It's All About Books!!!

Thursday, 9 August 2018

54 Reasons Why Parents Suck And Phew! by Swati Lodha/Swaraa Lodha (Book Review- 3.75*/5)!!!

There are very less non-fiction books which are gutsy and picks up such topics that makes you uncomfortable in discussing it with people. I landed up picking up a book which had such a title that it made reading it in Mumbai Local Trains a moment of getting weird looks in return whosoever got a glance of its cover page: “54 Reasons Why Parents Suck and Phew!”. The people above the age of 40 years looked at me as if I am a criminal and I am the reason why our generation is not improving and doing everything against parent’s will. And the irony is that this book is written majorly by a mother- Dr. Swati Lodha about the emotions her 17-year-old daughter has about her parents named Swaraa Lodha. This book also shows that there are few parents who are willing to investigate the mindset of children and understand them and their expectations with parents.

Indian parents, in general, always have expectations from their children but they never think about certain expectations that even their children have from them. They believe themselves as demigod and thus believe that they never do any mistake in parenting. This book is for such parents who do not understand the perspective of their child and keep on continuing with their way of parenting irrespective of noticing that their child is gradually getting far away from them and in few cases, even started hating them. The authoress has written 54 chapters each detailing a reason why children are fed up of their parents. Each reason is justified so well that you will enjoy reading them as they are built up with all- seriousness, humour, fun, weirdness, discomfort, issues, sadness, maturity, immaturity and everything you know.

The book is written in a very interesting language which keeps the readers hooked up. Talking about the drawbacks of the book, I felt that in most of the chapters, author has spoken in the same tone itself which makes the reading very monotonous which might bore you after some time if you are completing the book in a one single-sitting itself. Secondly, in many of the chapters, author talks about similar point itself just giving it a different packaging, so it starts sounding repetitive. Thirdly, the book is too stretched. It could have easily been completed in 200 pages with everything which is already spoken in more than 250 pages. I rate this book 3.75* out of 5. Kudos to authors for such a unique and most-wanted topic.

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA!!!

Sunday, 5 August 2018

Dr Dhurandhar's Fat-loss Diet by Dr Nikhil Dhurandhar (Book Review- 3.25*/5) !!!

Who is not aware about the mind-blowing transformation Aamir Khan went through for his movie Dangal where he gained huge weight and then followed rigorous diet and exercising to get back into a wrestler’s shape! All of us wish to get in touch with their personal trainers and experience the same transformation as these inspirations. Fortunately, the nutritionist who helped Aamir Khan in this difficult task has written a book finally named “Fat-Loss Diet”. Nikhil Dhurandhar is very well read and educated persona in this field of nutrition and weight management and his insights are truly encouraging and breaks a lot of myth.

The way he has explained the simple concept of intake and burning out of calories is commendable. All of us have heard about keeping our calories intake in check but never got to know how to calculate the same. Mr. Nikhil Dhurandhar has given easy formulas with examples to calculate the same and given diets for each range in which your parameter gets categorized into. He has not only given a static diet chart for each classification of body type as per the weight and height range on the individual but also given substitute for each dietary element that he is asking you to consume to ensure that you do not get bored of eating the same things everyday.

The first half is basically the revelation of the diet that you need to follow to ensure that you lose fats and gain muscles along with it. The second half is more about how to go ahead with the diet irrespective of all the external factors that come in between to stop you from achieving your goal of staying tough on your diet plan. The suggestions given by the author is wonderful and something that will help you immensely in ensuring that you do not end up becoming a crazy diet follower and irritate people around you for being a stupid different. Author has also described the importance of different types of exercises which needs to be followed along with the dieting to ensure that the effect is maximum. He also gives tips on how to stay focused in case you stop seeing the kind of results you achieved in your initial aggressive days of following this healthy lifestyle.

Talking about the drawbacks of the book, I must say that the first 30-50 pages are spent by the author is a defensive mode where he is only proving why he should be considered seriously and how he does not belong in the group of those nutritionists who give false advises and lands their customer in a big trouble. He wants the readers to understand where he comes from and how much research he has gone through to reach at this stage of writing this book. He should have understood that when a person has already picked up your book, it is with some level of trust and the foreword by Aamir Khan is enough for the readers to take you seriously. Another problem that I faced was that the charts and their description/explanations were not aligned correctly on the same page. This made me turn the pages again and again to refer the table while reading its detailed derivation by the author. Another thing is that author has not talked about many options of healthy food but stayed focused only on those which he has in his limited diet plan. Author also has not added any case studies of different individuals etc. which could have made book more powerful in terms of content and references.

Overall, this book is thin with only 200 pages which you can end up reading in 4 hours with complete concentration. I will give this book 3.25 stars out of 5.

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA!!!

Saturday, 4 August 2018

The Kaafir's Love by Abhisar Sharma (Book Review: 4.5*/5) !!!

There are few books which give you positive vibes the moment you view them for the first time. And these are also the book which ends up disappointing you a lot in case they do even a small mistake in impressing you. Fortunately, this has not been the case with the 38th book of this year which I completed reading named “The Kaafir’s Love” by the famous journalist, Abhisar Sharma. Being a journalist himself and knowing about the communal issues in India, Abhisar has very intellectually used the concept in plotting his fiction story based on a love story between a Hindu boy and a Muslim girl.

The book is promoted as a romantic story but it has a thrilling effect to it which makes it a special read throughout. Right from the first page to the last, the book is a perfect page-turner where it speaks about many relationships like lovers, friends, mother-son, father-son etc. and treats each one of them with full justice. The thrilling moment which are the turning points of the story are described very beautifully that you get so engrossed in the book you can picturize the whole scene happening in front of your eyes. The political angle attached with the story is a secondary plot in the first half of the book and the way it becomes the primary thing in the 2nd half, takes this book to another level itself.

The number of secrets that are revealed in the 2nd half of the book tells a lot about the writer Abhisar Sharma has in him. He has lots of potential which can be observed through his narration itself. Writing a book with multiple characters and yet treating each one of them justifyingly that you can connect with one of them tells a lot about his writing skills. The book also becomes nostalgic at many times in the way it describes the love angle of the protagonists, the backdrop of the small town, the local politicians, the relationships etc. The climax of the book is very well-handled which was extremely necessary to end this book on a higher note after such a magnetic and strong plot running throughout the story. The story completely justifies its title “The Kaafir’s Love”. I am looking forward to read more books by the writer. I give this book no less than 4.5* out of 5. Recommended!

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA - VEERU!!!

Friday, 3 August 2018

Netaji: Living Dangerously by Kingshuk Nag (Book Review: 3.25*/5) !!!

One of the great leaders who are considered as a pioneer in making the independence possible for India is Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. But the upset is that rather than talking about his contribution, people are more interested in discussing his death which is very unfortunate for a leader of his class and calibre. There are many articles and documentaries created on this concept to clarify Netaji’s death and give the final conclusion but still the topic continues to haunt Indians every now and then. The recent declassification of his files by NDA government has again raised several questions about his death. In such times, Kingshuk Nag has again released a book as per the contemporary conditions on this death mystery itself named “Netaji: Living Dangerously”.

Kingshuk Nag has always released his book at the perfect time when it is most needed. And this time, his book is not just another book which will be lost in shelves but people will have to pick it up and read as he has discussed almost all the theories running about Netaji’s mysterious death and has assured that he does not leave even a single of them. The book is divided in 10 different chapters with each giving its own theory. The book is written in a very professional manner as an editorial article which makes it boring at times and you want to skip lines and move ahead as quickly as possible. Another problem that I have with the publication is the small font size used to print this book which makes it very inconvenient to read the book.

The book is very well-researched and author’s efforts are evidently visible right from the first page. It is very difficult to write on such a serious topic without giving a single statement which can raise controversy and Kingshuk has been able to assure this safety to himself. The book is interesting in terms of knowing so many theories that had been discussed during Netaji’s sudden disappearance. The quotes from the family members in between the chapters come as refreshment and ensures that you get to relate with the plight of the Netaji’s family members what they had to go through in all these years.

The biggest problem with the book is a little bias the author has shown towards his belief on a particular theory and he keeps on claiming its worthiness in every chapter between the lines while discussing other theories. Right from the start of the book, the author has tried to prove his point of view incessantly which makes it hard for the reader to trust the justice made to other theories. This is the only thing which stops from making this book one of the most recommended ones in the genre. I give this book 3.25 stars out of 5. Do read it if you are really interested in knowing about Netaji’s death mystery in detail.

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA!!!

Monday, 30 July 2018

Hungry Gods by Richa Lakhera (Book Review: 3.25*/5) !!!

By reading the title of the book and seeing the dangerous cover page, I had never expected that I would pick the book - “Hungry Gods” up to read it and that too on a weekend on a lighter note. The authoress, Richa Lakhera, has written this book in a thriller genre based on the following elements which are also the part of book’s tagline- Drugs, Sex Cults, A horrific crime and an unthinkable revenge. The book is based on the same concept of revenge of a rape but the way it has been handled with the authoress is what makes the book different than all the books written on the cliche topic.

The language used by the authoress is quite like Western writers which might make it difficult for Indian authors’ fans to read and comprehend the sentences. The book is written in first voice and third voice periodically which makes the narration of the book interesting for the readers. The characters are very well drafted and the way each one of them is dark in their very own way gives the story a very great premise. Right from the cops to the actor to the people involved with the drug company to the people associated with the actor, everyone’s character is very well written and the way story takes their character forward is another magical X-factor of this book.

I just felt that the timeline of the story becomes very confusing due to each chapter talking from point of view of a certain character most of the times. The pre-climax and the climax of the book is nicely closed which gives the book a perfect ending. Overall, this book is an average thriller written in a very good language and in a very different manner irrespective of having a very regular plot. I give this book 3.25* out of 5.

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA!!!

Winning Like Sourav: Think & Succeed Like Ganguly by Abhirup Bhattacharya (Book Review: 4*/5) !!!

The one thing I like about any publishing company is its commitment towards innovating a concept and then holding it for a long time. It needs a strong temperament to keep a concept alive and transform it into a phenomena. Rupa Publication is doing the same with the short books it keep releasing almost every month based on a Sports Superstar and help us understand their traits and qualities on adopting which we can also excel in our respective fields. The latest that I read in this collection is the book based on none other than Sourav Ganguly named “Winning Like Sourav: Think & Succeed Like Ganguly” written by Abhirup Bhattacharya who also wrote the book on Virat Kohli in the same series.

Sourav Ganguly has been one of the most appreciated Cricketers in India and across the world irrespective of the numerous controversies he has been involved in. His determination and never-give-up attitude has made him reach the zenith that he is at. He still does not sit quietly irrespective of retiring a long while ago and is completely engrossed in commentary, one of the Cricket Boards, hosts two reality shows in Bengali language etc. Sourav Ganguly is known for his captaincy tactics which transformed the Team India such that it started winning overseas matches where they couldn’t stand still in the past. Abhirup Bhattacharya has very simply explained how he has been able to contribute not only as a batsman or Captain of Team India, but as an individual from whom one can take management and life lessons.

The book consists of different chapters which are basically the qualities that Ganguly possesses such as Making of Brand Sourav, leadership, mental strength, quick learning, risk taking abilities, grooming future leaders, power of his aggression etc. The best part is how author has described about his sacrificial attitude where he always gave away his power just to make sure that another youngster in the team gets opportunity. The way his leadership skills are discussed gives beautiful insight. All the things that Ganguly did even with aggression is conveyed with a sight that you and me had never acknowledged and always saw it with negative attitude. Overall, the book is a good motivation. I give it 4* out of 5 for its genre.

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA!!!

Sunday, 29 July 2018

Eleven Gods And A Billion Indians by Boria Majumdar (Book Review: 4.25*/5) !!!

If you talk about Indians, anything that keeps everyone united are Cricket, Politics and Bollywood. And when it comes to Cricket, there is nothing that fascinates us anymore. Being a reader and a fan of Cricket, whenever I get to know that there’s a new book released on Cricket, I cannot stop myself in assuring that I get to read the book somehow. Last weekend I got my hands upon the book named “Eleven Gods And A Billion Indians” written by none other than the Cricket Expert and Scholar, Boria Majumdar, who is also known for assisting Sachin Tendulkar in writing his autobiography.

The tagline of the book says “The On and Off the field story of Cricket in India and Beyond”. Writing a book about the on-field happening is easy if you pick only the performances to discuss but it becomes very difficult and controversial when you decide to speak truth about few controversies that happened on the field. More over that, very few authors have enough knowledge to speak about the off-field events and those who know does not want to disclose the secrets behind the game and board that handled the game. Boria Majumdar has showed enough character in writing a book on such a topic and the way he has executed it is a level above all the other books written in such genre on specifically, Cricket.

The book starts with the most controversial subject on match-fixing and since then it is unstoppable as the author discusses on almost everything that has been a big question to us in all these years of our devotion such as how Indians started performing overseas, the controversy of Greg Chappell-Ganguly, Harbhajan-Symonds, the most recent one- Virat Kohli-Anil Kumble etc. Author then also discusses how Cricket earned initially when the television sets had come in India and how it has transformed itself into a mega-event where 20,000 crores are being shelved out for the five years of IPL rights. The BCCI and its stand on various issues are discussed so openly that I doubt anyone else would have spoken about this board so directly and specifically with directly taking names. The India’s win of both- 1983 and 2011 is also covered descriptively which will make you feel as if you are watching the match live.

The Part Four of the book discusses Ranji trophy specifically and the initial days of Cricket craze in our country. The Part Five is all about Virat Kohli and the current set of Cricketers and what we are looking ahead through them for this sports and the expectations that they have on their shoulders to fulfill. The Women Cricket Team is also discussed in the last chapter making it sure that they are also the future of Cricket in India considering their performance in the last World Cup where they reached Finale and ended up being Runner-Up. Sachin Tendulkar’s career is also discussed along with his last Test match which again makes you shed tears.

Reading this book, I was surprised and shocked to read various truth about the sport and wanted to hug Mr. Majumdar for writing such a strong book and having debateful takes on each important event that has happened in the world of Indian Cricket. He has never been biased towards any party throughout the book and I want to specifically point out the chapter on Kohli-Kumble saga where he has spoken very neutrally and made it clear that it’s not only the current aggressive players like Virat Kohli who are always wrong but it can be legends like Anil Kumble too. No inner person working with Cricket could have written about such detailings about big names so honestly. This book will always be named in one of the top books on Cricket. Kudos to Boria Majumdar. I give this book 4.25* out of 5.

Thanks.

ABHILASH RUHELA!!!