The Secret History by Donna Tartt

The Secret History by Donna Tartt, was recommended by my good friend/ex-boss and almost immediately I find this book on sale at Bankside. Without second thought and haven’t read any reviews about this book before hand- I bought this book. I wasn’t disappointed.

Story based in small liberal art fictional college at velmort, where small group(Charles, Camilla, Henry, Bunny, Francis) of elite students who signed up ancient greek course. Julian Morrow, professor of course accepts only few students every year. Richard Papen who recently relocate from California from a life which he was desperate to live behind. He finds myself initially unable to signup for ancient greek classes and later not just manage to join but gradually get to know the other student in the group. He later finds out that Bunny was blackmailing fellow-mates about a crime their committed during an effect to recreate greek ancient bacchanal. when Bunny’s intention become questionable, Richard had to decide to side with other friend to kill Bunny to cover up. Aftermath of Bunny’s dead is the second half of the book, in which group collapses with psychological stress. Professor Julian finds truth eventually and decided to leave the college without making crimes public and letting the students to deal with their problem in isolation.

Its a philosophical fiction with ethical, moral dilemmas. Although with no big surprises, journey of the characters in situations and they aftermath scrambling- that I find very interesting.

It sure is very exciting page turner. I would highly recommend.

Happy Days by Laurent Graff

Happy Days by Laurent Graff, is often amusing but well-written funny novel with poignancy and also without getting heavy.

Set in contemporary France book narrated by the main character, Antoine- who believes he had lived life by his eighteenth birthday. But anyways he decided to give life more chance by getting a job, marriage and kids. He didn’t feel himself. So he decides to retire, a longtime dream. This choice ofcourse is not out-of-laziness but out-of-strong personal philosophy. His belief is nothing to do with life. So by the age of 35, he checks-into retirement home called Happy Days to await death. He bought his own grave and claims to be emotionally blank and wanted to be free from any ties. From him, settling at Happy Days is big experiment to understand individual’s life by stripping out of all diversions. But ofcourse he could do that completely. Despite the age difference, he find himself to be accepted by locals and settles into a routine uneventful and peaceful daily life. That’s until he develops a special bond with an old woman suffering from terminal cancer. He develop unique bond with her and goes on a very special journey. His understanding is proximity of death don’t bring elder near to the truth life is pretense right up to the end.

Author highlights various incidences which led him to retirement. A decade later he find myself in unchanged, a fitting end to the character that is unwilling to live his life.

Novel is more narrative journey. Graff manages to keep it light but without being very superficial. Author control his theme and episode of death stops- very well. Author making depressing argument that world is retirement home and all are biding the time before the trauma of death.

Its a pleasant read and Iam waiting to see Jonny Depp's version.

Freakonomics – Hidden side of Everything by Steven Levitt

Freakonomics – Hidden side of Everything by Steven Levitt, If I have to choose one word to describe this book its – Brilliant.

Author is an unusual economist, who looked up for stories which data can tell and highlight things which normally ignored. Most Economic books are based on a particular concept but this about microeconomics at its better and pulled out from people who have no idea about economic theories. Its an attempt to the explain a theory of ‘truth’ without any underlying self-interest intention.

Although in some cases, I find myself with lot of questions since I fail to accept that sufficient explanations were given to make necessary conclusions. Some answers were obvious and many were surprises. Ofcourse, we don’t need to accept the answer and analysis by Steven made in this book but it sure does highlight a new way of looking at things.

If you a person who like to argue, accepts the other-side-views, interested in analysis then you will truly enjoy reading this book. As one review mentioned this book is the Unconventional Wisdom.

If god was a banker by Ravi Subramanian

Bought this book in airport book shop for transit reading and 'Banker' in the title attracted me to this book. First impression- good read(not great). Its typical Indian movie story- story is about fresher men from B-school who rise corporate ladder in MNC bank, one the honest way(Swaminathan) and the other(Sundeep Srivastava) the dishonest way. ofcourse in the end, dishonest guy realize his mistakes. All right, book is fictional but still bad guy is very guy and good guy is too good. That to me, is suspense killer and book become very predictable.

Nevertheless book is decent, narrative is simple(especially if you have exposure to banking industry), easy to read and its good walk-thru of ugly side of power/money.

Will recommend for lite read over flight journey or if you like typical masala movie then you will like this as well. But if you are choosey then you can do away with this book and you wouldn’t be missing anything.

Vagabonding by Rolf Potts

Iam not a Vagabond. I am a common man with desire for certain level of material comforts. But I always wondered for long-term travel and excused myself due to lack of money and time. Reading Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel, by Rolf Potts made me realize, may be I don't lack resources but desire to make such a journey. and may be my Indian DNA structure is constantly mapping my interest in the context of family, friends, material success and appreciate for all those while billion others lack those at our doorsteps.

In any/all culture, Travel is often romanticized and associate with lifestyle, luxury. Vagabonding by Rolf Potts explains the philosophy of long term travel which discourage material choices and motivates an idea that life experience not accumulating 'things' is the truest form of wealth and Travel is greatest resource for acquiring such rich life experience. And such experience doesn't cost as such as people think it would.

Beside being inspirational this book offer some basic attitude tuning before making any travel plans like willingness to try, learn & adapt, being open,etc.. This book is not Where to go, What to eat,..Lonely Planet kind of travel guide. Its timeless book which offers some simple & practical answers for issues of travel planning.

I find a fitting review for this book--

"Anyone who has ever thought about traveling, this book will make you go! Anyone who has ever been traveling, this book will make you want to go again and anyone who is traveling whilst reading this, this book will make you that bit more adventurous when ordering food in a cafe where a squat toilet is another eating area! It's definitely a case of, if he can do it then so can I! Of course if your not a traveling type then the book will mean as much to you as a tin of baked beans to a kipper, but for those who yearn for life as one of the wandering nomads of this world, this book will seem like the travel bible in as much as it suggests a life less ordinary. This book is about working to live and not living to work."

The Romantics by Pankaj Mishra

The Romantics by Pankaj Mishra, is story about desire of first intimate but short-lived affair of Samar, young Indian student. Books narrators is journey of love & loss as he recalls his days at Benares/Varanasi as student preparing for his civil service career and Samar is introduced to expatriate circle by Ms.West, a Englishwomen who is tenant of same landlord.

Samar goes thru mysterious conflict between his Eastern upbringing, specially ideology about relationship, marriage-- where love follows arrange marriage And his fascination with west, where love is illicit excitingly experienced. Mid Novel soul search leads him to his homeland in Benares and is troubled by the scenes from difficult but still calming memory with good narrations. Author narrator the first experiences of love, infatuations with Western culture with exotic backdrops of "holyland" of India. Book completely and complexly renders love with its pain.

Book's doesn't have any particular point. Its starts and ends with characters flowing in & out. But its a good narration of East meeting West & temptations which comes with that encounter of cultures and for that very reason its an interesting read.