In the Country of Deceit - Book I Read & Recommend

"The place you live in is like your skin, something you inhabit without being conscious of it.."

This is one of the many elegant lines from the book "In the Country of Deceit" by Shashi Deshpande.

Reading fiction was a kind of lost ability for me. So if I had to get this back to fiction it was possible to do only with Shashi Deshpande's book. That's how I picked this book. I am also bit afraid to read her as the characters and the lines lingers in mind for a very long time. 

I am happy this was a light read though it left a lasting impression.

Through Devayani and letters to her, the author opens up many aspects of life like love, marriage, relationships, family, property disputes. Devayani's interaction with Rani and her life reminds the life of movie stars like Arathi or Maadhavi or someone who were very big sometimes but not to be seen now. The characters are so real that I could associate them with somebody..known or heard. That is the beauty of her writings. You know they exist somewhere.

Devayani's quiet existence, sort of contented life really surprised me. why and how is she so happy? or neutral? I could not comprehend. 

Reading the book was watching a movie with no loud background score. where we don't want to miss a single scene. The letters were so refreshing...I wish we could open up to someone so concisely and clearly. This is only possible in letters maybe... WhatsApp and messaging have made us so fast that we don't take time to articulate!

Some of the lines from Sindhu's letters will remain in memory for very long!

"My own children have taught me how futile it is to advise anyone.. Nobody wants your advice. I sometimes think how strange it is that we can never pass on the benefits of our experience and memory! No wonder we never learn and make the same mistakes over and over again.."

 "Collective experience has value.. Individual experience has none.."

Back to Books - Book I Read & Recommend

I had lost the habit of reading books for reasons unknown to me for about 6 months. Whatever I do, whichever book I pick up,  I just could not read more than a couple of pages. Like I was under a spell or maybe it's called Reader's Block! Anyway, I am happy that I was able to come out of it now...

The book which broke this spell is Twinkle Khanna's Mrs Funnybones! I loved this book. It is a very light read and I felt the book finished too fast and I could have read a few more of her stories... 

But it gave a glimpse into life of celebrities by birth and their lifestyle..like just touch and Go.

Plus I loved chapters about Karva Chauth and other stories written in a satirical way without offending! This also has many good lines..One particularly I liked is :

“Each day that you persist in a situation where you are miserable is a day wasted on the path that would lead you to happiness.”

All in all a Good Read!

The next book that I read is If Truth Be Told by Om Swami. This is one of the most captivating stories that I have read. It is a contemporary and astonishing story of a millionaire turning to a monk.

I won't be able to able to write much about this book it is an "experience". It's a journey to an unknown world of renunciation! The life of renunciation is something not everyone can experience..It also opened my eyes to Tantra and Vamachara which were taboo topics for me so far.

Before renunciation, there comes a point where He would have lost most of his money but he dismisses the idea of renunciation at that point as he reasons that as a penniless what is there to renounce! Something to remember for leading life..

After which he bounces back and achieves huge success financially ultimately to renounce everything with a touching email. 

A very intriguing read!