Monologue

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Book Review - Love, life & all that jazz...

Love, Life & All That Jazz is a fresh new story about a group of college friends who move on to various fields in life, discover life, experience new things and learn (or unlearn) a lot. The story primarily revolves around relationships and is very contemporary in its setting - youngsters in metros (especially Mumbai) will relate to it a lot.

Believe it or not, I finished the book in one go - so it is obviously a fast paced story and a compelling read.

This is the debut novel by Ahmed Faiyaz, a young writer who is also a founding member of Grey Oak Publishers and Grey Oak Foundation.

The story revolves around four friends - Tania, Sameer, Vikram and Tanveer. There is certain depth in the characterization in this book and the characters are hence strong. Faiyaz has formed all characters on entirely different backgrounds which makes their friendship extremely interesting.

Tania is an independent girl who aspires to be a successful Interior Designer. She is seeing Sameer since college and their relationship is sweet and warm. However, when Sameer decides to move to the UK for higher studies, they find themselves under the immense strain of the long-distance relationship.

Tanveer comes from an orthodox Muslim family that also faces regular health and financial issues. Tanveer is responsible and dutiful, but is constantly burdened by his family's expectations. He is invariably the butt of all jokes in the group. He faces a fork in the road when he falls in love with a Parsi girl, and is forced to choose between strong family values and love.

Vikram is the rich dad's spoilt son, and you will often find him sleeping or yawning in the first half of the book. After a failed relationship and heartbreak, he goes through a complete change in attitude and drive.

As I mentioned earlier, the book is easy-breezy and perfect for an air journey or for a cold day with a hot cup of coffee. The events are interesting, the places these characters frequent will remind you of a lot of occasions in your own life, I'm sure. Also, the fact that you feel connected to all the characters while reading the book is an accomplishment by the author.

My issues with the book, however, are :

a.) editing - the edition I read has a lot of grammatical errors, spelling mistakes and omissions, which is a major put off for me.

b.) predictability - The story is fairly predictable, almost in a Bollywood movie fashion. It might not be a deterrent for many readers, and though I don't have and big problem with a story being predictable, what bugs me here is the sugary sweet ending. But then, who doesn't love a happy ending, eh? I will not give out too much about the end, but the huge possibility of a certain couple ending together after all that jazz is a bit too much for me.

Also, by the end of a book, if I cannot carry something from it with me, I don't think its worth the effort. And this is exactly what happened when I finished this book. Don't get me wrong, it is a good contemporary story written in a simple narrative and is about interesting characters, but by the last page I found myself wondering if the story was worth telling at all. Maybe its just me, because my college going brother loved it! Maybe I'm not the exact target audience after all, haha.

All in all, "Love, Life & All That Jazz" is no literary masterpiece but it sure makes for a good quick-read. Good thing is that it ends on a positive note, a happy ending and the author does manage to stir your heart at times, making you remember 'the good ol' days'. You might even track an old friend on Facebook, or call a few after you read this.

My rating: 2.5/5

This review is a part of the Book Reviews Program at BlogAdda.com. Participate now to get free books!

Thursday, January 05, 2012

Book Review - Chicken Soup for the Indian Soul: A Book of Miracles

"There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle."

-Albert Einstein

Do you believe in magic? Do you think miracles really happen? Well, whatever your answer, I’m sure that each story from this collection will leave you believing in magic in people, miracles in day to day life and most importantly, in a power that guides each one of us through seemingly difficult times. I’m a practical person who tends to see the logic and reason behind things, as I’m sure most of you are. I’m not necessarily a religious person and while I don’t trust the Ganges’ power to wash away all my sins, I do believe in a higher power that is with me all the time. You may choose to call it God, the universe or your guardian angel – this power is with us to steer us through rough times, to hold our hand for support or just to make us stronger. And every story from Chicken Soup for the Indian Soul: A Book of Miracles has reinforced this believe in me.

It is a collection of 101 true stories shared candidly by people, about amazing coincidences, rediscovered faith, and the serenity that comes from believing in a greater power. And these people sharing their personal experiences with us are not the so-called spiritually enlightened yogis or the always meditating saffron wearing sadhus, but regular people like you and me who go to work for a living, love their families to bits and constantly struggle to make life a little better. Some stories are really relatable, and had me see a few incidents of my own life in a new light.

The stories have been divided into 12 sections. Signs From Above is where the contributors tell us about the signs – powerful or subtle, but enough for them to spot – they received from the supreme power. The stories talk about signs that we are not alone in distress, about gaining knowledge and belief that it only gets better from here and about coming at peace with the situation. ‘The Tacky Label’ is the one I found endearing. The healing Power Of A Prayer tells us about real life experiences of prayers that have saved the day, the situation and even life. Love From Beyond has many stories that brought tears to my eyes – narrating experiences where help was showered from the other side of existence. These are stories of how our loved ones, people who are no longer with us, make their presence felt and speak silently to us, directing us, taking care of our needs, ensuring out wellbeing and making us feel loved in moments when we require it the most. This is probably the biggest brush with the surreal, transcending all logic and judgement. His/Her Messenger is all about helping strangers or angels that came in the lives of people and assisted them in various ways. ‘Aasman Se Aaya Farishta’ and ‘Cup of Coffee’ tell the tales of much needed yet unexplained help that will enrich your faith in miracles. His Saving Grace, as the name suggests, is a section devoted to God’s direct intervention in saving these contributors from grave dangers. ‘The Mystery Man at Milestone 5’ is similar to what a friend of mine, a fellow Army Wife stationed in the North East, had experienced. It was enough to give me Goosebumps. Angles Amongst Us is about how people have received help from totally unexpected directions, recounting the terrors of the Gujarat earthquake, Mumbai terror Attacks and other incidents where the authors were offered help by strangers. Answered Prayers and Everyday Miracles will strengthen your faith in the supreme power. Divine Appointment is about God’s call and how listening to it can change your life, give you inner peace. The Magic of Faith is perhaps the most important section, because it talks about faith. I’ve always felt that a man without faith can never be strong; our faith holds us together and keeps us going. Our Guardian Angle is dedicated to stories about receiving help in times of need, almost like a direct intervention from heaven. Finally, Call From Within focuses on learning and acceptance, listening to your inner voice and rising above fears because you know there is help available to each one of us.

Nearly all stories are written in a simple narrative style, with an exception of a few. The fact that the stories are all short makes it an easy read, like all other Chicken Soup collections. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I was moved by this book and its stories. Some anecdotes tugged at my heart because of their sheer simplicity and intense emotions, like ‘Aur Ek Cup’, ‘Caring Still from Beyond...’, ‘A Prayer Answered’ and more. Some of the pieces show how help from above was recognized by the authors in situations that a practical mind would most likely dismiss as chance – ‘The End of a Beginning’ and ‘Presence’ for example.

When you read these stories, no matter if you believe in God or not, I’m sure you will realize that faith is of immense importance in life. Sometimes we place our faith in people whom we love and trust, sometimes in Him or The Universe – and the magic about Chicken Soup for the Indian Soul: A Book of Miracles is that it tell us that both are indeed the same; that our guardian angel can be someone as ordinary as we ourselves are, that our “intuition” or “direct knowledge” without any reasoning can help us through the bleakest hours, and that the real miracle lies in our ability to react pertinently to the messages we receive from above.

Like the Joan Osborne song, also mentioned in one of the stories, this book made me wonder – “What if God were one of us, just a stranger on the bus...” And in the end, all I can say is that miracles do happen, and each story in this book will convince you of that! So drop your guards of logic, reasoning and practicality and immerse yourself in these thought provoking collection of 101 real stories about hope and warmth.

This review is a part of the Book Reviews Program at BlogAdda.com. Participate now to get free books!

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Misguided by Women Magazines? Ha Ha Ha (Points And Laughs)

This post is featured in BlogAdda's Spicy Saturday Picks for December 2011.

I picked up a fat glossy women's magazine last week from a street vendor. To be honest, I've never been big on magazines. I read some Cosmopolitan back in college but then that's almost mandatory in that age, and it is never terminal. I of course recovered and now I only pick up a Marie Claire, a Femina or a Good Homes only when I'm waiting my turn for a haircut, at a dentist or in the loo where there’s nothing else to read.

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against the concept of a Women's Magazine per se. Infact, they can be great fun at times - Latest gossip to keep you well informed, pages and pages of alluring beauty products that make you drool and sometimes even half a good article or something to stir your thoughts. My point is - Its all good and sugary only until you weigh your time and money spent against the supposed Women’s Wisdom you’ve gained through these innocent looking pages. Let me explain.

Cover:

“Sure Shot Way To Win Your Man Over”

Inside:

· Cook Sushi for him

· Look him in the eye and tilt your head to your side, just a little

· Give him a blow job

See my point? I mean what self respecting woman in a right frame of mind would, first of all, want relationship advice from a magazine, and second of all, believe the pointers they give?

Another example:

"50 Great Things To Do With Your Breasts"

These 'great' things are on the general line of Stick-you-ID-and-Credit-Card-In-Your-Cleavage-To-Go-Purse-Free and, beat this, Go-Bra-Less-On-A-Night-Out-And-Wear-A-Low-Cut-Shirt-To-Make-It-Obvious. I kid you not, these are word to word tips from a magazine I downloaded online.

What's interesting is that most of the magazines focus on sex as their life depended on us having sex, and even then their sex moves are old recycled rubbish from – I assume – their own older editions. Seriously, leather lingerie and whipped cream? Yawn.

Women Magazines: The Funnies

Here are a few sections that the entire hundred and forty eight Women’s Magazines in the country feature regularly and which of course are of little use to any real women with half an ounce of dignity.

Editor’s Note: Believe it or not, this is often a rich piece of content in a magazine. Or should be. In reality, these Editor’s Notes are not-so-subtle reminders of the good old Table of Content with nothing but a list of the Cover Story on How to Find Out If Your Man is Cheating on You, the Star Interview claiming to give you a ‘never seen before’ aspect of Sonam Kapoor’s life, the Diet of the Month for you to fail at (yet again), and other such unoriginal junk. Completely blah.

Special Edition: These editions are fatter, glossier, and more expensive than your plain Jane regular ones. Reason for a special edition are numerous - Anniversary of the Mag? Yes! Milestone year for the publication group? Hell Yes! Country’s Independence Day? Of course! Womens’ Day? Bring it on! Editors’ birthday? What the hell, WHY NOT? This only means a bigger star on the cover, more full-page ads from Brands that have a store only in Mumbai (or sometimes Delhi), a fifteen page collection of photographs of ‘The Years Gone By’ and a series of lame articles or interviews that you quit reading half way.

Full-Page Ads: They are the essence of every Woman’s Magazine I’ve seen recently. Brands advertise uncontrollably – Makeup giants, discreet Plastic Surgery clinics, Hair Care / Skin Care ranges, Clothes and accessories that nudge you in the ribs to chase the elusive ‘in’ feeling. These ads occupy a good 75% of the magazine. Come Special Editions and it goes up to 80%. But don’t blame the mag staff, this is probably how they are earning their revenue, poor things.

Must-Haves for The Season: This section is often the biggest, next only to the full page ads. This will have attractive, tugging-at-your-heart display of the latest range of Dresses, Handbags, Fragrances, Shoes, Makeup Items and other carp you can’t afford. I mean, who goes out shopping every three months to replace everything (clothes to makeup) with new stuff that’s supposedly chic? I know I don’t. (But then, that’s maybe because I don’t have money and I’m not size zero. Are you?) It gets really funny when on the next page is a wise article written in a stern tone telling you to de-clutter your wardrobe in order to gain spirituality. Some of them do have a sense of humor after all, I think.

Regular (lame) features: This has a list of interesting stuff like Astrology readings, Quizzes, a Guy’s Corner and Reader’s Letters who swear by the magazine’s influence on their life. Most fun is the Confession (or Sex Advice in some) where a dubious girl who slept with her cousin’s fiancée but is actually a lesbian is confessing to having relationship troubles. Jeez! I’m still holding hope for some mag-insider to tell me they have a job profile exclusively for coming up with such bizarre things. I’m applying!

Cover Story: A cover story, generally flaunted to no end on the cover page, claiming to be super original and ground breaking, is generally something on the theme of “What Not To Say To A Man” – answers are ‘I missed my period’ or ‘What’s your ATM pin?’ - or ‘“How To Know He’s Into You For The Long Run” with clever pointers like ‘He ditches his male friends for you’ and ‘His eyes widen when he looks at you.’ Pffftttt! Next time a guy looks at you with wide eyes – maybe because you said something like missing your period – you snap your fingers and say “Hey you! Wide eyes, mister. Gotcha!” Then start preparing for your wedding.

I’m kidding. Don’t ever do that. Telling you in case you’re that woman who reads and believes these magazines. WHAT? There has to be somebody who believes them! How else do you explain the slow fall of newspapers but the steady growth of such Magazines?

And if you are a self confessed lover of the magazines, stop wasting your money and just write to me. I can give you your monthly – okay fortnight if you insist – dose of suffering by telling you how you suck in life if you don’t have a clue about the season’s hottest eye makeup, by bullying you to perform better at work by wearing empowering work-attire and the right accessories, by giving you tips to be a sexpot at home (Feathers and cleavage, right?) and by encouraging you to stop eating to become fabulously skinny for the world. Brilliant, I think.

So. Who’s game?

Thursday, December 08, 2011

They Are Playing My Song...

It started the night before when I couldn't sleep till very late and woke up early with a fairly good recollection of a crappy dream. The day unfolded in what can only be described as a painfully-slow-stab-at-the-heart speed. Tricky deadlines, uncalled for distractions, annoying distances, faltering technology (basically stupid phone lines that wouldn't let me talk to him), mounting depression complete with nosy relatives - this was a day designed by the devil. Then there were work related arguments which otherwise don't bother me at all, but it was that kind of a day where everything distressed me.

By the evening, I was involuntarily letting the day slip out of my hands - in all shades of grey and sometimes burning orange. Don't get me wrong, there was nothing drastic that happened. Work has always been demanding, I have always been easily distracted and extremely volatile, and I know that being with him every second of the day just isn't possible. Still, this was one of those days when all the reasoning and logic was abandoned and I sulked. Then I realized I was sulking, felt weak, defeated even, and sulked some more.

Just then, someone turned up the music.

"There are many things that I
Would like to say to you but I don't know how
Because maybe, you're gonna be the one that saves me
And after all, you're my wonderwall"

I smiled and shouted to no one in particular - Hey! They're playing my song!

Music has a strange, strong power over us - it can make you feel things that you don't otherwise do. Or are not aware of them. Music can mend hearts - or break them. Music is the center of my being and It can alter my moods, yes. And the fact that Wonderwall was being played right when I needed it - makes me believe that music is there for me too. Bizarre, I know but its true - Wonderwall, my childhood favorite and my life's unofficial anthem (almost) was playing on one of my unusual dull days.

Music will save us!

Like Nick Hornby writes in High Fidelity -

“Sentimental music has this great way of taking you back somewhere at the same time that it takes you forward, so you feel nostalgic and hopeful all at the same time.”

Music is the biggest power in my world. All was good because they were playing my song. I wasn't gloomy anymore. I was singing loudly - totally out of tune - to the song. And just like that, my day got better.

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

From a Different Time...: The Best of Quest

The Best of Quest: A Book Review

Edited by: Laeeq Futehally, Achal Prabhala, Arshia Sattar

Publication: Tranquebar

MRP: Rs 695

Before I read, or even saw the book, I stumbled upon this article published in Live Mint and needless to say, I was intrigued. The last lines of the article, by one of the editors Arshia Sattar, especially appealed to me in a mysterious way. They were -

“Today, we might be critical about the fact that Quest spoke only for some people, and essentially to a westernized middle class with intellectual aspirations. But we have to acknowledge that different things come to us from a different time, that they can tell us how our time became our time”

This glossy, colorful and rather fat book took me to a bygone era, one where I had not ventured at all. I’ll explain. Quest was a magazine that was born in Mumbai in the 1950s, and ran successfully for two decades before it bowed down to the Emergency period and collapsed. With poet and critic Nissim Ezekiel as editor, Quest was the intellectual rite of passage for many of the big names that we see today in newspapers, magazines, academic journals an even TV. The Best of Quest is a collection of some of the best essays, stories and poetry that once adorned the pages of the magazine.

Essays:

The essays are the real essence of Quest – long, diverse (subject wise) and strongly opinionated, they offer a perspective that can still surprise us. I especially loved the pieces by the elusive “D” – identified as Dilip Chitre. ‘Charisma of Rajesh Khanna’, ‘From Sex to Samadhi’ and ‘What Has Dimple Got That Satyajit Hasn’t?’ are hilarious and you automatically fall in love with the writer’s sharp wit and outright irreverence. Essays like ‘Sadhus and Hippies’, ‘The Coffee Brown Boy Looks At The Black Boy’ and 'In Defence of Pulp Literature’ could be easily talking about situations in today's India – with the topics being, well, topical even today. Some, though, I had to push myself to finish (or even start) – but that is not because of the quality or content, but because the context doesn’t resonate with me, a reader in her twenties. Maybe a note before the essays, an introduction to the pieces would have helped. However, my mother (whose parents read the original magazine and who also is the proud owner of two original Quest issues stacked in her safely locked tall teakwood book shelf somewhere), claims to have read and loved each and every essay in the collection, so there.

Fiction:

I read ‘Kalyani’ (Kamala Das, translated by R.Nandakumar) and I shuddered. I read ‘Gherao’ (Arun Joshi) and I wept. This is the effect of some of the stories in the collection. This section is carefully crafted, featuring some writers that are prominent now and some translations as well. ‘The Departure’ by Yashwant Chittal (translated by Dilip Chitre) and ‘Sword and Abyss’ by Keki N. Daruwalla are worth reading again.

Poetry:

Now this is the section I loved. I love poetry and I have proved it time and again by posting my own versions of it on this blog every now and then. I now wonder - what if I had a chance to show my pieces to Nissim for his comments – I can almost picture myself walking to him at the Bombay University, holding sheets of paper and nodding anxiously at anything he had to say. Why don’t we have people like that now? Whom do I go to and show my work for an expert view? So unfair.

Anyway, all the poems in the book are a delight to read. From Adil Jussawala (I offered her cracked rock, / Thistles, wildthorn, grit, / A desert without shade / And called it love.) to Santan Ridrigues (Greasy seas you float in / have changed/ their song, / its waves the colour / of their foam) – each and every poem touched a chord somehow. Every poem takes on a different theme, every poet – a different style, making it an enchanting collection. My suggestion - Keep this book on your bedside table for its poems and read a random piece before you go to bed.

Also, what shines throughout the book is a rich collection of yesteryear print ads from the pages of the original Quest. I am going to get a couple of them framed for sure! For a girl in digital advertising in the 2000s, the image of a saree clad lady, posing on the floor against a table fan (or floor fan, who knows?) with the copy – “You’re cooler with a Rallifan” is adorable. Some of these darling advertisements are about brands that I haven’t even heard of – Sungloss decorative surfacing, Black Magic permanent hair dye and (the winner!) Erasmic razor blade.

In my opinion, though a bit verbose (essays) and with a couple of archaic topics, The Best of Quest will leave a reader like me happy, content and maybe even a tad evolved. All in all, the collection should make its editors proud of all the hard work because they have given today’s reader a gem from a time that seems enormously distant in some ways and extremely tantalizing in every way possible. If I had to sell this book in one line, I would tell you to read it because it “...tell(s) us how our time became our time”

This review is a part of the Book Reviews Program at BlogAdda.com. Participate now to get free books!

Sunday, November 13, 2011

When I'm Not Around - Part 2

Yes, I know its a hopeless case if you have to post Part 2 of your when-I'm-not-blogging post. Part one was when I had hoped I'll redeem myself. Part two is when I just want to post some shit and get done with it.

On the bright side though, I just realized I don't give up easily! Yayyyy to that. I mean, I had pretty strong reasons to give up on this blog altogether - my last post was more than a month ago, and that too (let's face it) was a sloppy attempt at regular blogging by posting a random draft from my phone. L.A.M.E. But at least I tried to give a fuck about it, no? And you know what a pro I am at ignoring your 'Waiting For Your Next Post! *smiling face*' to 'No Post For Soooo Long????? *over dose of question marks to haunt me*" to 'Get Your Ass Here!' and finally 'Buy Viagra on Discount' comments on previous posts - they don't faze me one bit. Plus I had other things like zero traffic and negative motivation to deal with.

So many reasons, I could have given up entirely on the whole blogging thing, right? But No Sireeee! I'm right back, in the spirit of writing (almost) - telling you about what I might be upto when I'm not around PLUS (here's the bonus, my lovelies!) an entire new section on Reasons I'm An Irregular Blogger. Pretty damn cool, right? RIGHT? So stop wasting my time and read the precise, crisp and (most likely) totally unedited-before-publishing bullet points.

When I'm Not Around, completely ignoring this blog, I might be:

Looking down at my phone. Seriously. Since 2009
Tweeting inane stuff that no one really cares about
Tweeting about wonderful ideas on blogging. Just last week I came up with 'I should write about not writing' idea for a blog post and tweeted it instantly. Got me several replies and a few RTs even. Yeah, that was that.
Living happily ever after!
Writing my book. Oh hahahahahahaha. No.
Writing my book that no publisher is buying. Yet. Just YET!
Attending conference calls from clients and agencies for several hours - hence ending up in a mental black hole for the rest of the day. It happens more than you can imagine.
Getting back in shape - a new me. Thinner. Taller even? JUST SHUT UP AND GO WITH IT.
Attending anger management classes. What? You don't know me personally.
Forwarding chain mails to 25 people, in fear of what might happen if I don't. Scary thought.
Telling people 'I told you so'. Seriously, people never listen.
Googling things like 'Clever ideas for a blog post' or 'What should I have for lunch' or 'Why my existence matters' You know, the regular queries of a regular person.
Doing nothing. Seriously. If you were nothing, I'd probably be doing you right now.
Not being drunk enough to be blogging. Good reason, right?

A few of those points are completely made up, a couple are my fantasy. Rest are true and it proves just how bitchy life can be. So no blames on me for not blogging enough. *wipes a stray tear* And with that, I rest my case your honor.

Image courtsey: bluntcard

Reasons I'm An Irregular Blogger:

I'm uninspired.
I'm not bothered.
I've transformed into a productive genius (who is about to tick 'Watch back to back seasons of Modern Family' off her To-Do list!)
I'm on Twitter
I'm busy living a romantic life with my man
I'm not earning anything through the blog
I'm just a soulless idiot

ONLY one or two of the above is true in my case, don't assume anything. Now leave me alone, I've got ~~Twitter~~ work to do.

Monday, August 29, 2011

Broken

You are broken.
life breaks us all
Sometimes at places
Sometimes all over
You bleed, you fall apart
You run and can't escape
You hurt, you learn and unlearn
But you are not broken forever -
Someone comes along who puts the pieces together, mends you.
Sometimes that someone is someone else
But most of the times,
its you.