Change

 As people, most of us abhor change. The turbulent changes of the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the globe have put many on edge. Be it an irksome inability to move around freely or the uneasy feeling of staying with the same people for months together.


I am an introvert. My natural environment is to remain alone as often as possible and revel in my thinkings. The coronavirus pandemic induced lockdowns should ideally have been a godsend. Unfortunately, it has worked the other way. My wife and kids are extroverts by nature and being locked in with them has played havoc with my thought process and I yearn for some me time.

With Karnataka unlocking, I will now be able to go to my workplace more frequently and this should help me identify with myself again. 

The family will move in with my mom who now is all alone.  Another change that is bound to create friction within. The kids will not like this change anymore than the wife. Yet, Change is the only constant!

A Tough Couple of Years

 

The past two years have been tough. The Chinese virus has ravaged the world not sparing India as well. The multiple lockdowns between March 2020 and May 2021 and partial unlocks in between meant a fresh perspective on what is essential in life and what is not. 



The children were a strength during these difficult period and they made us mom and dad proud by not being unnecessarily fussy with their requests. I cannot thank my luck enough for having them in my life. The work was majorly online and continues to be so. Teaching students on computer screens is not an easy task. I am unable to make out if they are learning stuff without seeing them and understanding their body language.

Yet, two batches of students have graduated  during the past year and another batch will do so soon. It is an interesting experience and I wonder how the students are coping up.

On the personal front, I lost dad in November and since them I am finding it difficult to cope up. This decade started with some bright ideas for the future and seems to have knocked the wind out of me already. 

I am not one to give up though and wish to document my life daily from today.

Book Review: Jasmine Builds on Shifting Sands by Sanjay Desai

 

Title: Jasmine Builds On Shifting Sands

Language: English
Author: Sanjay Desai
Genre: Personal Development & Self-Help; Contemporary fiction
Publisher:  ConsciousLeap Insights Private Limited
ISBN-10:  8194917204
ISBN-13: 978-8194917205
Binding: Paperback
Price: Rs. 238 (Buy from Amazon)
Pages: 160

My Review:

I lost my father a few days after receiving this book and almost did not read this book and would not have reviewed this. Unlike most self-help books, this one has a story, fictional, but inspirational. It is a two part narrative of intertwined and inter-weaved through the thoughts of the author's spiritual guru in the Himalayas. 

This book is a little slow to pick up. (Probably my state of mind also affected my ability to read it). Once the story begins (after a rather long prologue), it is quite endearing. The story of Jasmine is interspersed with QR codes and Links to some self help exercises and workshops that genuinely help put things in perspective. These are called micro-learnings by the author. While, I for one do not like to break my train of thoughts while reading, I followed the author's request to pause and do the exercise. I did like the first one at the end of Chapter 4, but skipped the rest as I prefer reading books without breaks.

I believe the author genuinely wants us to improve our lives and identify with our goals so that we can achieve what we set out to do.

The author's learnings from his guru make the story of Jasmine very interesting and endearing.

Jasmine the protagonist is like any other Indian. The story will surely resonate with each of us because of her dreams and yearnings which are so similar to yours and mine and every Indian who calls themselves middle-class.

Jasmine Builds On Shifting Sands, is a unique take on how to approach the ups and downs of our lives. It also talks about the need to change with our changing conditions and introspect on our actions that led us to where we stand today. The conversations are so simple and written in very easy to read language without jargons.

There are a few grammatical errors and also some content that could have been left out. The author comes across as a genuine person with his own self-doubts that he conquered with the help of his spiritual guru - Ma Krishnanangiri to whom he has dedicated this novel.

Overall this book is a good read, though could have cut a few things to make it much crisper. (The author does warn us that it is not necessary to read the prologue/epilogue, but I read it nevertheless due to force of habit). 

Positives: Very easy to read, a passionate narrative and an everyday story.

Negatives: The story could have been crisper.

Who will enjoy this? Those having second thoughts on their life path and choices.

Buy or Don’t Buy? Do buy. Do not be fooled by the category this book is placed in. It is a good novel with a self-help component, expertly weaved into it.  “When our actions are not out of no-mind state, the mind comes into the action, leaving its impression, which will include intent, as well as subconscious factors like doubt, fear, and whatever else” (You can buy from Amazon)

Blurb

Integrated with hybrid multimedia learning tools, Jasmine Builds on Shifting Sands is a unique self-help fiction offering. Its captivating narrative ties two seemingly distinct tales in an intertwined journey that explores the manifestation of dreams. At the center of the book is Jasmine’s journey of making it as a successful model in the cut-throat world of fashion. Her tale of victory and failure is enveloped within the master narrative of Sanjay, an erudite knowledge-seeker who meets his spiritual guru- Ma. Set between the esoteric location of the Himalayas and the urban bustle of Mumbai, the book offers an enhanced learning experience which is further amplified through the embedded micro-learning content that is interspersed throughout the text, making for a truly immersive experience.

Book Review: Irrationally Passionate by Jason Kothari

Title: Irrationally Passionate: My Turnaround from Rebel to Entrepreneur

Language: English
Author: Jason Kothari
Genre: Personal Development & Self-Help; Biographies
Publisher: HarperCollins
ISBN-10: 9353572657
ISBN-13: 978-9353572655
Binding: Hardcover
Price: Rs. 509 (Buy from Amazon)
Pages: 268

Short Review:

I fell in love with the easy flow of the book. The narrative takes you on a dream of doing the best possible things you ever wanted to do. Jason Kothari's story should be a must-read for every aspiring entrepreneur who is struggling to make his dream come true. The book is extremely well written, the thought behind the man comes out with such clarity that every reader will instantly click with the story and dreams of Jason Kothari.

Irrationally Passionate - My Turnaround from Rebel to Entrepreneur, is an extremely likeable and honest take on what it is to be an entrepreneur and what it takes to speak about the struggles along the road. 

The Detailed Review:

I'll be honest with you. I did not know who Jason Kothari was until I read this book. I had heard about most of the startups (as would most of you), but this book took me backstage and into the mind of the Entrepreneur behind these startups. If you are an aspiring entrepreneur and have a dream to succeed in doing something innovative, this book will lead you on a path of bold entrepreneurial success.


For a young man, the book is written with exceptional clarity. Perhaps, that is the reason he's done so well as an entrepreneur. However, this book does not, like the typical self-help books, chant out mantras of success. Instead in Irrationally Passionate, Jason Kothari talks about his childhood lessons and experiences that played a major role in his path to success.

His struggles against school bullies and racism at college, the falling out with his friends, habits of a rebellious kind and wake up call when his parents called him out. All these stories tell us that most people have similar issues. The few who rise beyond these are the ones who stand out from the crowd of wannabes. The story of Jason Kothari should inspire many more entrepreneurs.

In the book, you will learn about the following:
- Discover what your true talents are and how to focus them
- Understand that meaningful work is a “gift.”
- Learn the difference between a career, a vocation, and a job.
- Find new job possibilities that never make it into the classifieds
- Negotiate job offers
- Turn your ideas into extra income
- Learn about alternative work models than doing a regular job.
- Find the work that you want to do and were meant to be doing
- Build up your educational assets.

Jason Kothari writes about how he learns to bargain at a very young age, right from a chessboard (he brought the rate of a 500 rupee chessboard to Rs. 30) to how he learnt arbitrage, trading and such stuff by organizing Pizza charity sales and comic book trades at school.

If there is one book you should read this month, please pick "Irrationally Passionate: My Turnaround from Rebel to Entrepreneur". Trust me, you will not be disappointed. If not anything, it will inspire you to look at things from a unique perspective of a rebel turned entrepreneur and how effective parenting and support can work wonders.

Positives: Very easy to read, a passionate narrative and an everyday story.

Negatives:  -

Who will enjoy this? Almost everyone, and especially those who have dreams and are looking for some inspiration to achieve those dreams.


Buy or Don’t Buy? A definite buy. With today's ups and downs and with recession looming, every one of us surely needs some inspiration. (You can buy from Amazon)

Book Blurb: While a college student at Wharton, Jason Kothari scraped together money from family and friends to save his childhood favourite comic book company, Valiant Entertainment, from bankruptcy and bring it back to life. A few years later, he transformed Valiant into the third-largest superhero entertainment company in the world after Marvel and DC Comics and sold it for $100 million.

Jason then became a professional turnaround leader and went on to transform distressed. Indian Internet icons Housing.com, FreeCharge and Snapdeal, helping save billions of dollars in value, and advise giants like technology investor Softbank and real estate developer Emaar, who have invested billions of dollars in India.

Irrationally Passionate reveals the inside story of how a rebel, train-wreck kid transformed himself into a successful young entrepreneur and business leader who became one of the top ten paid executives in India while only in his 30s.

From getting his first job as an assistant to Jackie Chan in Hong Kong to learning strategy from champion Muay Thai fighters in Thailand to tackling huge personal setbacks to becoming a CEO in 60 seconds, among many other stories— Jason’s inspiring journey across countries, industries and companies has something for everyone, right from students to entrepreneurs to corporate CEOs to even parents of students and entrepreneurs.

Irrationally Passionate is a highly personal, authentic, open and complete account of a young entrepreneur’s life. Brimming with practical advice and philosophical insights, it will force readers to reflect on how they perceive life, work, family and spirituality by giving them a fresh perspective.

Welcome 2020 - My Goals for this Decade.

A new decade begins. Born in 79, it is also the beginning of a new decade for me. 40 - that number brings a fresh perspective, a period of rumination on what has been and what could have been.

To say I have no regrets would be a lie, but, the good has overshadowed any regrets I have at this point in my life. It is said we should plan for the long term and not worry about things that happen in the near future as long as the plan is in place.

So here is what I wish to achieve over the next decade -

1. Begin and complete my PhD. - This has been a long-standing aspiration for me. Things almost came to fruition in early 2019, but a combination of various factors didn't let it happen. Hopefully, this year would be kinder.

 2. Save and Invest more than I spend - My savings and investments have been steadily increasing. This year, I want to at least save and invest 51% of my income. This is currently hovering at around 35%. Hopefully, by the end of the decade, I should have increased the saving percentage to 70% (i.e. more than 2X my expenses).

3. Spend more quality time with family - The elder daughter is inching towards her teens. Sure, it is another 5 years. But, I believe, these 5 years could define my relationship with her during the teenage years. The younger daughter needs to be weaned away from television and movies. Not that it has been an issue (we no longer have a cable/streaming service subscription and watch one or two movies over the weekend on television), but the past week in the holidays, she has been more and more into watching movies.

My parents will be needing more of my time. This is another thing I need to keep in mind.  Managing myself and time will be key to achieve this. Hopefully, I will procrastinate less and execute more.

4.  Build an alternate source of income - Something I have been able to do over the past decade is steadily building an alternate source of income. I hope to become less dependent on my salary and primary job over the next decade and make my alternate source of income more stable and steady. I aim to be financially independent and free by the end of 2029.


Saying No for No Apparent Reason

Is telling your child “No” wrong if you have no other reason to say it other than just wanting to say it? Here is a better way to look at it. Your child asks you if they can watch a movie and you say “No” only because you just feel like not letting them. Is saying No for no reason acceptable?
Is that good parenting? Do you need more of a reason to say No other than the fact you simply just feel like saying No?

How can this backfire? Does it matter how old your child is, or should you always have a good reason for your decisions? Is there really the ability to say no for no other reason than to say no?

Maybe one of the following things are happening:
- Are you saying no because you are angry at something and feel like taking it out on your child?
- Are you saying no because you are lazy and don’t want to put the time in?
- Are you saying no because you simply have said yes too many times and you fear the child may be taking advantage of you?

I have always wondered what other parents thought about this. I have my theories but want to hear yours first.

Are you ready to be a father?

Being a father is great thing. So great that nothing on earth is perhaps better than being a father and raising your kids to be contributing members of the world.

But being a father comes with a price. One has to sacrifice a lot to be a good father. It’s more than just emotions. It takes a lot of planning and compromise. It’s no way an easy job. It might be one of the hardest jobs ever, because if you go wrong, it will impact the life of your child, which is worse than any financial loss.

Here are some of the ways fatherhood can impact your life. So make sure you understand those factors and are ready to face the challenges associated with it.

Financial Impact

Fatherhood is not only about feelings and emotions. It’s a lot about money as well. Cost of raising a child is often more than cost of living of an adult. That’s mainly because adults can adjust to their environment and control their spending accordingly. But baby’s needs are constant. No matter how frugal you are, it is very hard to avoid the costs associated with baby’s milk, diapers, clothes, medicines, vaccinations, toys, and so on. Even before the baby is born there are costs associated with mother’s medical examinations and childbirth. Stepping in the land of fatherhood means substantial increase in your budget for years to come.

If you are planning to be a father, make sure you calculate how much it is going to cost you, and that you can afford it properly. Check your medical insurance plan to find out how much of pregnancy and childbirth is covered under it. Research on good hospitals in your area and see how much they charge. I would recommend checking kindergartens and schools in your area as well and find out their fees. This will give you a long term picture of how your financial situation will look like after the baby is born. You also might need to upgrade to a bigger place if your current home doesn’t have ample space to cater for the needs of an infant or a toddler.

Once you have done the analysis, check your income and make sure having a baby will not put a major dent in your bank account. Consider all factors such as expected raise or promotion, or economic conditions of your region. If you can do something to increase your income such as switching a job or investing in alternate revenue sources, make sure you have analyzed all the risks associated with those, because unexpected loss of job or income can be disastrous for your family. It’s a good idea to save a few months expenses for such emergencies.

Lifestyle Changes

As long as you don’t have kids you are pretty much your own boss. You don’t have to worry about the needs of children. A major change the a new father has to go through is change in lifestyle. After becoming a father things don’t stay the same anymore. You have to take care of the baby (and the mother). You have to make sure they have everything they need. You have to give time to your kids, make sure they are getting the love of their father, give advise when needed, be there with them on their important occasions, and perform the regular fatherly duties. You might have to cut down spending money for personal needs to be able to afford the needs of the child. In short, you are no longer a couple free to do anything. You have to adopt your lifestyle to cater the needs of your kids.

So if you are planning to be a father, be ready to make these changes in life. If you think you cannot change the way you live, then it is recommended to postpone the fatherhood. It doesn’t make sense to bring a baby in this world and not give her the attention she deserves.

Relationship Impact

A major factor that is involved in fatherhood is relationship with the wife. The relationship starts getting effected as soon as the baby is conceived. A pregnant women is an emotional bomb. She can explode on minor things which otherwise would have gone unnoticed. It is the husband’s job to understand the state his wife is in and cope up with it. This is the time when she needs your support and love the most. You have to be with her for visits to the doctor. You have to go with her to shop for baby’s items. You have to talk to her and plan the subtle details of parenthood. The phase after the baby is born is also very important for the relationship. This is the time when the mother is busy attending to the baby, and as a result she might not be able to give the same attention to the father. It’s the father’s job to be considerate and not keep any unreasonable to expectations from the mother. She is after all a person and has limited capacity.

These are only few ways fatherhood can change your life. There are many other elements that come into play. Everyone’s situation is unique. What you need to think is that whether or not you are ready to face all those challenges associated with fatherhood. It’s not an easy job and it should not be taken easily. Proper planning and thought needs to go into it. If you think you are not up for the job, then don’t take it.

All the best to future fathers. I hope you enjoy the experience.

Time Merciless - Finite Moments

How many times have you sat wondering about the merciless, ever-increasing speed at which time is whizzing past your head?


I often find that life is getting more and more dramatically hectic, a hole day in which I used to achieve so much more, learn so much more, get so many more things done is now just a blip on some sort of a personal event horizon!  And now, based on some rumination, I feel it snot going to slow down anytime soon - unless I plan to retire from the humdrum of routine work for a livelihood!

What I realise now is that it is the perception of time that is speeding up. You see, when I was a kid, bright eyed, clean slate, not a care in the world, ready to be programmed and molded, say at 10 years of age - the next year of life would have been a whopping 10% of my life experience. That is a huge, ginormous number!! Fast forward to today - I am a thirty-nine-year-old, slightly worn at the edges, cynical,over-committed human being who is relishing the many battles still to come my way. The next year will make up just 2.5 percent of my experience and, once over, will be deposited promptly into the database of my life alongside all the other previous years. It’ll be seen as a hell of a quick one. And the next one will be even quicker.

What do I do now? I am still bound by the rhythm of this society that is in chaos - an ever growing moral and emotional chaos - that just keeps drifting faster and faster. These and other thoughts keep growing, the ever rapid pace of technological advancements, our need to adapt, the social media that has encroached into every nook and corner of our lifestyles - all add to the panic. How then do we bring sense to our lives?

Here's what I make of all this. I look at life as a collection of some good (hopefully some ecstatic) moments in a sea of averageness – and sometimes downright misery. I try to make those moments meaningful. I try to be aware every time I experience something good in life. I try freezing that point in the space-time continuum – no matter how brief it might be.

You’re drinking a glass of water: don’t forget to remind yourself how wonderful every sip is. You’re embracing a person you love: love every second. You’re re-shaping the country’s health care: step away in your mind and appreciate how blessed you are.

There are a finite number of moments in which you feel you can defeat the merciless march of time. Make them count.

Keep your infant safe

Winter often means an increase in the number of babies dying from sudden infant death syndrome. That's usually because parents place extra blankets or clothes on infants. Here are some tips:
  • Unless there's a medical reason, infants should sleep on their backs on a firm mattress without blankets or fluffy bedding under or over them.
  • Be careful with extra clothing because it may cover the infant's nose and mouth.
  • If a blanket is necessary, put it no higher than a baby's chest and make sure the blanket is tucked under the crib mattress.
  • The crib should not have pillows and stuffed toys, and the temperature in the baby's room should feel comfortable to an adult.
  • Don't smoke around a baby.
  • Make sure everyone who cares for a baby knows that infants should be placed to sleep on their backs.

The Puffin Book of Folktales - A World Book

So for World Book Day, Flipkart in collaboration with Penguin and UNESCO has come up with an exclusive book, The Puffin Book of Folktales. 


Ten timeless tales from India's finest writers. 

Explore an exciting and beautiful underwater world with Panna. Watch the little blue bird Podna fight a mighty king for his little brown Podni. Join Lord Ganesha on his quest for a pot of kheer. Read about lovelorn Lord Surya pining for his Harshringar, leaving the world in darkness. Help the dove get her egg back.

This is a motley treasury of ten-heart-warming folktales by master storytellers Ruskin Bond, Sudha Murty, Devdutt Pattanaik, Kamala Das, Paro Anand and many others, with each author adding their own special touch.

A delightful book, it brings to life India's glorious cultural heritage in all its richness, along with generous doses of fun. Truly, a collector's item!


I'm all excited to read this one and hopefully this summer vacation will be reading this out to the kids.

Check it out!




Why listening is important!

A wise, old owl sat on an oak,
The more he saw, the less he spoke.
The less he spoke, the more he heard,
Why can’t we all be like that bird?
 
The ancient Greek philosopher Zeno said that we have been given one mouth and two ears that we may hear more and talk less.

As parents and caregivers we are often so focused on imparting knowledge and giving direction, that we forget that it is equally important to listen to our children. 

Listening is important because it affects the way children see themselves. When adults listen to children it gives their words and feelings value. 

Listening is about two-way communication between adult and child - each valuing and respecting the views of the other. 

Children who are listened to are usually well adjusted and self-confident. 

Child abuse and listening to children

Every child has the right to be loved and cared for and to feel safe both at home and away from home. Children often try to tell adults if they have experienced abuse but it is very difficult and painful for them. They often feel ashamed and frightened and find it hard to find the right words to explain.

As adults we can make things easier for children by recognizing when a child is trying to talk about a difficult subject. We should get into the habit of listening to children so that they feel comfortable talking to us about their worries.

By building a trusting relationship with a child you will make it easier if he or she needs to tell you something that is hard to talk about.
 

Healthy habits for Children

Getting kids to eat healthfully and establish habits that will last a lifetime doesn’t have to be as daunting as it might first seem. Sure, kids are finicky and their tastes generally run more to hot dogs and tater tots than salmon and spinach, but there is hope.

Given the right tools, kids can learn to manage their weight in a way that works for them, without feeling deprived or “different”. There are five specific tools to use:

1. Cook (and eat) together as a family. Get kids into the kitchen with you and have them cut up fruit for a salad, or clean the broccoli. Older children can slice vegetables for a stir fry or learn how to make a killer marinade. Study after study has shown that children who participate in their own food preparation are more likely to eat the food they help prepare. In that same vein, eat together as a family. Aside from the other oft-reported benefits of eating together as a family, there is one crucial weight-management benefit: children learn how to eat healthy food. Eating together also allows you to notice what your children truly like and what they honestly don’t like. Cooking and eating together at one table allows you to talk about food, try new foods (think ethnic foods and exotic vegetables, for example) and encourage healthy eating.

2. Teach kids about food. Teach your children about where food comes from and they’ll be more likely to understand the benefit of eating healthfully versus eating packaged and processed foods. Sign your child up for a cooking class, one that has an emphasis on healthy foods and a true education component where children will be educated about the food as well as cooking methods. There are many cooking classes designed just for children, often offered by parks and recreation departments as well as private cooking schools. They won’t be making macaroni and cheese out of a box, but rather learning techniques for preparing fresh and whole foods.

3. Set a good example. It’s a mixed and unfair message to stand in the kitchen restricting your child’s food intake while drinking a soda and snacking on cheese puffs. You should set a good example by eating good foods, making smart choices and showing your children that you make healthy decisions for yourself.


4. Make it fun. Don’t make healthy eating dru
dgery. Go berry picking in the spring, or make a new healthy food challenge each week. Buy cookbooks and experiment with sauces and seasonings. Do whatever you think it will take to make healthy food interesting and desirable to your children.

5. Incorporate exercise. Help your children stay active by getting them involved in sports, or by incorporating activity into your home life, even if it’s just running around in the backyard after the dog or dancing for a few minutes after dinner each night. Take your kids to the gym with you, or organize a family bike ride on the weekends.

 Finally, always consult your child’s doctor before putting him or her on a diet. If you do think your child needs to lose weight, let the doctor weigh in first.

5 ways to help frustrated child learn to solve problems

 As a father with two growing children, I often find it difficult to get them to complete their activities without a sense of frustration creeping into it. My children aged 4 and one are very active, impatient and want to get things done, before they even conceptualise their ideas.

What I've discovered is that it is often a mere push that gets them the satisfaction, rather than constrict their thoughts. I've found that the following tips help them solve their problems without frustration.


1. Don't jump in too quickly to solve problems for the child. That short-circuits the child's ability to work out solutions independently. This is especially true in their early age, and is an important point we parents must remember. The less we allow independent thoughts at this age, the less likely, the child will develop an inquisitive activity later in life.

2. Help her name her emotion. She says, "This is stupid!" You say, "You're really feeling frustrated, aren't you?". Getting them to identify their emotions goes a long way in their learning to control their emotions. Often, we let children use the same emotions for all their problems. 

3. Validate his feeling. That helps him move on instead of wallowing and getting stuck. He says, "I hate this game!" You say, "This is hard work, isn't it?"

4. Help him clarify his goal. He grunts. You say, "What were you trying to do, anyway? Build a tower?"

5. Wonder aloud with him. You become a partner in problem-solving rather than an adult who holds all knowledge. You say, "Did you notice you're building it on a rug? I wonder if it would be more steady on the floor." He says, "Yeah, and look, I can make it taller!"

Book Review: God is a Gamer

Title:  God is a Gamer
Language: English
Author: Ravi Subramanian
Genre:  Fiction/ Thriller
Publisher:  Penguin 2014 September
ISBN - 10: 0143421395
ISBN-13: 9780143421399
Binding: Paperback
Price: Rs. 299 (Buy from Flipkart for Rs.189)
Pages: 324


http://dl.flipkart.com/dl/god-gamer-english/p/itmdy8bjkyuqrjfd?pid=9780143421399&affid=drvishaalb
Synopsis: This is a page-turner and will appeal to those who love a good thriller. The ending is quite exciting and many may not see the twist in the tale. Ravi Subramanian has pulled off another masterpiece thriller in the world of finance and banking!

Detailed Review: 

The book opens with the assassination of a US Senator who is en route to meet the President of the USA. Investigations ensue and the FBI are under pressure to crack the case. The focus then shifts to India where, the prime minister is headed to the US for treatment. Swami, a top banker finds that despite his best efforts, money is being siphoned off his customers accounts and his team is helpless to do anything about it! His boss doesn't want anything to do with it and and instead tries to lay the blame for the entire fiasco at his door! With a steady stream of new characters and their backgrounds, the novel appears to be going nowhere, when boom, all the threads get connected and you are left with one awesome thriller.

There is a lot of explanation about Bitcoins and the happenings about the financial world, that are integral to the narrative and at the same time, very informative for the naive among us.

There are multiple emotions at play, a father meeting with his son after ages, a couple who tries to find love, secrets hidden from each other and the world, murders of friends and socialites and the hidden faces.


Story:  Aditya runs a gaming company that is struggling to break even. A banker slips off a high rise building, plunging to her death. The finance minister has made some promises that he is finding hard to keep. The LTTE has unleashed terror in America that sends the FBI on a wild goose chase, bringing them to Mumbai.Enter Varun, part time drug dealer and full time genius. He turns around the gaming company before disaster strikes. Meanwhile, the investigators plunge headlong into the shady world of bitcoins and the Dark Net, websites that only exist for illegal transactions–drugs, sex and money. God Is a Gamer culminates in a stunning climax where money means nothing, assassination is taught by the ancient Greeks, and nothing is as it seems.

Positives: 
1. A top writer with many best sellers in the past. You can read my review of his other novel Bankster here.
2. Fast paced and informative.
3. Well researched as always.
Negatives:
1. Some things mentioned are just impossible these days (you can't just phish an account with only the account details and password).
 2. The ending though is very interesting and a different one from the regular thrillers, still feels a bit contrived. (I did guess the ending much before I finished the novel).
3. There were 3 or 4 places in the text where I found an out-of-place word or typo error.


Who will enjoy this? Almost anyone with a penchant for thrillers and especially those that are worried about the world of finance and the shady deals that happen therein.

Buy or Don’t Buy? Buy!  Flipkart at the moment is even giving a Rs.110  discount on the cover price. It’s a steal at Rs.189/-.

This review is a part of the Book Reviews Program at BlogAdda.com  ... Participate now to get free books!    

Unputdownable: Private India - A Book Review

Title:- Private India 
Series:- Private 
Language: English 
Author:- Ashwin Sanghi with James Patterson 
Genre: Fiction, Thriller 
Publisher:- Arrow Books 2014 
ISBN 13:- 9780099586395 
Binding:- Paperback 
Number of pages:- 470 


The blurb goes like this :- In Mumbai, seemingly unconnected people are dying, strangled in a chilling ritual and with strange objects carefully arranged with the corpses. For Santosh wagh, head of Private India, the Mumbai branch of the world’s finest investigation agency, it’s a race against time to stop the killer striking again. In a city of over thirteen million, he’d have his work cut out at the best of times, but this case has him battling Mumbai’s biggest gang lord and a godman who isn’t all he seems. And then he discovers there may be an even greater danger facing Private India. Hidden in the shadows is someone who could destroy the whole organisation - along with thousands of innocent Mumbai citizens. 

 Quick Review: A thriller. This book is simply unputdownable. Right from the beginning of the book, you will be hooked to the simple language and fast pace of the story. The characters make it all the more interesting as none of them appear to be what they are! You’ll keep guessing till the end, what the actual story is all about. The only negatives I felt was the poor editing and too many side plots that needn’t have been there.  

Detailed Review: Ashwin Sanghi is a famous name in the Indian writing circles and I have reviewed a book by him “The Krishna Key” previously. I had called the book, a poor man’s Da Vinci Code. For this reason, i was a bit apprehensive when I began reading this book. For this novel, Mr. Sanghi has teamed up with James Patterson, who seems to be a prolific writer (Forgive me, as I’ve not read any of his books before). 

The cover page is well done as it reflects Mumbai in the backdrop with the Gateway of India and a man running away from a lurking danger with the Bandra – Worli sealink in the background. 

The story is set in modern day Mumbai and the beauty and mystery of the city has been brought to the fore in an elegant manner. Private India is shown to be the #1 private detective agency in India, and a subsidiary of “Private Worldwide”, A world-wide agency of detectives.

The book opens with a wannabe reporter at a high end party, where the attorney general of India is a guest and soon spirals into the first in a series of murders by the end of the first chapter.  The murdered women is of Thai nationality and peculiarly, the only clues left behind by the murderer are a yellow scarf with a single knot and a strand of hair, which does not belong to the victim. The resort where the murder takes place employs Private India as its in-house detective agency and Private India gets to the scene first. Santosh Wagh a retired police officer who is a rough image of Detective Spencer of True detective, is the head of Private India and his assistants take note of the scene and ask the police to be called in. The Mumbai police team arrives and is headed by Rupesh, a one time partner and friend of Mr. Wagh. The police team allows Private India to continue with the investigations provided the credit for solving the case goes to the Mumbai police.

As the storyline advances the murder turns into the first of a series of seemingly unlinked murders that take place across the city. It is for Santosh Wagh and his team to discover the links between the murders and solve the mystery of the various clues left behind by the murderer at the crime scenes. 

Private Worldwide investigator Jack Morgan comes into the picture at one of the points in the storyline and immediately is a prime suspect in the series of murders. Same goes with most of the cast, including the team members of Private India, all of whom seem to have a dual identity and multiple layers to their characters.

Add some interesting sub-plots, expose the underworld-godman-prostitution nexus and Private India makes for one of the most exhilarating thrillers you will ever put your hands on.

Positives: 
  1. The story is weaved well and the way it all comes together in the end is the best part of the book. 
  2.  Fast Paced – At no point of the reading did I feel that I needed a break. Keeps you hooked to each word, looking for that elusive clue, where you can piece the story together by yourself.
  3. The font is good-sized and legible. 
  4. The writing style is simple and the English used is a little on the colloquial side.
  5.  For someone who lives on thrillers and suspense novels, I could guess the ending and the identity of the murderer well before the middle of the novel. However, the storyline has enough twists and turns to keep the reader interested till the end.
Negatives:
  1. Grammatical and spelling errors. For a novel that boasts of two renowned authors, the number of errors is too damn high! Come on, couldn't you guys hire a good proof reader?
  2. Too many sub-plots that did not have to be included. Also, the sub-plots could have been left hanging for a possible sequel?!
  3. The characters could have been given more depth, including the protagonist. Sure, that would have increased the reading length, but would have been a nice touch for subsequent novels on this theme.
Who will enjoy this? - People who like a breezy read and a break from their hectic schedules. Almost everyone who reads books I guess :)

Buy or Don’t Buy? –
Definite buy, however do understand that the grammar may put you off a bit! The story and plot will however make up for any shortcomings.
You can buy it from Flipkart (60% off cover price), or Amazon India (60% off cover price) or if you are not residing in India, from Amazon (Private 8).


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

Ramayana: Rise of The Sun Prince - Book Review

Title:-  Rise of The Sun Prince, Book 1
Series:- Ramayana: The Game of Life
Language: English
Author:- Shubha Vilas
Genre: Mythology
Publisher:- Jaico Publishing House (2013)
ISBN 13:- 9788184955309
Binding:- Paperback
Number of pages:- 256
Price:- Rs 250 (Available on Flipkart at Rs.175)


The blurb goes like this :-
The narrative closely follows Valmikis Ramayana, gently weaving in folk tales as well as the beautiful analogies of the Kamba Ramayana. The first of this six-volume series, Rise of the Sun Prince, takes you through the divine story of Lord Rama from his birth up to his marriage. Through these pages, the tales of Dasarathas leadership, Vishwamitras quest for power and the intriguing story of a little-known stone maiden are revealed. Ramayana: The Game of Life has all of this and much more – food for contemporary thought drawn from an enduring masterpiece.
http://bit.ly/1nx9kVr 
Quick Review:  There has been a sudden interest in retelling the Hindu/Indian mythological stories in recent times. The problem with this is, there is only so much you can tell. The book - Rise of The Sun Prince is book 1 in a 6 part series written by author Shubha Vilas and attempts to retell the Ramayana, interpreting the various events from a different perspective. However, it ends up as just another book in the market, trying to overdo things.

Detailed Review: 
The Ramayana, story of Sri Rama or God Rama, is a story which every Hindu knows. Some know the intricacies in the story line,  but most of us have a working knowledge. It is something we hear during our childhood and stays with us for life. To tell this story again, and bring a freshness to it at the same time, needs a brave heart and a person who has tremendous self-confidence to pull it off. 

The author Shubha Vilas, promises to this and much more in the introduction to the book. He starts of well, providing a brief yet precise background to the story, not delving into too much detail, but introducing the major back story needed to delve further into the Ramayana. He does introduce a few aspects that may not be commonly known among people who've heard the Ramayana stories. (Most of us would be surprised to know that the Ramayana was written and completed during Rama's time, or that his sons sand the story to him.)

The story begins with Ratnakara, the hunter-thief who is transformed to the great muni Valmiki. It shows the trials he goes through to finally become great enough to start writing the Ramayana. The book also traces the life of the other great rishi of the times Vishwamitra. The author even says that Vishwamitra is the hero of this book. However, I found nothing new in this part of the story. To the uninformed reader, this book may be an eye opener, but for someone who has read the Ramayana in its original, this book may seem dull.

The rest of the book is a simple retelling of the most famous (after the Mahabharata) epic of Hindu mythology and except for a few aspects, doesn't bring anything new to the table.

Positives: 
1. The writing style is fluid.
2. A sense of drama is created.
3. A very light and breezy read for the uninitiated.

Negatives:
1. Foot Notes. At some places the footnotes fill in almost the entire page.
2. Author wants to do a modern retelling. However, some parts of the books stick to the miracles and stuff when a scientific and rational explanation could have been given.


Who will enjoy this? - Children. Adults who want a simple book to read to their children.

Buy or Don’t Buy? – The book is a very simple retelling of the Ramayana. True it has footnotes that highlight the moral aspects and Life Lessons’ or ‘Sutras’on each page, which may be helpful to those telling the stories to the kids. For me though, it does not work well. If you do want it, you can buy the book at Amazon India for Rs.159 (Rs 89 off the cover price) Or on Flipkart at Rs. 175(Rs. 75 off the cover price).

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

Statutory warnings - a hypothetical threat?

Right from the childhood days we all are aware of the warnings going around about Cigarettes, Liquors, Movies... But in spite of that, we were ready to take the risks involved - to find out what's it about these things that people are cautious about (or at least pretend to be cautious about). What were they keeping us (children) away from?

Take the case of Cigarettes. A doctors warning or a statutory warning goes along every pack. But still we have so many guys/gals smoking. I bet its because of the warning that they are trying it out... the more you try to keep him/her away... the more enticing it's gonna be.

Then comes... drinks.. who cares about the warning on each liquor bottle .. a hypothetical threat if one may call it... A big warning goes before you start drinking .. then we have responsible drinking, not driving after drinking and terms like DUI...

One wonders is it worth paying attention to them? It's like a Chess game I believe .. the whole game is controlled by hypothetical threats and possibilities that never happen, but which could have happened if you did otherwise. Yeah.. I mean that's why they keep smoking... and the smokers know that the warnings are nothing but BS.

Be careful though... the've started changing the warnings... But hey it's okay to include some while you post messages... 'cause then you know - this post must be read ( in a similar way that we used to try the ones that carry the Statutory warning!)

Am I Not Moral?

I found this article in my diary when I was going through my old stuff, I wrote it for an essay competition on some philosophy topic I guess. I find it quite relevant to the issues raised in Beyond Borders, which I watched couple days ago. Here is what I had to say regarding “how to be good” ten years ago:
How good a person am I?
I would like to think that I’m a pretty good person, not saintly, but as good as most and better than some. It would be nice if it turned out that however good I am is just about exactly how good a person ought to be. Contemporary moral philosophers like Peter Singer and Garrett Hardin have given a good deal of attention to these questions. What kind of a moral report card would the rest of us get from them? As it turns out, Singer views most of us as immoral, and as a result Hardin tries to argue against Singer.
Singer argues that we, in affluent societies, have a moral obligation to do more than we do to relieve the suffering of others, like the  victims of Bengal. The view many of us have, namely that doing more would be good or praiseworthy, but is not morally required, is wrong.
He thinks that we are mistaken if we believe that we are not morally obligated to do far more than we do to help relieve and prevent the pain and suffering of other human beings. Singer’s argument for his principle is an example of great philosophy work; it starts with intuitive insights, and leads us to a counter-intuitive conclusion. He argues that a child dying by drowning is bad; therefore if I’m walking past a shallow pond and I see a child drowning in it, then I am morally obligated to wade in and pull the child out.
With the same set of principles, since suffering and death from lack of food, shelter, and medical care are bad; therefore “if it is in our power to prevent something bad from happening, without thereby sacrificing anything morally significant, we ought to do it.”
It then follows that if we have a moral obligation to do much more than we do to relieve suffering like that he describes in Bengal. The trouble that most of use have to face with Singer’s argument is that given how many very bad things are happening in the world, and how very bad they are, little else is of comparable moral significance, which means we may be called upon morally to give up a “lot". Singer gives a partial list: “color television, stylish clothes, expensive dinners, a sophisticated stereo system, overseas holidays, a (second?) car, a large house, private schools for our children…”
Despite Singer’s rock solid argument and conclusion, Hardin does not agree that we should donate money to UNICEF in order to help world hunger. He argues that the earth is like a limited spaceship, and that each time we help world starvation, it is comparable to helping drowning people on-board a lifeboat that’s already at its capacity. Ultimately, by saving those extra people, we are jeopardizing the lives of everyone who’s already on-board the lifeboat.
Similarly, Hardin thinks that well-intentioned food will lead to increase in population and therefore a corresponding escalation of misery. Since food programs will result in more suffering, we are morally wrong if we donate money to food programs.
In my opinion, Singer by far has a more sounding argument than Hardin. First of all, I don’t really think that our earth is like a lifeboat. Therefore, it is incorrect to use a lifeboat as an analogy. But even if the earth is like a lifeboat, it can hardly be a justification why we should keep on living our luxurious lives and meanwhile watch people on the other side of the globe die.
If the earth were like a lifeboat, wouldn’t it be a better proposal that we kill ourselves and give food resources to those third less affluent than us? If indeed, the plan is to optimize happiness, isn’t there more joy to billions of children able to live their lives than one person able to live his/her luxurious life?
Is it not true that by distributing a single individual’s wealth in our society, we can feed billions of children? I seriously doubt that the happiness of billions of simple lives can be less than the happiness of merely one individual’s glory seeking.
As far as I can tell, if all the assumptions Hardin made are correct, and Utilitarianism is correctly applied, we should end our own lives instead. Hardin’s assumptions not only cannot justify our selfishness, but leads to an even more counter-intuitive conclusion than that of Singer’s.
I have to confess that I am not exactly a model citizen as far as good will is concerned, I often spend money on things I don’t exactly need. Like the Rs.25,000 upgrade I spent on my computer. That money could have helped children suffering malnutrition and poverty.
But, I hasten to explain; computer is all I really spend my money on. “That’s” selfish, in a world where millions of people go to bed every night hungry. Sad but true, I cannot come up with a just reason other than “I am not a saint, and to donate is like extra credit for me". There is no justification for “most” of our everyday actions other than just pure selfishness, besides whining about to do more is to qualify for moral extra credit.
The fact that models of moral saints are unattractive does not necessarily mean that they are unsuitable ideals. Perhaps they are unattractive because they make us feel uncomfortable–they highlight our own weaknesses, vices, and flaws. If so, the fault lies not in the characters of the saints, but in those of our own unsaintly selves.
However, moral ideals do not, and need not, make the best personal ideals.
We needn’t be defensive about the fact that our lives are not as morally good as they might be, because we all tend to be selfish in some ways. We all feel selfish is bad, but then if we are totally unselfish, we will probably just lead ourselves to self-destruction, selfish is a natural trait that allows all living thing to survive in the natural world. After all, no one is going to look after your interests at all times other than yourself, and that’s how we survive.
Morality is demanding, but I think we can devote our lives at least in part to other pursuits than making ourselves maximally moral. This is not a rationalization of selfishness; instead, it’s a call for a broader and more diverse ideal of human excellence, other than just being maximally moral. I think optimally, we should just work more to prevent sufferings and deaths, yet not feel frustrated when we do not live up to that ideal.

Why do people ask “How are you?” instead of saying “Hi."?

Is it just me or is it that there are a lot of people using “How are you?” and “What’s up?” in place of “Hi."? I am never sure how to respond to “How are you?” correctly. 

How do you address such an open ended question when faced with the complexity of life? I make it a policy nowadays to say “Good/Great!” with a smile on your face acknowledging the gesture, and then ask the other person how they are doing. It seems like most people who ask never really intend to find out how I am doing anyways. And if I happen to be having a really bad day and say something like “life sucks and then you die", they would probably totally freak out thinking I am messed up. So pretty much when people ask you “How are you?", they really mean “Hi.", but they want to rub in that extra concern to show that they care. 

The thing that bugs me is that they don’t really care, but want to act like they care. I would much rather prefer a sincere smile and a “Hi.". I don’t like questions in place of greetings, and if you really want to greet with a question, ask real and specific questions. “What do you think about the issue of Smriti Irani's educational qualifications?", “Do you think Alia Bhatt is really as stupid as she is on TV?”

Here are some imaginary responses that I came up with for answering “How are you?". I am almost tempted to try them out in person just to see how the other person would react:
 
“How are you?”
“Well, I am not sure. But I am starting to get the feeling that my life is not all it’s hyped up to be. I know I should be grateful and count my blessings, but every now and then I just feel like Murphy’s Law always wins. I am forced to view life as mainly boredom and lack of passion, with sprinkle of beauty and happiness few and far between. I would ask you how’s yours, but I have a stinking feeling that yours is not much better either.”
 
“How are you?”
“I am feeling fantastic. My life feels like it’s kicked into hyperdrive. No matter what I do, it always turns out great, it’s like things never go wrong. Lately, I feel so fresh and ready to tackle everyday when I wake up. I wish you can share this sense of appreciation and wonder of the beauty and happiness in life, but like the Matrix, one can’t be told what it’s like, you will need to figure it out on your own.”

Share your imaginary responses in your comments!

Dubai: Sim City of the Middle East

I say of Dubai that it is a live Sim City game played by His Highness Sheik Mohammed. I used to be fascinated by this game when I was a teenager. 

Dubai is really like that: imagine the deserts, the Arabian Gulf and some camels here and there. This is your land. Now you have money, coming from the oil resources (another game I loved was Richesses du Monde – Wealth of the World). And you can invest it in the country. 

So you first set up some high rises, a haven (Jebel Ali), an airport, some hotels. You then have cheap labor come from neighboring countries, create occasions for tourists to come like the shopping festival and Jumeirah Beach white sand resorts, and finally bridge the gap between the Far East and the West by creating Media City, Internet City, and a soon to be Financial Marketplace (DIMF). 

I mean it must be amazing to see Dubai from the air, see the sand of the west, a growing layer of developed land and the water to the east.

This is Dubai, create the supply, the demand will follow and forget about economic rules.
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