Open eyed Meditation - Book reviewed

Title: Open-eyed Meditations

Author: Shubha Vilas

Publisher: Fingerprint! Bel!ef

Pages: 279

Genre: Self help

About the Author – Shubha Vilas has degrees in Engineering and Law but in essence he is an author, a motivational speaker and a lifestyle coach. Travelling across the world he teaches the importance of living a life as per dharmic principles by giving spiritual lifestyle tips and contemporary wisdom to deal with modern day life situations.

About the book – There are sixty four chapters or thoughts which are compiled to help the reader cope with various stresses in life like anger management, ego problems and the like. In this compilation of thoughts he gives analogies from Ramayana and Mahabharata and demonstrates how these age old epics can be of help to the modern man in living a life of peace with oneself.

Each chapter consists of an average of four pages, wherein the problem is discussed and what the causes are, along with solutions or thoughts, from either the Ramayana or Mahabharata. These problems range from problems of communication to ethics (when good is bad and when bad is good). At the end of each chapter the salient points are boxed for easy reference. So one can either read the whole book and check if any of those are applicable to one’s life or if one already has isolated the problem with one’s life, one can go directly to that particular chapter in which it is dealt with and see how best that knowledge can be used to solve that particular life problem.

A case in point and one that most of the people today in these stressful times is concerned about is anger management. This topic is dealt with in the twenty sixth chapter under the heading ‘Are you angry against Anger’ I will just reproduce the salient points mentioned in the box at the end of the chapter to give you an idea of the way the author has tried to delineate the situation and how to deal with it.

I quote ‘Anger is the result of an unsatisfied need. The trick is to differentiate wants from needs. Needs can be quenched, wants only get magnified. Anger triggered by unmet needs can be tackled whereas that from unmet wants is unmanageable.

Aggression is the weapon of the weak. Needbased anger can be dealt with assertion. And when wants come into the picture with the situation going out of control, then anger ought to be replaced by acceptance of the fact of not being in control.

By identifying your unmet need, you identify the trigger point of anger. Get a grip on the enemy called anger before the enemy gets a grip on you.’ Unquote.

The above thoughts are detailed in around five pages with examples from Mahabharata, Ramayana and Bhagavata Purana.

My opinion of the book – It is a great handbook for all those who feel that self-help books are a way to make life liveable. It has neatly demarcated problem areas with the causes and solutions, all given in very simple language as it should be.

Priced at Rs.250/- the paperback version is available at a discounted price of 200/- on Amazon.in and the Kindle version for Rs.199/-

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

Bhrigu Mahesh PhD - Book reviewed

This novel is based on the Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson story format, authored by Nisha Singh.

 A murder mystery being solved by Mahesh Bhrigu Ph.D. (based on the character of Sherlock Holmes) and narrated by Sutte, yes, you guessed it right, based on Dr. Watson’s character but in this case Sutte is a journalist.

The site of the murder is a remote village in India, Senduwar where the villagers experience a windfall when they discover a buried treasure of precious gold jewellery in an abandoned part of the village. But their joy is short-lived as the person who finds it is found dead in mysterious circumstances giving rise to a myth of an evil spirit residing on that precious land.

Mahesh Bhrigu is an ex-cop who has left the forces to practice his craft as a private detective as he felt the Police force cramped his style. He could not bear to see suspects being given the third degree treatment when all it needed were some mind games in which he excelled. But despite him leaving the Police force they relied on him to solve a lot of cases which they could not, hence his decision of starting out on his own was a mutually beneficial one.

Nisha Singh has woven the plot beautifully and the reader is kept guessing till the end. The characterisations of the protagonist and the others in the book too are well thought out.

In the acknowledgements, Nisha Singh has stated that she spent a year in writing the book. I wish she had spent some more time in editing the book too to make it reader friendly. The language she has used is overly flowery and adjectives are crammed in every nook and corner of the book. And to top it she has provided enough ammunition to any grammar Nazi! Possibly she thinks in Hindi and has put it down in directly translated English ignoring the grammar of the English language. Given below are a few glaring examples.

Someone was in a fixture….

Bold over by the logical marvel….

Took a stool and lapsed into it….

Jiyashree got the wind of the news…

Apart from the mowing of the buffaloes….

People were scared of her in her life so were frightened more so in her death.

He went ballistics on a philosopher.

Don’t say I didn’t warn you before.

‘Legend?’ Bhrigu ejaculated ‘What legend?’

This time I reeled and the light of mirth dancing in my eyes was extinguished as if on a switch.

Be you the most reasonable and logical person on the planet…

Humanity struggling to jerk off the thick blankets of gloom.

And the common mistakes these days of ‘there’ for ‘their’ and ‘quiet’ for ‘quite’ to name a few.

Despite being a literature student, she has attributed the authorship of ‘Tale of two cities’ to Leo Tolstoy!

As I said, if only she had paid more time on editing and simple English language the book would have been a winner!

This book seems to be a self-published book hence the lack of professional editing.

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

Blogadda advises to #LiveLodgycal

The monsoons had just made their appearance when I got a communication from Blogadda inviting me to be a part of 40 select bloggers from all over India to a Renault sponsored event in Goa to showcase the latest offering from Renault’s stable – Lodgy. The event was logically titled #LiveLodgycal. Now Goa in the monsoons has been a much touted affair hence I did not want to miss this one so off I flew with a few other bloggers from Mumbai to Goa where we were  

shepherded into the lovely 75 acre property of ‘The Leela’.

By the time everyone assembled the event had to be rescheduled as the rains had played mischief with the airline schedules delaying most of the flights by at least an hour.

The evening was spent in attending a crash course in ‘Renology’ – a study of Renault Lodgy by the team from Renault. Was quite an interesting affair after which the 40 bloggers who were divided into 10 teams had to introduce their teams so that everybody kind of got to know each other followed by a lavish dinner and some more tete-a-tete before retiring for the night. The presenter of the evening  

was the bubbly, witty, RJ Archana who kept the participants involved in the show every minute.

Next morning was drive time when the 10 teams would drive 10 Renault Lodgys to Lalit Hotel, around 50kms away on hilly roads which would give us a fair idea of how well or not the car handles.

A lot of activities planned by Blogadda to be indulged in during the drive kept everybody busy and it was a fun drive. The route was very well planned and though a map was given to us there were placard toting boys standing at turnings to direct us accordingly! So no way anyone could get lost. In addition there was a mapping device in the car itself!

The drive through the lush greenery in the hills and tiny villages was very refreshing. The wonderful music system in the car played some catchy tunes of our choice to make the drive peppy and fun too. We even stopped at some spots to dance to the music in the rains when we were not dancing in the car!

We arrived in time for a splendid lunch spread out just for us in Hotel Lalit. But since the rains had stopped we decided to go to the beach for some photo-ops as we were not exactly hungry after the heavy breakfast we had in ‘The Leela’. The beaches in Goa during the monsoons look lovely without all 

the shacks and other commercial activity which one would otherwise find cluttering the pristine sands. After everyone had finished with their photo-ops we all trooped back to the Hotel for lunch followed by the drive back to ‘The Leela’ for an evening full of music and masti!

‘The Forefront’ band was in attendance to liven up the show and it soon had everybody tapping their 

feet to their music. The bar was open and so was the mic! Fashionista blogger Neha Kapoor ruled the stage and brought everyone to the floor dancing to her songs. Not to be left behind were bloggers 

Om and Prateek Thakkar who too entertained us with their singing.

The evening ended with some fine dining and exchange of blog URLs and bidding goodbye to one and all as next morning everyone would be leaving at different times depending on the flight departure times for different destinations.

Overall it was an amazing weekend spent with amazing bloggers. A true bloggers meet it was at #LiveLodgycal in Goa. No one upmanship. Pure exchange of ideas. A model bloggers community. Thank you Blogadda for making it happen.
I was a part of the #LiveLodgycal Drive by BlogAdda.com in association with Renault India. 

For my opinion about Renault Lodgy please click here 

Renology (A study of Renault Lodgy)

Renault Lodgy the latest offering from Renault in India does have a strange stodgy not really appealing name – Lodgy. I read somewhere that the name is derived from ‘Lodge’ to signify the model’s ability to accommodate a family and its luggage. So be it. It was launched in Europe in 2012 and now makes its appearance in India to make inroads into the MPV market.

I would like to make it clear at the outset that this is a review of the car purely from a user’s point of view as I am no technical wiz. Shall also give a senior citizen’s perspective.

As far as looks are concerned I would not give it a second look when it passes me by on the street 

except maybe for the fact that it moves fast. Looks like any other MPV in the market till you actually

stop and have a close look. It has unique tail lights and a longer than normal wheel base.

Getting in and getting out is a breeze. No need to struggle. Once in, the seat is very comfortable and you get the feeling of space and does not make you feel claustrophobic. Enough of headroom and large windows too. However, while sitting in the driver’s seat, the left arm rest seemed more of an intrusion than an item of comfort. Fortunately it could be folded up.

A comfortable 7 seater if passengers and the driver are not tall as the 2^nd row cannot be moved ahead or aft so if the guys sitting in the front seat are tall and have pushed back their seats, the passengers in the 2^nd row will feel cramped. And the feedback from the 3^rd row was that they had to seat with their knees up. And if you are going to use the 3^rd seat you cannot carry much luggage hence it can be used only if you are maybe going for a picnic with friends. But, if you are going for a long drive then all you have to do is fold the 3^rd seat and voila! You have enough space for a month long road trip! So ideally, this is good as a 2^nd car to go trippin’ over the weekend or some nice long drives as it wont be practical to drive around in the city specially with the lack of parking spaces. So along with the hatchback for your nifty city drives this is perfect for long distance drives.

Drove both the versions, the 109BHP version and the 84BHP version. Both handled very well on the highways and the small potholes were not even noticed. Excellent suspension is a blessing on our roads here. The pickup and the braking, both were impressive. Especially the braking is important as we know how, even on our expressways, we have sudden appearances of cattle, goats and of course humans to remind you they were there before you!

It also has a touch screen entertainment cum navigation console where you can play the radio, or music through your phone via the Bluetooth and also navigate where you want to go on the preloaded maps. The console can be used to assist you in reversing too. 
There are 8 speakers to rock your world and the insulation of the car is so good that there is barely a whisper heard of ambient street noise apart from of course someone honking at you.

Overall a good vehicle if you like to travel with family and friends and maybe a pet in the last row too!

For all technical details please visit Renault at https://www.renault.co.in/vehicles/personal-cars/renault-lodgy.html and then their showroom for a test drive to get the feel yourself. 

I was a part of the #LiveLodgycal Drive by BlogAdda.com in association with Renault India. 

The Sunday that I Bolted!

I, among a few other bloggers, received an invite from Blogadda on behalf of Tata Motors to join them for a drive to Lonavala from Bandra Kurla Complex, a distance of around 120kms so that I could experience their latest hatchback Tata Bolt.

We met at Café Infinito on the 19^th morning at 7.30am for a sumptuous breakfast, a briefing about 

the car and the route that we would take to ensure that we could experience a variety of road surfaces.

We were divided into teams and each team, of 3 bloggers and a representative of Blogadda, was allocated a car each. We were allocated the Tata Bolt with a Revotron 1.2T engine. Let me at the outset make it clear that my opinion of the car will be that of a ‘user’ and not a technical one.

The exterior was pretty much like that of any hatchback. Did not excite. But the interior, as we sat in, proved to be very comfortable. I sat in the rear seat and the legroom was impressive.

Then came the most impressive part – the Harman infotainment system. It can play music from the Radio, USB or via Bluetooth connectivity. That is not all. It has a touchscreen and responds to voice commands as well to control the A/C or any other functions that have been enabled. There is more, yes. It also has smartphone enabled navigation with MapMyIndia maps! So with our route fed in, we set out! This car engine has 3 modes that can be used for optimum fuel utilisation – Eco, City and Sports, depending on where and how you drive.

The 1^st stop was at MMRDA grounds to show how wonderful the suspension was. We were given a ‘connect the dots’ chart and I had to connect the dots while the car moved over rough patches on a laid out track with a small stretch of rumbler strips too. You can see the results for yourself in the video shot by Anuja from Blogadda.

Then we had a great comfortable ride with Disha Kotak at the wheel who was testing out all the

different modes of the engine and Ekta was in total command of the Infotainment system playing music that we requested and also navigating all the way! The comfort level at the rear was indeed very high.

The 1^st pitstop was at the Food Mall after the 1^st toll booth at Khalapur on the Mumbai Pune expressway where I replaced Disha at the wheel and Disha decided to grab 40 winks.

From there on to Triose Plaza for lunch was a short distance but I enjoyed it though I felt that it was not very responsive in higher gears while the torque was great at the lower end which was a great help as there was no need to change gears constantly while negotiating traffic on the ghats. Disha slept like a baby in the rear seat. It was so comfortable.

Post lunch we got to exchange our cars and our team got the much powerful Quadrajet 1.3 diesel Bolt. It was a breeze driving her up the curves to Tigers point in Lonavala where we had the mandatory selfies.

And then it was back to Mumbai. Overall a wonderful experience in a seemingly improved car from the Tatas! Get Set Bolt!

For technical specifications and other FAQs please visit http://bolt.tatamotors.com/faqs.php

It sure was a Sunday well spent at #BoltDrives with BOLT from TATA Motors in association with BlogAdda.

Book review - Thar Express

‘Thar Express’ the debut novel by Nagendra Murti is a beautifully woven tale that keeps you on the edge of your seat all throughout. The twists and turns in the well thought out and well researched plot make it a ‘can’t put the book down’ thriller.

Thanks to Blogadda I got to read this book for a review else am sure would have missed it as unfortunately there is hardly any buzz about it. It is published as an eBook and there is no paperback version, probably the reason why there are no ‘book signing launches in book stores and hence a lack of publicity.

But guys, it is one hell of a thriller and keeps you on the move all throughout the country from Kashmir to Tamil Nadu, literally, as the protagonist who has lost his memory, is on the run to find his lost identity. And since he is found in a state of amnesia in Kashmir, close to the Indo-Pak border, the Indian Army is very suspicious of his antecedents and will do anything to get hold of him. This also brings to fore the rivalry among the Army, the local State Police and the Anti Terrorism squads.

What I particularly liked was Nagendra Murti’s style of writing and his ensuring that just enough detailing of the plot is given without getting into too much of atmospheric details. There is no romantic interlude except that which is absolutely necessary to take the story forward. It is very crisp and sharp to keep you moving along with the protagonist ‘Mano’ (No, that is not his real name either and by telling you this am not diluting any suspense of the tale J)

This book gives one an insight into the anguish suffered by a person who has lost his memory and the struggle that he has to go through to get back to his identity. Imagine, if one fine day you wake up in a hospital and don’t remember your name, profession and what or whom you love, whether you have a family or not and the world at large looks upon you as a criminal or a terrorist! This is a double whammy as in all probability you have lost your memory due to a traumatic experience and here again you are going through a traumatic experience to get out of one! Strange but true. Nagendra has kept the storyline and ‘Mano’ running at a tight pace throughout without letting up even a bit by keeping the chase alive and the chasers as shadows chasing the elusive source of light.

An eBook which has a wonderful storyline, well edited and devoid of any speed breakers to ensure a smooth journey for the reader who will gasp at the end. Why? To find out you will have to read it. Am not going to spoil the fun by revealing anything here. It is available on Amazon.in for Rs.181/- only and remember it is an eBook and there is no paperback or hardcover version.

Blog to feed a child

‘Every day millions of children are forced to choose between hunger and education. Without access to even one square meal a day they have to work to help support their family, at the cost of their future success.

However, there are many of us who can help turn their lives around.’

There was no way that I could ignore this. Hence I decided that I am going to #BlogToFeedAChild with Akshaya Patra and BlogAdda

It is indeed a super initiative taken up by Blogadda with Akshaya Patra as part of Bloggers Social responsibility.

Next time you see a child begging on the street, do not give him/her any money. Instead log on to Akshaya Patra and get involved in the best way that suits you to ensure that children begging on the streets will be slowly but surely going to school lured by that free meal. After all to have a powerful non corrupt India tomorrow we need to educate our children today. And if they have to beg or work for a meal how can they be educated?

The common refrain is ‘I want to help out but I don’t have the time.’ Well now that Akshaya Patra is doing all the work, all that you have to do is maybe assist them financially. How to do it? Just log on to Akshaya Patra for the details.

If you are a blogger, well do your bit towards our future citizens. Write a minimum 300 word blog on how to eliminate classroom hunger and BlogAdda will sponsor meals for an Akshaya Patra beneficiary for an entire year, as a part of their Bloggers Social Responsibility.

Would it not be nice to see streets free of children begging or selling or wiping cars just for that free meal? Would it not be nice to hear children squealing in joy as the school bells peal?

So guys come on join in to make this project a roaring success for a bright hunger free tomorrow for an educated Indian!

Ultramintz - The Art of keeping cool!

Mints and me go back a long way! And we have had a love and hate relationship ever since.

I still remember my first cigarette in the late 60s. It was branded ‘Cool’ as it was menthol flavoured and every time I lit it up and inhaled I felt cool (Literally and figuratively). Gradually as years passed I moved on to different brands and sucked on mints to ward off the bad breath caused by smoking. 

Always carried a packet of mints in my pocket to ensure that the surprise meeting or date went off with a pleasant minty breath. Then it became sort of addictive and my mouth would feel sore after a couple.

Then my job involved talking to a lot of people which again dried out my mouth and then again it was the lovable mints to my rescue!

Somehow all of a sudden I stopped usage of mints, due to me being afflicted with diabetes and the sugar in the mints would not help.

And now out of the blue comes this magnificent product - the mother of all mints – Ultra Mintz! It is Ultra cool, literally and figuratively too!! And yes it is sugar free too; hence I can suck on these Ultra Mintz all I want without a pang of guilt! It is the latest offering from ITC and is designed for discerning people who are 

conscious of their calories and sugar levels. It sure is a premium mint packed in a designer case and though tiny it does pack a punch. Each of these mint is laced with peppermint oil imported from France and is made from the finest quality of menthol. Further, it is powered by speciality cooling compounds for super cooling! And the best part is they are sugar free. So any time I want to feel the coolness in my mouth or whenever I wish to get that minty feeling to refresh my mouth of stale breath all that I have to do is pop an Ultramintz and that too without any guilt pangs or worry about the sugar damaging my health!

The best thing about these classy mints is the packaging. They are all packed in a tiny box which is then packed I a designer case which when opened looks like a jewellery case! And rightly so! It spells class all the way. One can even gift these as maybe return gifts or just for the heck of it. You can rest assured, your gift will be appreciated for a long, long time and will be talked about with a hint of menthol freshness!

And this is something that goes beyond any age barriers. It can and is being enjoyed by my mother who is in her eighties, my son who is in his twenties and me! So don’t think that these UltraMintz are for the teenagers or the youth only. They are for all who love to keep their breath fresh any time of the day or night!

So go for the Ultra Mintz – the mother of all mints! And keep fresh and cool, always!

I am reviewing mint-o Ultramintz as a part of the Product Reviews Program at BlogAdda.

Salvation of a Saint - Book review

‘Salvation of a Saint’ by Keigo Higashino is the first book that I have read by a Japanese author. Strangely it did not seem different from any Western murder mystery, in the sense that it did not have any Japanese flavour to it except for the fact that the name of the author was distinctively Japanese.

The book was originally written in Japanese and translated into English by Alexander O. Smith.

Keigo Higashino born February 4, 1958 is a Japanese author chiefly known for his mystery novels. He is the President of Mystery Writers of Japan.

In this novel, physics professor Manabu Yukawa, known as Detective Galileo, returns in a new case of a seemingly perfect murder, where instincts clash with facts and theory with reality.

Yoshitaka, who believes that marriage is for procreation, has just informed his wife Ayane who has not conceived even after a year of marriage, of his decision to divorce her. Apparently distraught, Ayane leaves him alone and goes to visit her parents, citing her father’s ill health.

Yoshitkaka is found dead the next day, poisoned by arsenic-laced coffee.  His wife, Ayane, who is the logical suspect is hundreds of miles away when he is murdered.

The lead detective, Tokyo Police Detective Kusanagi,who is put on the case seems smitten with her innocence and refuses to believe that she could have had anything to do with the crime.  His assistant, Kaoru Utsumi, however, is convinced Ayane is guilty.  While Utsumi’s instincts tell her one thing, the facts of the case are another matter.  So she does what her boss has done for years when stymied—she calls upon Professor Manabu Yukawa aka Detective Galileo.

Detective Galileo is a real character! He is the typical arrogant scientist who believes in investigating the minutest details to arrive at any conclusion. He will not tolerate any emotive speculation and insist only on hard scientific facts.

There is another very intriguing character, Hiromi Wakayama, who is introduced right in the beginning and stays on right till the end. She is Ayane’s assistant and looks after Ayane’s quilt patchwork classes. And right from the beginning she is shown how close she is to the family and the trust that she has earned. As a matter of fact when Ayane decides to go to visit her parents, it is Hiromi that she hands over her house keys to and requests her to look after not only the classes but also her house. Divulging anything more at this stage will spoil the suspense for you.

What follows is a beautiful tapestry woven by Keigo Higashino that keeps you fascinated and enrapt in the discussions, emotive clashes of opinions and a captivating story that refuses to let you keep the book down till you reach the last page and heave a sigh of relief at finding out whodunit!

The Times has called Keigo Higashino The Japanese Stieg Larsson.

Salvation of a Saint is Keigo Higashino at his mind-bending best, pitting emotion against fact in a beautifully plotted crime novel filled with twists and reverses that will astonish and surprise even the most attentive and jaded of readers.

Book details:

Publisher	Little, Brown Book Group
Imprint	ABACUS
Publication Year	2013
ISBN-13	9780349139340
ISBN-10	0349139342
Language	English
Binding	Paperback
Number of Pages	384 Pages

You can order it from Flipkart for Rs.214/- against the original price of Rs.350/- at a discount of 39%.

Go for it guys! This is one book which is a must read for all crime fiction addicts!

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

Book review - Chanakya's New Manifesto

Just finished reading ‘Chanakya’s New Manifesto’ authored by Pavan K. Varma.

A very contemporary and relevant book on the state of affairs in India today. It is an insider’s view and opinion on the various ills that the country is facing with respect to Governance, Democracy, Corruption, Security and Building an inclusive society.

Pavan Varma has been press secretary to the President of India, official spokesman of the Foreign Office, Director General of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations and India’s Ambassador to Bhutan. Having taken premature retirement from the Indian Foreign Service, he now seeks to be actively involved in public life. He has a number of books to his credit, one can expect a book that details all the problems face by India and the solutions to get out of the cesspool.

Chanakya was classical India’s greatest thinker and teacher. His seminal work, the Arthashastra, the world’s first comprehensive treatise on statecraft and governance, was written approximately two thousand years before Machiavelli’s The Prince.

In this book Pavan Varma has drawn up a practical and detailed plan, modeled on the Arthashastra, to bring about reform and change in the five key areas that need urgent attention.

Whether it is laying the foundation for an independent and effective Lokpal or decriminalizing politics and successfully weeding out the corrupt, the solutions he proposes are substantive and well within the constitutional framework. Who will bell the cat? Well, as the author in the Epilogue says, ‘Those in power, in a better position to usher in change, must see the manifesto in this light. It is an appeal to their good sense. It presents them with a plan of action to fulfill the expectations of the people, ideas that could change the future of our country. Ideally, they must be proactive in working towards this change.’

The references to the Arthashastra at the beginning of chapters are all quotable quotes that are then worked upon by Pavan Varma in expounding his solutions.

The quote from Arthashastra on Governance is ‘ In the intersts of the prosperity of the country, a King should be diligent in foreseeing the possibility of calamities, try to avert them before they arise, overcome those which happen, remove all obstructions to economic activity and prevent loss of revenue to the State.’

I only hope that it reaches those in power and hopefully we see Pavan K. Varma in public life bringing about the change that is suggested.

It has plenty of statistics that are used to substantiate the author’s views.

It is a good valuable read and should be read by all right thinking Indians who have the country’s future in their hearts and see in what way they can contribute to a better future for the country. As John F Kennedy had said ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country.  

The 248 pages book is published by Aleph Book Company and promoted by Rupa Publications. Do read it.

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

'RIP' by Mukul Deva reviewed

Just finished reading a fast paced thriller by Mukul Deva titled ‘RIP – Resurgent Indian Patriots’. Had never read any of Mukul Deva’s earlier books, and he has written eleven so far, and this is the ninth. Thanks to Blogadda, I got this book to be reviewed, and had a great time reading it.

Mukul Deva has an army background. His profile on his site states ‘Completing his education from La Martiniere College, Lucknow, the National Defence Academy, Pune, and the Indian Military Academy, Dehra Dun, Mukul was commissioned in the SIKH LIGHT INFANTRY of the Indian Army in 1981.

An eventful Army tenure, which included a decade of operational service in India and overseas, ended in an equally remarkable transition when Mukul turned his attention to the corporate battlefield.

The result was MSD SECURITY PVT LTD which, in the ensuing decade, grew into a dynamic, professionally managed company. 

Another twist in the tale followed when Mukul turned to his first love - writing. The result was a series of books spanning genres as multi-faceted as his personality.’

I mention this because his writing has that crispness of the the military induced discipline. And he does seem uncomfortable writing about romantic relationships. Actually it would have been much better if he had not devoted as many pages as he has to the romantic interludes in his book. It takes away some of the hard hitting moments.

The book is very contemporary and talks about the present state our country is in. There are also references to present political leaders though slantingly as also the movement led by Anna Hazare. This is what forms the core of the book wherein a group formed by ex paratroopers take on the mantle of saviours and decide to wipe out the corrupt leaders. It makes for very interesting reading and rarely do you feel you are reading fiction. It feels like reading a current news magazine! One also hopes all that one reading is true!

There are times while reading I felt as if I was watching a commercial Hindi movie. This is possibly due to his Indian roots, though he has been touted as India’s answer to Ludlum. The pace slackens when he indulges in sentimental family scenes. It is a 286 pages book filled with plenty of thrills and does not let you keep it down.

This excerpt will give you an idea of how exciting the book can be ‘Unwittingly he checked his watch. Twenty past midnight. It was almost as though his watch was on speed. Wasn’t that always the case when on a mission?

Within the next twenty-three hours and forty minutes one of his targets would be dead. Possibly less. The RIP message had said within twenty-four hours… hadn’t it?

Raghav re-opened the mail and read the RIP threat again.

RIP! Nice name. Raghav’s lips twisted into a bemused smile. Very appropriate… considering they were trying to make a lot of people rest in peace. The ones whom they’d killed at least. The ones still alive, but in their gun sights, were certainly not getting any peace. He was unable to stop the laugh. Whoever had thought it up, definitely had a sense of humour. Wacky? So army! Yeah, the acronym was very army… like the damn code words and nicknames they used to select. Unwittingly memory swept him back… back to the day he’d joined his unit.’

A definitely must read!

Find out more about Mukul Deva at www.mukuldeva.com

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

The Bankster – Book review

The coinage of the title ‘Bankster’ is very intriguing and as you read the book you realise why the book is titled so.

This is the first time that I have read Ravi Subramanian, though he is said to be a bestselling author, and was not disappointed. His indepth knowledge of the banking industry and its murky dealings comes from being a career banker and a financial services professional. The Wall street Journal has labeled him the John Grisham of Banking! He has authored four books before this one and has a formidable reputation. All his books are related to Finance. His first book was ‘If God was a Banker’ followed by ‘Devil in Pinstripes’, ‘The Incredible Banker’, ‘I Bought the Monk’s Ferrari’ and finally ‘The Bankster’.

The Bankster as the title suggests is about the nexus between a Banker and a gangster. It weaves an intricate web of power, politics, underworld and the money laundering done with the active involvement of bankers, on an international scale.

The book starts very well in Angola and then shuttles between Kerala, Mumbai and Venice. The plot is taut and the characterisation is well thought out. Somehow towards the end, the writing gets melodramatic and feels like one is watching a Hindi potboiler. There were times when I expected the characters to burst out into a song! But not for long. The author quickly pulls back the reins, takes control, and ends in James Bond style! A winner!

I loved the fact that ninety five percent or more of the book is based in India and Indian characters talking in a language that Indians can identify with. The Indian ethos is present throughout the book. This is a book with a plot that all Indians will be able to identify with and enjoy, specially the parody about Arnab Goswami – the news anchor of Times Now! Loved that bit! Then the so called NGOs which are funded by obscure foreign organisations which are facades for money laundering.

It is a revelation of how Bankers today will not stop at anything for rising up the financial ladder. Also how easily they can be swayed by instant riches at the cost of ethical banking.

Ravi Subramanian takes us through a slew of events to show us how uncut diamonds are used as currency for activating coups in Angola to funding Indian NGOs by Western countries to ensure India does not become a nuclear power. All done with the active involvement of the Bankers who ultimately turn Banksters. It is kind of scary that despite the innumerable and seemingly fool proof checks, the murky underworld has its way!

It is a must read and the writing is so reader friendly that it is almost an unputdownable book! The chapters are so beautifully spaced out that I found it difficult to take a break between chapters too!

So guys get off that couch and go get that book and have fun! You will not regret it!

To know more about Ravi Subramanian and his work visit his

Website: http://www.ravisubramanian.in/index.asp

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Authorravisubramanian

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SubramanianRavi

Slideshare: http://www.slideshare.net/authorravisubramanian

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/AuthorRavi                                                             

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

WeChat in 55

Got an offer to review the WeChat app for Product Reviewsprogram at Blogadda. Unfortunately all my contacts have and use Whatsapp. Hence am unable to actually test it out to give my honest opinion about it. Its USP of Video/Audio calling and voice messaging not exciting enough. Maybe am tech challenged. Or am I?

To read amazing Flash Friday 55ers or to showcase yours please visit the fabulous g-man

Differently wired - 7 (Being invisible)

When dreams come alive
The heart soars and the mind sleeps
Nothing ever lasts

Peering at the screen trying to figure what to write had my eyes tired and drooping, waiting to shut for the day. The mind also had become sluggish. No new ideas were being conceived. Everything was just blank. The mind and the Word document on the screen.
Shut down effected and I plopped down for some beauty sleep.
There was a burst of white light and a genie appeared with a tiny flashdrive that glowed intermittently.
‘This is for you. A gadget which will make you invisible whenever you wish to by just pressing this button. Press it again to be visible.’
‘Thank you but may I ask, why me?’
‘Your name was selected by the ‘Random Selector’ in the Genie Kingdom and you shall have it for twelve hours unconditionally. Of course, this gadget will not let you harm anybody. So go, do what your heart says and let your mind rest.’ Poof. He was gone and the flashdrive was in my hand.
I stood in front of the mirror to check the veracity of the gadget. And sure enough after pressing the small green button I could not see my reflection! To appear, all that I had to do press the small red button! Wow! I needed to check just one more thing. Whether my camera which I would need also be invisible if I carried it. And yes, anything that I carried would be invisible. Now I could go to the zoo and enter the lion’s cage and photograph him to my heart’s content. And if I had the time, do the same with many other wild animals out there.
So without any further ado I picked up my camera and set out for the zoo. And to my luck it was feeding time so I managed to get some real great shots of lions and tigers feeding. Got some lovely close-ups as well. This was literally a dream coming true for me.
Next was the concert by Hariprasad Chaurasiya, my favourite flautist who was scheduled to perform at the Shanmukhananda Hall in the evening. I could now go and sit on the stage with him and revel in the musical extravaganza and I did just that. But then suddenly I found that the musicians had suddenly started looking at me strangely. Was wondering why when the security was called in and I was booted out of the stage and hall. Some of them were even trying to beat me up.
Again the burst of light and no the genie did not appear. It was my wife waking me up.

This post is part of the contest 'Being Invisible' conducted by Blogadda and prizes sponsored by Pringoo