If there is a book that every bookaholic must read, it is this, it is this, it is this.

84, Charing Cross Road – a weird name for a book, don’t you think? I would probably have never picked it up if I was browsing at a bookstore or a library. But this one was recomended by a very dear friend so I rented it out (the perks of working at a library!!!).  After the first two pages I began to seriously question my friend’s taste in books. I mean what would you think if you were to read two letters – one from a customer to a nondescript bookstore asking for cheap, second hand copies of books and the second, the bookstore’s very proper (read British) reply. How exciting or inspiring could it be? I was tempted to call my friend and ask her if this was some kind of a sick joke. You have a bookstore cum library, so there read this. But before blasting her off, I decided to go through a few more pages. And boy, was I rewarded. By page 5 my faith in my friend had been restored. By page or shall I say, letter 7, I was hooked. For the next hour or so I kept reading the correspondence between a quirky American book lover and a small, antiquarian book shop located at 84, Charing Cross Road, London.  Not once did I stop smiling. The book is a sheer delight. Of course, I must apologize for using the word antiquarian here, lest the author – who in case you are wondering is the woman who wrote the letters – takes offense. She categorically stateson page 1 itself that the term scares her.

Yes at first glance, 84, Charing Cross Road is just a collection of letters between a buyer and a seller, but those letters have so much spirit, so much humour and so much warmth in them. They portray a series of beautiful relationships formed between people across the Atlantic who had never met one another and who had only one thing in common -books. Who says books provide fodder only for the mind? They enrich the heart and the soul too. And the letters which start out as straight jacket formal notes that one learns to write in English classes, soon become chronicles of friendship and compassion; a treasury of good natured banter. By the end of the 97 page book you feel as if you know the author, Helene (with an ‘e’ as she points out) really well and you can’t help wanting to meet her to experience her wit and warmth first hand. Who after all sends eggs, ham and even nylons to the families of the bookstore she is buying from, when she herself is on a shoestring budget?

Helene’s letters are a delight – the way she waxes eloquent everytime she receives a good book and blows up Frank Doel, the man who is responsible for procuring her books at Marks and Cohen, whenever there is a delay is hilarious. There’s not much more to say about the book, except that you have to read it to believe it. This is no great piece of literature, just a book straight from a booklover’s heart. A word of appreciation for the editors. They have lett the letters be as is. No grammar checks, no effort to ensure that all’s well with the punctuation. And despite the fact that I get irritated every time I come across a grammatical error in a book, not once did I get cross with Helene or her publishers. By withholding their red pens they have retained the spontaneity of the letters; their very real, very tangible feel. Who, after all, wants to read “perfect” error free letters? Especially letters where you are holding a conversation with the writer, hearing, not reading every word.

Oh and before I wrap this review up, I must confess that I was lucky, the copy available in the INDIAreads library had not just 84 Charing Cross Road but also what can be termed as its sequel, “The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street.” If there was one dream that Helene had, one that crept up time and again in her letters, it was a wish to visit England and Marks and Cohen. The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street is none other than Helene herself and the book is her diary, a blow by blow account of her visit to the land of her dreams for the release of 84 Charing Cross Road. Once again Helene’s candour, her uncensored observations and effusive notes have you smiling all the way. And you realize once again, just how many friends a book can win you.

A definite must read.

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** P.S for those of you wondering at the verbose and absolutely informal tone of this review, you have to read the book. There is no way that one can do a critical, formal review of this one!

The brainchild of two college students, Twitterature combines the simplicity of 140-character “tweets” used within the world of Twitter, with well-known works of literature. The authors do a very good job of summarizing every book and zeroing in on the key themes in each. In addition, they inject quite a bit of humor into the stories. While many would gasp aloud and turn red to see the much loved tomes reduced to a bunch of impudent tweets, the little bit of curiosity that forces a peek inside the book confirms that anyone going through it will be wholly entertained.

However, despite its ability to tickle a funny bone and provide fresh humor, the authors seem to have relied too much on shock value rather than anything else. Instead of falling back on shock value time and again, if the authors had chosen other works of literature more apt for the treatment, then the book would have had a more balanced tone throughout. Instead, at times the plot seems to stall at certain places, as compared to the rib tickling, witty versions of Romeo and Juliet or Old Man and The Sea , which are sure to be quite a hit with any reader.

This book will be most enjoyable for those who are both used to Twitter and have read the majority of the books. A reflection of the times we are currently living in, this is a clever, fun way to comment on some established pieces of literature.

You can rent, purchase or gift a copy of Twitterature or browse through other related titles at the INDIAreads Online Library cum Bookstore.

This is an ironic and witty account of the author’s experience of graduating from the Harvard Business School. Revealing a glimpse into the life of a Harvard Business student and the culture of entitlement that top business schools are often criticized for, Broughton provides many laugh-out-loud passages in alongside some more serious analysis and queries.

This could very well be the book every Harvard Business School student wishes they had written. Highlighting a lot of the things that we take for granted in our daily lives and just accept as part of the norm, Broughton offers a pretty balanced account of both the rigorous aspects of business life and the expectations of a work/life balance. The one lesson that stands out in this book is to keep from deferring personal goals to some yet-to-be-defined future time.

The book surely lives up to its title as author’s narrative complements the traditional business school-education with common sense and a straight forward approach. As an author, Broughton is able to draw a fresh perspective and present ‘heavy’ topics such as business curriculum and presentations as entertaining topics for reading. While some of the ideas may seem obvious to an experienced executive, the lessons are great examples of different methods of approach which either make or break business relationships. Even those new to the world of business in terms of facts or vocabulary will find this quite book quite easy to follow.

Another reason why many people will enjoy this book is because it offers a peep into a world most of us will never know–the Harvard MBA experience. However, Broughton himself is clearly ultimately torn regarding his experience at HBS, offering both criticisms and praises of various facets of HBS. Light, yet pretty accurate with its sweeping generalizations, this is a must read for anyone looking for something from the non-fiction section to relax with.

You can rent, purchase or gift a copy of  What They Teach You at Harvard Business School or browse other related titles at the INDIAreads Online Library cum Bookstore.

Though The Camel Bookmobile is a novel by by Masha Hamilton, in a silent, desiccated part of the globe, the camel-borne library actually exists. Operating from Garrissa, capital of the Garrissa district in Kenya’s isolated Northeastern Province, the Camel Book Drive was launched on Oct. 14, 1996. Travelling on camelback, the books reach nomads who set up camp across the wide desert expanse, moving from place to place in search of food and water.

This novel idea was introduced by the government-owned Kenya National Library Service to improve literacy rates in the north-east. Since a static library would have been of no use to nomads, the librarians and their usual task force instead follow them, providing them books wherever they go. While more than 80 percent of the population is illiterate, the camel library targets children rather than catering to the few literate adults. According to head librarian Rashid Farah the book- keepers earnestly believe that in the next ten years they will be able to have a society which is educated, and literate. With the aid of  generous patrons and a growing number of contributors, the library is slowly expanding and is now operating also in Wajir, further along Kenya’s northeast.

The ‘freakuel’ to Dubner and Levitt’s international bestselling phenomenon; Superfreakonomics uses the same analytical style of Freakonomics, but applies it to different topics. Once again applying statistical analysis to problems where you wouldn’t normally think of using it, Levitt and Dubner manage to tip over a bunch of sacred cows and really make you think about things. They readily admit that the point isn’t whether you believe them; the point is that you’re thinking. And this book inspires thinking in spades.

Four years in the making, Superfreakonommics covers every topic in the title, and then some. The book reveals, among other things, why you are more likely to be killed walking drunk than driving drunk (because deaths by walking drunk are five times more likely, per mile, than deaths from driving drunk); how a prostitute is similar to a store Santa (they both work more during the holidays); why terrorists should buy life insurance (because it tricks the profilers when they’re looking at their bank records); how a sex change could boost your salary; and how there really is a cheap fix for climate change.

Of course, it’s not just the answers that are interesting, but the process that the authors walk you through to get to them from what seem like idle speculations. Entertaining and well written, the book presents itself in a tone that does that magical trick of straddling the line between being informal and scientific. Levitt and Dubner use the tools of science in general and economics in specific to tackle these unconventional topics, and each page is an enjoyment, watching them go at it and do their best to surprise readers with what they found. Occasionally they get a little too ambiguous and overzealous (comparing Al Gore to the high priest of a church full of climate change).

In some parts, one also feels the authors simply decided to take a widely held opinion and argue against it just to prove that they are smarter than everyone else. Case inpoint – the chapter on Global Warming. In fact there have been quite a few strong rebuttals to the authors’ take on this topic.

However, Levitt and Dubner are great writers with a witty sense about them. Anyone who picks up this book will be entertained and hopefully give more thought as to how to solve some of the world’s most vexing issues.

You can rent, purchase or review Superfreakonomics by Stephen J. Dubner and Steven D. Levitt or browse through other related titles at the INDIAreads Online Library cum Bookstore.

Over half a century old, the brutal episode that tore a country apart is slowly fading from the pages of Indian history. The Partition of India which occurred in 1947 left millions dead, homeless, and displaced. While first person accounts vanish and unpleasant memories slowly suffer silent deaths, Train to Pakistan by Khushwant Singh offers one of the finest treatments of the subject. First published in 1956, this is a book which has been reprinted, reissued and translated into many languages since then. This classic was penned by Singh when he was around thirty years of age. Infused with the compassion and humility of an author who would become one of the most eccentric and witty columnists of India, the novel  delivers a human dimension to the event through its sense of reality, horror, and believability.

Singh recreates a tiny Punjabi village on the banks of the Indus River where a large number of Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs have been living in harmony for years. As political developments change the way the people have been going about their lives, Singh weaves a beautiful love story set against the backdrop of the communal violence. The skill which sets Singh apart as a writer starts to become apparent as the story quickly unfolds at a rapid pace and the backdrop slowly immerses the plot to become more lively and important than the main players. In his hundred and ninety pages of writing, Singh creates a powerful cast with vivid descriptions for each of the characters. It becomes quite clear that Singh has an eye for detail in the way he knits an engaging, picturesque story.

In Train to Pakistan, Khushwant Singh succeeds in showing the human dimension of the momentous event of Partition, through ordinary characters we can identify with. The helpless victims of communal hatred, the susceptible young duo with their Romeo and Juliet tale or the uncouth village rogue who makes a supreme sacrifice… through all his characters Singh is able to drive home the point that no one was responsible for the tragedies that befell the people of India. Everyone played their part in the turn of events, and the poor were left in the middle to suffer the effects. Singh shows readers how politics can be so consequential, it travels deep into the lives of even to those who don’t have a clue.

You can rent, purchase or gift a copy of Train To Pakistan from the INDIAreads Online Library

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This book should be read by anyone interested in the impacts of globalization. Joseph Stiglitz, author and Nobel Prize winner for economics gives his first hand experience of life in the World Bank and the major failings of both the World Bank and the IMF’s programs. This is a fantastic, easy-to-follow book for anyone who wants to understand more about economics and the role of global financial institutions.

Stiglitz makes a strong stand and articulates the original roles of the public institutions such as the IMF, the World Bank and the WTO, criticizing how they do not live up to their supposed mandates. He exposes the disastrous policies of the IMF which had led countries after countries, on its crusade to impose the Gospel of Market-Fundamentalism, into desolation and devastation. For those who have training in economics, this is a very good book to show how economic thinking is applied to real world situations. For those who do not know much about economics, this book slowly will yield significant dividends in understanding our world and the huge stakes involved in the process of globalization.  That said, not every reader would agree with the analysis here, but to form an educated opinion it is essential to understand both sides of a debate.

Rent, purchase or gift a copy of Globalization and its Discontents by Joseph Stiglitz available at the INDIAreads Online Library.

The Private Patient is the fourteenth Dalgliesh mystery from author P.D. James. This time the whodunit revolves around the murder of journalist Rhonda Gradwyn who is found dead after she books into an exclusive cosmetic surgery clinic. Being an investigative reporter whose job is to leak secrets to the ‘yellow press’, Gradwyn wouldn’t have had a dearth of enemies happy to get rid of her. However, the baffling question is that when the clinic is locked and kept under tight security, there is no chance that the murder could have been committed by an outsider. So who among the staff, nurses or other patients holed up in quaint little Dorset would have a motive to kill a famous reporter?

What unravels is a gripping old fashioned English detective story. Reasons why many members of the household may have wanted the victim dead are soon unraveled. Each of the residents has something to hide, the unceremonious history of the clinic and its current owner brings new facts to light and a second murder deepens the mystery. This is where the artistry of James becomes clearly visible. In her hands this classic set-up is given darker shadings and a fairly deep psychological inquiry. Fans of Agatha Christie novels will definitely find this a delightful and interesting read. While weaving in beautiful descriptions of the English countryside, James reveals the dark and threatening side to the picturesque backdrop.

The characterization is extremely captivating with revelations of weaknesses, desires and dysfunctions which make the characters seem most human. The elaborate depth of their different personalities will make readers truly connected to each character and leave them wondering whether the roles are those of a suspect or a victim. Intricate and well formulated,readers will be left guessing each time a new plot is revealed in the story. The beauty of the storyline is that even with all the questions which come up in each chapter; everything falls into place perfectly timed and meshes well with the characters, revealing hidden depths.

James even touches on the grand themes that seem to have always interested her: Why do people often behave so irrationally? Is there an unshakeable moral code that applies in all circumstances? Are we ever justified in taking the law into our own hands? In fact, by the end the story veers from a whodunit to a how-was –it-possible to do it? As the story goes on a bit after the murderer is revealed, the novel presents an exploration of the many mysteries that are revealed even as that one is solved. It’s a nice meditation on what “closure” and “solved” can even mean.

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This is a book which focuses on the idea that ‘radical transparency’ regarding the origins and production processes of the goods we buy can allow us to make market choices that would create more sustainable consumption.  While examining the processes involved with creating, transporting, storing and ultimately consuming and disposing of products used in our day to day lives, author Daniel Goleman digs deep into “life cycle analysis” (LCA) of a wide range of products, and explores the environmental and social ramifications. The insights he provides are illuminating and go far beyond the usual carbon calculations.

Using an elegant story telling context, the author proposes a creative idea: every consumer can use his purchasing behavior to affect the producers. Given the extent of today’s information technology, the possibilities of analyzing the information about the ingredients of a simple product is within each consumer’s capacity.

The point made by the author is simple- most of the rules of thumb we learn about what’s best for the environment are wrong in many particular instances. Citing the example of shoppers who opt to ‘go green’ by purchasing organic cotton bags, Goleman calls such people collective victims of sleight of hand. This is because upon ecological assessment, some uncomfortable facts clearly stand out , e.g., 10,000 liters of water were required to grow the cotton for one bag, and cotton crops alone account for the use of about 10% of the world’s pesticides

While it is evident that new ideas or practices are difficult to introduce into the field of ecology the author does a fine job by making an aggressive and optimistic argument that information alone will provide the basis for people to make more rational decisions about ingredients, practices, and eliminating waste.

People looking for a good dose of non fiction will find this book brimming with insightful and helpful information. Sharp, innovative, and realistic in its approach to raising the demand for environmentally safe merchandise, this is a book which can enable people to realize what transparency can accomplish. This fascinating treatise has tremendous potential for reaching and motivating a large and diverse audience

Rent, review or purchase a copy of Ecological Intelligence from the INDIAreads Online Library.

This is Manju Kapur’s fictional debut which earned her both commercial and fictional success. An intelligent, witty and sentimental story, Difficult Daughters follows the journey of a rebellious woman who chases her dreams at the cost of dishonouring her family name. Set at the backdrop of the partition, the events take place at a time when both India and Virmati (the protagonist) are in a state of turmoil. Being a woman already ahead of her time, Viramati’s wish to never marry is somewhat of a disgrace to her family. After returning from her studies in Lahore, things start to change when she falls in love with her neighbour. However, the love of her life is a married man and Viramati finds herself torn between family duty, the desire to study further and illicit love. In the end Viramati sacrifices everything to marry and to study further which earns her the wrath of her family.

This story is beautifully written and shows the options that women have in Indian society. For a woman to step in or out of the traditional roles, there is often a very steep price to pay. Virmati’s story is a sad but very honest and compelling tale.  It will make readers ask whether sacrificing all you have to attain something else is really worth it.