Youth Isaac Asimov1952Space Science(read e version)Youth is a science fiction novella, written in the fifties. The narrative describes the visit of aliens to a planet and being found by two young boys- Red and Slim. The boys capture them in the hope of taking them as show animals in a circus, where they hope to be…
Mumma ki DiaryAnu Singh Choudhary2015Hindyugmpp. 159Mumma ki Diary is exactly what it claims to be. A non-fictional account of the life experiences of a young mother. Written in everyday Hindi, the book presents an episodic account of a young journalist, the author, from the time of her decision to have a child to her present…
The New Indian Middle ClassPavan K Varma2014Harper Collinspp. 101This non fiction book is a prelude to the now history 2014 elections. Varma analyses the collective conscience of the ever growing middle class and the active role it has chosen to play in Indian politics. At times silent, at times violently vocal, at times clueless, yet…
No AngelHelen Keeble2013New YorkHarper Collins (HarperTeen)The book is about the experiences of a teenage boy, Raffael Angelos, ending up studying in an all girls’ residential school. His experiences go beyond his expectations as he realises that he is an angel, or half angel or half demon. Call it what you might! Well, there are others…
The Theory of Everything: The Origin and Fate of the UniverseStephen Hawking2006Jaicopp. 120The Theory of Everything is based on a collection of lectures by Hawking. The brilliance of Hawking in the concepts that he talks about and the way he talks about them is unmatched. Like his other book, A Brief History of Time, he…
Free Your MindM P Neary2015MartynearyKindle edition The short book describes the need to free our minds from clutter. It delves upon the necessity of silence and decluttering our minds and lives. It is a short and easy to read book and touches upon all the right topics in the fast paced, technology ridden, competition driven…
The Horse and His Boy C S Lewis 1955 (this edition 2010) Harper Collins pp.112 The third in the Chronicles of Narnia series, The Horse and His Boy is the story of a harsh ruler from where the protagonists- Shasta and Aravis, Bree and Hwin, escape because of their personal circumstances. It is a story…
VectorRobin Cook1999pp. 427Vector is another in the series of Jack Stapleton and Lauri Montgomery medical mysteries. Now that I have read it, I am wondering if I should be reading the series in the order in which they have been published! Like in all other books by Cook, Vector too focuses on one of the…
The Book of Laughter and ForgettingMilan Kundera (tr. Aaron Asher)1996 (this edition of English translation, original 1978)LondonFaber and Faberpp. 312The Book of Laughter and Forgetting is a collection of seven narratives that cover a range of issues but have subtle underlying common themes. Part satire, part humour, part realism, the book is best understood in…
How to Make Enemies and Offend PeopleG Sampath2013New DelhiPenguinpp. 205 Sampath’s book is part humour, part satire on a variety of social, political, and sometimes personal concerns. His keen observation and his play with words is entertaining and engaging. Buying a property in cities, having staycations, and umpteen attempts at rearranging books are themes that resonate…
