Book Review: Khullam Khulla: Rishi Kapoor Uncensored by Rishi Kapoor, Meena Iyer

I picked up Rishi Kapoor's autobiography in a Kindle deal: I had absolutely no attention to read an autobiography. I find autobiographies to be self-serving, megalomaniacal items which serve more to satiate the ego of an already successful person or allows said person to get richer by peddling whatever stroke of fortune/ hard work propelled him or her to success.

That said, Kapoor's 'Khullam Khulla' started off promising. Rishi Kapoor's growing-up years were a fun read with anecdotes peppered in about the first family of Indian film. For the Kapoor family tidbits itself, the book deserves a one-time read. Thereafter, the book quickly degenerated into Kapoor's essays on the industry, heroines, the world, et al and I almost lost the will to read through it.

Also, for a man who prides himself in being frank and open (and therefore, even names his book so!), Rishi Kapoor seemed surprisingly guarded about his personal life. 

Strictly airport read.

Book Review: Veerappan: Chasing the Brigand by K. Vijay Kumar

K. Vijay Kumar is the officer who led the team that finally got Veerappan after decades of his eluding the law, seemingly at will. 'Chasing the Brigand' chronicles the rise of Veerappan, his decay (precipitated by a surprising action of poetic justice - him dyeing his moustache!) and his eventual downfall.

Written by a career IPS officer with no previous writing credentials, the book is surprisingly faultless. All I expected was an education on Veerappan, but I got a taut and thriller-like wonderfully enjoyable book in addition. I wish more ex-IPS/ IAS officers wrote books about their experiences - another relatively unknown book by an ex-IAS officer which I found really enjoyable was 'Making a Difference' (K. J. Alphons). 

Gripping thriller. One of those rare books that I could not put down!

Book Revew: Black Mass - Whitey Bulger, The FBI and a Devil's Deal by Dick Lehr

Whitey Bulger came to my attention after I saw 'Departed' in my college days. Wikipedia didn't do him justice at the time - hence, I was resigned to wait for a good movie/ book on his life.

'Black Mass' - the book helped me understand the rise of the mythical Bulger and John Connolly, more than 'Black Mass' the movie did. It seemed outrageous to me that an organization like the FBI would go beyond permitting to nurturing the rise of an organized crime boss. Though slow in parts, the sheer incredulity of the mythical FBI looking the other way as Bulger went about his merry crime ways was fascinating enough to keep me hooked.

The Bulger/ Connolly nexus was a major scandal in the US - and possibly I partly enjoyed the book more because I was aware of the enormity of the scandal. Readers who pick this book up off the shelf without context might not enjoy the book as much as I did.

Book Review: Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang

I was directed to Ted Chiang's book from the movie "Arrival" which is based on one of the stories here. The movie itself was mildly disappointing with the central thread of thought seeming a little too thin to weave a 2 hour movie around.

However, the book itself is mind-alteringly brilliant. Just like the movie and Chiang's "The Story of your life" chapter which propose that learning a new language can change the way you think, this book will make you question reality, the future, God and everything else you take for granted. I enjoyed "Understand" most but every story deserves to be read and digested.

I got lost a little bit in the golem story (which is why I am rating this book 4/5) but overall, Chiang has made me question the adequacy of my own comparatively earthly ideas as an author myself. I can safely say Chiang's stories and ideas will haunt me for the rest of my life. And that is why everyone needs to read 'Stories of your lives and others' - to consume, understand and digest Chiang's universe that will make you question and acknowledge every little molecule you ever come across in your life.

The Great War of Hind on Kindle Monthly Deal

Rs. 20 only (85% off)

'If God Went to B-School' on Kindle Monthly Deal

At Rs. 21 for all of February. Link: http://amzn.to/2jA8KQ7

Book Review: 2 States by Chetan Bhagat

I hadn't read Chetan Bhagat for at least 5 years, having read his books last in college. Given this, I thought of most of the criticism and ridicule surrounding his writing as actually being jealousy. I have found more than enough people who have claimed that Chetan stole their life story/ stories for his books or got someone they knew to ghost write his books, etc.

'2 States' however brought into stark contrast what a terrible writer Chetan actually is. Not only is his grammar dysfunctional, his prejudices and his prurience seem so pungent that his writing will end up frustrating you.

At least 2 people have told me that '2 States' was based on their life and was thus, plagiarized by Chetan. An equal number told me that their love story was the same as '2 States'. Above all, Chetan is a brilliant marketer because every B-Schooler who happens to fall in love/ get married in B-School will tend to call '2 States' as the book that defines his/ her love story.

I got this book free of cost and even then, it disgusted me. Read at your own peril.

Book Review: Killing Floor (Jack Reacher, #1) by Lee Child

What I hate about the Jack Reacher series is that the climaxes are always somewhat disappointing... underwhelming. I have read two of Lee Child's Reacher books earlier but was put off by the bare-knuckled-ness of the climax. Unless writers can bring the science behind action scenes alive, I have always found them to be hard to believe.

With Killing Floor, I decided to go to Reacher's origins since I thought Lee Child must have done something right to get a series contract from his publisher. While overall the book was racy and an easy-read, I found Child to be very much an author writing his first book. The character shrug a lot, like once every half page... and every character - young and old, male and female - does that. Reacher is interesting and has smart insights as an ex-Military Policeman but the action scenes seem just too easy, the die loaded in Reacher's favor always.

I am going off the Reacher series now. Higashino has proved far too reliable in comparison.

Book Review: Jihadi Jane by Tabish Khair

 'Jihadi Jane' is one of those books where the title and the hype are far better than the actual product. At best, the book was a mildly engaging tale of a youngster's tryst with the ISIL. I am not very clear what really put me off about this book - yes, the accents seemed a touch desperate but they weren't really the worst thing about 'Jihadi Jane'. What perhaps disappointed me that the book read like the female ISIL version of Reluctant Fundamentalist (it uses the same narrative style). Also with a title like 'Jihadi Jane' I expected the book to be the story of someone like Hejiye - a real fundamentalist operative - versus Jamila.

Even so, not a terrible read. Will take your mind off a 3 hour flight.

Book Review: Salvation of a Saint by Keigo Higashino

'Salvation of a Saint' sees Higashino at his competent best. As is the norm with Higashino, you know who committed the murder pretty much as soon as the book starts but with every turn of the investigation, the crime continues to be impossible to commit. There is a forbidden pleasure in rooting for the criminal which matched with the unusual overturned plot structure which makes Higashino's books one of a kind. I finished the book in three sittings and found it impossible to put it down.

On par with 'Devotion of Suspect X'. I was blown away by the climax - it was entirely unimaginable.