A Bland Buffet.

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.

 

Uncup Writere

“Anonymity is a coward’s byline.”

Bobby W. Miller

Well, writing an anonymous letter,

Isn’t the blogosphere all about it? –Anonymity.

Still I would not writer a person specific letter, they are despicable, in etiquette and as well as by law. Like Judith Martin says hiring a hit man to do the job the does not relieve you of responsibility,

To me anonymous letter is equal to Agatha Christie’s The Moving Finger. Where a supposed Anonymous letter writer leads to one of the citizen committing suicide. Then the whole devious murder plan is revealed.

A brother sister bonding, a changeling child-woman all form the elements of the drama. Of Agatha Christi books this is a favourite of mine.

Saga of Bollywood.

The greatest show on Earth,

Publishers:                 Penguin

ISBN                         9780143416128

Edited by                   Jerry Pinto

The charmed world of Indian Cinema. With an introduction by the charming Jerry Pinto,

The book takes us through the world of Stars and the Star makers, movies and movie makers, the music and musicians, the film reporters, and the back office that creates the Movie tigers. Those who gather the spicy tit-bits of the stars and their sideshows. The book is interesting, informative and has some really spicy insights.

The relationship between Lata Mangeshkar and Raj Kapoor the movie maker and his muse who was immortalized in Satyam Shivam Sundaram.

The two sides of the movie Guide the writer and the movie maker.

Oh! Bunny Rueben I always thought was a woman, he turns out to be a man.

The mystery of Hema-Sanjeev-Jeetu and Dharam.

The book is chronicle of saga of the industry.

What is missing was the punch of Jerry Pinto’s personality.

Jerry Pinto is a Mumbai based Writer, Journalist and poet. His book Helen: The Life and Times of Bollywood H-bomb has been a national award winner for book on cinema.

scribe’s journey

Invoking the scribes. Of Ancient Egypt.

Authors:  Normadi Ellis and Gloria Taylor Brown.

Publishers: Bear and company

A very interesting book on spiritual journaling.  It is a cruise of a group of spiritual writers who follow the path of the original keepers of the sacred stories.

Each of us have a story, some heroic efforts, some losses, these are the sacred stories that have to be told, and this was done by the scribes of Egypt. They were the technicians of documenting the sacred masters of hieroglyphics thinking, in proper sequence, intonation and proper intent. There were able to create through words and thoughts the pilgrims of the word travel have attempt to practise this form of journaling.

Their insights, their breakthroughs, their transformation and learning all documented as the authors take us through their internal self journey while anchoring it on external landmarks of Egypt.

A unique experiment, though it would need a read or two before it reveals its magic.

The authors :

NORMADI ELLIS is an awarding winning writer, workshop facilitator and director of PenHouse retreat center. The dream of Isis and Awakening of Osiris are other well-known books that she has written. She is resides in Frankfort Kentucky.

GLORIA TAYLOR BROWN:  is an university lecturer  Alchemic healing teacher and recognized Mystic and Visionary. A lifelong student  of Egyptian studies she is the president of alchemy Arts Inc. She lives in San Diego California.

Painting a picture

Painting The Future: A Tales of Everday Magic Novel by Louise Hay
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Painting the Future
Inspired by a screenplay by Ron Marasco and Brian Shuff
Authors: Louise Hay and Lynn Lauber.
Publishers Hay House
ISBN: 978-93-81431-23-8
Jonathan Langley’s life takes a devastating turn when he turns blind. Once a successful painter and printmaker Jonathan becomes a recluse, angry with world. He then encounters a precocious 11r old Hispanic kid who lives next door and an unlikely friendship is formed. Her cheerful presence shatters his hardened exterior revealing the man he was before tragedy stuck. He finds a fresh lease and perspective of life with Lupe leading him. He discovers the power of Kindness, compassion and love.
The book brings back a fragrance of Silas Manor. The narrative is flat and does not inspire the affirmations and the power of affirmations are lost within the meandering and predictable storyline, the haughty rich girl losing her wealth , the negative filled mother, the repentant father. Even the so called twist is a predictable one.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Louise.L.Hay the author of international bestseller you can heal your life is a metaphysical lecturer and teacher with more than 50 million books sold worldwide.
Lynn Lauber is a fiction non-fiction writer teacher and collaborator she has published three books on her own and many in collaboration with other authors.

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Tools for empowerment

You Can Create An Exceptional Life by Louise L. Hay
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Authors Louise Hay and Cheryl Richardson.
Publishers HayHouse
Genre Self help,New age spiritualism.

Good read, though not as inspiring or active as the previous book of Louise Hay.
The book is basically a conversation between Cheryl and Louise charting the journey of Louise to a certain extent, and Louise extending a helping hand to Cheryl.
It is a candid conversation that would empower and open our mind and heart to tools that will help us create an exceptional life.
The philosophy and view points do help us to tide over situations in our lives. The book has an interesting line up of parallel reading.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Louise Hay,the author of the international bestseller YOU CAN HEAL YOUR LIFE, is a metaphysical lecturer and teacher with more 50 million books sold.
Cheryl Richardson is the New York Times best-selling author of Take Time of your life, Life make overs, stand up of for your life, the unmistakable touch of grace and the art of extreme sel-care.
more can be got about the authors on http://www.Louisehay.com, http://www.healyourlife.com, www.cherylrichardson.com
You Can Create an Exceptional Life

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Guardian angels

Healing With The Angels by Doreen Virtue
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

publisher Hayhouse.

The book is guideline to accepting and understanding that Angels guard and guide you.
Dr.Virtue has covered a range of areas where one can ask the Angels for help. Ask and you shall receive is her conviction, observation and experience.
She authenticates her stand with transcripts with patients.
Somewhere along the line the book does not seem as motivating or convincing as it could have been.
One area that is really worth looking into is the hype around ADD, which is controlled with medication while the child may have different intelligence and aptitude at work.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr.Doreen Virtue is a clairvoyant, psychotherapists and one of the worlds leading angel experts. She is the author of books like Messages from the Angels and Angel medicine. More can be found about her on www.angeltherapy.com

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You can heal yourself.

You Can Heal Your Life by Louise L. Hay
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

You can heal your life.
Author Lousie.L.Hay
Published by Hay House publishers
Indian reprint first 2007, sixteenth reprint in India 2011
Genre Self help—healing.
ISBN 978-81-90655-8-5
The book deals with healing your life. The book was recommended by a friend.
The book is interactive. It does require guidance to be really effective. But it does help to identify areas of stress and the areas that need healing. Some of the exercises recommended are quite overwhelming. The building of affirmations and figuring out the actually block that disrupts your growth is very simple to try out.
Definitely worth owning for a person who is on a journey of self acceptance.
About the author:
Louise Hay is a lecturer and teacher and bestselling author of 27 books, her books have been translated into 26 different languages and available in 35 countries worldwide. More on her can be got on her website www.LouiseHay.com

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Eat Pray Love

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Great book, something that I would like to gift all the women in my network. Unfortunately to do so would cost a fortune.
The author traverses through the 3 I’s of the globe, to cure, recuperate and grow her inner-eye or to be more precise her inner-I.
The book is about a journey of self discovery and acceptance beginning in the US of A the first phase of eat is at Italy, the first I, the indulgence and pure pleasure of it all. Like a catharsis.
The next destination is India the land of praying and recuperating. Involves acceptance and forgiveness.
The final destination is Indonesia where the author finds that the catharsis and healing has allowed her to find love, that is unconditional.
Great read, the style is very conversational. Looking forward for the author’s next book commitment.

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Dharmasala Diaries

Dharmasala Diaries
Author: Swati Chopra
Publisher: The Penguin Group
ISBN: 978-0-141310-306-6
Genre: spiritual Journey.
The book Dharmasala Diaries penned in an autobiographical travelogue style,maps the journey of the writer from along three axis, the physical journey from Delhi to Dharmashala. The mental journey of accepting the reality, along with idealism, and the spiritual journey of perceiving beyond the visible reality. Seemingly mundane discoveries but they reveal a profound understanding of everyday spirituality. The recognition of divine in mundane.

The book is a convenient handbook as a travel guide for beginners at Dharmashala.
The geographic and cultural diversities have been well captured. Along with the practical hurdles faced by the Tibetan and Himachali communities.
Though Ms.Chopra Buddha is considered as the 9th incarnation of Vishnu and not the 10th.
The book journals the authors quest and journey to her discoveries of interweaving of Indian and Tibetan cultures, Buddhism and Hinduism and even raises a few questions like whenceforth?For those who have begun to get restless and begin to see sign posts of personal journey, this book is excellent beginners guide.