Rakhi Jayashankar's Blog, page 17

LO-FI + MASHUPS

Book Spotlight
BOOK NAME: LO-FI MASHUPS
AUTHOR: AMIT
Amazon Link
Book Description
This book is a collection of exquisite poems, monologues, playlists and pictures.

This book discuss about many social issues, interpersonal challenges and other daily struggles of our lives.

Books for women are rarely written with the combination of new age and traditional style of poetry books in English, but this poetry ebook acts like a book of life in poem books genre for women empowerment as well.


This is also an excellent gift as book for girls to develop their interest in art and literature, also as a book for teenagers to develop interest in poetry from school days.

About the author



Amit Satistarted his writing journey about 20 years ago, however the first book took almost the same time to publish. He has keen interest in writing political satire, inspirational thoughts and much more on social media. He also has a keen interest in photography, cooking, theater and watching movies.About Author- Amit Sati started his writing journey about 20 years ago, however the first book took almost the same time to publish. He has keen interest in writing political satire, inspirational thoughts and much more on social media. He also has a keen interest in photography, cooking, theater and watching movies.

Yummy Life On Plate By Samata Dey

Cooking is a passion. If you have it in you, you will go in search of new recipes no matter what. If you are someone who is craving for new recipes to try, then we have the right recommendation for you.
Yummy Life on Plate

I have immense respect for @indiacafe24 for the efforts taken to showcase talent. First, it was a lockdown kaleidoscope. Now this latest book of hers'YUMMY LIFE ON PLATE'
The book is a collection of recipes by professional and amateur cooks. over India.
The highlight of the book is that the recipes are all unique and innovative. This book is in my saved folder so that I can refer time and again for different recipes.
The finesse of editing is the highlight. It is not just a collection of recipes. They are put together with utmost professionalism. Kudos to the editing team.

Yesterday's Ghost by Nikhil Pradhan - Book Review

Thrillers by Indian authors have a preset formula of a male protagonist leading the plot, a female protagonist who is like a decorative heroine in commercial Bollywood movies, an unwanted love track followed by an action-packed climax. Yesterday's ghost by Nikhil Pradhan breaks the stereotype with the uniqueness of the plot and unprecedented style of narration. 


Yesterday's Ghost by Nikhil Pradhan - Book Review
A team of spies named The Black Team set out to Sri Lanka for a secret operation against the LTTE. Little did they know that they would have to return home without a teammate. Upon return, they are disbursed irreversibly. No one got in touch with others for decades since the fateful day. But a letter at their doorsteps brings out a can of worms that would eventually stink in their lives. They set out to eliminate the threat despite having no clue about who it is. 
Kidnapper's Interview:
The plot takes off with an interview with the officers in the team. The interviewer is ironically their kidnapper. A team of spies being interviewed by their kidnapper is perhaps the most unique plotline in Indian literature. The craft of the interview is the highlight of the book. The seamless dialogue delivery without melodrama and switch between that interview and past is depicted with artistic finesse.
Fast-moving plot:The plot is action-packed without any literal actions. The scenario when the ex-officers are voluntarily presented before the kidnapper is established with utmost conviction. Special mention to the depiction of subtle demeanors and idiosyncrasies of the officers. The secrets unraveling one after the other incite the intrigue of the readers.The hype created the first half and the early second half of the book is lost in the climax. The climax drops the graph of the book as it seemed as if the author was searching in the dark.

Nothing To Lose By Manbeena Sandhu - Review Of The Authobiography of

Ma Anand Sheela and Bhagawan Rajneesh have been the newsmakers in the 90s. She is the key person associated with Osho. Had the media jugglery been as ubiquitous as now, they would have made it to every talk shows and interview. The life of the powerful Guru and his disciple has been a mystery till  Ma Anand's story has found its way to the public. Nothing to lose by Manbeena Sandhu is a consummated account of Ma Anand Sheela from the time she met her Bhagawan.

Nothing to lose by Manbeena Sandhu - An Analysis

Sheela, as a little girl was mesmerized by Bhagwan Rajneesh. Her adoration towards him is unfathomable. She is unable to say what it is that she feels for him. While she knitted her dreams of submitting her life to the service of her Bhagwan, she is uprooted from India and replanted to another universe - The United States. 

The United States is somewhere she couldn't belong to but got accustomed to. It is there that she met the love of her life, Marc. Life continued giving her lemons, this time as a life-threatening disease for Marc. But fate bent before her unrelenting love for Marc that his fatal disease failed to consume him. He recovered and lived for many years to come. 

Know more about the Outset review programWhen Bhagwan became family:

Further Ma Anand took him to India and introduced him to Bhagwan Rajneesh. Marc becomes his dedicated disciple too and the couple becomes active promoters of their Bhagwan. Nonetheless, they learn that all is not hunky-dory as they expected. The Bhagwan is not what they see on the periphery. So, what went wrong? Read the book to know more.

The author is brave in bringing up reality and exposing it with brutal honesty. Her connection with Ma Anand has been evident throughout the book. The narration of the book takes it two notches higher with the detailed life of Ma Anand on the platter for the readers.

At some point, the book sounded sycophantic. The author could have delved deeper into the darker shades of Sheela as a human being. This could have made the book tad more genuine.

But who is the woman beyond the persona of the commune leader? What is Sheela like behind the sensational 'tough titties' avatar?

Non-fiction that is more thrilling than fiction:The book keeps the reader hooked to it. A life that has more shades than any movie character would grab the readers, more so when it is about a controversial personality. This book is for every book lover. A no-holds-barred account of Ma Anand Sheela's controversial life.
 

Backstreet Boy by Dr. Kisholoy Roy - Book Review

MS Dhoni is an emotion for Indians. After Sachin, if someone had an influence nearer to what he left behind, it is Dhoni. Backstreet boy by Dr. Kisholoy Roy is a collection of essays on M.S Dhoni.

Dhoni is called Brand Dhoni. The best term to address the legend.

The author has done extensive research on Dhoni's life and has given a consummated account of the articles on Dhoni's life in chronological order. The author's effort in finding the right article for the event at a particular stage of Dhoni's life is commendable.

The author calls him brand Dhoni. If we think about it, there is no better way to explain the life of the legend. The chapters are short and hence readers could finish them easier.

The author's knowledge about the technicalities of the game is evident in the book.

If you are a cricket lover, who loves Dhoni, this is one book you should never miss. It has everything about Dhoni in one place.

Cupid Covid by Devinder Dhingra - Book Review

 COVID times came to our lives like an unexpected storm. It upturned everyone's lives. Eight months down the line, when a book with Cupid COVID as the title comes out, the intrigue of the book lover is piqued. Will the book be having a scary scenario? Will COVID be the matchmaker? How is it possible?

Cupid Covid by Devendra Dhingra has succeeded in inciting the anxiety of the readers with the title alone. Mohit is admitted to a hospital as he is under quarantine. He is suspected to have COVID and hence waiting for the blood test results. In the hospital, he meets Neha and falls in love with her. Neha reminds him of his ex-girlfriends in school and college. To make the situation worse, he is married. A weird yet possible scenario in the current situation.

The unilinear main plot with exuberant subplots:The main plot is unilinear without any complicated scenarios. The plot repeatedly switches from the present to the past in the first half of the book. The author has managed to smoothen the transition without any bumps. The subplots are more entertaining and engaging than the mainplot itself. The characters in the past are given more space to develop. The fact that Mohit fell in love with Neha during the hospital days might come across as an over-the-top scenario. Nonethess, the author has managed to back it up with the fact that he got into an arranged marriage just about 3 months back. Well, justify is not the right word. Infidelity cannot be justified whatsoever.
The girls in Mohit's life:The character of Siddhima and Neha are underdeveloped. So are the girls in his past. They are introduced to the readers from Mohit's point of view. The mainplot is stuffed with no space to expand and hence the abrupt changes in Mohit's relationship status could not be established.
Further a tragedy and a cascade of events that follows changes the course of the plot. Author has succeeded to get the readers into the characters' head. Hence there readers would empathize with the girls and feel angry with the protagonist.
The COVID life in the plot:The author has deflty given the details of the several stages of COVID life in India. It is a commendable effort on the author's part.The plot has a lot of possibilities which cols have been exploited if the book was longer.
Overall the book is an engaging read with a protagnist that connects with the readers to a point where they would be angry with him.

Loss by Siddhath Dhanvant Shanghvi - Book Review

 

 Loss - The four-letter word with infinite definitions. The word is forever married to the pain - be it the loss in your business or the loss of a loved one. The word holds multidimensional meanings. Author Siddharth Dhanvant Shanghvi, through his memoir 'Loss,' brings out the depth of the pain one feels from a loved one's loss. In his life, it is three.

Loss - The better half of pain:

Siddharth encounters pain when his father is diagnosed with cancer. His family starts revolving around the ailing father, his idiosyncrasies, the predicament of going through chemotherapy, and pain - physical and emotional. It is a tough road to walk and the author has depicted it with intense emotions that the readers feel the raw pain that the author has encountered.

Loss of not one but three loved ones:

The irony in the author's life is that his father falls ill first but he loses his mother unexpectedly. The author has poured out his heart through the words. The pain is real. The sublime narration makes the reader forget the world around them and indulge in the book unconditionally.

To enliven his father, he brings a dog.  A cute little being. But death is looming around the author's house to take his loved ones away. One after the other, he loses his father, mother, and dog. How to deal with it? The book is equally a painful and inspiring reading experience.

Not easy to read through:If you are a person who reads books for sheer entertainment and the fun of reading, this would be a book should pass. I am in awe of the author's narration, the way he dealt with pain primarily because I love to read books that bring out crude emotions.

Young Mental Health by Meera Haran Alva and Amrita Tripathi - Book Review

Mental health awareness is still not exclusive as it ought to be. We talk about mental health and suicide prevention when a celebrity dies in mysterious circumstances. The social media would be flooded with hashtags nut once the interest dies down, awareness talks end.

 'Young Mental Health' is the second book in the Mindscape series by Amrita Tripathi and Meera Haran Alva. I started off with the second book first.

How do we talk about mental health? Are we having the sometimes-difficult conversations that we need to with our children? And why is all this more relevant than ever in India? Read young mental health to find out. 

Leave with Young Mental Health Awareness

The book is like a pandora's box. a cascade of interviews is more than enough for someone to read and know about how to take help and when. It talks about various aspects of the topic. Conditions like depression, anxiety, hyperactivity, etc are all used colloquially so much that the real issue is not addressed. The author has left no stone unturned to enlighten the readers about the need to take mental health issues seriously. The awareness should start with the difference between being sad and depressed, being naughty and hyperactive, and many more. The book also deals with eating disorders and body image disorders. 

Co-authored by Amrita Tripathi and Meera Haran Alva, and featuring a foreword and key interview with leading child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr. Amit Sen, the book relies on interviews, lived experience, and story-telling through Comics to share a unique insight into what it means to be an adolescent or young adult in India today, the kinds of pressure and stressors they face and how to start approaching some serious – even life-saving – conversations.

The novel attempt by the authors:

The initiative by the authors is commendable. The book can be an eye-opener and savior for scores of young kids and their parents. This must be read by everyone to know what is happening around them. You might be able to helo your kids, or kids of your relatives, or friends.

21 Fantastic Failures by Sonali Misra

We read several self-help books. Of late I have also reviewed many. Most of them tell us how to prepare for failure or how to not fail. But how to come back from failure is seldom dealt with in such books. 21 Fantastic Failures deals with this topic.

How can failure be fantastic?

We all know this story of Amitabh Bachchan. His rise to fame, famous movies, ABC corporation, its failure and again coming back to glory. Not all stories are known by everyone. For some, the success stories are known but failures are not known to the laymen as the success was humungous to remember failures. One such personality mentioned in the book is Oprah Winfrey. Most of us know about her show and its success but not everyone knows that she had a scary childhood, when she was molested several times by different people and landed in great trouble which, is impossible for a teenager to come out of. But with sheer hard work and determination, she attained the feat. Steve Jobs is one another personality in the books, whose story of failure is unknown to the public.

Failures from every sector:

The author has taken care to select the personalities from different sectors and nationalities. She has given a brief biography of the personalities to the point where they reach the crossroads. This makes the book interesting as the readers would be intrigued to read what the crossroad was and how it was overcome. The book is brimful of exciting real incidents. The research and related efforts taken by the author is palpable in the book.

The personality that didn't fit in:

There were a lot of personalities whom we know and would love to read about, The failure and the further success of Nelson Mandela, Colonel Sanders, Richard Branson tells the tale of perseverance. It tells the reader how to not lose faith in themselves and try again and again. Nonetheless, one personality in the book did not fit into this. Though his talent and creations are incomparable, his story nowhere tells a fantastic failure. It tells all about his mental disease and how he succumbed to it. It is none other than Vincent Van Gogh. There is no doubt that he is immensely talented but somehow doesn't fit into the idea of fantastic failure.

Overall the book is a must-read for everyone from all walks of life. It is inspirational at different levels as it tells the story of real failures and further successes.

The Science Of Mind Management By Swami Mukundananda

A self-help book by a Hindu saint. The first thought that comes to the mind of the readers would be that of a book that is all about religious scriptures and teachings. The Science of Mind Management is not in that category. So, Which category does the book belong to?

The religious Science of Mind Management:

Citing the placebo effect and remembered wellness, the author has put forth his ideology with conviction. The author has also given examples of Hellen Keller, Buddha, Dr. Wolf, Mahatma Gandhi, and many such personalities that are from different religious beliefs. The author indeed quotes the scriptures from Mahabharata, Upanishads, and several other religious scriptures but he substantiates them with practical examples. For Instance,

'uddhared atmanatmanam natmanam avasadayet

atmaiva hyatmano bandhur atmaiva ripur atmanah

'Elevate yourself through the power of your mind, and not degrade yourself, for the mind can be the greatest assistant of the self, and also its vilest enemy'

This verse from Bhagavat Gita is the crux of every self-help book ever. The author has not used any religious overture to substantiate this. The author has explained everything with an example that the masses in the materialistic world can relate to. He says that "thoughts are subtle bundles of energy created in the factory of mind"

God, Spirituality, and Philosophy in our daily lives:

It's not that there is no mention of God. The author states that Vedas are infallible and trustworthy sources of knowledge and they refer to eternal knowledge of God. The author tells us how our mind, intellect, subconscious mind, and ego become the four key levels of functioning of the mind. The logic behind the idol worship is clearly illustrated by Swami in an undeniable style. 

In short, the book is a different approach to religious scriptures but bringing forth the spiritual and philosophical aspects. The author's knowledge about the materialistic world is commendable. It is a book by a Swami, who states the verses from Bhagawat Gita, Upanishads, Ramayan, etc, and talks about God but still comes out as a secular piece of literature.

Special mention to the quirky anecdotes by the author, which would leave us thinking, "Oh! No, this is me." 

The bottom line is that I love this book. I want to read it once more. But you might not love it if you approach it with prejudice. It is not a simple read. You need to have a real interest in this topic.