Cannes festival

After days of speculation, the results are out. Surprisingly , ( and I'm happy about it) most of the prestigeous awards are gone to the lesser known movies, directors and actors.

Of late, Cannes festival has also been hijacked by the hollywood bigwigs and those movies get the majority of the media coverage leaving the upcoming movies and directors far behind. In the process, some of the best movies are forgotten and not recognised appropriately.

Now, I need to get hold of these movies....

The results can be viewed here...


By the way, what are these Indian movie folks doing over there ?

The Roaring Nineties - Joseph Stiglitz

I have just finished reading this amazing book on the economics of the nineties and the new millenium by Joseph Stiglitz. Stiglitz is the winner of Nobel Prize for economics and have been involved in the direction and policy decisions of the Clinton administration and have the real insiders view of the things that shaped up.

Stiglitz looks at all the things that helped America to witness one of the strongest decade in the history in terms of Economic growth and looks at the underlying factors of this phenomenal growth. The decade after the initial recession, have shown the robust growth through out all parameters in the America , in terms of GDP , unemployment, revenue deficit.

The book examines in detail the rele of federal govt and the federal agencies in the economy and how does the policy decisions and plans helps the industry and the econimics of the country.

He is also critical of the follow up Governments and their popular tax cut, and how it had helped the rich to manipulate the system and reap money out of the investors pocket. He examines the events after the 2000, and teh collapse of the stock market , including the manipulation by the CEOs and the directors of the corporate , cheating the investors.

There is detailed analysis on the collapse of market and the industry with the example of Enron case study and tells us how , corporate greed , de-regulation, globalisation , corrput accounting practices can erase the lifetime savings of the workers and investors.

Stiglitz is also critical about America's policy abroad on globalisation. He sites examples on how America preaches to the world and does the opposite at home. The advantage America had as the only superpower in terms of Economy and Military streangth , used to create a unipolar world advocating the capitalist economy as practiced US -style. History gives us enought examples on how these have gone wrong in multiple countries and how the confidence of a US-led economy is eroding in the developing countries. Examples of Mexico, Argentina in the latin Americas, Korea , Thailand , Indonesia and Malaysia in the East, Russia and other commuist coutries in the Europe are there fopr all to see.

We have seen most of the post communist countries have elected the erstwhile communist back to power, the entire Latin America is now being ruled by leftist governments are giving us the indication that the US led globalisation policies are not being acceptable to many around the world.

While this is a book on US Economics and associated development around the world, it gives us enough insight on the different parameters of the financial matters. This biook is not written for the economic elite or students. This is meant for the common man and for someone who is keen to have a basic knowledge on the economics at the higher level.

I would say this book has enhanced my knowledge on the economics and the learning I had will defeintely improve my understanding of the global economics and politics to a significant amount.

The roaring Nineties
by Joseph Stiglitz
Penguin Books
346 pages

A short history of Myth - Karen Armstrong

I have picked this book up from Hyderabad Airport as I was waiting for the boarding announcement. A small book with a very catching name. As I briefed through the pages to see what is being discussed, grew interested and picked it up.

It is amazing to know how the myths are created and being created even now. What is the role of myths in human life and how they are important. Myths are ways of connecting our mortal lifes to the unknown or are they the imaginations of our forefathers. What do they teach us ?

The book is written in seven chronologically seperated chapters

The Paleolithic Period: The Mythology of the Hunters' (c. 20000 to 8000 BCE);
The Neolithic Period: The Mythology of the Farmers' (c. 8000 to 4000 BCE);
The Early Civilizations' (c. 4000 to 800 BCE);
The Axial Age' (c. 800 to 200 BCE);
The Post-Axial Period' (c. 200 BCE to c. 1500 CD);
The Great Western Transformation' (c. 1500 to 2000 CE).

As the chapters indicate, the creation and the progression of myths as the human race has developed in this world are described amazingly. Myths are created in this world because they are your connection to the world of unknown , the world where there are no explanation. In the early ages, where hunting was the only job, most of the myths ( as you see in the cave drawings etc) are related to that. As we progress through the ages, it is interesting to see how the myths and the religion have changed and how newer versions of the myths are created. She spends ample pages discussing the clash of 'mythos' versus 'logos' toward the later part of the Christ Era ( 15 th to 20th century ) where for western philosophers and scientist wanted to know the truth and how the world order has changed. This has made quantum jump in the scientific world and the important of myths started to take a back seat.

On the other hand it is the history of the human race through the myths. From the hunters to farmers to traders and to the latest information age, the human race had travelled a long way and dropped few old myths and embarked newer ones to the changing spiritual , religious order.
A very clear thoughts and writing has made this a compelling read and her experience as a religious history writer helps her in getting to the discussion with ease. Except in the end pages, where the future is discussed with respect to the western civilisation (which I find unconvincing) , the book is very well researched and informative.

Before I end, I would like to quote the following paragraph from the book:

" We need myths that will help us to identify with all our fellow being, not simply with those who belong to our ethnic, national or ideologic tribe. We need myhts that help us to realise the importance of compassion, which is not always regarded as sufficiently productive or efficient in our pragmatic, rational world. We need myths that help us to create a spiritual attitude, to see beyond our immediate requirements, and enable us to experience a transcendent value that challenges our solipsistic selfishness. We need myths that help us to venerate the earth as sacred once again, instead of merely using it as a resource. It is crucial, because unless there is some kind of spiritual revolution that is able to keep abreast of our technological genius, we will not save our planet."

A short history of Myths
by Karen Armstrong
Penguin Books
Rs 225

Leading at a higher level - Ken Blanchard

I received this book from my Boss along with the letter of elevating my role and responsibilities. It has been a practice here to give management books for every occasion.

I'm not a great fan of management books. However, I have decided to read this book after keeping it pending for 3 months. Wanted to do so, before boss remembers this and ask if I had read it.

I'm no one to comment about the content as it is a result of huge experience and research and that is evident in the writing. There are lot of valuable inputs and tips for leadership, few of which we go through the skill sessions at Office. There are a few interesting observations and comments about the teams.

What I found lack in this is real life examples ( there are very few) and case studies, which would have made it an interesting read.

Fateless - Movie ( Hungary )

I had my post on the novel by the same name, only few weeks back. It was a pleasent surprise to see the movie being featured in one of the channel.

An adaptation of the novel by Nobel Laureate Imre Kertesz, this movie was released in Hungarian in 2005. From what ever I could see ( I missed the starting) , I would say the director and the cast has done justification to the original.

Another haunting experience of the holocaust terror through the eyes of a 14 yr old boy.

Like every autobiagraphical stories, this movie to gets into narration to take the story forward. I'm not a great fan of this technique.

Directed by Lajos Koltai
Lead actor Marcell Nagy

Three Movies

There is nothing you do while sitting in a plane on a long journey, but to sleep or watch movies. Here is a snapshot of the 3 movies I watched.

1.Blood Diamond
This is a movie I wanted to watch for a long time but could not. Already a controversial film, winning some critics acclaim, multiple nominations at the Oscar with a couple of wins, and objected by certain business interests. May be that is the only attraction about this film.
Africa is a continent marred with civil wars and ethnic struggles. And may be it was retained so, by the vested interests for their business purpose. Movie set in the Sierra Leone during the civil war in 1999, it portrays the fighting between the government forces with the RUF ( revelutionary United Front) with all its brutality and atrocities.

Solomon Vandy , a fisherman, is captured by the RUF rebels and forced to work in the diamond fields after being seperated from his family. While working there Solomon finds a rare large diamond and hide the treasure as the government forces attack the RUF camps. He too get arrested with the RUF leader. A white mercenary ( Leonardo DiCaprio) from Rhodesia trades arms with the RUF for diamonds.

The movie is the struggle of Solomon to re-unite with his family, to get the diamond by Archer and to write the sensational story by an American journalist played by Jennifer Conelly. It goes through the predictable routine and ending. Overall, a good movie with some brilliant individual performances.


2. Je Vais Bien Ne T'En Fais Pas ( Dont Worry, I'm Fine) - French
What I like about these movies are that they are from real life. There is no influence of make belief hollywood movies and they stick to the basic of movie making.

A story about a typical midle class family trying to cope with the trauma of their missing son. Lili Tellier comes to know that her twin brother has left home over a fight with their father on her return from holidays in Barcelona. She goes through depression and psychiatric treatment, before she receives a letter from her brother telling her that he is travelling around and will not want to stay with their father anymore. Her attempts to find him is in vain and like her brother she too leaves home and decides to stay seperate. Letter continues to arrive from different cities each time and the life gets back to the normal until one day she finds out that it was her father who was posting all these letters from different places. As the truth unfolds, the family relationship becomes more and more complex.

A wonderfully crafted movie with top class performances from every actor.

Directed by Philippe Lioret based on a novel by Olivier Adam.

3. The Days of Abandonment (I Giorni Dell'abbandono ) - Italy
An ordinary movie about seperation and the struggle for survival by the wife. Usual story of husband leaving for another woman and the subsequent despair and sense of loss by the wife. The usual neglect of the house and kids and the blame game, helpful neighbour and all. As expected , after a mishap, the lady re-group herself and get back to her new life.

Nothing worthwhile to mention here except for the fine performance by the lead lady ( Margarita Buy).

Directed by Roberto Faenza based on a novel by Elena Ferrante.

Fateless - Imre Kertesz

"What ? Do you still want to live" , the German voice was heard being told to the one of the body thrown to the cart before taken away for clearing, fourteen year old Gyuri hoped it was not going to be painful. I would like to live a little bit longer in this beautiful concentration camp.

Anther story of endurance and survival of the Auschwitz and Buchenwald being told years after the end of 2nd worldwar. The literary world has given us so many untold stories of survival and here is one of the important book, may not be the best ( of what I read I liked Elie Weisel )

Imre Kertesz, the winner of Nobel Prize for Literature in the year 2002 comes out with his version of the concentration camp in the eyes of a 14 year old boy from Hungary. This book, which is said to be semi-autobiographical focusses on the endurance and survival of the young boy. The novel starts with a holiday in school for Gyuri as his father was asked to join the labor service from the next day. They wanted to spend the day together. Within few months,he too was asked to disembark the vehicle he was travelling to work and was joined the other group of people from Hungary in a train to Auschwitz and later to Buchenwald. On arrival, he join the elders lying about his age and he see the boys, injured and unfit being taken away, presumably to the gas chambers as he hear later.

After the initial surprises and the rumors and stories about the gas chambers and the tents and works, there is no pictures of the torture and humiliation being told here unlike most of the holocaust movies and novels. Because he does not speak Hebrew , he becomes an outcast among his people and barring few, he does not have any friends in the camp. Like everyone in the camp, he too grow immune to the feelings of life and nothing ever matters to him. He does not feel pain while beaten, does not feel pain while they nurse his wound, not even hungry. This make him sick and he spend the major part of his life in the hospital bed between life and death until, one day they are announced free to leave the camp to their home.

The book was written in Hungarian in 1975 after 30 years of the second world war and will definitely haunt you for few days. however, from a literary point of view, this book does not belong to the elite group, irrespective of the Nobel Committee's recognition.

You can read an interview of Imre Kertesz at http://isurvived.org/KerteszINTERVIEW.html

Fateless is now being made as a motion picture in Hungarian.

Fateless
by Imre Kertesz ( Hungarian translated by Tim Wilkinson )
262 Pages
Rs 438/-
Vintage Books

Kalamandalam Padmanabhan Nair

Sri Kalamandalam Padmanabhan Nair , one of the legend in the field of Kathakali, is no more. I had read about his demise in the news paper today.

Many of those sleepy nights sitting in the front rows with his 'Brahmanan' in Santhanagopalam, 'Hamsam' in Nalacharitham 1, 'Durvasav' in Rugmangadacharitham etc etc are still visible in front of my eyes.

For many he was a great teacher, the best as they say, in the Kalluvazhi Chitta ( Style) of Kathakali. How many talented artists are moulded under his strict and able guidance. One name "Kalamandalam Gopi" is enough to keep his name as the best Guru ever in the field of Kathakali as long as the world lasts. I still can remember the star studded Kalamandalam Major Set ruling the field of Kathakali with the likes of Ramankutty Nair, Padmanabhan Nair etc.

He was multi - talented or multi-faceted. An artist, a kathakali Guru and prolific writer , administrator of Kalamandalam as Principal , he was always at top.

It is a sad and irreplaceable loss to the Kathakali World in particular and to the art world in general. May his soul rest in place.

Who Cut the Cheese - Jim Dawson

This happened about 15 years back. Early morning in one of the class rooms , where HS Prasad is teaching us the Morse code. Prasad is an expert in HAM Radio and Morse codes and as an offer, he was willing to take us through the Morse code and operations of the equipment , Di-Da-Di stuff. He will generate the Di-Da-Da-Di sounds with the equipment ( hand made electronics with a speaker ), and we the students write down the coded messages as if we are in some remote location during WW II. As it progressed, few of us in the back bench heard an additional sound to the Di-Da from the class and people who were immersed in the tutorial, mistook this for another signal and promptly entered X instead of D. in Morse cod D is __ . . and X is __ . . __

If you want to know more on Morse code visit http://www.learnmorsecode.com/

This came to my mind while reading this book I just completed.

Can you tell me what consists 59% nitrogen, 21 % hydrogen , 9 % CO2 , 7 % methane , 4% oxygen and less than 1 % of ammonia and skatole ? No it is not the atmosphere. It is the 'wind held within'. Yes Sir, it is the dreaded 4 letter word called Fart . And that is the subject ( don't twist your nose and eyebrows) of the latest book I just finished reading.

Do you know that the possible reason for the world war II could be fart ? Neither did I. Apparently, Adolf Hitler, got addicted to anti-flatulents to cure his chronic flatulence whose toxic ingreadients known to have side effects of Dimentia, hallucinations, visions.

This marvellous book written by Jim Dawson, looks at ( or should we say smells) fart in a different perspective. Fart or intestine gas was always there and have been a myth from the known era. There are legends and myths associated with this subject and there is a taboo exist on discussing the topic open in public, without a tag of humor.

The book has detailed chapters on scientific, cultural , social , religious , artistic and legends on this subject and each indeed are dealt with utmost seriousness. While it is so, you cant read this without breaking wind ( I'm sorry laughing aloud) at almost every page.

Do you know what a fizzle, a flutterbuster , a bronx cheer , 'talking German' , berry , 'wallpaper peeler' , 'floating an air biscuit' , a blue dart, a nose burner, fluff, butlers revenge, slider, trouser cough, whiffer , rasper , breezer, back fire, etc are ? I cant describe each of them for obvious reasons. You can make out that these are the names called for breaking wind depends upon its noise , and toxic and musical effects. You can also learn , what it is called in other languages as well.

As mentioned earlier an average fart consists 59% nitrogen, 21 % hydrogen , 9 % CO2 , 7 % methane , 4% oxygen and less than 1 % of ammonia and skatole ( this give it the odour). 1 parts per 100 million of air , people can smell it. Hydrogen sulfide gives it the rotten egg smell.

It also dispel the myth that men farts more than women. An average human emit approx 400 cu.mt of gas every day. Sufficient enough to contribute substantially to the global warming. While this is true, 1.3 Billion cows and domestic animals causes much more damage to the environment that the entire human population. Elephant ( naturally ) emits maximum gas for a living being , but they are too less a population to make any damage to the world.

There is a full chapter on 'Le Potamane' who made a fortune with his ability to fart at will. About 100 years ago, he was the star attraction at eh famous Moulin Rouge of Paris. Chapters include detailed study of fart subject and languages used in the early writings in English , when there was restriction of moral and other grounds, including that of Shakespeare.

Book is also deal in detail the musical industry and the TV and movie industry where this has become a subject of discussion. Do you recall the famous scene in the movie "Liar, Liar" where Jim Carrey running out of the elevator exclaiming " Its me" ? It also reproduces the live radio recording of the first ever world wide crepitation contest, apart from other literary works of known writers.

Believe me, this is a hilarious book. A thoroughly researched well written scholarly book. There is nothing funny about the way he has written and done his work. It deserve the credit.

Warning : Please do not read this book in public places or while travelling in train or flights or when you are with your family and friends. You will laugh un naturally and will attract unpleasant attention. This is from my experience.

Who cut the cheese ( A cultural history of the fart ) - Jim Dawson

10speed Press

175 pages

9.95$ plus postage

While on the subject, here is an interesting link you should visit to enlighten yourselves.. http://www.heptune.com/farts.html

Volver - Pedro Almodavor

It has been a while since I watched a movie worth a mention. I am happy that my 2 hrs on my last weekend did not go waste on some trash. 'Volver' is already a much talked about movie and won a nomination for Penelope Cruz for best actress. It had also won many distinctions at the Cannes Film Festival, which I consider one of the best film award, despite occasional HOLLYWOOD take over.

Predominantly a female cast, the movie is is a story of women of three generation. Raimunda ( Cruz )'s life changes after an accidental murder of her husband by the hand of her daughter. Trying to cover up this and her attempt to dispose the body , and the parallel story about her parents death and the rumour of her mother's ghost appearing , the new Russian worker in her sisters house etc are all adds up to the melodrama.

Very personal and intense story and very well knit by Pedro Almodavor. Penelope Cruz stole the show with her very matured and controlled acting. A crisp and well written screen play added with the directorial brilliance of Pedro Almodavor makes this a truly enjoyable movie.

33 Strategies of War - Robert Greene

Here is another very interesting book from Robert Greene. Like his earlier books "Art of Seduction" and "48 Laws of Power", "33 Strategies of War" is well researched and well written book. If you guys are familiar with his earlier books, you can expect the same styling and method in this book too. As the name suggests, this time he take on the research on war strategies and the book is full of examples from history and quotes from literature. The methodology of example , interpretation and the key elements are as he is known to us with his earlier books.

Examples from Sun-Tzu , Japanese Samurai masters , Machiavelli, Hannibal, Caesar and Napoleon to the latest 911 , he has enough to quote from the history. This is not only a book on real warfare, but it is applicable in our corporate and personal life. Examples are from Samurai fighters, political leaders, European aristocrats , World war , New guerrilla war fare and movies.

You can dispute and debate the examples and the interpretation, but can not ignore the facts being discussed. You will have to use the appropriate strategy depending upon the time, your enemy , the social and political situation. There are many places you can attribute the situations to the current world.

One of the best non-fiction book I have read in recent times and demands a deliberate slow reading. It had taken me almost a month for me to finish this 450 pages.

The Hour of the Star - Clarice Lispector

'Death is an encounter with self' says Clarice Lispector in her last novel published in the same year of her death in 1977.

A very abstract and experimental novel mostly told in a 3rd Person narrative about a north-east Brazilian girl living in Rio de Janeiro slums. Macabea, the girl from the north-east living in poverty and misfortunes. There are many like her in this world whose life does not matter to the world, their existence is a mere biological fact and nothing more. They have nothing to look forward to it and just pushes their life until death. As Macabea puts it , she should be happy that she is alive. They also have hopes and despair , to be a movie star like Marylin Monroe as she says.

Macabea lives with the small income she gets as a typist and we mishaps after mishaps affect her until her sad end under a Mercedes. Soon after her birth her parents dies and she was brought up under a bad auntie (as in case of all the stories) . She comes to Rio as every one in search of job and food and lives in the slums of the red-district area of Rio. She is ugly and virgin and share a room with few others, about whom we have no information.

She represents the lower section of the Brazilian ( for that matter all the 3rd world countries) society. She is alien to the brash metropolis and what it has to offer and become more and more away from the mainstream. Her only contact to the external world has been her short term boy-friend ( whom she looses to her workmate) and her workmate who represent the new hopes and new world.

A very sad and disturbing existential book written when Claris Lispector was diagnosed with cancer. This book written during her time of serious illness would definitely have provided her with enough personal difficulties. The 3rd person narrative ( The novel is as told by Rodrigo S M ) is her other self and it possibly is her attempt to detach herself from the story.

The beauty of this novel is that you can have multiple interpretation of each character and incidents. Some of the prominent critics call this as "existentialism of the masses".

The hour of the star
Clarice Lispector ( Brazil)
Translated by Giovanni Pontiero ( with a beautifully written 'after word'")
96 pages
USD 9.95

Voices within - Smt Bombay Jayashri , Sri T M Krishna with Mythili Chandrasekhar

There are many books on the carnatic form of classical music. Many in the technical or educational form and many in biographical or memoirs. The last book , if I remember correct, was on M S Subbalakshmi , which created lot of interest in the music lovers. Here is the latest on the carnatic music arena. However, with a lot difference.

Two prominent artists from the carnatic music scene have joined to bring out an amazing book called "Voices Within". They would like to call it as the first coffee table book on classical music
This book reflects upon 7 stalwarts of carnatic music, who not only stood out by exceptional talent , but by their contribution in changing or shaping the carnatic form of classical music to its present state.

What is impressive about the whole book is its simplicity. No detailed biographical incidents, no typical carnatic jargons , no interviews by peers or 'shishya' and no unwanted glorification. They are able to bring out the distinctive personality of each individual in those few lines. One caricature essay, an incident here and there , few rare photographs and few recollections. That's all you find here. By the end of your reading , you have the picture of the person in your mind, etched permanently.

It was indeed an easy reading , with lot of insights to the individuals who to many are the visionaries of music from the yesteryears.

There was enough curiosity among the music lovers about this release and it had ample positive reviews and talks on the press even before the formal launch. Few interviews with Krishna and Bombay Jayashri were also been published. They have done justice to the task taken upon themselves. This indeed is a positive step and surprisingly, it is not been brought out by the music historians but by the practitioners themselves.

It is also nice to see the book has come out in a very pleasant styling, printing and quality of paper.

you can visit : http://www.matrka.org/voiceswithin/index.html

Voices within

Authors : Smt Bombay Jayashri , Sri T M Krishna with Mythili Chandrasekhar.

Published by : Matrka

Price : Dont ask me !!

One night @ the call centre - Chetan Bhagat

I have picked up this book as my travel read. It is not worth writing about this. Not my kind of read. A very teeny type of book and has no reason why I should recommend this to anyone. I wanted to stop reading after the first few chapters, but managed to complete.

There is nothing more to add here. Let me get back to my bookshelf for something that is worthy of mention.

One Night @ the call Center
by Chetan Bhagat.
289 Pages,
INR 95

Malinche - Laura Esquivel

Malinche ( Malinalli) a mythical character from Mexical folklore and history , is arguably on of the most controversial figures in Mexico ( even after 5 centuries) is the story of the new book from Mexican Author Laura Esquivel. Malinche is considered as a traitor by the mexican people who had collaborated with the Spaniards on their conquest of the Aztec empire.

Laura Esquivel tries to put this story in a different perspective. "It is important to see [the Conquest] with different eyes and, hopefully, discover that the blood in our veins is the blood of all bloods; that our skin contains all colors; that our eyes contain all glances; that in Mexico, for the first time, the history of Europe, Asia, Africa, and America came together", as she puts in. Could be classified as another historical fiction, this book looks back at the conquest of Spanish invaders on the majestic Aztec empire.

From the author of "Like water for Chocolate", this novel is also very lyrical. Esquivel gets into the mind of Malinche and tries to put forward a different perspective to the whole history. Malinche , herself from a defeated tribe by Aztec , was later sold as a slave to the Spaniards by the rulers. With her intelligence and knowledge of the native language , she was given the charge of the interpreter "the tongue" by Hernan Cortes.

After the death of her father, her mother re-marry and sell the girl to the slave-traders. The only memory she carry about her childhood is that of the time she spend with her grand mother. Though blind, her grandmother is very well informed and takes the small girl through the culture and tales and helps her develop to appreciate the importance of Water, Air , fire and stars. Girl learns to develop codices and images and the mystical gods and goddesses become part of her life . She continue to live between the world of her gods, the Aztec beliefs and Spanish world and confused on the existence of her life and her experience.

Laura Esquivel is successful in transforming Malinche into a heroine of sorts while the whole world has seen her as a traitor. This novel is her struggle between two worlds , forced into the job of translator for Spaniards and she is clear that whoever wins, the loss is hers. In Cortes , she sees the personification of Quetzalcoatl ( pre-Aztec god), who will put an end to human sacrifice and free her people. But the massacres and his greed for gold disillusions her, and subsequent baptism into Christian belief of Spaniards challenges her to integrate the two belief systems.

This book is quite easy reading and does not have the magical realism, which set apart all the major latin american works. I would also think that the story was told in a haste and wanted to be within the boundary of the known historical facts. If she had considered a larger fiction with more scope to experimentation and detailing, we might have had a classic.

Malinche : by Laura Esquivel , Mexico.
Pages : 188
Price : INR 495

From History ( courtesy Wikipedia )
==========================
La Malinche (c.1496 – c.1529, some sources give 1551), known also as Malintzin and Doña Marina, was an Indigenous woman (almost certainly Nahuatl) from the Mexican Gulf Coast, who accompanied Hernán Cortés and played an active and powerful role in the Spanish conquest of Mexico, acting as interpreter, advisor and intermediary. She was also a mistress to Cortés and bore him a son, who is considered one of the first Mestizos (people of mixed European and indigenous American ancestry). In Mexico today, La Malinche remains iconically potent, seen in various and often conflicting aspects, including the embodiment of treachery, the quintessential victim, or simply as symbolic mother of the new Mexican people. She is often referred to by the pejorative term "La Chingada".

Here is two links for more insight about Malinche. Both are wonderful article.

http://www.mexconnect.com/mex_/history/malinche.html

http://www.emayzine.com/lectures/la.htm

World Trade Center - The Movie

Any disaster, be it natural like the tsunami , earthquake etc, or man made ( negligence , or planned ) causes so much damage the the materials and to humans. The indirect damage, in terms of personal losses to the family and friends is even more saddening and this part of the story never appears in the press or in discussion. Everything is forgotten by the people so soon as they are back from the shock , into their own struggle in life. Media discusses this in detail until another news takes over from this.

Watching the movie " World Trade Center" of Oliver Stone, brought back these memories to me. Behind every disaster news , you find enormous amount of pain , losses and sacrifices by many people. Among the 3000 odd lives ended on the dreadful day , includes more than 300 ( I guess 343 ) of New york Firemen, Police men and others who were involved in rescue mission. Only 20 people were saved from the rubbles and John McLoughlin and William Jimeno of the Port Authority Police Dept were the 18th and 19th of them.

There are no admirable moments of brilliance in any of the departments be it acting or in the direction. Also the films drags a bit in the mid-time. What is important is that this movie is focused on the courage and survival of the trapped men and their family and friends. There was no focus on the heroism or on the visual effects.

It made me think about all those people who are at the receiving end, which ever geography they belong.

Customers for Life - Carl Sewell

I'm into management books these days.. may be a bit of overdose. I've decided to switch back to fictions with immediate effect..

Another management book with a simple and straight forward way of telling the readers that there is nothing more important to business that a satisfied and happy customer.

With his simple way of narrating his own experience in transforming his Cadillac dealership to the second largest in US, he explains the steps he has taken to ensure customers are returning to him over and over again. Though the story is about a car dealership and operations, the story behind an excellent customer satisfaction is no different in any industry.

His steps and ideas explained in each chapter and the check point at the end , is a must read for every individual facing a customer directly or indirectly. By taking inputs from his customers, employees and the supplier , he develop an operation which is rated as the best in the US by agencies. As he says, you have to borrow the best practices observed in every industry , from hotel to insurance and try to implement the same in your own operations, so that you do not have to re-invent the same.

I liked his idea of removing customer service dept and inspectors, under promise and over deliver , measure everything you do etc etc.. He does everything in its minute detail thus ensuring it is improved at every level.

This book will help you in looking into your own operations and makes you to realise the importance of re-aligning your operations towards customer (though every company claim to do so)..

Customers for Life
by Carl Sewell
Publisher : Currency Books
210 pages

Mysteries - Knut Hamsun

I'm always fascinated by Scandinavia. I have not read many scandinavian books. The only serious reading I had was of Lars Gustafsson . I must admit that he has come out as one of my favourite authors after reading " A Tilers Afternoon" and "Death of a Beekeeper" .

I always wanted to read Knut Hamsun , after reading some article about him. During one of my regular scans at Landmark, I came across this book and my impulse won over budget constraint. Knut Hamsun has won the Nobel Price of Literature in 1920 for another work of his, and was famous through out Europe in the 19th Century and early 20th Century.

The novel , written in 1892 could contest for the first ever existentialistic novel. The novel starts when Johan Nagel , arrives at a small costal town in Norway. Nagel is young , single and has come with lot of money. His attempt to mingle with the local crowd succeed after his interference in a bar skirmish. He become a talking point after his actions to brings comfort to the insulted and injured. Nagel goes through his personal turmoil and a series of thought come to his mind and is restless. He lives through his nightmares and between life and death.

There are multiple theories on this and after each read you can come up with a new one. Is Nagel a bi-polar person, is the charector Midget his other self ... I can not comment... Read this and decide.

It is an amazing book and I strongly recommend.

The Ice Cream maker - Subir Chowdhuri

Another mini sized management book in the genre of Fish! , Who moved my cheese.. This book is written as a story of a local Ice cream maker realizing the important of quality in all phases of life. Mr.Chowdhury illustrate how quality should be the integral part of a corporate / individual's culture. Pete, the manager of the regional ice cream company, determined to sell his ice creams to the large retail chain, Natural food. After repeated unsuccessful attempts by its sales team, and typical survival pressure from the boss, he has taken up the task to find out the reason of their failure to impress Natural Foods. From the conversation with Mike, Natural Foods Manager, Pete understands how they excelled in their business by embarking quality as a mission and by listening to their customers and employees. He learns the LEO principle ( Learn , Enrich and Optimize) from Mike and how it is part of every employee's life.

This book offers the essential business lessons on listening to your own people and customers in sustaining a quality product and services. This is a must read for every businessman every manager and every individual.

You can read more of this at http://www.theicecreammaker.com/


Title : The Ice Cream Maker
Author : Subir Chowdhuri
Publisher : Random Books
No of Pages : 115
Price : Rs 125

On Bullshit - Harry Frankfurt

"One of the most salient features of our culture is that there is so much bullshit, Everyone knows this. Each of us contributes his share. But we tend to take the situation for granted."
After reading these lines, I do not think anyone can keep this book down until you complete reading it.
As I was walking through the stalls in the Bangalore Books Exhibition, I saw this small book and the name attracted me to it. The above lines lines caught my attention as I slanced through the pages and I was willing to spend Rs125 for this Bullshit.
This book written by Prof Harry Frankfurt , profession and philisopher from Princeton Unitversity.
I was expecting a rather funny book and I was surpriced it was a serious work of writing , no bullshitting. This is more to do with philosophy and can be called intellectual humour.
Bullshitting is not lying or bluffing. Bullshitter is faking things . Bullshitting is creativity . To tell a lie, requires a degree of craftmanship. In order to invent a lie, he must know what is the truth. On the other hand, the bullshitter has much more freedom. As he says bullshit is unavoidable whenever circumstances require someone to talk without knowing what he is talking about. How true in our profession. !!
Oxford English Dictionray define bullshit as " trivial, insincere, or untruthful talk or writing; nonsense."
He also takes examples from other literally works. "Never tell a lie when you can bullshit your way through" Eric Ambler ( Dirty Story ) is an interesting one.

I recommend this book to all ( and I'm not bullshitting )
Book : On Bullshit
Authot : Harry Frankfurt
Pages : 67
Publication : Princeton University Press
Price : Rs 125

for more read visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullshit