Rakhi Jayashankar's Blog, page 29

TATA VS MISTRY BY DEEPALI GUPTA- REVIEW

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For an average Indian, to see an Indian company being a global power is a moment of pride. Little do they think about the inside stories and how tough it is to run the firm and moreover the fact that it could run into losses. Deepai Gupta, through her book Tata VS Mistry.

This is the sensational story of the battle that engulfed one of Indias most beloved and philanthropic business houses with a cast of characters that spans the biggest names of corporate India.

The book opens an new window of information about the much talked about legal battle between the two sharks in Indian economy. Mistry, though comparatively unknown to the laymen, came into limelight with the controversy.  To write a book on this subject, the author must do extensive research, and thorough homework with an open and unbiased mind.

The unbiased approach of the author is the USP of the book. Not in a single instance does the author unduly supports any of the parties. Author has managed to have a testimony from both sides and analyse the situation. Author has portrayed each event like a fiction author puts forward a suspense thriller.

Sanskar meaning values and sanskriti meaning culture that had been created over 150-year history of the group.

The climax is obvious as those who have followed the altercations already know what happened but to include a subtle suspense there also shows the finesse of the author.

Democracy in Peril by Alan Friedman - Review

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America is always considered in third world countries as a country of the rich, flamboyant aristocrats who travel in expensive cars, wears branded dress and live in utmost luxury. It is nearly impossible to even imagine an America with poor residents. To know that there are people living below the poverty line would be a shock for many.

All through the election campaign of Donald Trump, he has been portrayed as a mismatch to the post and majority expected him to lose pathetically. But to the surprise and shock of the masses, he won hands down. Trump - the sexist, mysogynist and the racist. The man who proclaimed that he would build a wall to prevent the immigrants from coming to America, the one who believes in giving gun license to everyone, the man who was born with a silver spoon, who cannot understand the troubles of the working class, the man who turns a blind eye to the racial discrimination towards the African Americans. When he became the American president, everyone expected Anarchy and so did the author.

 Alen Friedman, who interviewed Trump during his campaign has strong negative views about the ruler, rightfully so. Author's assumption proved to be true in the coming months. The book is not a mere Anti-Trump book. It is also a pointer to an America we don't know. Author has systematically categorized each stumbling blocks of the country. With authentic historical backup, as well as witnesses author has illustrated the issues like mass murders using the gun especially those by racial fanatics, exorbitant medical expenses, and even the employment issues post machinisation.

He has laid bare the facts that no PR agencies could cover up. Trump's twitter show is mercilessly made threadbare. The bravado show by the author is commendable. This is not the first time the author is shown this level of courage and hence it is not a surprise. 

The most shocking revelation is how Trump has unethically revoked Obamacare and thus helped the pharmaceutical mafia and also how he favoured the gun mafia. He did these without an iota of ethics is to be viewed as a serious issues as it would not merely affect the Americans but also the people around the world.

In Trump’s America, democracy is under siege, institutions are threatened and demeaned every day by the White House and in tweets from a seemingly unhinged and unstable President of the United States. 

Author could have tried to make the book a little more unbiased as it would accentuate the credibility of the book. It's not that Trump hasn't done anything wrong. Out of the 99 wrong things, 1 right thing could be pointed out. Also the comparison with Narendra Modi could also have been avoided as Modi knew what he did but Trump is still clueless of what he has been doing.

United States is riven by anger and fear, while its President continues to be an impulsive and aggressive man

The style of narrative is the highlight of the book. It makes sure that the readers would be hooked to the book with more interest than any thriller books. 

Overall the book is a history lesson on the America that we never knew or were not allowed to know but this 

Spotlight- The Missing Fairy Princess by Walter SalvadorePareira

The Missing Fairy Princess by Walter Salvadore Pereira~ Book Tour~11th to 17th August
About the Book: “The Missing Fairy Princess” is the story of a 16-year-old fairy princess pitted against a powerful witch. The witch has stolen a potent new mantra developed by a colleague, ruthlessly snuffing out a brilliantly innovative mind.  She then hatches an elaborate plot to frame an adversary for her misdeed.  Her intention is to exact sweet revenge from her foe and at the same time, get away with the theft.  The victim, caught in her vicious web, is doomed to disgrace and a life sentence on a harsh penal colony. Meanwhile, the witch learns from her crystal ball, about an imminent threat from a fairy princess wearing a pink tiara.  To ward off that threat she kidnaps the fairy princess, wipes her memory clean and then turns her into a two-year-old girl.  
Unfortunately for the culprit, she has goofed up by kidnapping the wrong fairy princess, Merlyn, instead of Ashlyn, her twin.  The mistake turns out to be the undoing of the witch because Ashlyn proves to be her nemesis.  The brilliant fairy princess exposes the cobweb of misleading evidence fabricated by the witch, ultimately unmasking her.
If you love mystery, whodunit, with a dash of magical realism and sci-fi, this book is for you.
Book Links: Goodreads * Amazon India * Amazon USA


Hi, I am Walter Salvadore Pereira.

I read “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” by Harriet Beecher Stowe in early teens and discovered for the first time that the written words stirred up emotions within you as much as the actual events one witnessed occurring around.  That book was followed by “The Count of Monte Cristo” by Alexandre Dumas.  Those two books of entirely different genres had a profound impact on me and set on my journey as an avid book lover.  At the same time, they did ignite an urge within me to emulate their authors.  But then family responsibilities were thrust upon me and the author faded into the background.

More than six decades later, leading a quiet retired life, the passion for writing came to the fore.  My first attempt at writing was a historical fiction, inspired by the Indian classics Ramayan and Mahabharat.  It was an epic comprising of over 100,000 words.  During the writing process, I went through every conceivable phase the author undergoes; writer’s block, frustration, despair, uncertainty.  I even reached the stage where I thought about abandoning the project altogether.  But the thought of the slog over those countless hours wouldn’t let me accept defeat and I persisted through tenacity and sheer will power.  I read it over and over, and again; chopped out entire sections and re-wrote until the outcome was to my satisfaction.  It took me over six years to complete that book, titled “Bheem – The Saga of Madhavpur” and finally, it was published during February this year on KDP Select. 

In between, I published a fast-paced adventure sci-fi story titled “This Nightmare is for Real”. 

I had been toying with the idea of a fairy tale for the last few years on account of it being the favourite topic of my granddaughter during her younger days.  The result is the current book, “The Missing Fairy Princess”. 

I have made a foray in a totally different genre altogether for my next one – the cross-border terrorism faced by India – titled “The Carnivore has a Heart”.  It will be published through KDP Select within the next few days. 

About the Author: After spending over 25 years in the Middle East, the author, aged 75, now leads a retired life.  He lives with his wife and son in Thane, near Mumbai. He has been passionate about writing from his early days.  His first book was a fast-paced sci-fi novel titled “This Nightmare is for Real”, was self-published. That was followed by a historical fiction titled “Bheem – The Sage of Madhavpur”, again a self-publication.  A third book, a fairy tale titled “The Missing Fairy Princess” which was published on Kindle Select during the first week of June 2019, while a fourth on the oft-discussed topic of cross-border terrorism titled “The Carnivore has a Heart” is slated for publication shortly thereafter again on Kindle Select.
Contact the Author: Facebook * Twitter * Website



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Alumni of the year by Tomson Robert

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Kerala has been hit with the worst floods last year and being a Malayali, reading a book gave a feeling of dejavu and moreover , the fact that I'm reading to amidst the floods seems ironic. 

Travel on a life-changing journey with Dave-from Dubai, to Goa, to Kochi-as he goes for the School Reunion function. 

The book is not primarily about floods. The story is about David aka Dave, an aspiring Senior Manager in a corporate firm. A workaholic, who forgets about his family when it comes to work. Dave, with his wife Ann and daughter Alex, sets out to Goa and Kochi, for his vacation. Meanwhile, the demands of his boss is keeping him on his toes, which inturn hinders his quality time with his family. In the meantime author shifts the readers to Dave's past- his school and college days. Dave is going to his school Alumni which is being conducted in Kochi and there he is participating in Alumni of the Year competition, amidst the torrential rains.

See how he confronts his past, his ambitions, his fears, and discovers about what truly matters in life.

The book as a whole has a lot of possibilities. Dave's past has a lot of possibilities to hold the romance lovers as well as YA lovers. Dave's present has a lot of possibilities for a contemporary fiction wherein the lives of the present generations are depicted. Dave's experience in the alumni especially the floods call for a nail biting thriller. Author has managed to incite the intrigue of the readers.

Dave cherishes the memories of his school days.

Nonetheless the possibilities are not tapped to the fullest. Several instances and characters in the book are not given enough space to develop. Nonetheless the book is a decent read over a cup of coffee.

Cover reveal- Daastan-e-Dastarkhān by Chef Vikas Khanna

Daastan-e-Dastarkhān: Stories and Recipes from Muslim KitchensSadaf HussainWith a Foreword by Chef Vikas Khanna  KEY POINTS
• Explores 30 dishes from Muslim kitchens from across India through a young chef’s discovery of new techniques of cooking traditional dishes and lesser-known recipes.• Focusing equally on vegetarian and non-vegetarian fare, this book brings recipes like murg musallam, ghoshta taar korma, amrood aur seb ki kadhi, mirchi ka salan, ruvangan tchaaman and Bhopali mutton rezala into the spotlight.• Adapted for today’s kitchens, the recipes for these traditionally slow-cooked dishes are presented in an easy-to-follow form.• The author was one of the top contenders of Masterchef India Season 5, and is a consultant chef with various restaurants and cafes in Delhi, including Café Lota and The Buffeteria in New Delhi.• The author runs the popular food blog ‘Food and Streets’ which has over 25,000 followers.  ABOUT THE BOOK
‘I am always transported to the golden years when our humble dastarkhān brought us all together...’ A delectable treasure trove of stories and recipes, Daastan-e-Dastarkhān unravels the history and traditional cooking techniques of 30 intimate dishes from the culinary history of Muslim communities across India. In this evocative journal, MasterChef India contestant and consultant chef Sadaf Hussain invites you to gorge on Bihari kebabs during Eid, discover the influences of the spice trade in vegetarian dishes from coastal Mappila cuisine and learn about a lost recipe born out of competitions between chefs during the Nizami era. With easy-to-follow recipes adapted for today’s kitchens, this book encourages you to recreate mouth-watering delicacies and weaves the story of a community that is as varied as the food they create.  ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sadaf Hussain was one of the top contenders of MasterChef India Season 5 in 2016 and is a consultant chef in Delhi. An avid storyteller, he is passionate about exploring the background and origins of the dishes he encounters. Sadaf is a TEDx speaker, hosts food shows on YouTube and runs the popular food website www.foodandstreets.com.

Release Blitz- Premanent Record by Edward Snowden

EDWARD SNOWDEN 
The man who risked everything to expose the
US government's system of mass surveillance

PERMANENT RECORD

9781529035667 | Rs 699 | Macmillan  TPB

 

The man who risked everything to expose the US government's system of mass surveillance, reveals for the first time the story of his life, including how he helped to build that system and what motivated him to try to bring it down.

In 2013, Edward Snowden shocked the world when he broke with the American intelligence establishment and revealed that the United States government was secretly pursuing the means to collect every single phone call, text message, and email. Six years later, he reveals for the very first time how he helped to build this system and why he was moved to expose it. 

Written with wit, grace, passion, and an unflinching candor, this is a crucial memoir of our digital age and destined to be a classic.

Becoming Babywise by Gary EZZO and Robert Buckman

Taking care of babies is like a complicated computer program. The solution for the same problem in different children could be different. Baby wise is a one stop solution to the parenting problem. The book comes in two parts. The first part is  giving your infant the gift of nighttime sleep. This primarily targets the parents of new born babies.

Discover the positive prescription for curing sleepless nights and fussy babies.

It covers all the major topics that concern the new born babies and their parents. With several sample schedules, authors make sure that the parents are left with all feasible solutions. Being a mother of three I was always approached by new mothers for each and every doubts. Now I could suggest this book to mom-educate them.

First patterns established need to be right patterns and Babywise II will show you the way.

Some of the instructions given are not possible to apply in the Indian standard of living but we never know, with time, our lives may change. Even after having three babies I had no idea about the sign languages. I could apply this with my older kids as well and hence helped me. 
The second book has the healthy baby growth charts that help us monitor the growth pattern of our baby. A special mention is needed for the fact the book has a word to the husband. This book is basically an extension of the first book. It covers the topics that were omited by the first book and hence it is primarily about new borns. It would not be an ideal book for kids above 6 months in my personal opinion, though it claims to be one for five months old to one year old. It indeed has topics for the older ones but those appeared to me as vague. The second books seems a little rushed and hence could have been worked on a bit more.

Narasimha by Kevin Missal- Review

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We have all grown up hearing the stories of Bhakt Prahlada and Narasimha. To retell the whole tale in another context doesn't come across as a good idea but Kevin Missal portrayed his literary finesse by not just retelling the tale but doing it authentically.

Welcome to the reimagining of the fourth Avatar of Lord Vishnu by bestselling author Kevin Missal.

Word by word, scene by scene the book oozes out excellence of the author. Author has created a whole new premise with the glimpses of the original simultaneously.

The characters are crafted as if laying stones for a house foundation. Each bricks of their idiosyncrasies are carefully juxtaposed and bound with a strong plot.

We all make choices that define us

While reading mythological fiction, readers tend to skip a few pages as they are privy of the basic plot but here author has created a new dimension in fact multi dimensions to the plot that the readers would be forced to gulp it word by word.
Once the secrets of the Vishnusena and Andhaka are revealed, the pace of the plot decelerates. Further the plotline goes as expected and hence compromises the suspense and hence the thrill.

CLICK HERE TO BUY THE BOOKWe have all grown up hearing th...

CLICK HERE TO BUY THE BOOK
We have all grown up hearing the stories of Bhakt Prahlada and Narasimha. To retell the whole tale in another context doesn't come across as a good idea but Kevin Missal portrayed his literary finesse by not just retelling the tale but doing it authentically.

Welcome to the reimagining of the fourth Avatar of Lord Vishnu by bestselling author Kevin Missal.

Word by word, scene by scene the book oozes out excellence of the author. Author has created a whole new premise with the glimpses of the original simultaneously. 
The characters are crafted as if laying stones for a house foundation. Each bricks of their idiosyncrasies are carefully juxtaposed and bound with a strong plot.

We all make choices that define us

While reading mythological fiction, readers tend to skip a few pages as they are privy of the basic plot but here author has created a new dimension in fact multi dimensions to the plot that the readers would be forced to gulp it word by word.
Once the secrets of the Vishnusena and Andhaka are revealed, the pace of the plot decelerates. Further the plotline goes as expected and hence compromises the suspense and hence the thrill.

150 Brilliant Ideas to keep Young Minds Fit and Fine by Neeraa Maini Srivastav

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Handling teenagers is a tedious as well as exhausting task. We will never get reprieve of their problems, tensions and tantrums. We have numerous books around that deal with these issues in detail but mostly we won't be much interested in reading them in detail.

A companion of sorts, the book aims at delivering well-being to the troubled young souls.

Here in 150 Brilliant Ideas, author has given a concise account of what could be done and how could the teenager issues could be handled.

Sun safety need not condemn you to life indoors.

The book is categorized into three sections. Mind your body, Mind and Spirit. Each has a couple of pointers that we could keep in mind and follow. The approach is commendable as it forces the non readers to connect with the book. The language is simple and easy to follow. Target audience could be anyone who reads as they could be applied to not only parents and teenagers but also for any human being looking for a holistic development.

The presentation is the highlight. The pointers make it easy to read through the book and makes the comprehension better. We won't be able to apply everything in life overnight. Hence this approach enables the readers to re-read the book and slowly imbibe the ideas.

I love and accept myself with all talents and weaknesses, unconditionally.

But if you are looking for a wholesome book with everything in detail, this is not the right book for you. The three section itslef have the potential to be developed into three different books.