Gitanjali by Rabindranath Tagore
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Rabindranath Tagore, one of the greatest ever multifaceted poet, writer, artist and lyricist, from Bengal was honored with a Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913 for his profound book of Song Offerings called “Gitanjali”. He thus became the first ever non European to receive this highest award in Literature in the world.

As per my understanding of the book, this is one such book that should be read and at the same time heard over in song or hymn form. It is a collection of over one hundred hymns or poems that have been converted into songs in various forms. The songs/hymns are all written in praise of the Lord and mostly waiting for His arrival to take him away with him in peace. Most of the hymns are based on the loveliness of life and its beauty enhanced by the surrounding nature unveiled through the poet’s mind and heart. One can experience peace and eternal happiness while listening to these hymns. It is said that these hymns have been recourse to the Western world which was at civil strife and under deep threat of a War. Literature has been redefined in the Western world after this book has created tremors in world of English literature. Though the personification of the singer is a female (as per my understanding) in the book, I deeply appreciate the author’s ability to produce such a wonderful experience of peace and harmony in a troubled heart and mind.

Positives: One would be called a genius if he understands the gist of the entire collection of song offerings at one go. A repeated audience to this great collection would carry the soul to an eternal happiness and make him/her devoid of all materialistic pleasures and troubles irrespective of age and sex. I would recommend a copy of this song book or audio device at one’s ready disposal to read or hear whenever he or she is off mood. A must read by every Indian and every citizen of the world who is at strife with his internal and external troubles.

Negatives: Most of the song offerings appear to be inclined towards retirement of life and appear to those who have lost everything and just waiting for God’s arrival to take him/her away from this materialistic world.

My rating is 4.5 out of 5


View all my reviews

What is Coming? A Forecast of Things after the War by H.G. Wells
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

H G Wells, the prominent British writer of early 20th Century, turns out to become a prophet in this book, prophesying and forecasting the future of Great Britain and other countries that are just about to enter into the Second World War.
This book comes out just at the time when the Allied Forces of Great Britain, France, Italy, Russia and Japan were on the verge of getting at war against the so called cruel and power thirsty Germany. The author foresees a need for a common World Peace maintained by a Common State having a Common Peace agenda for all the countries of the world to avoid future wars. As per him there is a need for coming together of world super powers to form a supreme lawful organization that ensures world peace. The author strongly rebukes the blood thirstiness of Germany to attack and conquer its weak counterparts and at the same time praises their abilities to create a strong military, scientific, industrial and social solution for the world to learn. He very clearly elicits how the British at large and other countries at war have suffered and would suffer for decades even after the war, that would result in a major change in the thinking and living pattern of all classes of the society. Bankruptcy of people and nations at War, depreciation of currency, rise in prices, and destruction of valuable properties has been prophesied after the war ends. Emergence of socialism, huge changes in the industrial policies, political shift from feudal lords to the masses, empowerment and creation of modern woman, decrease in birth rate, emergence of collective power of middle class and strengthening of free Press in bringing about social changes were some of the great forecasts of the author. The author also forecasts a revolution in Germany against the tyrant Hohenzollern and dynastic systems and unfolding of a democratic republic after the War. Finally, he concludes that Nations going at war achieve nothing in the end but have to resort to reconciliation of their so-called supremacies that have been destroying the faith of their people on them and also humanity as a whole.

Positives: The reader gets to know the reasons and ills of Second World War. The woes of Allied Forces against Germany and the forecasted aftermaths of various changes that could take place in these countries and also on the countries dependant on them have been precisely jotted down. The author’s intelligence on the future scenario of Great Britain, America, Russia, France, Japan and other Third World countries after the war ends many years later, when this book was written is outstanding. If one observes, almost more than eighty percent of his forecast has turned out to be true.

Negatives: There is an influence of the British arrogance in the author’s work. His demeaning language about German internal affairs and life styles of other Third World countries like Africa, Middle East and India depicted his attitude with respect to how the British treated other people of the world before the Second World War. The failure of the author in recognizing the sovereignty of countries like India on the basis of its diverse culture and languages and his forecast that it can never become a super power has turned out to be false in today’s world. Many other forecasts like the exponential rise of America in the world economic and military strength over European union could not be assessed accurately, though some of his points are valid. His repeated criticism of German policies and kingdom could not clearly counter the argument as to why the British occupied many so-called ‘barbaric’ countries across the world. Why there were still holding on to many countries under their tyrannical rule and at the same time going at war and also simultaneously seeking peace with Germany that wanted some of the territories of Great Britain and its surrounding countries. The double standards of Great Britain have been clearly exposed here.

My rating is 4 out of 5


View all my reviews

Apology by Plato
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is Plato’s version of the defence of Socrates by himself in the court of law. The defence of Socrates is divided into three main parts.
1) The defence
2) Argument to mitigate the penalty imposed on him
3)Criticism or disapproval of death sentence.

Meletus and Anytus, the main accusers of Socrates on three points that 1) Socrates doesn’t believe in Gods followed by the kingdom but advises his followers to believe in the sons of those Gods 2) Socrates is an evil doer, who searches into things under the earth and above the Sun 3) Socrates amassed huge wealth while imparting knowledge to youth, thus corrupting them. Socrates was never interested in pleading innocence in the court of law as he considered death as an eternal sleep and that one is blessed with ‘death’ to get transformed into next birth. He cleverly argues all the accusations made on him through his excellent advocacy which in turn confirm his knowledge and grip over philosophy to the greatest heights of his time. The book brings out the mind of Socrates in his own words. The way he confronts Meletus and Anytus with intelligent questioning and self explanatory answers surprise the entire court hall, including the judges. The speech goes as an Apology and at the same time rebuke of the false accusations made on him. He prays to people of Athens to try and understand his philosophy in his own style of words which may appear harsh to audience who were not ready to listen to him.

Positives: Wisdom redefined. Socrates Philosophy though difficult to understand, is brought down to near simplification, thanks to Plato and his translations. The last days of Socrates, which pulled him to court of law are some of the best teachings of Socrates, remembered by the world, and proclaimed him to be the “Father of Philosophy”.

Negatives: The book will and shall remain as a wonder to many who refuse to accept Socrates philosophy as the seed of modern world philosophical heritage.

My rating is 4 out of 5


View all my reviews

The Moon Pool by A. Merritt
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Abraham Grace Merritt, a science fiction writer and also a journalist by profession from Philadelphia USA has gone to the depths of fantasizing a science fiction in this work of his.

An scientific adventure taken up by a family of young scientists at the mysterious islands of Papua, somewhere in the Pacific Ocean, results in the disappearance of the entire family into a abysss of a strange opening in one of islands. Later investigation and expedition carried out by Dr Goodwin with the help of a war pilot Larry O’Keefe and seaman Olaf Huldrickson to find the whereabouts of the missing family. The team enter the aperture in the island and realize that there is a whole world of strange living beings beneath the ocean, who adapted to the subterranean living centuries ago when a large piece of rock separated from the Earth and became the Moon, centuries ago. There they discover that these people down there are planning an attack on the Earth and its living things soon to re-claim their original land. The team somehow learn their tricks by mingling with them and foil their attempt to come back to the surface by destroying their wicked leader and priestess Yolara with the help of Lakla, a beautiful daughter of ancient Gods (The Silent One). The Silent Ones (God of the Good ones) ultimately destroy The Shining One (God of the Wicked) in a fierceful war between the two armies in the abyss, thus permanently closing the portal of the underground world and sealing the chances of their attack and destruction of the present world.

Positives: Existence of another world beneath the surface of the Earth and their plans to capture the land above them with their latest weapon system much advanced to those above is the best part of the story. The reader is taken through the heights of fantasy in this beautiful book. It is quite interesting to those who are interested in nuclear physics, atomic behaviour, space science etc wherein many scientific principles and processes have been cleverly explained by the author through a fantasy story. A book which generates further interest in knowing about secrets of the evolution of Earth and other space related bodies. The powerful influence of Moon and its rays over some phenomenon on Earth is well explained scientifically.

Negatives: A person who is a layman to science and its wonderful creations will find this book to be absolutely Greek and Latin. Too much description of the so-called beauty of the other world has slightly over burdened the story. More clarity on the Shining One and Silent One could have been emphasized.

My rating is 2.75 out of 5


View all my reviews

Emergency: Wife Lost and Found by Carol Marinelli
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The very beautiful author under the pen name of Tessa Bell was born in England but lives in Australia. She is primarily a reader cum writer of Romance with an inclination towards medical field.

This book published by Mills and Boon can be labeled as a soft and neat romance between an ex-husband (Dr James Morell) and ex wife (Dr Lorna Mc Clelland). Both of them get divorced over a trivial matter and fate unites them after ten long years through an accident. Long lost love blooms again when the couple realize that they love each other more than anyone else in this world and it took ten years to get this confirmed. The reason for which they got separated becomes the sole reason again to re-marry and live happily ever after.

Positives: A soft and clean story that carries away the reader smoothly until the last page. A mix of deep emotions of love that remain suppressed inside both of them and which slowly unfold over a short stay of Lorna with James in his house. The author clearly brings out the fact that first love is never lost and is the strongest bond which remains forever, if given a chance. The importance of having children for the bond of marriage to become even stronger is well elicited.

Negatives: The role of fate bringing the couple together after ten years of separation somehow appears to be out of present times. The physical weakness of Lorna seems to have weakened her high headedness over a period of time which also became the main reason for her to accept James again, who in turn is projected to be the gentleman and ‘not at fault’ guy during the separation. Why didn’t he try to explain things clearly to Lorna and avoid separation….whatever may be the circumstances?

My rating is 3.25 out of 5


View all my reviews