30 Day Book Challenge: Day 7

Most Underrated Book

Okay finally, a topic which was difficult not because there are too many books and I had to choose one but because I don't think any book is underrated as such. I would have said Bridget Jones' Diary. But I don't think it's underrated at all. If anything, it has it's own proper place in the world of chick lit. It's the whole genre of chick lit that's underrated. Ditto graphic novels. Or any type of commercial fiction. Thus, it'd be unfair to point out just one book (I eat my own first sentence. :/) when there are so many great books in an underrated genre. So, I decided on this one from the "open category" of the genres:

The Enchantress of Florence by Salman Rushdie: So many people I know hate Salman Rushdie and his works. But I happen to love him. The world thinks he is a genius. But, only for his Midnight's Children. That's all that they'll ever talk about. (Or, of course, Satanic Verses for its controversial quality.) But The Enchantress of Florence is really good. So many of my senses were evoked while reading this one. It is well-written, well-narrated, funny, sensual, magical and just generally, all other adjectives that are awesome. :D Unfortunately, it has been overshadowed by the presence of Midnight's Children. But I hope not forever.

Bref, go read. :)

*This beautiful image is courtesy Google images, of course. :)

30 Day Book Challenge: Day 6

A Book that made me sad

I've read quite a few depressing books but being the sort of person I am, I tend to forget things I don't like/ things that disturb me. (Actually, I tend to forget things. But, here, this applies better. :P) However, Partition literature (and I've read a lot of it) has always stayed with me. I talk about Indian partition lit, not Irish, German or Palestinian. And I think that is because I can relate to it and I know people who have gone through it all. So, it was very difficult to choose which one of all the Partition lit books I've read should I put up here. The two works I was the most confused with are The Ice Candy Man by Bapsi Sidhwa and short stories by Saddat Hasan Manto, particularly, Thanda Ghosht. So, finally I picked The Ice-Candy Man simply coz it's a book whereas Thanda Ghosht is a short story. And yes, I know it's a very lame way of choosing but that's the best I could do.

It was also made into the very nice film-1947: Earth.

The Ice-Candy Man by Bapsi Sidhwa: It depicts the horrible times of Partition but at the same time it's a bit aloof since it's narrated by a child from a community who was never affected by the Partition. However, I think it is that aloofness that gives the book it's impact. Here are these horrible things happening to people, committed by their own friends and neighbours and all these people feel nothing! "Until yesterday, we were the best of the friends but today, you are nothing more than a Hindu/ a Muslim to me. I am going to kill you mostly because I fear if I don't do it first, then you'll kill me. And while I am at it anyway, let me find some of the most gruesome ways to kill you coz if not, the other people from the community will mock me for being a sissy. So, I'll kill you even if it kills me inside." And the best thing about the book is that it's narrated by an 8-year old girl. Her innocence really puts into perspective the pointless violence of the Partition.

I know it's depressing and I cried through most of the book but at the same time, I would really recommend everyone to read it coz it's so beautiful!

*Picture courtesy Google Pictures

30 Day Book Challenge: Day 5

A Book that makes you happy.

When it came to a book that makes me happy, I had a 100 names bombarding through my head, vying for attention. "Pick me! You know you want to!" said every one of them. Should it be my childhood Enid Blyton memories? Or the Harry Potter series? (I think people have had enough of my fan-girly squeals about HP. So I chucked that choice. :P) Or a couple classics that I really like? Or the Terry Pratchett books? Or some of the really good chick lit that I've read recently? Everyone reading this blog knows what a sucker I am for chick lits. So, finally, I decided on some chick lit of the 19th century. ;)

That is one kickass cover for this book! :D 

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen: This was the first classic I was introduced to in my school library and immediately fell in love with Darcy and Elizabeth's amazing story. :P (What? I was a 12 year old girl! :P) And then, when I started college, this was our first text for our first year lit class. What's more? It was taught by my most favourite prof ever! So, whenever I think of this book or read it, I am reminded of my school day fantasies of meeting a perfect Darcy (Of course, now I can only laugh derisively at those fantasies but well, that innocence was something. :)) And of the brilliant discussions with Chhaya Mam in lit class, the presentations we had and the way we compared it to Bridget Jones' Diary and Sex and the City. :) Also, of course, of watching Colin Firth in the BBC Pride and Prejudice series and drooling over him. :P And then, re-re-re-watching the lake scene with Sun and Moon. What lovely memories! :D :P

So, I get a classic and a chick lit all rolled into one with a man that, of course, can only exist in books, but a Colin Firth, nonetheless, to fantasize about. Of course this book makes me happy. :)

* Picture courtesy Google Images.

30 Day Book Challenge: Day 4

Favourite Book of your Favourite Series

This is so difficult! I love ALL seven Harry Potter books equally! But if I had to choose one, I'd choose Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Ideally I'd have chosen Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix. It's one of the best examples of a written piece I've come across in fiction. But then, Sirius dies at the end of it. So, no go. He was my ABSOLUTE favourite character. :'(

So, why Prisoner of Azkaban? Because it's funny and it's different. Rowling uses a number of awesome narrative devices to bring out the hidden secrets. I loved all the concepts - the unregistered Animagi, the hidden passage to Hogsmead, the time-turning, the Divinity classes and so many more. Admittedly, these devices exist in all the other books as well. But I specifically like this one. Also, this is the only book which has got nothing to do with Voldemort. For once, the world doesn't revolve around him. 

30 Day Book Challenge: Day 3

Your Favourite Series

The Harry Potter Series by J. K. Rowling: There was no competition here. I started reading Harry Potter when I was in seventh or eighth grade. And I love the books even today. You know you go through phases of the series books? Like, the Malory Towers series phase, the Famous Five series phase, the Nancy Drew series phase, the Feluda series phase, the Sweet Valley High series phase, the Twighlight series phase, the Mills and Boon series phase etc? Well, there is no phase as such for this series. I can read them over and over again anytime I pick anyone of them. They are just perfect - for children, for adolescents, for adults, for men, for women, for boring aunties and Pompous-Ass uncles, for interesting creative writers, everyone.

Rowling  creates a whole alternate system of life! Ministry, Judiciary, Laws, Banks, Transport, Flora and Fauna, History, Geography, even things as minute as playing/ collecting cards and flavours of sweets. I think it's just sheer genius! The way how every event can later be traced into something meaningful (maybe not so much in the 7th Book but in the others) and even things in the third book can later be chained onto something perfectly sensible in the 6th or the 7th book is great. It must have required so many efforts and such hardwork and yet she manages to make it look like it's easy, this story-telling business - it just goes to show the talent of any writer.So, yes. Favourite Series: The Harry Potter Series. :D

That's a picture of the box set of Collector's Edition of the Harry Potter series which I intend to buy when I can. As you can see, I'm clearly a big fan. :D :P I seriously love this series and I think people who haven't read it are missing out on something awesome (Go read it!) and people who don't like it, you can't recognize amazingness when you see it! (Read it again. :P)

30 Day Book Challenge: Day 2

A Book that you have read more than 3 times

The Great Indian Novel by Shashi Tharoor: Since I wrote my Dissertation for the MA on it, it has to be the book I have read the most number of times. ;) I think this is an awesome book! Tharoor has rewritten the Mahabharata, the Indian Movement of Independence and the contemporary political scenario and drawn amazing parallels between the three. It takes serious amount of genius to be able to do that well. If you are interested in mythology, history and literature, you'll love it for it's style. If you aren't but you have a good knowledge of politics, you'll love it too, for it's humour. :)

My copy of the Great Indian Novel. Special memories (not necessarily good ones :P) related with this one. Have still kept the post-its intact on it. :P [Also, because this was gifted to me by Mungi. ;)]

I seriously recommend throwing yourself into this world, where Dhritrashtra is actually Nehru (or is it the other way round? :P), Pandu is Subhash Chandra Bose, Bhismapitama is Gandhiji and Indira Gandhi is equivalent to a 100 Kauravas. Here's my favourite example of why people should read this book. Written for Gandhiji after his first Satyagraha movement for the peasants of Champaran:

Groupies with rupees and large solar topis,
bakers and fakers and enema-takers,
journalists who promoted his cause with their pen,
these were among his favourite men!

Pride

"Sar kisi se firoh nahi hota; haif bande hue, khuda naa hue."

- The Story Teller's Tale by Omair Ahmed.

30 Day Book Challenge: Day 1

Day 1: The best book you've read last year.


Since I love Chick Lit and have read a lot of it last year under the pretext of "research", the best book I have read last year will come from this genre. Sorry if you don't think chick lit is worth it....go, find another blog. :P

Bridget Jones' Diary by Helen Fielding: Considered to be a pioneer in the genre of chick lit, I think it deserves every bit of praise that has been accorded to it.A story of an ordinary-looking girl, with little general knowledge, a few bad habits, insecurity, an uncanny knack for falling for the pretty bastard and wishing for her Prince Charming to come and sweep her off her feet. Sounds like any of us, no? Helen Fielding started this trend of writing about lives of ordinary single city girls, making them extra-ordinary with her unique flair for humour. :)

I absolutely loved it and was found laughing out loud on several occasions while reading it. :)



* Pictures courtesy Google images.

Favourite Quotations

"In the midst of a winter, I finally learnt that there was in me an invincible summer."
"I'd rather live my life as if there is a God and die to find out there isn't than live my life as if there isn't and die to find out there is."
~ Albert Camus

"Each time liberty is in question, we are concerned, be we white, black, or yellow; and each time freedom is under siege, no matter where, I will engage myself completely." ~ Frantz Fanon.

"I've always been suspicious of collective truths."
"A critic should describe, and not prescribe" ~ Eugene Ionesco

"I prefer the absurdity of writing to the absurdity of not writing." ~ Wislawa Szymborska

"It is a truth universally acknowledged that when one part of your life starts going okay, the other falls spectacularly to pieces."
"Thank you, Daniel, that is very good to know. But if staying here means working within 10 yards of you, I'd rather have a job wiping Saddam Hussain's arse." ~ Bridget Jones's Diary.

"It's really hard to walk in single women's shoes. That's why, you sometimes need really special shoes."
"But the most exciting, challenging and significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself. And if you can find someone to love the you you love, well, that's just fabulous." ~ Sex and the City

"I solemnly swear that I'm upto no good." ~ George Weasly, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

"Those who are best suited to power are those who have never sought it."
"Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on the earth should that mean it's not real?" ~ Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

"Guys can fake it?!! Unbelievable! The one thing that's ours!"
"Is it me? Is it like I have a beacon that only dogs and men with severe emotional problems can hear?"
~ Monica, F.R.I.E.N.D.S.


"I still want to be me when I wake up one fine morning and have breakfast at Tiffany's." - Holly Golightly, Breakfast at Tiffany's.

About that (Un)employed status

Subtitled: Mixed Emotions

Big news, guys! I'm no longer unemployed! :D Now, I subtitle Hindi films and serials in English for a living. And so far, it's a very cool job. :)

Mixed emotions, because, well, this office is a long, long commute away from my home. So, 6 days a week, I travel for 5 hours (yes, 2.5 hours one way) and work for 8.5 hours. Which means, that I officially don't have a life anymore. Besides the commute tires me very much. And the pay is not that great a motivation either. So, I wonder if it's really worth it. I won't even get time for writing/ reading. On the other hand, it's a fun job. And irrespective of that, hey, it's a job! For so long, I was looking for something and I was hitting dead-ends everywhere. Besides, I only want a job for a few months, before I go back for my PhD. (hopefully, I mean) And since I'm enjoying it, it doesn't seem that bad after all. ::very very confused::

Btw, for the last two days, I've been subtitling a television serial called Mahi Way, which is a total Bridget Jones-rip off. And I like this coincidence that out of all the weepy, stupid, bhartiya nari-types that I could have got, I got this one. :D Since I have been quite out of touch with Hindi television, I didn't even know this one existed. In fact, in one of the chapters in my thesis, I'm planning to focus on how relevant is the genre of chick lit in India coz we have seen Bridget Jones, Sex and the city, Shopaholics, all translated into television and films. But, even when we have books like Swati Kaushal's A Piece of Cake or Advaita Kala's Almost Single, (both, brilliant books, btw) television and films are still mostly dominated by regressive, traditional, Sooraj Barjatya-types. This one will be very good input for me! :D

In other news, Moon got placed at an awesome company for next year! :D This is very exciting! We went out to celebrate last night and did the whole awesome cocktails thing that makes me feel very sexy. :D But, on the downside, it seems that Sun won't be able to come down to India after all because the flight tickets are way too expensive. And I cried very much when she sent me that email. She says that if she doesn't come this January, she won't be able to do so until next year, around the same time. And none of us knows where life will take us by that time. :( I was so looking forward to seeing her and being 18 again with the two of them. Does any of you know anything that I can do to get cheaper tickets from Auckland to Mumbai and back? Please help this poor, pining-for-her-friend me!

But, in the good news, I'll be leaving for Leeds in 48 hours! Now, if only the weather Gods don't make the flights stop and all, I'll be back with S and Atom in 3 days! :D

So, yes, mixed emotions. Happy for the job? Sad for not having any time because of that? Happy for Moon? Sad for Sun? Happy for meeting Atom again? I don't know!

a PS on Chicks' Lits

I don't know how but I forgot two of the books that I had read, one of them, absolutely brilliant!

• Advaita Kala's Almost Single: 'My name is Aisha Bhatia, I am twenty-nine years old and single. I dine at luxury hotels and stay in five-stars during my travels, thanks to my job; I can name old and new world wines with great elan, and can tell my cheeses apart. I tolerate my job, hate my boss, and bond big time with my friends, while routinely suffering from umbilical cord whiplash. I really don't care for my vital stats right now and I don't have a cute/ funny nickname. Hence the introduction. It stinks but it sticks. In fact, sometimes I think there should be support groups like the AA out there for people like us...' Predictable? Yes. But then again, most chick lits are. They are supposed to be. What's a chick lit if not predictable. It's not about the what but rather about the how. And that how has been executed very well by Kala. This is one of the funniest book I've read in a while and a rare gem in the category of Indian chick lits. :D
• Sonia Singh's Bollywood Confidential: Raveena, a wannabe Hollywood actress, accepts a lead role in a Bollywood film for the lack of jobs in Hollywood, comes to India and obviously, falls in love with the lead actor opposite her in the film. A lecherous director, a strong, silent type hero, a bitchy supermodel who regards her with jealous eyes as competition for the silent hero's attentions and some bizarre, crazy twists, this one's a total Bollywood pot-boiler as well. Maybe this Bollywood type plots are a something diaspora chick-lit authors think is how Indian chick-lit should be. Researching this idea is so going to be a chapter or two in my thesis. :D

Ok, that's it. For now. I have ordered a couple more books from Flipkart (Aside: I must mention here how Flipkart is a bad, bad thing and Flipkart plus Internet Banking, a lethal combination.) So, after I come back from my Leeds vacation, I might put up more reviews. Until then, well, other things. :P

Chicks and their lits

I have waaaaay too much time on my hand. Unemployed status is a very funny thing. Coz then, you are bored out of your wits. But, you also get a lot of time to read all kinds of trash! :D Good times, methinks!! :D Best thing about it is that I can totally pass it off as my "research" for PhD proposal! :P

• Helen Fielding's Bridget Jones's Diary and Edge of the Reason: I worship these books. Nothing can be said in their praise that hasn't already been said. They are examples of excellence and nothing said against them will be tolerated. Okay, 'nuff said. 
• Varsha Dixit's Right Fit, Wrong Shoe: Funny, Bollywoodesque story of Nandini and the love of her life, Aditya. Totally feels like a script of a Bollywood film (or, even a Hollywood rom-com - I don't know why only Bollywood is so badnaam for making melodramatic rom-coms.) It has it's typical moments of hate (and lust) at first sight which later converts into love, a misunderstanding, a heart-broken break-up, a sacrifice for the greater good, a revenge plan, lavish celebration functions, a twist and a happily-ever-after. 
• Meenakshi Reddy Madhavan's You are here: I had read this one about 2 years ago. But borrowed it again to re-read for the proposal bit. It is very chick lit-ish. And funny as well. But, it could definitely have been better. Arshi is 25, just broken-up with a serious boyfriend, her job sucks and her best friend is getting married. It is a very funny quick read for the most parts. But, Madhavan has this tendency of going into long-winded philosophical insights, which though funny, are sometimes tedious and out-of-way. However, Arshi's room-mate, Topsy makes brilliant cocktails and Madhavan has provided us with some of her recipes, which I totally intend to use very very soon! ;)
• Anjali Banerjee's Imaginary Men: "Lina is a single, 28 year old match-maker, who has come down to Calcutta from America for her sister's wedding. Of course, all the aunts descend on her like hungry crows with their advices and their knowledge of so-and-so's son/ nephew/ grandson/ neighbour's son - all eligible bachelors. Cornered and in a panic mode, Lina lies and says she's engaged. But what she didn't expect was her eldest aunt telling her that she'll be coming to America soon to check out the boy herself. Now, Lina has to find the perfect guy and convince him to fall in love with her and get engaged in three months. Except, she already sort-of has the hots for this one guy, who is totally wrong for her." Obviously. Hmmm, I write brilliant blurbs. Somebody should hire me to do this. 
• Rekha Waheed's The A-Z guide to Arranged Marriage: This one is oh-so-filmy, it makes me nauseous! Maya is a Bangladeshi British in love with this other guy. But they keep having their on-moments and off-moments. She keeps swinging between "He is so great, only he gets me" to "Such a bastard, why did I ever fall for him?!!" Meanwhile, her parents are going berserk and falling over each other while trying to line up a series of failed "alaaps" (men who come to 'see' the girl for marriage) for her. She starts getting irritated, resulting in her parents carting her off to Bangladesh, in the hopes of finding her someone and then, send her to some obscure village to live with her nan. What's more, she "finds" herself there! And of course, the end is so silly and filmy! Even if the plot doesn't bother you, the obvious grammatical errors will! I don't think the publishing agency got this one edited or proof-read at all. Such a big putt-off! Not recommended. Obviously.
• Monica Pradhan's The Hindi-Bindi Club: Very interesting. Kiran, Priety and Rani are all first generation American Indians. Their mums are best friends. A very, very interesting tale of how three women find their relationships with each other as well as with their mothers. One of the few good ones. :)

Okay, that's all that I've done in the last few days. Am reading a few different books (not chick lit though :P) at the moment. Will put up the reviews or at least blurbs soon enough. :)

PS: Since we are talking about chick lit and all, here is a brilliant project taken up by Moon of writing a chick lit: http://girl-uniterrupted.blogspot.com/ and it promises to be as sassy as Moon herself! :D Go read, and enjoy!! :D

Gift Wrapping Paper Quotes

My room looks like a bomb-site. The parcel that I had shipped from England has arrived and I'm in the middle of the process of keeping everything away. Needless to say, I HAVE to write this post now coz I'm surrounded by things that have to be put away. :P

But, the good thing about clearing your cupboards to make space for more books is that sometimes you come upon a really really prized thing that you had kept away and re-discovered after a long time, making you very very happy! :)

This thing for me is my favourite gift wrapping paper. Yes yes, I am a soppy old fool, don't bother about me. But, I do keep all the gift wrapping papers that I get from close friends and I will preserve them for years until one day, when I won't have any place to keep them I'll have to cry my heart out to throw them out. Anyway, this particular gift wrapping paper was given to me by my cousin, Bik on Rakshabandhan last year. Now, Bik always asks me what gift I want for Rakshabandhan AND for my birthday and he always gets me just that. And, every year, I ask for books. :P So, it has been a tradition with us for last several years that we both go to Crossword and he gives me a thousand bucks. And I spend it all on books! :D But, last year, I just gave him the title of the book I wanted since none of us had time to do that trip together. So, he got it gift-wrapped in Crossword itself. And Crossword has lovely gift-wrapping paper! It is plain paper with lots of different book-quotes written on it. :D Here are the quotes:

• Books had instant replay long before televised sports. ~ Bern Williams
• Fiction reveals truth that reality obscures. ~ Jessamyn West
• You can never be too thin, too rich or have too many books. ~ Carter Burden
• I love being a writer. What I can't stand is the paperwork. ~ Peter de Vries
• Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it is too dark to read. ~ Groucho Mark
• The man who doesn't read good books has no advantage over the man who doesn't read them. ~ Mark Twain
• I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book. ~ Groucho Mark
• Good friends, good books and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life. ~ Mark Twain
• There is no spectacle that is as terrifying as the sight of a guest in your house whom you catch staring at your books. ~ Roger Rosenblatt
• People say that life is the thing but I prefer reading. ~ Logan Pearsall Smith
• A good novel tells us the truth about it's hero but a bad novel tells us the truth about it's author. ~ G. K. Chesterton

A Defence of English Literature

This post is dedicated to all those people who love English literature, have studied it in the past, are studying it currently and/ or have anything even remotely to do with it. And, it is directed towards all those people who think or have thought studying English Literature to be an easy option or a waste of time.

*RANT ALERT* Don't generalise. Don't judge. Don't compare our field of study with yours. Maybe you think what we study is useless but that is because you lack imagination. There are several reasons why we study this but the most important one is: it makes us happy. We love it. What we do with our lives and careers is none of your buisness. You don't have any rights to judge us. In fact, at least we have the courage to pursue what we love doing. But, most of you on the other hand, are stuck in dead-end jobs that you hate but stay in only because it pays a bit better. However, if you are working 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, what are you going to do with all that money anyway? But you won't quit. You know why? Because you don't have the balls to do that.

You argue that most of us don't even know what we are going to do later. Right. So, you mean, you knew? If you say yes, I will honestly beat you up! For lying. Possibly with the book that I would be reading at the moment. Or, more hopefully, with the hardbound copy of my very own book! ::forgets the ranting and looks dreamily into the space:: Oooh, must get back to ranting. Uhhh, where was I? Yea, so, basically, English Literature is great. Okay? Stop irritating me with those looks and questions and sympathetic or bemused expressions. Okay? Right, now that we have that straightened out, ::goes back to day-dreaming::