5 people you meet in Heaven

5 people you meet in heaven by Mitch Albom.

I had heard a lot about this book when it came around and there was a movie also made on this (Ain't Hollywood quick on making movies, killing desire to read?). I was quite reluctant to read it as I am not too much into fiction these days and I thought it would be preachy.
I bought this book in library book sale for real cheap, I buy books from the sale on the spur for a chance at reading them. This one got the chance as it is pretty thin book ( there are a lot of unread books on my bookshelf, their volume is too daunting) and I finished it real fast. I began reading book on low expectation and quickly developed interest as I read along. The story is pretty simple, but it is made interesting by the suspense created by how the story enfolds and when the facts are presented. And along with the story, there are some beautiful thoughts about life-about sacrifice, love, forgiveness, emotions.

Since this was a used book, the book came to me with thoughtful lines already marked! Here is a beautiful prose from it about love and that it is forever:

Lost love is still love. It takes a different form. You cant see their smile or bring them food or tousle their hair or move them around a dance floor. But when those senses weaken, another heightens. Memory. Memory becomes your partner. You nurture it. You hold it. You dance with it. Life has to end, love doesn't.

The take home message of this book is: life that anyone lives is not unimportant. Each human is part of a whole, and gives something to that whole through his/her life. A very effective book.

Summer reads

I was in back home in India this summer for a couple of months and here was my opportunity to catch up on my much longed for reading activity. So I did read a few books. My first read was the autobiography of the Mahatma. It was very interesting to read about the "Mahatma" as an ordinary human being, who was struggling with his own fears and trying to find the answers to life's questions. Hence the tiltle of his book is "My experiments with truth". It is amazing to note that he describes his innate fear of speaking, but eventually he overcame it to accomplish great deeds of courage. This one was a pretty big book of about 500 pages. This translation by Navjivan trust (Gandhi's autobiograpy was originally written in Gujarati) seems hard to read as the language is too wordy.

Next I read the two bestsellers by Malcom Gladwell-Blink and The tipping point. Both are very interesting books. Both talk about how seemingly insignificant/small things in life matter so much. In blink, he talks about the first instinct and in The Tipping Point he talks about small ideas that can be big. And it is not just real examples that he talks about and theorizes, he supports them with evidence from researches. Both books are good food for thought.

My last read was Superstar India by Shobha De. I am amazed that I finished this book for all it kitschy and gossipy qualities. On the other hand I found myself laboring to move from one page to another of The Argumentative Indian by Amartya Sen, for all its intellectuality. Against the title, Superstar India actually is a trash talk on India, with just one point in support of India-family values. I would'nt want to read such content in a book titled "Superstar" India. Shobha De fooled me with the title.

Currently I am reading "Wild Swans" by Jung Chang. Since I am back in US and my reading is on a halt, I wonder if my summer reads would be all that I read this year!

Coming into world of video games.

I am writing this blog while someone is playing Call of Duty on the PS3:) After going between yes and no for long, finally husband bought the PS3. And on top of that, he also bought a Nintendo DS and that too within a span of 2 days! And with them came some days of argument over the use of such time and money squandering devices. I was furious.

As the heat cooled off, I was cajoled into giving it a try, and started playing the New Super Mario on the DS. Now, after completing the game, I must admit that I was hooked. After all it is like a virtual adventure -finding your way towards a goal with thrills of becoming victorious over mean enemies along the way. Wish life was like that.....you knew your goal and enjoyed the journey towards reaching the goal.

Between homes

It has been a long time no blog! I had been to India, and as we all know how busy daily life can be there. I had gotten so used to the US life, quiet and peaceful. In contrast, India is bustling with energy. Vibrant, is how I would describe it. Being a movie buff, I did catch up on couple of movies in the theater, now having so many people to babysit! Saw OSO in Patna and TZP in Mumbai. Both the movies were a great watch, very different stories well told. I thought it was patriotic that they played the Jana Gana Mana in the Mumbai multiplex until a friend pointed out that the anthem itself is not patriotic. Historically, the anthem was written in praise of the British. At freedom, between Vande Mataram and Jana Gana Mana, Jana Gana was selected as it was easier for the band to play.

Now its back to US, playing mom to naughtier-by-the-day son. Its a delight to watch him. How pure and free spirit he is, checking everything out with curiosity, bringing out all the love from mommy's heart. And of course putting me to a test of patience!