Guest Review: Civil Lines 6

Now famous for its intermittent existence,Civil Lines was the brain child of Delhi based  Dharma Kumar.After that,from 1994 till 2001,four issues were published by Ravi Dayal .The publication was dedicated to new age writing from India and the publishers were not at all in a hurry to come out with regular issues.After  the death of both Ravi Dayal and Dharma Kumar,this latest collection has seen the light of the day after ten long years.The editors offer an explanation to the readers and attribute this  elephantine gestation to them being unsure of their editorial judgement. What we see in Civil Lines 6 is a collection of stories from various authors like Anand Balakrishnan,Rimli Sengupta,Benjamin Seigel,Manu Herbstein and others.

Great Eastern Hotel is an extract from Ruchir Joshi's novel in progress.Set in crowded maze of Calcutta lanes the story has the backdrop of  Tagore's death. 

The ocean of peace lies in front,

Launch the boat O helmsman...  the song written by Tagore for his own funeral and being sung by a strong voice at the funeral creates an imagery of sorts.

Itu Chaudhuri's flight is a short composition about the secret of being able to lift off and take a flight ,literally.The thrill of the flight,never quite being sure where you will land,the delicious suspense of it all...

Erazex by Achal Prabhala takes you through the corridors of a boarding school in Dehradun where a typewriter correction fluid provided a hallucinogenic escape to the boys.A tragic incident turns the life on campus upside down both for the boys and the teachers.

Mumbai readers will connect with Naresh Fernandes and his story set in bandra.'Skeletons' opens with a newspaper account of a pair of skeletons found in the quiet neighbourhood of Bandra,those of a doctor and his faithful dog. Lonely in life and in  death in the metro city.

Manu Herbstein talks about building bridges in his account of the same name .Bombay appears prominently here too, when he describes the cartoons of Mario Miranda depicting Bombay in myriad hues.I loved this piece but then, I am partial to anything that is connected to  Mumbai any which way.

Fashil -Arabic for failure is the nidus around which Anand Balakrishnan weaves his words while Nilanjana Roy makes you travel with a few ghosts and her Shamla Mashi in  a carefully crafted, Sugarcane.

The book ends with a photologue by Gauri Gill .Nizamuddin in the dark, the sufi saints,the railway station,the durgah,the night times of old Delhi captured through the lens, makes an interesting end to this collection called Civil Lines 6.

Just one point that crosses my mind after reading this volume..How long before  Civil Lines 7 goes in print? How about a web edition,will it be able to bridge the gap and present few more new age authors from India?

(Dr Sharmila Kulkarni is a Mumbai based Prosthodontist,who is as passionate about reading as she is about bringing smiles to people's faces.This is her first of hopefully many more reviews for the blog! )

Guest Review: The Moonstone Legacy

Book details:

Name: The moonstone Legacy

Authors: Diana De Gunzberg & Tony Wild

Publishers (in India): Hachette India

Price: Rs. 250

What this book is about?

Inspired by the classic ‘The moonstone’ by Wilkie Collins, this novel brings the mystery and intrigue of the past into the 21^st century. Story is about ‘The moonstone’, a precious and sacred stone which was stolen by George Abercrombie from Gujarat, India and the curse which follows their family because of it on creepy full moon day.

The Plot:

Story is about Lizzy Abercrombie, a 14 year old girl, who discovers that there is a mystery behind her mother’s death and finds that there is a curse on Abercrombie family. She takes help of her Indian friend Ravi Chandra, travels to India, finds a chronicle of her ancestor George Abercrombie, and finds that the moonstone is stolen by George from Somnath temple in Gujarat. She deciphers each and every detail written in chronicle to find out where the precious stone is hidden in exotic mansion called ‘Shalimar’ in Yorkshire moors in England. She risks her life to save the diamond from famous Indian writer Shankar pujari to return it to the temple back. Will she succeed in this process?

What I liked?

Author impresses us with perfect characterization. We can actually feel and understand Lizzy’s mind set by reading the book. The way landscapes of India and Shalimar are explained with every detail is excellent. Unlike the novel ‘The moonstone’, where the emphasis or focus in much on British, this novel also covers Indian cities, history, the mindset of Indians when British conquered etc., Excerpts from novel like below about cricket show author’s humorous touch to the storyline and novel is interesting to read throughout.

“When India threw British out of Independence, we kept your bats and balls. Now we are better at it than you are..”

It really is a good thriller with gripping story line and page-turner for sure. Climax is simply superb.

Final say:

An enjoyable read throughout.

My rating:

4/5

(Mahathi Ramya is a software tester by profession, but is an artist by nature. She loves travelling, reading books, blogging, dancing, singing and painting. You can check her book reviews, travel experiences and other ramblings in my blog : www.fantastic-feathers.blogspot.in )

Review: The Reluctant Detective

Yes I am guilty of not putting up reviews at the same speed as I read books. So there were a couple of books which I read and did not end up reviewing, two of them happen to be of good friends’, hence more so the review worry! How to write a review without sounding biased. But the blog was started with the intent of sharing genuine reviews and that is what will be maintained!

I read Kiran’s (good friend no.1) debut novel The Reluctant Detective last month and honestly all through the book I kept looking or waiting to catch her on something where she went wrong with the story but there was absolutely nothing I could come up with. The book was near perfect. The book kept me in splits throughout, right from the word go. Much like her blog, that’s the only minus point I’d give her book, that it is an extension of her blog. Some parts of the book had a sense of deja vu. But then there is a twist in the story, then also her blog is more personal.

The book starts off with Lady Kay aka Kanan Mehra who is the main protagonist of the book. Her curiosity keeps getting her into all kinds of incidents in the book except for when she finds herself involved in not one but two murders that take places in her vicinity. This is when her curiosity turns to her advantage and helps her find out the whys and the whats and the whos behind the murder.

Now wait if you thought this is only yet another whodunit no dear friends that this book is not. This is also the tale of every mum; yes Lady Kay is also a mum to an adorable son and a wife to a macho man! So read her hilarious exchanges with her son and her husband. The best is her exchanges with her self.  It will have you laughing right through the book.

If you have been planning to read this book or wondering whether you should pick it up I’d say go right ahead! A hilarious look at life after mommyhood. A laugh riot from start to the end. Like I had tweeted this has got to be one of those books which I wish wouldn’t end because every page made me happy, made me laugh out loud. Most importantly made me go- hey this is so me!

I have been telling and asking Kiran every time I meet her when do we get a chance to read about Lady Kay’s next escapade and she ends with you will, soon. So, eagerly look forward to the next laughathon from Kiran.

Rishad launches his book at Mocha Mojo

Here are some pictures from the lovely session with Rishad Saam Mehta. He not only launched his book 'Hot Tea Across India' at the event but also shared some of his fascinating travel experiences with the guests present at the launch. His book presentation along with the stunning photographs he has clicked of the places he has travelled to, made this event truly an interesting one. 

He spoke about his bike trip to Ladakh, his dream to do a bike trip from Mumbai to London. His favourite travel destination to his interactions with people he met during his travel. His love and passion for travel came across clearly during his conversation with Mrs. Heena Munshaw of Beacon Holidays who launched the book. 

All in all a Saturday afternoon well spent. Here's wishing Rishad all the very best for his debut book. A book which has been garnering good reviews from every quarter! 

We at The Book Lovers would like to thank everyone who took time out to come and attend the event. A very big thank you to Spicy Sangria (http://spicysangria.com) and Shaan S Khanna for partnering with us online for this event. 

Book Launch Invite!

Q&A with Rishad Saam Mehta author of Hot Tea Across India

You are an avid traveler and a photographer, was writing a book always at the back of your mind?

Yes it was. Because my travel stories were restricted by word count and only relevant information about the place. The book allowed me to bring in the humane incidents, funny stories that were more personal and people based.

  

Tea as a conversation starter, how did this idea germinate?

Tea stalls are an Indian highways institution from the machine dispensed tea at fuel stations to the thatched roof and woodfire shack where the tea is being brewed in a blackened vessel, tea is an integral part of Indian road travel. It starts conversations, refreshes and relives fatigue. And at tea stops on lonely highways you almost always meet fellow travellers and conversation just seems to happen.

Who are your favourite travel writers? Any writer whose work inspires your writing?

I just loved 'One Year In Provence' by Peter Myle, the way the English language has been used to describe and bring in subtle humour is fantastic. Then I like Wilbur Smith's books because they bring about visions of such vast adventure and wild lands.  

What are the qualities that one needs to be able to effectively communicate to the reader through travelogues?

I like my travelogues to encourage and entice. To be able to convince even the most lethargic of readers that there is fun and adventure to be out there. Take a break from routine, unshackle yourself from the daily grind and go out there and live life as it is meant to be lived. 

I would like my readers to belive that travel is not an indulgence, rather it is an essential investment to a fuller and more wholesome life.  

 

The book has been much loved, going by the reviews, must be a satisfying debut for you! Tell us about your future plans; are you working on your next book already?

Yes it has been, the idea was to tell people that India is such an adventure to explore by road and to give them a really good belly aching laugh and I am glad it has served the purpose. Maybe my next book will be on travel or something else, but it will definitely contain humour for sure since I just love making people laugh. 

This was a very India-specific book; while you are quite a globe trotter do you recall any interesting incident during your travels that you would want to share with your readers?

There was one incident recently in South Africa when I was in Kruger driving a little i20 and it was charged by an angry rhino. I remember the first thought that went through my mind was what I would write in the insaurance claim form...Wrecked by one angry rhino.

Then there was that incident in California when I stepped out to stretch my legs on a lonely highway in a forest and a bear came and went to sleep near my door. I had to climb into the car carefully from the boot.  

Any travel tips, photography tips and writing tips for your readers?  Most importantly how do you manage to balance the three roles so well?

All three are co-existent. I travel because I love to photograph and write, I like to photograph hence I travel and I like to tell stories so I travel and photograph.

Do join Rishad Saam Mehta as he launches his book at Mocha Mojo, Bandra on 14th April Saturday, from noon-2pm. Look forward to seeing all you book lovers there!

Book Launch Invite!

WESTLAND LTD, THE BOOK LOVERS and MOCHA MOJO
Invite you to the launch of
HOT TEA ACROSS INDIA 
By Rishad Saam Mehta
on Saturday, 14th April 2012 between 12 and 2 p.m. at
Classic Corner Building, next to Holy Family Hospital, Hill Road, Bandra West,Mumbai 400050

The Event:
Mrs Heena Munshaw of Beacon Holidays will be in conversation with Rishad. Beacon Holidays is a destination marketing company based in Mumbai (Bombay), India, established in 1996.
About the book:
On Rishad Saam Mehta’s journeys — and as a travel writer and all-round road-trip junkie, he’s been on many — there’s a particular thing he noticed. There’s not a highway, road or dirt track in India where you can’t find a cup of chai whenever you want it. And with those cuppas come encounters and incidents that make travelling in India a fascinating adventure. In this riveting book, which includes stories of honey- and saffron-infused tea shared with a shepherd in Kashmir, and a strong brew that revives the author after almost getting lynched by an irate mob in Kerala, Rishad takes you across the length and breadth of India, from Manali to Munnar, from the Rann of Kutch to Khajuraho, with a wonderful combination of wit, sensitivity and insight.
The Author:
Rishad Saam Mehta Rishad Saam Mehta graduated as an electronic engineer from Bombay University and is a travel writer and photographer. He lives in Mumbai and is especially fond of road trips, adventure sports, history and food, all of which tend to feature in his travel stories.