Sorrow of the Snows - Upendra Nath Ashk

Hasandin's life is in two 'avtars'. During the season, when tourists flocks the valleys of Kashmir, he works as a guide, renting his horses to the visitors and trekkers. During the off season, he is a simple peasant labourer.  He leads a normal life with his family and the horses , with an only intention of saving some money to afford a grand wedding of his son at the Shrine of Baba Pamdin, with whose help, he wife had borne him a son.  During season, he goes to the bus stand, with his three horses accompanied by his son and nephew, after offering the morning namaz, in anticipation of his clients and with a hope of making a a good fortune at the mercy of a generous customer . As expected in any such cases, he has to struggle his way through forces of evil and opposition within his own quarters. The fellow horse-laden guides who stoop to any tactics to win the customers, the police authorities whose only intent is to steal from the meager earnings of these poor guides, and the customers who refuse to pay the agreed sum under one pretext or other.

This tale of sorrow and pathos talks about one another such incident.  When he met Khanna Sahib at the bus stand and been selected to take him to Gulmarg, Khilanmarg, Afrabat and to the frozen lake of Al-Pathar, his heart was filed with joy, calculating the potential money he would make in the next couple of days from the wealthy tourist.  It did not take long to realise the true nature of his customer. Khanna Sahib, a shrewd businessman from Delhi, was all cunning and stingy. At the end of the eventful trip, he not only refuse to pay for the tour and service, but accused Hasandin of stealing his Camera, sending him into the Police Station, where he was asked to pay a large sum to secure his release.

A simple story of pathos in the common man where the nature, authorities, the clients and the colleagues adds to his daily struggle to live. Despite the initial hopes and anticipation, every thing in the end conspires against his poor , innocent existence. The only solace is in the hands of the almighty. Written in 1957, 'Pathar - al - Pathar', made Upendra Nath Ashk as one of the leading writers on Hindi Literature. His writing, with simple and elegant prose, the crisp characterisation, the background imagery of the place and history, the influence of the religious beliefs and the ability of the villager to submit to the Gods for all his fortunes are very typical of the Indian writers. As we experienced in the writings of the post independent literature, this too reflects the exploitation, the inequality, the inefficiency of the systems to provide justice to the masses of the nation, through a passionate, yet detached, powerful  narration.

Upendranath Ashk, a controversial figure in Indian Literature, had written numerous books in Hindi as well as Urdu. Many of his books are available in translation. This too a part satirical , part anecdotal narrative with sly humour ( hard hitting, but does not make one laugh or smile as the drama that unfolds in pathos) reflects his ability to bring the nuances of the daily life. The religion sans politics plays a key role here. The shrine of Baba, an abode for downloading all his sorrows, a guiding force whom he trust to be his savior ( despite the cunning methods of the caretakers to loot the visitors),  Baba's popularity among believers of all faiths, reflects the strengths of the social harmony that existed once in the valley, before the trouble erupted.

Translation was effective, but not without blemishes. Many a places, the unevenness was felt while reading. Thinking in Hindi and translating from Hindi to English (  as against thinking in English - or the target language - and translating as English from Hindi ) , a common handicap I see in any translation from Indian Language to English is rampant in this translation too. It is difficult to preserve the lyrical and structural beauty of Urdu and Hindi sentences to English, without loosing some of those fragrance, and that was evident in this case as well. However, any attempt to bring the Indian Literature to a wider audience is a laudable effort.

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Sorrow of the Snows ( 1957)

Upendra Nath Ashk ( translated from Hindi by Jai Ratan)

Harper Perenniel 

133 Pages
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Taylor & Francis (not free)

Gandhi and Anarchy - C Sankaran Nair

The role of Gandhi in the Indian Independent and its strive for self rule has been unquestioned and most of the generations post 1947 had been grown with these images engraved in them through the text books and stories. Hence by and large, he has been portrayed as 'RIGHTEOUS' man and the father of the nation, a role model of many many leaders to follow. Hence, it is difficult to accept criticism and voice of dissent against such a person. Not that it is not there, but are relatively rare and go largely unnoticed.

There had been voices of dissent during his life time, but among the followers and the Indian National Congress community, that lead the independent struggle in the forefront , these voices are quelled. Subhash Chandra Bose, who split from Indian National Congress and started his own Army, seeking association with the Japanese to fight for Indian independence, the revolutionary youths of the 30s - Chandrasekhar 'Azad' , Bhagat Singh and the rest -did continue to inspire the young blood, The Communists however small and insignificant they were in the national politics,  and a few Feudal elite, who always watched his actions with contempt, did not really manage to make any dent in his Himalayan popularity and his leadership.

His active role in Indian Politics commenced with his return from South Africa in 1915 ,where he did his initial experimentation with Civil disobedience and Non-violent struggle for rights for Indians and the blacks.  Within few years, he rose to the leadership of the Indian National Congress, a role he continue to hold until death,  and announced a nation wide strike and disobedience in order to achieve 'swaraj' ( freedom) from the British. As we knew the years after the World War 1 did see major political and religious turmoil across the world. Indian politics and the freedom struggle too, rejuvenated during these years with the leadership of Gandhi. The Jalianwalla Bagh incident, the Khilafat agitation, The Civil disobedience movement lead by Gandhi, the declaration of 'Swaraj',  the rejection of Montegu-Chemsford mission, the violence that sprout across the country resulting in the cancellation of the non-cooperation movement and the three 'Anti-Violence Fast'  of Gandhi etc made the early 20s of the last century a significant period of Indian history.

Chettur C Sankaran Nair, a barrister by profession, elected President of Indian National Congress during 1897 held at Amraoti, writes his strong views against the political strategy and the ideology of Gandhi in a book written and published in the year 1922. This for all probability, could be the first book that was critical of Gandhi's views and his political leadership. The date of the publication is important to be noted. This is written during these troubled days of Indian Politics and not, as the historians have the privilege of, after the repercussions and implications of these actions are proven. It is also interesting to note how strongly the people felt at that time, and was willing to voice their dissent in open. Nearly 9 decades thence, we have the advantage of the history to evaluate Gandhi for his action and can form our judgement supported by results. Hence, these criticism, for now, seems to have been done in haste and prejudiced. But Sankaran Nair, do bring out a few significant observation on the character and the principles of the man destined to lead India to independence.

Largely attacking Gandhi's non-cooperation movements and his principles on education, swaraj and civil disobedience, Sankaran Nair looks at each of these elements through his strong view points.

The struggle for Indian Home Rule which was started with the inauguration of the Indian National Congress has many difficulties to encounter, has strong and powerful opponents and has received many checks. But its strongest opponent is Mr. Gandhi and perhaps the most severe check it has received is the adoption by the National Congress at his instance in Calcutta and Nagpur of the so-called-Nonviolent Non-co-operation.

starts Sankaran Nair in his preface. He adds, "Non-co-operation as advocated by Mr. Gandhi may be a weapon to be used when constitutional methods have failed to achieve our purpose."

While attacking his philosophy , Sankaran Nair has some interesting observations to make. He says Gandhi  " belongs to a class of thought which has attracted some of the noblest minds in this world, but in applying his the gospel of life to politics, he has shown himself a babe and his interference has been generally mischievous."

Mr. Gandhi's emotional outbursts, fasting, penances, "Sanyasi waist cloth", may carry away the emotional masses, women and students. But whether this wave of emotionalism submerged the men above named I would not care to guess.

Further on his clever religious philosophy, Sankaran Nair observes that  "The severe simplicity and austerity of Mr.Gandhi's life combined with his appeal to the principle of ' Ahimsa( non-injury )inherited from Buddists and now ingrained in Hindu life, has secured him the support of the Hindu masses and particularly vegetarians. His support of the caste system has won over the higher classes and the reactionary elements of Hindu society to his side."

Gandhi was also against most of the modern advancement of the humanities such as   Education, Doctors, Industry, Railways, Lawyers. In one of his writings Gandhi demands.

"India's salvation consists in unlearning what she has learnt during the past fifty years. The railways, telegraphs, hospitals, lawyers, doctors, and such like have all to go, and so called upper classes have to learn to live consciously and religiously and deliberately the simple peasant life, knowing it to be a life giving true happiness".

Sankaran Nair refutes his arguments with his thoughts.

His tirade against machinery and mill industries on account of the evils he has witnessed in the West, is due to his ignorance ; a little knowledge in his case has proved a dangerous thing. It is this feeling which hassled him to advocate the universal use of spinning wheel in India. This might be useful as a cottage or home industry. It might find work for some who would otherwise be idle. But he is living in a fool's paradise if he considers it a substitute for or will supplant, machinery.

Gandhi according to Sankaran Nair carries one of the orthodox religious and caste believes. Quoting Gandhi's words - " Varanashram (caste system) is inherent in human nature and Hinduism has simply reduced it to a science. It does attach by birth. A man cannot change his Varna by choice. Prohibition against intermarriage and inter dining is essential for a rapid evolution of the soul.'  -  Sankaran Nair assesses that,   "It is this caste system which has brought about the conquest of India by the Mahomedans and the Englishmen, both of whom were always supported by the lower castes against the higher. It is responsible for the large conversions to •Christianity and Mahomedanism."

Moving from the philosophy of Gandhi to the issues of the era, he examines each of the elements that constituted Gandhi's political agenda during the time. On the 'Khilafat Movement' he says, "The real truth of course is that in the case of the Khilafat agitation Mr. Gandhi and some of its most active and prominent leaders want to use the agitation to destroy the Government and not to effect a real settlement of the question". Gandhi and the political leadership of Indian National Congress  wanted to use the the general dissent in the Muslim community to their advantage combining the forces in their fight against the British.  However, on the other hand, "Mahomedan fury against the British Government ( was only)  for its failure to support Mahomedan interests in the West.", and not necessarily to do with the swaraj struggle as it was described to be.

As it turned to be, the Khilafat agitation turned violent at many places across India, and widespread riots, killing of Hindus, looting and  forced conversion took place at many places. The Malegaon incidents, the Malabar Rebellion ( Mapla Riots of 1921) and other gruesome incidents were later corrected in the history books as independent struggle, underplaying the religious agenda. Gandhi, however supported these incidents saying "you are not aware that the Moplas justify their action on the ground that at such a critical juncture, when they are engaged in a war against the English, their neighbours not only do not help them or observe neutrality, but aid and assist the English in every possible way."

Ridiculing Gandhi's call for swaraj and his promise in the 1920 Lahore Congress that he will obtain 'Swaraj' before the end of the year, Sankaran Nair observed that there is no proper planning and preparation on how to gain 'swaraj' and how to run the country post 'swaraj'. He says, most of Gandhi's ideas are too week and too premature to run such a nation, by his under developed ideas of swaraj.

Gandhi's vision of swaraj is quoted as :

"Swaraj means full Dominion status. The scheme of such swaraj shall be framed by representatives duly elected in terms of the Congress constitution. That means four anna franchise. Every Indian adult, male or female, paying four annas and signing the Congress creed will be entitled to be placed on the electoral list. These would elect delegates who would frame Swaraj constitution. This shall be given effect to without any change by the British Parliament."

But 'swaraj' was a dream, not to materialise in any near future ( as we know it now). Sankaran Nair ridiculed - "Thus Swaraj was to come on September 1-1921, October 31-1921, December 13-1921. At the Congress in December, 1921, Mr. Gandhi gave up fixing any date for the attainment of Swaraj."

Similarly, the civil disobedient movement of the Non-Cooperation Movement also had its own pitfalls. While most of his demands were based on his belief in the 'ahimsa' principle, the workers and general public not necessarily imbibed the same principles in their action. Wide spread violence across the country was reported ( a huge list of incidents given as annexure) forcing Gandhi to withdraw the agitation and he had gone for indefinite fasting at least on three occasion. An idea marred by poor execution. His call for non-cooperation "involving the community in chaos, disorder and possibly violence. The country has had only a vear's training in his (Mr. Gandhi) counsels of non-violent resistance— far loo short a period for his countrymen to imbibe his spirit, in a manner worthy of his teaching."

For instance, the boycott of schools and colleges have not succeeded and even persons, of known and undoubted loyalty to the cause, complain that the action of Congress workers has caused more harm than good. They concentrated too much on the disruption of existing institutions and less on the creation and maintenance of new one on " national " lines. They forgot that a student cannot be left idle in the street and that, if the Congress must call him out, it can only be after it has provided for him a good substitute.

The whole movement of non-cooperation had to be called off in the end as " he under-rated the forces of evil, and that he was obliged to pause and consider how best to meet the situation."

He also question Gandhi and Congress in the way they handled the Punjab issue ( Jalianwala Bagh ) and the boycott call of foreign goods ( he narrates an incident where the dresses were pulled off the ladies humiliating and molesting in public, the boycott of Lawyers and other institutions, which are all come from immaturity and improper understanding.  Or in other words about the general anarchy the whole movement caused.

Chettur Sankaran Nair lived long enough to see the outcome of these agitations, but he died much before the country received its independence. His words probably were harsh and venomous at times. He might have been prejudiced and by the time the book was written, he was already knighted and was cooperating with the regime, not giving up the idea of independence. Hence his views and methods were radically different from that of Gandhi (" for the simple reason that I believe that Mr. Gandhi is honest in his self hypnotisation. I believe he does not really know what he is doing") . That displeasure, probably resulted in this book. This book, however, is significant in the history of Indian independent, which provide and alternate view of some of the incidents, which otherwise was known to us through the official statements. This also shows light, albeit critically, to the life of Gandhi in his early years of Indian Politics. Gandhi himself would have progressed from these days both in his strategy as well as personal leadership, learned from the mistakes and experiences.

Nearly half of the book is in the forms of appendix , to substantiate his points and to give weight to his arguments. The note made by Anne Besant, on her visit to Calicut during the Malabar Rebellion, the address of the Viceroy to the nation and Gandhi's self defense at the court were some of the best among the many that were compiled and included at the end.

I would not say, this book is not compelling enough to shake the confidence of a man on Gandhi or on his personal life principles. But it does give the glimpses of the century long independent struggle and few pitfalls in its execution. It also give a non-conditioned ( by time and influenced by out come) view of the history. I am glad that I read this book.

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Gandhi and Anarchy  ( 1922)

C.Sankaran Nair

Tagore & Co , Madras

286 Pages
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Thousand Cranes - Yasunari Kawabata

Its time to read Kawabata again, revisit all those previously read works again to reiterate my belief and to refresh the memories. I did read snow country last month, and now "thousand cranes". The rest of the works will be in line for a re-read. I carry a fond memory of reading Kawabata ages ago. The entire process of re-reading begun after "Beauty and Sadness", which to me was very ordinary. As a reader you grow over the years and the taste become more polished or finer and many of the books you liked earlier, fails to impress me any more. However, both my second reads of Kawabata , not only restored the faith, but was able to appreciate them with the inherited wisdom of experience.

A short novel of guilt, love, seduction and deception, in the backdrops of tea ceremonies and shattered dreams and plans ( and the precious tea cups, symbolically). Twenty five year of Kikuji, trying to fight the past  of the memories and guilt as well as the cunning plans of his fathers mistresses to have their control over him. Kikuji inherited his father vast wealth, post his death. A well respected man, with finesse tastes, collector of ceremonial cups for the Tea functions, and also some one managed more than one mistress while he was alive. This short novel begins with one of his father's mistress Chikako, inviting him for a tea ceremony, only to realise that the pretext behind this was an ulterior motive of a potential match-making.  Cleverly positioning Inamura Yukiko, along with him during the function to play the role of a collaborator. Spoiling her manipulations by arriving at the function was Mrs.Ota, another mistress of his father, with whom he spent majority of his days,  and her daughter Fumiko arriving at the function uninvited. The game of one-upmanship between the mistresses continue as they fight their way to his life.

Kikuji has to endure and carry the guilt of his fathers past, through his mistresses. The girl with the thousand crane kerchief ( he remembers Inamura girl though this symbol and not through her face or character) and the daughter of Mrs Ota ( who is much more prudent and possesses self control), are representative of the new generation and can understand the conflict and difficulties Kikuji is trying to overcome. The real tussle is between the mistresses. One who did not win his fathers favours in bed but was mostly used as an accomplice, and the other, probably younger and better looking who continued to enjoy the favours until the death are now vying to extend their control over the son. Chikako, ugly with a large birth mark spread across half of her breast ( a distant memory remained with Kikuji, which he happens to witness as a young boy) with her poisonous , manipulative acts of taking control and the other by trying to lure the young one into her fold by seduction, and committing suicide out of guilt. The two girls and Kikuji had to face the consequences of the designs of the rivalry, which distance them from one another instead of making alliances and prospective marriage.

The rituals and culture play a major part in Kawabata's works. The concept of thousand cranes ( though not directly referred here) is a Japanese tradition of folding 1000 origami cranes for getting their wishes fulfilled. The 'tea ceremony' again so much of part of the Japanese psyche, which we see in the book going through a deterioration from generations to the next. An event, once very close to his fathers heart, a pride and prestige, a symbol of aristocracy with well preserved and maintained vessels and utensils, are to Kikuji and the new generations are mere curios. One can sense his unhappiness in being forced to participate. The function he would like to conduct in his house, is as a respect to his father, a respect to the past, and not something for the current. These cultural and traditional undercurrents along with the landscape, be it the snow peaked mountains, the flourishing valleys or the changing seasons. The book will have to be absorbed including these vivid and marvelous settings. There are  strong undercurrent of traditions and social stigma in all of his works. Hence the mere story of love and deception, seduction and manipulation, guilt and conscience has a different meaning and values in his novels. Under a calm narrative of simple tale, lies the turbulent currents attributed to these subtleties. Which is why he is one of the masters of 20th century literature.

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Thousand Cranes ( 1952 )

Yasunari Kawabata ( translated from Japanese by Edward G.Seidensticker 1958 )

Penguin Classics

91  Pages
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Wiki, Complete Review,

The View from Castle Rock - Alice Munro

Typically, I read the newly crowned Nobel Laureate, during November or December, if they aren't in my familiarity zone. I did not have to do that for a Saramago or a Llosa or Mo Yan as they weren't new to me when they were chosen for the award. But as for the current laureate,  I haven't read any book of Alice Munro, barring a couple of stories published in New Yorker. For various reasons, the customary reading (of Nobel Winner) has split into the new year, and on a collective suggestion and a group reading choice,  The View from the Castle Rock, was decided.

Being the first writer  known only for writing  'short stories', to be a Nobel Laureate, it did attract a higher attention and expectation. The inside Cover specifically mentioned it as 'stories'. The book, however, is a progressive narrative of her own family, spanning over three centuries and two continents. As they say, one can always look at sources closed to us for inspiration, hence the vast number of 'autobiographical' or 'semi-autobiographical' writing in literature field . Alice Munro does exactly that, looking back at her family's history , from her great great grandfather to her step mother in a captivating, touching collection of stories.  The book read like a novel to me, than a collection of short stories. A seamless narrative , chronologically progressed, albeit not in continuous sequences, leaving gaps in the story, space and time. 

From the small Islands of Scotland, Alice starts her tales, of survival, of migration to greener pastures, intricacies of family connections and incidents and anecdotes. Set in two parts, part one,  the family's journey from Ettrick Valley in Scotland to North America, and part two in the new lands and the later generations of her family. I personally liked the initial parts The back yard search for the clues and stories about the ancestors, few prolific ones, and the threading of these various anecdotes into a seamlessly woven story form was marvelous. I am not as enthused in the later part ( especially towards the end) , where the narration tends to be a bit disjointed. A bit of triviality takes over. The later part has a lot more personal experiences and more autobiographical in nature. The first part is more adventurous, the quest for hints and connecting dots, bringing few interesting characters of the Islands. The plan and the dream of the new land, the metaphorical "View from the Castle Rock" to the new world.

This is one of my first reading of Munro and I was talking about this being a progressive stories as in novel vis-a-vis a collection of short stories. I argued that a random reading of one of the stories in the middle, probably will have a lesser impact, as against reading these stories as a collective. I was told that she tends to play along these lines and the narration often breaches the boundaries of the novel and short story.  Characters , places and events apparently pops up repeatedly in the other collections as well.

I would look at the two parts separately. Part one, largely based on the snippets of information she gathered during her visits and from various mentions in the old documents. She stich together a compelling story, enriched with beautiful imagery, characterisation ( build up from the data available) and fixing the missing links. This part which has more fictional element is fabulous, and a creation of a worthy hand. The second part, largely autobiographical and contemplative has lesser amount of fictional element, but more of internalisation of her own life and observations. The energy of her ancestors is derived into the later part, but these two remain different and in contrast in many aspects.

The terrain and the place has a large part of participation in her stories. These stories are all of limited scale and scope. Largely around relationships, confined within the family or short extensions in a few cases. There is a sense of intimacy, a closeness, a dependency of mutual existence. The gradual demo graphical and geographical changes in the landscape , minute observations of the changes in the living conditions et all are carefully handled through the stories.  Beautiful passages, meditative, emotionally deep story telling and fabulous control over language makes this a great read.

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The View from Castle Rock ( 2006 )

Alice Munro

Vintage Books

349  Pages
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Wiki, Guardian, NY Times, Quill & Quire

A Case of Exploding Mangoes - Mohammed Hanif

Dictator novels, as a genre begun probably with Asturias, 'The President'. It is, however, came into prominence as a genre in the late sixties and early seventies with the a flurry of novels ( 10 novels written by 10 prominent writers ) from some of the leading writers in the Latin America. The political systems and the vibrant literature scene gave us some of the best novels of the 20th century. Garica Marquez's Autumn of the Patriarch, Alejo Carpenter's Reasons of the State, Roa Bastos' 'I the Supreme' were some of the highlights of this series. Mario Vargas Llosa's "Feast of the Goat' published late in the 2000, was one of the last of the series belonging to the Dictator fiction group. Most of the Latin America, by then was returning to democracy. 90s and the new millennium saw a similar influx of such novels from Africa ( Snakepit from Moses Isegawa for example) and a few from Europe ( Inquisitor's manual of Antonio Lobo Antunes, few of the works from Saramago, Kadare) came during the same time. Asia, by far was lagging here, not because of the lack of dictatorship in these part of the world, but most of the writers were limited themselves to writing anti-establishment novels , but not something that can be classified as a 'dictator novel'.  Mohammed Hanif's fictionals attempt on the death of General Zia Ul-Huq of Pakistan, to me, is one that can considered to be one that can be kept along with the earlier mentioned books.

Gen Zia, the military ruler of Pakistan for over 11 years after a coup that dethroned a democratically elected regime of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, was killed in an air crash on the 17th of August 1988. The flight carrying him and 11 of his top brass of military leaders along with the US Ambassador, disappeared from the control radar soon after take off from Bahawalpur in Punjab after his inspection of a tank parade. There are various conspiracy theories that went around for a while, but none were clearly established. The case is closed with no clear evidence, apart from few murmur in the local circuit.

Mohammed Hanif, rebuilding the days preceding the events with his own version. Building through the eyes of the narrator, Ali Shigri,  a junior officer in the Pakistani Airforce Academy, he cleverly threads the story around the hidden fortress of the country's dreaded president, military and intelligent nexus and their internal struggle for supremacy. Ali Shigri's father, an erstwhile colonel with the Pakistan Army, involved in leading the country's engagements in the Afghan War, where his country and the CIA supporting the Mujahideens of Afghan, managed to send the Soviets packing. However, he was found hanging from the ceiling fan, on one morning, a case which was concluded as suicide, left Ali convinced that this has involvement of some of the high authorities in the regime. Seeking his revenge for his fathers death Ali, joining the Air force Academy, training under an American Instructor.

Hanif Mohammed, try to explore the possible angles to the conspiracy theories, by expanding various simultaneous threads, culminating on the final event, with no possible conclusions. His attempt is not to establish the truth behind the conspiracy theory, but to take the readers through the journey of possibilities, and the inner life and political power struggles within the regime. The brutal force of the Military and the Intelligentia, the looming threat on the leader, the secret and definite plots to eliminate potential threats within the regime, the constant distrust among the top leaders, the larger global interest and manipulations by the World Power, the isolation of the rulers and the ruled, the vast gulf between the make belief and the real issues at the ground level ( Gen Zia, experience one by himself while attempting a disguise , but not before the alert spy network tracked him and put him back at ease) and  the idiosyncrasies of the leader himself are something that get the readers hooked to this book.

Most of the description and narrative conforms to the general believes, of any regime. Torture chambers, inhuman treatment, the propagandists, putting up the show of solidarity and national interest in front of the leader and the visiting dignitaries, the cruel business interests of the corporates, the general distrust , the portrayal of the leader as someone with his own ridiculous habits and mannerisms, the peep into his domestic life ( an object of terror to the nation turns to be a voiceless, powerless husband) and many similar scenes that one is familiar with such books do appear aplenty.  Running in two parallel threads, one focusing on the General and his paranoia about his safety ( Code Red protection) and his constant fear of the attempt on his life and the episode focussing on the narrator Ali Shigri, his capture, interrogation, torture, solitary confinement and subsequent release, thanks to a change of handle of ISI by a clever move by the General Zia ( in an attempt to remove the power of one of his potential conspirator).  The section on General Zia in general was funny, often ridiculous, caricaturing him as close to a clown in some places. However, the other thread was more profound and with a lot more intensity.

I seems to have liked the book, probably because my initial expectation was very low. The book is partly political satire, and partly a murder mystery and on conspiracy theory. The subject is a bit tricky as he has to introduce fictional characters to the real life people. It has to ride the fictional path, but abiding to the real life events and characters. The risk of drawing parallels of the fictional characters to the real life characters ( the ISI chief Kiyani in the book, is probably one such, but in the novel he joins the ill-fated team in their last journey) always a possibility. The writing is brisk and precise. The pacing is a bit uneven, probably because of the dual threads that run parallelly.  Impressive read.

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A Case of Exploding Mangoes  ( 2008)

Mohammed Hanif

Random House

377  Pages
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Wiki, NY Times, The Guardian

The Infatuations - Javier Marias

It's a reader's superstition, to begin the new year with a weighty book, that set the new year of reading on. I have been lucky in the 3 previous years having started the year with some brilliant books/writers.  Jose Saramago in 2013, Laszlo Krasznahorkai in 2012 and Roberto Bolano in 2011. This year begun with Javier Marias, and it puts me at ease with the outcome. 'All souls' was the only other book I've read before and I was always wanting to read more of Marias. Regularly in the speculation for the next Nobel Winner, the general praise for the writer and this book in particular, made my anticipation high even before the start of the read. I should say, I am rewarded for my selection.

It's those trivial and chance encounters in life, that reveals a great deal of personal realizations to you. Many things happen in life without we giving enough attention to it. They become a news item, a conversation in a gathering and soon forgotten. However, some of such have a larger impact in one's life involuntarily. As destiny drives us, you become part of these chance encounters, and its repercussions.

Maria Dolz, middle aged woman, works with a local publication, used to seeing an elegant couple having break fast in the Cafe she frequent. Then one day, she stops seeing them in their usual place. The curiosity did not  last long, as she discovered from the news paper about  the murder of the husband, a wealthy man named Miguel Desverne.  She offers her condolences to the wife Louisa Alday, out of courtesy, where she meets Miguel's best friend, and Luisa's new possible companion, a very handsome man, called Diaz Varela. No marks for guessing, of Maria's infatuations and a steamy affair with Dias Varela, soon after the encounter.

The questions that now arise for Maria is what is Dias Varela's relationship with Louisa and to Maria herself.  In a spurt of jealousy, Maria build her own possibilities and scenarios of Dias Verla's relationship and her interests and the potential benefits to both. The question moves towards the potential hand of Dias Varela, in the death of Miguel and her own part in the whole affair. As the questions of love, hate, sex, life, friendship and death is the theme Javier Marias examines after the initial pages of setting up the plot.

As these questions are asked and the possibilities are opened in front of Maria, as she inadvertently being part of the whole scheme, with no possible escape, she tries to find answers to various aspects of life and death.  And slowly and steadily, a rather silly murder by an addict turns to a cleverly planned and executed crime. Now the larger question of the rights and wrongs of the death. What if the deceased himself had planned for his death, and arranged everything in advance. What is the involvement of his close friend in helping him in executing his desire. When will one decide to stop fighting the illness and decided to call it quits ? Would you take your family into confidence before you decide on your fate or would you let them make believe in a random murder. Who is guilty and who is innocent ? What is the guilt shared by Maria herself ? Is she, now being aware of the crime, responsible to inform the wife and the authorities ? Does she have the physical proofs or the moral rights ? Javier Marias, leaves us with more questions and many possible answers threading the paths of existentialism, spiritual and philosophical encounters. It confronts us, disturbs us and shakes the fundamental beliefs. 

Dias Varela, cites literary examples from Balzac's 'Colonel Chabert ',  Shakespeare's Macbeth and Dumas' 'three musketeers' in justifying the events. In Balzac's novel, the dead soldier returns to haunt the survivors (including his wife) as the dead Miguel continue to haunt Varela. Varela quotes from Dumas'  "A thief can give back the thing he stole, a slanderer can acknowledge his calumny,The trouble with murder is that it's always too late and you cannot restore to the world the person you killed.". However, taking refuge in Dumas' again, he chorus the words  "A murder, nothing more.".

Marias is a master with his words. The narrative is built slowly, and before you blink, you are in the thick of the things, often participating in the crime by yourselves. A typical murder mystery, given a new meaning by his intelligence and masterly creativity. This book is not intend to stir you in your seats, wanting you to get to the end of the mystery. The plot by itself is slow and does not necessarily give a definite answer, but a possibility.  "The truth is never clear, it's always a tangled mess. Even when you get to the bottom of it."

His character leaves us with these thoughts, which in a way summarises my reading experience:

"It’s a novel, and once you’ve finished a novel, what happened in it is of little importance and soon forgotten. What matter are the possibilities and ideas that the novel’s imaginary plot communicates to us and infuses us with, a plot that we recall far more vividly than real events and to which we pay far more attention.”

Fabulous book, very intense albeit slow and deliberate, very engaging and thoughtful making it a great reading.

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The Infatuations  ( 2012)

Javier Marias  ( translated from Spanish by Margeret Jull Costa 2013)

Hanish Hamilton

346 Pages
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Guardian, NPR, Paste Magazine, NY Times, The Globe and Mail

Shah of Shahs - Ryszard Kapuściński

Shut in his hotel room, being the only guest in the entire hotel, with the outside world completely in chaos, the city of Tehran under the control of the revolutionary forces, with the rumors of the escape of Shah, the ruler of Iran,  Ryszard Kapuściński, spreads out  few photographs, and few notes that he collected or written, to rebuild the story of a country of the poeple of Iran, as the country witnesses one of the significant days of their history ( and of the world) ,  the 1979 Islamic revolution of Iran. Iran, a country in the world news ever since the beginning of the 20th century ( probably before that as well),  continued to be the in the discussion well into the new millennium. Kapuscinski's book on the Shah and the last days of his regime, goes beyond what is obvious to the very basic realities of Iran, or any country that goes through such strong and violent reaction against their oppressing leaders.

Iran for decades, have been in the news often for reasons not in line with the western world's perspectives and prejudices. Their relationship with the western world was always in turbulent waters since the beginning of the 20th century.  Ahmad Shah Qajar, the last Shah of the Qajar dynasty,  was overthrown in 1925 by Reza Shah Pehlavi ( initially a soldier in the army of Qajars).  Qajars were aligned to the British, who used Iranian borders to launch their attack on the newly formed Soviet Union after the Bolshevik revolution, trying to destabilise the communist regime. Soviet Union responded by attacking the Iran and annexed some of the provinces, and later provided support to Reza Shah  Pehlavi through the Cossak Regiment, who seized power and became the Shah of Iran in 1925. However, his regime could not withstand the World War II turmoil after an Anglo-Soviet invasion, for his alleged alliance with Germany. The invading powers forced Reza Shah to relinquish his powers and replaced him with his son Mohammad Reza Pahlavi in 1941.A Rule, the last of the regime by Shahs, ended in the Islamic Revolution in 1979.

1951 saw the next big turmoil in the history of Iran, when Muhammad Mussadeq, the elected President of the country, made a move that angered the big powers of the world. He nationalized the Oil. In an obvious reaction , the World powers managed to over throw the Government,  forcing Shah to remove the President and imprison him.  Mussadeq was soon declared 'persona non grata' and managed to remove his existence from all walk of life. Mohammad Raza, however lost the ground with his own people. The general resentment and a wrong step irking the anger of the clergy, paved the way for his downfall, resulting in the 1979 revolution in Iran.

All these are available in various notes, reports, books and history texts. We can form our own interpretation and judgement based own your continent, your social and political shifts and religious believes. What makes reading Kapuscinski's book different  ( not only this but the rest as well) is his insights, and his extended knowledge and his comparative analysis gained through his experience. While he does not sound to be judgmental, his ability to put across the various aspect from the eyes of those who are at the receiving end, makes the book a great read.

Unlike the other two books I read, this is not a reportage and commentary of his observation, but a reflection of his contemplative thoughts. There is no action oriented sequences of the events, but largely follows through random notes and photographs, and his collection of ideas through various meetings. With each of them providing the catalytic trigger, he examines the events and social conditions that culminated in the elimination of the existing regime, and the formation of the Islamic Republic under the guidance of the Shiite clergy, lead by Ayatollah Khomeini. The looks at the Shiite life style, the conflict with the rest of the Islamic sects over 14 centuries, the ethnic tribes suffered various invasion forced to live under oppression for many centuries, the conversion of Zoroastrian believes to that of Shia from the religious angle, to the power of oil and while the country has abundance of wealth through the "liquid gold', the population in the villages continue to use dried cow dung as fuel, the manipulation of the Western powers in the politics of the region with the eye on the oil, the struggle of a Shia state surrounded by Sunni populated countries, the sociological significance of the Iranian people largely formed due to these external factors and similar other topics which usually does not figure in the historical texts make it a worth while read.

Kapuscinski is one of my favourite writers. Despite being a journalist, he seems to be able to get across his thoughts and ideas beyond the lens of a typical paperman. And the method of delivery differs each time. While this book is very informative and insightful, personally I liked the 'Soccer War' and 'Imperium' more.

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Shah of Shahs ( 1982)

Ryszard Kapuściński  ( translated from Polish by William R Brand & Katarzyna Mroczkowska-Brand  1985)

Penguin Books

152 Pages
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 The Millions, Wiki , Esquire

Choma's Drum - Kota Shivaram Karanth

One of the classics from the Kannada literature, Chomana Dudi ( or Choma's Drum as translated to English) is one of the major works of Kota Shivarama Karanth. Written in the 50s, this again covers the often discussed and dealt the  subject of  caste system.

Choma belongs to the Mari caste , a lower class, untouchable, limited to the job of a bonded-labourer of the Village chief. Widowed, with five children to feed, he typical to people of his type, work hard at the fields of his boss, spent half of what he earns at  the 'toddy shop' and spent the remaining to his family, which is now put together by the smart hands of the young Belli, 10 year old daughter, who grows to the responsibility of maintaining the house affairs. Choma harbors a dream of owning or renting his own farm where he wants to cultivate paddy and other crops, for a potential escape from the hand to mouth existence. Two bullocks, which he found abandoned in the forest years ago are now grown and strong, adds to the hopes and dreams of being a farmer himself. There are other suitors for his bullocks, with attractive offers, and threats, but Choma is not wiling to let go of them. The orthodox social system prevents Choma from getting his land for he being in the low class. The Christian missionaries offer him support, but he is reluctant to join the pastor's community.

To pay off his debt, Choma had to send his elderly sons to the Coffee Estates in the distant hills. They did not manage to pay off the debt, but one succumbs to cholera and the other desert the community and join Christianity to marry his lover, leaving his family and the estate. Now the girl had to go to the estate and work her way out to pay the debt, which she manages by allowing to be abused by the estate manager and the owner himself. She returns back clearing off the debt, but loosing herself.  Choma also looses his young son, drowned in the river, in front of a watching crowd who refuses to save him for being an untouchable. Lost and defeated time and again, Choma find his daughter in a compromising position with the estate manager. He kicks her out of the house, set the bullocks free in the forest, shut himself inside vigorously beats his drums until his life escapes him.

Choma is destined to fail from the beginning. The life beats him time and again. One after the other his family members are lost. His girl, the one he loved the most and only person he respected or feared is also managed defeat him.There are others like the estate manager who loot them with increasing the debt and interest. To the society he is a low class, his dreams and hopes have no standing in their life. Even the sympathetic land lord had to adhere to the social norms ( his aged mother make sarcastic comments about the low-class), there are promises of freedom from this by accepting the ways of the Christ, but Choma is not ok to leave his 'GODs' and the other deities. Choma continue to cherish his dream of owning  a piece of land. There are government offer for a piece of land, but he does not know the way of getting it done. He realises that his status being a low class, will come in between him and his dream. He even contemplates joining the Christianity just to fulfill his dream.

Drum, plays the role of symbolic oracle. For him, the only way to express his inner most feelings, anguish, anger, joy or sadness is through his drum. The drum represent his vocal output, which is curbed by his social stature being an untouchable. The novel starts with the drum beats, listened by those returning back to their homes from the village festival. One of them remarks, "It's Choma again, and it looks like he had a drink too much today". The echoes of his self expression, is ridiculed as the naughtiness of a drunkard. The drum is omnipresent, as much as the part of his physical extension. It remained so, until the beats stopped, for the drum and Choma.

Karanth writes in simple language, befitting the protagonist of his tale. The narration is straight forwards which become profound as it progresses. There are some touching moments and brilliant passages towards the end. He doesn't take the propagandist stand, but does it through his characters. Probably a bit dated for today's generation, but interesting and absorbing read.

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Choma's Drum ( 1958)

Kota Shivaram Karanth ( translated from Kannada by P N Moodithaya & Gopakumar in 2007)

Green Books

108 Pages
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Wiki, Our Karnataka,

A Sport and a Pastime - James Salter

Thirty four  year old American Photographer, the  nameless narrator, staying in a small town Autun in the interior France, in a borrowed house of his friends, a couple staying in more urbane Paris surroundings in the early sixties. The quest to experience the real France as his stated motive behind this action. It is here he acquaint a young American Philip Dean, a Yale University dropout, wandering the French towns and villages. A young 18 year old French Beauty, Anne-Marie in his company. Inspired by love affair, he recollect their love life, through the words of Dean, the girl, his observations and his imaginations. The lusty, sensual bilingual affair of intimate love, with abundance of sexual exploits boasted by the young man as he and his girlfriend drive to and stay at various towns and villages of France. The affair, destined to end with the departure of the young boy back to the US, live through these upheaval move from strength to strength as the narration progresses,.

While it looks like a vigorous sexual encounters of two young adults, by a voyeuristic narrator, one has to shift the focus from Philip Dean and Ann-Marie, to the narrator himself. A man of self doubt, and a failure with the opposite sex, His act of narration of someone else' sexual life is coming out of his own inability. He does not hide that fact ;"I am not telling the truth about Dean, I am inventing him. I am creating him out of my own inadequacies, you must always remember that".  Thus, his imagination of his incapability become the output of his narration. Thus he focuses his efforts on creating those aspects of his life, through the invented characters of his story. One, to overcome his impotency and the other, the need of experiencing the rural France both being fulfilled through his heard, learnt, exaggerated, fabricated, modified, imagined story. And when he does that, he does it with the precision of his photographic profession, with details to the minutest aspects. It is like entering a world that is created by the young lovers, opened it to us by the narrator, and reader immersed in this world with the narrator.

Books of erotic in nature or those with explicit scenes of sex gets me bored with it in a short time. The language is usually sick and the use of common terms and repetition makes the reading more laborious than entertaining. I haven't seen many of the mainstream writers, in the literary side, doing a decent job at this, often bordering around ridiculous pornographic writings. James Salter, managed this part pretty well, with not many moments of wrinkling the brows in disgust. Even the most graphical scenes were written with elegant restrain most of the times ( there are a few exception to this where I found the writing is cheap and pedestrian). Barring this, the writing has been of very high standard. The poise, the detailing of aspects, the inventive creativity of the narrator, the appropriate pacing of chapters, and the bi-lingual and multi cultural environment among the rest were brilliant.

In the introduction Reynolds Price, brings our attention to the days of publication of D H Lawrence's 'Lady Chatterley's Lover' by Grove's press in the US and the controversy it created. This book, probably would have been as scandalous as the previous one for its openness. The impact after 45 years of it original publication may not be as big, and do feel a bit dated for today's sensibilities. Also, this by no means a major literary achievement and I probably may not go back to this book ever. James Salter's name was in discussion for a while and this was the first I could manage to get. Probably there are better books that I should look for as I can see he is a prolific writer of style.

 ------------------------------------------
A Sport and a Pastime ( 1967)

James Salter

 Farrar,Straus & Giruox

186 Pages
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Interview with James Salter,  Paris Review, Swans Commentary, NY Times, Wiki

Chess - Stefan Zweig

'... a human being, an intellectual human being who constantly bends the entire force of his mind on the ridiculous task of forcing a wooden king into the corner of a wooden board, and does it without going mad!'

During his final days in Brazil, staying in exile, days before ending his life,  Stefan Zweig completed his last work of fiction, sent it across to his American Publisher. A short but brilliantly conceived and presented short novel, went on to become a masterpiece.

The travelers in the cruise ship from New York to Buenos Aires, have a dignitary among them, the reigning world chess Champion, Mirko Czentovic.  The all encompassing, never lost any game of the mind, not known for being friendly or social and usually remained in his own quarters. However, the narrator( nameless) and his friends had other ideas. The long, boring journey can be made a bit entertaining, if they manage to lure the champion for a game of chess. The early attempt to bring him to a discussion or conversation failed, and a direct attempt was put at bay by the champion asking for an exorbitant amount of money for a game ( only one he reminded).  There was some one wiling to fund the money, in the form of a Scottish Millionaire.  The one against many was abandoned as there was not sufficient boards , and as an alternate, they decided to join force against the champion. The first game was lost, as expected even before the group of men realised.  One more board was set up, and the game was moving towards a similar end, when an old gentleman, a doctor, intervened and manipulated the way out to a draw, with his clear predictions of the moves in advance. The equation is now changed, as there is someone to stand up to the champion. They immediately wanted to set up a dual again, but the old man was reluctant. He hasn't touched a chess board for 2--25 years and did not think he can ever do it again.  

Dr B, as he is known, an Austrian, belonged to a family of physicist and financial consultants of the Monarchs who ruled Austria. The family, who had the the possession of the documents and information of the wealthy and mighty of the Austrian elite, thus became the target of the Nazi authorities who conquered the tiny Austrian empire. HE was arrested and was put under a solitary cell ( shut in a hotel room, converted as a detention center by the Nazis) without any contact to the rest of the world, except for the occasional interrogation. As is known, the solitary confinement can break down the resistance of any individual and the case wasn't different for him. his ability to withstand and resist the interrogation was at the brink of break down. The need for something to get his attention to succeeded after few months when he managed to slip his hand to the coat pocket of a Nazi Officer ( during an endless wait for interrogation in the adjacent room) and brought out a small book. Hidden in his trousers, he sneaked the book into his room, only to realise that this contain the record and commentary of the 150 chess world championship matches. Savoring whatever was available, setting up the square patterns in his blanket, playing with imaginary pieces, he mastered all the games, and started playing matches against himself . So much was the obsession, it broke down all his sanity, ending up in an asylum, to recuperate. The game of chess aboard the vessel, brought back the days of detention and his trouble past.

The game of chess was agreed upon and despite his ability to play the game physically, the challenger managed to defeat the champion, as is expected in such tales. The game is growing back on him and the days of obsessive, self destructive days and the symptoms of the dark history of insanity resurfaced, as warned by the doctors who treated him earlier. The rematch is now getting into an act of self destruction and personal sabotage as the reigning champion witness the changes in his opponent.

Stefan Zweig, brings out this subtlety of human psychological conditions in this beautiful tale. The game of chess is also a game of survival, a game of resistance to the oppressors. The board is same and the strength of the army is the same at the beginning. The fight is played in the mind, and executed on the board ( interestingly, the champion, undefeated since the age of 15, can not play blind fold, he need a physical representation in the form of a board) , while his opponent is played all along in mind, never to touch the board).  The collective conscience of the crowd against the might of the champion can also be referred to the conditions of this country. The duality of the individual under extreme conditions when he plays with himself ( White 'I' and Black 'I'), the psychological conflict and anguish, resulting in the mental conditions that put him in the hospital, Zweig, interestingly uses multiple narrative technique, with the unnamed narrator giving way to a third voice to describe the early days of prodigal grown of the Chess Champion from an orphan from Yougoslavia to a legend,  and a first person narrative of the detention days under the Nazi's recounted by the challenger.

The book is written in 1942, when the second world war as at its peak. The references can be made to the prevailing conditions of world . The arrogant, unfriendly and brutal leader ( for Germany) is being challenged by the powerless, but ambitious minnows , with the help of a mysterious support ( the Allied forces).  Fairly simple sounding narrative, but the writing is loaded and deep. Similar to a chess game, it is progressed move by move, psychic and dramatic , towards a check-mate. Another stunning little book.

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Chess ( 1942)

Stefan Zweig ( translated from German by Anthea Bell in 2006)

Penguin Modern Classics

83 Pages
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A Common Reader, Wiki,

The New York Trilogy - Paul Auster

If you have to read Paul Aster, read his New York Trilogy, was the advise I received from many friends, and here I am. Probably I should have been elated of getting into the writing of another fabulous writer, but not entirely so. I am some what cold shouldered at the end of reading, not because the book wasn't good. The writing and styling is very good, the structure and the story telling is also decent. I did like the last of the stories very well. However, something was missing for me. I know I shouldn't read it like any investigative thriller, nor as a mystery fiction as in the typical genre books. There as literary references, and probably styling around the previous generation of writers. There is also a clever ploy of bringing in a character called Paul Aster, the detective and not the writer narrator, as a character in one of the story. This also leaves a very noir-film like experience in the end.

The first one, where a detective novel writer, intrigued by a misplaced call ( wrong number dialled for Paul Aster the private detective) , trapped into a never ending chain of events taking him into the brink of madness. There is a lot of character interplay. Daniel Quinn, imposter as Paul Aster the detective, who in his earlier life ( a poet of par excellence, quit serious writing after the death of his wife and son), takes up the role of the detective, observing the movements of Peter Stillmann the senior, on behalf of the fiancee of Peter Stilmann the junior. In the turn of the events, he meet Paul Aster the writer, not the detective as the caller on the phone mentioned.

Ghost, the second story is again on a 'private eye' Blue, working for Brown, asked to investigate a man called Black , for their client White (and the place/ street is Orange, a gimmick very confusing at the start and boring as it progresses ). Writing his report periodically for Brown for which White is expected to pay.  As in the case of the previous tale, the line of sensibility is lost and the frustration and monotonous profile of the job is enough for him to loose his restrain and make him confront Black, his target.

The Locked room, ( reference to the old styled 'locked room mystery'), is about a writer, work on the creative out put of his friend, who went missing. He not only publishes the works of his friend, but replaces him in the family, falling in love with his wife and moving in with her. The situation turns bad after he was entrusted to write the biography of his friend, now a literary sensation after the publication of his works. Confronted with the reality of his ineffectiveness as a writer, the uneasiness of the reference of his name with the wife adds to the difficulties. The potential threat of the return, the anonymous letters, the eventual rendezvous ( not in the real sense), adds to the final twist of the tale.

I am probably missing some thing here. There must be some connect , however subtle, between these stories. Also, there must be some thing about the New York as a city in the settings. This is not a typical detective story, but mostly on observation of the observer; the pursuer and not the pursued. In all of these stories, the protagonist, some what trapped in his own choices and circumstances, unable to shackle free, making decisions of of helplessness and frustration, taking them to a level of mental break down. It is also looks at  writing and writing process, as every one of the stories are about writing as well. I am not sure if this has anything to do with the post modernist writing ( probably its too old already) with its deep condescending of outwardly trivial plots and subjects. Also, we can see a lot of playfulness of Aster as a writer, with the complex structural exposition, the jumbling up of names, the tricky use of color as name. One can understand the playful mood of the writer with all these intricacies which can leave him with high creative satisfaction, and how much of it is parted to the reader, is probably a different story. Having said that,  I will , in all possibility, go back to the book again and see if I can spot any missing points.

------------------------------------------
The New York Trilogy (1985/86/87)

Paul Aster

Faber & Faber  

314 Pages
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Polaris, Bluecricket.com, Wiki

Nostalgia -Mircea Cărtărescu

I finished reading this book about three weeks ago. Unlike the other books, where I could  summon up my overall impression in a couple of days, this book seems to be taking a lot of time. On one hand, I see this an ordinary childhood reminiscence with some clever passages. In the same moment, I am somewhat fascinated by this writer. His way of telling stories, the way of weaving all of them together, the ordinary, trivial, childish and young adult affairs has some character in it. Some thing that is very impressive in his writing. I went back and read the first chapter again, and it the effect was phenomenal, stupendous writing.

However, the 5 disconnected stories that is called a novel, has something missing from the collective impact of a novel. Probably this is not a complete novel in its traditional way, making me feel less 'complete' after reading this. There is no clear fabric of a story through out. There is no intriguing plots or something to look forward to as a finale. The writer himself confirms ( in the afterword) that 'This is a fractalic and holographic novel, in which each part reflects all others", but not very convincing.

Presented in three parts, Prologue in the form of the Roulette Player,  the main part Nostalgia, and the epilogue 'the architect', with the centre part Nostalgia in three stories takes up the larger part of the book. A brilliant introduction by Andrei Codrescu ( whose book I bought a week ago) and an afterword by Julian Semilian ( who translated the book) to give us the glimpses of the writing of Carterescu and the Romanian Literature in general.

The narrator, starts his reminiscence with his memories of the a game of Russian roulette, played in an underground operation, where the dare devil protagonist, put his own life at ransom, in a game of luck with death. Starting at one, adding one pellet after other in the subsequent events, he attempts to shoot himself, against a diminishing probability of survival. After every successful game show, fainting at the end of the gunshot, he up his odds with all six bullets inside the magazine, only to be saved by a 'heavenly intervention'.

Most of the stories are set in the dark and gloomy suburbs of Bucharest, the daily life and core of the young Romanians, where the childhood and young memories are revisited. Mentardy was a bit underwhelming and though a beautiful love story, twins wsa also not all that great,  One of the best pieces of writing is in REM,the third of the nostalgia part, where a middle aged woman, recounting her childhood days as a young 12 year old girl, to her young college student boyfriend.

His prose and style is fabulous. The way the words and sentences formed with careful deliberation, the way the sentences, paragraphs, chapters and book is structured, The clever way of creating an subtle connect between the three chapters ( in nostalgia part) , in reverse order of the age and time creating an overall impact in the reading.  Stunning details, vivid imagery, very moving and surrealistic portrayal of young loves, dreams and frustration, Cartarescu is brilliant in his writing.

This is the first book of Carterescu translated into English. the first part of his autobiography is now available in English, which is already receiving rave reviews. From a shear writing and styling point of view this is very very impressive, but a bit under whelming as a novel.

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Nostalgia (1989/93)

Mircea Cărtărescu ( translated from Romanian by Julian Semilian 2005)

New Direction 

322 Pages
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Wiki , Romania Insider, Complete Review

Serious Men - Manu Joseph

Caste and the untouchability were a major theme in the for most part of the twentieth century Indian Literature. From Malayalam ( until the sixties), Kannada( to the seventies ), Tamil, Telugu and any other language the doyens of Indian writing toyed with this single theme for a long time. The times have changed and there is significant improvement in the social structure. The collective bargain power of the caste politics is now gathering momentum, but the issues related to upper and lower class, untouchability and other taboos are relatively lesser known in the modern India ( at least in the Metro space).  Manu Joseph, in his award winning debut novel, attempt to chew the same Brahmin versus the rest, representing power versus the ruled, rich and poor story camouflaged under a funny satire. The book, won the year 2010 Hindu Fiction award as well as the American Pen Open Book award in 2011 and heralded as the new and different voice in the Indian English Writing.

The story weave around Ayyan Mani, a Tamil Speaking Dalit, born to a sweeper from a lower class, living in the infamous Mumbai slums, working as a secretary to the eccentric, Nobel contender scientist , heading the Institute of Theory and Research . Eavesdropping the conversations of his superior, Ayyan manages to gather sufficient knowledge on scientific aspect to impress the others.  A smart guy, he plays trick with the world, by promoting his half-deaf son as some extraordinary genius, with some clever maneuvers ( such as asking questions beyond the child's comprehension, sniffing out the Inter-school quiz questions and creating a havoc, by some play act) and manipulation of the press. The politicians ( especially the minister from the Dalit community) , takes up the action by adding their bit of excitement about the Dalit Genius from the slums. The ploy was getting out of control and to a point where Ayyan Mani is not able to retract. At the Institute front, the moronic, dictatorship of the Arvind Acharya, is taken a turn with the arrival of young attractive female researcher. The mission to outer space to collect sample of extra terrestrial particles, and establish the presence of living organisms gathers enough opposition, but Acharya has his powerful supporters in the Ministry. The mission, and the study of the collected samples by the female researcher, and her subsequent revenge on Acharya ( a sleazy love affair that shatters both the lives) for his betrayal  and the final filmy showdown is the book is all about.

The outrageous  humor, clever one liners, invented quotes, the make belief characterisation expected from a satire is all there. I often laughed out loud as I went through the book. Its very funny and he take pot shots at many things in one go. The urban system, the scientific research community, the quest for extra terrestrial intelligence, the political system, the great Indian caste system, the brahminical hierarchy , the religious and education nexus ( the Malayalee School principal, trying to woo Ayyan to convert into Christianity), the Ambedkar and the dalits ( with  the mass conversion to Buddhism, but his wife refuse to accept any other Gods but that of the Hindu deities, which they worshipped for generations), the press ( paid news and the sensation that they need), the slum dwellers, the power politics of the Research Institute, the peons and secretaries in Offices ( who are having a ball of a time with the "clash of the Brahmins")  etc etc. Every one is treated in a caricature form, often very superficial lacking individuality ( sa representation of various aspect of Society).

However, there are at least a few places, where the jovial mood of the writer is turned very sensitive and sublime. These parts of the writing were very good , especially  the Ayyan mani and his wife, the interactions between Arvind Acharya and his wife and a couple more similar instances were top class. What is also interesting to note is the keen observation of the writer on various people and style into their minutest detail , albeit they are limited to physical in nature. What was disappointing to me was that there is no real insight, and apart from the two parallel plots, there is no substance in the tale, that is convincing. In the end, it was yet another easy, funny and fast read. Luckily, the cinematic finish is done with a few pages, leaving the action sequence to be detailed by the reader himself. That was very appropriate and clever.

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Serious Men ( 2010)

Manu Joseph 

Harper Collins 

326 Pages
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Huffington Post ( Interview) , NY Times, Mumbai Boss, Guardian, Independent

A Brief History of Smile - Angus Trumble

There isn't a day without one seeing a quote related to smile in the social media or in your mail box, being shared by one of your friend. It is also said that one of the most used symbol in communication, these days, are the yellow circle with two dots and a curved line,  appropriately called a 'smiley'.  The flexing of the facial muscles ( apparently 12 of them) which are below the nose and above the jaw, is supposed to be one of the 'strongest non-verbal communication' in the world, transcending regional, cultural and linguistic barriers.

Amgus Trumble, an Australian, living in the US as a curator of art, discusses the topic of smile, starting from his area of expertise, moving to sculptures, religion, social , health & beauty and literary settings. Having invited to address a convention of dentist, he thought about the dentists observation of the teeth with regards to beauty. A discussion, triggered his interest in the subject of smile, resulting in this entertaining book.

Being an art curator, his immediate reaction begins with the form of his convenience and expertise. Starting his discussion with the representation of smile or smirk in the paintings of 18th century Dutch and Flemish masters ( Frans Hals's Laughing Cavalier ) , the discussion moves to one of the most celebrated and discussed smile of the world: that of Monalisa. Categorizing smiles into six varieties, 'decorum, lewdness, desire,mirth,wisdom and deceit' detailing the aspect of various observations on smile, Trumble smiles his way through our mind.

Darwin's theory on the smile of the new born baby, the use of black paints on the teeth by the Geisha, the blissful smile of Buddha ( there is no mention of the 'laughing Buddha' statues), the Cambodian sculpture of Jayavarman VII the God-king,  the use of lipstick and lip liners as enhancement methods, the dental improvement to the smile, the 'need' of smile in the photography, various use of smile words for a pleasant photograph ( Cheese is the most popular, but  "lesbian" - yes photographer Cecil Beaton , "money"-in Australia,  "patata" meaning potato in Spain, fax by Czechs and the Japanese use of the English word "whisky" ), the various etymology of smile through many many languages and culture ( myle, smale, smyl, smylle, smyll, smill, smoyle , smoile ...) are covered with his characteristic humor and witty anecdotes. 

This isn't a scientific book or a sociological book in the lines of Desmond Morris',  and not necessarily the most comprehensive study on this subject. It did trigger a larger internal discussion within me, reflecting on various other representation of smile and related aspect within the eastern cultural and art forms. The facial paintings of Kathakali artists ( elaborated red colored enhancement for the lip giving a permanent  smiling expression) , the 'sad/happy dual of theatrical masks, the thin line separating a smile and a laugh, among various other things.

A quick fast read, with some interesting facts and more curious observations. From the seductive smile of a prostitute, the deceit , the smirk and the grin ( with a negative connotation to it) , with or without the display of the teeth ( with reference toThe Rules of Christian Decorum and Civility of 1703) , the upward curve of the lips ( apparently only 67% of the people curve their lips while smiling) , the changes in the eyes ( the twinkle) , the grin from animals ( cats, dogs and primates) and many more such smiley aspects makes this an informative book.

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A Brief History of Smile ( 2004)

Angus Trumble

Basic Books

226 Pages
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USA Today, The Age, Meta Psychology, Spirituality and Practice