Review: The Catcher in the Rye

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

J.D. Salinger's critically acclaimed, hugely popular novel is the story of a teenage boy Holden Caulfield who feels alienated, isolated and confounded in a society he considers phony and driven by set conventions or rules. Holden on the other hand appreciates imperfection and deviance from the socially accepted norms and consequently rebels against the system. He is cynical, critical and almost hateful of everything and everyone with the exception of his 10 year old sister Phoebe. He simply cannot stand people acting against their nature only to keep appearances and stay popular . Holden is an extremely complex character who is unwilling to bend or mould to the ways of the social order and as a result misunderstood, rejected and alienated. He is thrown out of several boarding schools, has almost no friends, no love life, and is continuously taken advantage of because of his youth. This story therefore is an account of Holden's struggle to break through the barriers laid down by the society. However, whether he actually succeeds is not a subject of this book and remains a question that the reader needs to discover on her own.

This book is unique in that there isn't much of a plot or structure yet it keeps you engaged and its message resonates clearly and is loud enough to touch a chord within your heart. JD salinger's narrative told from the perspective of an 'ancient' 16 year old is extremely poignant and reflects truly the conflicts and questions virtually all of us face during those awkward adolescence years. As we stand on the cusp of adulthood, the innocence of childhood slowly fading, all of us feel a sort of alienation and rejection, the burden of peer pressure, the struggle to fit in, to perform the pre-defined roles set by the higher social order. This struggle, the insecurities and dilemmas of teenage are all captured brilliantly in Salinger's narrative and this is the true strength of this book.

On the whole, this is a book that is divisive because if you read it for a plot, for structure, for action and as a story that has a logical end, you would be disappointed. However, for a perceptive reader it works effectively as a character study and as a mirror of societal and personality conflicts, and therefore universally considered a significant work of literature. The Catcher in The Rye also helps you understand behaviour and the importance of freedom and free will.

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Review: The TOI Story

The TOI Story by Sangita P Menon Malhan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Imagine being a part of an industry where the words Profit, competition and innovation are sneered at. Where business is an afterthought and players operate as one large family. Where decisions are made amicably, after due consultation with each other. An industry whose purpose reads like a page from the encyclopaedia of nobility, littered with phrases like custodian of democracy, gatekeepers of truth, nation building etc. An industry where the owner plays second fiddle, while his employees act out important roles. Now imagine trying to be competitive, profitable and creating an impressive empire in this laidback scenario. Is it even possible? You would probably think not, but, here’s the twist, The Times of India did exactly that and along the way they shook the Newspaper Industry to its foundation. ‘The TOI Story’ by former Times journalist Sangita P. Menon Malhan, is an account of this amazing and truly inspiring journey of the Times Group. The book effectively summarises the history of the group and Times of India in particular from its origin as a newspaper aimed at providing mercantile news to one that became a voice of the people and brought issues of the common man to the front page. From a group that was trapped in the shackles of government control during the 1970s to one that emerged as a force to reckon with and a pioneer of change and innovation.

But, as is the case with all great things, the group’s evolution into this media powerhouse, was not easy. There were several obstacles and it took time, vision, acumen, self-belief and most importantly courage to overcome them. Most of the group’s success was the result of a number of decisive and ruthless moves over a period of a couple of decades. Behind these moves was the rather coy, mysterious yet extremely progressive and irrepressible owner of Times Group, Samir Jain. He along with a team of trusted individuals, turned TOI into a profit making, innovation driven, premium brand that is among the top media empires of the country today. This then is the story behind TOI’s phenomenal path to glory.

As I mentioned there were obstacles aplenty. The biggest among them was the ego of the editor. Traditionally, a newspaper was the editor’s medium, his vehicle to direct, Influence and to formulate public opinion. The editor was the face of a newspaper, the superstar, a man of integrity, the guardian of democracy, the high priest of truth and objectivity. It was the editor who was the captain of the newspaper, while the owner was basically a passenger. The editor could not be bothered about profits, market shares or anything to do with the business. So, when Samir Jain decided to turn TOI into a market driven newspaper as against an editorial driven one, he was met with resistance from the editorial and journalistic staff who felt that a market oriented strategy not only reduced the editor’s importance and standing but also undermined the ethos of the newspaper business. But, Jain was determined and over time with some tough decisions and much strife everything fell into place. This was a telling blow and made it clear who was the boss and how things would move from here. Having conquered the major obstacle Jain turned his focus to the others.

The other challenges had to do with the practices prevalent in the industry. The family like atmosphere in the industry was certainly not conducive to competitive practices or innovative decisions. These were considered contrary to the sense of fraternity. Pricing of ads and the paper itself was done with a sort of consensus and everything was done to ensure that the apple cart was never disturbed. But, here again TOI bit the bullet. It hiked its prices several times and once again created a stir. TOI claimed itself to be a premium brand having premium readership or audience. This gave the advertiser a better and more focussed reach. The move pretty much changed the rules of media advertising and once again TOI led the industry.

With advertising prices taken care of, Increasing circulation and building readership numbers was the ultimate challenge for TOI. This was achieved by tweaking content, by introducing a fresh and colourful layout and with the creation of supplements like Delhi Times, Brand Equity, Ascent and others catering to niche tastes. Also, TOI prioritized news that resonated with the burgeoning middle class over political news or other issues that were less relevant to this audience. The language too was toned to match the language that the youth could relate to. All these measures and initiatives worked perfectly and the TOI soon started selling more copies than ever before and captured the imagination of the readers. This eventually led to TOI becoming the highest circulated broadsheet newspaper in the world beating The New York Times by about 24,000 copies

Success however is not just about new initiatives, but also about how you take failure in your stride and this is another area where TOI excelled. Samir Jain’s ruthless approach to pull the plug on anything that did not work or was not in harmony with the larger scheme of things proved decisive in TOI’s success story making the group more focussed and committed towards its goals.

Although, TOI’s story is full of highs there have been a few lows too. The paper has been severely criticised for dumbing down news content, for over sexing its content, for putting issues of national interest below that of those that have a popular appeal and for not doing enough with its resources and its position in the changing media scenario where electronic media and entertainment has pretty much completely taken over print media.

Well, so that is essentially what The TOI Story is all about. It is indeed a fascinating read and while it is the content that makes it so, a lot of credit should also go to the author Sangita Menon for putting together the events in such a gripping, simple and lucid form. The book is tightly structured keeping its focus sharply on its main subject which is Times of India. It’s tone is fairly neutral and conversational which makes it a light and easy read not burdened by too many technicalities or heavy jargons. The research is fairly solid and coupled with quotes and statements from people in the company as well as the industry, lend the book credibility and gravitas.

Having said this, there are a couple of things that in my opinion pull the book down. One of them is the amount of time the book spends on trying to paint a complete picture of Samir Jain’s personality or demystify him. This gets repetitive and by the end it still doesn’t give you any more of a clearer picture than you got after the first couple of paragraphs. Also, the chapter dealing with the clash and conflicts between the owner and editor is also overly long and repetitive. Lastly, there are a number of statements attributed to sources that are anonymous, which to an extent dents the credibility of those statements. But, I guess this is nit-picking and shouldn’t put anyone off from reading this.

All things said, I enjoyed The TOI Story. It is a wonderful, though not too detailed or deep, insight into an industry that has been a part of our daily lives since we can remember. It gives a fair idea of the issues and the elements that make it such a vibrant and dynamic industry. It’s a job well done and deserves a read!


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Review: A Man Called Ove

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Ove is a man of action. He is also soon to be Sixty years old. He has lost all he ever cared for and now stands at the verge of becoming purposeless and well.. useless. But he wasn’t always like that. He was a self-made, self-reliant man who believed in doing things. He was respected by his colleagues and he was strong and able. He had fixed beliefs about right and wrong and these were non-negotiable. In his opinion there was no middle ground but only white or black. Ove fought for what he believed in even if the whole world stood against him. And, when others wouldn’t listen or get things done he would do them all by himself. He made his house by putting together every brick and iron and bolt. He was a man of firm beliefs and even firmer hands. A doer, a man of action, a man who found love after years of despair and hopelessness. A man who liked control and lived by principles. Ove was indeed a rare man in a world that no more believed in getting its hands dirty instead in getting things done by others. A world where loyalty and hard work were not valued but change for the sake of it and quick fixes were. A world heavy on words but light on work. Ove though had been a functional man since he could remember, not for him the fancy concepts of leisure and luxury. Ove therefore could not trust or understand the new age man. He thought of them as incompetent and fools. And because of this attitude he was often mistaken as rude and anti-social by those around him.

For almost 40 years, Ove couldn’t care, he still didn’t, about what people thought. Because, he had his wife, Sonja his only companion, his shining light, his one true love, his shield against the world; She could handle the world, while he could keep doing what he liked most, fixing things, making things and working with machines. But now she is gone, and so has his job, that kept him occupied for almost half a century. In a matter of months he has lost all his reasons to live. He is all alone. Can he continue to live in a society that seems to have no place for a man like him? A life devoid of purpose and action and without the only person Ove ever loved and who loved him back? This then is the central theme of the story. It’s about Ove and whether he can go on and find something or someone to live for in a world where he cares for or loves no one.

This is an idea full of amazing possibilities. It presents an opportunity to have an incisive insight into the life of an old, grumpy man, an chance to look at the world from his perspective, to hear his views, to learn about his insecurities and fears, to understand what it feels when there’s not much left to look forward to and life is mostly about what has already gone. A time when future is not full of promises but an obligation to live for others. When memories are all you have of the best time of your life. Sadly, in our daily existence, we do not hear the voice of the old as much as we ought to. All the sounds and sights are for the youth, the ad campaigns, the Movies, the TV shows are aimed at the young. The old and the elderly are confined to the farthest corners of our society, only to be remembered when we need their blessings or support. They gradually turn into fixtures; present but never seen or heard or noticed. Nobody seems to care about what they feel or what they want to say. It is therefore that I feel that this book by ‎Fredrik Backman, if only at a very miniscule level, does a worthy and honourable job of bringing this marginalised section of our societies into the spotlight. And I think it deserves plenty of praise for doing so. It lends the old people a voice and a personality. I only wish it could have done more, given us a greater, deeper look into what it means to get old. A task it only partially does.

I must confess , I sometimes do wonder what it feels to be old and lonely. How difficult it would be to survive in a place where you cannot understand things happening around you and where no one cares to explain them to you. To whom would you confide in when all who were of your time and age have already become memories? Who would you share your thoughts and fears with when there’s no one to listen? What would be your reason to live on, why would you even want to go on? I think the author tries to explore all these themes and does so with some amount of success, though, in my opinion, not with complete conviction. Overall however he does a good job of bringing these ideas into mainstream and creating a certain amount of sensitivity towards them. It is a noble attempt.

The book is decently written. The plot moves forward at a reasonable pace losing steam only once or twice during its length. It is helped by having only a handful of characters which allows the narrative to be fairly taut and concise. However, I personally am of the opinion, that some of the characters do take away from Ove and Sonja’s story of which I wish there was more of. They are to be honest important to plot development and the message that the author wanted to give which is of love, care and being wanted. But, I did find some of them slightly irritating and the situations involving their interaction with Ove, a bit melodramatic or forced. It seemed the author wanted to keep the tone of the book as light hearted as possible with a few poignant and sad moments thrown in to keep the story grounded. But, in his efforts, I thought he probably sacrificed the depth of experience and perspective that the story had potential to reveal. It could have been better if the story had focussed more on the psyche of Ove and his thought process rather than on the other characters. Talking of characters I should not forget to mention the cat which is one of the major characters in the book. The cat it felt to me was a spiritual and symbolic representation of Sonja. I could be wrong though.

All said and done, A Man Called Ove is a story one should read, if only to get a perspective on old age and life in general. The story provides a peek into what it feels to be alone and old and why love, care and the feeling of being wanted are so important for us to live on. The book has moments of real depth and feeling but that doesn’t make the book heavy or burdened, because the author balances these heart wrenching moments of profundity with funny situations that lighten up the tone of the narrative. I wish there was more here, a greater exploration of old age in all its shades but atleast there is an attempt at bringing this unattractive and gloomy phase of our existence to the forefront. For that alone the author deserves to be appreciated. I would love to give it 3.5 stars but as that is not possible on Goodreads I shall go with 3 perhaps.




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Review: One Indian Girl

One Indian Girl by Chetan Bhagat
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Having read all of Chetan Bhagat's previous novels I was pretty much prepared about what to expect from this one. His stories have a few fixed elements. The main characters are based in real world settings, urban, usually belonging to middle class families, and academically and professionally successful. The problems or conflicts they face arise through their interaction with social or personal circumstances. Eventually they overcome these obstacles and find happiness or redemption. Bhagat's stories tell very personal and intimate tales. This novel is no different from the Chetan Bhagat template. However, despite the presence of the common elements, there was a first with this book, unlike CB's earlier books where the main characters were usually male with minor exceptions, here he attempts to tell the story from the point of view of a female and thus the title 'One Indian Girl'. This coupled with the fact that Bhagat had openly promoted his book as a kind of never before insight into an Indian girl's mind and her life, almost a demystification of an Indian girl's thoughts, desires, aspirations, struggles and so on had me intrigued and somewhat raised my expectations.

Now, having read this let me put things straight. Contrary to my expectations about this being some sort of a study into the female mind, this book hardly reveals anything new or revolutionary about the female psyche or her struggles that is not already known or written about. Insecurities about looks and body shape, the constant struggle to prove themselves more than mere trophies for men to showcase, ambition to succeed professionally, the conflict to choose work over home or vice versa, the social pressures of marriage and settling down, relationship issues and the need to conform to social norms regarding how girls must behave and act are issues that the protagonist of 'One Indian Girl', Radhika, has to confront and overcome in this story. These are issues that have been cannon for woman oriented literature for years and Bhagat barely breaks into any new territory on that front. The only thing he deserves credit for perhaps is bringing these issues into mainstream, mass literature. It is perhaps an attempt towards sensitising his huge reader base about issues faced by women on a constant basis and thus creating empathy and better understanding. If that was the intent than it is an attempt worth appreciating.

Beside the intent though, the execution remains fairly average and run of the mill. The clichés and stereotypes that have become part of Bhagat’s style are revisited here. The big fat Punjabi wedding in all its glory, featuring nosy relatives, naughty bachelor parties, Sangeet functions, the flirtations between the boy and girl and the chaos and confusion are all present here. The Punjabi mother’s fixation with marriage and her concern about girl being coy and subservient are well described. But, as is the case with Bhagat’s books the book reads more like a screenplay for a Bollywood family melodrama than serious literature. It is marred by the plot and the protagonist Radhika who is one confused and slightly annoying character. She has major insecurities about her looks yet men are falling for her left, right and center. Is that a comment on what goes through a girl's mind or on men in general is open to interpretation.

So, to sum up my views, let me conclude by saying that while this is a reasonably entertaining and breezy read, the plot is convoluted and too outlandish. The story takes too long to unfold and becomes exasperating by the time it reaches the climax. It has its bright moments but overall it is an average read which brings nothing new to the table but only serves as a break from life without leaving any impression or a lesson to take home.


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Review: 1984

1984 by George Orwell
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

1984 is a Classic, so there's not much to add. I will only say that in his most admired novel, George Orwell presents an extremely disturbing, terrifying, gloomy and bleak view of the future with absolutely no hope or redeeming qualities that could make it otherwise. He paints a dystopian world where an individual has been stripped of all free will and is merely a subject of the ruling regime. She has no rights, no power to decide; even her words are not her own but of those who shape her world and control her mind. A world where past only exists to be amended as and when it suits the ruling class, where even a single flawed or rebellious thought could lead to termination, where love, lust and passion are considered malignant, and humans are no more the masters of their destiny but puppets in hands of the mighty. This is a cold world, bereft of thought, feelings, emotions and perhaps most importantly, human touch and empathy. It’s a future where privacy and intimacy have no home, where men and women live under the prying and unrelenting gaze of the ‘Big Brother’, the charismatic symbolic representation of the regime and its philosophy.

Regimes change, philosophies change, systems change but the hunger for power and ultimate and complete control remains the same. This is what drives the world and George Orwell’s masterly work is an exaggeration of the consequences of such hunger.

1984 is a book that makes you think and while you are at it makes you wonder what if someone could read and scrutinize every little thought in my mind. What if someone somewhere is constantly looking at every little gesture I make, at every turn of expression on my face, and waiting to judge me and persecute me for it. What kind of a world will it be where not even a thought is your own, where not a word is your own, even your body and its movements are to be guarded every living second? Well…it would be a miserable world, but if ever you wish to visit a land like that, George Orwell’s 1984 will be your place to start.

An interesting, engrossing read that challenges your boundaries of imagination, that informs and at times educates but as is the case with most creations this one too is not without a blemish or two.


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Review: A Game of Thrones

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


An adventure of epic proportions, a journey spanning kingdoms far and wide and an experience bursting with emotions and characters of all color and kind, in my opinion is a fitting way to describe this book called 'A Game of Thrones'.

A rich, enjoyable, thrilling and at times disturbing book, A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin captures the dark struggles, strife and politics of power in the fictitious medieval age. It adds drama and spice to the grim settings with supernatural elements in the form of Dragons, the undead, the direwolves, black magic and so on. But, despite these incredible, fantastical elements the struggle and conflict between the various kingdoms and the men at the centre of these conflicts is brutal, intense and sometimes horrifying, particularly in the way lives are taken without mercy and without emotion, none is spared, not man, not beast and not even children. The battle for the crown is bloody to the end and there is no real winner because the one with the crown can never rest easy in this atmosphere pregnant with betrayal and lust for power.

Full of impressive characters and witty, memorable lines, A Game of Thrones is a treat for the fans of fantasy and mythical fiction. There is honor, gallantry, loyalty, villany, love, betrayal, cruelty, naivete, treachery and so much more here, making this a truly fascinating read. There are twists and turns that would shock and stun and leave the reader with a plethora of emotions.

Having gushed over the bright points, let me dwell a bit on the lesser aspects of this book. The writing to be honest is bland at times, despite some beautiful lines and a few memorable ones, the writing is more or less plain. The descriptions of castles and the locations could be overwhelming and at times tedious slowing down the pace of the book. I must say I am extremely thankful to HBO for adapting the book and making it easier for the reader to imagine and comprehend the scale and structure of the massive world created by the author. Also, some of the sub plots particularly Bran’s story angle even though it would lead into something more relevant in the books to come, detracts from the action and slows down the otherwise fast paced narrative. These are probably the only minor problems I have with this otherwise satisfying read.

To sum up, this is a book that entertains, intrigues and at times horrifies with its range of events, characters and situations. It has an epic feel and a raw, brutal intensity that simply hooks you.

‘In the Game of Thrones you either win or you die!’


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Review: The Green Mile

The Green Mile by Stephen King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Green Mile by Stephen King is a classic. Infact, it says tonnes about the quality of a book when it gets adapted into a major Hollywood film starring the brilliant Tom Hanks and directed by the wonderful Frank Darabont. A book with that pedigree needs little introduction and even less of a review.

However, since I am bent on writing my opinion /review of the book, I guess I just got to get on with it. Right off the bat, let me say that I truly enjoyed this book. I found it one of King's better works. It is tightly written, full of action and drama and in my opinion one of King's best edited books. Every word has an urgency, every situation fits perfectly and the story progresses swiftly and smoothly. The plot itself is rather unique and fairly original as far as I know.

The plot involves a large black man, John Coffey, being sentenced to death for raping and murdering 9 year old twin sisters. However, as John Coffee is brought to The Green Mile for execution, the turn of events suggest that he possesses an amazing supernatural ability to heal others. Also, it also appears that he has been mistakenly convicted for the murders. The prison guards also realise the same. The question then is whether they will save him from the electric chair, and whether the real murderer would be brought to justice.

As you can see there are plenty of dramatic and a few supernatural elements in the story. Yet, despite the story dealing with supernatural, fantastical elements, King's ability to add realism through his characters, his language and his almost poetic poignant, at times deeply philosophical lines really tugs at the heart of the reader. There's an undercurrent of sadness and loss that flows through this story and captivates the reader.

Perhaps the only week bit is in the ending which is a little stretched and melodramatic. However, in terms of its importance to the plot it is extremely important.

I would definitely reccommend this book to everyone. It is not just an interesting tale but as with most Stephen King's novels it is also a wonderful take on humanity and its many shades.

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