The Witch’s Dog and the Flying Carpet by Frank Rodgers

Once in a while, I let my guard down and rummage through my kids book collection. Last night, was one such night. Came away with a cute (recently bought) book called The Witch’s Dog and the Flying Carpet by Frank Rodgers.

What a cute and simply method of storytelling. It has magic, it has adventure, it has good and bad characters, it has family and relations, it has the usual triumph of good over evil, it has colorful illustrations and most importantly IT HAS A DOG - WILF.

Wilf, the Witch’s Dog, finds an old magic carpet. But even magic carpets wear out and this one is full of holes! Wilf tries to mend it with his magic, but his spell goes wrong and surprises everyone.

Wilf and his Mistress Weenie

Recommend this book for all young book lovers.

As my kids (aged 5 and 2) fell asleep; I too switched off the light with a smile on my lips. Sighhhh....  

Frank Rodgers

#thewitch'sdogandtheflyingcarpet #children'sbook #storybook #storytelling #frankrodgers #wilf #dog

Sangria a recipe for love by Manuela Requena

“Passion and Love are the fundamental ingredients in the recipe of life.” Manuela Requena.

Image a scenario wherein you have lost your sense of smell and of taste. Would it not be terrible! Imagine not being able to smell the morning cup of coffee or taste the deliciousness of your most favored dish? Unfortunately this is exactly what the lead protagonist of Sangria – Rose; suffers from. No amount of visits to the Otolaryngology clinics have provided her answers and so she lives her life without knowing the simple pleasures that we so often take for granted.

The book is simple and straightforward. It is a story about a young woman with no sense of smell or taste and how one fine day a chance encounter slowly changes her life. This book is a lovely combination of a story of loss, of love and family ties and also a mini recipe book. This is probably the first ever book on cookery clubbed with fiction. An interesting combination, I must add!

When Rose gets an opportunity to cook for her friends and family she sets off to the market to buy her groceries. There she meets Isabel, a mysterious gypsy at a Australian vegetable market who introduces Rose to the fabulous world of herbs and spices (I call it fabulous because I love cooking and love fresh herbs and aromatic spices). Her take on herbs and other ingredients leaves magical spell on Rose as well as the reader. She shares some simple recipes with Rose and advises her to cook the dishes with love.

One paragraph that stuck with me after reading the book is where Isabel gives Rose a simple but profound advice. “Rose, these recipes will help you with your evening but it is you that will make the evening a success. These recipes are only words on paper. What makes them come alive is the love that you put into them, without that, they are tasteless. It is the essence of Rose that makes it a success, your essence.”

How true is that! A simple dal chawal cooked by any mother is the most delicious meal ever for any child; because a mother flavours her food with her essence, her love and her blessings.

Sangria a recipe for love is another simple yet beautiful book from the Undercover Utopia Publishing house.

#bookreview #cookbook #fiction #sangria #ManuelaRequena #recipe 

False Impression by Jeffrey Archer

“I put my heart and my soul into my work, and have lost my mind in the process” said the famous painter Van Gogh. Sometimes I wonder, don’t we all (those of us who love our work) go through this emotion. While reading “False Impression” by Jeffrey Archer, I wondered if he too had lost his mind in the process of churning out best sellers. 

The book starts off on a confusing note, then grips us with the events during and immediately after the 9/11 tragedy that struck the World Trade Centre, America and effectively the whole world. Soon after it thankfully picks up pace and sure enough by the time we reach the last pages of the book we know why Jeffrey Archer books are best sellers!

The reason I started off with a quote by Van Gogh is because he plays a central role in the entire plot. It is he who entices the villain, he who lures the greedy, he who forces the heroine and her friend to take on the grab of saviour, he is responsible for some gruesome murders and for the cross Atlantic travel that our characters undertake.  Don’t be confused, Van Gogh didn’t actually physically appear in a plot set in the 2001; he appeared in the form of his priced Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear.

Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear by Van Gogh

Like all Jeffrey Archer novels, this one too is a thriller and although it starts off slow, it catches up and you have a roller coaster of a ride. The plot thickens as the main protagonist picks herself up from the dust created by the 9/11 blasts, travels to London, then Bucharest (Romania), then Tokyo and then back. What makes the plot thrilling are the two stalkers (each with their own agenda) that follow her all through! Without giving away too many details; I’d like to say that the book makes for a quick getaway from the daily rigors of life. It is interesting, thrilling and exciting to say the least. Most of the characters are likable but for one or two sinister ones.

Over all, I’d recommend this book to anyone wanting to kill time at the airport, railway station or bus station. It does not take too much of your intellect and can be forgotten once you reach your destination. Do note, the book is a best seller and has probably been reviewed a million times, but since I've read the book just now; I've posted my review only now!

Jeffrey Archer with the famous Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear by Van Gogh

#bookreview #thriller #jeffreyarcher #vincentvangogh #falseimpression #9/11 #self-portrait-with-Bandaged-Ear 

Celebrated writer Amy Tan once said “I was six when my mother taught me the art of invisible strength...”Strongest wind cannot be seen.” Such is the strength of a mother’s teaching. As we celebrate the power of a woman, let’s take time to talk about ‘The woman’ who made “The WOMAN”.

I had the pleasure of interacting and working with a highly talented woman Sheetal Majithia (#sheetalmajithia). Based in Ahmedabad, Sheetal specializes in selling home décor, accessories, crockery that have a unique touch to them under the brand name Kalam (#KalambySheetalKMajithia). 

Each of her products carries her doodle designs on them. Mind you, the doodles are no ordinary scribbling, but great works of art and her products sell like hot cakes whenever she has an exhibition. During my interaction with her, she shared the news of her mother's book release and that got me intrigued. I asked more and thus was introduced to her mother – Rekha Bharat Rajpopat. At a young smashing 69, she has managed what most of us would probably not.

As a young girl, married off to a young Gujarati boy settled in Kabul; Rekhaben (‘ben’ being the respectful tag given to women from Gujarat) went through a huge cultural upheaval. A staunch follower of the Shreenathji, she was unable to perform her ‘seva’ for her lord to her satisfaction. In a land cut off from Pushti connections, she yearned for the known.  

That is when the need share her thoughts on the true form of seva within available means came about. She spent years researching and writing the text and thus brought out her first book Nikunj Nayak Shreenathji. The book has six volumes and is a detailed description on how to do seva.

Following this, Rekhaben started working on her second book Shree Yamunashtakam. However, finding an artist who could illustrate her vision right down to the ‘T’ was a task. In the meantime, the family moved out of Kabul due to the unrest in the nation and settled down in Singapore. Rekhaben continued writing and seeking out an artist all throughout.

Finally, in 2006, with the grace of Shree Thakurji and Shree Yamunaji, 108 Shree Dwarkeshlalji Maharaj from Baroda commissioned one of his haveli’s artist, Harishbhai to go to Singapore and help Rekhaben with the paintings of this book.

After 10 hard years of research and writing Rekhaben has finally shared her inspirations with her fellow Vaishnavs. The book has 84 pictures with intricate details; exactly as she had envisioned them. The book is aimed at helping her fellow Vaishnavs find their true selves as they make their journey towards Shree Yamunaji.

This book is available in three languages, Hindi, Gujarati and English with only a 1000 books to be printed in each language.

While there have been many books published about the Shree Yamunashtakam, there is none with such extraordinary pictures and detailed explanation of each of the 72 verses.

The whole idea behind this book, was to ensure that future generations can understand the true essence and meaning of the Shree Yamunashtakam, by reading the meaning of each verse whilst at the same time seeing a corresponding picture so that they can truly understand and appreciate its true meaning.

Rekhaben is truly an inspiration to all of us. Managing a home, four children and a husband in an alien city, away from the known whilst researching and compiling a book that is meant to connect the future generation to their roots is indeed a tough task! Rekhaben has now moved back to Ahmedabad from Singapore to complete her work on the third book – Shreemad Bhagatam, which is on its way to the publishers right now.

What makes this a truly inspiring Women’s day story? The fact that Rekhaben’s inspirations have been her mother Jaswantiben and Mother-in-law Mewaben! My salute and heartfelt greetings to such women of exemplary talent! 

#gujarati #sheetalmajithia #KalambySheetalKMajithia #ShreeYamunashtakam #NikunjNayakShreenathji #RekhaBharatRajpopat