Hindu historical tradition holds that bauddha-s of the sindhu had made common cause with the the Arab marUnmatta-s as they launched invasion after invasion into jambudvIpa. This is not entirely surprising given that the bauddha-s (at least the sthaviravAdin-s) from the sindhu (along with those of shrIlankA) had show a notable iconoclastic streak before they themselves fell prey to the buddha-busting beards.
Picking up favourite books is like picking the body that you’d not like to loose.
Groucho Marx says outside of a dog, a book is a man’s friend and inside of a dog it’s too dark to read. The later part I agree, but Groucho, dogs bark and demand attention, books don’t demand they only compel.
Like Lloyd Alexander says we don’t need to have just one favourite. We keep adding favourites. Out favourite book is always the book that speaks most directly to us at particular stage in our lives. And lives change. We have other favourites that give what we most at that particular time. We never lose the favourites. They’re always with us. We just sort of accumulate them.
There are myths that can reveal, and can be broken there are Hero’s who can take us on their journey, letting us choose who we want to be. Fairy tale? Are more than true, not because they tell us that dragons exist but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.
Think of it, in a good book room you feel in some mysterious way that you are absorbing wisdom contained in all the books though your skin without opening them.
At the end of the day like Oscar Wilde put it, ïf one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again there is no use in reading it at all.”
The oath of the vayuputras
Author Amish Tripathi.
Genre Fiction.
The last of the Shiva trilogy, the trilogy based on the story of Tripura dahana, the author has cleverly woven the romance of Shiva and sati, along with the finale of sati discarding her body.
The narration has used the standard shaivate characters like sati, Kali, Ganesha, Kartikeya, Nandi, and Veerabhadra. And the legend of Manasasarovar.
Somewhere not only the legends get distorted, but would miss most people who are unaware of minor details like the characters Taraksha-Kamalaksha –vidyunmali are the sons of the asura Tripura, conveniently Amish omits tripurasura though he has used the legend of the three flying towns.
One interesting adaptation is the rigvedic though where asura’s are not evil but different. The stories from the Zenda Avesta which gives a different perceptive of the Hindu mythology are well used.
A visual of the immolation of Sati, is very vivid and resembles the modern Sati scenario.
However the book looses credibility due to the ambitious mingling of facts he has assassin from Egypt on one end and the creation of Lama’s and Lhasa on the other. The tale of Brihaspati, and Tara the legend of Ganga, and creation of the locks of Shiva though the author has transplanted the event to Saraswati and Yamuna instead of the descending Ganga on the mountain terrain.
Over all a good read if you do not really know Hindu mythology or philosophy. The distortion and timelines otherwise are jarringly misplaced.
By the way Iranians are acknowledged as Yavana’s. so much so the screens used in Indian theatres are called as Yavanika.
About the author. Born in 1974 at Varanasi, the author is the alumnus of IIM Calcutta. An ex-banker is now a full time author, married to Priti Vyas the couple have a son Neel. Has penned the Shiva trilogy with begins with immortals of meluha, followed by the secret of the nagas to the oath of the vayuputras.
There is something about detective novels that catch our fancy.
The earliest known detective story is hamlet.
An ideal way to create a suspense to create a situation with multiple options. Focusing on the action without lengthy explanations would be a good idea. The opening sentence should be in the middle of an activity.
We can scare someone only when we know what scares.
Ideal writing material would be what bothers us, or what influences us.
Starting through a misdeed carrying the protagonist through the hero’s cycle would be great. The body of the story would be the investigation proper. The solution with the explanation is a good conclusion.
characters would be the
Victims
Witnesses
Suspects
Red herring – could be situational.
The real criminal
Investigator
Stages of writing would start with the concept sometimes the concept stays for a year or two. The word count would be 1000 words the issue is introduced and escalates. Building up to 30,000 words. By this time the major characters are introduced, the second turn has flipped and the hero takes on rescuing the world. 45,000 word brings the major turn around in the hero’s life.60.000 words is the point of no return with 75,000 words we bring th conflict and resolution into the same cauldron. 90,000 words is the climax and resolution.
Check list
Suggested software
Ywriter
Spacejock.com
When we were teenagers, it was a belief that fused words were childish, and something to do with early teens, like scrumptious, and brunch. Of late it seemed to be a trend.
Either we have forgotten the apt words, or we refuse to grown up, I don’t what. It is definitely not creative.
The word Bromance! Seems to be a great one, these days, that talks of bonding between men and specifying that it is brotherly and not “sexual” how pathetic. I dread to think of the equivalent for women, sismance? or will we opt for wromance? Maybe there is something more apt.
There is a new frenemy, a friend turned enemy? Or an enemy who pretends to be a friend I do not understand, I am reminded of fraenum’s and frenii!
Brinner when breakfast dishes are eaten for dinner.
Rachel Cohn in her book Dash and Lily’s book of Dares uses frequaintance somewhere between a friend and acquaintance?
This was the latest one that I came across!!
Branjalina, saifeena the names coined by the press.
The dictionary however accepts new words created in colloquial and conversational language. The criteria however is something I do not know.
For example Locovoria, has emerged as a word from eating locally grown food.
Born Again
Publishers Rifana Books
ISBN 81-85250-37-5
Author Walter Semkiw MD
The book talks of reincarnation, along the lines of Brian Weiss, Many masters and many lives.
The author has tried to find and justify past lives of various celebrities and authenticates it with approval from Ahthun Re apparently an Egyptian authenticator of spirits. There are claims, and he justifies the claims using photographs of past life and claims they match.
The author claims that some souls live two lives simultaneously like Benezir Bhutto who is supposed to be re-incarnation of Nehru, and Shahrukh Khan being the reincarnation of some by gone actress Sadhona Bose.
the book looks like it is written to cater to the local train avoid conversation with others reader.
Fuloos plays with the sun.
By Angela Ferrao
Published by Goa 1556
For my 5 yr. Old nephew who loves animals and stories.
Angela’s language is simple and enjoyable. A very good pick for early readers.
Mark Of Athena
Rick Roirdon
The heroes of Olympus series.
Wisdom’s child walks alone.
Rick Roirdon, has evolved his story round the rivalry between Athena and the mortal weaver Arachne . the other strands being the missing statue of Athena Parthanos, The Mithriac mysteries of Roman legion, the myth of cornucopia, and Hercules.
The seven choosen demi-gods go forth on their mission. The book focuses on Annabeth the daughter of Athena and her mission.
An interesting book though the usual punch of Rick Riordon is missing.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR http://www.rickriordan.com/home.
Mafia queens of Mumbai.
S.Hussain Zaidi with Jane Borges.
Publisher Tranquebar Press
ISBN 978-93-80283-77-7
For most of us, crime is more interesting than spiritual reading.
The book is about ordinary women, and their conversion to extra-ordinary power figures in an environment that most of refuse to even acknowledge exists.
From the Doyen of Dongri to Jenabai Daaruwali, to Tarrannum Khan the dancer at the Deepa Bar who minted money on cricket the books, takes us through the lives of these women, presenting their debut into the crime-world, to their rise. Gangubai of Kamathipura, The avenging angel Sapna Didi, Simpering gangster’s moll Monica Bedi, all present their defence. Without an attorney.
Despite the documentary like treatment the life of these women are very engrossing from a voyeuristic view.
Sign of the cross
Author Chris Kuzneski.
Genre: thriller, Christian mythology
An interesting fictional thriller, narrated in a comfortable pace. The author takes us through the Christian lore, and the politically savvy Roman Empire. He has used the available roman historic factors and academic debates to weave a thriller from Boston to Beijing, from Denmark to Libya while the action is cantered at the intersection in the catacombs of Orvieto. Where an archaeologist uncovers an ancient scroll dating back two thousand years. A scroll that holds the key to a dark and treacherous secret that could rock the very foundation of the church.
Chris Kuzneski focuses on story, action and history with a vague hint of romance making the book very interesting. Glad I discovered a new author in my favourite genre.
About the author. Chris Kuzneski is a New York Times best selling American author. His books have been translated into more than 20 languages and have been published in more than 40 countries. Born sept.2nd 1969, in Indiana is the alumnus of the University of Pittsburgh. Catch him on http://www.chriskuzneski.com
