Sumith Chowdhury

Book review 474 : Middle of Diamond India by Shashank Mani

I shall pass through this world but once. Any good, therefore, that I can do or any kindness I can show to any human being, let me do it now. Let me not defer it or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.
– Stephen Grellet

This book enlightens us the importance of every city in our country. It teaches us the lesson of human negligence & ignorance. It gives importance towards India’s Tier 2 & Tier 3 districts which are also known as the ‘Middle’. These districts have mostly been neglected from a very long time. It subtly explores the identity & hidden potential underlying within such places. The context is about a realistic dream & not just some figurative or imaginative one where it shows that even small town places & rural people can also achieve greatness & further contribute towards the prosperity of the nation.

The content highlights about our country’s historic times, it’s culture & the people living in it. By talking about their limitless potential, it makes us realise once again that nothing in life should be ignored or neglected because underestimating someone or something could lead to our downfall. Furthermore, the story thus brings us towards Jagriti Yatra & towards Banyan Revolution. Basically a proposal of an annual pilgrimage on the Jagriti Yatra train & the possibility of a beginning of an enterprise ecosystem in the district of Deoria.

Writing style is okay. Language is simple & easy to understand. The usage of various examples, anecdotes & intensive research via different timelines makes it a very compelling & thought provoking read. The very fact that it brings forward the forgotten places & it’s people & it’s inclusive legends it what reminded me what identity means to a place & it’s people. Because people are what makes a place powerful & well-known.

Overall, a very important book as it focuses on the concept of modern India in the 21st century. The importance of entrepreneurship, global opportunities & the various obstacles faced by a dreamer & the advantages of overcoming them is all highlighted effectively over here.

Book review 473 : Potpourri by Ranjit

What is potpourri? Now, this is an interesting word as it has various meanings depending upon the context of usage. It’s a mixture of dried flowers and leaves, usually kept in a bowl to make a room smell pleasant which we often find in domestic households in the Indian subcontinent. Furthermore, it’s also a mixture of things not usually meant to be together, for example different pieces of music or writing – which we generally find in anthologies or similar compilations.

The cover of the book looks so beautiful. It’s vibrant full of color. It looks really attractive & pleasing to the eyes. It’s like the festival of Holi celebrated via novels, a tribute to it. The content comprised of a collection of 31 stories of varied length, some short, whereas others long. Some depicting human emotions & the vivid feelings they undergo through, whereas others depict segments of human life. Well in short, an amalgamation of nice set of stories.

The most catching aspect of the theme underlies in the fact that it balances between love, joy, happiness, peace, sadness & most importantly laughter. It will bring a smile to the face of the reader because it enacts a subtle characterisation with a decent flow. Pace is natural. It won’t rush neither will it feel monotonous. Fill your life with the joy of colors. Overall, a good one-time read.

Book review 472 : Never the butterfly by Ankur

I don’t get moved so easily unless it’s something related to art. I find poetry the most passionate thing ever. After all, we don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute. We read & write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits & necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for, these are what we crave for. At first, I was mislead into thinking when I came across the title that it must be a short poetry compilation. However, I was proved wrong in doing so as it’s completely different from it, it’s quite something else altogether.

However, this book here is a sheer brilliance in terms of the usage of vocabulary. The excellent mastery done here in terms of the remarkable usage of words & how it teaches us to implement it to the highest level is done here. Though it’s noteworthy that it doesn’t do anything distinguishable like the western novels. But, the execution of wordplay with different characters, their romance, their chivalrous nature, the unique mischievous plot – it makes it all the more worthwhile reading it. Especially the noteworthy praise given here by me is for the fact that it’s an Indian literature. We hardly find anything interesting in contemporary reading sections.

In short, this novel is a tribute to the very language of English. English as a language is very simple, yet funny & it’s usage, all the more complicated. The book is very simple, it’s plot, it’s story all have been balanced in a very subtle way with mild effervescence. This instance led me to the comparison a movie I watched a while ago with the name of ‘Cinema Paradiso’ which was a tribute to the very world of movies. Cinema Paradiso is the beautiful, enchanting story of a young boy’s lifelong love affair with the movies. It’s also a charming drama about friendship, childhood and the magic of cinema.

One has to read this entire book patiently inorder to understand the depth behind it. Each character with their own stories portray a life’s essential quality which is love. Nothing is complete without love. Also, reading this will also help the readers understand & help them pickup many new words, adding to their knowledge. The analogies & the wordplay done here was quite brilliant. I won’t delve into the story as it will giveaway the storyline, instead I’m simply highlighting the salient aspects of the context. The only minor drawback I felt was the content was stretched beyond proportions making it very huge to read. Like I said earlier, one has to be very patient inorder to finish it. Had it been very compact & upto the point, I would’ve really appreciated it as I would’ve finished it promptly. However, that’s just my personal opinion. Otherwise, I feel it’s a very good read. Overall, a book worth recommending to everyone.

Book review 471 : Age of Investing by Piyush

Investing is the concept where we put our hard-earned money into a bank, business, property, real-estate, etc in the hope that you will make a profit in return. Additionally, another meaning which comes out of it is where we spend money, time or energy on something that you think is good or useful. Investing is to grow one’s money over time. The expectation of a positive return in the form of income or price appreciation with statistical significance is the core premise of investing.

In a broader sense, we put money to work for a period of time in some sort of project or undertaking in order to generate positive returns (profits that exceed the amount of the initial investment). It is the act of allocating resources, usually capital (money), with the expectation of generating an income, profit, or gains.

One can invest in many types of endeavors (either directly or indirectly) such as using money to start a business, or in assets such as purchasing real estate in hopes of generating rental income and/or reselling it later at a higher price. Investing differs from saving in the sense that money used is put to work, meaning that there is some implicit risk that the related projects may fail, resulting in a loss of money. Investing also differs from speculation in that with the latter, the money is not put to work per-se, but is betting on the short-term price fluctuations.

To help all these making successfully, one must be well versed in these concepts. One needs to be familiar & acquainted with these, inorder to ascertain all these differences & nuances associated with it. So by reading this book, one will definitely understand all these terminologies related to financial literacy.

This book comprises of technicalities like sip, mutual funds, fixed deposits, equity, bond, crypto currency, ppf, nps & real estates. Basically, all that a person needs to know from a modern economics subject is embedded here thoroughly. Writing style is okay. Language is normal. Sometimes it felt bit too monotonous like reading from a class text book. However, an okay read.

Book review 470 : Real Estate by Deepesh

When I was growing up, I wasn’t even aware of the term ‘real estate’. All I heard as per my background knowledge is the fact that real estate related to builders who build buildings. However, I wasn’t aware of the nuances involved behind the concept of it. At the age of 14, I heard from my friend that his uncle is in real estate business located in Australia. That’s when I realised the true meaning of it. Real estate business is the profession of buying, selling, or renting real estate (land, buildings, or housing). Basically, a property in the form of land and buildings. Let it be a movable property or an Immovable property, tangible property or an Intangible property, private property or public property. Additionally Real Estate Agents are professionals who help home buyers find and buy a new home or commercial space. They help them buy and sell homes and guide clients through negotiation processes to get top dollar for their property when selling.

Delving further into the book, the context deals with an amalgamation of fiction with facts. It deeps researches into the penchant of the real estate industry in the past 125 years. The themes it particularly explores especially involves the history, story behind it’s origin, politics, sociology, properties, demographics, legislation, geographical importance, laws, etc. The economic growth & development pertaining to this has also been added. Furthermore, the most important eye-catcher is the fact that it also provided the subsequent future analysis which is required for sustainable growth.

Writing style is different from the rest. Language is simple & easy to understand. Overall, a very informative & insightful read.

Book review 469 : From the village to the world by Manu

What makes an individual truly successful? Is it the copious amount of money they make? Or is it the name they earn for themselves? Or is it simply the fame gained over the due period of time? Everyone will have their own answers to these questions. Like they say, to each their own. For me, there’s only one answer & it’s quite simple. It’s the ability to support & sustain one’s family throughout the very course of time no matter what situation life pushes one in. Let it be favorable or unfavorable, harsh or stable. Because there’s nothing in this world which is greater than family. As family always comes first before anything. If one is able to remember them throughout their journey, then there’s nothing which can stop him/her to reach the very pinnacle of success.

I won’t bore the readers with the details of what’s inside this novel, for that one must pick it to read inorder to find more about it. As the description pretty much gives away everything there’s to know about the inspirational journey of Manu Haribhai Patolia whose story could be traced from the village of Taravada in Gujarat. It starts from the very first moment when he first landed in San Francisco in 1969 with only 75 cents to make a name for himself. As bewilderment enclosed upon him as to what little he’s going to achieve in such a mere feeble amount of penny. Not only did he create a huge empire for himself, but at the same time he also established himself as a reputed entrepreneur by being the head of InvaPharm Inc. Despite all drawbacks, he graduated as a civil engineer & through his sheer brilliance – built an empire worth $250 million.

Though I’m not very much fond of nonfictions, let one biographies or autobiographies for the sake of matter. However, such remarkable achievements where one individual pushes all odds & reaches the top making a name for himself inspires me to go to any lengths to read & finish such novels. This is only something we hear about in stories or news, but never read or pay attention to it completely. However, by reading these kind of novels – one can truly understand the importance of patience & perseverance; as they teach us a lot from their life stories. The immense struggle behind the paths taken by them, the immaculate conception & research done which is presented to us in textual format is something worth reading for.

Book review 468 : Subjective Bliss by Vez

Life is all about choices. It’s like a pictorial relationship between people & every person makes some connections with us in one way or another. This seemingly traces a path in our graphical lives. Thus, one can also sum it up with reliable options. The desirable outcomes we seek & we wish to get depends on the right choice, the right decision which influences the favourable result in our direction. Graphically, this can be drawn in the form of charts or simple bar diagrams. But firstly, one must also understand that the decisions we make always bear some consequences. Considering the circumstances under which a particular point is made, a path is taken, the latter can bear a positive effect or a negative impact.

Following the figurative sketch made above. The book has been written in such a way that two contrasting characters conjunct in a subtle context. The protagonists in this story also follow similar anecdotes. Though each follow their very own lives & their stories are mutually exclusive from each other. But each story teaches us the very meaning of life & so comes the fact why the content in this novel is so relevant to us. The significance is etched & can be deciphered accordingly once we reach the stage of conclusion, where the moral of the stories can be traced.

Writing style is really matured. Each point is made in a very crafty manner. It’s been presented in such a manner that it lingers with us for a very long time. Every person must accept all that life has to offer no matter what situations destiny may push us in. After all, there’s no shortcut path to hardwork. True courage is offer to those who strive to reach their goals. Cover is serene & has been balanced with assortments of title & themes. It’s a well researched title. Overall, an excellent read.

Book review 467 : Rejection happens for a reason by Mukesh

In Indian literature, there’re basically two types of clichéd love stories. Most of the stories & plots revolve around these two only. One is medical college love story whereas the other is an engineering love story. These are generally typical in nature & offer very few aspects which are sustainable for a successful suitable long term reading.

This is one such story pertaining to the life of a final year engineering student named Sharad who studies in an engineering college. He’s in love with a girl named Navya. However, he goes through a predicament of low confidence & shyness which generally people of today’s youth go through. Also, it’s very common in people of young groups & generation who face the fear of embarrassment emerging out of low self-esteem. So he braces himself in preparing for the right time, waiting for the correct opportunity to express his feelings of love towards her. The entire story pans out between the transition of his proposal to the predictable flow of his love story.

Now comes the suspense element of the book which gets mixed with other crucial topics & elements interminable with intermingling of various subjects & characters along with their characteristics. Hence, considering the situation, there can only be two outcomes, it can either be acceptance or rejection. So, what happens next in the story – will success embrace him or will he fail as heartbroken in his journey of love in the matters of the heart.

Cover design is good. It has a nice look to it. The reddish hue color given to it matches all the themes portrayed properly here. Title is catchy & rings nicely to the ears. Additionally, the inept adaptation of various human resources in terms of emotions like joy, love, care, family, bond, sense of humour, sadness, etc. The tough job of balancing between such elements are pretty much evident here after reading the book. The ebbs & flows throughout this session is worth reading for. Let’s not ignore the climax etched here. It’s a bit stanchy & understandable. However, it’s still fine.

Writing style is normal, it could’ve been more efficient. Narration is okay. Language is simple. Context is totally typical. Storyline has nothing new to offer as mentioned above. It’s very clichéd. Finally, the book also needs thorough editing as it offers many mistakes at many intervals which makes it difficult & plausible to finish. Totally irritating & relevant at times. Overall, just an okay read.

Book review 466 : Nine by Vineet

What is the first thing which comes to your mind when you hear the term ‘novel’. It’s simply a book which comprises of story or an assimilation of various stories put together. However, this is the first time I’ve come across something different which combines both music & books together in the same segment. So I can say the experiment done here with respect to the conjuction of these two worked positively. Especially when we try to play the music in the background & pitch in the reading of the book in our mind simultaneously. It creates the reciprocative ambience which is essential to finish the novel sustainability.

The content is a collection of nine short stories based on the thriller genre & it’s subsections. The emphasis on the usage of QR codes & it’s thorough approach in novel is something new. This application is applicable to all the stories given here as each story is accompanied with a distinctive code. So, it you like this concept, then I would definitely suggest reading this book.

Writing style is okay. Language is simple. Narration is okay. I felt the application of written aspects are missing here. Everything is fine in the book except the book itself. Because a book is incomplete without a good writing. So the usage of that is completely missing here, making it knackered to finish. Cover design is really poor. It could’ve been considerably better considering the other elements tried here. Overall, a one-time read.

Book review 465 : Fight Story by Vamsidhar

As soon as I came across this title, it reminded me of the 1999 movie which I watched during my childhood days ‘Fight Club’ starring my favourite actor Brad Pitt & few others. It may simply be due to the uncanny resemblance of the high action-packed content associated with it or due to the cover of the book showcasing a fight scene or as simple as the matching of the name suggestions. Whatsoever the reason maybe, what really impressed me was the way it has been written which enhances the overall reading experience altogether.

What makes certain books different from the rest is the ability to fuse various elements into a single piece of work. For instance, the context here ponders upon fiction infused with action along with a mixture glimpse of mythology. The description has been provided in a very witty manner. The names of the individual protagonists revolve around Shaivism which is one of prominent Hindu traditions of Hinduism, a path of life. It worships Shiva as the Supreme Being. Shiva, throughout the Shaivism sect, seems to be described as the creator as well as the destroyer and preserver, as well as known as the Atman, that is the “self” that seems to be present in every living entity. Shaivite theology ranges from Shiva being the creator, preserver, and destroyer to being the same as the Atman (Self) within oneself and every living being. It is closely related to Shaktism, and some Shaivas worship in both Shiva and Shakti temples.

That’s the reason why the characters in this novel, Veera Bhadra & Karthik are based on this very context from Hindu mythology. The depiction done here has been put in such a way that it’s etched with personification of down to earth theme of ordinary individuals who can rise to great beings. Writing style is okay. Vocabulary is fine. Language is simple.
However, the sequential analysis in terms of action packed scenes seemed quite familiar & ordinary without any great deal of effort. So, it felt lackadaisically normal without the involvement of further investigation in terms of research. Additionally, the context has been stretched unnecessarily beyond the required amount, hence it felt really monotonous from many ends. Overall, an okay read.