Not a Penny More , Not a Penny Less by Jeffery Archer

Jeffery Archer

Having read almost all of Jeffery archer's novels , to read his first ever novel "Not a Penny More Not a Penny Less "was a pleasant surprise . This novel  is an example of how every author starts somewhere . The novel is exciting ,informative , and almost captivating ,  filled with knowledge about artists ( Vincent Van Gogh -his favorite as always ) , culture , tradition , and booze .Harvey Metcalfe , a American of polish descent , is an intelligent man , well-versed in all the traits of business , better than any Harvard degree holder , and yet without any formal education. He robs four young men , an American professor Dr. Stephen Bradley , a Viscount by the name of James , A doctor -Robert Oakley , and a Frenchman/art dealer Jean-Pierre ,  with the help of a young , naive man by the name of David ( incidentally a Harvard degree holder ) .The book is thus tells us how  these four gentleman from different back ground come together to get there money back but not with vengeance , rather with a plan to get back there money as it was taken , not a penny more , not a penny less. Like all his book almost everyone is from some prestigious institution . Harvard , Oxford , and Cambridge seem to be at a stone's throw for everyone to grasp . The style is not the same as you might find in his later books ( As the crow flies , Kane and Abel etc) . Unlike those books , this one is not about a specific person , and covers a detailed span of about 6 months as opposed to a whole lifetime as  in "As the crow flies " and "Kane and Abel ". We find that the author is reverting back to this style in his latest books , "Paths of glory" and "Matter of honor" . I sincerely hope for the sake of all readers that the author reverts back to the style of "Kane and Abel " rather than giving us examples of his "diversity" by producing books as impersonal and crass as "Paths of Glory" and "Prison Diaries" . I personally find the author very talented and an almost-genius , seeing as he is knowledgeable in many disciplines , be it Art , Tradition , People , Emotions or stock exchange not to mention Politics . event though this is not the epitome of his genius yet , this book make you feel happy , urges you to do more in life , to grab all opportunity ,and tells you that no matter who you are and where you're from , nothing is impossible if you have the will and right people around you , to not just guide you but also to offer a glance- " I am here for you " .The book is a good read , but not an urgent one unlike "Kane and Abel". As an artist , I always find myself happy reading the bits about artists and there work . The book is said to be based on Archer's personal life. Jeffery Archer is an author of logical brilliance , all my readers , if you are fans of suspense , or would like to read about lives of interesting characters ( who in most cases grow from scratch ) read Jeffery archer , be it "KAne and Abel"  , "As the crow flies" , "The Prodigal Daughter" or ""The prisoner of birth " .All of these books will keep you up all night , wanting to know more about the characters , yet as the book ends , you will feel satisfied and in love with the characters . So go on take a J.A from a library , or buy it and cherish it all your life . IF you people want me to tell more about the books I have mentioned please post comments , I would be glad to comply to you wishes ,,, This is me signing of

Have A good Day

 Despite being a big fan of jeffery Archer my rating on this book - 3.5 out of 5

Being Selfish is a Fantabulous thing

Hello people!!

I am glad that you are reading what I have to say .

i was wondering that so many things we do , you know , which make us feel selfish , but you know what we are wrong at this . You see we humans , or so to say most of us are selfless people , and not in a very good way at that .We look good, as in make pecs and abs , or stylize hair , to look good in "other" people's eyes , we wear ill fitting clothes that are comfortable yet stylish to catch "others" eyes , we even buy cars that leaks are pockets into oblivion to look good and up-preppy in "others" eyes . All this and more , all for other people .You could say ( as in earlier times ) that all this was done to attract a suitable mate , to produce healthy offspring that carry the family name forward , but amidst 100's of one-night-stands , failed marriages, and time-pass relationships , we can rule this out and for good . Well as much as i would like to give a solution to you , I am unable to do it ,this is one of the every irrevocable sins committed . Well all this must make you wonder what is then selfishness , well its not all that complicated once you come to think of it ,it is right in-front of you , career , not the career based on achieving a lot of success but the career of one's choice , a career , a job that makes one truly happy, a creation , an innovation , preservation , conservation , all this and more is selfishness . a thing of beauty is a joy forever , and the joy of being the creator of that thing of beauty , is so splendid that it bring tears to your eyes , which are far from salty , but like honey ( if you taste them that is). Love gives you true happiness , and happiness is selfishness , When in doubt close your eyes , and think about your actions , are these the actions that make you happy ( without any strings attached ) or is it something else . Wanting success is far from being a selfish deed ,well in most cases that is anyway . For most people try to achieve success to show-off for people to prove to some unknown stranger that he/she is an achiever , amidst this fever , one forgets the way one wanted to achieve success in the first place , and before he/she realizes this its either too late , or a situation that make one hate oneself irrevocably . Offcourse sometimes success is to prove to oneself , to make one happy at these and only these times is success selfish and very much beneficial . So go out and have some fun .... Its the "Seeker of seeking thing's" order be SELFISH

I have written little about this topic for there is a lot to explore in it,... i suggest reading the following titles

The Fountain Head- Ayn Ra

Atlas Shrugged - Ayn Rand

This will reaffirm concepts of "need-to-be-selfish" , Altruism and Objectivism in the minds of those who believe in it

And form ground for those who do not and will start believing soon .

I would also like to put some quotes of this great author ...And would soon write a book review for all those who would like to see whether the effect of the book is similar on us or not.
.A creative man is motivated by the desire to achieve, not by the desire to beat others.  -Ayn Rand 

A desire presupposes the possibility of action to achieve it; action presupposes a goal which is worth achieving.-Ayn RandAchievement of your happiness is the only moral purpose of your life, and that happiness, not pain or mindless self-indulgence, is the proof of your moral integrity, since it is the proof and the result of your loyalty to the achievement of your values.-Ayn Rand

Every man builds his world in his own image. He has the power to choose, but no power to escape the necessity of choice.

Ayn Rand

On The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender

I am going to soon attend a book club discussion on the book " The particular sadness of a lemon cake " by " Aimee Bender " on November the 23rd or 26th at the American Library at the American Center . The book deals with a girl who has a "talented tongue" . She can taste food and tell all the emotions that the cook or the baker had while making the item . As she grows up she begins to get to know of the emotions in an even more objective way , making all clearer and clearer . She discovers the sadness , anxieties and insecurities of her family and friends . Now had I not read "The Hobbit" the very day i started reading this book or had i not re-read the "Lord of the Rings - Trilogy " by the great J.R.R Tolkien the very week , I would have called it if not a splendid but the very least a good work , but alas that is not to be . It angered me very much and brought on all the thoughts of diminishing readership and poor authors . If truth be told there have always been a small population of readers ,but in the light of new technology , less funding for libraries , high prices and monetizing of book stores so much , the readership falls , and if as is the scenario the authors are less skilled what is a guy gotta do but throw tomatoes in her/his face . If it was not for the movie The Lord of the Rings would have been forgotten , for the first part "the hobbit" was first published in 1937 . C.S Lewis somehow survived . But unless something be done , the age of the next Indians will do be far from book lovers . Me thinks that some authors are smart , but to really write a splendid book , requires genius . As sorry as I am to say this Aimee Bender is a "smart" author and far from "genius" .In other circumstance "smart" would be a compliment , but not in this case for smart here is the smartness of a fox . For a "smart" author takes a small idea of a genius , and makes it into a whole novel . The whole idea about a tongue telling emotions is so mediocre imaginatively , it is boring and hardly imaginative , its some long lost idea , not discovered , but most probably copied in a disgusting fashion . The small fantasy point in The Lord Of the rings in which a sword named sting glows when orcs are around is more interestingly imaginative . Now , now I am sure some reader would say that she should be credited for merging fantasy and realistic emotions . That would be just had it been the time snow white was published , however in the age where Harry Potter series exists , it is a feeble attempt to say the least . In the age where J.K Rowling has cast a novel so beautiful , a novel that makes us believe that there can exist a wizard world , for it all seems almost scientific , normal people with a gift , a gift with rules too and of utmost importance the realism of the characters , their emotions , their feelings all comes alive as we pass through the pages . You can relate to all of them , Harry - afraid yet courageous , Hermione - Insecure of her own over bustling confidence , Ron - one to be removed from his zone of comfort , Dumbledore - Knows that wise cannot be powerful , and snape - a character moving in between love and betrayal . If I must say their are few similarities between The Harry potter series and the lord of the rings trilogy . Both Harry and Frodo are set tasks that makes them seem both afraid and courageous , both their sires James Potter and Bilbo Baggines have been on adventures too small than their young yet adventures all the same . Dumbledore and Gandalf are both aware that the wise are always powerful , their wisdom is their power , and if they are given power they along with the world would be destroyed . If I might be bold enough to say , the idea of a horcrux is very similar to the ring , both as we see the ring and the horcrux try to tempt the bearer into dreadfully deadly deeds , and are of similar concept , made to keep their masters alive , for as long as possible , J.K Rowling may have made some concept about they being trophies , but all the same the idea is very very similar . Well in the midst of all this we have forgotten Aimee altogether , it would be suffice to say that she needs to find the genius in herself, for she has potential

 

                                       Inspired by the great author are these two talented authors one who is already great and one who I hope will achieve greatness by adopting more honest ways                                 

                                     

Rediscovering India rediscovering yourself

Stories of explorers and archaeologists discovering evidence supporting the existence of faith , religion , spirituality and belief in a superpower (God ) aren’t unheard of .The search for truth is no different for followers of Hinduism than it is for preachers of the other faiths. Then again is it?

We have often criticized the way of life “Hinduism” and religious texts advice Hindus to follow, while the criticism is necessary in itself, in doing so we have neglected the very depths of our own history of thought. Hindus have always been conscious of the concept of parallel universes, a world divided into Maya and Truth, by the Gods. The division of men into castes is no longer relevant and yet we are constantly aware of these divisions made by man 

.Despite the error of our ways, there is one thought that has perpetrated our minds for centuries. The belief that God is within us, the knowledge that we are responsible for the life we lead and awareness of a power that guides us , this power is not just above , it is the power inside .For a lot of people who refuse to believe in God , the image of God for them is that of a magician , someone who ideally “should”  treat ill people , fight evil , and perform miracles .God cannot solve all our problems, what God is capable of doing is ease our problems not by a miracle but by giving us strength , strength to deal with the situations in which we call him for our assistance. He or she is the torch that enlightens us . Haven’t we often compared our parents and Gurus with God? They cannot perform miracles though at least not in the literal sense of the word. We do not need to search for God, or see him,he is always around us. However, listening to him can help steer clear most obstacles. Listen to his voice. The above discussion isn’t specific to Hinduism, the discussion is about sensitivity to a higher power. 

If you go exploring and digging up for truths and secrets hidden under multiple realms of our country you shall find - NOTHING for truth is seldom hidden, all has been laid out in the open. You don’t need to go to places to enlighten your soul, you don’t have to cross geographical boundaries, all you have to do is have some faith and take the leap into the realms of clarity, places without deception. Even as it isn’t necessary to go to different places, there are places where one crosses over the fragile veil between Maya and truth .The very soil on which we stand has witnessed all that has passed,one might argue that how different is one place from the other and I agree the soil is no different . The soil isn’t different but the air which we breathe is, what has passed on different soils is deterministic. Only when you clear the air of deception will you be able to  breathe in the true aroma of the soil which is nothing but the aroma of your own thought . This is what India teaches me everyday, despite the mirages that surround us , the truth is not hard to get to , for these mirages  do not hide the truth they simply co-exist , just as mythology and history do.

Thoughts put into words

The sun loves the earth for it doesn’t’t want to burn it, it stays away the soil loves the scavengers for which it produces and nourishes its bait , the trees love the birds for whose nests it grows its branches” \
These lines from Paulo Coelho ‘s book the “Alchemist” inspire me everyday , helping me find love , kindness and warmth in every aspect of life .
I have experienced various forms of love in life. I love my nation and always have. When I see that my India is still in such a bad state my heart cries. To me love means care and trust . If you expect anything other than care and trust from the person or thing you love then alas! You have never loved.

..
” Vasudhev Kutumbakkam”- the world is a family. I am fortunate enough to have interacted with students from different countries. I went on a foreign exchange program t a school in Stuttgart Germany . On interacting with them I realized that besides language we were no different from them . The very thought makes me remember few lines from Pablo Neruda’s (Nobel laureate) keeping quiet
“Now we will count to 12 and we will keep quiet for once on the face of earth lets not speak in any language and stop for one second
And not move our hands so much
We would all be together in a sudden strangeness”
We are all part of the same universal soul only when we come together as one does the heart of the world beat . I remember how my heart wept for all those victims of 9/11 and how I felt sorry for the victims of apartheid of whom I have read in my history books . The world is a family and I love my world like I love my family
It is impossible for me to separate books and love .I have always been fascinated by books and love to read them , it is my belief that all the stress we experience in our life can be swept away through books. We enter a world where we can be anything , anyone be it Harry Potter , Alladin , Kane from Kane and Abel, or even Alice from little women . Reading brings out in me a love even for those whom I don’t know as in the case of the characters of “A thousand splendid sons” and “Kite runner” by Khaled Hosseini .
Love is a virtue , it is omnipresent be it love of Romeo and Juliet , love between mother and child, love towards animals or love towards art and literature. Love is supernatural and yet a part of the very nature itself . Love is a flame which enlightens all , it is not fire hence it cannot burn anyone

What about Love

You are a song written by the hands of God - is how i will describe Love.... Micheal Jackson sings What about sunrise What about rain What about all the things That you said we were to gain.... I ask what about love .? We are so caught up in terrorism , earth crises , population rise .. so much so that we no longer remember what love is or so to say what love was . YOU might say that combating terrorism , controlling population , is a way to greater good to greater love, but in the drive to greater good we have forgotten the everyday good. What is love is a question some used to ask , but it has been replaced by what about love? as if it as something as common ans unnecessary as a nail. But to think that it is a nail is not a bad idea , for love nails the world together ,it is the binding force ( yes all you physicists it is like the binding energy in a nucleus-just way more powerful) . Einstein , Newton all tried to combine forces to get the universal force , well i am no Einstein but it seem s I have cracked the code , it is love that is the universal force . I have seen many form sof love , but moreover I have read love , heard love and seen love ( no i haven gone mas) Love is in books , music films , Yes in films too. Since love is like energy it can flow from our heart to our creations ,Some say love is more to do with others , to love someone else , But hear it from me , it is perfectly allright to love yourself , just make sure that you are not the only one you love. the way a jain nun roams the earth bare foot , sacrificial and unaffected by the gifts of life , is her love for spirit , it is not just an urge to be free of the cycle of love and death , it is the love for her spirit .A mother who has seen her brother send her own parents to old-age homes still gives herself totally to her children , this strong power is not just love for her children , it is the love for motherhood. Ambition is the seed of devil , some say but i say different it is not the seed of devil it is the love of satisfaction . One who is ambitious is on a journey to attain it , but the driving power in this journey is ambition ( which is love and not evil). Enough has been said on the forms of love , but liitle on the celebration of love , . You might still find Indian women over 30 secretly watching the same " dilwale dulhaniya genre" movie a forty fifth time . She watches these movies not to get a high or to watch others falling in love so as to indulge in self pity, she watches it to remeber the time when the same fire was alive in her ages ago and a part of the fire remains flickering excitedly like a spark. We are Indians but we hardly celebrate our love for a country , for love is not celebrated on some specific days( just as life is not celebrated only on your birthday) . We are progressing but not progressing in our own league , we compare our progress to Europe and USA, We always consider it relatively ,And in this relativity we forget what progress was and so we start to cheat or copy.It is awesome to go to discos , blog on the net do facebooking etc , but it isn't good to ignore your origin , either , it is a negation to your love for your country. To forget your heritage and to become mindless clones is not the way to progress and neither is it a way to love. Love your country by not peeing on its walls , not spitting on its lands , and most importantly by accepting it and making it better ( not making it USA making it a better India) . Most among us have different opinions on who really freed our country ,The NON-violence Clan of Gandhi or the Revolutionary clan of S.C Bose and Bhagat Singh .But all of us agree that whatever their methods were it was love for nation that lighted the lamps on those dark streets . There is so much on love and so much to say but I guess thee is more to discover and so I give you all the luck in discovering it , nurturing it and celebrating the song written by God -LOVE

Journeying through the Pages of Nine Lives

from now on i have decided to comment on the issues i come across daily through books, television, friends, newspapers and most importantly life.
for instance today i was reading William Dalrymple's book "Nine Lives".
the first story is about a nun .or so to say a mattaji a jain one at that. the short story talks about the jain way of life .
How jains think that in this world of ours we are all running after the wrong things moving around the same circle with nonet displacement.the nun says that greed , sex, attachment , etc weigh down our souls preventing them to fly higher and higher.she says that we should leave all attachment to parents , friends. stating the reason behind to be the fact that it is all temporary .
i think about it deeply and my mind gives me an obvious rebuttal , if parents , love, attachment to a particular thing are temporary then so is life and so is death.Isnt it?
Well as it turns out the wise nun has the answer. it is believed not only by jainism , but also by buddhism and Hinduism that our purpose in life is not to enjoy life king size but rather to get out of this cycle of life and death to do so we have to make our soul pure . And purity is never obtained or taken in, it is attained by sacrifice and removal of all the unnecessary bindings.
If I may , i would like to think of a great example in support of this.

William Dalymple

As you might know there are certain bacteria and arachnids whose eggs are so light that they go higher and higher unaffected by the bindings of gravity into the endless gravity. Me thinks that in such a state the egg is totally free , free from fear of predator , free from hunger for motherly love,free from everything. it might not so much as grow to become a proper arachnid , but what alas! is proper , so long as the soul lives , the soul in this form will reach the enlightment ours need.
In similar comparisons we can say that when our souls are free from the shackles that weigh them down our souls will also rise higher and higher,hence joining those of the 20 tinthankara's of whose last was a prince named Mahavira
i will keep updated you on this journey of a book (which is more of a journey) called Nine Lives