Category: Books

A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies…..!

DawnLeave a comment

It’s been a long time when time when I was looking for a book by Manto – Saadat Hasan Manto. I had read about him through my browses on poets from Pakistan and his name used to pop-up here and there and when I read about him and his nature of calling a spade a spade, my curiosity grew.

Whenever as a family we go into book store (which these days are diminishing due to all these online shopping), I look for books by Manto or for Manto and no luck! It was last year when we went to India for a family wedding and happen to go around in Bangalore where we were actually looking to hangout at the old Bangalore side which I love it even today as it reminds me of the days when I went to Bangalore in 90s and it makes you feel you’re back in those days where everything has its own pace and there is a peace. No one is racing, we went to Blue Frog and spent some good time eating food, drinks and music…it was heaven.

After that we wandered around and saw this book stall and we just got lost inside. My husband as he was collecting many books, I was looking for two books… one by Manto and the other by Nathuram Godse!
Luckily found both and I am glad that I was able to finish this book as I started reading Manto only after coming back to San Francisco. In between I saw the move on Manto as that got released as well in 2018. The movie I felt good as I had completed 80% of the book and hence the stories were reminding me of how it was written and how those were shown in the movie..!
Now comes to the actual book, yes as I was reading the book from the beginning each story gave me the insight about Manto and his keen observations to smallest things – it could be the wind but how the wind was blowing the curtain or the hair of the girl in what direction and how – thats how detail he is in his description which takes a reader to experience as if its happening to the reader!

“The face is the mirror of the mind, and eyes without speaking confess the secrets of the heart” 

I was very impressed with his writing style and as I was reaching each story made me think about Manto. How detail he is? How much he thinks of women and writes about them everywhere it was about Manto in my mind. His language and vocabulary, I was all high with Manto until I started feeling every story is about prostitutes. He used to write for movies but still his story is all about them and how rich people enjoy and what not. At one point to be frank I felt Manto has nothing else to write about other than women who are prostitutes.

“There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it” ~ Edith Wharton

But as you read next stories at the end, you realize whether its rich or poor people, women and her status in this society is what he is trying to show – a mirror!
This book actually not only made me curious through out but it also made me to think after I finished the book. I did think about those women from Manto’s stories and also those men and I wondered life at that time and I compared to today and I felt nothing has changed. May be the standard and living styles might have changed based on the generation but ultimately society looks at women as an object, nothing has changed even though time has!!!

I also realized one thing that a point where I felt angry with Manto that he is only writing about prostitutes is also a skill of Manto to bring that anger in me for the women’s sake and I give that credit to Manto. I wish there were more like Manto.

A good read and if you have ever lived near Bombay and Pune and have been close to Indian film industry then definitely it will touch your memories in a way to give that nostalgic kick to you.

I give 5/5 for this book and I want to read more of his books!

“…and it is also possible, that Saadat Hasan dies, but Manto remains alive.” ~ Saadat Hasan Manto

~ Dawn

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“People with no ambition never get out of the hole.”

DawnLeave a comment

Isn’t it says, change is good? Yes, it is and I am experiencing it too.
These days my commute to work is so less that I reach home in 20 minutes and first day I didn’t know what to do after coming home so early. Yes, it happens when you are used to be stuck in traffic for around 6 years.
This was a change for me and believe me the way I am managing my time is by cooking Maharashtrian food and if not then by reading. Because of my commute I hesitate to read anything because if I take a book to read it will never finish because the continuity is lost but now that’s not the case.

“Time is the school in which we learn, time is the fire in which we burn” ~ Delmore Schwartz

Recently, I have been reading a lot about women from history around the world and it’s a powerful one because it is inspiring. I always wondered in olden times there were more tough challenges for women and still some were tough cookies who did stand up for themselves and for others.

Winnie Madikizela-Mandela recently expired after illness and I read this in the news. I always felt she was a strong woman and did lot more than what Nelson Mandela did moreover I have heard many adored her and still many abhorred her and hence this curiosity to know what is unknown made me to dig internet and read about her. A life is that book which gives a story about her personal and public life. How she survived her husband’s imprisonment, harassment from the police and the apartheid government, betrayal from friends, solitary confinement and so much more. I strongly feel she was a strong selfless woman who was defiant, charismatic and enigmatic woman and she never got the recognition that she should have got. In this even I feel Nelson Mandela side-tracked her which I find it more painful because while he was in jail Winnie Madikizela kept the struggle flame alight which was not easy for a woman specially with two small kids.
I feel after a certain point even men become selfish when it comes to name and fame and being competitive with their own family member is something I felt hurt for Winnie.

“I am the product of the masses of my country and the product of my enemy” ~ Winnie Madikizela Mandela

As I was in these thoughts, I did read about Nelson Mandela as well because he was married three times and each wife says about him is that he was no saint! That also tells a lot about him as a person and I don’t think I have much admiration for him. I have more respect and admiration for Barack Obama instead.

But guess what, today is Maria Felix’s death anniversary, another strong woman from history and a much powerful one too. I think women should learn from Maria Felix’s life. She loved herself and lived life and that is her message for other women around the world.

“I have got just one message for the women of my country and of the world: I wish they loved themselves like I loved myself” ~ Maria Felix 

A very brilliant, sober, proud, beautiful and talented woman – an actress and a singer that was Maria Felix. If you get to read about her please do so, I had to get things translated in English as there’s tons of material on her in Spanish even poetries have been written on her that’s how beautiful she was. Her talent and beauty were never as outstanding as her strength, poise and approach to life. I think that’s what caught me and got me interested in reading about her. Internet is good source to get more information on her life, poetry and films which got thankfully translated in English.

She became a Mexican film icon throughout the ’50s and won three Ariel Best Actress Awards during her career.

I also saw her video when she was around 80s of her age and all I was thinking about her as a young woman – courageous! Few Mexicans have been outstanding and she definitely is one of them.

“I am a woman with a heart of a man” ~ Maria Felix

It feels great to read about strong women from history because it guides you and helps you to lead your way. I read some of her quotes and I really felt she is one of the stronger and rebellious one.
I loved reading her quotes and here I am sharing a couple…

“Diva is something invented, but I was not fabricated, life made me and made me very well.” ~ Maria Felix

“The best way to love someone is to accept them how they are, that is what I do with Antoine, it’s not easy, but to only love idiots is easy.” ~ Maria Felix 

“Since the beginning of time, men have taken the best part of the cake.” ~ Maria Felizx 

“Don’t give me advice, I can make my own mistakes” ~ Maria Felix

~ Dawn

"If The Phone Doesn’t Ring, It’s Me"

Dawn6 Comments

Have you read this book by Chetan Bhagat, ‘One night @ the call center’- As always the book is always interesting than movie, because the author is writing the story with all his controls and senses where as when it becomes a movie, there are minor things that is important from the book’s perspective than in movie and vice versa.
I will say, I liked the movie ‘Hello’ as one time watch and that’s it. There are some good actors who have shown their sincere work such as Sherman Joshi, Sarath Saxena, Gul Panag, Suresh Menon (a talent wasted) etc.

“What we become depends on what we read after all the professors have finished with us. The greatest university of all is the collection of books.” ~ Thomas Carlyle

Besides, that I didn’t like the point where they are trying to show that Americans are fools – now am not sure if people do call for things like washing there garments in the dish washer asking why I shouldn’t be able to do so?? Duh!! Can you imagine? Who will make such a call?

“Showing-off is the fool’s idea of glory” ~ Bruce Lee

Another instance where to save people from lay –offs these 6 characters in this movie, they ask for more call volume (in call center the more volume of calls comes in more agents you need to attend them as customer service is supposed to be ….excellent and waiting period should not be more than a minute). Having said that, the callers are alarmed by saying that there is a virus attack on America and they should always call first them and only then use there appliances.
What rubbish? The moment this statement came out in the movie, I lost interest as this is not some kids’ movie…where you are trying to fool someone and trying to be smart!

First of all you cannot make such a wrong statement and fool the whole Americans and secondly, by saying so you are spreading terrorism! And I am totally against such chaos that they were trying to create mere to get those loads of call volumes in the call center and keep the jobs safe.

“Today the ringing of the telephone takes precedence over everything. It reaches a point of terrorism, particularly at dinnertime.”

I have worked in a Call Center in Canada and been in the Electronic Banking industry for long and I will say, people do have issues personal or career –wise but I don’t think anyone would react as it shows in this movie.

Atul Agnihotri, who made this movie, has added few celebrities and one can see that is to just hype the market value of this nothing else.

A movie, which is good for watching once but it upsets one’s mood too at the end.

“The spirit of democracy cannot be established in the midst of terrorism, whether governmental or popular.” ~ Mohandas Gandhi

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“Books open your mind, broaden your mind, and strengthen you as nothing else can”

Dawn4 Comments

I was tagged by Jyotsana and I liked it because its about books 🙂
Getting an opportunity to read a book is really I feel a blessing as its very busy schedule these days where I am not able to specifically dedicate any time for books but passion for reading always finds it – isn’t it?

The name of the book is “The Worldly Philosophers” by Robert L. Heilbroner.

On page 123 the 6th line onwards is as:

“But no one would shirk work, for each would do what he best liked. Thus the problem of dirty work was solved by asking who liked to do dirty work. The children, of course. So there would be Little Hordes who would go off gaily to the slaughterhouses or to mend the roads and have the time of their lives. And for the minority of children who shrank from dirty work, there would be Little Bands who would tend the flowers and correct their parents’ bad pronunciation.”

Okay friends so the tag is about the book that you might be reading – go to the page 123 and skip the first five lines and please quote on your post from the 6th line onwards.

“Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint.” ~ Mark Twain

I felt this tag is good in a way where after reading few lines it might generate the curiosity in reader’s mind and probably they will grab that book to read …;)
Nice way to make one read isn’t it?

Friends who are reading books can join this tag…;)

Enjoy the weekend friends

“We shouldn’t teach great books; we should teach a love of reading.” ~ B.F. Skinner

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“A book has but one vioce, but it does not instruct everyone alike.”

Dawn17 Comments

How to pass time? There are so many good things to do in life… isn’t it? Look at the pot in which last summer I bought a plant which had a yellow flower with two little buds and later by winter I see they are not only dead but the pot was all dried up and even the sand was dried as if nothing to offer to give a life to the plant. These flowers with the vase was a gift from my friend 😀

“Gardening is the art that uses flowers and plants as paint, and the soil and sky as canvas” ~ Elizabeth Murray

And guess what, this morning when I see the pot which was empty all these days has few green leaves :D…past couple of weeks rains have given this life…I loved the life growing in my arms as the days pass it gives new innovative ways to smile!!

“How beautiful is youth! how bright it gleams with its illusions, aspirations, dreams! Book of Beginnings, Story without End, Each maid a heroine, and each man a friend!” ~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Well, besides cherishing bringing the new life into this world, I had the opportunity to watch Blood Diamond and let me tell you I sincerely feel that Leo should have got the Oscar…as his work is indeed marvelous in this!!! Besides the actor, the movie is well taken and I will say if you have not seen then please do so!!! Africa is beautiful 😀

“The role of the artist I now understood as that of revealing through the world-surfaces the implicit forms of the soul, and the great agent to assist the artist was the myth.” ~ Joseph Campbell

And guess what, last time I had added a post about Paulo Cohelo’s “The Zahir” which one of my fan friend suggested to read and since then I was trying to find but was unable to get one!

“I want to give the audience a hint of a scene. No more than that. Give them too much and they won’t contribute anything themselves. Give them just a suggestion and you get them working with you. That’s what gives the theater meaning: when it becomes a social act.” ~ Orson Welles

However, I got this book as a birthday gift 😉 and was only able to finish reading it now! My friend had told me to read this as he finds the story is that of a similar girl like me …. lol 😀

It’s a good book which speaks about life and our expectations and the illusions that usually we humans go through.

“You cannot open a book without learning something.” ~ Confucius

On to another book “The Nudist On The Late Shift” by PO Bronson; courtesy my friend Bombayite 😉 Thanks Sethu mone!!!

This quote is dedicated to all my three friends above I mentioned 😉 and to the ones whom I have found here 😀

“To have a good friend is one of the highest delights in life; to be a good friend is one of the noblest and most difficult undertakings.”

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