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

The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

“This book is a work of fiction. I made it up.” With that the author washes his hands off any and all emotional upheaval that the reader might possibly go through as she (me) goes through the twenty-five chapters of this beautifully woven young love story.

“The Fault in our stars” by John Green is a beautiful young love story. There is the usual uncertainty of the youth about acceptance, about feelings, about your own body, self image and sensuality; about life, the future, companionship, love, passion and the infinite certainty. What’s special you may ask! Well the fact that these are teenagers dying of cancer and finding love in the short life they have is what’s special!

The characters are all realistic and might even be children we grew up with or know from down the street. The jokes they make about life and the cruelty of their prognosis is so ‘in your face’ but quite believable.  

The fact that I read the book before I have seen the movie might possibly make it less appealing in a theater, but for once this is a book adapted movie that I want to see. I want to see everything that Hazel Grace and Augustus Waters saw when they went to Amsterdam. I want to live the absolutely romantic dinner they had, I want to sit on the park bench with them and smell the smells of beautiful and quaint Jordaan, I want to pick up the tiny confetti seeds and thrown them up in the sky and watch them waltz back down to earth...

A lovely story told simply and beautifully! (I can’t seem to get enough of the adjective ‘beautiful’ while describing this book). Having said that, it almost pained me to remember that the characters are all fictional and there exists no Hazel Grace and no Augustus Walters. Alas!!!

Nonetheless, I would recommend this book to all star crossed lovers, all teenagers, anyone looking for a simple quick read between heavy reading and well just about anyone who wants to kill time with a book in hand.

Simply said, beautifully written (there beautiful again) and ironically hilarious at times. Read this book if not for anyone else but beautiful Hazel Grace and dashing Augustus Waters.

#thefaultinourstars #romance #love #teenagers #cancer #johngreen #newyorkbestseller #death #loss

                                                                          

Inferno by Dan Brown

“Seek and you shall find” is the reoccurring phrase all through this book...... and ‘Seek’ I did!

Dan Brown’s Inferno was actually quite infuriating for me. I mean, I am a fan of Dan Brown and have read and enjoyed and reread his Angels & Demons, The Da Vinci Code, Deception Point and Digital Fortress. I have lamented the lack of pulsating excitement in the movie The Da Vinci Code that is so much there in the book. However in the ‘Inferno’, there seems to be something amiss.

The plot is there, the symbols are there, the secrecy is there, the chase all over the world is there, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is very much there, the codes are there, everything is there and yet the book lacks something.

Having read his previous books, I get the feeling that in trying to give us all the details, explain all the meanings and implications and post-mortem every single context; Mr Brown has over done himself. The book drags and keeps dragging as it gets close to the climax. Unfortunately all that build-up and euphoria gets completely washed out towards the end of the book.

The plot seems genuine, the possibility of the human race growing to uncontrollable proportions seems very true, the need for saving the earth is absolutely spot on, the need to spread a virus and cause plague seems like a necessity albeit chilling; however all the injected sub plots seem too farfetched! The book has lots of characters and there are times you wonder why they are even there!

“Mankind, if unchecked, functions like a plague, a cancer...our numbers intensifying with each successive generation until the earthly comforts that once nourished our virtue and brotherhood have dwindled to nothing.... unveiling the monsters within us....fighting to the death to feed our young.”

Dante's death mask

This is a book for die hard Dan Brown fans who can forgive the man for his over enthusiasm and for those who are willing to skip pages and come to the thrilling parts without having to suffer all the details. However, if you are those who love to travel and explore the world I recommend the book. All you need to do is take down notes and visit all the places that are listed in the book. It could add drama to your trip and you can come back home and talk about walking in Prof Langdon’s shoes.

For the rest who have picked up the book because of Mr Brown... “The darkest places in hell are reserved for those who maintain their neutrality in times of moral crisis.”

#Inferno #Danbrown #bookreview #robertlangdon #dante #deathmask

The Last Lecture, lessons in living by Randy Pausch

"We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand."

“What will you do if you are told you only have a few days to live?” This is a question we ask while interviewing celebrities. Most often the answers range from wanting to have fun like they have never or spending time with family and friends. The answers are pretty straightforward and not out of the ordinary.... possibly because they know this is a rhetoric question and they are not really ‘going to die’. However, what if you truly know that you have only a few months to live! What will you do?

“The last Lecture” Lessons in living by Randy Pausch is one such book which tackles this question because Randy is someone who has only a few months to live! Randy Pausch was a professor of Computer Science, Human Computer Interaction, and Design at Carnegie Mellon University. Diagnosed with ten tumors in his liver, he was given only a few months to live.

A father of three young children and married to the woman of his dreams, he could have easily felt sorry for himself. But “that wouldn’t do them, or me, any good”, thinks Randy. So while embracing every moment with his family and doing the logistical things necessary to ease their path into a life without him, Randy comes across a chance to deliver his ‘Last Lecture’. These lectures which were routinely conducted at Carnegie Mellon University were also videotaped. “The last lecture is a common exercise on college campuses. Professors are asked to consider their demise and to ruminate on what matters most to them...What wisdom would we impart to the world if we knew it was our last chance? If we had to vanish tomorrow, what would we want as our legacy?”

‘The Last Lecture’ would give Randy the one chance to show his children, when they grew up and understood, what he really was.

This book is Randy’s Last Lecture, which he delivers to a packed auditorium of 400 plus students and faculty. While it would have been natural and understandable for Randy to talk about his cancer and his insights into the decease; he instead decides to base his lecture on achieving his childhood dreams. “...despite the cancer, I truly believed I was a lucky man because I had lived out these dreams. And I had lived out my dreams, in great measure, because of things I was taught by all sorts of extraordinary people along the way. If I was able to tell my story with the passion I felt, my lecture might help others find a path to fulfilling their own dreams.”

This is a book about a regular guy with oodles of passion for life, for living and for his subject. While I won’t give away Randy’s lecture, I will pick a few quotes that resonated with me very well. These make perfect sense in today’s world and are things we need to teach our children to enable them to lead better and more fulfilling lives.

“The instinct in our house was never to sit around like slobs and wonder. We knew a better way: Open the encyclopaedia. Open the dictionary. Open your mind.” That's so true. I always believe “when in doubt, ask!” Often when I myself am giving lectures about PCOS and Thyroid in colleges, I always encourage the audience to ask questions. Ask questions to me and to the doctors sitting there. No question is stupid or irrelevant. Opening the mind is vital to growth. We are lucky to have the encyclopaedia, the dictionary and Google to help us out. So ASK!

Randy talks about how grounded his parents were and how that helped keep him grounded. For instance after he got his PhD, his mother would introduce him as “This is my son. He’s a doctor, but not the kind who helps people.” How many of us would say that? We live in an era where boosting yours and your child’s ego plays precedence over his/her real contribution or worth. Don’t get me wrong. My children are precious to me; but I think knowing and understanding their potential is more important than gloating over fluke wins!

Randy talks about his football coach – Coach Graham and how he used to ride his students hard. “Coach Graham worked in a no-coddling zone. He knew there was really only one way to teach kids how to develop self-esteem: You give them something they can’t do, they work hard until they find they can do it, and you just keep repeating the process.”

Personally I believe this book should be made compulsory reading in all colleges irrespective of the stream chosen. This is a book which is a ‘self-help’ book without really being one. It’s an inspirational book which makes you want to work harder, try harder and thank God for the little pleasure in life.

I borrowed this book from a library, but now I am going to buy a copy to keep in my collection. This is a book I want my children to read when they grow up. This is a book I want to keep revisiting everytime I feel low, this is a book I will hand over to anyone losing hope and finally this is a book I will cherish.

Randy lost his battle with pancreatic cancer on July 25^th, 2008; but in his “Last Lecture”, he left behind a story to be retold.

In his words “I was trying to put myself in a bottle that would one day wash up on the beach for my children. If I were a painter, I would have painted for them. But I am a lecturer, so I lectured.”

#Thelastlecture #RandyPausch #selfhelp #lessonsinliving #internationalbestseller #life #death #professor