Category: Books

  • Quarantine Papers

    Kalpish Ratna

    This book was an impulse purchase, a rare thing for me. The ‘trailer’ (not a synopsis) on the jacket hooked me, and thankfully, unlike a couple of cases earlier, this book didn’t disappoint.

    I think what takes it beyond a ‘thriller’ set in two ages is the layering and detailing, and that starts right from the author name. The book is credited to ‘Kalpish Ratna’, which is actually an “almost anagram” of the two original authors – Ishrat Syed and Kalpana Swaminathan. This layering is present across the book and so forced me to pay attention to each line because of the nuances. I wondered why they had to use different fonts but a few pages showed me how sensible they were in doing it.

    The story too is interesting in itself and has Ratan Oak as a protagonist who leads a ‘double life’. Ratan has a submerged identity, that of his great grandfather Ramratan Oak, and is able to recall his life – events and people.

    The book proceeds to juxtapose the 1992 Bombay riots following the Babri Masjid demolition with the plague that first appeared in Bombay in 1896-97. And not just juxtapose but create a plot that links the two events and show how the attitude and behaviour of society are just different manifestations of the same basic feelings.

    The narrative pace never slackens. The detailing of characters is excellent, and the different pieces of the puzzle are made to fit, with attention to details. From characters in history like the Kiplings, Bal Gangadhar Tilak etc to Urdu poetry, and the amount of research that has obviously been done, this is a very unique book and a must read. It has been mentioned that this is their first Ratan/Ramratan Oak novel, and if they’re planning more historical juxtapositions, I’ll certainly be waiting to grab a copy.

  • Empire of the Moghul: Raiders from the North

    Alex Rutherford

    The first of the ‘Empire of the Moghul’ series, which begins in 1494 when the 12 year old Babur is suddenly forced to become king of Ferghana, on the death of his father. Babur feels a strong sense of destiny and is convinced that fate has something special in store for him. His ancestry, which include Timur and Genghis Khan, only reinforces this belief.

    But the events that follow his coronation prove to be a roller coaster ride and he is forced to reconsider his future. From being king of a small state to the ruler of Samarkhand, to being a king without a throne, Babur is thrown into situations which provide him valuable life lessons, all of which would help him establish the Mughal dynasty in Hindustan.

    Rutherford (mostly) remains true to history but has embellished a few characters to liven up the tale. From the Shah of Persia to ordinary foot soldiers, Rutherford manages to show their role in the life and thinking of Babur, quite effectively. The notes state that he has traveled to most of the places mentioned in the book. That is perhaps what has helped him to appreciate and give vivid descriptions of places, events and even people, making it easier for the reader to visualise the richness and grandeur of the ancient rulers, their royal abodes, and even the trials and tribulations that the land forces its inhabitants to live through. Relying perhaps on the Baburnama, Rutherford succeeds in balancing and showcasing Babur, the emperor, as well as Babur, the person.

    In essence, a good read, especially for those who have an interest in history, and for those who don’t, read it as you would, a regular story, it does justice on that front too.

  • Ireland: Awakening

    Edward Rutherford

    The second part of Rutherford’s Ireland saga. Starting in 1597 and ending in 1922, it continues to trace the life and times of the six families first presented in Dublin, and adds a few more. It starts with the Reformation, the arrival of Oliver Cromwell and the Ascendancy.

    Rutherford, as usual, combines the lives of fictitious and real characters, like Henry Grattan and Daniel O’Connell, and tackles the famine, Home Rule movement etc to present a picture that justifies what might have been the sentiment of the age, though historians might have a few minor problems with accuracy.

    Towards the end of the book, we can also see the rise of Young Irelanders, the Irish Republican Brotherhood, precursors to the IRA.

    The book is perhaps at a step lower than Dublin, as the author seemed more preoccupied with presenting historical incidents, as opposed to characterisation, which he usually excels at. He might have sensed this too, but what has then happened is a slightly lumpy narrative, with occasional strong characters and at most times, a predominance of history itself. But having said that, it is still a wonderful read, and I particularly liked the author’s use of character names and situations (eg. Conall – Deirdre – MacGowan) to show that the more things changed the more they remained the same.

  • Dublin

    Edward Rutherford

    An epic novel that’s only one part of Rutherford’s Ireland saga. Starting in AD 430 and ending in AD1533, this book traces the story of Ireland using Dublin as a representative. From Dubh Linn to Dyflin to Dublin.

    Through the interwoven stories of six fictional Irish families, we see the transformation of Ireland from the land of druids and Celtic High Kings up to the reign of Henry VIII. The fortunes of these families rise and fall during the Viking invasions, the campaign of Brian Boru, the English annexation of Ireland and the rebellion of Silken Thomas, and possibly serve as a good microcosmic reference point for the rest of their kinsmen too.

    By juxtaposing actual historic events with the intrigues of fictional families, and by creating a set of very interesting and meticulously detailed characters, Rutherford helps us visualise what Eire must have been like in those times long ago.

    PS. ‘Ireland Awakening’ has been on my shelf for almost 3 years now, because ‘Dublin’ was so difficult to get hold of.

  • Illusions

    Richard Bach

    Richard Bach and Donald Shimoda, master and disciple. One, a messiah waiting to retire and the other reluctant to learn. Both barnstorming pilots in mid west America.

    The book is about our perspectives and perceptions of reality, and a view that what we see around us is an illusion.. of our own making, a manifestation of what we want it to be.

    Shimoda is tired of being a messiah as he thinks people are more interested in the miracles he shows them, than any understanding of what he’s trying to say. As the narrative progresses, Richard is first awed by the miracles himself, but then starts questioning his sense of reality and begins the journey to become a messiah himself.

    The book consists of many profound quotes from what is called the “Messiah’s Handbook”, which Shimoda lends to Richard. A handbook with no pages, because it opens to the page which answers the questions in the reader’s mind, but like Shimoda says any book can do this, because it is the reader’s interpretation.

    The larger statement here is that each of us has in us, the power to make our own path just the way we want it, if only we let go. To quote, “Argue for your limitations, and sure enough, they’re yours”