The Reluctant Fundamentalist - Mohsin Hamid

As I began reading the novel it struck me as light heartened , little did I know that the mere 184 pages had the depth of an ocean ,covering emotions that had only  been grazed over the surface before .  The  lyrical and practical style of the author impressed me a lot. 

This is a story about the inner struggle that a man goes through when he finds himself in a situation ,where he does not know who he is , where , his origin only complicates matters 

On a more straight forward note , this  novel is a narrative , the narrator being  "Changez" . Changez is born and brought up in a Pakistani elite family and goes on to study at Princeton . His personality and qualifications get him a job in a top of the notch service sector enterprise "Underwood Samson". A very diluted presence of love hangs all along , the love by the name of "Erica" . It is saddening that the beauty of this love is felt briefly while the loss of it ( which does happen in due course) is  presence that hangs around forever. Someone once said that when thunder falls , it befalls with all the might of the Gods . A similar situation occurs in Changez's Life A series of events- the 9/11 ,A terrorist attack on India's parliament & breaking down of Erica sucks the fundamentalist out of him  

MY PERSONAL COMMENTS

Changez is the prefect example of an eastern man who embraced A western world , A western woman and A western way of life .... All of which disappointed him.

The novel is so written that it leaves space for a lot of argument and interpretation , it does not force the view of Changez on you neither does it compel you to have a view , it simply states , how the man felt and what were his experiences .

For instance it does make one wonder on the symbolism of the actions of America post 9/11 . The book says and I quote " Your( American ) country's flag invaded new york after the attacks , it was everywhere . Small flags stuck on toothpicks featured in the shrines .They all seemed to proclaim: We are America - Not New York, which in my opinion , means something quite different - the mightiest civilization the world has ever known ; you have slighted us ; beware of our wrath "  

We find Changez in an identity crises more than once , something that many Asians living abroad can relate to . When he visits his home in Pakistan , his repulsion towards his very own "elite" house ( full with cracked paint , and leaking pipes ) makes him realize his dominantly American perspective of life .

This story also highlights the concept of fundamentalism in great depth . If only Changez had stuck to his fundamental principles he would have lived a better life .

Last but simply not the least this novel also encompasses a tender love story , one that does break your heart 

All in all a beautiful novel ,my   rating 4 on 5

Even Sadness can sing

A painting I made that inspired me to write this poem

 When the sky isn't blue enough
The air suffocates you
This sadness is not something to weep over
For when has anyone ever wept over emptiness
What is this void , tell me more
It makes me crazy , saddened to all folks
They ask me , what is the matter
But all I do is nod and say
Just let me be , just let me be , I pray
Oh! what beauty ,
oh! what light Its alas! all so very bright
But ask me and I would nod
Ask I from myself and I would avoid
For sometimes there are secrets that no confidant can share
Secrets that make you weep and make you glare
But uff!! just let it be
Who is gonna hear my appeal
For no sad man can ever appeal
All he can do is pray
But pray he must
Pray he must
Else even his loneliness is going to leave him lonesome
Grieved ,aghast and gloom-some.

MY Review on Angelology- Danielle Trussoni

Angels are often described as beautiful creatures descended upon the earth on Lord's command ,having  beautiful feathers and  a loving face that can only be described by adjectives such as beautiful , unearthly , loving etc and never by those such as  hot , sexy or sensuous . They have captured our imagination and endless stories , novels and films have been  woven with  this imagination into something at once real and unreal . They are like the parallels of vampires , werewolves etc yet their presence seems more possible than that of those beasts . Despite the fact that beasts have been showcased as more real by means of highly descriptive fiction based on some "fantasy" historical evidence , religious texts , paintings , "Superstitious" beliefs etc. It is I believe our psyche that chooses the side of the angels . Henceforth the book on Angelo-logy by Danielle Trussoni is a first in ways more than one , atleast for me . I am sure the Bible's reference to the arch-angels , nephrilim and watchers has been used many a times in  the past ,furthermore if  i were to come across a novel with a story more beautifully woven about these very angels , I will not be surprised . Why then, do i recommend this book ? What is good about it ?.Danielle has been very successful as an author in making "Neprilim " ( Descendants of a disobedient group of angels called Watchers ) , and " Watchers"  as real possible identities , using the reference of "The Book Of Enoch" and "The Bible" she has given them an identity that can be called believable to say the least ( for a theist at-least ) . The story of the book , I would prefer not to divulge since it would spoil the fun , its sufficient to say that it is a fight between Angelologist ( a society whose objective is to end the influence of Nephrilim on the human world by destroying them ) and "Nephrilim for the Lyre of the Arch-angel Gabriel which is also famous as the lyre of Orpheus . The Lyre can destroy the Nephrilim if the correct musical composition is played . Furthermore the Nephrilim's have lost their many powers due to the recesssive angelic traits (genes) and more potent human traits ( genes ) , hence if that continues they would be destroyed on their own , the lyre however has also the power to rejuvenate . The most thrilling of all suspense's is the fate of the protagonist's which is far from cliche'  

*Angelology's meaning - It is the study of Angels it comes' from the Greek word "Angelologia" which is a combination of two words together "Angelos" = angel (messenger) and "logos" = word, meaning the word of Angels.. It is a branch of theology and deals with the study of symbols , texts , paintings , manuscrpts , religious texts that give any reference to the presence of angels or the literature surrounding them

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.