Monday, March 06, 2006
The Kite Runner
Title: The Kite Runner
Author: Khaled Hosseini
Genre: Fiction
Rating : 7/10
This conversation probably sums up the whole book.
Hassan, is the ever loyal, innocent servant/friend of Amir. He is one person, Amir can trust his life on.
Amir, on the other hand is a dreamer. A boy not cut out for the dog-kill-dog world. A coward.
Amir, is witness to a horrible truth and he has two choices. The easy way out, that of avoiding the truth, deleting the object that reminded him of his cowardice from his life, or of accepting the truth and losing his whole way of life, falling in the eyes of his Baba. Amir takes the easy way out, but as the author says
Author: Khaled Hosseini
Genre: Fiction
Rating : 7/10
..."Would I ever lie to you Amir agha?"
Suddenly I decided to toy with him a little. "I don't know. Would you?"
"I would sooner eat dirt," he said with a look of indignation.
"Really? You'd do that?"
He threw me a puzzled look. "Do what?"
"Eat dirt if I told you to," I said. I knew I was being cruel; like when I'd taunt him if he didn't know some big word. But there was something fascinating--albeit in a sick way --about teasing Hassan...
..."If you asked, I would," he finally said, looking right at me. I dropped my eyes. to this day, I find it hard to gaze directly at people like Hassan, people who mean every word they say.
"But I wonder", he added. "Would you ever ask me to do such a thing, Amir agha?".....
....I wished I hadn't started this conversation. I forced a smile. "Don't be stupid, Hassan. You know I wouldn't."
Hassan returned the smile. Except his didn't look forced. "I know," he said. And thats the thing about people who mean everything they say. They think everyone else does too.....
This conversation probably sums up the whole book.
Hassan, is the ever loyal, innocent servant/friend of Amir. He is one person, Amir can trust his life on.
Amir, on the other hand is a dreamer. A boy not cut out for the dog-kill-dog world. A coward.
Amir, is witness to a horrible truth and he has two choices. The easy way out, that of avoiding the truth, deleting the object that reminded him of his cowardice from his life, or of accepting the truth and losing his whole way of life, falling in the eyes of his Baba. Amir takes the easy way out, but as the author says
...That was a long time ago, but it's wrong what they say about the past, I've learned, about how you can bury it. Because the past claws its way out.....
Amir gets a chance to redeem himself after 25 years....
The book is written at a quick pace, in a free flowing style and offers a great view of the Afgan lifestyle, Afgan culture (and Afgan cuisine!!)
Roughly the book can be cut into two halves. The first half describing Amirs childhood, is defnitely the better half.
The events of the childhood, the events that lead to the day that turns Amirs life upside down, the childish mischieves, the insecurities of Amir, the loyalty of Hassan, has been potrayed brilliantly and with honesty. You will shed silent tear drop ass you read the events that unfold after the kite competition.
Comparitively, the second phase of the book, Amirs redemption, lags in narration, the plot is not believable and the narration is repetitive and contrived. The author could well have finished the stoty earlier and the final 60-70 pages are a bore.
However, the books gives a good description of Afganisthan in the 60s-70s andd of the Taliban regime. Many small poignanat moments make the book a good read,
Finally, the author, Khaled Hosseini, writing his first novel, has used his words cleverly and imaginatively, coming up with some great lines, worth remembering and quoting, like
"Afganisthan today has a lot of children, but no childhood." and "A boy who won't stand up for himself becomes a man who can't stand up to anything".
All in all, it is not a book that will make you sit up and think, neither one that will make you cry nor laugh out loud, but, surely its a book whose taste will linger on, long after you have finished the book.
The book is written at a quick pace, in a free flowing style and offers a great view of the Afgan lifestyle, Afgan culture (and Afgan cuisine!!)
Roughly the book can be cut into two halves. The first half describing Amirs childhood, is defnitely the better half.
The events of the childhood, the events that lead to the day that turns Amirs life upside down, the childish mischieves, the insecurities of Amir, the loyalty of Hassan, has been potrayed brilliantly and with honesty. You will shed silent tear drop ass you read the events that unfold after the kite competition.
Comparitively, the second phase of the book, Amirs redemption, lags in narration, the plot is not believable and the narration is repetitive and contrived. The author could well have finished the stoty earlier and the final 60-70 pages are a bore.
However, the books gives a good description of Afganisthan in the 60s-70s andd of the Taliban regime. Many small poignanat moments make the book a good read,
Finally, the author, Khaled Hosseini, writing his first novel, has used his words cleverly and imaginatively, coming up with some great lines, worth remembering and quoting, like
"Afganisthan today has a lot of children, but no childhood." and "A boy who won't stand up for himself becomes a man who can't stand up to anything".
All in all, it is not a book that will make you sit up and think, neither one that will make you cry nor laugh out loud, but, surely its a book whose taste will linger on, long after you have finished the book.
Wednesday, October 19, 2005
Life of Pi
Title: Life of Pi
Author: Yann Martel
Genre: Fiction
Readable : At your own risk
Life of Pi. Winner of Man Booker Prize.When i picked up this book to read I was fully prepard for an amazing experience. After all, the book was an award winning one. Had received rave reviews from all and sundry.I was to be disappointed.
The book had a promising beggining. It starts with a recount of the life of Piscine Molliter Patel ( known as Pi). His childhood,his experiences with religion, his relationship with his parents,teacher and priests is beautifully expressed by Yann Martel.I was riveted right upto the point of his being stranded on a lifeboat with a menagerie that was made up of a zebra, an orangutan,a hyena and a tiger. The book then takes a rather bloodthirsty and cannibalistic turn.A friend of mine told me the book is fantastic if you skip the gross pages. I do not deny the fact. The book does a make a very good read if you were to skip the gross pages. The problem lies in the fact that probably 250 pages out of 300 is filled with nothing but repellant descriptions of drinking blood,tearing out of intestines, beat this... eating faeces ( that it is that of a tiger, is no redeeming aspect!!!).I might be a prejudiced reader. But I cannot believe that even a confirmed meat-eater could digest ( excuse the pun ) the contents of this book.
On the whole i found Life of Pi unpalatable.
Author: Yann Martel
Genre: Fiction
Readable : At your own risk
Life of Pi. Winner of Man Booker Prize.When i picked up this book to read I was fully prepard for an amazing experience. After all, the book was an award winning one. Had received rave reviews from all and sundry.I was to be disappointed.
The book had a promising beggining. It starts with a recount of the life of Piscine Molliter Patel ( known as Pi). His childhood,his experiences with religion, his relationship with his parents,teacher and priests is beautifully expressed by Yann Martel.I was riveted right upto the point of his being stranded on a lifeboat with a menagerie that was made up of a zebra, an orangutan,a hyena and a tiger. The book then takes a rather bloodthirsty and cannibalistic turn.A friend of mine told me the book is fantastic if you skip the gross pages. I do not deny the fact. The book does a make a very good read if you were to skip the gross pages. The problem lies in the fact that probably 250 pages out of 300 is filled with nothing but repellant descriptions of drinking blood,tearing out of intestines, beat this... eating faeces ( that it is that of a tiger, is no redeeming aspect!!!).I might be a prejudiced reader. But I cannot believe that even a confirmed meat-eater could digest ( excuse the pun ) the contents of this book.
On the whole i found Life of Pi unpalatable.
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
Adventures of a Curious Character
Title: Surely You're Joking Mr. Feynman - Adventures Of A Curious Character
Author: Ralf Leighton
Genre: Non fiction
Rating: 4.5/5
Adventures of a curious character indeed! If you happen to be one of those who has an appetite for Non-Fiction and are ready to appreciate the little adventures that one has in life, one who can enjoy with the joy others get with the little nitty-gritties of their lives, you must read this book.
It’s not a masterpiece of literature, and hasn’t got any of those adventurous thriller stories with shrewd plots and characters – the only thing this book has is entertainment, and that too, in plenty.
Contrary to the suggestion that one can get from the title of the book along with the cover page, this book is NOT written by Richard P. Feynman. It’s a collection of anecdotes and stories from His life as complied and edited by Ralf Leighton over the 8 years of association he had with Feynman. The book is packed with a bundle of funny and intriguing incidents and adventures that Feynman had almost all the time.
As stated already, this book cannot be rated or reviewed on the general lines of any literary work. But you can definitely have an insight into the mind of one of the greatest geniuses of modern Physics. You would surely appreciate the child-like curious and inquisitive mind of this champion and would understand why is it that he managed to become what he was! Starting with the stories of his childhood, to the college days, and his famous association with the Los Alamos project, to his Cornell and Caltech days, this book has so many narrations with so many different facets of this genius that one can simply not avoid being in awe.
If one manages to read and interpret the stories properly, not only would one be able to adore this rather eccentric scientist, but would also get to analyze his character properly. A man with no hidden face and motives, this person was a living legend. While some of the stories reflect his passion for science and his uncanny ability to associate everything with Science, the others mirror his brilliance in appreciating the other beauties of life and his never ending zeal to learn more.
What a reader would surely appreciate is Feynman’s talent in being a storyteller. He manages to narrate such intricate details of Physics as well as his philosophy of life, with such an ease that you almost get lost in the stories. It would need a very alert mind to figure out the pun he intends, and the frustration he has with the system. Adamant to the core in defying the regular pattern, he makes you agree on most of his reasons for being a rebel by choice.
The language is extremely simple, much like a regular conversation. The chapters have been organized in a little chaotic and unrelated fashion, but the entertainment each story packs, and the lesson that one observes at the end of every such story compensates for it all. What I appreciated the most in the book was the fun and adventure each story brought, and Feynman’s quality to learn something useful from every adventure of his life.
A great read – value for one’s money – as I would put it. I really wish and try to make my life as adventurous and as colorful as Feynman’s was. I adore this person, and so would anyone who reads the book.
Author: Ralf Leighton
Genre: Non fiction
Rating: 4.5/5
Adventures of a curious character indeed! If you happen to be one of those who has an appetite for Non-Fiction and are ready to appreciate the little adventures that one has in life, one who can enjoy with the joy others get with the little nitty-gritties of their lives, you must read this book.
It’s not a masterpiece of literature, and hasn’t got any of those adventurous thriller stories with shrewd plots and characters – the only thing this book has is entertainment, and that too, in plenty.
Contrary to the suggestion that one can get from the title of the book along with the cover page, this book is NOT written by Richard P. Feynman. It’s a collection of anecdotes and stories from His life as complied and edited by Ralf Leighton over the 8 years of association he had with Feynman. The book is packed with a bundle of funny and intriguing incidents and adventures that Feynman had almost all the time.
As stated already, this book cannot be rated or reviewed on the general lines of any literary work. But you can definitely have an insight into the mind of one of the greatest geniuses of modern Physics. You would surely appreciate the child-like curious and inquisitive mind of this champion and would understand why is it that he managed to become what he was! Starting with the stories of his childhood, to the college days, and his famous association with the Los Alamos project, to his Cornell and Caltech days, this book has so many narrations with so many different facets of this genius that one can simply not avoid being in awe.
If one manages to read and interpret the stories properly, not only would one be able to adore this rather eccentric scientist, but would also get to analyze his character properly. A man with no hidden face and motives, this person was a living legend. While some of the stories reflect his passion for science and his uncanny ability to associate everything with Science, the others mirror his brilliance in appreciating the other beauties of life and his never ending zeal to learn more.
What a reader would surely appreciate is Feynman’s talent in being a storyteller. He manages to narrate such intricate details of Physics as well as his philosophy of life, with such an ease that you almost get lost in the stories. It would need a very alert mind to figure out the pun he intends, and the frustration he has with the system. Adamant to the core in defying the regular pattern, he makes you agree on most of his reasons for being a rebel by choice.
The language is extremely simple, much like a regular conversation. The chapters have been organized in a little chaotic and unrelated fashion, but the entertainment each story packs, and the lesson that one observes at the end of every such story compensates for it all. What I appreciated the most in the book was the fun and adventure each story brought, and Feynman’s quality to learn something useful from every adventure of his life.
A great read – value for one’s money – as I would put it. I really wish and try to make my life as adventurous and as colorful as Feynman’s was. I adore this person, and so would anyone who reads the book.
Tuesday, September 06, 2005
Contact
Name: Contact
Author: Carl Sagan
Genre: Science Fiction
Published: 1985
Rating: 4.3/5
Sometimes, movies are born famous because they are based on good books; but sometimes, books are made more famous by the making of a movie. Contact is a great book, but it belongs to the latter category; it broke out of the universe of Science Fiction geeks and became really famous because of the movie. And Jodie Foster.
Yet, I can talk about the book without pausing to think or speak about the movie at all, because the movie makers made it very, very different from the book, but still did a great job of it.
Carl Sagan's writing style is not for the impatient. If you were expecting to be sucked into a roller coaster science fiction adventure with aliens and lasers, you will be very disappointed. The book strolls along leisurely, building up the characters, the plot and the scenarios in acute detail. Every new location, every new character is devoted a couple of pages of description so that you may better appreciate the events. Such breaks from the plot were initially annoying, but once you accept that you will not be sitting on the edge of the chair for this one, prop up a pillow and relax, and enjoy the novel. It took me more than three days to read the novel, which is not overly large by any standards; and considering that at the end of it I really liked the book, that time frame is a record for a guy who's known to finish thousand-page novels in a day.
In a refreshing departure from the traditional way of writing Science Fiction novels, Sagan spends a lot of time on the human psyche: exposing it in all its pettiness, narrowness, irrationality and self-destructiveness, especially when it comes to mass behaviour. The book is not about the triumph of the spirit of one woman, nor is it about the triumph of science. There are no triumphs and no tragedies, but there is hope. A lot is spoken about the divine, and about faith; but nowhere is it ridiculed or disproved. A true scientist cannot be an Atheist, as he/she will not accept the absence of God without proof. I felt a strange sense of satisfaction on hearing the book reinforce my own views. Truly, the conversations between Ellie, the protagonist, and Palmer, the man who became a priest after he died and lived to tell the tale, are the high points of the book in my opinion.
The SETI project picks up a radio signal from the constellation Vega - one fine day, all of a sudden. It consists of beats counting out the prime numbers. Hidden within that signal is a re-transmission of the first television broadcast from Earth: that of Adolf Hitler declaring the Olympic Games open. It appeared that the transmission had taken 26 years to reach Vega, and had been amplified and sent back. 52 years for the round trip, and the message was clear: there was intelligent life out there. And they were saying Hi.
Of course there had to be more to it. Hidden further within the signal are thousands of numbered pages of data. Until their message is discovered, every Messianic and Apocalyptic Cult and Religion in the World gets whipped into a frenzy. The Earth becomes a teapot on the verge of exploding. And then, the message is deciphered to contain instructions to build a machine that can carry 5 people on some unknown mission.
Diplomacy, Science, Religion, Politics and Madness make for strange bedfellows. But the leaders of the world find themselves no choice but to build the machine, and choose 5 people impartially from every point of view to sit on those enigmatic seats, at the risk of simply not knowing what it was they would be missing.
But what were they going to do with the tale told by those 5 when the task was done?
Ellie: ...are you willing to put your life on the line for your faith? I'm willing to do it for mine. Here, take a look out that window. There's a big Foucault Pendulum; the bob must weigh 500 pounds. My faith says that the amplitude of a free pendulum can never increase. I'm willing to go there, put the bob in front of my nose, let go, and have it swing away and then back toward me. If my beliefs are in error, I'll get a 500 pound smack on my face. You want to test my faith? In turn, would you be willing to stand a foot closer to this same pendulum and pray to God to shorten the swing?
.
.
The sealed note read: "Meet me at the National Science and Technology Museum, 8:00pm tonigh. Palmer Joss."
Joss was nowhere to be seen. If you had to meet Palmer Joss in this museum, she thought, and the only thing you had ever talked to him about was Religion and the Message, where would you meet him? Of course... "Does this museum have a Foucault's Pendulum?" she asked the guard.
Author: Carl Sagan
Genre: Science Fiction
Published: 1985
Rating: 4.3/5
Sometimes, movies are born famous because they are based on good books; but sometimes, books are made more famous by the making of a movie. Contact is a great book, but it belongs to the latter category; it broke out of the universe of Science Fiction geeks and became really famous because of the movie. And Jodie Foster.
Yet, I can talk about the book without pausing to think or speak about the movie at all, because the movie makers made it very, very different from the book, but still did a great job of it.
Carl Sagan's writing style is not for the impatient. If you were expecting to be sucked into a roller coaster science fiction adventure with aliens and lasers, you will be very disappointed. The book strolls along leisurely, building up the characters, the plot and the scenarios in acute detail. Every new location, every new character is devoted a couple of pages of description so that you may better appreciate the events. Such breaks from the plot were initially annoying, but once you accept that you will not be sitting on the edge of the chair for this one, prop up a pillow and relax, and enjoy the novel. It took me more than three days to read the novel, which is not overly large by any standards; and considering that at the end of it I really liked the book, that time frame is a record for a guy who's known to finish thousand-page novels in a day.
In a refreshing departure from the traditional way of writing Science Fiction novels, Sagan spends a lot of time on the human psyche: exposing it in all its pettiness, narrowness, irrationality and self-destructiveness, especially when it comes to mass behaviour. The book is not about the triumph of the spirit of one woman, nor is it about the triumph of science. There are no triumphs and no tragedies, but there is hope. A lot is spoken about the divine, and about faith; but nowhere is it ridiculed or disproved. A true scientist cannot be an Atheist, as he/she will not accept the absence of God without proof. I felt a strange sense of satisfaction on hearing the book reinforce my own views. Truly, the conversations between Ellie, the protagonist, and Palmer, the man who became a priest after he died and lived to tell the tale, are the high points of the book in my opinion.
The SETI project picks up a radio signal from the constellation Vega - one fine day, all of a sudden. It consists of beats counting out the prime numbers. Hidden within that signal is a re-transmission of the first television broadcast from Earth: that of Adolf Hitler declaring the Olympic Games open. It appeared that the transmission had taken 26 years to reach Vega, and had been amplified and sent back. 52 years for the round trip, and the message was clear: there was intelligent life out there. And they were saying Hi.
Of course there had to be more to it. Hidden further within the signal are thousands of numbered pages of data. Until their message is discovered, every Messianic and Apocalyptic Cult and Religion in the World gets whipped into a frenzy. The Earth becomes a teapot on the verge of exploding. And then, the message is deciphered to contain instructions to build a machine that can carry 5 people on some unknown mission.
Diplomacy, Science, Religion, Politics and Madness make for strange bedfellows. But the leaders of the world find themselves no choice but to build the machine, and choose 5 people impartially from every point of view to sit on those enigmatic seats, at the risk of simply not knowing what it was they would be missing.
But what were they going to do with the tale told by those 5 when the task was done?
Ellie: ...are you willing to put your life on the line for your faith? I'm willing to do it for mine. Here, take a look out that window. There's a big Foucault Pendulum; the bob must weigh 500 pounds. My faith says that the amplitude of a free pendulum can never increase. I'm willing to go there, put the bob in front of my nose, let go, and have it swing away and then back toward me. If my beliefs are in error, I'll get a 500 pound smack on my face. You want to test my faith? In turn, would you be willing to stand a foot closer to this same pendulum and pray to God to shorten the swing?
.
.
The sealed note read: "Meet me at the National Science and Technology Museum, 8:00pm tonigh. Palmer Joss."
Joss was nowhere to be seen. If you had to meet Palmer Joss in this museum, she thought, and the only thing you had ever talked to him about was Religion and the Message, where would you meet him? Of course... "Does this museum have a Foucault's Pendulum?" she asked the guard.
Friday, July 29, 2005
Not for Muggles!
Name: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Author: J.K. Rowling
Genre: Fantasy
Published: 2005
Rating: 4 / 5
Note: I've avoided giving away important plot spoilers so that anybody can read this review. Still, I cannot avoid giving away some minor spoilers on the content of the book, so if you havent read the book and want the complete experience, don't read further!
JKR churns out yet another long novel, as HBP crosses the 600-page mark. In this regard and a lot of others, the book is just what the fans ordered! No longer does JKR try to explain any circumstance or place or spell already mentioned in one of the previous books. Another significant change in that she does not neatly tie up all loose ends at the end of the novel. There's a lot to look forward to in the final book!
Mostly, HBP is another rollicking Hogwarts adventure, with Harry and his friends continuing to learn new spells, playing quidditch, and growing up in general. Harry seems to have settled down from his touchy attitude in Order of the Phoenix, but JKR persists in including a lot of sinister elements and violence in the book. Thankfully, the Mahabharath-type wand-pointing and spell-exchanging is toned down but the teenage crushes, relationships and "snogging" are all annoyingly increased. One can understand JKR wanting to portray the process of growing up as inseparable from such things, but she could definitely have handled it better.
One more let-down is the fact that the identity of the Half-Blood Prince is not important, and not even central to the theme of the book. Further, it becomes guessable midway through the book, even though it is fully revealed only at the end. Still, the idea of Harry learning things from the Half-Blood Prince is well done, even though one wonders how Harry manages to learn difficult, including non-verbal or "silent" spells, so quickly, when he takes weeks to learn most spells in school!
Nevertheless, the good things about the book outweigh the bad. A really good insight is given into the psyche of Lord Voldemort, with glimpses into his childhood. One understands how he becomes the cruel, power-hungry wizard that we know him as. The key to his immortality is also uncovered, and Harry finds out exactly how difficult and daunting the task of killing him actually is.
JKR has also given some thought to the character of Draco Malfoy, who is more than just an obnoxious school bully in this book. It appears that Draco will play a vital role in the final book. Another thing to look forward to is the identity of Harry's mysterious benefactor, known only by the initials RAB. Anyone who has read the last three books can make an educated guess as to his identity, but knowing Rowling, one can never tell for sure!
Perhaps the best thing about the book is the ending. It is absolutely stunning and unexpected. Even after reading the book fully, I am not completely sure whether the whole thing is real or a ploy orchestrated by the Order. Either way I will give JKR full credit. If it actually happens, I congratulate her on her boldness, and am extremely curious to know how Harry handles things from now on. If it is just a ploy, then full marks to her on conceptualizing such a devious plot!
Overall I would deem the book not as brilliant in plot as Prisoner of Azkaban or having the sheer adventure value of Goblet of Fire, but definitely a must-read for anyone who has read the previous books. Oh well... its not as if I needed to say the latter in words anyway!!
Author: J.K. Rowling
Genre: Fantasy
Published: 2005
Rating: 4 / 5
Note: I've avoided giving away important plot spoilers so that anybody can read this review. Still, I cannot avoid giving away some minor spoilers on the content of the book, so if you havent read the book and want the complete experience, don't read further!
JKR churns out yet another long novel, as HBP crosses the 600-page mark. In this regard and a lot of others, the book is just what the fans ordered! No longer does JKR try to explain any circumstance or place or spell already mentioned in one of the previous books. Another significant change in that she does not neatly tie up all loose ends at the end of the novel. There's a lot to look forward to in the final book!
Mostly, HBP is another rollicking Hogwarts adventure, with Harry and his friends continuing to learn new spells, playing quidditch, and growing up in general. Harry seems to have settled down from his touchy attitude in Order of the Phoenix, but JKR persists in including a lot of sinister elements and violence in the book. Thankfully, the Mahabharath-type wand-pointing and spell-exchanging is toned down but the teenage crushes, relationships and "snogging" are all annoyingly increased. One can understand JKR wanting to portray the process of growing up as inseparable from such things, but she could definitely have handled it better.
One more let-down is the fact that the identity of the Half-Blood Prince is not important, and not even central to the theme of the book. Further, it becomes guessable midway through the book, even though it is fully revealed only at the end. Still, the idea of Harry learning things from the Half-Blood Prince is well done, even though one wonders how Harry manages to learn difficult, including non-verbal or "silent" spells, so quickly, when he takes weeks to learn most spells in school!
Nevertheless, the good things about the book outweigh the bad. A really good insight is given into the psyche of Lord Voldemort, with glimpses into his childhood. One understands how he becomes the cruel, power-hungry wizard that we know him as. The key to his immortality is also uncovered, and Harry finds out exactly how difficult and daunting the task of killing him actually is.
JKR has also given some thought to the character of Draco Malfoy, who is more than just an obnoxious school bully in this book. It appears that Draco will play a vital role in the final book. Another thing to look forward to is the identity of Harry's mysterious benefactor, known only by the initials RAB. Anyone who has read the last three books can make an educated guess as to his identity, but knowing Rowling, one can never tell for sure!
Perhaps the best thing about the book is the ending. It is absolutely stunning and unexpected. Even after reading the book fully, I am not completely sure whether the whole thing is real or a ploy orchestrated by the Order. Either way I will give JKR full credit. If it actually happens, I congratulate her on her boldness, and am extremely curious to know how Harry handles things from now on. If it is just a ploy, then full marks to her on conceptualizing such a devious plot!
Overall I would deem the book not as brilliant in plot as Prisoner of Azkaban or having the sheer adventure value of Goblet of Fire, but definitely a must-read for anyone who has read the previous books. Oh well... its not as if I needed to say the latter in words anyway!!
Sunday, July 17, 2005
The book that made him the King of horror
Name: CarrieAuthor: Stephen King
Genre: Horror
Published: 1974
I picked up this short novel (about 250 pages) expecting not to be stirred one bit. It's about a misunderstood high school girl, Carrie White, born with telekinetic powers and a victim of abuse from a mentally imbalanced mother. An unfortunate turn of events turns the usually shy and tormented Carrie wild, and leads her to a violent rampage seeking revenge during the night of her school prom.
Bah, I thought. Innumerable books and movies I'd already experienced were based loosely on the same theme, although I did note that this early work from King might have in fact been their inspiration. In any case, I didn't expect to be surprised.
King didn't let this feeling last 10 pages through the novel. Following his usual style of writing, King turns a simple theme into an experience filled with horror and disgust. Using words to create vivid disturbing images in the reader's mind, he manages to impress. It's a novel which disturbs you enough to want to put the book down, yet at the same time you are drawn to move on.
(momma stop don't i can't breathe o my throat o momma i'm sorry i looked momma o my tongue blood in my mouth)...
Momma coming back, coming for her, Momma holding Daddy Ralph's long butcher knife
(cut it out i have to cut out the evil the nastiness sins of the flesh o i know about that the eyes cut out your eyes)
King concentrates on developing the characters of Carrie White and her mother Margaret White, not bothering too much with anyone else in the story. This does allow him to give the reader a good glimpse into the mind of the tormented school girl yearning acceptance and later revenge. Ficticious news clippings are sprinkled inbetween, unravelling the story rather interestingly.
Not an excellent book, but it is guaranteed to make your stomach curl. And that's what impresses me the most about Stephen King. I'd give this a 3/5.
Thursday, July 14, 2005
To kill a mockingbird
Title: To kill a mockingbird
Author: Harper Lee
Published: 1960
What do you expect from a classic? That it inspires you. That its characters stay with you long after the details of the story have faded away. That it touches you in a way nothing else ever will. That it makes you wish the story could have gone on for ever, the characters becoming a part of your life. "To kill a mockingbird" does all of this, but it also makes you laugh!
The story is set in the "South" of America, after the Yankees have won and set the Negroes free. It is narrated in the words of an eight year old, Jean-Louise "Scout" Finch. Through her we are introduced to her elder brother "Jem" with whom she shares a bond that is only possible in childhood, her father Atticus, a lawyer, whom she finds "satisfactory", Calpurina, their negro cook who manages a lot more than the kitchen, Dill, the boy who comes every summer to live with one of the neighbours and of course Boo Radley. The boy next door who has done something terrible a long time ago and has not stepped outside his house ever since.
As Scout describes everyday incidents in her life, her school, the neighbours, the characters in the story begin to take shape. Atticus emerges as the "hero" of the book - a man of principles. Jem is a boy growing into a man. Scout herself is very much a child, convinced that there is no problem that a good beating will not solve.
Atticus is asked to defend a negro who is accused of raping a white girl and this changes their lives. For Atticus, it is a time when all his principles are put to test. For Jem and Dill, it is a shocking introduction to the real world. For Scout, it is an invitation to get into a fight with anyone who dares to speak against her father, even though she'd rather he not fight the case. The scene where scout talks to the mob in the jail is beyond adjectives!
Harper Lee manages to teach us so much using an 8 year old! Scout's innocence, Atticus's principles, Dill's anguish and Jem will remain with me for a long long time.
Author: Harper Lee
Published: 1960
What do you expect from a classic? That it inspires you. That its characters stay with you long after the details of the story have faded away. That it touches you in a way nothing else ever will. That it makes you wish the story could have gone on for ever, the characters becoming a part of your life. "To kill a mockingbird" does all of this, but it also makes you laugh!
The story is set in the "South" of America, after the Yankees have won and set the Negroes free. It is narrated in the words of an eight year old, Jean-Louise "Scout" Finch. Through her we are introduced to her elder brother "Jem" with whom she shares a bond that is only possible in childhood, her father Atticus, a lawyer, whom she finds "satisfactory", Calpurina, their negro cook who manages a lot more than the kitchen, Dill, the boy who comes every summer to live with one of the neighbours and of course Boo Radley. The boy next door who has done something terrible a long time ago and has not stepped outside his house ever since.
As Scout describes everyday incidents in her life, her school, the neighbours, the characters in the story begin to take shape. Atticus emerges as the "hero" of the book - a man of principles. Jem is a boy growing into a man. Scout herself is very much a child, convinced that there is no problem that a good beating will not solve.
Atticus is asked to defend a negro who is accused of raping a white girl and this changes their lives. For Atticus, it is a time when all his principles are put to test. For Jem and Dill, it is a shocking introduction to the real world. For Scout, it is an invitation to get into a fight with anyone who dares to speak against her father, even though she'd rather he not fight the case. The scene where scout talks to the mob in the jail is beyond adjectives!
Harper Lee manages to teach us so much using an 8 year old! Scout's innocence, Atticus's principles, Dill's anguish and Jem will remain with me for a long long time.
