Tag: Books

Anniversaries (as of 2019)

150th birth anniversary

•Mahatma Gandhi, the father of our nation is an inspiring person, who shaped world history. Gandhiji stands out among the great men of the world as a symbol of non violent resistance to political and social repression. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on October 2nd, 1869 in Gujarat. He became the leader of a movement that attracted millions in the struggle for freedom. He was strong advocate of non-violence. India got freedom on August 15th, 1947. Gandhiji was assassinated on January 30th, 1948.

100th birth anniversary

• The year 2019 marks the 100th birth anniversary of Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, the father of the Indian space programme. He was born on 12th August, 1919. Dr. Sarabhai has put India on the international map in the field of space research. In 1962, he became chairman of the Indian National committee for space research. The establishment of the Indian space research organisation, also known as ISRO, was one of his greatest achievements. Dr. Sarabhai died on 30th December 1971.

500th death anniversary

• Leonardo da Vinci was perhaps the most widely talented person ever to have lived. He was a consummate painter and sculptor, a great inventor, military engineer, scientist, botanist and mathematician! He lived during the Renaissance in Italy and while working in Milan as an artist, he began writing texts for his students and apprentices. His notebooks covered more than 1000 pages of observations and illustrations. They remained unpublished for more than a century and were printed only after his death. He was born on April 15th 1452 and died on May 2nd 1519.

150th anniversary

• The period table gives us information about element symbols and atomic weights. It brings order to information about the chemical elements and helps chemists to understand why elements react as they do. The milestone in the development of the periodic table was set by the Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev in 1869, who is acknowledged as the ‘father’ of periodic table though the title is also claimed by the German scientist Lothar Meyer. Today, the periodic table organizes the elements by order of increasing atomic number.

150th year of publication

• 2019 marks the 150th year of one of the greatest novels ever written – Leo Tolstoy’s ‘War and Peace’. This classic work from Russia was first published in the book form in 1869. Tolstoy took almost 7 years to finish this epic work and a Russian magazine named ‘Messenger’ serialised some portions of it during 1865-67. But the full novel came out as a book only in 1869. The story woven around Napoleon’s invasion of Russia covers a period of over 15 years. The unique literary style and the historical context make ‘War and Peace’ a monumental work.

125th year of publication

• Is there anyone who isn’t familiar with the famous character ‘Mowgli’? Hopefully none. The main character of the evergreen ‘Jungle Book’, a collection of stories written by Rudyard Kipling is a huge part of our childhood. ‘The Jungle Book’ was first published in 1894.

100th anniversary

• The Jallianwala Bagh massacre was a turning point in our freedom movement. The British troops under the command of Colonel Reginald Dyer, opened fire on unarmed Indians on 13th April 1919. This event took place in the heart of Amritsar. Hundreds were killed and thousands injured. This was followed by widespread protests across a grieving country. Many Indians became convienced that the British had to be paid back in their own coin that violence has to be met with violence. The 100th anniversary of that cruel incident fell last year.

300th year of publication

• Daniel Defoe’s ‘Robinson Crusoe’ has fascinated readers around the world for the last 300 years. Daniel Defoe was an English writer, famous for his novel Robinson Crusoe that was published in 1791. One reason for it’s popularity is that it us packed with excitement and adventure, with sailing ships, stormy seas and guns. Without doubt, Defoe’s ‘Robinson Crusoe’ established a realistic style of fiction and set the tone for modern novels.

Thank you for reading. Have a nice day!🌼

E-Books:Why Is It A Thing Of Near Future

It has been emphasized time and again how reading books, fictional or factual is a rewarding hobby. With a diverse development of the personality, it also lets an individual explore physical and mental spaces that one might not be able to access in normal life. Let’s not even start with the ‘vocabulary development’ incentive. All and all, reading books are important. Agreed.

Also, it is not wrong to say that we are living through a technological revolution period. One of the most life changing products of this revolution is … take a guess? Of course, it’s the Internet. New job opportunities are created due to the presence of it. Food, fashion and fun is easier to conjure up than ever. And for the bibliophiles,  it is a blessing like no other! E-books are the new trend and rewarding one too…

Screen revolution

E-books are changing the reading scenes. And why not, for they have loads of pros in a multidimensional aspect. Some of the most obvious advantages are:

  • Easy to carry around: Tons and tons of books, sometimes a whole library, can be transported all around the globe in our personal devices. 
  • Accessible to a new extent: Different genres can be shuffled and checked out at a swipe. Also, not able to find a book in the stores? Shopping sites and the whole Internet will come to the rescue. Just one should know where to look for, simultaneously being safe. 
  • Saving the environment: The hardcover and paperback books, though have their own ‘feel’ and sentiments, are actually damaging the planet. And in more than one way. From cutting down virgin trees to chemical treatment done in complete production of the books, the damages done are far and many. That is totally avoided in the case of e-books
  • New innings for the new players: New author and worried where to try pitching your book? Then, e-book platforms are there to save the day. And the lucrative add-ons are a win-win. That includes more royalty, easy distribution, more varied audience to reach, lighting fast transportation and so on. 
  • Free stuff: Who doesn’t like that? Psst… It might not always be the best option, morally or legally though. But still, diving to the depths of the Internet might land anyone a copy of their must-read list at absolutely no cost! 
  • Cheaper than ever: Also, if the purchase is being made on any reading platform, there is a hundred and one percent chance that the book will be much cheaper than the hard bound copies. 
  • Nothing can stop you: Darkness doesn’t matter anymore. The screens have enough light to shine and lighten up the words on their own. 
  • No font is a small font: Do the words feel like ants and you have to read with scrunched eyebrows? That ain’t an issue with e-books, where zoom in and zoom out gives the optimum reading experience. 
  • Indestructible: Your favourite book will never be worn down, even if it is read a thousand times. And iterating it again, easy to transport with worrying about any worry of substantial damage. 

Too good to be?

All of this sounds so awesome, right? But every good thing comes at a price. So do e-books. 

  • Optic fatigue and chronic side effects: Prolonged exposure leads to screen light to the whole optic system getting tired. Also, long term exposure has other more severe effects, which is partially indicated by certain studies. 
  • Distribution in sleep cycle: Many people have their free time before going to bed. So, if reading books is their go to thing to do, then reading an e-book may not be the best thing they are doing before going to sleep. It is observed that screen light can tamper with one’s ability to fall asleep. Also, melatonin production might get affected due to this favourite pastime.
  • No sentimental attachment: Let’s be real with this. No e-book can imitate the feel of holding a brand new copy (a plus point if signed by the author) or can never compete with the smell of an old copy.

It is safe to say that the utility of e-books is up for debate for a long time to come. But whatever, as long as everyone gets to read, the world will be a happy space.

I’m thinking of ending things…

Author – Iain Reid

Page count – 224 (hardback) 130 (eBook)

Genre – Suspense, psychological thriller

The story is about a young woman and her boyfriend. A girl has no name (high five if you GoT (again) that reference). Jake is her boyfriend. We find them driving to his parents house in the country and then back home. Its just that. But you won’t believe how much happens in that time frame. The conversation between the couple makes you think. They have these deep talk about childhood and other stuff.

The name of the book is such because the girl keeps thinking of ending things with this boyfriend all this time and this is important.

Recently made into a Netflix movie this book is what I wish I had heard about earlier. I strongly recommend thriller novel fans to give it a read. Moreover it’s short. You could finish it within a day or two. Haven’t seen the movie yet but I will check it out after I finish writing this. I really want to see the difference between how I pictured it and how the movie is portrayed. I do that with every book based movie.

It’s been a while since a read a good book. This one kept me hooked. One of those un-put-downable. The suspense it creates. You know there’s something wrong about it but you cannot pin point what it is. There’s this one crazy page and the next page is normal but you turn to the next page and it’s crazier than the first. You’ll make yourself comfortable with the surrounding, the character and the scene changes out of the blue. The last few pages are so confusing makes you feel anxious unless you read it all.

It has a 3.5/5 rating on Goodreads. I would rate it 4/5.

P.s. Suggest me some good thriller novels please.

Thank you for reading. Have a nice day!

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind

What makes us brilliant? What makes us deadly? What makes us Sapiens? Yuval Noah Harari challenges everything we know about being human in the perfect read for these unprecedented times. Earth is 4.5 billion years old. In just a fraction of that time, one species among countless others has conquered it: us. In this bold and provocative book, Yuval Noah Harari explores who we are, how we got here and where we’re going. ‘I would recommend Sapiens to anyone who’s interested in the history and future of our species’ Bill Gates ‘Interesting and provocative… It gives you a sense of how briefly we’ve been on this Earth’ Barack Obama ONE OF THE GUARDIAN’S 100 BEST BOOKS OF THE 21st CENTURY

General Knowledge 2021

  1. General Knowledge 2021 is a compact version of all current events of the whole year. 2. Divided into 5 Key Sections; History, Geography, Indian Polity, Indian Economy, General Science and General Knowledge. 3. A separate section has been provided for Current Affairs 4. Provides accurate, perfect and complete coverage of facts. 5. It is useful for the preparation of SSC, Bank, Railway, Police, NDA/CDS and various other competitive exams.

General knowledge has become the essential part for human social life. Have little knowledge about most of the hot topics it not only makes aware of the world but also gives you the satisfaction of being socially accepted. The more you keep yourself aware & updated with happenings around you the better you perform, not just in the various exams but also at your work by making better decisions according to the recent tastes and preferences in the market. Get the compact version of all current events of the whole year with new edition of the ‘General Knowledge 2021’. This book has been prepared for the students who are going to appear for the various upcoming examinations. It covers the key subjects including History, Geography, Indian Polity, Indian Economy, General Science and General Knowledge with latest facts and updates supported by figures,graphics and tables. A separate section has been provided for Current Affairs right in the beginning of the book promoting actual knowledge from recent happening occurred at different areas. Providing accurate, perfect and complete coverage of facts, it is a complete general knowledge book, useful for the preparation of SSC, Bank, Railway, Police, NDA/CDS and various other competitive exams. TABLE OF CONTENT Current Affairs, History, Geography, Indian Polity, Indian Economy, General Science and General Knowledge.

The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari

A renowned inspirational fiction, The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari is a revealing story that offers the readers a simple yet profound way to live life. The plot of this story revolves around Julian Mantle, a lawyer who has made his fortune and name in the profession. A sudden heart-attack creates havoc in the successful lawyer’s life. Jolted by the sudden onset of the illness, his practice comes to a standstill. He ponders over material success being worth it all, renounces all of it and leaves for India.

A visit to India about a spiritual awakening that opens up new vistas and Julian begins to view life in a different perspective. He decides to live his life once again but in a way that is much more fulfilling and meaningful than before. In the book, the reader goes through a spiritual journey and into a very old culture that has gathered much wisdom over the millennia. The book advocates about how to live happily, think deep and rightly, value time and relationships, be more disciplined, follow the heart’s call and live every moment of the life. Written in simple words, the book has turned out to be a bestseller and is more than just an endearing story. Through storytelling, Robin Sharma showcases the miracles and wonders of living a fulfilling life. In the process, the book introduces readers to enlightening yet simple principles that vouch to make life better, happier and more meaningful. A bestselling novel, what readers all over the globe appreciate about this book is its deft amalgam of the philosophies from both western and eastern worlds. The book has been followed by important personalities around the world. About the Author Robin Sharma, the bestselling author of ‘The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari’, first published in 1999, is an International Leadership Professional Guru who is credited with having written 15 books on leadership. He has been guiding people to live a better life, by drawing inspiration from his own life experiences. The Leader Who Had No Title, The Leader Who Had No Title, The Greatness Guide and The Saint and The Saint are among his best books. He heads the Sharma Leadership International Inc, a firm that trains people in leadership. A former litigation lawyer, Robin holds a law degree from Dalhousie Law School, Canada. This book along with The Greatness Guide has been among the world’s bestsellers and has been translated in as many as 70 languages all over the world.

The India Way: Strategies for an Uncertain World

The decade from the 2008 global financial crisis to the 2020 coronavirus pandemic has seen a real transformation of the world order. The very nature of international relations and its rules are changing before our eyes. For India, this means optimal relationships with all the major powers to best advance its goals. It also requires a bolder and non-reciprocal approach to its neighbourhood. A global footprint is now in the making that leverages India’s greater capability and relevance, as well as its unique diaspora. This era of global upheaval entails greater expectations from India, putting it on the path to becoming a leading power. In The India Way, S. Jaishankar, India’s Minister of External Affairs, analyses these challenges and spells out possible policy responses. He places this thinking in the context of history and tradition, appropriate for a civilizational power that seeks to reclaim its place on the world stage.

The Intelligent Investor

It is a widely acclaimed book by Benjamin Graham on value investing. Written by one of the greatest investment advisers of twentieth century, the book aims at preventing potential investors from substantial errors and also teaches them strategies to achieve long-term investment goals.

Over the years, investment market has been following teachings and strategies of Graham for growth and development. In the book, Graham has explained various principles and strategies for investing safely and successfully without taking bigger risks. Modern-day investors still continue to use his proven and well-executed techniques for value investment. The current edition highlights some of the important concepts that are useful for latest financial orders and plans. Keeping Graham’s unique text in original form, the book focuses on major principles that can be applied in day-to-day life. All the concepts and principles are explained with the help of examples for better clarity and understanding of the financial world. Combination of original plan of Graham and the current financial situations are the reason behind this book’s preference today’s investors. It is a detailed version with several wisdom quotes that are likely to change one’s investing career and lead to the path of financial safety and security. About the Author: A professional investor and economist, known all over the world, Benjamin Graham is believed to be the father of value investing. He first taught this new investment approach at Columbia Business School. A British-born, he is credited with having pioneered numerous cutting edge concepts that, many believe, pushed several of his followers in the world of investments, to the top.

Rich Dad Poor Dad : What The Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not!

It has since become the Personal Finance book of all time… translated into dozens of languages and sold around the world. Rich Dad Poor Dad is Robert’s story of growing up with two dads — his real father and the father of his best friend, his rich dad — and the ways in which both men shaped his thoughts about money and investing. The book explodes the myth that you need to earn a high income to be rich and explains the difference between working for money and having your money work for you.

20 Years… 20/20 Hindsight In the 20th Anniversary Edition of this classic, Robert offers an update on what we’ve seen over the past 20 years related to money, investing, and the global economy. Sidebars throughout the book will take readers “fast forward” — from 1997 to today — as Robert assesses how the principles taught by his rich dad have stood the test of time. In many ways, the messages of Rich Dad Poor Dad, messages that were criticized and challenged two decades ago, are more meaningful, relevant and important today than they were 20 years ago. As always, readers can expect that Robert will be candid, insightful… and continue to rock more than a few boats in his retrospective. Will there be a few surprises? Count on it. Rich Dad Poor Dad… • Explodes the myth that you need to earn a high income to become rich • Challenges the belief that your house is an asset • Shows parents why they can’t rely on the school system to teach their kids about money • Defines once and for all an asset and a liability • Teaches you what to teach your kids about money for their future financial success “

Grandma's Bag of Stories

Memories of a grandparent spinning tales around animals and mysterious characters have kept many of us rapt till date. Sudha Murty’s Grandma’s Bag of Stories is simply delightful. The story starts with Anand, Krishna, Raghu and Meena arriving at their grandparents’ house in Shiggaon. Overjoyed Ajji and Ajja(Grandmother and grandfather in Kannada) get the house ready, while Ajji prepares delicious snacks for children. Finally, times comes when everyone gathers around Ajji, as she opens her big bag of stories. She tells stories of kings and cheats, princesses and onions, monkeys and mice and scorpions and hidden treasures.

Though unlikely in combination, stories makes perfect sense when Grandma is the one narrating them. This book is ideal for young children and those who are 5+ in age. Stories are accompanied by colourful illustrations and morals. Lucid and simple language of the book, makes reading a pleasure. About the author: Active Indian social worker and writer, Sudha Murty was born 19th August 1950. She writes in two languages: Kannada and English. Sudha started her career in field of computer science and engineering. She is an active member in the Gate Foundation and the chairperson of a non-profit organization, Infosys Foundation in Karnataka. Credited for founding several orphanages, Sudha has also participated in various rural development efforts, to provide library and computer facilities in all Government schools of Karnataka. One of her many achievements includes establishing the ‘The Murty Classical Library of India’ at Harvard University. Apart from writing novels, she has also acted in films: Pitruroon (Marathi film) and Prarthana(Kannada film).

A Brief History of Modern India

This book brings together various aspects of the turbulent period (from arrival of the Europeans on Indian soil and the establishment of British rule in India to the day India won independence and the early years of freedom) in a systematic and succinct manner: major and important details and milestones are effectively discussed while several relevant but little known details are also highlighted.It is not just the mainstream freedom struggle that has been considered; the disparate efforts—small but significant— of several groups have also been discussed. The political and socio-economic developments that have influenced the growth of modern India have been dealt with in independent chapters.

Before you vanish off the face of earth read these books.

If you are a regular know-all-the-famous-books voracious reader you have already read most of these so you may skip I won’t mind. But for those of you who want to show off that you “read” here’s a bunch of books you could actually read and not get bored and maybe magically fall in love with books.

I am not mentioning Harry Potter or Twilight or The Hunger Games and so because these are some books that shape you as a teenager and the books call the readers themselves I need not do it.

Note: This is not a ranked I listed my favourites. Let’s first go through the fiction section…

1. “All the ugly and wonderful things”

Author- Bryn Greenwood Page count-432

An unusual and disturbing love story but somehow you want this couple to be together. The story is messed up but trust me it will leave a mark on your mind.

2. “A walk to remember”

Author – Nicholas Sparks Page count – 240

http://eduindexnews.com/2020/09/06/a-walk-to-remember-book-review/

3. “The book thief”

Author- Markus Zusak Page count – 584

A historical novel narrated by Death. It’s about a little girl finding solace in books. The war makes things happen.

4. “Tell me your dreams”

Author- Sidney Sheldon Page count- 363

An absolute best thriller on Dissociative Identity Disorder or Split personality.

5. “The girl on the train”

Author- Paula Hawkins Page count – 317

Another great thriller. All about the title literally. Take my word for it you’ll love it.

6. “A thousand splendid suns”

Author- Khaled Hosseini Page count – 384

http://eduindexnews.com/2020/09/06/a-thousand-splendid-suns-book-review/

7. “Angels and demons”

Author- Dan Brown Page count -664

First of the Robert Langdon series. Though it’s a thick book you’ll want in read it all in one sitting.

8. “The boy in striped pyjamas”

Author- John Boyne Page count -216

Written from the perspective of a nine-year old boy. You won’t believe how and when this innocent narrative turns into a powerful holocaust story.

9. “Paper towns”

Author- John Green

Page count -305

A young adult about a group of friends finding out secrets about a mysterious girl. Dialogues and quotes are brilliant.

10. “Red, white and royal blue”

Author – Casey McQuiston Page count- 432 LGBT romance novel. It’s so so good needs no explanation.

Non-fiction…

11. “The diary of a young girl”

Author- Anne Frank Page count -352

12. A brief history of time”

Author- Stephen Hawking Page count – 256 13. “Into the wild”

Author- John Krakauer Page count -224

14. “Wild: from lost to found on the Pacific crest trail”

Author- Cheryl Strayed Page count-336

15. “Ikigai”

Author-Albert Liebermann and Hector Garcia Page count -208

Thank you for reading. Have a nice day!

Hunger Games of the government…

The government holds too much power. This is very well portrayed in the Hunger Games a book trilogy written by American author Suzanne Collins later made into a science fiction dystopian film series. The story is basically how the government has too much power over the lives of common man, how and why it is so wrong. The story is takes place in the fictional country that goes by the name of Panem. It consists of 12 districts that have been assigned various disciplines under which the people of the district work. Naming a few, district 3 specializes in technology, district 11 in agriculture, district 12 in coal mining. District 12 being the smallest and the poorest. All these districts are forced to produce the assigned goods and no have no freedom. The Capitol is the government who enjoy all the riches and luxury while the other districts starve to death. The Capitol, for the sole purpose of entertainment, organises this game annually where two teenagers- a male and a female are forced to participate, locked in an area and have to fight each other to death. The one who survives is declared the winner.

On the big screen we may find it interesting but more interestingly the series is the best depiction of communism. We know that our government always wants to suppress us and gain full control over our lives. Hence this book or the movie series is a good way to give us some lesson in an entertaining manner.

The government’s control over the goods production in a district and no freedom of their own reminds us of the real world example of North and South Korea. Everyone is aware of the situation here. People in North Korea have no freedom it is only the governmental control over their lives and henceforth people are starving. On the contrary, South Korea is thriving. Former Soviet Union couldn’t find a permanent position due to the same reasons. It had too much control over the people and the people suffered. A government cannot work without the cooperation of its people. History holds records of how such controlling government led to their own decline. Panem government violates its people’s basic rights resulting in poverty and starvation and later a rebellion.

The Hunger Games also shows how the upper class lives in luxury in contrast to the middle class lives. It shows how the people of district 1 enjoy all the facilities and live a posh life. They do not have to wait in lines for hours to manage some food for the family. This demonstrates real life situation where the rich are getting richer and the poor even poorer. The government might show us false hope but it is the lower class people who are the fools. The horrors of communism in this book/movie is a good way to let the younger generation realise the truth about the world. Also teach us lessons to be smarter.

Thank you for reading. Have a nice day!

A Walk to Remember book review

This was my first Nicholas Sparks and surely this one compelled me to read more of his works. Being a rapacious reader I can say he is one of the best romance novelist.
“A walk to remember” is a 1999 release by famous American author Nicholas Sparks. It has a page count of 240. It was later turned into a 2002 movie of the same name.

The story is narrated by the protagonist, Landon Carter. He is 57 years old and is reflecting on events from his past.
“Love is like the wind, you can’t see it but you can feel it.”
Nicholas Sparks
The book is all about the unexpected love story that happens between the two teenagers Jamie Sullivan and Landon Carter. So there is this guy all egoistic and the type that goes around bullying around his fellow schoolmates and then there is this sweet cheerful girl, daughter of the church minister. Love seems unlikely but you know opposites attract and henceforth the story begins.
Landon was supposed to act in a play so he asked Jamie to help. They spent a lot of time together and ended up falling for each other when they did not want to. Everything is fine but one fine day Jamie tells Landon a bitter secret about herself. This very plot twist tests their love for each other. They stick together till the end making this one of the sweetest love stories
According to me if one loves to read romance then this ones got to be on your list.
“First you will smile, and then you will cry — don’t say you haven’t been warned.”
Nicholas Sparks

Thank you for reading. Have a nice day!

A Thousand Splendid Suns book review.

“One could not count the moons that shimmer on her roofs, Or the thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls.”
A thousand splendid suns is a fiction by Khaled Hosseini. The book has approximately 380 pages(hardcover) published in 2007.


Read this book if and only if you can tolerate extreme sadness.
It is a story about women of Afghanistan. It follows the life of two women Laila and Mariam. Mariam is the daughter of a wealthy business man, Jalil. She lives in a small cottage with her mother and is sent to her father when her mother commits suicide. She is soon married off to an old shoemaker Rasheed.
“Marriage can wait, education cannot.”
Khaled Hosseini.
On the other side Laila is a girl born on the night the Soviets take over Afghanistan. Life is normal. She attends school and dreams about marrying her best friend cum crush, Tariq. Tariq’s family decides to move to Pakistan since it’s all a chaos and cruelty in here. They go away. Laila’s family is supposed to go too but some stray rocket kills her parents. She is taken care by Rasheed and Mariam. Laila comes to know that Tariq is dead. Rasheed being obsessed with Laila asks her to marry him. Guess what… she agrees(because she is pregnant with Tariq’s child). She plans to escape the hell hole anyways. At first Mariam looks at her as a rival but then both befriend each other through Laila’s daughter Aziza and joins them in their escape mission. Sadly they fail.


Laila later has a son with Rasheed named Zalmai. Due to financial crisis Laila had to send Aziza to an orphanage. One day when she came back after visiting her she finds Tariq waiting for her. She is surprised to see him alive. They talk about all that has happened ever since he left.
Rasheed finds out and beats up Laila.(well that was his pass time!) Women supporting women, Mariam kills Rasheed and saves Laila.
Laila along with Tariq and the kids move to Murree and Mariam stays in Kabul to take the blame of Rasheed’s death and be hanged by the Taliban. At the end of the book we find out Laila is pregnant with another child and plans to name the baby Mariam if it is a girl.

“One could not count the moons that shimmer on her roofs,
Or the thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls.”
Khaled Hosseini.

Thank you for reading. Have a nice day!