Book Review : Somniphobia

People have different psychological disorders due to their thought processes and the various ideas that develop in their minds. One of such issues is explored by Dheeraj Taneja in his book, “Somniphobia: Too Sacred to Sleep”. The protagonist around whom the story revolves may have been a figment of the imagination of the writer but the problems he faces are very realistic and true. 

As it has always been said that if one has any fears then they should face them and fight them, that is exactly what the protagonist, Riyan does.

The author has kept the book short and concise for the readers so that the ones who may have this problem may no run out of patience and find some help through the book. Since the book explores a delicate issue of psycholgy and is a short, quick read; everyone must read it.

Book Review: Thorns Beneath Petals

The genre of mystery fiction is always a thril to capture the imagination and minds of the readers and to get their hearts pounding. Such is the nature of “Thorns Beneath Petals: A Detective Shankar Series” by Pradeep Vijay Kumar. The book holds the interest of the reader right from the beginning due to its being totally unexpected and shocking due to the extreme step the character takes. But this lays the foundation for the detective work that is to follow soon.

The book does explore the mystery that is built in the beginning but at the same time the lively and strong characters also point to the other social issues a person faces in his/her lifetime. The book will turn out to be a thrilling read for all lovers of mystery fiction.

Book Review: 52 Laws of Love

Poetry is all abut expressing strongly felt emotions in as less words as possible. Love in any form is the strongest emotion that people experience their lives. The power of this emotion is such that the most beautiful works are born from the pens of those who can both feel and express. Himanshu Goel’s “52 Laws of love” for once may  seem a guide to love or being loved or falling in love or whatever the wildest imagination of the reader can be.

But to be very precise, “52 Laws of Love” is a collection of poetry which records the different stages of love, the excitement, the stress, the ups and downs that a person experiences. The poems are short but the manner in which they capture the thought and emotion with wonderful illustrations is truly remarkable. Every reader must read this wonderful collection of poetry in which the poet has definitely put efforts and yet they appear to have been written effortlessly.

Book Review: Yes, I was in love

College romance is one genre that is always favoured by authors. The charm of that time in a person’s life is a memorable and very impressionable one. Books of this genre thrive with an energy of their own. This is thoroughly reflected in Saurav Vaish’s “Yes, I was in love”. The author shows the lives of college students and the issues they have in a very deft and skillful manner. The characters thoroughly represent today’s internet generation where internet has served them as an easy mode of expression.

The character of Aditya is clearly chiselled to have the reflections of an artist and has all traits of his personality. The plot of the novel unfolds in an interesting manner and remains unpredictable till the end. The language that the author has used is also fine to the understanding of the readers. For all readers who are fond of college romances and the darker side of love, this book is a fine read for them. Adults may try reading the book and reliving their youthful college years.

Book Review: A tryst with neurologist Dr. Navneet Kumar

Medical profession is regarded as the most noble profession and medical practitioners are considered next to God for their ability to perform miracles when people lose hope. It is more of a selfless profession and most respected everywhere.  “A tryst with a neurologist Dr. Navneet Kumar” by Dr. Dewakar Goel is about the renowned neurologist Dr. Navneet Kumar and how he became the person he is today. The author explains in the preface,

“This book, “Dr. Navneet Kumar — A tryst with a 

neurologist” takes us into the depths of his 

personality, his camaraderie with books, his 

magnanimity as the head of the institution, his 

accomplishments and his fondness for his students.”

The readers may mistake the book to be merely about the life of a doctor and how he has selflessly served mankind but the author clarifies this in the preface when he writes,

“It is an insight to the unexplored world of 

neurology, that doesn’t only open doors to 

simplification of the countless complexities of A 

human mind, but also the importance of Human 

Touch, the exceptional role of someone we call a 

Doctor in treating humans better.”

This clearly indicates that the ideas the book covers are very wide, and there are a range of thoughts woven together in the book.

The book which is divided into 11 chapters begins with the description about the life of the philanthropist, Dr. B.C. Roy. The author describes the life of the eminent doctor and says that he would be a role model for times to come. This is proven true viewing the influence he cast on the life of Dr. Kumar. The author writes,

“Medical fraternity, across the country and 

beyond, acknowledge him as an epitome of 

chivalrous service in medical fields and look up to 

him as an encouragement to achieve the highest order of determination and devotion to their medical 

inclinations.”

Later he talks about the life of Dr. Kumar from childhood to how he was inspired to become a part of the medical profession despite unfavorable circumstances. On reading about his life, the reader gets to know that if one person want to do something, there is nothing that can stop him from achieving his goals. The objective of the author may not be to inspire the readers, but at some level the readers are both in awe of Dr. Kumar and also inspired by his life. 

As the book progresses further, the readers get to know about the professional achievements of Dr. Kumar and how he tirelessly worked day in and day out to make things happen, and make a difference in not just his life but the lives of many others too. The book features a lot of pictures with eminent personalities and newspaper cuttings to highlight the achievements of Dr. Kumar and the exceptional life he has. Throughout his career he not only worked professionally but also published books and worked for the cause of students, and the problems they go through. Apart from this, he has also been a part of many seminars and workshops to raise awareness among people and enrich their knowledge.

In the later part of the book, there is a discussion about various diseases related to the brain which includes Epilepsy, Stroke, Parkinson’s, Migraine etc and what measures should be taken if one of them happens to strike. This is like a guide to the readers as mostly people are unaware of what needs to be done until they reach medical help. Being aware and knowledgeable about things are not wrong at all. When that knowledge can come into use, no one knows. Hence, the book also becomes important from the point of view of acquiring knowledge. 

In the final part of the book there is a mention of Dr. Bates who is also a neurologist in the UK. The fact of belonging to the same profession and similar nature connected Dr. Kumar and Dr. Bates very closely and their association continues.

The readers may or may not belong to the medical profession but this book serves as a guiding light for everyone to become a better human being by performing their services to mankind in whatever manner they can. There are less people whose lives can be cited as examples for the other generations to follow. This makes the book a more important read for every reader to understand how good deeds can still be done in the present time. 

The author takes pains to make sure that the language is close to the understanding of the reader and tries to avoid the medical jargon as far as he can. Every reader of fiction or non-fiction should read this book so that they know that in this world of selfishness and cruelty, humanity still prevails.

Book Review: Religiously Stupid

In the swift moving life of the city, people tend to focus on their career, their work and achieving their dreams. In this rat race, they forget to pay attention to themselves and the needs of their body. Many contemporary writers have focussed on this theme and concept in their works and try to predict the mental state of a person who is a part of this life. The combined result of this is the psychological and physical problems that the person faces.

In his book “Religiously Stupid: Gods of Shadow”, the author Bhupesh Dabhade talks about all these aspects and also the various ways humans resort to after facing these situations. he talks in clear and realistic terms and explains the importance of astrology and its influences on everyone’s lives. He mentions in the preface,

“Every other person has gone through a rough phase of anxiety and depression, where it first seems unimaginable to get out of it, but then it overcomes the challenges and gets back on the offensive side.”

He also tells that not everyone emerges victorious and some even lose thier lives in this battle. The validity of these facts can neither be overlooked nor undermined as there is enough statistics on a yearly basis to confirm this. He goes on to talk about people and their faith in religion and how this faith and religion become the last hope for almost all to come out of the mess they are in. With his first hand account and first person narration, the author involves the reader in the progress that he makes and the reader starts personally noticing the details the author tells like he would actually be present with him.

In  the divison of 7 chapters, the author draws references from history, epics, astrology, mytholgy, the law of karma and its impacts and historical places to elaborate his point. He shows the progress and development of the protagonist as these 7 chapters unfold. This also gives an introduction to his being well read and fairly knowledgeable. from the beginning, the author makes sure that the readers get involved in the text and the events that happen and as the book matures further, they also grow with the book to develop an understanding of the unknown.

The author keeps swinging the narrative between the present story and the mythological narrative. In this manner he not only involves the readers in the life of the protagonist but also tells them the stories of Indian mythology and how they came into existence. This also highlights how well he has researched through and written about everything. The style of his narration is also a remarkable factor. Since stories are something that appeal to all, the way they are narrated matters and the author does complete justice to that. Also, the way the author has written the fictional text and yet given it a very strong realistic portrayal is commendable and appreciable. His potential to try his hand in other genres of fiction is visible throuighout the book.

The book may be concentrating on the basic idea of astrology, its usage and its influence but still “Religiously Stupid” can be read by readers of all genres and all backgrounds. Even in his fictional work, the auhtor has created a blend of mythology and science together. He says in the preface,

“While astrology reflects the stupidity of a proponent, some of the predictions do actually suit the situations you are facing.”

He does that effortlessly and artistically. The younger readers can get to know and develop an understanding of Indian mythology and the science of astrology while the elders can use it in their lives to make their lives better and work in a more productive manner. 

Since the idea of stars, planets, their positions etc may appear to be confusing to some readers, the author takes care and makes sure that the language remains close to the understanding of every category of reader. He clears the air in the preface by saying,

“if you want to assume that planets and stars make an impact on the way of your very thoughts, there are more to it than you can ever imagine.”

Since the subject of the book is quite universal in nature, reader of any age can read “Religiously Stupid” and learn the things which are generally not taught anywhere by anyone in the modern eductaion system and astrology as an ancient science must be learnt and preserved as Indian heritage. 

“Religiously Stupid” is one book that everyone, reader or non reader should read to have a thorough understanding of how life operates under the influences of stars and planets. Generally, it is the unknown that humans fear. By this, they will be understand how their actions can affect them in the long run or even the consequences of their past actions.

Book Review: Love, Swipe, Blackmail

Literature is nothing but a relfection of the times it is written in. It is the author’s job to make sure that he portrays the society the way it is in his work. Nitish Bhushan performs this role deftly in his book, “Love, Swipe, Blackmail”. The book mirrors the modern dating culture where internet has taken a major role of making people meet through dating apps. How the usage of the dating apps can influence the life of the person and the effects it can cast is what the book is about.

“Love, Swipe, Blackmail” can surely be lauded for the portrayal of a subject that is important for the present genreation and they all can read to have a first person experience and a third person perspective to be able to differentiate between the real and virtual world for themselves in the long run. The book can also be a recommended read in the light of its well depicted and developed characters and the finely paced plotline.  In this quarantine time, the book is available is 67% on Amazon. Readers can make use of the time to read and opportunity to save a little too.