Book Review : Wonder - When and Why the World Appears Radiant

Title : Wonder - When and Why the World Appears Radiant

Author : Paul R. Fleischman

Publisher : Small Batch Books

ISBN : 978-1-937650-23-0

Fleischman is a well known name in scholarly circles and has penned various books and articles in numerous journals. His latest book 'Wonder : When and Why the World Appears Radiant' is a wonderful attempt to highlight the awesomeness of everything in this universe. He explains why and how we should view everything that is within ourselves and around us, with wonder. To support his explanation Dr. Fleischman brings in various diverse perspectives ranging from the fields - scientific, spiritual, philosophical to literary. From a tiny electron to the vast universe, the awesomeness of the discipline with which things happens is just beyond comprehension. Through Wonder, the author takes the readers on a guided adventurous journey to make them aware of things and phenomena that take place in the world and how innumerable constituent components function. What Dr. Fleischman has come up in the form of Wonder is an example of a piece which has extensive range as well as substantial depth enriched by study of various fields.

There is extensive compilation of scientific observations and surveys; religious and spiritual inferences; and quotes from literary classics like that of Tagore, Whitman, Asimov, Neruda and many more.  Concepts of time, space, energy and matter are explained through the research findings of scientists along with the life and mind of human is amply explored. It is commendable how author so seamlessly builds a coherent speech which takes ingredients from as diverse areas as one could think of.

Dr. Fleischman talks how wonder comes so naturally to children and quotes 'Fear is for adults who are ignorant and wonder-challenged.' He designates individuals like Einstein as the poster-boys of wonder and conveys that it is when wonder stops, that development and progress stop too. There are in all eighty chapters categorised under seven sections, each chapter is very short length wise. The language is profound and matches the quality of the content well.

That this piece of writing is a well researched piece is an understatement. It is quite evident from the scientists, philosophers, authors, academicians, skeptics and believers that have been quoted in this book that Dr. Fleischman must have gone through a huge array of information to come out with Wonder, which is an essence of all. This scholarly written book is packed with very enlightening information, however, it is not an easy or fast read, rather it is a tedious read if one wants to finish it off in designated number of days. Best way to read this book is to pick a couple of chapters at a time, spend time assimilating the power packed information before moving on to the next chapter. Readers must be cautioned beforehand that the narrative is not smooth as is expected from the kind of content this book offers.  It is full of quotes by well known scientists, astronomers, philosophers, writers and many more and often times the scientific observations are interspersed with psychological or philosophical deductions.

Book Review : The Bicycle

Title : The Bicycle

Author : Paavannan

Illustrated by : Ayush Rajvanshi and Mohit Srivastava

Publisher : Katha

ISBN : 978-93-82454-20-5

'The Bicycle' is a story of a young man and a little boy who share a common passion - to cycle to distant places. As the story opens, the narrator (the young man) looks at the scooter parked in front of his house and recalls the time when a bicycle used to stand there instead. The bicycle, which was his prized possession, his key to enjoy freedom of the world, away from the drudgery of routine work. He wanted to ride his new bicycle to far away places. To satisfy this urge of his, he once planned a long trip from Mangalore via Hassan. He experienced the thrill of becoming a part of the nature as he rode for more than 200 km in all kinds of terrains. He savoured his uplifted sprits as he made the best of every moment of the decision of following his dream. This powerful life lesson of listening to one's heart is brought out in the most subtle manner here.

Through the forests and across the hills he kept riding till his bicycle got punctured. He had to stop in the middle of nowhere but he found a lively and cheerful little boy who invited him to take some rest at his humble abode. They both shared their dreams with each other to ride to distant places. The little boy opened up his heart which had deep longing to possess a bicycle of his own.

But will the little boy ever get his own bicycle? Will he ever be able to live his dream as the narrator could?

In the end, the narrator does something extraordinary which extends his exhilaration further. The readers would love to read how the story ends. Though a very short story barely covering 18 pages, it is power packed in more ways than one. A true example of how sometimes good things come in small capsules.  It brings out another important learning that when you work towards realising your dreams, you develop a sensitivity to value dreams of others too. Then you would want to do your bit in helping others realise their dreams as well.

Read this tender little story of a unique friendship which, though developed within a few hours yet made an indelible mark on each other.

Books like these reinforce my belief in Katha publishers that they are doing a wonderful job in creating quality literature for young readers. Moreover, these delightful books make my job as a reviewer much more pleasurable. 

Book Review : The Case of the Runaway Continents

Title : The Case of the Runaway Continents

Author : Geeta Dharmarajan

Illustrator : Joyita Banerjee

Publisher : Katha

ISBN : 978-93-82454-15-1

An information packed book 'The Case of the Runaway Continents' is a new offering of Katha books. It is about the changes that our Earth is undergoing unrelentingly, every single moment and how it reached to the state where we see it now. It tries to explain the reason behind some of the observed facts in the nature and on our earth.

Coral Reefs which are found mostly in the Southern hemisphere have their remains in Northern hemisphere as well. Some of the animals that are found in South America and in Africa share common ancestors. Rock samples taken from different coastlines are found to belong to the same original rock. What connect these things together which physically appear to be so far away from each other? The questions like these have intrigued geologists and historians for ages. After understanding the trend that the surface of our earth shows, scientists have come up with the logical explanation that initially all the continents formed a single big landmass. With time this large land mass broke off giving rise to different continents which drifted apart from each other.

It is understood that Earth's continental crust is constantly under change and it follows a cyclical timeline which is called the supercontinent cycle. Though a cycle takes 350 to 500 million years to complete, the continents are continuously in the process of merging or breaking up.

The author discusses many other concepts related to our planet Earth and its surface, ranging from tectnoic plates, how they float on the molten magma, what causes earthquakes, how some of the mountains are formed, what are trenches, how is the ocean floor increasing, is Earth growing in size to accommodate new land formations, the ring of fire and much more. It is interesting to read how India got detached from one landmass and merged with another and how Himalayas got formed due to this collision.

'The Case of the Runaway Continents' is a comprehensive introduction to our planet Earth, its surface, hot secrets buried in its womb and the perpetual process of change that Earth keeps experiencing. There is a high chance that readers would get motivated to read more on these concepts which are  briefly touched in the book. The first impression that one gets from the cover page of the book is that this book should be for young readers, however, some of the concepts are a little complex for that age group. The book is appropriate for readers of age 11+ years. At a few places, the illustrations and text show some disconnect. A couple of images are too detailed which are not backed by equally detailed description.  

Book Review : Run Ranga! Run!

Title : Run Ranga! Run!

Author : Geeta Dharmarajan

Illustrator : Srivi

Publisher : Katha

Katha has come up with yet another endearing tale and this time it is about Ranga, a little Rhinoceros. Ranga is a newborn baby when the story begins. She enjoys the gentle, loving and warm touch of her mother. Her Ma tenderly nudges the reluctant little baby to stand, but Ranga just wants to get back into the comfortable confine of her Ma's belly. Slowly she learns to stand on her legs, to drink milk, and to take rest. Ranga's babyhood phase is filled with listening to stories softly narrated by her Ma, taking mud baths, playing, learning to speak and laugh. Ranga feels proud that she is able to do all these things like how her Ma does. Gradually the horizon of her small world expands and she starts acknowledging and understanding her surroundings, meets other rhinos and makes friends. But the bond that she has with her mother remains unparalleled. Time flies and now Ranga has a baby brother. Ranga, a loving and protective elder sister wants to keep her Ma and her baby brother safe from all sorts of dangers. The three of them want to revel in the beauty and tranquility of the grasslands but their Ma feels the need to teach them to run from humans because 'rhinos are scared of no one else but humans'. Ranga does not like living under the threat of humans destroying the grasslands and killing animals like her. Ranga wants to grow up, to walk majestically in the grassland, to have her own baby but she wishes for a new and different future, 'hopefully I won't ever have to teach the baby to run from humans.'

Story of Ranga lets the readers peek into the life of this majestic and graceful member of the grassland. Peace loving Rhinoceros do not demand much, they just want to be safe and happy. Run Ranga! Run! Brings out the plea of Ranga and all wild animals in general that they want humans to respect all forms of life. The precarious balance that exists in the nature is under threat because of greed of humans.

Mahatma Gandhi very rightly said, 'Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's needs, but not every man's greed.' The other living creatures are silently paying the price of human greed.

The book is a wonderful way to introduce young readers to these Big Fat friendly creatures who enjoy their solitude in verdant grasslands . It is a great step by Katha to ignite awareness for nature and for all significant aspects of the nature in young minds so that they grow up to be responsible and compassionate citizens of Earth.

Book Review : The Bad Touch

Title : The Bad Touch

Author : Payal Shah Karwa

Publisher : HayHouse

ISBN : 978-93-81398-48-7

The Bad Touch by Payal Shah Karwa is a compilation of real life experiences of survivors of child sexual abuse(CSA). CSA is one heinous crime which is impacting the most vulnerable organs of our society. Whether it is one incident or continuous abuse, the torture transcends the physical plane, it goes much beyond it, scarring a child's childhood and his/her individuality. By sharing their heart-wrenching stories, the victims are trying to extend their solidarity to the cause of spreading awareness about this evil in the society. This is a wonderful step forward with the objective of making those individuals who have been wronged, to come out with confidence because it is NOT their fault.

The first detailed account is that of Harish Iyer, who first narrated his personal horrifying experience on the show 'Satyamev Jayate'. He endured the abuse for many years at the hands of his uncle who threatened dire consequences for his family if he let a single word out. But one fine day he mustered the courage to say NO and since then he has been active in spreading CSA awareness. Lata became a victim at the hands of her uncle who was supposed to be her guardian. Unfortunately her grandmother refused to believe her and she went through the trauma of feeling alone and dejected. A noted film director Anurag Kashyap had been a victim of incest and sexual abuse for a long period of eleven years. 'The severe abuse affected him and he grew up to be a troubled teenager. He suffered from chronic relationship issues as he found it tough to be normal. He was sunk deep in his own world, bereft of emotional empathy.' He found the ultimate solace in expressing his pent up emotions and thoughts in writing. There are many other stories which, besides highlighting the perils of the victims, brings to fore the apathy of loved ones and the society towards the wronged individuals.

The true life experiences will shake the readers to the core. But this book is an attempt by the author to - help the survivors heal themselves by sharing their stories, to create and spread awareness of the issue of child sex abuse among parents and guardians, to inspire people to get together for the fight against CSA.

The book offers much more than these inspiring stories. It brings out the statistics about how prevalent CSA is in India, the common myths that usually people carry, the warning signs that should be carefully watched in children to sense if anything is amiss, what are the precautionary measures that must be taken, how to deal with CSA and which organizations to approach to seek help. Our crippling society needs more and more such forums where the issues like these are brought out in open and discussed in order to build a better future for all of us. The book has served its purpose of providing useful information along with being a source of  great inspiration for many affected. However, the content could have been organised in a better manner and the language could have been more simplistic so that it is readable, relatable and understandable for more and more people.

Some voluntary bloggers and social networkers, along with the support of some NGOs have come together to organise an annual awareness programme - Child Sexual Abuse Awareness Month (CSAAM). April month has been picked up as CSAAM and during this period, various workshops are conducted, discussions are organised, experiences are shared, methods are devised to eradicate the menace from out society. 

Fearless Women - 23rd April, 2014

THE SHIFT EXPRESS brings you FEARLESS WOMEN in which Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik speaks on the roles of spirited women in Indian mythology, Sampat Pal Devi describes how she fought against gender inequality with her powerful women band, THE GULABI GANG while Shubha Mudgal tells us how she made a place for herelf in the male dominated world of Hindustani Classical Music. It also showcases Nishtha Jain, a film-maker, and Radhika Vaz who breaks all boundaries with her humour.

Date: Wednesday 23rd April, 2014
Time: 10.30am to 1.30pm
Venue: Alliance Francaise de Delhi Auditorium, Lodi Estate, New Delhi

Fee: Rs. 2800

Contact: Titiksha Goel
Tel: +919911636572
Email: contact@theshiftseries.com

REGISTRATION OPEN

Be there to watch eminent panelists discuss, 'AFFAIRS of INFIDELITY' in which a lawyer, a psychologist and film-maker debate INFIDELITY, an issue often left unaddressed.

Book Review : Beyond School

Title : Beyond School

Author : Chitra Anand

Publisher : Leadstart Corp

ISBN : 978-93-83562-40-4

The author, Chitra Anand is a postgraduate in Physics and holds an Education Degree. Beyond School is her first novel inspired by her journey as an educator.

'Beyond School' story revolves around a grade twelve student Shail at an Indian School in Muscat. As countdown has begun for his board examinations, his parents Sushil and Urmila are at their wits ends. They cannot find any way to convince their son to study for the board exams while Shail leisurely goes about doing his other activities, which include - sleeping with abandon, dreaming about football or his girlfriend, watching re-runs of football matches on TV, texting on mobile phone for hours and much more. In short, a typical day in his life does not have any scope to accommodate study time. However, what Sushil and Urmila are unaware of is Shail's decision to not appear for the exams at all this year.

As the story progresses and as the examination days are approaching nearer, the pressure is soaring high for Shail to escape from his parents' focus and for his parents to make Shail study. Glady, the mentor in the school is approached for Shail's situation. She has a way of showing the students the side of the picture that they seem to be unaware of. She is a great counselor without being preachy. Her way of dealing with such situations is to get the student understand why and how a particular fixation of mind and heart starts driving the decisions and when that fixation is satisfied, how the pressure fizzles out. 'Tell people that they can have what they want and soon their fight for the want loses intensity.' She gives a new dimension to Shail's thinking so that he does not stay stuck with 'What is wrong if I don’t write the exams this year?'

 A few more sub-stories are intertwined along with Shail's narrative, including that of - Glady's uncomfortable past, Sushil and Urmila's struggle to get united and Roha as another student requiring Glady's counseling.

Chitra Anand highlights many areas that have gained immense significance in the lives of individuals who are at the cusp of adulthood. The unrestrained  access to information, gadgetry invasion, unabashed approach towards sexual issues and much more are subtly weaved into the fabric of the narrative. This gives an honest reflection of the society in which today's youth is functioning. Though an amateur author, Chitra has done justice to the idea that she wanted to convey through her writing. However, there are a few places where editing could have been more tight. Some of the incidents are unnecessary or too elaborate which could easily be done away with. 

A recommended read for young adults and their parents. 

Book Review : Little Cloud's Quest

Title : Little Cloud's Quest

Author : Stephen Aitken and Sylvia Sikundar

Illustrator : Joyita Banerjee

Publisher : Katha

ISBN : 978-93-82454-13-7

One fine morning a little cloud is born. She looks around but doesn't find any companion or a playmate. Seeing her sad, the wind offers to give her a ride to up above in the vast sky. Some thin wispy clouds are floating there but they do not include the little cloud in their group because she looks different. While she tries to be like wispy clouds, Cirrus clouds pass her by and mock her for her slowness. A big cluster of fluffy clouds do not pay any attention to the little cloud either. They remain engaged in the hide and seek game that they are playing. Then the little cloud meets Cumulus clouds who reject her for her smallness.

The little cloud is really sad and cannot take her loneliness any longer. She starts shedding tears. What magic!!! The drops coming down from the cloud are greeted with mirth and happiness by the desert children who want the little cloud to stay with them for a while. Little cloud is delighted as she is wanted and cherished by these little children who are enjoying every drop of water that is falling from her. Soon her sad tears are replaced by joyful showers. The little cloud plays and  plays with them to her heart's content because she has found her friends now. She does not want to miss the magical gift that she has received and given to her new friends.

Katha books are committed to opening innumerable beautiful vistas for young children through the world of books. 'Little Cloud's Quest' is another step towards that objective. The authors have beautifully weaved an adventure around the clouds and the world high up in the sky in the book. As the little cloud riding on the wings of the wind floats over distant lands, she gets to meet different kinds of clouds and understands their specific characteristics. Children will get to enjoy the fun ride with the little cloud in her quest for friends to play with. As the story progresses, many interesting cloud facts are also introduced in a fun manner. This works as a perfect example for 'play and learn'.

Interview : Anandaa

A wonderful book - A Cupful of Aha! and equally wonderful author description of himself. I must post the exact message from author here. 

"About the Author

The author is possibly the only double PhD(one in Applied Psychology, the other in Comparative Tribal Music) who has spent multiple stints in several rehabilitation centres for problems ranging from drug abuse, mental breakdown, and schizophrenia. 

He then spent 8 years roaming the remote regions of the Himalayas - living with goatherds and monks, and often going several months with not a work spoken.

At ease with Prime Ministers and commoners alike; he has the unique ability to predict key events of your future just by looking at a photograph of your little finger.

P.S. : None of the above is true. The author is just the average John (or Jani or Janaradhan). does not matter.

The message is important; not the messenger."

How did the idea of 'A cupful of Aha!' occur to you?

Quite honestly – right out of the blue! J

I just started putting pen to paper (actually, fingers to keyboard) and the story literally wrote itself. I didn’t have the plot thought out – I just started with the base premise and went with the flow. After a point, the words wouldn’t come and I’d stop for the night. And then enjoy the suspense as I had no clue what was coming next. But the conversation between the two main characters did feel very real as I wrote.

So – divinely inspired or temporary schizophrenia – I’m not sure. But I loved the process and the end product!

What was the objective of putting the wisdom of life in words?

Thank you – very flattering words – ‘wisdom of life’! But seriously, I was just sharing some insights and a quirky perspective. I’m in no way qualified to expound on such matters; but as I’ve said in the book - ignore the messenger, the message is still very relevant for you.

How much of what you have written did you actually experience?

Some of it, yes – and some of it I deeply yearn to instill more in my everyday life. I’m extremely grateful to the many Masters who have graced my life and pulled me along – kicking and screaming sometimes – on the path of self-discovery.

Which one thing do you want the readers of 'A cupful..' to take with them?

I’ve had very different takes on the book from people who have read it so far – from ‘simply enjoyable’ to ‘deeply philosophical’. And some of my friends have been puzzled by certain twists in the tale (again, different ones). So I think the book is more like a mirror – it seems to reflect what you need to see.

But if the book elicits a few smiles, and leaves you with a few questions – I think my job’s done.

What do you plan to write next? Is there any dream writing project that you have in mind?

I do have a couple of ideas I’m mulling over. And of course, my dream is that the next book also writes itself!

Which authors do you like reading the most - Indian and Foreign authors? Can you please name some of the books that have motivated and inspired you the most?

This is a difficult one. Because I just love to read (and re-read), and I read everything from fiction to philosophy to comics, and usually read 3-4 books in parallel. I close my eyes and at least 15 names come to mind – so I think I’ll skip this one!

How has been your journey of being an author?

A refreshingly different break from the corporate world I spend so much time in! If you thought writing a book is the hard part, wait till you figure out the process of getting it to print! And here I’d like to a say a Big Thank You to the BecomeShakespeare.com team. More than the professionalism and great quality, what impressed me most was how BecomeShakespeare.com helped convert the entire experience of getting my book to print into sheer joy - it felt like a gang of good (and talented) friends were jamming to create some awesome music together!

What suggestions would you want to offer to budding writers?

Just one – stop waiting for advice! Listen to your heart and just start writing!

Click here to buy the book.

fabric painted short kurta