Book Review: Black Tornado - The Military Operations of 26/11 by Sandeep Unnithan

I only expected Sandeep Unnithan's 'Black Tornado' to refresh my knowledge of the details of the terror attack that occurred what now seems like aeons ago. Having consumed several documentaries, movies and books (The Siege, Headley and I) on the attacks, Unnithan's book was strictly a purchase in the quick/ airport/ nothing-better-to read sense. However, I was pleasantly surprised.

If 'The Siege' is 26/11 from the Taj Hotel's perspective and 'Headley and I' from the terrorist's/ unwitting confidante's, 'Black Tornado' is 26/11 from the perspective of the security forces. In that sense, it fills a critical gap in the understanding of 26/11 - the military perspective. Unnithan removes the veil from the functioning of the bureaucracy and the various security forces ranging from the completely outmatched police force to the effective MARCOS and eventually NSG, in response to the attack.

Fitted with decades old gear and outmatched rifles, what struck me was the spirit of the Indian soldier. Black Tornado is essential reading as a history book, a book on urban warfare tactics and then, for the very human stories of the several bravehearts that looked those terrorists unblinkingly in the eye.

Book Review: Rustom and The Last Storyteller of Almora by Gaurav Parab

Let me start this review with an ominous sentence: Indian writers tend to be bad at storytelling. I was wary of picking this book up but then I happened to real Parab’s “About the author”. Slightly overcooked, but he still had my attention. And then I thought, well, what the heck… let’s give it a shot.

I couldn’t have been more wrong about Gaurav Parab and his delightful little book. Winding through the journey of Rustom – a suicidal spoilt rich boy-man – the book is powerfully funny and poignant in pieces. After a long time I found myself savoring passages, word-play and the beauty of writing. I was reminded of Arundhati Roy – in many ways Rustom is a rough edged, slightly off and approximate version of The God of Small Things.

There are rough edges – for instance, there are too many short chapters and the book wasn’t really un-put-down-able. The frequent breaks become a little jarring but the beauty of Parab’s writing stands like a sheer silk mesh that keeps you hooked. Were it not for these minor faults, the book would be a masterpiece. I am marking Gaurav Parab as an author I am keen to read the next book of – which is more than I will ever say for almost any other Indian author alive.

It is a tragedy that the Indian writing scene has the kind of heroes it does. In another country, Parab would be a full time author and not merely moonlighting as an author with a day job. In another country, Chetan Bhagat wouldn’t have been permitted the attention that he has been, so far.

Definitely Recommended.

Book Review: Gujarat Files by Rana Ayyub

'Gujarat Files' would have become a Tehelka article had the Tehelka editors not lost their nerve over Narendra Modi looking likely to come to power. In hindsight, I believe Tehelka's rejection of the eventual material has served Rana Ayyub well - many more will read this fantastic book than the circulation of Tehelka at its peak.

'Gujarat Files' is a thriller cum true-crime book cum exposé of the Gujarat administrative machinery during the Gujarat riots. Ayyub is author/ investigative journalist who goes about 'stinging' politicians and senior officials in the police and administrative services (and even comes tantalizingly close to Modi himself!). Never before have I read a book (maybe Manto's 'Stars from another sky' comes close) where the author becomes part of the story and his/ her story progression becomes as interesting as the goings-on around him/ her.

As for negatives, the punctuation and overall editing are atrocious. It is impossible to tell several times if a person is still speaking or Ayyub has gone into commentary/ narrative mode. Even so, 'Gujarat Files' is a sizzling read. I read it in a few hours straight and found it impossible to put down.

Book Review: Serpentine - The True Story of a Serial Killer's Reign of Terror from Europe to South Asia by Thomas Thompson

One of my friends pointed out 'The life and crimes of Charles Sobhraj' as a must-read but I later found out that the book is banned in India. A Goodreads search led me to this book as an alternative.

One of the best 'true crime' books I have ever read, Thomas Thompson's 'Serpentine' derives its name from one of Charles Sobhraj's most enduring nicknames ('Serpent'). Thompson draws you in slowly, wrapping you in delicately into Sobhraj's tumultuous childhood to begin with. At the third page of the book, I knew it was going to be one of my rare un-put-down-able reads. 

Thompson is a meticulous fly-on-the-wall taking the reader deftly through the many lives of Sobhraj and the lives of those that had unfortunate happenstance of colliding with his. Thompson humanizes the victims very well (much like the authors of another true crime must-read with its roots in India - 'The Meadow'), but he manages to keep the victim/ aide/ eyewitness life biographies as interesting to read as Sobhraj's. The book thus, never loses tempo even when it takes a detour far from the master criminal.

What's disappointing is that Thompson leaves the story in the early 80's, when clearly Sobhraj even today continues to make headlines. Even so, an electric read!

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.

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