In which case, the title should have suggested something to that effect.

The cover page is befitting and celebratory. It is reminiscent of the time when bollywood posters were hand painted and therefore stood out. The cover page captures the Bollywood kitsch in all its glory.

The ‘Introduction’ by the editor Bhaichand Patel establishes his credentials well, explains why these 20 have been picked up for this book and introduces the contributors.

This book is no classic and no must-have for a film buff, yet I enjoyed reading it. There seems to be a basic flow to each of the essays. The focus is on cinematic journeys and most of them stay away from gossip or scandals associated with the star or have been handled diplomatically. Every chapter ends with five favourite films of the actor / actress.

I liked reading about yesteryear actors and actresses like K.L. Sehgal, Devika Rani and Ashok Kumar. In a way, this book also captures the evolution of Indian cinema through these superstars. It is interesting to note that in the beginning there were studios which used to churn out films with the actors and actresses on their payroll. There was no such thing as freelancing. There are many such insights, which were fascinating for me as a reader and as a film buff.

The book also comes with a free CD of 50 memorable songs (picked by the editor).

Film enthusiasts will love spending their Sunday afternoon, reading about these popular superstars.

P.S. My mum was disappointed to read the piece on her favourite Hema Malini because according to her there was nothing new about the 'dream girl' which she did not know already; while my dad appreciated the little nuggets on his favourite stars like Dev Anand and Dilip Kumar. So, keep your expectations low and you will enjoy it J

Image source: http://www.penguinbooksindia.com

Hot Tea Across India by Rishad Saam Mehta

Title: Hot Tea Across India

Author: Rishad Saam Mehta

Publisher: Tranquebar

Pages: 191

Price: Rs 195

Genre: Non Fiction / Travel

Rating: 7.5/10

‘Hot Tea Across India’ is a collection of experiences put together by travel writer Rishad Saam Mehta, from his many road trips across India. The stories are not in any particular order or about any one particular journey. The chapters – some really entertaining, some interesting while a few inconsequential - are independent of each other. ‘Tea’ acts as the common element in all these stories, as the writer reminisces about various cups of tea he had - of all tastes and compositions!

I have a thing for travel stories from India. I am particularly fond of stories from road trips or small, little known places; which provide opportunities to discover many more facets of India that I am oblivious of and also to smile fondly at Indian idiosyncrasies and stereotypes. I believe India is a dream for any traveler, in terms of what she has to offer. Go to any place; its flavour, its culture and its people are unique.

I am particularly fascinated by forts and palaces. It is exciting to walk on the same path which had been frequented by completely different kind of people, centuries ago. The author also puts it across very well when he says: “….I consider any ancient monument a time cell, a little module that has frozen an era within its walls for eternity. Life may go on at frenzied pace all around its periphery, but within its ramparts or its carved walls, history looks you in the face as you stare at a legacy of talent, art and architectural science left behind from centuries ago.”

When I saw ‘Hot Tea Across India’, it offered 2 things I love - Indian travel stories and tea. I am addicted to Tea.

The title of the book is interesting and very catchy but the focus on ‘tea’ in the title could be misleading because the book is less about tea and more about experiences. The cover page is quite apt and fetching. It beautifully captures the essence of various stories narrated by the author. I did not like the font used on the back cover though. It was difficult to decipher.

Author Rishad Saam Mehta is among those lucky few who have converted their passion into profession. He is passionate about traveling and has been writing travel features for several publications. His travel stories in this book are diverse - from hitching a ride on a truck from Mumbai to Delhi, to almost losing his beloved bike in Kargil, from negotiating his way alone through some of the most dangerous terrains to experiencing unexpected kindness of government officials in getting back his misplaced bike. Unexpected turn of events and interesting people, are the two things which make every travel story interesting, and the author has packed in enough of those in this book.

‘Hot Tea Across India’ is an easy read. I was particularly impressed by the author’s effortless writing style – witty and articulate. Sample these:

 “… They were three foreign tourists riding hired Enfield Bullets: one of them was shirtless, another was shoeless, all three seemed clueless about the consternation they had caused by jumping barriers. They rode towards the policemen exuberantly calling out, ‘ Juley, juley’ – Ladakh’s happy word for hello – not realising that Ladakh was a few hundred kilometres behind and a very sticky situation lay ahead.”

“…He, of course, thought his voice was as smooth as silk and could carry the same strain of sorrow that Mukesh was so good at – when in fact it had the abrasiveness of heavy-duty factory grade sand paper.”

 “…Zubair, unaccustomed to transportation that moved so fast and turned so rapidly within such a small radius, was fighting to keep his morning tea within the confines of his stomach and was going green in the process.”

The piece where he recounts his Maruti Van’s story in its voice (chapter ‘Automotive Love’) is quite funny, while the chapter ‘Unbiased Bullet’ was another laugh-out-loud part of this book.

This book is not so much about information about places mentioned but interesting experiences of a traveler. Over all, the book will appeal to anyone who loves reading travel stories or travelogues. The only thing which I felt missing was a few pictures, perhaps!   

Image source: http://www.westlandbooks.in 

Melancholy of Innocence by Raj Doctor

Title: Melancholy of Innocence

Author: Raj Doctor

Publisher: Frog Books (Leadstart Publishing)

Pages: 342

Genre: Fiction / Romance / Philosophy

Rating: 7.5/10

‘Melancholy of Innocence’ in author’s own words is ‘a philo-poetic fable of love set in the late 1920s in Istanbul, just after the political revolution leading to Turkish independence. It is an adolescent’s journey into self discovery about the true meaning of love’.

13 year old Umit has had a normal and happy childhood. His parents had a love marriage, and they are open and unorthodox in their upbringing. Umit is never forced to do anything. Umit gets deeply influenced by Zeheb, who is a distant relative, with spiritual and Sufi leanings. Umit considers him as his mentor and philosopher. Sufi influence is pretty evident in his thoughts and in the way Umit conducts himself.

Umit feels a Ruh connection with Masum, when he sees her for the first time on the streets of Istanbul. Umit is 13, while Masum is 21 at the time. For quite sometime, Umit resists calling it ‘love’. For him, this ‘connection’ and his ‘feelings’ for her, are much beyond the worldly definition of love.

The book traces Umit’s single-minded devotion and love for Masum, while doing which he does not even think about the society, family, future, differences between them and accepted norms of conduct. He just devotes himself in being close to Masum, and revels in the joy of those moments. This love story, as is evident towards the end and in the beginning, had three phases. This book dwells in the first phase when Umit falls in love with Masum.   

The author has put the caveat that whatever Umit does is not his preachings for someone who worships another person, but just Umit’s way of expressing his unconditional love. He may not be right, unmindful of consequences, yet he does what he feels right. It is very easy to overlook that Umit is only thirteen.

After reading the book, I felt that the title as well as the cover page captures the essence of the story well. I also do not question the setting or the background chosen by the author because it is his prerogative. My experience has been that authors usually derive stories from their own personal experiences. I wouldn’t say that the setting or the background has deep influence on this story but a reader will certainly find several cultural and political references, and vivid description of Istanbul from 1920s.

The main characters of this book are Umit and Masum. We get a lot of insights into Umit’s character, mostly because the story is from his perspective. 

The novel is full of philosophical anecdotes but at the heart, is a love story, may be a little obsessive. At every point, the narrator tries to explain behaviour, de-constructs human nature and philosophy behind everything.

I liked the references at the bottom of pages, which aid understanding; and the year mentioned at the end of each chapter is extremely useful. I don’t know if it happens with other people, when a novel goes back and forth in time, I sometimes get confused on the exact time when a thing happens.

The only issues I have are with narration and the pace. The narration is done by a third person in a simple story telling manner. Occasionally it also speaks on behalf of Umit. I felt that the narration was a bit unidimensional.

There are a few typographical errors in some pages, wherein there are no spaces between words. There are also unwarranted paragraph spaces in between continuing sentence.

    

This book will appeal greatly to those who love philosophy. I personally favour fast paced stories, so in a few places, I thought the story lost momentum whenever author digressed to dwell on philosophies related to different facets of life, but that I thought was intentional. Had it been just a love story, it would have more pace but often the narration spirals into understanding human psychology, actions and philosophies. But it would certainly appeal to the readers who love this genre.

I am happy that the author has not attempted to veil philosophy in the guise of love story, and he chooses to call it ‘philo-poetic’ fable of love; because the book is exactly that.

A story introduces you to places, characters and their lives. For a while you live their lives, go through the proceedings, and when you come out, that is when a book makes a difference; were you able to know the characters intimately, were you able to empathise, were you happy to be with them for some time of your lives, was it worthwhile! If you answer these questions honestly, you know you have got the answer of whether a book was good or not, for you.

Well, at the end, I was pretty engaged in Umit and Masum’s unusual love story, and wanted to know what happens in the end. I also tried to reason why Masum should love Umit, who is not her equal in age, looks, social status or education. But even beautiful people crave for adulation and love. Who wouldn’t want such single minded devotion!

Towards the end, the book says that Umit and Masum had 3 seasons of love, this story was just one of those. A sequel seems impending. Will I read if there is a sequel? I am not too sure because I don’t favour philosophies much, but then since I already know Umit and Masum to some extent, I just might! 

Image source: Amazon