Sometimes, doing what is best for you is also best for society. In Mini Nair’s debut novel, “The Fourth Passenger,” Anusuya boards an overcrowded trai...moreSometimes, doing what is best for you is also best for society. In Mini Nair’s debut novel, “The Fourth Passenger,” Anusuya boards an overcrowded train in Mumbai. Deploring her alcoholic and unemployed husband, she works only to afford her daughter’s social escape through education. Her outlook is bleak: “There were times, though, when Anusuya did not dare to dream for her daughter. Perhaps they were all preordained to suffer.” But with burgeoning ambition and a genuine interest in serving others, four oppressed women take charge of their lives.
Anusuya will join her neighbor, Nootan, and her childhood friend, Farzana, in an entrepreneurial enterprise led by Shakuntala, a woman emboldened by her own husband’s desertion. Nair writes, “Although she was an industrious housewife and kept house very well, Shakuntala could not sit idle at home. She was a natural motivator and a born leader.” Their new food stall, Stree, would build community by serving Indian dishes such as egg bhurji to a hardworking public. Stree would eventually empower and employ many women, but not without trials and tragedy along the way.
As hopeful and hardworking as these four women are, blatant sexism derides their self-sufficiency when a madly possessive husband wants to publicly humiliate his “housewife.” Also, extortion and violence threaten the financial success of Stree when male gang members want to cash in on what they thought would be female vulnerability. But the unified leadership of Stree positions itself to persevere and inspire. The ambition, focus and strong work ethic of these women deeply offend and ultimately defeat some men. And yet, the soul of this book is not entirely in its gender complexity, but more so in its consuming conflict that threatens the stability of Mumbai.
While the four women manage to improve their personal lives, their public endeavors set them on a collision course with religious terrorism between Hindus and Muslims. A mosque, the Babri Masjid, is demolished, and the Bombay Riots of December, 1992 commence. What I find most endearing about Mini Nair’s work is her ability to create a succinct touchstone for reasoned inquiry and discussion. We do not dive into the full history of India, but we see how oppression and subjugation are perpetrated in the family and larger community. We wonder with the author how people can hate and kill each other because of their differing faiths. We observe that the city’s public is targeted like Stree; depraved dissidents carelessly abuse innocents. Nair writes, “The city was a place where people were more bothered by their own survival. To a man or a woman standing in Mumbai’s overcrowded local train, the religion of the person standing an inch away didn’t matter. They were both people eking out a living in a glorious yet unforgiving city.” The terror that can paralyze is not of the people but of madmen who must be confronted.
“The Fourth Passenger” is an accessible read offering plenty to discuss. Perhaps its best feature is its underlying call to social service through self-empowerment: “The four women had seen enough of fear in their lifetimes. They’d been battered and bruised, but every time they had emerged. They’d always been easily subjugated, but they did not submit this time. Stree was all about strength. Strength against oppression.”
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Unbroken is a life-changer. Without wanting to spoil the true tale for anyone, I will provide a short and nondescript summary here in the interest of ...moreUnbroken is a life-changer. Without wanting to spoil the true tale for anyone, I will provide a short and nondescript summary here in the interest of possibly hooking readers into this terrific and terrible story.
Basically, Louis Zamperini is a young trouble-maker who ends up running in the 1936 Olympics before falling into the sadistic clutches of Japanese guards at POW camps. The book mainly covers the insane brutality Louis faces as he struggles to survive malnutrition, disease and unimaginable inhumane treatment. The "Bird" is one tormentor who will bring Louis so close to madness, and you'll have to read the book to see how Louis becomes a sensational inspiration.
Unbroken is a must-read for anyone interested in experiencing the pain and anguish of an American POW in horrific Japanese prison camps during World War II. Readers may be emboldened by witnessing an unyielding will to survive in the literal face of hopelessness.(less)
As escape fiction, The Last Oracle definitely entertains and engages the reader in a great variety of intriguing topics: ancient prophecy, parapsychol...moreAs escape fiction, The Last Oracle definitely entertains and engages the reader in a great variety of intriguing topics: ancient prophecy, parapsychology, nuclear ambition and new world order, just to name a few.
I think this book starts off with an iron fist, sags in the middle, and then offers a speedy and fitting ending. Since I don't expect much realism in thrillers, I applaud Rollins for his use of exact detail to illustrate his terrific imagination. But even in lands of make-believe, there is some expectation of reasonable believability.
In this novel, I struggled with Monk's story and how it finally circles back to Sigma Force. For me, Kowalski's comic relief distracts from moments when the stakes are quite serious. The characters and ambitions are very interesting, but the connecting of dots definitely reads as contrived to me.
I enjoyed escaping into The Last Oracle, but The Judas Strain fascinated me.(less)
I truly enjoyed Father Larry's conversational and powerful narrative. This is a clear call for Christian men to be strong in their faith, starting wit...moreI truly enjoyed Father Larry's conversational and powerful narrative. This is a clear call for Christian men to be strong in their faith, starting with family and permeating into all other areas of life. Father Larry defines manhood as being in love with God and truth, devoutly serving your wife, modeling morality for your kids, and being an ethical leader at work and in your community. He outlines and discusses these focal points: 1) focus on God, 2) live like a son of God, 3) repent, 4) embrace the Holy Spirit, 5) be strong, 6) be loving, 7) be wise, 8) live as a creation, 9) be holy, and 10) change the world. Of all the significant anecdotal advice, his case for giving every single day to God was most moving for me. Father Larry makes it clear that strong faith is a daily practice, not something only for Sundays or holidays. He also asks, if you would likely attend church for a million dollars, why wouldn't you attend church for eternal life? Father Larry definitely makes his readers think.
This is a very good book for men of faith to read and discuss. For a five-star rating, I would have liked more explanation on the focal points. In my view, Father Larry packs ten books into ten chapters. This is terrific for inspiration and overview-driven discussion, but I would have really enjoyed a more thorough read.
I think James Rollins is a fantastic entertainer of a novelist. This is the first of his that I have read. What appealed to me in the beginning was hi...moreI think James Rollins is a fantastic entertainer of a novelist. This is the first of his that I have read. What appealed to me in the beginning was his crafty use of sensory language. He really knows how to tell a story, sentence by sentence, with an efficient word economy. As an adventure story, "The Judas Strain" definitely offers high-octane prose filled with telling details regarding Marco Polo, the human anatomy, and terrorist/pirate/special agent warfare. If you can allow yourself to sit back and enjoy some of the cartoonish scenes that are impossible to see play out in reality, then this is a great read! I will go back to Rollins, and I may visit other SIGMA Force novels, notably "The Doomsday Key." As I tend to approach books with an interest in how authors may use the forum of fiction to deeply explore the human condition, I will save my five-star rating for such masterful work. But without any regrets, I recommend "The Judas Strain" to anyone interested in a very well written modern adventure.(less)
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