Aryavartham - Madampu Kunjukuttan

Spencer Wells, in his celebrated work on Anthropology ( Journey of a man : a genetic Odessey) talks about the first man (and women) , originated in Central Africa and migrated from there to Asia, Australia , Europe and to America. One group took the southern route to South India to South-East Asia and to Australia. The other ( which amounts to almost 90% the current world population) took the northern route eventually populating Eurasia and Americas. The genetic study reveals that the earliest of migration is only about 60,000 years ago ( there are some revisions in this now after a latest study in 2011) . Adding to this debate could be the Aryan invasion, or the migration of eastern Europe/Central Asian Nomads into India and spreading their culture and invading into the inner parts of the country. While there are controversies around it, among historians , the genetic study do demonstrate a possible second entry of human migratory route into India from the north at a later stage.

Madampu Kunhukuttan, explore this myth in his latest novel titled 'Aryavartham' , which recently launched at a function commemorating his 70th birthday. He goes through a hypothesis ( fictional, Of course) that the centre point of this migration of Vedic people originated at the himalayas on the shores of 'Manasasarovar' adjoining the Hindu holy site of Mount Kailas ( of Lord Shiva). The entire population decides to split themselves into 4 groups and move in 4 directions until they reach the destination of their final settlement. This book split in 2 parts confine itself into the initial decision and preparation for migration and follows one group into their early settlement at the northern part of India, which is now famous as Indus Valley Civilization.

Man of abundant knowledge and a descendant of the Original Vishwamitra ( who is called Vishwamitra II ), summoned his people near the Manasasarovar and said, "My dear people, Let us move. Let us migrate from this place for Fire and for food. Let is go to a place where the rivers flow over the banks irrespective of the season ,where our cattle have enough to eat , where the earth is young and fertile waiting to be explored.

It is obvious that the clan was forced to migrate due to changes in the nature. Evidently there is nothing to eat, the earth is barren and not yielding to the efforts of cultivation, the cattle is dying and the milk production is dwindling. There is no hope in a place which is now abandoned by the gods themselves. Hence the only way is to migrate, to migrate to greener pastures. It is important that the tribal discipline is maintained during the journey. There has to be a leader and the others had to be obedient to the rule of the tribe. There had to be division of labour. The cattle has to be taken care off, hence protected. They are not warriors by birth or by need. The only weapon they adorn is the knowledge they carry within. The knowledge in Mathematics, Fire and Wheel is the only thing makes them different from the rest of the world. It is important to preserve the knowledge. Hence it is important to protect their language. They also need to multiply and fill the plains wherever the settle.

After many deliberations and assurances, the initial group takes off, and at a fixed time delay the next until all 4 groups move away from the place of their origin, carrying representative memorabilia with each of them . The last group , which moved north after long walk ends up at the plains with fertile land enough for the cattle to eat and for the populace to live on. The place is of abundance of water through five rivers running through the plain. The group has decide to settle here. There are indigenous people of the plain and they need to work with them for suitable place to build their settlement. Slow and steady progress get the two group together. The indigenous people does not believe in owning up the land. The earth is for all and anyone can cultivate there and reap the result of their hard work. The extra is then traded for essentials. But for the visitors, they have to own their place, they need to fence their belongings and need to get the others to work in their field. They also need to establish their superiority and authority over the others and slowly and steadily take control. The birth of feudalism. The greed for more begins here. Inspite of the visitors superiority in certain fields of knowledge ( like medicine ) the aborigines ( if I can use the word) are advanced in various other fields ( construction, town planning), and a co-existence would be a better way moving forward. They had been demonstrating their superior skills at the now submerged settlement at Harayupi and mohanarupi ( Harappa & Mohanjadaro) which is now rebuilt with the same level of efficiency and effectiveness. The rest is the tale of integration and furthering the relationship with its own twists and turns.

This is non- contemporary theme and hence is not easy to grasp at first. It is also cleverly thought and executed. It is also non-controversial thus far and the journey is not over. The scope of expansion is huge and I'm sure there would be a part two or more in the series. We can see an intelligent writer here using the myth, historical, scientific and vedic data very effectively. At no point of time, the narration goes against any of the current day knowledge of people, social or historical and scientific awareness. His clever arguments on banning cow slaughter , the in-sect marriage, the tectonic plate shifts, the mixing of factual and fictional reality of migration are brilliant.

While this is not a contemporary story , it does not rely too heavily on the mythical facts. It is constructed in an epical style with tales and sub-texts to each stories, building up the whole some narration. It is these stories and diversion makes the reading interesting, more than the theme itself. There are great treasures in them preserved through the oral tradition of the Vedic people. These little gems creates the baroqueness to the straight forward story of migration. The language, as it should be , is rich and sanskritised to a great extend. Most of the names and the places aren't easy to remember and the mythical aura of the narrative is demanding on the reader. Having said that, this is an interesting take on the spread Aryan people and language. Madampu, hopefully continue this journey with the other groups to give a completeness to the epic.

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Aryavartham ( 2011 )

Madampu Kunjukuttan

Green Books, Trichur

240 Pages
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The Taste of a Man - Slavenka Drakulic

"I shall eat his body so that Jose may continue to live inside me. We shall be one. In spirit and in body. Amen."

Not sure if there had been any literary works based on Cannibalism as a theme. Interestingly, this had been appearing in various reading of mine of late. The new Malayalam book "Francis Ittykkora" details about an clandestine group practicing cannibalism. I was reading about Ukrainian mothers eating their kids during the famine years of 30s. Cannibalism was in discussion, with the Europeans travelling around the world discovering and conquering continents. There are numerous reports of them either surviving or witnessing cannibals. Some like the paragraph below, with some gruesome detailing.

"the head was impaled on a palisade of the village and not eaten, although the lips and eyeball ganglions went to the executioner. The brain was eaten by women and children, and the entrails, intestines and stomach were boiled into a stew. Men got the arms and legs, while women got to drink the victim's warm blood at the execution itself. The male organs were either given to women ? presumably as a special treat ? or served up to the men by the women. Teeth and bones were used as necklaces or to make war-flutes or arrow points."

However, with the improvement of travel and spread of information in the 20th century, these stories dwindled out and remained in a short circles of discussion. Slavenka Drakulic ( known for her post-communist era essays of Europe such as Cafe Europa etc) in her first novel, takes this in a different light and intellect.

Tereza, a Polish girl doing her masters in English Poetry, get to meet and fall in love with Jose, a Brazilian doing his research for a book he is writing on Cannibalism. While she had numerous relationships and has a boyfriend back in Poland, her attraction towards this married man was instant. It did not take long for them to move in together to her apartment. The days that followed were one that was meant only for them. The world stopped, time did not move, isolated from all. The love for each other became and obsession beyond sexual and physical, into the abyss of being one,inseparable from each other. As in any story, there is twist here to the tale. Jose's wife lands up at San francisco, and Jose had to leave NY to be with his wife and son. The separation, albeit for a couple of days, make her realise what is lost from her life. The obsession to get him for herself, to be in union with him, to be single in body and soul. Slowly and determined she take control over him. The meticulous planning continued for few days, with Jose himself succumbing to the fact, as if he understood the plan. The rest is the execution of the plan.

Jose's work on cannibalism, his research on the victims of the Andean plane crash , survived on their dead comrades body parts were the first to influence her. The subsequent knowledge of the tribes in pacific island, where the ladies eat the bodies of their deceased husbands, not to pollute the earth and to give their life a continuity through their own life, and similar twentieth century case studies, could have been her inspiration to get it done by herself.

"Something else had to be done, something that would definitively unite us. There was only one way that Jose could continue to live inside me. Of course, I had thought about getting pregnant - that was the first thing that would have occurred to any woman in my position. But that would not create the kind of perfect, total unity, the union of the body and spirit, that I was seeking. A child, even if it was his, would be an utterly new separate being."

Written in first person narrative ( by Teresa), it does not give out a feeling of detachment or numbness to the reader. Was it right for the Plne wreck victims to eat hman flesh to survive ?Was it write for the pacifi island woman to eat their husbands ? Was it right for the unfortunate Ukrainian mothers to eat their children ? There are no answers. The Andean survivors thought "eating the flesh of their dead comrades was an act of communion".

She does not look at these event with any analytical way. There are no Sexual, spiritual or religious angle to the theme, whatsoever, in here. Not overtly intellectual. Thus, even after reading, one is left with the same numbness as Teresa, as if nothing extraordinary had happened. However, Teresa wanted to get her house cleaned for which she takes almost 3 days, in company of the dissected corpse. Now that they are one, she has to erase the earlier memories of him. The tub has to be scratched and cleaned, the floor mopped, the kitchen table and sink wiped clean. "My idea of cleanliness had tuned into an obsessive, self punishing activity. I was perfectly aware that something else was involved here, subconscious desire to atone for sin"

 The scenes of dissection and eating are gory and gruesome and not really convey her real feeling towards him. I thought at this point the narrative and control is slightly lost. Also, this is not an easily convincing subject and hence the effort has to be so much more from the author, which might not be the case here. Hence, it did not create an experience that is sensual , religious or spiritual in a deeper sense.

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The Taste of a Man ( 1997 )

Slavenka Drakulic ( translated by Christina Pribichevich Zoric 1997 )

Penguin Books

212 Pages

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Other reviews : Publishers Weekly,

2666 - Roberto Bolaño

It took a couple of years and a couple of other books of Roberto Bolano, to sum up enough courage to take up this mamoth book. Like many others, I too picked up this book in 2008 when it was a sensation around the world after its launch. However, I thought it would be premature to start reading Roberto Bolano without familiarizing with his writing. However even after a week finishing the reading, I am not able to gather my thought around it. Here is my failed attempt to get some thoughts together.

2666, the last work completed ( in haste apparently, as if he knew what is happening to him) by Bolano before his death in 2003, is probably the first of the classics of 21st century ( definitely in the first decade). This one will go a long way in discussions and will be heralded as one of the path breaking novels of the 21st century. The book is written in 5 parts, and he wanted to publish each as separate books, however better sense prevailed and the heirs decided to publish this as one consolidated mega book.

Tracing back and forth between Europe and Mexico, this follows the life of a literary genius on one side and as a crime detective story on the other converging the threads brilliantly towards the end.

The most important part, the fourth and the longest ( nearly 300 pages), named as 'The part about the Crimes' is the most discussed part by the critics and readers in general. Tracing the disappearance of young women in a fictional town of Santa Teresa in the norther borders of Mexico adjoining US. Mostly written in reportage and often repetitive in nature, he traces the crime over a period of 10 years, end of the 20th century and the initial years of 21st century. May be this part makes people declare this as a novel about crime, of death , of apocalypse foretold ( especially with the name 2666 of the book). Critics says, Santa Teresa is modelled on the city of Ciudad Juarez in the US borders, where the large US enterprises sets up their manufacturing units , attracted by the cheap labour force and the proximity to the key market. Interestingly, it was noted that these large corporates employee women workers in their factories, for obvious reasons. The disappearance of working women, later found dead abandoned in the desert , brutally murdered after rape and torture. The investigations as expected often abandoned with no results and the cases were closed citing lack of evidence. Bolano, gets the readers focus on this issue of murder and the investigations linking it to the other theme with some brilliant interplay.

The main thread follows an obscure Gernam Writer Benno Von Archimboldi. Chapter One focusses on four literary critics, who were attracted by Archimboldi and his writing, Presenting papers in various international forums and literary festival the obsessed quartet follow the writer in order to find the details through the publishers and the tracks of fellow critics, eventually ending up in the town of Santa Teresa following certain indication. It is in the last part, is the life story of Benno von Archimboldi, from Hans Reiter, a WWII veteran, turning into a writer maintaining his anonymity until the last days of his life( even from his family). This chapter is one gets the various chapters together giving the book a wholesome feeling, completing with the story of Archimboldi's sister and her son. Santa Teresa is the merging point of all the threads, it is where most of the actions are. It is also the place of eventual apocalypse.

The whole novel on a different angle can be viewed as a satire. A satire on the literary academics of Europe. The efforts of few individuals making an obscure writer , the sensation and someone who is Nobel worthy. This is also a political satire on the true story of murders of women in Ciudad Juarez. Thus it is often funny, and at times ridiculous.

It is evident that he wanted his last book to be a classic , an epic : and that is what he made it to be. In every sense the book goes through the narration that befit one magnum opus. The size of the book does not come in way of the overall enjoyment. Its a fast read and is an easy one. He purposefully vary lengths of his chapters, manipulates pace of narrative, and deliberate over matters of importance. He also include intricate subtexts and stories within stories ( especially towards the end) leaving you suspended and often bewildered. Interestingly every part is a different style of writing. A reportage for the crime, a biographical style for the last, a satirical style for the first part.

900 pages of shear magic. May be kept the best for last. This will not be the last ime I'm reading this and not the last time I talk about this..

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2666 ( 2004 )

Roberto Bolano ( Translated from Spanish by Natasha Wimmer in 2008)

Pacador

898 Pages
Rs 750
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Other Reads : Complete Review , Wiki , Latin American Review of Books

Sozaboy - Ken Saro wiwa

"Although, everybody at Dukana was happy at first"

The post independent Nigeria was marred with sectarian violence lasting over three decades. Literary works around this theme had been around the world for many years from Nigeria,and even until recently ( half of Yellow sun etc). What makes this book different is that this does not glorify the struggle or violence but depicts the story of those suffered with out the least of knowledge for what the fight is for. Mene is a grown up boy, living with his mother in small village Dukana far from Lagos. People in Dukana greeted the news of ousted government by the military as they thought this will bring down corruption and those who 'chop' the money from poor people like them will be dealt with sever punishment. They welcomed any such changes with their way of celebration, drinking and dancing the whole night.  The only way they know how to react to anything, be is happy or sad occasions is by losing themselves in dance and liquor. The initial days were encouraging with the new government, but soon the old ways of 'chopping money' came back with vengeance. The difference is that now the Soza ( Military) itself is 'chopping money' from the people and they have nowhere to go.

Young Mene, paid some money to the driver of the motor bus, who ply between Dukana and the local town Pitaka daily, to be his apprentice. His mama's hard earned money was required to get the driver agree to take him as his assistant. He wanted to learn driving and get a license for himself ( he need money again to attend the test and get license). It is on one of these days, where the motor was in the garage for maintenance, he met Agnes with JJC ( Johnny Just Come - for a girl with pointed breasts ) in the local bar. Agnes is a shameless girl, talking cheap talk and had been to Lagos on work for many time. It is at this bar that he hear the talk about war and a man speaking about the need to fight the war.

The Dukana is a safe place and far from the troubles. Why does someone want to attack Dukana ? "Dukana is far away from any other better place in the world  all the houses in the town are made of mud. There is no good road or drinking water. Even the school is not fine and no hospital or anything."

 However, the Soza arrived at Dukana in their lorries and the Village Chief Birabee , weak-kneed against the Soza, summoned people and chopped them off whatever they could give. Mane's local friends, a WW II veteran, who fought 'Hitla' in Burma, and had a white woman before returning crippled to Dukana , had him filled with those glorious stories of being a Soza. His mother was against it. She did not want her only son lost in the war. All she wanted him was to marry and produce 'pickens' in many numbers. The compromise idea for Mane was to agree to marry and later leave on a mission to be a Sozaboy. But money is needed for both marriage and to join soza. It was easy to get Agnes agree for wedding though her initial reaction was “You foolish man. All your friends are making soza, you want to stay here and marry with that your thing standing like snake wey no get house” . It was much persuasion he got the permission to go and join the Soza. 

The initial training and the depute was easy and uneventful with his pride in wearing the uniform and rifle.  However the trouble soon started with an ambush on their group by enemy planes which killed most of the members. Sozaboy escaped with minor injuries and he escaped to the nearby bushes under the darkness. Caught again by a different troupe. His little knowledge of driving saved his life as he became their messenger to the various parts of the war, often doing the job all by himself.  Under these difficult conditions, where his pride of being a Soza vanished, he continue to survive only to be back with his mother and wife.  It is in one of such trips he decided to change paths and go visit Dukana to meet his mama and wife. What he sees there is destruction with not a souls in sight. It was devastation every where. It is evident that the war had reached the village and the entire village was ran away. Two old crippled soldiers hiding in the edge of the village was the only souls that remain, as they were unable to travel.

"Dokuna is not like Dokuna again. Where are chief Birabee them and all those his chiefs who every time will take bribe from the people ? Where is Pastor Barika singing his song in the morning and in the evening and every Sunday telling all his lies from the pulpit to the women of Dukana ? Where are all the young men with their long prick and big blokkus ? And where are all the young young girls with JJC just waiting for the young men ? Sozaboy, Dukana don die. The war have buried our town."

Now the search for his wife and mother intensified as he was directed in various refugee camps run by Red Cross and other voluntary organisations. What he sees in these places were worse than what he experienced in prisons.

"My dear brothers and sisters, I will not try to tell you how I was moving from one camp to another.Or what I saw in the camp that I went to. Because, true true as Zaza have talked, this camp is proper human compost pit and all these people they are calling refugees are actually people that they have throwaway like rubbish......I am telling you, the first time that I went inside one camp, I almost run because I think that I have reached the town of ghost, or ghost town as some people call it."

His search resulted in no finding. his wife with JJC and his beloved mother was no where to be seen. It is in one of these camps he found the pastor and the old Village chief. He with his new status of being a soza was treated differently, only to be caught ( with some tips off by the Chief and Pastor) and send to the opposite army who controlled this area. It is then he realised the nexus of those in power with the traders.

"Some people have chopped the people food and sold the cloth that the Red Cross people ask them to give all the people. They are selling this food and cloth and afterwards they will preech to the people... these bellymen are friends of the sozas and of the politicians and the traders. And they are all trading in the life of men and women and children. And their customer is death."

Again in prison awaiting death, they kill one prisoner per day, the only regret he has is his inability to meet his wife and mother. The fate was again on his side as soon the enemy lost the war and the war was coming to an end. The attempt to kill all the prisoners had to abandon with the end of ammo and he was spared once again. Now freed, although devastated and tired, he comes back to Dukana with the hope of finding his beloved there. However he was not welcomed as expected. The village is under the attack of Cholera and hoards are dying every minute. People shut the door to him and not willing to answer his calls. Disillusioned with this response, he once again take refuge in the destructed church trying to get some sleep. It is here he meet the old friend and understand the fate that attracted his family and the reason for the reaction from his people.

 "You see, Dukana people are saying that although you have already died, you have become ghost and sometime you can appear as proper porson and go to where Dukana people are staying and begin to ask for you mama and your wife Agnes"

The language ( the use of it) itself is a character in this book . The novelist claims this as a novel in 'Rotten English', mix of Anglican English, the Pidgin English and all those local expressions. He says these are not prevalent in the country, but used it to create the impact. There haven't been many that I know which uses the language so effectively. Ken Saro wiwa tells in his foreword,

Sozaboy's language is what I call 'rotten English,' a mixture of Nigerian pidgin English, broken English and occasional flashes of good, even idiomatic English. This language is disordered and disorderly. Born of a mediocre education and severely limited opportunities, it borrows words, patterns and images freely from the mother-tongue and finds expression in a very limited English vocabulary. To its speakers, it has the advantage of having no rules and no syntax. It thrives on lawlessness, and is part of the dislocated and discordant society in which Sozaboy must live, move and have not his being.

Ken Saro-Wiwa was a writer, television producer, human right activist and environmentalist. in Nigeria. He was arrested and put to trial by the Nigerian Authority accusing him of creating communal disturbance and of inciting riots. He was sentenced to death by the special court and he was hung to death along with 8 others on the 10th of November 1995.

Its a book about war, the senselessness of war, the atrocities, the human disaster or more precisely it is an anti-novel. Those who fought did not know for what they were fighting for and for whom ? They were recruited en masse and often paid meager salary living under pathetic condition. Many a times, they fought for both the warring parties. Winning or loosing war had no meaning to them.

"Well, I don't think it is good thing or bad thing. Even sef I don't want to think. What they talk, we must do. Myself, if they say fight, I fight. If they say no fight, I cannot fight. Finish."

As the last words spoken by Sozaboy, tells it all..

"And I was thinking how I was prouding before to go to soza and call myself Sozaboy. But now if anybody say anything about war or even fight, I will just run and run and run and run and run. Believe me yours sincerely"

Sozaboy is a masterpiece of African Literature.

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Sozaboy (1985)

Ken Saro-wiwa  ( Kenule Benson Tsaro-Wiwa  )

188 Pages

Longman Publications
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More read : War, violence and language in Ken Saro-Wiwa’s Sozaboy , Felix Online Review , Solidarity,

The Wandering Falcon - Jamil Ahmad

The soldiers of an isolated military out post somewhere in the borders of three countries ( Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran), spotted "two figures and a camel" movingly slowly and hesitantly towards the fort where they camped. It was cold winter months and the wind rages continuously during these four months. 'The wind had been blowing with savage fury for three days' and the soldiers, who remained inside the closed shutters while the wind blew came out for some fresh air and water noticed them coming up the hill. "Water", was the only words came out of the man and the subedar 'pointed wordlessly towards the half empty bucket'. The man took the head of the women in his hand and tenderly squeezed some drop of water on to her face, wetting the edge of her shawl. As she sensed the water, she started sucking his hand and fingers. All of a sudden she lunged towards the bucket and plunged her head into it until she choked. Once recovered the couple requested refuge as they were running away from their tribe, the Siahpads, weathering the terrain and the cruel storm. Refuge was refused as the soldiers do not want to get in the wrong side of the tribal law, but a shelter was granted. The stay however continued for 6 years , and it is here their child was born. However, the tribe had their way and the couple notices the tribesmen on hunt coming towards the post. The attempt to flee did not take them long, before the hunters caught up with them in a couple of days. As was decided earlier, they ended their life ( women being killed by him and he to the deathly blows of their pursuers. The kid was spared ( and live to take us through the rest of the tales as a participant and witness in the rest of the tales. The boy known as Tor Baz ( the black falcon), continue his journey all over Pakistan, the mainland, the delta and more often in the hills bordering the countries through the eventful years of turbulence.

The hilly areas of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran are inhabited by various tribes with their own distinct life style and tribal law. The bureaucratic efforts to bring them to be the national law abiding citizens are often resulted in conflicts and as their law demands, they ended up in armed struggle with the authorities. Each tribe and multiple clans within the tribe has definite sets of boundaries of living , moving and existing and any breakage of this is dealt with killing. The authorities on either side of the Pak-Afghan border continue their effort to bring them to justice, often treating them as criminals, subjected to torture and capital punishment, many a times even without proper trial ( as a case of 7 surrendering tribal men in one of the story here).

The life up the terrain is difficult and demanding. Often the weather is unbearable and the tribe move in caravan from one place to the other. However with the birth of the country states and international boundaries, curtailed their freedom of movement as they have to cross the "border", which is prohibited without 'permits'. But to them, these are not in their books and wouldn't understand, often getting into armed struggle and loosing cattle and human lives in the end.

Though these writings belong to the period of 50s and 60s , before the Soviet occupation, it gives us the glimpses of the real issue of the region. The strong tribal grouping and hierarchy , with inability of the Governments to understand and appreciate these inner power politics ( or the non-willingness to accept) could be one of the real back ground of the never ending conflicts in that region. They are simple people and the life is more or less predefined. The life is tough and often have to deal with harsh realities. Hence taking up arms and killing for honour of the tribe is not considered as a crime. Interestingly, religion is not a strong force.

This is a collection of tales, loosely held with the Tor Braz as a silent witness. Each story is powerful and is an eye opener. Jamil Ahmad had spent long years with the Pakistan administration working in these tribal areas and have a first hand knowledge of their life, which is brought out brilliantly in these pages. The language is beautiful and the set up and the characters are new to the general readers. Very picturesque and subtle shift of emotions and the underlying reality of their existence against every thing against them ( the place, the weather, the people, the authorities), they continue to struggle through their life from generations to generations.

Fantastic work of fiction by the 78 year old debutant.

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The Wandering Falcon (2011)

Jamil Ahmad

Penguin Books India

181 Pages

Rs 399
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Read : Guardian , Penguin India Page

Influence : Science and Practice - Robert B Caldini

For all those who are involved in sales and marketing , the issue of demand generation is an ever discussed topic. As marketing managers try one strategy after other to continue create the demand for their product or services that are to offer. In that context it is important to know what makes the person be influenced. What are the basic human nature that can be identified and manipulated to get the 'message' across. Robert Caldini in his fabulous book "Influence: Science and Practice" looks at these six major forces that are the key in influencing decisions by individuals.

People are poor in making decisions. They rely on factors that help them to arrive at a decision to act. Caldini calls this as a 'Click-Whirr' behaviour. There is a response to every events, based on an automatic 'tape replay'. These responses are conditioned and are immediate influenced by these indirect factors.

He categorizes these into six elements as :

1. Reciprocation

2. Consistency and Commitment

3. Social Proof

4. Authority

5. Liking

6. Scarcity

While he explains these topics at lengths with appropriate examples and discussions to substantiate these points. Instead of getting into the typical academic discussion, it is elaborated with some fun reading and few readers experiences. What is interesting is that these phenomena is not isolated to any specific countries or groups. We see the reflections of these all around us glaring ( now, especially after reading the book). We feel the obligation to return the favour in whatever form. We are also wary about changing from our known 'position' on any subject or issues. There is also a tendency to go after what is the world doing or using. What is popular with many should be good for me too. We are also believe in experts, and blindly follow the authority. There are also specific liking to certain individuals or organisations influencing our decision. The fancy for 'limited editions' or ' offer until stock lasts' of ' last 2 days' etc also seems to be a great influence on our decision.

On the blind following of an authority, Caldini cites a case of a patient who followed the instructions from the doctor, treating him for ear infection. The prescription read, " Please drop in R ear", obviously meaning right ear. You can decide for yourselves on the actual usage and result.

Of the non-fiction books that I've read in the recent past , this is one of the best read I've had. It doesn't get too verbose moving from one example to the other to substantiate his thoughts. The book has been an easy and engaging read structured and presented beautifully.

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Influence : Science and Practice (2001)

Robert B Caldini

Pearson Education

259 Pages
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More read : Six weapons of Influence

The Old man and his sons - Heðin Brú

Faroe Island is a tiny piece of land in the arctics , inhabited by slightly over 38000 people. An island located between Iceland and western Norway, currently under Danish administration. I was more intrigued when I heard about the literature coming out of this land and is widely acclaimed across the world. Feroan language and the writings are pretty new and emerged out of the Danish influence towards the end of 18th century. Interestingly, Faroe had a large oral tradition of story telling. It is said, that, during the long cold winter evenings people gather around and narrate tales to kill time. These traditions continued over the years and resulting in a highly developed written and literary genre.

Ketil and his wife represents the older generation lives their own small and content life. The family have five sons staying in an around their village , except the last one who is with them. The father is not very happy with his own kids.."We have got five great oafs of sons living around us, and here I am in my seventieth year, but I have to reckon myself the only man among the lot"

The book starts with the annual whale hunt in which the men of the village participate irrespective of their age. It is the elders hold the key to the tactics and methods, while the youngsters are the power. Ketil at the age of 70 is active as ever, and after the successful haul , its time for the official to share and auction the catch. Ketil, on an impulsive mood, decide to bid for a large whale and have won the auction. It is now upto him to plan the repayment, once the bill reaches him. Proud of being the owner of such a large chunk of meat , which should see him through the cold winter season and at the same time worried about the mode of payment to the authorities from his meagre means, he returns to his house. Lavishly distributing part of his possession to the lazy sons of his, and securing the rest, he now plans to build his money for the eventful day of payment. As the year passed and the amount of meat reduced, he is further worried about his debt repayment capabilities. Seeking help from his sons unsuccessfully, he had to forego many of his beloved things, including the cattle.

While this form the general outline of the story , it is more to do with the lifestyle of the people in the lay back villages of the island and their way about. Ketil's personal issues are not only to do with the debt fears, but also from his disappointment with his sons, who grew useless to themselves and to the society. Their wives wanted to be progressive in life, do not want to lead a peasant / fishermen life, but want their husbands to do the clerical / white collar job, which they are not qualified to. Their natural skills for fishing/catching sea birds and securing woods from the shore is forgotten as they do not want to be in the sea. The only think they know is to request help from their aging father and steal again from him. Ketil's wife, home bound settling domestic issues of chicken/cattle and growing potatoes during the season, had not been out of her house for over 40 years ( she exclaims a lot of changes happened to the place over the years).

The central theme is the conflict of generations. "I don't know how the world's got this way, The older folk scraped and struggled every day, and tried to get good value out of every penny, and there was nothing to spare. You were reckoned to have done well if you gave every man his due. But now! The young folk spend their working days the whole year round in idle amusement. But they seem to get by somehow."

This is not a work of an intellect and it does not demand high level of analysis and focus. What is attractive about this book is the simplicity and the freshness of the place and people it brings to the world. It is an easy and effortless read. The story line is simple, its the life and cute pleasures and difficulties of simple people. Their activities are limited to their current state of existence. The writing is simple but very warm. Some chapters like the opening whale hunt scene and the funeral are glorious and touchy. Nice little book from an interesting place in up north in the Arctic.

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The Old Man and His Sons ( 1940)

Heðin Brú  ( He-yeen-broo) Translated from Feroese by John F West (1970)

Paul S Eriksson Inc, New York

203 Pages
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More Read : Markstaniforth , Old Man and his sons in Stamps

Mr Palomar - Italo Calvino

Palomar observatory of San Diego is one of the oldest and popular. The Palomar of Italo Calvino, is turning his telescope into the nature, to its small and insignificant wonders and gives profound thoughts and knowledge to himself and to the readers. Meditating over the natures of universe, Palomar tries to define his own life and existence. Indexed into 3 parts, into 3 thematic groups. The initial part looks the the visual experience, the second on the cultural and anthropological elements and the third to a much higher plane of cosmic, or spiritual dimensions of his life.

Looking at the waves at the shore , the mating tortoises in the garden, the collection of grass and weed in the lawns, observing the the sky, to the stars and planets , visiting the zoo , his keen observation and reflections are beyond compare. The typical reaction of a common man on the sight of naked bosom of a sun bather, one side wanting to be near the sight and the correct side wanting to move away from the place ( glance or move away confusion), causing a minor irritation to the person at the receiving end was fun to read.

Italo Calvino is a brilliant and intelligent writer. That shows in his writing and observation. Towards the end ,especially the chapters "Learning to be dead',"The world looks at the world", and "on being angry with the young" shows some of the original thinking and insights.

"Being dead is less easy than it might seem. First of all, you must not confuse being dead with not being, a condition that occupies the vast expanse of time before birth, apparently symmetrical with the other, equally vast expanse that follows death. In fact before death we are part of the infinite possibilities that may or may not be fulfilled;whereas, once dead, we cannot fulfil ourselves either in the past or in the future.." ( from Learning to be dead)

"The real distance between two generations is created by the elements they have in common, that requires the cyclical repetition of the same experiences, as in the behaviour of animal species, handed down through biological heredity" ( on being angry with the young)

"The giraffe seems a mechanism constructed by putting together pieces from heterogeneous machines, though it functions perfectly all the same. He became aware of the a complicated harmony that commands that unharmonious trampling, an inner proportion that links the most glaring anatomical disproportions, a natural grace that emerges from those ungraceful movements... ... Why is he so interested in Giraffes ? Perhaps because the world around him moves in an unharmonious way, and he hops always to find some pattern in it."

Calvino is able to generate great insights from trivial matters of our common life. While the subject is monotonous and only one character through out the book, at no point the book is dragging or put down. These does not flaunt hyper-intellectual aura thus making them incomprehensible to the reader, not withstanding a small touch of philosophical connection. This book demand multiple read, may be a chapter a day and contemplate.

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Mr Palomar ( 1983 )

Italo Calvino ( translated from Italian by William Weaver in 1985)

Vintage Books

117 Pages
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Other Reads : NY Times, Wiki

Ransom - David Malouf

"I have endured what no one on earth has ever done before," he says. "I put to my lips the hands of the man who killed my son."

Taking a clue from Homer's epic, Illiud, David Malouf recreate the scene in a dramatic fashion to the readers. The risk of adaptation of themes from Epics ( you a whole lot in India from Mahabharat and Ramayan), it is already deep rooted in the minds of the reader. You can fail miserably if your take is not conforming with that of the reader. In this case, Malouf, as far as I am concerned pulls up a brilliant effort. Written as an encounter between the Trojan King Prium and Achilles, the tale goes from one side to the other through the twist and turns of the internal reflections and remorse of two of the giant figures of the great Greek tragedy.

Achilles had his revenge, killing Hector, fearless warrior and sun of Trojan King Priam in an epic battle. to avenge the killing of his close friend and associate Patroclus by the hands of Hector. His anger is at such that each day he return to the decapitated body of Hector and drag it through the war fields, bringing insult to the great warrior. It is the duty of Priam to retrieve the body of his son and give him proper burial befitting his stature. After evaluating various options, he decided to venture himself to meet Achilles, request his to return the body and bring back to his country. As expected, there was great rejection and turmoil in the court against such a step. However, his decision was firm and he trusted his ability to convince Achilles and bring back the body of his son. He set forth his journey , in simple white dress, removing all his royal insignia, and choose to ride a mule with a support. He was going as a father and not as a fellow King, negotiating terms. All he had was the 'ransom' he collected and loaded to please Achilles. The encounter itself was dramatic and he had to go through great humiliation and insult before good sene prevailed.

It is not the story that is interesting, but the way David Malouf tried to get into the scheme of things and under the skin of his chosen characters. For Priam, it is realisation of the vulnerability of his position. At the end, he is a father, he is also a fellow citizen, whose life he never encountered sitting in the palace. While he managed to retrieve the lifeless body of his son, he also manages to retrieve the pulse of his countrymen.

It is not the story that matters, but the aspect of story telling. David Malouf, going by this book, is a great story teller. His language and style is delicate and lyrical. I also, think that this is also written as a five act play for theatrical adaption. There is an overwhelming presence of the dramatist in the conversations and in the narration. This short novel is a good introduction for me to this good writer and I look forward to read a full length fiction soon.

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Ransom ( 2009 )

David Malouf

Vintage Books

224 Pages

Rs 399
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Other Reviews : The independent , Guardinan

Lost Paradise - Cees Nooteboom

Alma, a young Brazilian woman of European origin, travels to Australia with her friend Almut after she recovered from a physical assault and rape at a dark neighbourhood of Sao Paulo. She definitely needed a break before "a hate and rage so deep that they could swallow you up forever"  and sooner they were on the flight to Australia. Since the money is hard to come by, they have equipped themselves with the a qualification in Physical therapy ( that is one profession that can be used in any part of the world and can spare them from the jobs like waitresses etc) , which should fetch them a job and money for their living. Intrigued by the lives of aborigines they set out to explore their mystic world. The images and dreams one created around the way of aborigines soon turns to be a disappointment after a short term living with an aborigine artist and their few attempts to get to their settlement with few tips. It was at this time they were offered a role in the annual literary festival to dress like an Angel for the 'angel spotting tour' attraction.

On a parallel thread, writer and critic Erik Zondag, at the wrong end of middle-age, divorced living with his girlfriend almost half his age, working at a news paper as literary critic known for his in-famous stand against the new generation of writers and for taking 'potshots at few of the literary giants', is on the cross road of his life. His girlfriend tells him that he has no future. On her advise he takes a trip to an Austrian Spa which can rejuvenate himself.

The story converge here as Alma appears at the Spa as a replacement masseuse to Zondag. It is not their first encounter. Zondag, had met her during one of his trips to Perth on a literary event. The 'angel' he met and 'observed' part of the tourist fair at the Perth Festival is now back in his life across the continents at the physical therapy section at Austria. Crossing the paths again at a different continent , circumstances and different roles is no common.

Milton's Paradise lost looms over this in great influence. The quest for lost paradise in one's life, the angelic lives that appear in our earthly existence along with the images of heaven and hell, the quest for spiritual and existential side of the life is explored in a subtle and masterly way by the writer. From a non-existent theme and sparse participants with narrow story line, he creates a unique experience to the reader.

Lost Paradies is not a straight forward novel. It is a riddle and symbolic. May be,I havent been able to get the full of it as it is my first book of Nooteboom. This book might not be an opener to the world of Nooteboom's writing. However, one is left with the strong impression of a writer, with his unique style and imagination. A rather silly and absurd novel at the outset, is crafted into one transcendental and spiritual experience.

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Lost Paradise ( 2004)

Cees Nooteboom ( translated from Dutch by Susan Massotty (2007) )

Vintage Books

151 Pages

Rs 475
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More Read : Complete Review , Words without Borders , The Slate , NY Times

Francis Ittykkora- T D Ramakrishnan

A meeting ofDavinci code and Umberto Eco in Malayalam is the first impression one is left with while reading this novel by T D Ramakrishnan. Using medieval history as the base for his theme, Ramakrishnan does a good job in keeping the central theme intact, while exploring the other aspects of modern life across continents and culture. The underground organisations, the prevalence of cannibalism, casual and free for all sex and the business around the same, alcoholism, cruelty, all that is needed to spice up the novel is added generously. However, that is not the point in the novel. These diversions and need to poke your tickle bone do not really do justice to the main aspect of the book.

Francis Itty cora a 15th century Trader from Kunnamkulam, in Kerala, and his expeditions and adventures are the main theme. The descendants of Cora, caled as the "18 family sect" is believed to be active even now, living in a secret life, controlling large number of business and and power. This closed knit group with their own set of customs and rituals supposedly following the gospel of Itty Cora ( which includes offering the 'grown up' girl to Cora on the Christmas Eve, donating 10% of all the profits etc), a rejection of which brings the curse of the spirit of Cora and the eventual doom for the family.

Three ladies, running a 'massage centre' ( called "The School") in Cochin attracting rich foreign clients offering 'all they need' receives a mail one day from Francis Itty Cora, wanting to rediscover his manhood, which he claims to have lost after raping an Iraqi girl while serving the US Army. Cora, claiming to be a descendant of the iconic Francis Itty Cora of the 15th century ( his mother tells him before she was killed ). He realise that the chain is too long and the family is spread all over the world. From the hills of Peru to Australia, from US to Italy apart from the origin in Kerala. Francis Itty Cora also known as a brilliant mathematician ( the banned on the Hypetian school of Mathematics), and often cited as the founder of 'Kerala School of Mathematics". The novel then set to explore the various sects and the life of Francis Itty Cora, through the journals, old manuscripts, the abandoned research papers of historians , mathematicians and through the words of some of the old living people in an around Kunnamkulam and blog entries of a mathematics researcher. As the team of ladies and their friends ( the writer included) goes through the life of the legend, there are forces working against their intention and trying to scuttle their efforts. They are attacked, they were threatened and was prevented access to many details. However, the urge to understand the person and the sect is so strong now, the team decided to do their clandestine mission.

The book is a result of a lot of research and hardwork and that is reflected. Ramakrishnan does a god job in mixing the myth, history, trade and mathematics to a good effect. The novel is a fast read and he is able to capture the attention of the reader till the very end. Few technical errors notwithstanding , the style and content is good and easy to read. However, the narration vary from being brilliant at the chapters on mathematics and history to being mediocre and pedestrian at many other places. Some of the pages around the school and its activities are of very poor writing. The book had received huge acclaim while it was published in the periodical and post releasing as a book. May be this is the first attempt in Malayalam to break free from the traditional format of the fiction writing. On that part, it is a welcome change and is commendable. However, it is still not "original" and one get reminded of Davinci Code, while he trying to be an Umberto Eco.

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Francis Ittykkora ( 2009 )

T D Ramakrishnan

D C Books

308 Pages

Rs 160
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Some reviews : Samakalika Malayalam , Mathrubhoomi , Varthamanam, Ratheesh

Red April - Santiago Roncagliolo

21st century Latin American literature will be known for the new genre of writers who excel in modern literary thrillers. Red April, in the news again for nominated to the 'best translated works' is one catching attention among the readers all over the world. Having read Soldan ( turing's delirium) recently, I guess the new age writers may be moving away in style and substance from the boom generation of yesteryear. The period is 2000,in the new century, past the peak of Maoist insurgency and the regime of Alberto Fujimori ( 80s and 90s killing nearly 70000 people in Peru) , Set in the provincial city of Ayachuco, this murder mystery, crime thriller from the young Peruvian writer is already a super hit in the international market.

Associate District Prosecutor Félix Chacaltana Saldívar , is transferred to Ayachuco, on his request to be in the place of his mother. He is recently separated with his wife and the only emotional support is from his dead mother, whose memory he keep alive, rebuilding the room as he remembered during his young days. Asked to investigate some unnatural murders in Ayachuco, he immediately realises that there aren't many who shares his interest in the same. Unable to get support from the police or from the surgeon , he decides to find his way to the story. He suspect and find hits about the involvement of 'shinig path' an outlawed terrorost organisation , dormant for almost 20 years, behind the new set of murders. The deeper he is into the investigation more isolated he become. However the authorities had another task for him, to go and monitor the on going election in one of the remote part of Peru. Now deeply into the case, he gets into unearthing the true story, without the support of the authorities. As he finds his way to more and more people to link and connect the issues, he gets into another issue. All those whom he interview or meet, ended up victims and ended up dead. as he himself puts it :

"All the people I talk to die, Father. I'm afraid. It's ... it's as if I were signing their death sentences when I leave them."

The week long festival is on and the town is full of visitors from various part of the world. The atmosphere is tense and imminent violence is in the air. Chacalnata, is in the thick of the things. More deaths and suspects . The novel takes the typical twist and turns of suspects and allegations. The literary element is slowly moved away with the frenzy of things and action.

Red April, started very well continued till the midway in line with the expectation I had. However, soon, this too took the typical crime thriller turn and ended up in the common genre. On his part the writer keeps manages to keep the suspense on until the end. It is an easy and fast read. As I said, initial parts I find very well written, vivid and unhurried. Characterisation of Chacalnata is done pretty well, from a simpleton, vulnerable and lost in his new assignment to one who is cunning and intelligent is very subtle and good. May be there is a symbolic use of the image of mother, which escapes me. As a socio-political crime thriller, the book is good. If there are any comparison to Mario Vargas Llosa's "Death in the Andes" ( almost on the similar theme), I would cast my vote for the Nobel Laureate.

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Red April ( 2006)

Santiago Roncagliolo ( translated from Spanish by Edith Grossman in 2009)

Atlantic Books

271 Pages

Rs 399
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Other Reviews : Guardian , Complete Review, Independent, Seattlepi



1857: The Real Story Of The Great Uprising - Vishnu Bhatt Godshe Versaikar

The Uprising in the year 1857 , triggered by the Indian soldiers under the British Army, later supported by few kingdoms in the mid-north of India is considered as the first 'organised' struggle for Independence against the British Rulers in India, by many historians. More widely known as "Sepoy Mutiny" in the school history books are known to every Indian student. The names Nana Sahib, his deputy Tantya Tope and the legendary Queen of Jhansi, Lakshmibai are few heroes in the freedom struggle in the 19th century.

While the history text book gives us the story of these leaders and the struggle in detail, they are all have been the result of various studies and set to appease the Indian masses. Here is more closure account ( though I refrain to say accurate) of the events as they are unfolded to the traveller in those part of India during the turbulent times.

Vishnu Bhatt, a poor Maharashtra Brahmin, undertake a journey to the North (Hindi speaking areas) with his uncle, to participate in few religious ceremony at the rich and rulers thus earn some money to help the staggering debts that the family endure at the point of time. Little did he know that nhe is going to witness one of the most significant milestones in the history of India. With a promise to his weeping wife and brother that he will return within an year, the eventful journey took him nearly three years to retun back home safely.While Vishnu Bhatt did not participate in the struggle directly, he was also been part of the receiving end more than a couple of times, by the victorious British soldiers, and been mugged on a few occasions by the thugs on his way.

What is important to us is that he documents ( from memory and after 24 years of the events) the journey and the actions as he is witnessed to the rest of the world. As it is already known, the revolt started after the roumer that the new ammunition and guns procured and distributed by the British Army to the soldiers ( of Indian Origin) are "greased with cow fat and lard from Pigs". This agitated both the Hindu and Muslim soldiers for respective reasons, and the thought that "this was a deliberate ploy by the cunning white rulers to first get them to disgrace and pollute themselves by breaking the religious taboos and after they had been debased and cast out of their religion, to try and convert them to Christianity". However, the Britishers did not understand the reason of resentiment by the soldiers and they were pressed and forced to take up these arms. Refusal was treated with harsh punishment. The collective sentiments against this caused the uprising, at various part of the country starting at Meerut, Kanpur and Calcutta.

Large number of soldiers left the barracks and were wandering in the vastness of the region, who was looking for a leader to guide them. Tantya Tope, the ruler of Bisthur, thought it is his obligation to protect the religion and the state and was ready to lead the assault. The team had a few success initially, managing to defeat the white army at a couple of battles. As we are now aware, the trend soon reversed and eventually most part of North India coming under the control and rule of British East India company.

Jhansi rani Lakshmibai had different reasons to join the fight. The royal family deprived of a legal heir was refused permission to adopt a boy and thus to continue the regime. The king married thrice ( Lakshmibai being the third) died at an early age, leaving the kingdom at the hand of the resident British ruler. Being restricted to the inner circles of the palace, and having to obey the Britishers triggered the rebellion in the Queen, who soon declared herself as the ruler and started gathering troops. Joining forces with Tantya Tope and Nana Sahib, she continued the fight against the white leading the battle from the front, until her sad death in the battle.

Now, the book is not written as a history text. This could be called a travelogue or a memoir. He is not a 'qualified writer' and that reflects in the text and narration. While he was travelling in these part of the country, not every event is from the eye witness. Many are based on the hearsay by fellow travellers or people whom he meet. There are also evident of exaggeration of few numbers and amounts ( at least that is what I felt) and glorification of feats. Barring that, this is a good read and gives us the glimpses of the events from closure quarters.

Vishnu Bhatt is a keen observer and a listener. He is able to recall the events after many years to the precise details. He do not hide his admiration to the rulers and his meetings with Jhansi Rani and the other rulers are that of a typical brahmin looking for monetary favours and stomach full of delicious food. He also wanted to demonstrate his skilled and knowledge in religious scriptures and test himself against the scholars. He is also intelligent and calculative. His learning from the events and his analysis are very insightful and not that of the typical of the poor brahmin looking for daily food ( though he claims to be a wandering sadhu at many places).

He also captures some of interesting facts about Jhansi Rani, which are not seen much earlier. Rani likes to dres in man's attire ,trousers and jackets ( this was her attire during most of her battles) and used this as disguise while travelling in the country side. On the other hand, her husband likes to cross dress in woman's dress and spends great amount of time in the women's quarters.

Mrinal Pande's translation is worth mentioning. She claims to have translated this from the original text in Marathi and used the occasional reference to the earlier Sanskrit translations. The book reads with out much hiccups or difficulties to a non-hindi / marathi speaker and not using many of the local idioms. The language and style was maintained closure to the orignial ( to the kind of language and narration you see in the books from 19th century).
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1857: The Real Story Of The Great Uprising ( 1907)

Vishnu Bhatt Godshe Versaikar ( translated from Marathi by Mrinal Pande in 2011)

Harper Perennia

229 Pages

Rs 250
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Other reviews : Mumbai Boss , Pioneer

The Woman Who Waited - Andrei Makine

What was the longest wait for the love in the literary world ? Marquez made his hero wait for "53 year, 7 months and 11 days" in Love in the Time of Cholera for his love.

Boris Koptev 19, left to the froniters during the last days of WW II. He was part of the troops that went for the final rituals of defeat of Berlin. However, he was reported missing in action from the frontiers, As a truthful fiancee, Vera 16 year old, is waiting for his return. The narration is in the mid 70s, and the wait is 30 years long. Living in Mirnoe, a hamlet of old widows ( mostly of the soldiers of WW II), Vera lives her life taking care of them and teaches few students left in the village at the nearby school. "That blessed Vera ! she is still waiting ! still waiting ! She will wait forever"

Our nameless narrator, an artist from Leningrad, to study and record the local customs and folklore ( and to gather material for anti-soviet satire as advised by his friend), comes to this place up-north in Russian wilderness near the white sea. 26 year old, counter revolutionary, active with the Leningrad clandestine group, in Breshnev's Russia known for their disdain for the leadership. His initial curiosity towards this mysterious lady ( now in her mid forties) moved way to awe and admiration for her selfless work in this village. The meeting and acquaintance and his attempt to learn more about this lady gets more intriguing and complicated. Drawn to her ways of life, and not able to get into her mind, frustrates and challenges the young man.

"She is a woman so intensely destined for happiness and yet she has chosen, almost casually, it seems, solitude, loyalty to an absent one, a refusal to love.." begins the novel, as noted by the narrator.

He was ready to leave and return to Leningrad, but some charm hold him back to the place. He build stories in his own mind, creates possible plots and try finding a reason by himself ( and for himself), but not able to break the code into her thinking. All he manages to get was few glimpses of her past life, only to reaffirm the ever growing stature of the lady. As Otar the driver puts it,"You know, may be she is right, after all, that Vera.. in any case it's not for me, or you for that matter, to judge her",

Andrei Makine writing has the wonderful feeling of being so close to real time experience, while keeping a safe distance from the plot. The descriptions are vivid and unhurried. The plots are not in big canvas , neither it is studded with characters. Even here, apart from the protagonist and the lady in discussion, there are only a couple of characters worth attention. like the other works of this writer, Very moving without being overtly sentimental or emotive , he bring about an extremely poignant story of love , loss and longing.

A rather simple story line is transformed into a rich, lyrical and beautiful work of art by this fantastic writer.

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The Woman Who Waited ( 2004)

Andrei Makine ( Translated from French by Geoffrey Strachan in 2006)

Arcade Publishing

182 Pages
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Other Review : Telegraph , Washington Post, Guardian

I Curse the River of Time - Per Petterson

“I am 37 years old. . . . The Wall has fallen. And here I sit.” For Avid Jansen, life has come to a breaking point. The confident youth of the 70s moved by the dreams of new world is now on cross roads, Year is 1989 and the the Berlin wall is collapsed and the hope of a large generation including himself is in shatters. His marriage of 15 years is in ruins and his wife is about to leave him. His mother is diagnosed with cancer and she is off to her 'home' in Denmark. In other words the world around him is collapsing.

Following his mother, with whom he was never very close, from Norway ( where they live) to Denmark ( their vacation home) , he tries to win one of his loosing battles ( being a responsible son , he wanted to make sure that she is alright). However, things aren't as easy as he wanted it to be. He wasn't welcomed with any enthusiasm. Even here, he was timid and vulnerable as he had been through out his life.

Taking the title from a poem of Chairman Mao, quoted below by Avid:

"Fragile images of departure, the village back then.

I curse the river of time, thirty-two years have passed."

Avid likes these words because, “…it showed the human Mao, someone I was drawn to, someone who had felt how time was battling his body, as I had felt it so often myself; how time without warning could catch up with me and run around beneath my skin like tiny electric shocks and I could not stop them, no matter how much I tried.”

As he recounts his life and childhood during his journey to Denmark. His troubled relationship with his parents and siblings. The early life infatuation towards communism, which made him abandon the education to work in factories, his girlfriends and the childhood days in their vacation home. He was always the one struggling to find his footing in life. “I was searching for something very important, a very special thing, but no matter how hard I tried, I could not find it"

Dark, gloomy novel about abandonment and isolation. His characters are cold, aloof and cant get out of the shell they create themselves, tending towards existentialistic. They can never get warm to others or to themselves. Emotions are kept close to themselves and to the reader taking us through their struggle making us a part of them. However, they are likeable and stays with you even after the book finishes. While there is an overshadow of negativism in writing, there is never a dull moment. Petterson's writing leaves more unsaid, to the reader. It is not loud, silently grows in you as you go through the pages, leaving you with a tender feeling. Very good.

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I Curse the River of Time ( 2008)

Per Petterson ( translated from Norwegian by Charlotte Barslund in 2010)

Harvill Secker

233 Pages

Rs 550/-
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Other Reviews : NY Times, Guardian, Complete Review , Norden

Nudge : Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth, and Happiness - Richard Thaler & Cass Sunstein

The book build on a premise that we humans are poor at making decisions. Without proper guidance ( nudge) and direction, we often tend to make poor choices. Most our decisions are biased and based on the way it has been arranged. Using various example, the University of Chicago Professors, explains the vulnerability of human in front of options. They tend to follow the status quo, methods of approximation, the herd mentality or peer references. Human also have the strong loss aversion tendencies and are very conscious about the 'spotlight effect' ( thinking others are observing you). Classifying people into 'Econ's ( people with basic economic inclination and can be influenced by economic incentives ) and 'humans" who are usually not so educated and can be influenced by nudges and incentives. The decision from the Econs are based on 'reflective' behavior while that of 'humans' are more 'automatic'. ( There you go, another two terms after Econs and Humans are 'reflective and automated' systems of response)

After a brilliant part 1, where the principles and basics are explained, they authors explains its relevance and importance of "choice architecture" in the daily life , from financial planning , medical options and to social and environment issues. Taking his arguments further, he talks about the role f governments in helping the citizens in using the right choice in medical, financial and social area by choice architecture and appropriate nudge. "Nudge" in their parlance is "any aspect of the choice architecture that alters people's behavior in a predictable way without forbidding any options or significantly changing their economic incentives". Free market,economy with its basic architecture of choice and campaigns can mislead the individual and this is where the state to take the necessary steps to help the individual.

Coining the word `libertarian paternalism' , Thaler and Sunstein takes the arguments of state monitored and articulated process of helping decision making. Policies like "Opt-out" instead of Opt-in" and making the default as the most appropriate and work the other choices around this, he says we can bring about significant changes in the way citizens make choices. The say, "We oppose bans; instead, we favor nudges."

The synopsis and the details are here in this wiki page. Beyond the first part of behavior economics, the books turns into some sort of political and social issues. Typical to these kind of books, it is abundant with examples and proofs, often beyond what is necessary.

I'm not sure how much of the later part of the book can be practised. However, this is a very good and engaging read ( especially the initial parts) with a whole lot of case studies and proof points.

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Nudge : Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth, and Happiness ( 2008)

Richard H Thaler & Cass R Sunstein

Penguin Books

304 Pages

Rs 350

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