Book Review: Age of the Imperfect Leader

As it is said, that no human is perfect, this trait goes along for life. This is the reason why everyone strives hard to get better at what they do and how to make themselves better. “Age of the Imperfect Leader: Leading from strength” is one such remarkable writing by Pawan Verma in this light.

Through the book, the author suggests that there are different circumstances and situations which carve out the leader in a person. He divides the book broadly into 3 parts wherein her explores different situations on the basis of what he says in the introduction, “my conversation with myself”. Through his personal experience, he intends to enrich the readers and help them become better and more skilled in achieving their targets. This is one of the few books that all readers should read, irrespective what genre they enjoy the most. A chance to get better and learn more is no less than an opportunity to grow, after all.

Book Review: The Destiny's Child Enima

A book which has the right combination of all elements becomes an interesting and thrilling read for every reader. If the book caters to the needs of not just the young folk but the grown up people then that only means that it would be read much more widely and perhaps beyond the expectation of the author. The same case seems possible on reading “The Destiny’s Child Enima” by the young writer Salma Afreen. In her work, she takes the readers on a magical spin in a world which is more or less not projected in the present day writings. This vintage and touch of the classic is what makes her book an inviting read for readers of all genres.

In simple terms, the book is definitely about kings, queens, royalty, evil, and other such salient features which gives the glimpses of the fairytale touch by the author and at the same time it also addresses other issues which are relevant in the present world. These issues include gender bias, subjugation of women, universal human nature of jealousy, faithfulness, loyalty and most importantly, the role of fate or destiny in the life of any person. These are the different factors that combine together to form an interesting and captivating book to keep the readers interested and willing to read through. But, the interesting fact is that these issues are never mentioned directly anywhere. The readers have to be wise and prudent to read between the lines and understand the author’s hints and by staying in tune with the words she has written.

The young author shows her talent of writing and influence of the classics in the language that she uses and the manner in which she constructs the characters. The characters surprise the readers by their behavior and actions and even though the chapter names make the plot a little predictable, yet the readers are tempted to read and go through the whole book without leaving any page unturned. The author keeps the readers engaged with her skill of narration and the Shakespearean touch that she gives her characters without holding the strings too tight. She allows the characters to take control and come to the Centre stage to perform their actions and let the readers be the moral judges of them. The manner in which Afreen develops the plot is also smooth but by keeping twists and turns here and there, she manages to reach the nerve of the readers making them hold on to the book till the very end.

The cover of the book has been kept simple but that may mislead the readers and the saying “Never judge a book by its cover” is proven true as the readers flip through the pages. The cover may show a girl trying to reach out to the moon but there is a lot more to that. The destiny of the protagonist, Enima remains in the background and despite the readers being aware, they still want to see how the events unfold how the girl’s destiny turns the cards and times of her life. Other than this, the author uses image illustration only towards the end, which gives a feeling of closure to the readers by the time they finish the book.

Afreen has displayed her skills and talents as a writer which are likely to blossom into a more refined version of her present writing and the readers can expect a lot of strong work that may be inspired from reality and would also discuss the modern day issues which are relatable for the present day people. “The Destiny’s Child Enima” may carry the aura of the vintage and classical, but the problems that the characters are confronted with makes it realistic and close to life. This nudge towards reality makes the book a work of relevance for not just the present time but also later times. It sort of makes the work universally relevant as these issues would never lose their contemporaneity. 

Perhaps, there is no reader in the present day who has not heard about fairy tales. “The Destiny’s Child Enima” does have the touches of fairy tales but at the same time the hints to issues of social relevance make the book a modern version of fairy tales. This is what makes the book a recommended read for not just young children but grown up people too. Readers who are looking for some light reading where they can take a plunge into their imagination and reach the kingdom of kings and queens should try reading “The Destiny’s Child Enima”. There is an amalgamation of love, romance, tension, and conspiracy that makes the book a combination of all the elements readers may be looking for to refresh themselves with some light reading. 

Book Review: Dream: Chaos and beyond

Dreams are always a source of motivation and inspiration for a person to live by and try for the better. They become a source of direction and guide a person to achieve unimaginable things.  But sometimes, dreaming and desire to fulfill them comes at a price. Devesh Kumar Krishdhan with his book, “Dream: Chaos and Beyond” talks about this price that the protagonist, Nandu has to pay for dreaming. The author covers his life and also the closest relations that he has. Their problems and their fates are also described by the author in a vivid and heart touching manner.

The title of the book suggests a lot and the readers get a clue of what the author is going to talk about. They know that there is going to be the talk about a dream and the consequences of dreaming. The cover also gives the necessary idea without giving any spoilers. The author begins the story with the central character and his desire but the readers have no clue of how far this desire will take him. But at the same time, Krishdhan also talks about other issues and perhaps, one of the most important themes is of poverty and lack of money. Through his story, the author proves that money may not be anything, yet it is everything. Apart from this, other important themes include happiness, responsibilities towards one’s family, marital happiness, love, domestic violence and many more. The author manages to cover and address these themes in the framework of “Dream: Chaos and Beyond” single-handedly and the readers only realize this after finishing the book. 

Although the air of gloom is there in the book throughout, but the readers feel the heart-wrenching effect towards the end seeing the poignant state of the characters. They feel Nandu’s pain and burden the whole time and can’t help but feel sorry for both his life and fate. The fact that he dreamt and desired and worked towards achieving his dream is praiseworthy. But at the same time, his pushing himself towards his doom is also anticipated. The readers may not exactly know what is going to happen, yet they know that something will happen. Krishdhan gives the book a touch of the stark realities of life that jolt the readers and make them have a reality check and also understand the life of the people who struggle every day to make their ends meet. The problems they face, the trauma they go through and the stress they have may not be mentioned directly but it is clear by looking at the lives of the characters. In the light of this, calling “Dream: Chaos and Beyond” a work of social importance will not be wrong.

Krishdhan divides the story into 12 chapters and titles them to the best suitability. He keeps the plot sharp and focused and using the forward and flashback technique which sustains the interest of the readers throughout the book. This technique also makes the following part in the book unpredictable for the readers and no one is able to guess what could happen next. They remain curious all the time and keep hoping that something better would turn up. The plot may be short but the author artistically explores a variety of themes and many years in the lives of the characters and also many layers of the society. He brings different people of the society together on one canvas and leaves it to the reader’s observations to understand and comprehend.

Nandu as the central character wins the hearts and sympathies of the readers through his miseries and tough life. The fact that he has to keep deferring his dream breaks the hearts of the readers and they keep hoping that one day, life will get better for him. Other characters like his father, mother, sister, wife, daughters, his music teacher and her briefly appearing husband also have their own positions but at the same time, they help in contributing to the development of Nandu and his personality and make him much more sharp and strong at his position. They all have their respectful fates but one thing that pervades the problems of Nandu’s family is the abject poverty they live in.

Readers who want to read hardcore realities of life and also see love and loss should read “Dream: Chaos and Beyond”. Krishdhan displays attributes of Dickens and Premchand here and there when he brings the extreme poverty conditions of the protagonist and the people associated with him and the problems that come as a package with it. Readers are also isolated from the luxury and fast life of the city and get to read a story which may be a reality of many who are not from the elite and well-off class of the society. Nandu’s story could be the story of any autovala on the road.

Book Review: Hindsight 2020

The year 2020 will be a year that no one will forget. The pandemic of Coronavirus brought people’s lives to a standstill and they got time to ponder over various subjects that had been in waiting for long. This historical time when people were instructed to stay inside their homes to save themselves gave them time to use it any manner they wanted. Sudip Banik has used the time to record this event in his book, “Hindsight 2020: Not a Political Satire” which is, in all circumstances likely to become a hstorical document and also a text of literary importance.

The title of the book may not give a lot of idea to the reader initially regarding the exact content of the book but the present day reader can easily understand what the book will be about with the mention of “2020”. The author gives the book an interesting beginning by talking about his philosophy of “I don’t want to be a photographer”. He explains and justifies his lack of interest in being a photographer and by the time he finishes sharing his viewpoint, the reader is convinced and agrees with his idea of not being the photographer rather the person in the photograph.

Banik has divided the book in 6 plots with a prologue in the beginning. The absence of the word “Chapter” and its being replaced by the word “Plots” is noteworthy. On reading the book, the reader can understand the applicability of plot instead of chapter.

The author picks up on the present day event of the nationwide lockdown imposed by the Prime Minister of the country and the resultant effects of the action taken by the government. Keeping this in the background, he weaves a plotline where there are the characters of Eishu, Ansh, Junaid, Fatima and Nandu who have had their own share of life and all it had to offer them and they all are united by the entwined destines and natural design. The ultimate unification happens because of the lockdown which brought everything to a standstill.

Through the lives of these characters, the author also brings out different aspects of our diverse country and merges them in the book to give the reader more clarity about the diversity of the Indian society and various lifestyles it has due to the difference of economy. He develops the major portion of the narrative in the prelockdown phase when life was in its normal mode and the pandemic was not in the picture. As the lockdown happens, life for many people other than the characters turns topsy turvy and those are the real stories that the author records in the book. This makes the book an eye-opener for those who are less aware about the ground realities of the economically backward section and the extent to which their daily fight for bread was extended. The author presents his view fairly without any bias or criticism and leaves it to the discretion of the reader to decide how and what can be done for the deprived section.

Apart from this, through the characters also, Banik addresses a variety of themes and issues that human beings face. The very first among them is the contrast between urban and rural life, the differences of city and village life, other than this, the all the communal violence of hindus and muslims which has been an endless thing and still continues. The other important theme he address is the issue of caste which is in the blood of the people and the violence and attrocities commited in its name. While pointing them out, the author also indirectly elaborates on the futility of these issues and how important is the universal message: the message of peace. 

Towards the end, the author gives his hindsight, his thoughts over what and how he sees the present time and leaves it to the discretion of the reader as to how they would see it. He also gives a Shellyean manner hope to the people and assures that the present time will also change and we can hope for a better tomorrow. On completing the book, the reader is likely to feel relaxed, enriched with knowledge or perhaps feel a brush up of facts and at the same time thinking about the characters and how different lives they had and yet unpredictable and unforessen circumstances brought them together. The readers living through the present time and the readers of future generations should give this book a try to have an indepth understanding of the pandemic of Corona, its origins and the worldwide impact it has had but also to understand India, excerpts from its history of casteism, communal violence, how generations have suffered and how people still suffer but for different reasons and also, to anticpate how this time will change the coming time.

Book Review: AIIMS

Publisher: Authorpress

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Book link: https://www.amazon.in/dp/B076KQZ7YD/ref=cm_sw_r_wa_apa_i_RCOgFb78XEWXS

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On looking at the title “AIIMS-Catch me if you can: A sensational thought” by Dr. Dewakar Goel, the reader gets a little confused as to what would be the contents of the book after all. But one thing becomes clear, it is something related to the medical field. The author begins the book and takes the readers on a journey in his past, in his college time.

The author through this journey touches the hearts of the readers and the book becomes a must read for aspirants of the medical field or even the students and also the ones who are already a part of the medical profession. Dr. Goel keeps the language according to the levels of every reader and people who do not belong to this field can also try reading it. 

The cover has a captivating power and holds the attention of the reader right away. Apart from that, the plot is not just a simple journey through medical school but also a series of learnings that can be useful for not just the characters but also the readers. Everyone should read the book once and also see the literary potential of Dr. Goel and can expect more from him in the future.

Book Review: जुबां ऐ कलम

The power of the pen has been accepted evey time it has been used. The poet Neha Singhal makes the readers realize the power of the pen once again in her poetry collection, “जुबाँ ऐ कलम”. The poet through her musings writes about her viewpoints and observations and at the same time, addresses a variety of themes and subjects in her collection of 40 poems.

The cover of the book may be a little abstract for the readers to understand. But the lovers of art will for once agree that the cover is more like an invitation from the poet to look at life through her eyes and try to understand her perspective of looking at things. 

Before beginning the poems, the author addresses the reader in the preface and talks about what was the reason that led her to take the pen. She clearly states that some thoughts are better expressed through the pen and her purpose of writing was to bring together the good and bad experiences that a person has in their life to give an enriched and first hand experience to the reader. The poet writes on a wide range of subjects in her 40 poems. Even though the poems are 40, the readers can just sit and go through them in one flow and by the time they reach the last poem, they are in tune with the author’s style, the way her mind works and also the manner in which she writes and expresses.

The author shows the combined traits and potential of writing on different themes which include love, nature, humanity, women and the different roles they play, the importance of time with self, life, and many others. This makes it difficult to categorize Singhal in any one category of poets. Time and again, she also writes lines that readers would want to mark and keep with them so that they could refer to them time and again to not just appreciate the beauty of words but also to understand the depth of thought of the poet. Some of these lines are:

“तेरी झील में चलते शिकारे में बैठ मैं नज्म गुनगुनाती हूं 

पानी में चलते चप्पू  के साथ ताल मिलती हूं" (जन्नत)

“बंद दरवाजों बैठा बीते वक्त के मोती चुनता है

डरा-सहमा सा हर ददन नई उम्मीद बुनता है” (कुदरत)

"काश मिल जाए किर र्ही रहगुज़र

जहां यह शहर अंजाना ना लगे 

फिर मिले कुछ दोस्त ऐसे जिनसे मिल बेगाना ना लगे" (यह शहर"

and many others.

There are different poems that address different issues and subjects but the poet does not wander off in abstract subjects and prefers to keep her themes limited to the ones that any person can easily relate to and can also identify themselves at one level or the other. In poems like “बेटियाँ", "नारी", "गृहणी", she talks of the different roles women play in different phases of their life. In “सरपत दौड़ते कदम", Singhal writes about the transformation of the life of a woman after getting married and at a certain level there is a comparison of life before and after marriage. The interesting thing to notice is the fact that the poet does not restrict herself to womenfolk but also writes from the viewpoint of men in poems like “फौजी" and "पिता". 

Perhaps, the most interesting poems for any reader would be “यह शहर", “आखिर क्यों”, “एक सत्य", “मुलाकात” and "आईना". All these poems are concerned with subjects concerning people in one way or the other. They touch unique themes like city life, degrading humanity and people becoming more and more insensitive, the truth of life and a conversation with the mirror (more like a conversation with self) which would for once remind the reader of Sylvia Plath’s “Mirror”. Other than all these, “ख्वाबों का गांव" seems to be like the poet’s definition of Utopia or how she dreams of the world to be.

The length of the poems vary but none of them seem to let the reader go away from the book even for once. They hold the reader throughout. All readers should read this collection of poetry to not just understand the views of the poet but also to begin seeing life in a different manner with an entirely different perspective.

Book Review: What if Rainbows were your shadows?

Poetry is the genre of literary writing where the poet gets the freedom to express all the he feels through little words and leaves most to the reader’s thoughts. “What if rainbows were your shadows?” by Anusha Veluswamy is a collection of poems which are a testimony to the changing moods and different ideas the author has in mind.

The diversity of her work is such that for once, she sounds wordsworthian in her nature poems like “Play of Light” or “The Plan” or even “Passing Through the Heavens”. At the same time, she comes across as a representative of the womenfolk in her “A Tribe of Warriors”. Her literary talent as a poet is further hihglighted in “What if Rainbows were Your Shadows?” (part III) and the poems written in this part.

The lovers of poetry should read this collection and understand the different shades of Veluswamy as a poet and an artist. The author uses a language friendly to the reader through her simple language, attempts to convey her thoughts through a diversity of themes that she talks about in her collection.The title, “What if Rainbows were Your Shadows?” also has a kind of paradoxical touch to it. It makes the readers wonder about the thoughts that the poet is going to present and on the surface it seems like she is going to talk about the different sides and situations that come in a person’s life. That makes the book like an all round need making reading a memorable experience for the readers.