BOOK REVIEW : The Kite Runner

Title: THE KITE RUNNER (Now a motion film)

Author: Khaled Hosseini

Bloomsbury Publications

Price : £ 7.99 

Points: 4 out of 5

" It pulls every string of emotion in your heart.Engrossing and inspiring."

" When guilt leads to good , its called redemption." A hundred such great thoughts and an inspiring story makes it one of the most enjoyable and fascinating journies, a journey not just though geographical borders but through a ocean of human emotions, through a quest of right or wrong,guilt, grief, anger and devotion.I will refrain from calling it a 'book'  for it will be undermining the creativity and the ability of its author to make the characters so lively that you never feel like reading a book, you are always living the life of its main charcter: laughing, playing,developing,growing, crying with him as the story progresses.

The story is based in Afghanistan,Pakistan & California on the life of its central character Amir and how he unknowingly (or because of the circumstances) commits a few mistakes which creates a 'hole' in him and how he goes all the way back to set the things right.To get redemption.The story highlights the transition that made Afghanistan , what it is today. It pulls every string of emotion in your heart and at the same time is full of rich humour and  instances that leave you spellbound.

This very ability of reaching to the bottum of human feelings and expressions makes him one of the most inspiring writers to write on issues of social significance.I end here with a few more inspiring lines from this novel.

"There is only one sin .And that is theft. Every other sin is a variation of theft.When you kill a man, you steal a life.You steal his wife's right to husband, rob his children of a father.When you tell a lie, you steal someone' right to the truth.When you cheat, you steal the right to fairness."

PS: To know more about the author and his initiatives, visit http://www.khaledhosseini.com/

When we meet each other......

Here goes a small story.There are only two main characters in this story-Anant & Biplab.Both students-school mates , class mates , even bench mates from the past 12 years.They have been partners in nearly all activities at school and outside.They know each other quite well or so they think.This story is not about their lives but about that one winter evening.It was quite windy and Anant had just finished the school assignment that was due to be submitted the next day.Biplap, who lived in the neighbourhood, came to Anant's house to discuss about the assignment.Anant was always among the top quizzers of the school and had represented the school at various platforms and had also won a number of awards.Biplap was the best athelete of the school and he had also won a number of medals by winning various sports events.They were both above-average in academics but were outstanding in these fields.They were no doubt good friends and had a few common interests too.But there were differences, they had completely different backgrounds or should i say economic backgrounds. Anant's father was a government office clerk and saved very little whereas Biplap's family was quite rich.

When they were kids, they could never have thought about such difference and at that time Anant had only one great partner for every activity i.e. Biplab and same was the case with Biplap.They both played and enjoyed with each other without any 'barriers'.But that day when they both met, they were not like what they were a few years back.They were different.Biplap looked down at Anant.Anant also continued his relationship with biplap just for the sake of it.They were now into a relationship that could just be called 'working'-working for both of them.The joy and love that they used to derive from each other was lost- lost into the demands of the present scenario, the society.They both had set their own limits,boundaries,barriers,walls- whatever you may call them.They exchanged notes,books etc but never exchanged feelings as they did when they were children.

Who says 'we still are a child at heart' or 'there is a child in everyone'? Most of us have killed that child or kept it under a veil of ignorance.The differences can be of many types ( not just economic )and hence it is not possible to go into investigating the root causes of such a change in human behaviour as we grow older.The death of that child has led to the steep decline of humanity.Now, we all have our own boundaries,barriers,walls and dont even think beyond them because of the fear of rejection-rejection from society,peer groups etc.

Go beyond these barriers.Break the code.Taste humanity.Experience that child within and you will never be the same again.

DCE Then and Now

I still remember my first day at college.On 2nd August 2005 , after having missed the registration on 1st August and the welcome ceremony due to unavoidable circumstances, i entered the college campus with only one task on my head: To get myself registered for the course( without any further delay).On my way to college, i was wondering whether they will register me or not.Of course i had spoken to some D.C.E. officials on phone before coming and they had assured me that i will be allowed to register after giving a late fee but still i was not sure as it was an entirely new system for me and i had my natural fears.The RTV stopped in front of the gate of the New Campus of DCE and i got off.What was in front of me , was a place that i had only visualised through some of the images in the brochure and this was going to be my first 'real' experience.Yes, i was excited but somehow the registration was all that i could think of at that time.Went past the gate, the beautiful lanes, lush green gardens towards my department i.e Electronics and Communication Deptt and got myself registered for the course.One thing was sure that this is one the most beautiful places in Delhi and i am one of those who is going to live here for the next 4 years.

A lot has changed since then.Someone rightly said "Change is the only constant in this world" and my college is not an exception.Soon before we(2k5 batch) joined the college,Delhi Metro changed the way people used to travel to the college and made it more accessible.Being a hosteller from the very first year, i had my share of ragging and interaction with seniors.This also seems to have changed.The college got a new canteen,student participation in the administrative affairs of the college increased,new SIGs and societies were formed,a new auditorium was built,library was digitalised, many new annual fests came up,wi fi resurfaced and much more.The college became more lively,many new technical projects with new ideas came up and the college became a hub for experimentation & innovation even if on a implementation and design level.The student activities at the college expanded into new areas with new ventures be it the social service society NSS,dramatics society PRATIBIMB, dance society DHOOM,debating society SPEAK,quizzing society 42,photography group SHUTTERBUGS,Madhurima(Singing) or the online journal iDCE.All of them are great initiatives and have given DCEites a number of platforms to show and nurture their talent & skills which inturn would help shape their personality.The veterans like IEEE,SAE,CSI & IET also improved their standards and not to forget some of the most awaited events like inter-hostel Sports meet and Arena.

And there i was at the college gate at the start of this semester when a fresher walked up to me and asked about the registration process after confirming if i am a student of this college.I told him all i knew and he left after thanking me.I instantly began to wonder if he will also witness as much change as i did?

Is this place ever changing?

BOOK REVIEW:THE LOVELY BONES

THE LOVELY BONES
Author : Alice Sebolt

POINTS : 3.5 out of 5

"Beautifully written with a strange and new theme."

The book starts with the central character Susie who is dead and narrates the whole story from heaven.The story starts with the girl's murder.The murderer is mentally disturbed person who has murdered many girls/women in the past and is obsessed with it. What follows is the investigation by the police.The girl's father suspects a neighbour who is actually the murderer himself and he does all he can to collect sufficient evidence against the murderer.The story talks about human behaviour in different circumstances and brings to fore the bonds that exist between the members of a family in wake of a crisis they had never imagined.

It also takes us to heaven and tells a lot about the Soul and its abilities of coming back to life forms.Even though its all about a murder, it doesnt take the shape of  a thriller as the story starts with a murder and the murderer is also known.Its a very new idea and hence could have been rejected given the risk.But that is not going to happen.The intellectual depth of understanding of human relationships and behaviour and its equally great narration in form of words makes it an outstanding read.The out of the box approach and the larger than life characters dont let to put off the book until you finish it.

BOOK REVIEW : THE ALCHEMIST

THE ALCHEMIST
Author: Paulo Coelho
Harper Collin Publication
Price: Rs 180

Points : 4 out of 5

Alchemists were known to turn any metal into gold.The great story-telling approach of author "Paulo Coelho" and the excellent usage of characters makes this book what may be considered one of the best self-help and inspirational writings of all times.The story is set in Andalusian countryside,the African deserts and the great Egyptian Pyramids.The central theme of the story is that "One should always try to follow his/her dreams and move on the path governed by omens, signs from the all mighty." The importance of omens in one's life has been very well established through several instances.

Coelho choses a boy of around 16 years of age as the central character of this inspirational literary masterpiece who becomes a shepherd against the will of his family,who want him to become a priest, because he always wanted to travel.The boy's life changes forever when he decides to investigate the reason for his recurrent dream about a treasure.Some of the most important encounters with other characters also take place during this journey of exploring his dreams that change the course of the story.

What follows is a magical journey through the African continent in search of this treasure.The boy at every stage puts at stake what he has to follow his dream.On his way, he falls in love,learns alchemy,observes nature and finds many omens that testify his path.The author also explains true love as an encouragement rather than as an impeding block to fulfilling one's desires and dreams in a very beautiful way.The rest of the story takes you through a journey of a life time and leaves you amazed by what happens next in the boy's life.

Altogether it makes up for a interesting and 'message riden' read and should be read like a story as it is meant to be.It may be suitably called the beginning of a new genre of self-help books.