Paper Planes

“This is amazing,” Volodya said. “He’s the President, yet he has to make excuses all the time for what he does!” “Something like that,” Woody said. “We call it democracy.”  ― Ken Follett, Winter of the World Once in a while a book comes along that grips you entirely, making it impossible to concentrate on other mundane things. After long this book has done exactly that. Absolutely unputdownable! The characters are so well etched, their stories intermingling to perfection. Follett gives such a brilliant insight into the psyche of so many people in different geographies of the world and at different levels. Indeed, a wonderful read this trilogy by Follett had been. This series deals with the economic, political and social incidents that marked the last century. The wars, the cold wars, the conflict between communism and democracy, fights for the civil rights, Revolutions in different parts of the world etc. Follett tells you the complete history...

“ No self-respecting God would allow a good man to be happy for long. God has relevance only in the unhappiness of good people. ” ― Anand Neelakantan, Ajaya : Epic of the Kaurava Clan These 2 books: Roll of the Dice and Rise of Kali: Strong enough to alter and shake all my prejudices and beliefs completely. The beliefs that were instilled and imbibed in me, deep and profoundly, since childhood! Initially, I thought to write about them separately because both the books are so vast and they carry huge amount of information, emotions, story, drama and all. But then the problem is one book is incomplete without another, the second one is a continuation of the first, so thought to write about them as ‘one story’ There is nothing new in the story or the incidents, Its Mahabharata, which we have grown up reading and watching again and again… The same story, same incidents, same characters, same drama, same plot, same conspiracies, same events, there is nothing different, abs...

I finished reading Gone with the wind. I would begin with thanking the friend of mine who made me read this one book. I was reluctant in the beginning. Most of the classics that I have read, were during my PG and I really dint enjoy them much.Guess that was the study-effect:( You never like your course books, whatever you do! Infact, I used to find them really boring! But then, on the persuasion of my friend, I went on to read this one and then, there was never looking back. The novel is considered to be one of the best in the classics of all times. Indeed it is! Its fascinating, engrossing, captivating! It carries a whole lot of world in itself, saying this I am really finding it hard to search for ways in which I can encapsulate this one amazing piece. The story centers around Scarlett, the infamous protagonist. She is selfish, arrogant, too much proud, spoiled, brutally honest, but then, all these qualities, when amalgamated together made a very courageous, determined, audacious an...

I finished this novel in a very short span of time as compared to what I take to read others. I am really finding it so difficult to hunt for the correct superlatives that can describe what and how this novel made me feel. It left an everlasting impact on me like many others based on stories set in some part of the middle east. May be I am fascinated with the same. Anyways, I want to begin with saying that its just a fine treasure of fascinating dreams weaved together to create an impeccable story. Its gripping, enthralling and mesmerizing. It has the power of taking the reader to some other world, the world of beautiful dreams of Saba (the protagonist), hostile and intimidating realities of Iran and author's astounding imagination. This is a story of Saba, an eleven-year-old girl, who grew up in a small village in Iran in 80s. Her mother and sister disappears, leaving Saba and her father alone in Iran. Saba is certain that they have moved to America without her. And Saba ...

I finished reading "And the mountains echoed" by Khaled Hosseini. Let me begin by getting you acquainted with the fact that I am a huge-huge fan of this one author. He is simply remarkable. With his books, I just have no patience to wait and read it leisurely. I mean, be it Kite Runner, be it The thousand splendid suns or be it this latest one, I have finished them all in a span of just 2-3 days! Even I feel astonished and wonder from where do I manage to steal time for his books! I have no idea and genuinely, I have no idea! I just leave everything and surrender myself completely to his books. Man, they have that power, that amazing command over you. The story just engulfs you and something continuously keeps on poking you from inside to know the story ahead. Anyways, back to the review of the book. It is good but only if you do not have the same expectations of Kite Runner from it. I loved the way it started. It began with a bedtime tale being told to two children, ...

Just finished reading Timepass:the memoirs of Protima Bedi. I am really confused on where to begin with! Anyways, I loved the name "Timepass". It implies that we all are here in this world to do timepass in our own ways.True! So, this book is completely about Protima bedi: wife of Kabir Bedi and one of the most famous of modern Indian classical dancers (of the Odissi style). This book has really jolted me out of so many misconceptions about life, with such a forceful thrust! Before reading this book, I had come across many things about Protima Bedi: the famous and the obvious being the one where she apparently ran nude on a beach in Mumbai!!! As per this book, she was at Anjuna beach in Goa with hippies and everybody was in the same condition and so was she! Somebody took her pics there and made up the Mumbai story. And what else, as usual, she was given the tag of being crazy! Let me brief you about this lady's character first: - A rebel - Insurgent - Audacious...