Odyssey

This time around, this blog is for an audio book. Yes, that's it! I have taken to audio books to make the best use of my long drive to the office. I finished listening to this 24-chapters book in about a week’s time! If you have not tried reading/listening to audio books, I suggest you try that. There are a number of sites available that provide free audio books. The following are a couple of them:

1. http://www.booksshouldbefree.com/
2. http://marancollects.blogspot.com/search/label/Audiobooks

Now to Odyssey: In summary, it is a grandma story! And true to grandma stories, it is quite interesting. Even if you are not a fan of Anjali Devi or Vittalacharya, you would still be interested in knowing the ways of life in 8th century BC, when the book was supposed to have been written by Homer! It is quite interesting to read/listen to how the Greeks invite strangers or friends to their houses; the interesting practice of courting; the laws of inheritance – quite interesting. You cannot but think of the similarities (in certain aspects) between the customs of the Tamils of the old and the Greeks.
It is worth reading or listening!

Note: Off-track, don’t you think it is unfair to call Anjali Devi as Telugu actress?

Angels and Demons

If you have not read the book, then you will enjoy the movie more! Having read the book, the unexpected quantum of change in the screenplay was very unsettling for me. However, that's where it stops! The movie in its own rights is worth watching.

The book is about the continuance of the age-old war between church and science. There are moderators amongst scientists and church, who believe science and religion go in parallel and in fact they both support the cause of the other. Of course, both sides are not without hardcore elements that despise and suspect that the other camp is undermining their fundamental belief. The storey is about a fanatic that uses science to establish the righteous place of the church. He was pursued by an academic who would stop at nothing but to stop him.

Some good themes in the book are lost in the movie. In the book, it was Vittoria's father that was killed by the assassin. That by itself was a strong motive for her to seek revenge along with Langdon. In the movie she is a mere prop. In book, the assassin was in fact lured into saving the very establishment, church, which he thinks is destroying. The version of the camerlengo from the book was a highly motivated fanatic, in the movie he turns out to be a bit lame!

However, the screenplay has pleasantly surprising changes compared to the book. The movie is matured in that sense. Where the book slips into a stereotype of a middle-east terrorist with little respect for women, the movie portrays him as a hired assassin. The assassin leaves Langdon and Vittoria unarmed, though he could have easily killed them - 'because I was not asked to kill you!'

While the book goes overboard with church-bashing, the movie is gentle and subtle about church's controversial past.

In spite of the shortcomings, the movie is a better version than the book. From start to finish, the movie goes without any moments of slackening.

But why the heck did they over simplify the fifth symbol, the mythical diamond, of Illuminati!

The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga

I have just finished reading 'The White Tiger' by Aravind Adiga. It is one of the best books that I have read in recent times. It is a Man Booker Prize Winner for 2008.

What struck me the most was the simplicity of the narration. You dont need long, winding and brain squeezing writing style to make a great story.

Secondly, the pace. There is not a single place where it slackened and made you involunterily skip the pages. From the start to the finish, it is a string of interesting events that unfolds the story of Balram Halwai. The difference between the unfortunate villages of India and the stiffled cities could not have been illustrated anymore stark. The book is an anti slogan to the 'India shining!' campaigners! Being an Indian, you do not want to accept what is said about India in the
book, but then your heart knows it is true. There are moments when you want to scream, man! that happens in miniscule, why do you want to make a hill out of a mole! Then you convince yourself that however small it may be, it is still unacceptable!

Now, surprises of a different kind. There are many direct and indirect references to politicians, places, events, religions, and gods!

While you understand, in the book, the term 'darkness' generally refers to the under-developed villages, it is obviously referring to Bihar. The description of the great socialite - the man with puffed face and white spiky hair who has been ruling the darkness for many years, reminds us of Mr. Lallu. In the story this character takes and talks of bribe very casually. There are many references in which Congress party members are shown to be taking bribe. And of course, the 36,000,004 gods in India - 'Mr. Jiabao, How quickly do you think you could kiss 36,000,004 (divine) arses?', there are many not-so-good references about muslims and a north Indian politician calls the Bangalorians as Tamils and Tamilians as negroes!

Of course, all these come out in the story as the opinions of the characters in the story or as indirect references. My surprice is on how come the political class of India has become so tolerant. Dont they go about smashing New Year parties and Valentine celebrations. Dont they go about destroying MF Husein's work because mother god was represented in a certain way. Dont they go about doing anything and everything that gives them political mileage or new identity or things that help them consolidate vote banks. Why no reaction? Probably, no one has read the book so far! Come on! It is a Booker Prize winner and bound to give you international visibility! Surprises! Surprises!

Now, surprises of a third kind! It is a good book, no doubt; deserves recognition and reward - agreed . However, why the Booker Prize? Was it just a coincidence that the other Booker prize winners from Indian authors (Midnight's children by Salmon Rushdie, Gods of small things by Arundati Roy and The inheritance of loss by Kiran Desai) have the darkest corners of India as their plot. One may argue that the Prize was justifiably given to the books that are true and soulful. But the pattern is a bit disturbing. There certainly books of equal quality from the Indian authors with other plots. Why were those books not chosen? What the judges get out of taking these books to the international stage? Those of you who have read the other Booker Prize winners from non-Indian authors can comment!

Gopallapurathu Makkal by K Rajanarayanan

I first read this novel, Gopallapurathu Makkal by K Rajanarayanan, when it was written as a series in a Tamil weekly journal, Ananda Vikatan. After many years, I found this novel as a book of fine printing from the publishing house Annam, at a makeshift bookstore. It is a master piece on the lives of Karisal region in Tamil Nadu.

The story starts at some point in the British-occupied India, when Gopallapuram, a remote village, was not yet impacted by the occupation. As a series of short stories is told, the plot slowly moves from one generation to the next. As the stories roll, we get a glimpse of the villagers' lives and their customs, indigenous and colorful.

The short stories are so rich and deep, they deserve to be novels in their own rights. One of the stories, that of Kittappan and Achindalu, their love for each other and their tradition-breaking reunion was told with a poetic beauty. There are very few authors that can handle the love-making of two animals and the longing of a lonely woman that happens to witness the intense act, without slipping into the realms of obscenity.

As the stories dwell into our nation's struggle for freedom, we get to see the then political events with new perspectives. Be it the hanging of Bhagat Singh or the functioning styles of Congress leaders or the beliefs of the communists or that of a deserted soldier, we get to see each event from a new angle.

In spite of the fine printing and quality packaging, the most I missed in the book are the drawings of Adimoolam, which featured every week in Ananda Vikatan and added an additional dimension to the stories.

This book is a Sakithya academy winner, a work that must be read by every Tamilian and if translated into other languages, by everyone.

Mind over matter

One of the very early works of Science fiction in Tamil may be attributed to Pudhumaipithan (புதுமைப்பித்தன்). In this Kapadapuram (கபாடபுரம்) written in 1945, a head with no-body lives, speaks and cracks jokes with the hero. One's body and it's parts perform acts to satisfy the needs of the brain. If the brain can achive it's needs in some other way then there is no need for the body. Taking it further, if the brain attains a state where it has no needs then there is no need for the body. The ultimate human evoluation?!

The Hindu, Friday, May 30, 2008: Two monkeys with tiny sensors in their brains have learned to control a mechanical arm with just their thoughts, using it to reach for and grab food and even to adjust for the size and stickiness of morsels when necessary, sceientsits have reported.

Science and Science fictions, what follows what?