Solitude and Books

FROM THE DIARY OF A SERIAL KILLER  authored by Soumya Tiwari  From the Diary of a Serial Killer is one of the most unique books I read this year.  From the very cover till the last page it's a form of mystery. Check the title, already intrues a reader for serial killer are people who are mysterious in their daily actions and we don't know what hides in their diary and their minds. The cover presents a bleeding heart being played in the hands of some cruel people.  This book is a work of art for it has been created thoughtfully.  I liked it. The entries start from backwards. From entry 32 to entry 1. And each entry is like a dairy entry that's written in poetry format.  Now tell me doesnot it interest you?  It speaks of the dark side of human emotions thatsmostly avoided in our daily lives. It again puts light of the psychology of a killer like how they grow up many a times  in a messed up household,  get tormented by s...

The Music of Silence  By Ashwin Alok The Music of Silence is one of those books that in their unique ways change our perspective. It is  a self-help book written by Ashwin Alok. Here he has shared his journey from a ‘no one’ to a ‘filmmaker’ on Disney+ hotstar.  Is not that interesting? That's why I also thought to pick it up. Now coming to the actual content, it is basically divided into two sections: The first section is an autobiography Here author describes his  struggling days and again how he achieved success. Here the intention is to to lead his readers by example. Many a times in our lives motivational examples of others lives help us look forward.  He tells he has faced many different scenarios and conditions that even we do but the secret to win our life's admist troubles is to  use mind conditioning techniques at appropriate time.  The next section describes these Mind Conditioning Techniques only.  T...

Last year when  I read Til Death We Do Part  I sympathized with the police officer who is the protagonist of this series.  Pablo was a dedicated police man but things started to take turn when he got into a conflicted case due to another person at work and thus it also affected his personal life and things concluded into separation and this divorce. His ever lasting love for his ex wife didnot stop even after so many things.  He believed strongely that one day Delilah will accept him being his children's mother and will come back. That he will be able to hold on to her and create a forever love only with her and not with someone new like  even lovely Hellion who came into his life from the spring ' well hot" dance weekender.  While Hellion brought some hope to his life after their marriage he would still go back to his previous marriage and partner and keep contacting Delilah time and again in hopes that she will someday ...

I Am Me by Mehak Varun ___________________ Poems are very close to my heart. They have the capability to describe something in only selected words. There are plethora of poems in this anthology. One will find 58 such pieces that range from different themes like wildflowers in a bouquet and bring in the essence of our lives.  Some talk about authors space in which she  likes to explore the outer and thus her inner world. Few take up different aspects of our lives and thus paint the picture of it with nuances of different hues of our emotions entangled in different phases we have been through and hold close to our hearts.  These impart strength with words by Seema Rao and Kiran bedi.  While again few talk about gone days and a feel of nostalgia is attached to them. They talk about our unfulfilled dreams, unfinished emotions and everlasting desires. They also focus on few social stigmas that unfortunately still prevail and deteriote the quality o...

Prisoners of Secrets By Lata Gwalani  ______________ Sometimes we have such secrets that make us their prisoners. This is a story build upon this fact. Three characters who have contrastinh personalities and each carry within them some life altering secrets that can damage the lives of the other. Providing clarity is the best way to build relationships. What about the other way?  I love the cover. It is so artistic and eye catching. Now I truly liked the story. It starts with Meera the young at heart, frolic young girl and her family mbers who belong to a very strongely traditional culture. Thatha,  grandfather of Meera is an upholder of religious and social system of Brahmins and had high reputation in the society. Finally after much ado heated argument came to an end with the decision that Meera will be able to avail higher education and she will be allowed to go to college.  Slowly the story starts to glide. It blossoms like a flower each s...

A Life Without Pants  By Somesh Mittal  Many a times people dream of not wearing their pants or being nude in their dreams.  Do you know the psychological significance behind it? It's because someone in real life might be hiding their real identity or feeling vulnerability in true world. Have you ever felt that showing your real identity may reject you from social acceptance?  The least successful way to search for happiness is to look for it.  The line is contradictory. This book breaks down such paradoxes and changes the actual question so we get clarity in our minds between ambiguity is one the biggest reasons of depression.  From Greek lengend based paradoxes like ship of Theseus about one's identity, Socrates dialogue contradicting Akrasia that speaks of vagueness of determining a particular moment to  two envelop problem and Buridan's Ass, prisoners dilemma and happiness- Suicide, problems of evil and many more chapters th...

MONEY GONE by SAURABH BAGAR ______________________ Thriller lovers anyone? Well here is a book based on legal matters that one should pick up for a rollar coaster ride into the lives of a business tycoon family that is running away with unaccounted wealth accumulation through undeclared transactions over long time and an honest income tax commissioner is head on behind them to solve this case.  Hardik Seth and his family has been known to be under the scanner for long. But they keep on avoiding the government proceedings. What are the mysterious transactions about? When Rohan Seth meets Eli and Maduro in British Virgin Island with introduction to business related to crypto currency and blockchain technology which are attached to notorious money laundering cases come to light. This definitely reminded me of the recent case of Panama papers as well.   A lot of secrets start to unfold one by one. It gets more difficult for the officials to track the c...

On A Voyage With the Greats  By Satyandra Singh  __________ This book takes us on a global pilgrimage with three of the most brave indian leaders of all times that till date is hailed by the world - Vivekananda, Mahatma Gandhi, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose  Many books are available that are mostly in chronological biography for higher educational purpose. For general public they ignite little curiosity. That is why this book proves to be an intriguing read as the magnificent events of the leader's  lives are presented in a unique fresh way almost like a fictional travelogue accompanying them in the past this letting us learn more about them.  This is a very informative book that bring us opportunity to go on an extraordinary world tour where through which these ordinary men became world significant.  It is exciting to walk on the edge with them and see their troubles and achievements thus changing our perspectives as the pa...

Rajaraja Chola  By Raghavan Srinivasan This book can be considered as an academical take on the reign of the first imperial empire of the south India - The Chola Dynasty mostly focusing on the life and contemporary socio political and economic scenario during the reign of the great of the greatest RajaRaja chola.   There are huge expectations amoung the youth today to learn more about our rich heritage from authentic sources and I find this book a very insightful one backed by intense research for the learning process.  Each chapter discusses particular aspects of the reign and has been kept lucid throughout added with important figures and pictures as references.  Rajaraja Chola was born in 947 CE. As he came to power in 985 and ascended the throne, the lands of the Tamils entered  grandeur. His reign has been compared to the great Maurayan Ashoka. An afford has been made to address divergences, controversies, allegations while prov...

Have you read the trilogy of The Henna Artist?  I was looking forward to read the books for a long time. The covers are truly gorgeous, right?  _______________ Here is 17 year old tender Lakshmi who after escapting an abusive marriage now was able to escape from her village to the city of Jaipur. Being a skilled henna artist in the 1950s she became a great demand to higher class  women groups.  Not only her original designs got popular her advices would attract more customers. But amidst all these she tries to avoid all rumours and jealous gossips so no spots come to get own reputation. But has past forgotten her? What happens when someone she escaped in the past comes face to face with her?  The second part is even more vivid and compelling. The Secret Keeper of Jaipur is set in spring of 1969. Lakshmi has got married. Here Malik , the young street urchin delves into something more deeper than it is on the surface, he finds out nothing is changed an...

unMind by Siddharth Tripathi illustrated by Kalyani S Naravane and published by Fingerprint Publishers is a graphic guide to self realisation.  " I am the Self, O Arjun, seated in the hearts of all creatures. I am the beginning, the middle and the end of all beings. " With verse 20 of Bhagavad Gita from chapter it's chapter 10 the book starts.  Definitely caught my attention from the very beginning.  The book is based on the teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi and Sri Ramesh Balsekar  Thus the author presents to us the spiritual insights of these great sages in an accessible and visual format that can be beneficial to serious seekers.  We all beings strive to find happiness in our moments in life. But it is such that the more we run towards it, the more it tries to escape from our control. We attached various conditions to its existence. Is it how it is supposed to be? Also our own existence revolve around the concept of self, the term 'I'...

Des Vu  By Swapna Sanchita  Des Vu has different notions but I like to believe this book must be about the awareness that time is slipping past us. It is a beautiful book by the author. Poems are very close to my heart. They have capability to describe something in very few words. This book is an anthology of 42 such poems that range from different themes like wildflowers in a bouquet and bring in the essence of our lives.  Some talk about authors space in which she  likes to explore the outer and thus her inner world. Few take up different aspects of our lives and thus paint the picture of it with nuances of different hues of our emotions entangled in different phases we have been through and  hold close to our hearts.  Few talk about gone days and a feel of nostalgia is attached to them. They talk about our unfulfilled dreams and everlasting desires. They also focus on few social stigmas that unfortunately still prevail...