Book Review #146 : A Man from Motihari

Book: A Man from Motihari

Author: Abdullah Khan

Publisher: Ebury Press

Price: Rs 399; Pages: 304

"A Man from Motihari", Abdullah Khan's second book, is a very compelling read thanks to its frank honesty, sincere curiosity, and willingness to admit vulnerability.

An intriguing premise for "A Man from Motihari" is that it tells the tale of a struggling author named Aslam who is led to believe that he is a manifestation of the well-known British author George Orwell. In the story, Aslam struggles to deal with the emergence of right-wing political forces in India while also falling in love with an American actress named Jessica.

In 2010, Khan was given a project by a Bangladeshi newspaper to write a narrative about Orwell's relationship with Motihari, a small hamlet in northern Bihar where Mahatma Gandhi first tried out his non-violent satyagraha philosophy.

Khan also included details from his own life in the book. The author was born in a small village close to Motihari in Bihar, just like Aslam Sher Khan, the main character of his book. The author received his early education at madrasas and schools with an Urdu language curriculum, similar to Aslam's older brother Waseem.

Khan tries to fit a lot into his story, including caste and class politics, religion, a failed marriage, actual political events and their effects on Muslims in India, a majority rule government, and the struggles of an aspiring writer and certain supernatural elements. With the narrative of the story swinging between multiple issues and themes, the geography of the plot oscillates between the protagonist and the author’s hometown, Motihari, to several small towns, Mumbai and eventually ends up in the US.

The novel weaves imagination and straightforward writing together to create a gripping account of new India from the viewpoint of a Muslim middle-class man. Until Aslam learns to change his perspective over the course of his life, describing the lifestyles of Muslim communities, the caste system in the community, and its impact on status, relationships, and place of worship were the key variables that determined the course of his life in various ways.

Abdullah is a great storyteller. Aslam experiences a lengthy, arduous journey throughout the book, punctuated by ephemeral moments of love, connection, and joy. This book offers a realistic view of the structure, conditioning, and methods of operation of society and if you appreciate reading books about Indian tiny villages and religion and sub-castes determining dynamics of social connections, you will enjoy this book. The use of sociopolitical elements or the spooky vibe might improve it further. I appreciate the author's straightforward style, and the impactful first-person narrative. The characters' gradual deconstruction and the numerous facets of their personalities that emerged as I read the novel helped me identify with the characters.

In conclusion, "A Man from Motihari" is a must-read for everyone who wants to comprehend the opposing perspective of an aspirant youth who is trying to construct a life while having several social structure and identity disadvantages. There aren't many modern English-language authors that can provide such a rich viewpoint with such a realistic plot. The majority of the stories coming out of Bihar focus on politics, caste conflicts, and horrible narcissistic individuals. Finding a tale that so beautifully defies Bihari prejudices is energizing.

A very fast paced novel and an interesting plot make"A Man from Motihari" a remarkably absorbing read. A book to remember totally! This novel should be adapted to a movie.

Rating – 4/5

Book Review #145 : Unstoppable

 

From Olympians and academicians to musicians and environmentalists, “Unstoppable: How Youth Icons Achieve Extraordinary Things”, written by debutant author-podcaster Manthan Shah chronicles the inspiring journeys of 40 Indian youth icons who overcame their struggles to create something of value.

With in-depth interviews and analysis of what makes champions tick, Manthan in his book, identifies the attributes that make these achievers who they are — grit, courage, determination, creativity and empathy.

The book comprises of ten chapters talking about the above traits associated with their success. In each chapter, comprehensive mental models and insights from hundreds of books, research papers, and journal articles are cited that knit their stories together. Finally, you will also find action points, small exercises, and key learnings from industry leaders along with bits from author’s personal life stories that help you craft POA to achieve your own goals.

“Unstoppable” is truly a unique inspirational book that covers motivational stories of 40 youth icons that I could relate to. This book is inspiring, motivating and can craft the inanimate to life. The author has exemplified many stories which cover subjects like hard work, team work, sacrifice, self-confidence, modesty, dreaming big, perseverance, positivity, courage and dealing with adversity. The book is an easy read, that’s packed with a lot of punch. There are many nuggets of wisdom and insights interspersed throughout that will help the reader replicate their success. 

The language used is a fine balance between rich and simple sentences. I strongly recommend this book to every person who wants to get a fresh take on the challenges, struggles, ways to succeed and meaning of success.

I would suggest you to read this book at a slow pace so that you can introspect and think through the stories in this book to make your life better. It is a book that guides you while being packed with honest and insightful perspectives.

This book is a powerhouse of knowledge and surely deserves a place in every bookshelf. This is a book that has to be read again and again to sharpen and educate our mind into creating something extraordinary from ordinary circumstances and preparing a ‘plan of action’ for achieving one’s goals.

Verdict: Amazing from start to finish. This is a book that everyone can relate to and is a brilliant guide to self-introspection and be ‘unstoppable’!

Rating- 5/5

Review copy courtesy – PR, Penguin Random House India.

Book Review #144 : Rohzin

A book of eight chapters, Rohzin by Rahman Abbas is a veritable feast for the mind. In Urdu ‘Rohzin” is a word that the author coins to signify the souls of people hurt by witnessing the betrayal of their parents with their partners. What ensues is a story of love, lust, belonging, rejection and identity spread lush across the city of Bombay.

Abbas wrote the novel in Urdu, originally. Rohzin, the author’s fourth novel, has been translated into English by Sabika Abbas Naqvi! The book is indeed modern in the sense of questioning contemporary lifestyles. Thanks to this book, Abbas won the Sahitya Academi Award, India’s most prestigious literary award, in 2018. In Rahman Abbas’ “Rohzin”, Mumbai serves many functions, from a watery canvas floating the boat of first love to a cesspool of emotional traumas. Speaking of imagination and reality readily transmigrating into each other’s realms, Rahman Abbas’s writing is a delightful craft.

'Rohzin' follows the story of the protagonist, Asrar, who comes to Mumbai. It is through his eyes that the author describes the hitherto-unknown aspects of the maximum city Mumbai — the unseen colours and secrets of the city’s underbelly. It is also the story of two lovers, Asrar and Hina, which begins abruptly and ends tragically. The two fall in love and become a couple. Quite obviously, their relationship bridges social disparities. They are Muslims from very different backgrounds. Islam defines cultural dimensions of their identities, but not their identity as such. In their daily lives, they are guided by curiosity rather than Koranic doctrine. The novel frequently segues into philosophical conversations about sex and strictures that may limit human experience, and the question of whether one can liberate oneself from civilisation.

The writer addresses upfront the role identity plays in triggering external and internal crises. The average Indian wears a multi-layered identity, constructed from historic and ongoing migrations. Through history, dream and surrealist asides, Abbas weaves in legends about the goddess, myths surrounding the seven islands that make up Mumbai, and a foretold catastrophe. The vision of Konkan is juxtaposed with scenes of reality and fantasy jostling together in the deep urban underbelly of Bombay.

What makes the read worthwhile is the interlacing of closely observed lives in contemporary Mumbai. The novel also recalls the trauma of the 1992-93 riots and subsequent bomb blasts, the Dockyards tragedy of 1944, the custodial death of Khwaja Yunus in 2003, even the future terror attack of 2008. Some of these events muddy the timeline of the novel, at a few places, disorienting readers, like me, who are familiar with the city’s history.

Rohzin takes you to multiple journeys and in each journey, you would have wished that it never ceases. The author portrays life in a fascinating and challenging multi-cultural environment. Rahman Abbas's beautiful crafted story-writing captivates you every moment and is definitely worth a read!

Ratings – 5/5

Review copy courtesy – PR, Penguin Random House India.

Virtual Classroom – Future of Global Education

The Covid-19 pandemic taught us all the importance of two things – a. how precious life is and, b. anything and everything can be accomplished from the comfort of your home, including learning and education! With the power of internet and wide usage of smart phones, it was fascinating to see how everything became accessible to us, at our fingertips, while being stuck and locked up in our houses, amidst a global pandemic!

There has been a radical shift in how education was perceived traditionally – the usual four walls of the classroom, chalk and black board concept, when we were hit by the pandemic. Now, the physical classroom is not just the only way to learn. Learning has revolutionized and this era has left behind the notion of a typical classroom. Popularity of eLearning platforms like Udemy, Coursera, SkillShare, edX, Udacity skyrocketed in the past couple of years and will only further accelerate in future! Following are six reasons why I believe eLearning and virtual classrooms are the future of education –

1. Flexibility & Time/cost saving

Digital learning gives the learner the freedom to be absolutely anywhere in the world and access quality knowledge, hone his/her skills, simply by using the internet anytime. It is also easy for the teachers or subject experts to set their own pace of teaching and schedule the classes as per their convenience. eLearning enables so much autonomy for all. An added benefit - the commute time is saved which can definitely be used in creating something concrete. The cost of travelling is saved too, which is effective on the pockets of young learners.

2. Easy to pick and choose distance courses

If there’s a skill or a subject one needs expertise in, one can simply take up a distance course from a national or international university, learn at own pace and master it. The internet if used well, has infinite skills and knowledge to offer. Majority of schools, colleges and universities are offering online versions of programs that are taught on their campuses. This unique advantage makes the learning experience so customizable and learner-centric.

3. 24x7 Everyday Accessible Knowledge/Revisit lectures

Knowledge when accessible makes the learner feel so empowered. A typical classroom is distant from many resources. This gap is filled with the wonders of technology and internet. If a student misses any class or is absent due to some reason, there is always the benefit to revisit the uploaded lectures later. A typical classroom does not allow this benefit.

4. Environment friendly

Digital learning saves the students from carrying heavy bags, notebooks. Less requirement of paper implies less cutting of rubber trees. This way, it is easy on the environment since there is less usage of paper when learning is online. All the resources can simply be replaced by a tablet or laptop in a digital format.

5. Easier to visualize in an interactive mode of learning

There’s only so much an instructor can do to make the students visualize and comprehend concepts on the blackboard. Certain concepts need more than a blackboard to be comprehended. Use of versatile tools like slides, PowerPoint, videos, audios, pictures make learning interactive, engaging and interesting.

6. Meets the need of on-demand continuous learning

In this age and time, gaining knowledge and upskilling is a continuous need. Gaining new skills allows professionals to perform new responsibilities and tasks at workplace more efficiently. Digital learning as a tool can also enable an ambitious employee to earn an additional degree online and become more skillful and do so at his/her own pace. This will enhance their chances of getting hired or promoted!

With the landscape of education completely transformed and still changing, digital learning is the future and is here to stay. eLearning has mitigated several issues that restricted people’s growth and learning earlier. It saves time and money. It is environment friendly and promotes personalized learning. The influence of digitization has reshaped the face of education and opened new possibilities for learning. We are witnessing a revolution. Currently, online learning seamlessly blends images, audios, clips to make learning more attractive. But the future route to education will definitely involve use of technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), augmented and virtual reality to play a huge role. To conclude, we have a lot to look up to in the EdTech industry to transform and reform in the coming decade. And if you are the one walking hand in hand with the fast-changing world and the innovations it offers, you will reach your full potential, thus guarantying evolution, growth and success.

Book Review #143 : The Tiger’s Pause

Title: The Tiger’s Pause: The Untold Story of Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s Peace Efforts in Sri Lanka

Author: Swami Virupaksha

Publisher: Ebury Press/Penguin Random House

Pages: 208

Price: Rs 399

The book, “The Tiger’s Pause” chronicles the story of Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s peace efforts in Sri Lanka. The author is a word smith. You can feel and visualise the heart wrenching events, many of us have not seen, as he narrates them excellently. Loved how he relayed the nail biting facts, laced with witty & thrilling incidents and deeply meaningful insights interwoven effortlessly on the 26 year long civil war in Sri Lanka. I could feel the presence of the Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and his quest and actions for peace in Sri Lanka, as if I were watching a movie. 

It's a gripping first-hand account, especially for those who grew up in the Indian sub-continent in the 80s through the late 90s, like me. The longest civil war to occur yet there are very little insights on what actually happened on the grounds. This book breaks the silence and helps us in exploring the ground realities of the civil war and the work done by known humanitarian and peace maker, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar ji.

The book is 'unputdownable'. Every war story is thrilling. This book though adds a flavor to that thrill - of conviction in peace. Usually, peace efforts are restricted to board rooms in secure zones. This book is an open story of attempts made to forge peace in Sri Lanka and how Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar almost got abducted. This book presents in great detail an unparalleled effort to bring peace - not just as a negotiation, but with a transformational approach on the ground. The style of writing is simple and storytelling is powerful. I almost felt like I was physically there and experiencing all that was being described. So realistic yet filled with so much wisdom.

I only wish there was more about the post-war effort of rebuilding and sustaining peace. Would expect a sequel to the book. This masterpiece is a must read for anyone interested in geo politics and for anyone who believes in peace.

Review copy courtesy – PR, Penguin Random House India.

She Is A Mirror!

DISCLAIMER- Not every woman is necessarily a reflection of how you treat her. Sometimes you can treat her like a queen and she will not return the favor. Sometimes you can love her deeply and not be loved in return. Some things are out of your control and there is nothing you can do about it. Also, there is no justification for abuse, cruelty, cheating, deceiving, manipulating or lying. AT ALL. From any gender.

The way you treat a woman will often reflect in how she behaves. It just does. It’s almost as if women take the form and shape of a mirror that will reflect you in ways you’ve never imagined possible.

The honey moon phase is when most men do anything in their power to contribute to her happiness and peace of mind. No, her happiness is not your responsibility, it is hers. BUT, you can either add to it or disrupt her peace. This is when you compliment her, invest in the relationship with your time and effort, surprise her by noticing subtle things about her, support her goals, embrace her flaws and differences, try your very best to work out any challenges life throws at you etc. This is when she reflects back the loving, caring side of you. She will thank you for how you treat her with her sincere laughter, cuddles, hugs, loyalty, honesty and lots of love (even sex, for that matter). She will do ANYTHING for you. Literally.

As time goes by, you get comfortable and start settling down with her. You're together, there's no need for chasing anymore. Her heart and trust belongs to you and so does yours. There's nothing wrong with getting comfortable and settling down. By any means, it's a natural, healthy phase. What's not healthy is that you go from giving 100% in a relationship to giving 50%. You start showing her the man you really are. The loving, caring side starts to fade and your selfish, egotistic, career focused and tunnel visioned side comes out to play. She's had her portion of light, it's time to give her some darkness and see how well she handles it. The thing is, she always handles it better than you expect her to.

And, because she's so strong and can take anything, you start throwing more shit at her. It's almost as if you're testing the waters to see how far you can go and how much you can hurt her without any consequences. Well, it takes a hell of a long time for her to start treating you the way you're treating her.

When you begin disliking how she behaves is when she's finally taking the bull by the horns and placing herself as a mirror right in front of you. Yet, you still somehow miss it. You can't seem to notice how and why the relationship is changing until it's too late and she's already moved on. But the signs are always there, you're just choosing not to see them.

The truth is, she's showing you those parts of you that you have no desire to deal with, work upon and improve. You no longer have a desire to become a better version of yourself because she's yours and, unless you've set your eyes on another woman already, there's nothing motivating you to work on yourself.

You begin complaining she's too much to handle. She's giving you too much shit. She's too frustrated, irritated, frigid, miserable and clingy. She's not playful and sexy anymore, she's not passionate and thrilling. False.

She's too much to handle because you haven't learned how to handle yourself. She's giving you too much shit because you haven't given her anything else to reciprocate. She's frustrated, irritated, frigid, miserable and clingy because you're lazy, comfortable, ignorant, blind and distant. She's not playful, passionate and thrilling anymore because you don't even want to get to know her mind and body anymore. That's how a woman becomes a reflection of how you treat her.

Also, at times, we may feel the person who is inflicting torture upon us is unaware. But, no, they are very well aware & have a self analysis of who & what they are. Yet, they always play the victim card; however, the woman will refuse to be your reflection then - because enough is enough & she no longer wants to be a wrong doer like you & be vengeful. Then she walks away gracefully. To never return.

P.S: A man can totally become a reflection of how you treat him, too.

Book Review #142 : When Mommy Was a Little Girl

 

Edited by: Pranav Kumar Singh

Illustrated by: Abhilasha Khatri

Recommended Age: 7+ years

Published by: Ponytale Books

 Price: Rs. 299/-

‘When Mommy Was a Little Girl’ is an anthology of relatable stories of mommies when they were little girls. This book has delightful incidents that bring alive the childhood of 15 mommies – how they grew up, mischiefs, siblings’ bond, their learnings and all the trouble they gave their parents. The stories are accompanied with cute illustrations by Abhilasha Khatri that add to the reading experience. This anthology is written as a tribute to the modern classic 'When Daddy Was A Little Boy' by Soviet Author Alexander Raskin, which told us about what a Daddy did when he was a little boy.

It has a beautifully illustrated book cover that features mommy's different aspects of life. The fascinating stories of mommies as little girls take you to different parts of India and give you glimpses of their childhood, along with capturing the essence of growing up in metro cities as well as in villages. The stories are sweet, nostalgic and take you back to revisit a world of innocence. As a reader, I could identify with many of the escapades, mischiefs, pranks and episodes with my siblings and childhood friends in the tales. Some stories can be good conversation starters when you read them to your kids.

Kudos to all the authors for bringing out such a refreshing book with honest, silly yet heart-warming stories. There’s no repetition throughout the book and each story has new emotions related to it. I appreciate the use of easy language and a game at the end. It's a good bedtime, light read and the illustrations will keep the children interested & glued to the book. Recommended not just for children, but for everyone - because who doesn’t like a walk down the memory lane? An enchanting read, indeed.

Rating: 5/5