Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy

Date of Reading: 30/06/2008

Author: Thomas Hardy

Publisher: Macmillan

Place: London

Year: 1963

         I have been waiting to get hold on this one book which made Hardy to abandon his writing career. Curiously I can't still figure out what was all this commotion about; there is his usual pessimism stuff with fate (sometimes taking the embodiment of humans) thwarting expectations, critical remarks on religion (which eventually became too critical for his career as a novelist), and the portrayal of inner dilemmas. But if we take the lives of Henchard and Tess for comparison, Jude seems to occupy the better slot. Well, each of us have our own individual crosses enough to drag us down from the smooth climb.
          Other day I was waiting in que in front of the xerox shop for some printouts; its the day of 12th standard results and not surprisingly there is one small crowd waiting for the verdict. Thanks to the new examination pattern, there are no disappointments or heartbreaks and I can see the family residing in the nearby chawl starting the cries of jubilation; their girl has secured a first class. The new system is open to Judes (at least partially) who are ready to rise from their working class background to the magnificent halls of Oxford. In other words, the illusion of the American dream still permeates hope, even though the odds are stacked against us each.
         Little Jude lives with his aunt Drussille Fawley. He cherishes a dream to have his higher studies at Christminster (symbolises Oxford) and has begun to learn Latin and Greek by himself. As a stonemason he sets out towards his goal but eventually gets trapped into a marriage with Arabella Down who feigns pregnancy to have him take the vows. Soon the infatuation gives way to mutual contempt and Jude proceeds to Christminster when the couple decides to separate. 
        But Christminster is reluctant to accept a common figure from the working class background. Devastated, Jude finds his consolation in his cousin Sue Bridehead with whom he falls in love. Jude's former marriage stops her in taking the decisive step and she accepts the proposal of Mr. Phillotson, Jude's old school master, resulting in an unhappy marriage. She flees back to Jude and after a divorce from their respective spouses, they start life anew. Arabella meanwhile had undergone her second marriage in Australia.

        As Sue felt that the marriage has a destructive effect on love, they choose not to take the vows legally. Seen as social outcasts, they lead a miserable life with two children and Father Time, Jude's son in Arabella. Disaster stuck when Sue is expecting her third baby and Father Time grieved in hearing the news kills the other two and himself "because we are too manny". The shock Sue undergoes results in the premature death of the third child.
          Terrified, Sue marries Phillotson again thinking that before heaven they are still man and wife. Arabella, now a widow, persuades Jude to another marriage with her but things were too much for his weak health. He dies at the Remembrance Day, alone at his room.

A Little Thank You Note

           

         The bright day (a little too bright for my taste) has closed its shutters making way for the whispering, irritable night with the howling of stray dogs. Not an auspicious moment in the traditional sense but . . . its time for my 100th post; to remember those who have given me courage, the boost to collect some words which on a linear arrangement makes some funny little sense.

        All good things start from home, so first its your turn Papa (we should appease the economic side first); thank you for standing by me (as always) and taking a home network connection with unlimited usage which helped me to take the initial steps in 2012.

         Ooh!! I can sense a little resentment in the atmosphere. Patience! Bro, I haven't forgotten you (not yet). These words won't suffice to describe my joy in having you as the best buddy and brother who asked me to start this blog citing the instances of others from newspaper clips you have stored. Thanks a lot!!! And to you too Lulu, for your valuable suggestion to personalize my blog. 

         I do remember Nithya, my predecessor in blogging, who introduced me to Indiblogger which eventually led to many more; Roshni, who put the very first comment (came it rather as a surprise) giving the necessary boost to this pessimistic self.

        Can't end without a word on my friends in IndiBlogger, whose feedback I cherish always and thanks to Blogadda, Book Blogs and Goodreads for providing a platform for free books.

           Time to wind up the speech, so to all mentioned above and to some others which I haven't mentioned by name . . .

At First Sight - Mihir Kamat

Date of Reading: 14/04/2014

Author: Mihir Kamat

Publisher: Mihir Kamat

Year: 2014

From: Goodreads Firstreads Giveaway

Rating: 3.5/5

         As me and fortune never sees eye to eye, winning a giveaway in goodreads can be termed as a miracle. A small book of 72 pages with twelve short stories celebrating love; a simple but smart cover page featuring a pair of eyes (a tiny glitch I can see is that the eyes speak of an untold woe not of love) and there is the matter of font -- all the stories are given in italics which by the way looks beautiful, but makes the reading miserable in the long run.

          First few stories are the usual cliched ones with unsurprising endings; I can find few novelties in narrative style but things get better when stories get out of man-woman relationships; there are some I felt quite rewarding like 'In a Manner of Thinking', 'Everything' (grandfather-granddaughter relationship), and 'The final dance' (really interesting as the story leaves many loose ends).

          Thank you Mihir for sending me a copy through goodreads. A signed copy from the author is something I will cherish always.

          

My Dream Library

           

         By chance I have come by the new topic on IndiSpire: What would your dream library look like?

         Well, I still don't know how it will look in appearance, but I know where exactly it should be or will be. There is this hilly patch near my home which once missionaries tried to have for their hospital, let's just think the land has a different idea in mind and I can just hope it will be there for me when I have the means to buy it.

         Ya folks, curious as it may sound I have the audacity to dream a village library. Oh, not the cozy little one with thatched roof and muddy walls which may remind you of a Wordsworthian paradise, but the well furnished, air conditioned (global warming is at its peak and the villages are not excluded), double storey building (that is the minimum) with a cinema hall and a vast reading room.  

        So all my grumbling cousins can have a peep in during vacations (they will be all grown up then, so we will save it for their kids), can have their favourite books and favourite nooks to perch on. And in weekends there will be the screening of these classic, forgotten movies which adapted literature to screen so that they might come to know how someone else have drawn their imaginations. 

        Yes, that's my dream. A dream where the students in my school doesn't have to pay for expensive academic books, a dream in which the life of this community center around our library, a dream of my people set out in the world, armed with the knowledge they got from here, which instills in them a pride for themselves and a respect for others so much so that they won't trample on others or get trampled on.

Inferno - Dan Brown

Date of Reading: 30/12/2013

Author: Dan Brown

Publisher: Doubleday

Place: New York

Year: 2013

          Why do you read Dan Brown? Is it for the intricate, heart throbbing journey through Robert Langdon's mind or are you attracted to the final turn and the destination that saves the world from an imminent catastrophe? If ever such question has popped up to you, 'Inferno' is the answer.
         As always Dan Brown takes us to another detour of Italy, through its high artistic culture which offers a plethora of intricate meanings to the ever curious minds. I never had much taste for Dante, or anything related to him but the novel had me glued to the spot till the end. Well, isn't that why we call it popular fiction and the former the classic!!!
         Robert Langdon wakes up in a hospital in Florence without any memory of his last two days and how he got from Harvard to Italy. An attack at the hospital springs him to action and he escapes with Dr. Sienna who was attending him at the time. He finds a cylinder inside his jacket pocket which displayed a modified version of Boticelli's painting Map of Hell. As a request for help brought an attack from US consulate, both of them follow the the clues to Palazzo Vecchio, the museum.

       The director recognises Langdon and mentions his arrival in the previous night with Ignazio Busoni, the director of II Duomo to see Dante's death mask. Now they find that it is stolen and the video footage shows Landon taking that out. A call from Ignazio's office informs that the director died of heart attack and he left a message to Robert giving him the directions to Florence Baptistry.

Dante's Death Mask

        There they find the mask which is inscripted with some secret messages. Jonathan Ferris, who claims to be from WHO saves them from the scene and they follow the riddle to Venice, where Langdon is captured but Sienna manages to escape.
        He is brought before Elizabeth Sinskey, the director general of WHO and the mystery of the two days unfolds. They are here to stop a virus created by Zobrist, the brilliant geneticist who speaks vehemently against over population. He has committed suicide on the completion of his project which is supposed to be some deadly plague to annihilate the human race. Sienna was his lover and the attack at the hospital was her plan to trick Robert.

Dan Brown

        Langdon leads them to Istanbul where inside the huge cistern they find that the virus has been spread from the water soluble bag. He gets hold of Sienna who explains that the virus induces infertility but that won't mean the end of our race as there will be many who can adapt to the new condition and survive it. She accepts the offer of Sinskey to work together in implementing preventive measures. 

Prisoner, Jailor, Prime Minister - Tabrik C

Date of Reading: 03/03/2014

Author: Tabrik C

Publisher: Hachette India

Place: Gurgaon

Year: 2014

From: BlogAdda in return of an honest review

         Let me begin by introducing the author, as he might be new to many. Tabrik, as it is given in the inside cover is a political enthusiast, perfumer, and internet entrepreneur. He owns a post graduate degree in History from St. Stephen's College, Delhi where he was also the president of the student's union. His major interest lies in the observation and analysis of political personalities, and their subsequent influence in the destiny of the nation.

          True to his background we can call his first novel as a political thesis come to life. The future of India for the next two years is drawn with clarity and precision, and his suggestion of boycotting Chinese goods I find interesting though rather unrealistic. Alas! a superstar like Siddhartha Tagore might be able to persuade the Indian youth where I failed miserably with my friends.When they can't even leave this disposable Chinese pens which cost only two rupee in the market, what can replace the electronic goods??? 

     The protagonist, Siddhartha Tagore, is projected as India's savior who employs a kind of monarchy in the nation. He takes pledge in private without a cabinet which only later comes to existence to slow down his decisions. A single handed constitution as the author suggests will strengthen the nation and fasten the development, but placing the destiny of a vast, and diverse nation under the mercy of a man will suppress the marginalized voices and destroys the promises of stability that our democracy offers. A Prime Minister, who is born with a silver spoon in the mouth, educated abroad and keeps company with the so called elite class will ever be able to grasp the real India whose soul lies in the villages?

       

As to the women in the story, I find their characters rather repellent. Rubaya is the muse of the 'Mozart man' who enjoys being a pilot and crashes her plane in this attempt to share the domain of men. Rukmani Devi, the Nobel laureate, wins the elections but makes a comic figure in her first appearance in the parliament, leaving her opponent Siddhartha to mesmerize the members. 7RCR yields to her only at the charismatic withdrawal of the musical genius.

        All in all its a true political thriller to which the element of music and the bipolar and bisexual hero add a special charm. A commendable achievement by the author from whom we can expect more. Now to the story:

           Set in a futuristic India, precisely that of 31 December 2016, story starts with Siddhartha Tagore's ascend to power as the new Prime Minister of India. Moments before Pokhran has witnessed some nuclear attacks from terrorists and the new PM has also had to face the threat of BJP led by Rukmani Devi in demand of a change in the constitution. He proves to be a stern ruler with an iron fist who leaves no mercy to anti-nationalists.

         His rise to power has been swift as his father had already made his way as an MP from Calcutta. After a few years of recluse life in USA, he is eventually brought back by the third front leader, Lok Neta, to finish the dream of his father.

       

His outrageous ideas against Pakistan infiltrators and a proposal to boycott Chinese products, put this musical genius into lime light and the sudden, unexpected death of Lok Neta opens the doors of 7 Race Course Road to him.

         In between the readers are transported to his Harvard days where he meets the beautiful twins from Mumbai, Rubaya and Karisma. He falls for Rubaya right away, but his bisexual nature makes him seduce his room mate Gregory Templar, who aspired to be a priest, and this alienates them both. He is prone to occasional insanity which he controls by taking Lithium pills regularly.

        Ruby and Siddhartha eventually gets married, but the joy lasts only for one day as Ruby dies in a plane crash piloted by herself. He goes into an irrevocable depression from which he gets consolation from Karisma. Finally he disappears to New York from where he comes out of the trauma through politics.

         Thor, the foreign professor in Delhi School of Economics who is also an accomplice of Rukmani gets wind of his past and a search in Mumbai reveals that Siddhartha has son in Karisma which is unknown to him. His influence brings together father and the son -- Kabir -- but PM's affair with President's OSD, Krish Rathore, brings shock waves to their bond.

        When Rathore is found murdered, suspicion falls on Kabir but Rukmani thinks otherwise. A quick search in Thor's place yields the necessary evidence she needs; the foreign professor smells the danger and promptly returns to US. He was the one behind the explosion in Pokhran and Krish threatens to reveal that he is conveniently killed.

         Siddhartha suffers a stroke due the attack of a protestant and he announces fresh elections. But before the campaign begins, he goes for a promotional trip to US for his new album "Rubaya" and there he confronts Thor who is revealed to be none other than Gregory Templar. Karisma's timely intervention saves his life, but the assassination attempt brings back the stroke which forces him to retire from active public life. 

         

Tabrik C.

Rukmani wins the election but not with a majority to change the constitution. Message of the people has been clear and India continues to sail forward notwithstanding foreign threats.



This review is a part of the biggest Book Review Program for Indian bloggers by BlogAdda.com. Participate now to get free books!

Seven Little Australians - Ethel Turner

Date of Reading: 06/01/2014

Author: Ethel Turner

Publisher: Penguin 

Place: Australia

Year: 2010

Rating: 4.5/5

          Thought I have grown out of reading children's books, but we never will be. More so when the story line concerns with seven naughty ones. But be warned, these are not the peppermint children of 'Sound of Music' for the "very excellent reason that Australian children never are". Even their house bears the name 'Misrule' and that is what the story is all about; the little anarchist kingdom that runs behind a military strict father and their subsequent growth to maturity through sometimes painful experiences. 

          They might have shared a different century with the aboriginal-white discrepancy raging outside but not tampering with their blissful lives, but the delight the reading permeates remains same so much so that the sad fate of Judy wrings out hearts, and we may wish our best for Meg but surely we will miss the plump, little General from our drawing rooms. Now to the story:

         As the title suggests the protagonists of the story are seven Woolcot children - Meg, Pip, Judy, Nell, Bunty, Baby and General. They live in Sydney in the house which goes by the name Misrule with their Captain father who has little understanding of them and stepmother Esther who is only twenty so lacks the experience to handle this herd.

         They wreck havoc in the house and embarrass their parents in front of guests which of course never goes unpunished by the firm Captain. But once Judy's and Pip's little prank goes out of limits and Judy is sent to boarding school mercilessly.

         Meg gets influenced by her friend Aldith at the sweet age of sixteen and is given due training in the art of flirting. Accordingly they make acquaintance with two young men but Meg falls in love with the older, clear headed Alan who is not in the group. When one of her letters are misdealt and is wrongly delivered to Alan, he strongly reprimands her recent behaviour and faulty friendship, thus putting an end to this coquettishness. 

         Meanwhile Judy runs away from school with a burning desire to be with her siblings and they conceal her in a deserted loft. Captain eventually finds out this 'spoilt' girl but her sick state prevents him from sending her back.

Ethel Turner

        To assist Judy's recovery Esther's parents invite her with children to Yarrahappini where they spend some happy days. But an unexpected end comes all this when on a picnic day Judy is crushed to death by a falling tree, while saving the little General. Sobered by her death the family returns home wiser; Captain is determined to cherish his remaining children on account of Judy's sacrifice.

        

Meeting Miss Konni Chiwa: A Short Story - Mita Jain

Date of Reading: 21/11/2013

Author: Mita Jain

Format: E-book

From: The author in exchange of an honest review

           I hate short stories for the obvious reason that it is short. But time was of short nature, needed something for a quick finish and this was the shortest inside my collection. Well, Mita is not expected to be boring and the 'before-to-read' instructions compels one to go on. All in all it felt like Browning's dramatic monologue in prose version; it is in the form of an interview, and the reader is the journalist who conducts the meeting, but quite contrary to the expectations, narrator is the interviewee who smartly describes you too. Hands off to Mita for this wonderful creation, as always you find fun in the most ordinary circumstances.

            This is a part of "Last Love Series" where the reader is a journalist searching for extraordinary love stories among ordinary people for the next valentine's day edition and Aman Singh is the focus of this issue.
          He is a teacher of foreign languages and trains foreign nationals who visit India on the pretext of studying language. Aman belongs to a curious multinational family with an Indian father and British mother, brother married to an American and sister to a Spanish. And in India Aman meets his other half, the Japanese lady, Miss Konni Chiwa. As to his bad fortune, she is under another Indian teacher, Uday, so each day he is forced to make some pretext for meeting her without arousing suspicions. Her nasal English is not to his taste, therefore the communication element is seldom.

          One month passes like this with the Japanese girl who is clueless about his affections and Aman decides to go a step further. She comes out of the class with Uday who watches their communication with amusement and as the girl says farewell, he explains that Konni Chiwa is a form of addressing someone, not a name. Her real name, now Aman realises is Sakura Nakajima and she is leaving India that very day as her one month visit is over. Frantically Aman rushes to the airport but fails to communicate his intention. Exhausted, he uses Hindi which surprisingly the girl deciphers and Aman's multicultural family receives a Japanese member 

Shalimar the Clown - Salman Rushdie

Date of Reading: 24/06/2008

Author: Salman Rushdie

Publisher: Vintage Books

Place: London

Year: 2005

    

           A story on Kashmir brings its own faces as well as prejudices. As the name of Salman Rushdie is synonymous with 'Midnight's Children', Kashmir is tagged with terrorism and war -- the one time pride of Hindustan turned into a deadly nightmare and issue of pride. Its mere mention is enough to cause ripples in the crowd and the atmosphere grew tense whenever a Kashmiri guy stands up to speak. Governments have come and gone, but their pains have remained as pains.
           The aura around some writers makes it embarrassing to confess that this is not my cup of tea. Rushdie, no doubt, is one. I still remember reading the acclaimed 'Midnight's Children' for the sake of reading it. This book, on the other hand is a different story; set in Los Angels and Kashmir, Rushdie has drawn a verbal portrait on the transformation of a victimized generation. Its been years since I have last read the story but two images haven't yet faded -- the cunning brain washing in the terrorist camp and the stunning stand of the Kashmiri women against wearing purdahs (they preferred to be naked instead). Fresh and crisp, 'Shalimar the Clown' smells of India.

         On the year 1991 in English calendar, Maxmilian Ophuls is knifed to death at the doorstep of his illegitimate daughter India by his own taxi driver who is mysteriously called as Shalimar the Clown; place is Los Angeles. Max, a French Jew and a World War II resistance hero was a former United States ambassador to India and subsequently been working as America's counter - terrorism chief.
         Pages turn to Kashmir to trace the story of Shalimar. His real name is Norman Sher Norman, a Muslim. Married to a Hindu girl, Boomi (also called as Boonyi) he was settled in the village of Pachigam. The village dance troop, with Boonyi as the leading figure once performed before ambassador Max. Boonyi stayed with him to master the dance and a forbidden relationship bloomed; she gave birth to a daughter. Max's wife, Peggy Rhodes adopted her and named her as India, her pinnacle of humiliation in this foreign land.
         Boonyi is declared as an outcast and her enraged husband joined with the terrorist group. He began his sacred killings with Boonyi and years after Max too succumbed to the same fate. India became the next target ever though he was arrested and sentenced to death.
          India collected the details of her mother and renamed herself to Kashmiri. When Shalimar escaped from jail and came in pursuit of her, she was ready. India bowed an arrow to kill; as often she never missed.

In Love of Honey, Money . . . and My Virgin Passport - Mita Jain

Subtitle: Story of Indian Youth in IT Industry

Date of Reading: 13/09/2013

Author: Mita Jain

Year: 2009

From: the author in exchange for an honest review

           There are two types of men (or women for that matter) -- Jumbos and Dumbos. The former goes high up in the social ladder, adapts to tricks and traps, gets fat with fame and wealth and becomes the caricatures of excellence and success. And Dumbos . . . alas! its a sad case. These 'idiots' stick to the fairy tale ideals of their childhood and consequently flagged by truth and simplicity ends up in the ditch. Excessive cases might have the rare opportunity to be a part of history, thereby they become instrumental in making future dumbos.

         Mita Jain's story is all about a dumbo, a hard working, truthful one who with his steadfast policies proves that goodness shall indeed prevail, even inside the competitive environment of an IT company. Last week I heard my fellow researcher commenting that Indian English literature is booming. True, at least some of them have left behind the topics of past to deal with the trauma of the new generation. 'ILHM' covers most of the aspects which an Indian youth passes through, especially the role of social networks, job promotions and of course finding of the true love. A true, funny outlook on today's software industry with laughter bubbling over each line. Thank you Mita for sending a copy.
          Vinay Dave is an aspiring engineering student from Uttar Pradesh who finally bagged his job on the 17th campus interview he attended. Company is SolBytes Ltd and he is placed at Hyderabad along with other new recruits from his batch: Cyrus, Farheen, Rajlakshmi, Nikhila and four others.

          Training for two months proved hard which also included a series of written tests which they thought they passed behind. Some of the work ethics too began to come to light which for Vinay was hard to digest. While Cyrus and Farheen copied each other's tests and passed in flying colours, Vinay stood steadfast to his honesty in spite of the difficulties faced. Eventhough it took him double time and twice work, he got his passport too without paying any bribe.
           

With the training period over, he is put into the group of Paramjeet Sodhi and is later on passed to the mentorship of the cold hearted Samar Reddy. Days passed without any work or invitations to projects. As a resume's value is zero without being in a live project Vinay with his friends approaches HR who entrusts them with an internal project. Though Vinay was the brain to solve the major issue Cyrus takes the credits nonchalantly opening up new doors for further projects to him.
          With Rajlakshmi's recommendation he too flies abroad in the end. The project handled by Samar in France was sinking the ship and he resigned leaving it to rot. Vishal Sadana who was on Vinay's interview board took charge and the scene shifted from internal politics to mutual trust.

         Vinay has by then recognised the lover in his best friend Loveleena who is studying in France and the project united the couple. A happy Dave goes back home knowing to full that hard work and honesty has its rewards.

Some quotes from Goodreads:

http://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/25875125-in-love-of-honey-money-and-my-virgin-passport

Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy

Date of Reading: 09/12/2007

Author: Leo Tolstoy

Translation: Louise & Aylmer Maud

Publisher: Wordsworth Classics

Place: Great Britain

Year: 1999

           The debate around this all time favorite of  Tolstoy's is been going for years among my friends and teachers. Nature or Culture? Should we give vent to our natural feelings and live accordingly or is it better to live by the code which guarantee a problem free life? Author has obviously chosen the latter, making this the story of a fallen woman, a warning to those who dares to be adventurous.

           Anna is the beautiful wife of Alexis Alexandrovich Karenin, a high profile government official in Petersburg. As her husband is an inexpert lover, Anna's whole life revolves around her eight years old son Serezha. Her brother Oblonsky lives at Moscow with his wife Dolly and five children; his relationship with other women often spurts occasional quarrels between the couple and Anna then works as the mediator.

           

On such a journey to pacify Dolly, Anna meets Count Alexis Kirilich Vronsky who fall in love with this beauty instantly. Her marriage status won't pull him back and he follows her back to Petersburg. After several encounters Anna is yielded and she gets pregnant. All the while Karenin keeps a blind eye to the situation on fearing the damage that might fall to his reputation.

           Anna gives birth to baby Anna and on watching her alarming state after giving birth Karenin forgives the past and offers the old life back. This is unbearable for Anna and she decides to live with Vronsky. Karenin gets broken hearted at this and Countess Lydia takes advantage of this situation to make him her puppet.
           The fear of her social status forbids Anna to go for a divorce and it takes Vronsky several months to persuade her. But Karenin refuses to comply with this on Countess Lydia's influence. Vronsky's family considers him trapped in this and Anna feels that he is coming under their influence and is looking for another girl. In a desperate moment she jumps in front of the running train and ends her life. A desolated Vronsky joins army and Karenin looks after the baby Anna.

Leo Tolstoy

           Constantine Dmitrich Levin's story goes parallel to this and offers a high contrast to Anna's life. He is rejected by Kitty, Dolly's younger sister, as she preferred Vronsky. But on Anna's liaison with him, Kitty finds that her happiness lies with Levin. Novel ends when she gives birth to their first baby. 

The Help - Kathryn Stockett

Date of Reading: 27/08/2013

Author: Kathryn Stockett

Publisher: Amy Einlarn Books

Place: New York

Year: 2009

          
        Once I had this nagging fear: what if all the classics run out, and I don't like these post-modern books? Well, 'The Help' has helped to put a rest to that fear and I am glad that the movie experience didn't ruin even the teeniest bit of its charm. Mammy's side of the 'Gone with the Wind', that is what Skeeter describes her work, which is true to the entire novel too. The entire female dominated perspective puts forth the nostalgic feeling of a 21st century Jane Austen novel (oh, not in the case of romance) with its unraveling of  some complex minds.

           Friendship, mother-daughter love, career and boyfriend troubles and most of all racism -- Stockett has put forth a string of themes. And when it comes to the leading role, I am still confused. Skeeter or Aibileen? It could be the movie's influence, I was waiting for all the Skeeter chapters (and Minny of course).

           

"There are all kinds of courage. It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends", says Dumbledore in Harry Potter series. Its that courage that puts Skeeter along with Aibileen and Minnie. The sudden realization that your friends are no longer following the right path, the moment when the blindness is lifted of the eyes, is hard for a 22 year old. The fact that you don't have any friends left may not always be your fault. When you stand up for what you think is just and right, you may not get much company behind. Its always easy to lead life according to other's wishes (you just have to put your self respect behind), not so if you want to live it in your way.
           The novel is moored around the stories of three women: Miss Skeeter, the 22-year old Ole Miss graduate, Aibileen the wise black maid who has lost her own son and is now bringing up her 17the white child and, Minny the sass mouthing black maid who by the way is also the best cook in the entire Mississippi. Year is 1962; protests are going on under the leadership of Martin Luther King.

         Skeeter has just come back from college and finds that her childhood friends Hilly (who rules the entire Jackson) and Elizabeth married and settled with children. Her own long stature shoos the boys away and her mother is constantly worried of her ringless fingers. With the intention of being a writer, she takes a job in Jackson Journal. She is to maintain the housekeeping column for which he seeks the help of Aibileen, Elizabeth's help.
         Hilly's insistence on separate toilets for the coloured help kindles an old spark, and with the encouragement of Elaine Stein, the editor of Harper & Row, she decides to make a book of interviews of black help in Jackson. Aibileen agrees reluctantly but they need a dozen more.
         Minny is Aibi's best friend and her sass mouthing and I-don't-care nature puts her into conflict with Hilly and nobody is ready to take her to a household. Finally she is taken by Celia Foote, the pretty new wife of rich Johnny who is not accepted into the lady's circle due to her low birth. Her new changed circumstances where she is considered as an equal in every way, makes her too enter into the book project. But the others still lack courage.
         When Hilly's maid Yule May is arrested for stealing a ring to pay her sons' tuition fees, other maids are aroused to narrate her love and hate stories in White households -- how it is to raise a white child when your own child is looked after by others. Skeeter is alienated from her Hilly due to her stance against the separate toilets and the entire Jackson puts their back on her. On hearing about the secret book project her boyfriend backs away from the intended proposal but she continues the lonely path.

           Harper & Row publishes the book as The Help with limited copies and without revealing the writer's identity. And names of the maids and also that of the town is also changed. Suspicions grow around but Minny's episode with Hilly saves the impending disaster. As a revenge on the toilet issue and spreading lies on her Minny has mixed her shit with chocolate pie which Hilly eats with relish. Hilly, ever afraid of this secret to be in the open, declares that the book is not on Jackson.
         

Kathryn Stockett

The Help gets a reprint and Skeeter is off to New York for her new job with Harper. Minny leaves her drunken, beating husband at last; Aibileen loses her job because of the book but she feels free and decides to be a writer.

--- The 2011 film adaptation of Tate Taylor got four Academy Award Nominations and Spencer won the Best Supporting Actress award for playing the role of Minny.
           

            

Chat Love - Justine Faeth

Date of Reading: 08/07/2013

Author: Justine Faeth

Publisher: The Small Press

Place: Texas

Year: 2012

From: The author in return of an honest review

      

           A 'Beauty and the Beast' fairy tale or in modern terms a Rhett Butler - Scarlett story is, what can I say, always enchanting. And so does Faeth's 'Chat Love'. From beginning to end we are glued to the pages (or to the laptop screen, as in my case), and the figure of Lucia gets entangled with our own lives. One that is always seen but never much noticed.

The intimate narrative style of Faeth often reminds me of Kinsella, but she lacks in the act of perfect plot making. Searching for the Mr. Right everywhere and at last finding him in the Byronic colleague, is a common but fascinating theme. The tiny glitch was that from the moment Jackson is introduced, we get the flow of the story and there is no surprise. Even the episode of Jack in the chat love website is too easy to guess and there is nothing original. Whether the title is suitable for the novel is debatable, but most of the chat love dates felt like a digression from the main plot (without contributing anything) rather than an entertainment.
           Even within these limitations, Faeth has produced an outstanding work of chick lit. I did have a good time with the kindle edition.
          Lucia Fabbo is a 28 year old Italian beauty who hasn't found her Mr. Right yet. Her dates are collapsing one after the other while her friends walk towards the altar or enjoy seducing the opposite sex. Her younger sister is pregnant and the pressure is mounting up.
         As the last attempt she turns to chat love, a site where people who look for serious relationships talk and arrange dates. She had a crush towards her British colleague Jackson, but as he is not a faithful husband material the case cannot be prolonged. That won't retract Jackson though. Gradually they come to know of each others stories, but a relationship is still at bay.
          Lucia continues with the chat love dating and the novel continues with the humorous situations she encounters. She gets a friend to share her thoughts too -- a mystery man named Jack. They get fond of each other and he is turned out to be none other than Jackson who is also surprised by these turn of events. 

Justin Faeth

           But Lucia is afraid of another heartbreak (which happened with her former relationships) and it takes her sometime to realise the love towards another who too had suffered like her once. The lovers are united and the story ends with the amazing proposal of Jackson.    

Perverse - Larry Rodness

Date of Reading: 22/06/2013

Author: Larry Rodness

Publisher: Ithoh Press

Place: USA

Year: 2012

From: the author in exchange of an honest review

My Rating: 3.5/5

            Hmph! . . . I am not exactly a fan of vampire stuff (well, except for 'Twilight Saga'), and this cover page almost scared me off. But tempting is the offer of a free book and so here I am. Larry is indeed blessed with an enchanting language, the narrative is so gripping that it is impossible to put it down without finishing.

          Some of the plot can be predicted, but not the climax. And isn't their some truth in Laszlo's question? If there is a devil that sucks your blood out and turn you into a blood longing vampire, shouldn't there be a God to cure the virtuous? Too bad this book too follows the age old dictum; once a vampire, always a vampire.

            The total atmosphere is eerie, which suits to the theme. But I would have preferred some comic relief in between. There is the absence of a parallel plot which is often felt as the story goes on in the same place circling around a few characters. On the whole a good book for one time reading and much better if you are travelling.

            Emylene Stipe is a rare second generation Goth and as she finds that her parents have already revolted against the existing social system, she revolts against the parents. With her friend Nancy she does some perverse attempts to experience the stage between life and death which when found  by adults results in the separation of two.

           As a teenager she moves out of her home and starts working in a textile shop. She comes into the friendship of a man called Stelio who is twice her age, but the absence of a romantic interest from his part frustrates Emylene further. Once when he shows interest on an anique picture, she wins that from the reluctant shopkeeper.

         

She hangs the picture on the room and a girl appears who seems to be pursued by the men inside. Emylene helps her come out and names her Poinsettia, but things begin to change on her arrival. Stelio dies suddenly and her store and apartment is burned in fire. Poinsettia persuades her to take her place in the picture as she nothing is left for her in this world. Emylene goes in, too late in understanding the true nature of her friend; people believe her to be dead and the place comes under the influence of her vampire friend.
           After two years she is saved by the shop owner Laszlo Birij who gives the real story of Poinsettia. Her real name is Mira and she was his wife. After the attack of a vampire during her honeymoon, she too is turned and is put into the picture until a cure can be found.

         Now the city has become a ghost town, but Emylene succeeds in finding her mother alive. Father is still under the clutches of Mira and so they set out for a final battle together with Laszlo. The surprise comes in the form of Stelio who turns out to be the master vampire. With the help of her parents Emylene destroys him and Laszlo stabs Mira. When they burn the whole town to demolish other vampires, Laszlo gets trapped. At the end of the novel he is seen to be feeding Mira in their secret place.