Most Enjoyed

Most Enjoyed Book - Gang Leader for A Day

2008-04-30T23:19:00.002-05:00

I saw the book in the New Books shelf at our local library, and dropped it into my book-bag not sure if I'd even open it. It was just that I had read that this book had come out and was curious.

I first came to know of Sudhir Venkatesh from the book Freakonomics -- he is the grad student mentioned in the chapter "Why Do Drug Dealers Still Live With Their Moms?" At that time, I wanted to learn about this person Sudhir.
One evening, maybe two years ago, driving around town, I happened to be listening to a piece on "This American Life" and Sudhir was narrating one episode. In that program, they also mentioned an upcoming book.

Anyway, late last Saturday night (technically Sunday 2am) I just couldn't go to sleep due to a persistent jet-lag so I gave up trying to sleep, got the book and started reading. And I was hooked. It was past 530am when I put down the book (and that was just so that I could watch an IPL 20-20 cricket game.)

I found the insights into the lives of the people he describes very fascinating and illuminating. The anecdotes were very interesting and so I guess I kept reading. It normally takes me anywhere from 10-20 days to finish a book, and this one has 290 pages but by Tuesday I was done.

If street-life fascinates you, then I think you will enjoy this book

Cambodia Calling

2008-03-28T21:29:00.003-05:00

Cambodia Calling is Richard Heinzl’s book recounting a year that he spent in the town of Sisophon. But it is also a lot more than that. It is full of anecdotes and little details that serve to give us, the readers, a sense of what life in the frontlines of conflict is like. The harshness, hardship and the humanity of the town residents and the Cambodian doctors is rendered with wonderful little examples.

The author has made a great choice in not hitting the reader on the head with examples of violence or gore, and instead focuses on the many aspects of the lives of anyone volunteering in the frontlines. But this is Cambodia and the past does seep through from time to time – the doctors lose beloved patients, people temporarily lose their minds.

The book actually starts with the author wandering around in Uganda in 1985, a few years before his Cambodia stint. Then there is a small section of Richard’s life in Canada and then the bulk of the book is based in Cambodia. Because of this, I read someone calling this is a disjointed book – but the Uganda and Canada chapters served as background for me and I had no problems with the geographical shifts.

One reviewer points out that the author doesn’t go deep enough, doesn’t really try to assimilate himself into the lives of the Cambodian people and that he actually views these field trips as opportunities for travel. While all of this could well be true, it is not for us to make moral judgment on someone who did much more in one year than what most of us would do in our whole lives. I loved the fact that the author didn’t fit some preconceived notion of what a humanitarian aid worked should do.

While this book may not perhaps make you learn as much about Cambodia if you were reading it for that, the book is full of wonderful stories and serves to give us a flavor for what life in SE Asia was like, for this author. If you love travel books, memoirs and are curious about volunteering abroad, this book is a must read.

Amazing Journey: The Story of Who

2007-12-10T22:59:00.000-06:00

This weekend, I watched this newly released DVD documentary and wanted to recommend it to any and all fans of classic rock. Though I own a few of the group’s albums, it is embarrassing how little I really knew of their back story. I was introduced to The Who while in college. All I knew until recently was that this basically was a Pete Townshend group, and that he made a show of breaking guitars onstage.

This DVD helped me see and understand a lot more. I didn’t realize that the other three were such key players each in their own way. Roger Daltrey (the singer) explains and elaborates on the history as well as the thinking behind what was happening. To me, the biggest surprise was how down to earth and articulate Pete Townshend is. The DVD did a pretty good job of summarizing 40 tumultuous years, which couldn’t have been an easy task.

Particularly eye-opening was the fact that even after listening to My Generation several dozen times, I hadn’t paid any notice to the use of stuttering as a stylistic device. Also, I noticed the bass solo by John Entwistle only when a number of people in the film sang its praises. (There’s got to be a big market in music appreciation classes for people like me who are essentially musically ignorant.)

Anyway, if you like Classic Rock and are able to get hold of a copy and watch the film, I feel it would be an evening well spent, and one that is sure to be full of nostalgia.

Ram

"Quake Books"

2007-11-20T11:20:00.000-06:00

A list of books that 'woke you up.'

Here's a great list.

Stand-Up Diplomacy

2007-03-14T22:34:00.000-05:00

I read this article in print in this week's Time magazine. The idea of comedy for diplomacy is a very appealing one, and James Poniewozik has written a great 1-page article. But the reason I am posting this is the pun in the ending which I liked a lot.

Four years into Iraq, the U.S. may finally be ready to meet a group of incisive Middle Eastern Americans who do anything but bomb. In fact, they kill.

Read the 1-page article here.

James Poniewozik, Time magazine, standup comedy,
middle east

Book - The Places In Between : Rory Stewart

2007-02-24T22:13:00.000-06:00

If you like travel or travel books, and are even remotely curious about Afghanistan, this is the book for you.

Rory Stewart, the 'first tourist' to enter the country right after the Allied offensive in 2001, writes simple but compelling prose. Foolhardy yet inspiring, this book was a very easy read for me.

Try a few pages, I don't think you will be disappointed at all.

Check out the author's website.

You should also be sure to check out reviews by the NY Times and Powell Books.

Paul Theroux Interview - 57 mins video

2006-11-10T23:01:00.000-06:00

I found this interview of Paul Theroux and wanted to pass it along. Those who have a read a few of his books, especially his travel books, are sure to enjoy it. It was given right after his Hotel Honululu book came out, though in the one hour he covers quite a bit of ground.

I especially like it that several years after the interview, we are able to enjoy an interview that we were not present for.

Nixon Under the Bodhi Tree - Buddhist Fiction

2006-10-01T23:45:00.000-05:00

Nixon Under The Bodhi Tree
Edited by Kate Wheeler

One of those books that I picked up purely based on the Title. And am very glad I did for it proved to be a great collection of "Buddhist Fiction," a term I have not hear of before.

These stories/works would, I venture, appeal to a wide variety of people. You really don't have to be into Buddhism at all in order to enjoy the pieces compiled in here. I think I read the whole book simply because it was such a good read.

Notable stories: Beheadings, Greyhound Buddha, There are no footsteps in the sky, Mi Mi May.

Buddhist fiction, Kira Salak, Kate wheeler, Margo McLoughlin

Niafunke - Ali Furka Toure - Most Enjoyed Music

2006-09-30T21:55:00.000-05:00

Niafunke
Ali Furka Toure (1999)

I sometimes get nostalgic for places I haven't even been to. I listened to this album for the first time, read the CD liner notes, looked at the sepia-toned pictures and it happened again.

That was enough to make me want to hop on a flight to Bamako, (that'd be 3 flights from here really) then rent a Jeep and drive into the Mali shrubs looking for the village of Niafunke and this brick "studio." Instead, I listened to the wonderful music that Ali Furka produces.

Powerful, considering that this CD is my introduction to Toure's music, though I have heard his name and a song or two in NPR's Passport or similar programs. From the CD notes, I learned that Toure toured the West and then went back to his village to cultivate rice.

I loved the music and hope to learn to appreciate it more with repeated listenings. I admit that I am no music expert. When I listen to this collection, especially at the start of many songs, there are evocations reminiscent to me of Indian music (echoes of his Islamic influence perhaps). If you get a chance, do try this CD.

Ali Furka Toure, Niafunke

Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut

2006-09-13T23:02:00.000-05:00

Slaughterhouse-Five
Kurt Vonnegut

After reading about Vonnegut for so many years, and dipping into essays by him, I finally decided to read one and picked this one.

Slaughterhouse-Five (S5) had made it to a few people's "one book to read list" so I decided that it was time. I think what surprised me the most was the sheer ease with which the book flows, the conversationality. I guess I had an unconscious image of having to plod through an 'anti-war' tome, but S5 is everything that a tome is not.

Vonnegut has used numerous literary devices to great effect, and writers may want to pay attention.

I especially liked his 'So it goes' chorus as I believe the literary device is called, the phrase follows almost every mention of death. It serves to underline the fact that death is such an integral part not only in war but also in daily life.

Been a long time fan of self-reference, and therefore I really enjoyed Vonnegut's 'meta-fiction.' He writes about this book in this book itself, writes about his trying to write it etc. (Vonnegut has done things which I mistakenly assumed that only Andy Kaufmann had tried in the movie 'Adaptation.')

Finally, I absolutely loved the way the author fragments a linear flow of time. All his seamless riffs on the present, past and the future and also to the planet Tralfamadore serve to create a great texture. (Again, I had mistakenly assumed that Tarantino's Pulp Fiction movie was the first to play with non-sequential narrative, but Kurt has done it a long time ago in this book.)

A word of caution: This book does contain harsh language, and I later found out that it has been on several 'banned books' lists. I understand that parents of young children may not want this book in their kids' hands, but I highly recommend it for everyone else.

Slaughterhouse fiveslaughterhouse funf,vonnegut, tralfamadore,meta-fiction, literary chorus

Liar's Poker by Michael Lewis

2006-09-09T11:03:00.000-05:00

Liar's Poker
Michael Lewis

Very few of us are going to actually get to be traders in Wall Street. And very few writers get to be insiders in a Bond trading firm and possess the ability to write as well as Mike Lewis can. Most important of all, the writer is not overly caught up in the self-importance that might have accompanied being a trader. These are just a few reasons to seek out this book.

I like Michael Lewis' books, and can especially recommend MoneyBall for those who like statistics and attempts to quantify subjective things (baseball, in this case).

Liar's Poker is a great read for anyone even remotely interested in life on the Street. With all the fanfare that accompanies anything to do with stocks, this book about what it was like for a bond trader, right from getting interviewed, to training to be a training, all the floor politics -- petty or otherwise -- and finally emerging as a full fledged trader make for fascinating reading.

bond trading, wall street, trader, michael lewis

A Book List -- the one that everyone should read

2006-07-24T22:51:00.000-05:00

This blog is essentially a series of recommendations. When I came across a webpage chock-full of book recommendations, it made sense to me to pass it on.

What is truly embarrassing to me is how few of the books from the list I have read. But I guess that simply means that there is so much more for me to discover. To view the list and get started click right here.

one book,must read

Mac vs PC Ads -- I'm a Mac, I'm a PC

2006-07-22T13:48:00.000-05:00

Every time the Mac guy makes the PC-guy look klutzy on these TV ads, I find myself laughing out loud. This, in spite of the fact that I am firmly a PC user.

And after it was pointed out to me that the PC guy looks a little like Bill Gates, and the Mac dude is a youngish Steve Jobs lookalike, I've started to enjoy them even more.

There are 3 ads in all: Work vs Home, Out of the Box; and Touche. Check out all three here. (Needs quicktime)

PC vs Mac, Mac Ads, Steve Jobs

Priya Instant Mixes

2006-07-10T20:37:00.000-05:00

If you have dabbled with Indian foods at all, or if you are an Indian who's spent any time outside of India, you've probably tried Gits instant mixes. You may or may not care for them, but you know of them.

One set of mixes which I hardly see mentioned are the Priya brand of mixes. They have a good deal of variety, and I can heartily recommed at least 3: The Kheer mix, Rava Dosa as well as the Upma. (In the US, these are now selling at Buy 2 @ $0.49 each and get a 3rd free, which is an incredibly bargain.)

The Upma packet is good for breakfast for 2, and the kheer (sweet pudding) is wonderful and should serve even 6. I've really enjoyed them these past few months, and I thought it is only fair that I mention it here.

instant mixes, kheer

Suketu Mehta - Rebuttal in Wall Street Journal

2006-06-26T23:04:00.000-05:00

Bombay Rude? Hard to Digest!
A Rebuttal in the Wall Street Journal By Suketu Mehta

I haven't read Mehta's "Maximum City" yet, but this is an oversight I hope to rectify rather soon. But this is about something else that Suketu wrote, and I enjoyed it enough to mention it here. In today's WSJ, I came across a cleverly constructed rebuttal by Mehta. Here's what happened:
A little while ago Reader's Digest conducted a survey of 35 cities for global courtesy. And unluckily for all those who love Mumbai, the city ended up at the bottom, as the least courteous. In response to that, Suketu, the lover of Bombay, goes on to say why that particular survey is a bogus one (they rated people on opening doors, saying Thanking you, and picking up dropped papers) and then proposes a second one instead, one that Bombay might easily win.

He then ends his rebuttal with an excerpt from his book that RD had itself run.

"If you are late for work in the morning in Bombay, and you reach the station as the train is leaving the platform, you can run up to the packed compartments and find many hands stretching out to grab you on board, unfolding outward from the train like petals. As you run alongside the train, you will be picked up and some tiny space will be made for your feet on the edge of the open doorway. The rest is up to you. You will probably have to hang on to the door frame with your fingertips, being careful not to lean out too far lest you get decapitated by a pole placed too close to the tracks. But consider what has happened. Your fellow passengers, already packed tighter than cattle are legally allowed to be, their shirts already drenched in sweat in the badly ventilated compartment. They know that your boss might yell at you or cut your pay if you miss the train.

And at that moment of contact, they do not know if the hand that is reaching for theirs belongs to a Hindu or Muslim or Christian or Brahmin or an Untouchable. Come on board, they say. We'll adjust."

Now that's called opening doors for others.

This is a diabolically clever note to end with when arguing for something, and Suketu uses it to maximum effect. I know I will be reading the book soon.

suketu mehta, maximum city, rudest citymumbai, WSJ, mumbai trains

One Day in September

2006-06-20T23:07:00.000-05:00

There is only one sure way to time-travel. Watch documentaries of yore. Just before settling down for the weekend to watch Speilberg's Munich, I brought along this documentary from the library. I knew that after watching Munich I would want to learn more about the real story behind the Israeli Olympic athletes.

I wasn't mistaken. This is definitely one to watch, especially if like most blog readers, you were too young to remember the actual incidents of 1972. Even if you do recall what you read at the time, this documentary covers the story from multiple points of view -- the Israelis, the PLO, some of the relatives of those lost, the US media, and even some the German policefolk invovled in the incident.

When seen through our post-Sep11 paranoic eyes, some of the mistakes of '72 seem astoundingly naive and dumb. But I guess we must remember that the world was indeed a gentler place at the time.

If a historical and 'true' portrayal of the Munich Olympics incident sounds interesting, don't miss this documentary. (This film won the Best Documentary academy award, and Michael Douglas provides some of the commentary.) Your library will most likely have a copy.

Munich 1972,Israeli athletes, PLO, Olympics incident

The Zen Mind -- DVD

2006-06-18T18:31:00.000-05:00

A Zen Journey Across Japan

Maybe you've already been to Japan. Or may be you plan to go there some day. Surely, your experience will be different from that of filmmaker Jon Braeley and that's just one reason to view this DVD.

If you are interested or even curious about Zen, then this DVD is a great way to get a peek into the world of Zen, with a very zen-focused tour of Japan thrown in. The DVD has interviews with Zen masters, and also gives the viewer an introduction to the Zen way of life and to meditation.

"But what is satori? Is it something extraordinary?
No, ...Satori means you turn into your true self"
from The Zen Mind

If you are very familiar with Zen, this documentary may be too basic for you, but it could still serve as great refresher. I've read a few books on Zen in the past, and that fact only helped me enjoy the documentary/film even more.

This movie seems to be difficult to get hold of. I couldn't find it listed in IMDB, and Amazon was out of copies, but if you can get it be sure to view it.

Zen mind, Jon Braeley, Emptymind films, satori, zazen

There and Then: A Book by James Salter

2006-06-17T15:06:00.000-05:00

There & Then: The Travel Writings of James Salter
by James Salter

The trouble with most travel books is that they are 'linear' -- We went here, then we did that there, did you know this, something funny happened there (ha ha), what a great trip it was.

But never will Salter write that way. His love of the Old France, skiing, a little bit of Japan they are all there. James Salter writes with a certain muted brilliance, he doesn't give his praise easily. It has to be earned.

If you are already a fan of Salter, get hold of this book. He will take you to parts of the world that we can all go to, but we can't see with his sees. That's why we read his books.

If you haven't read Salter at all (and what's been stopping you?) then get his book 'Solo Faces' first. If fiction is not for you, read his autobiographical 'Burning the Days,' an excellent book about his flying and writing life.

Don't continue to be someone who hasn't read Salter. According to Susan Sontag:

"[Salter] is among the very few North American writers all of whose work I want to read, whose as yet unpublished books I wait for impatiently."

James Salter, There and Then, Travel writing

Story-Wallah - Short Fiction from South Asian Writers

2006-06-11T22:12:00.000-05:00

Shyam Selvadurai, Editor

I hadn't heard of or read about this anthology before. But I am very glad that the cover caught my eye. It is a very good collection of short stories from nearly two dozen writers.

The writers that you know well are there (Rushdie, Lahiri, Anita Desai, Rohinton Mistry etc.) but there are sure to be writers that you will discover.

I haven't yet had the opportunity to read a book by Bharati Mukherjee, and her wonderful story "The Management of Grief" has convinced me that I should hurry up. A few other stories that I particularly liked -- Winterscape (Desai), Just Between Indians (Ginu Kimani) and Auld Lang Syne (Sandip Roy). There are many more that I could add to the list.

If you hail from a South Asian country, you are sure to discover writers from your neighboring countries. And if you just happen to like reading stories from other cultures, this one is a nice and easy way into South Asia.

I also found this article about Shyam and the book, by Aparita Bhandari in mybindi.com

Story-wallah, Shyam Selvadurai, south asian fiction

A "Personalized Countries" Visited Map

2006-05-18T14:15:00.000-05:00

A friend sent me this link using Stumble Upon. If you've had the opportunity to visit a few countries, you can visit douweosinga.com and create your own map of countries that you have visited, such as the one shown below...

create your own visited countries map
or vertaling Duits Nederlands

It is pretty neat, and fun to play with. No denying the small risk of falling into the trap of simply counting the number of countries one has been to (touched) . It is one thing to have "visited" a country and quite another to have known or experienced it.

If this sounds like fun, try to create your own map. You can then save it, and it even gives you the html code to use elsewhere.

50 Best Websites

2006-03-28T22:25:00.000-06:00

From The Chicago Tribune
(my hometown newspaper)

Surely, we've all heard of many of the 50, but there are always surprises. Check out the Trib's 50 Best Websites. (I came across the list in HyperText, a blog maintained by Steve Johnson.

Also, equally interesting (and a lot more opinionated) are the Readers' choices and suggestions. In this list, again, were many sites that I had not heard of, but I am sure planning to check them out. If you have the patience to read through the comments, you'll surely be rewarded with a site or two that you didn't know existed.

Word Game of the Day

2006-03-18T19:53:00.000-06:00

Merriam-Webster Word Game Of The Day

I have been a long time subscriber to the M-W word of the day, but only very recently did I notice the big button on the left panel. One day, out of curiousity, I clicked. That day's word game was fun and so I clicked again the next day. Soon, I became became a daily visitor and was looking forward to each day's game. They have lots of interactive word games of varying difficulty, all aimed to test our vocubulary and understanding of English words.

If words interest you, and you are not already a subscriber you should consider subscribing to the word of the day list. (It's free.)

And here's the Link to today's Merriam-Webster Game of the Day.

Vocabulary, word games

Naked Economics -- Incentives Matter

2006-03-09T21:56:00.000-06:00

Yes, a second post about the same book. Some things are worth repeating. (I already recommened this book here.) In this follow-up post, let me try and articulate what I liked about the book.

For years, I have been searching for a book that would explain Macroeconomics to me, and this turned out to be the book. I still have a lot more learning to do, but this book served as a much-needed foundation. Now, I have to build on some of the concepts in Naked Economics. (As an aside, I found that wikipedia has some very good articles of topics like inflation, deflation, the flow of currency etc.)

Back to Naked Economics. It was in Chapter 2 -- Incentives Matter -- that Charles Wheelan really reeled me in. This fascinating essay starts by exploring the perilous lives of Africa's black rhinos and theire prized noses. He makes his points through real examples of the factors that are at play in eco-tourism, takes detours to India (Hindustan Fertilizer Corporation) and also uses the pollution in Mexico city to explain to us how incentives work (or don't).

Programs, organizations and systems work better when they get the incentives right. It is like rowing downstream.

Of course, I think that everyone should read every chapter, but if you end up reading only one, let it be Chapter 2.

Wheelan, Incentives,economics

Kronos Quartet -- You've Stolen My Heart

2006-03-08T23:48:00.000-06:00

KRONOS QUARTET and Asha Bhosle
You've Stolen My Heart
Songs from R.D. Burman's Bollywood

Sometimes, the buzz builds from very disparate sources, which was the case with this CD for me. I heard one song from this collection (Mehbooba, Mehbooba) in the same transatlantic flight in which I also heard Patchai Kiligal for the first time. (I've posted about that song before.) At the time, I didn't know of the existence of the Kronos Quartet.

Then, in one podcast episode of NPR's All Songs Considered I heard an interview with the Quartet in which playack singer Asha Bhosle was referred to as the "India's Elvis," and the Kronos Quartet person (perhaps David Harrington) responded to the NPR interviewer by saying "imagine if you had the opportunity to introduce Elvis to the American public."

Finally, in my friend Jaideep's 2005 list (which you can find here) he'd also listed Churaliyaa as one of the best CDs of the year. So I got hold of the CD and have been enjoying these "old" songs anew. I am not a big fan of remixes, but am slowly changing my stance on that. (If a "re-interpretation" can lead to more enjoyment of a known song, I guess why not?)

I especially love the way the Kronos folks have churned out Mehbooba -- the playfulness of the instrumentation never fails to leave me pleasurably giddy. Lovers of classic Hindi hit numbers like Dum Maro Dum, Piya Tu Ab Tho Aaja and Chura Liya Hai will love this collection.

I know I did.

Kronos Quartet, Hindi film songs, R D Burman, Asha Bhosle

Spellbound

2006-03-05T10:14:00.000-06:00

Spellbound: Everyone wants the last word (Documentary)

Saw this documentary after years of meaning to watch it. It didn't disappoint. If you like the whole idea of competitions (the preparation, the stress, your favorites getting knocked-out, and triumph) this is a movie you definitely want to see. (Don't read anything about the movie so that you can enjoy watching the results unfold.) This movie reminded me of "Mad Hot Ballroom" which I also recommend to all you competition buffs.

Keywords: Spelling Bee, competitions, preparation

Naked Economics by Charles Wheelan

2006-03-03T00:06:00.000-06:00

Undressing the dismal science

Once in five years, may be once in a decade, you stumble upon a book that is so good, it is pretty much the definitive word on a subject.

For me, Naked Economics by Charles Wheelan is one such book. For years, I have wanted to understand Macroeconomics better, and I believe me I have tried. And boy, does this one hit home. (I usually recommend to people that they first read a book and only then decide if they want to buy. But this one you should buy. And read once a year to refresh some of the concepts.)

A highly readable economics book with no graphs and no equations (even though I happen to like graphs and equations) can't go wrong, can it? Wheelan has a great breezy writing style, with such great everyday examples to drive his points home.

I will post once or twice more about some of the details of this book, but in the very last paragraph of the book, the author has captured it wonderfully.

“The remarkable thing about economics is that once you’ve been exposed to the big ideas, they begin to show up everywhere. The sad irony of Econ 101 is that students too often suffer through dull, esoteric lectures while economics is going on all around them. Economics offers insight into wealth, poverty, gender relations, the environment, discrimination, politics. How could that possibly not be interesting?”

Tags: Economics, charles wheelan, naked economics, macroeconomics

Note To Sixth Grade Self

2006-02-18T20:57:00.000-06:00

Heard this piece titled "Note to Sixth-grade Self" on our local NPR today, in a program called Re:sound.

While driving to a store, I flipped on the radio, and heard an audio rendition of Julie Orringer's "Note To Sixth Grade Self." I was mesmerized by the story of the social outcast, and her everyday struggles with her mean classmates. Even after reaching the store, I waited in the car in the parking lot until the reading ended.

Upon searching the Web, I learned that it had been published in The Paris Review. I liked the piece so much that I am now thinking of getting her book "How To Breathe Underwater."

If this link works, you can hear it in MP3.

Cinderella Man

2006-02-18T20:48:00.000-06:00

This is not a documentary in the truest sense. This movie is a biography based on the life story of boxer Jim Braddock. This common-man-turned-hero movie is definitely worth watching, esp. on DVD. I was surprised to note that it is currently ranked #207 in IMDB's all-time Top 250 movies list.

Possible Spoiler Alert (Don't read further if like to watch movies knowing as little about them as possible.)

I saw this movie a few months ago, but two scenes stick out in my memory. The first is the one where Russell Crowe pretends to his little daughter that he had a dream about having a full meal, and uses that ruse to give his breakfast to her and leaves for physical work hungry.

The other scene is the one where he goes back to the club and holds out his hat and asks for a hand-out while his erswhile boxing patrons (who made a lot of money on him) are eating and drinking.

If this movie passed you by, seek out the DVD.

Boxing Russell Crowe Cinderella Man

Po Bronson - Live at Chicago

2006-02-15T09:35:00.000-06:00

Continuing from my previous post on the same experience. (First post)

Po's message was that things are overall quite okay. He pointed out that we have gotten into this habit of "aggrandization of the Present."

He referred to the 4 existential fears of Kafka that might be paralyzing us. The Fear of dying, the Fear of choosing, the Fear that we will end lonely and finally, the Fear That life is ultimately meaningless.

To hear Po quote Kafka, in that hushed voice of his was quite a memorable experience in itself.

You do not need to leave your room. Remain sitting at your table and listen. Do not even listen, simply wait, be quiet, still and solitary. The world will freely offer itself to you to be unmasked, it has no choice, it will roll in ecstasy at your feet.

He would leaven all this seriousness by bringing in humor. He read aloud a review that showed up in Amazon, where the reviewer even claimed that Pierce Brosnan was Po's "superior brother."

Po spent a few minutes stressing that family life around the world has actually improved. He quoted lots of stats comparing contemporary numbers with past decades/centuries. Those who are interested should surely check out the factbook that he has compiled.

When Po read from his book, he had the entire audience captivated, hanging on to his every word. The interesting thing for me is that I had read the book before, knew the twists and surprises in every story, and still. To hear Po narrate the stories was a uniquely moving experience. There were lots of misty eyes in the audience, and these included the men listening.

During the Q&A session, I asked him what his next project was. His reply was that he honestly didn't know what it was going to be.

Whatever it turns out to be, I am just happy to wait and be surprised.

Po Bronson - Book Signing Experience

2006-02-11T15:57:00.000-06:00

In person, Po looks exactly like the photo in his book. Around 50 people had showed up that evening for the book signing in Chicago's Transitions Bookplace. He appeared a tad bit diffident hanging around before it was time for him to go on stage.

[Spoiler Alert: If any of you are planning on or think you'll have a chance to go to a live book signing for "Why Do I Love These People?" I recommend that you skip reading what follows and enjoy the whole experience afresh as it unfolds.]

Po had with him an assortment of "artefacts" -- maps and photos and a 3-ring binder that he'd brought along with him. He started out by reading aloud his "Promises to a Newborn Son." The letter was actually his clever way of informing us a little about Po's own childhood, the things that had been done to him (or had been left undone) -- a litany of parenting lapses that he experienced growing up. The list was hilarious to hear for the audience, but it couldn't have been fun for Po as he was growing up.

He showed a color-photo of Nicole Kidman reading his "What Should I Do" book in the movie "Bewitched" and he pointed out the irony of someone going to Hollywood to learn what real life is like (which is in the movie's plotline). Po also mentioned that he'd not been consulted or aware that his book was being used as a prop in the movie. (He then shared a couple of stories about his experience of being a writer in Hollywood.)

Next, he unfolded a large white map of the United States, with all the states outlined. In that map, Po had marked all the cities wherein he'd spent days and weeks interviewing 100s of people and had marked all the routes for the trips he had taken criss-crossing the country. One look at his map and it becomes readily evident that any author attempting a such book of inteviews and stories has to spend tons of time and effort.

As the stories kept coming, Po grew more and more comfortable and got deeper into his subject. What I had mistaken for diffidence was probably just his nature. Clearly, he was in his element. connecting with the audience in the bookstore at many levels, keeping them laughing while also making them think about the more serious subject at hand -- the one of family relatioships.

He made one very key point, which I had not thought about until that moment. He pointed out the distinction between his two recent book. "Getting what you love is the subject of 'What should I do', whereas loving what you get is what this new book, 'Why do I love these people' is about," he said.

For this post, I think I will stop here, and continue in my next.

Categories: Po Bronson Author Book Signing

Po Bronson Live

2006-02-10T19:04:00.000-06:00

Listening to Po Bronson talk about his Book
Transitions BookPlace, Chicago IL

First, a very brief introduction. In case you are not very familiar with this author, Po Bronson, it was his 3rd book "Nudist on the Late shift" a great collection of pieces in the height of the dot-com days that really brought him to the attention of the internet literati. (It was also the first Po Bronson book that I read.) His website is well worth checking out.

His next book, What Should I Do With My Life was a departure of sorts from his earlier style. In that book, he delves into the question of the book's title with a disarming frankness. The tone is very different from that of the Silicon-valley-dot-com-craze-fanning "Nudist" book. I got the "What Should I Do" book because I had loved Po's literary style in Nudist, (plus the title What Should I Do is rather compelling) but I read the book because of the power of the stories in them.

He's followed up this book with his latest book, Why Do I Love These People?, similar in vein to the What Should I Do book. I read "Why Do I Love" in the Fall of 2005, and was lucky enough to learn that Po would be reading and presenting live in Chicago in January of 2006. I will post about the experience of listening to Po share his stories in my next posts.

Po Bronson, Why Do I love these people, True Stories

Jaideep's List: Most Enjoyed In 2005

2006-02-07T22:30:00.000-06:00

This is a guest entry. For many years now, an ex-colleague of mine, Jaideep, has been sharing his Most Enjoyed lists with me. I especially look forward to his musical recommendations, mainly because he is musically inclined. Here is his list for 2005, published with his permission.

Hi Ram,
Here's my most enjoyed list for 2005 (order has no meaning).

Music
Sao Vicente de Longe - Cesaria Evora
You have stolen my heart (Churalia) Music of RD Burman - Asha Bhosle and the Kronos Quartet
Moffou - Salif Keita

Music DVDs
Live in London - Youssou N'dour
Live in Paris - Cesaria Evora
Sade Live
Live 8

Concerts
Festival of India - Ravi and Anoushka Shankar
Habib Koite and Bamada

Books - Fiction
Transplanted Man - Sanjay Nigam
Hero's Walk - Anita Rau Badami
Hungry Tide - Amitav Ghosh
Motherland - Vineeta Vijayaraghavan
Goddess for Hire - Sonia Singh
The Guru of Love - Samrat Upadhyay
Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown

Books - Non Fiction
World is Flat - Thomas Friedman

Movies
The Tracker
Murder on a Sunday Morning
Star Wars III

Trips
Montreal and Quebec City
Florida Keys

Restaurants
Indian Grill - Lincoln Park, Chicago
Paris Bordeaux (Crepes) - Lakeview, Chicago
Chu Chai (Vegetarian Thai) - Montreal

Ciao
Jaideep

Travel Story: The Iraqi Sheik and the Taxi Driver

2006-02-03T22:57:00.000-06:00

I have thought about this story a few times since I heard it, and decided to share it here even though it is almost certainly apocryphal.

Due to last minute travel plan changes, we ended up in Amman airport in Jordan this past Christmas eve. (Well, it was past midnight, so it was technically Christmas Day.) We hopped on to the airport bus at 2am and got dropped at Abdali bus station close to 3am.

The pouring rain practically forced us to get on a taxi, and the driver wanted to take us to a hotel where he could get a few Jordanian Dinars (JDs) as commission for his effort. This is the story that the taxi-driver told us, speaking English with a middle-eastern accent, while driving us to our hotel.

Our taxi driver had a friend who was also a taxi driver. Two months earlier, this other taxi driver had picked up an Iraqi sheik with a huge suitcase as a customer. (Ever since the fall of Saddam's regime, several Iraqis have been crossing the border into Jordan, a country that is relatively peaceful in this tumultuous region.) This Sheik directed the taxi driver to take him to any really good hotel, the price didn't matter. Before the sheik got off, he asked for the taxi driver's cellphone number.

The next day the sheik called the taxi driver, and directed him to take him to a different hotel where he could check in. Then, the same thing happened the following day -- the sheik with his big suitcase moved to yet another hotel. This went of for 5 days, the sheik switched hotels every single day.

Finally, it was time for the sheik to leave Amman. He summoned the taxi driver to pick him up from his hotel. "Do you know what's in my suitcase?" the sheik asked the cab-driver just as he was getting off the cab. The driver, of course, didn't. The sheik then told him that he had over 2 million U.S. dollars cash in it and left, hefting the mammoth suitcase.

That's the story our cab driver told us, while taking us to a hotel. Amman is a neighboring city to Iraq, and it's possible that some people in Iraq might have access to money that probably wasn't theirs. It was very late at night, I was jet-lagged and so it was easy to believe that there was some truth to the story. May be the sheik had an urge to show off to the taxi-driver, or may be the taxi driver just made the whole story up.

Film: War Photographer

2006-01-30T11:35:00.000-06:00

"If your pictures aren't good enough, you aren't close enough." -- Robert Napa

I posted earlier about the movie "Born Into Brothels" here. In response to that, someone recommened the movie "War Photographer." Coincidentally, around the same time I saw the trailer for War Photographer in another DVD and so I got hold of the movie right away. (I have been focusing mainly on documentaries this year, and I expect that I will posting about more documentaries in the coming months.)

The protagonist, photojournalist James Nachtwey is a very intriguing character, and his inner strength comes through. (You can certainly make the case that this is a "zen" movie, in its own way.) For two years, Christian Frei followed Jim with a micro-cam, recording the photographer traveling all over the world, in Kosovo, in Gaza and in Indonesia.

The adjective I can readily apply to this one is "powerful." War Photographer is a powerful movie, and exactly the kind of movie that all of us must see because it is so easy to forget (or not even know) that such things are going on in the world. It brings home more vividly the events that we skim past in newspapers in our hurry to get to the sports and cartoons sections.

Below are three of Nachtwey's photos that resonated with me the most.

As the vanquished Hutus fled into Tanzania, they had to leave at the border the weapons with which they had committed genocide.
(I found this photo more telling than any of maimed bodies)

Sudan, 1993 - Famine victim in a feeding center. Nachtwey's focus on poverty and famine is as compelling as his work on war and genocide. (The famine and lack of food has withered their bodies to mere skeletons and Jim reminds us that these people are actually in the feeding centers being helped.)

A lot of viewers are sure to like the positive aspects in the tragic story of Sumarno, an Indonesian father, who lost an arm and a leg when a train ran over him. His whole family continues to live in between two actively used railways tracks, with Sumarno is doing his best to take care of his family.

Jim's credo really cause me to pause and reflect. Don't miss his website, and if an exhibition of his work comes to your town, absolutely don't miss it.

Nachtwey's Credo: The worst thing is to feel that as a photographer I am benefiting from someone else's tragedy. This idea haunts me. It is something I have to reckon with every day because I know that if I ever allow genuine compassion to be overtaken by personal ambition I will have sold my soul. (Read Full credo)

Category: Documentary, Oscar nominee, Photography

A Song By Yesudas -- Patchai Kiligal (Tamil)

2006-01-24T13:03:00.000-06:00

(This post is meant as a nod to those who enjoy songs from Indian films. If songs in Indian regional languages are not for you, just scroll down to the next post.)

I was on a trans-Atlantic flight this past December, flipping through the audio channels. In a channel titled "Rhythms of World" I was jolted out of the stupor that long flights induce, because the song that had just started was in Tamil, my native language. (This was a US carrier, and we weren't even flying to Asia.) I had never heard the song before, and it was an incredibly melodious one. I pulled open the audio guide and saw that the song was "Patchai Kiligal" (Green parrots) by K J Yesudas. The word "Indian" was in parenthesis. Partly because of stumbling upon it so unexpectedly, I found everything about the song applealing. The melody, the unintrusive music and certainly the lyrics. (Does anyone know where to find the English translation for the lyrics?)

Much later, I learned that the song was actually from a movie -- "Indian" and that AR Rahman was the music director.

If this link works, you can listen to it here, by selecting the song.

Charles Bukowski -- Come on in!

2006-01-22T19:11:00.000-06:00

I think good poetry should startle, shatter and,
yes, entertain while getting as close to the truth as
possible.
I can get all the comfort I need from a good
cigar.
from on the sunny banks of the university

Charles Bukowski, taking a jab at those teaching English Lit whose writing is getting ever more "comfortable."

I hope I don't lose any readers by including Bukowski in my "most enjoyed" list. But the truth is that I really like the earthiness in his poems, and I would not be true to myself if I left him out because (quite) a few people are offended by him.

I am no poetry buff. To illustrate: Two weeks ago, I borrowed a book from my library with a title that was something like "The Best American Poetry of 2005," and I had to return it unread because even though I looked and looked and I couldn't find a single poem that I understood.

Like I said I am really not much of a poetry kind of guy. I read maybe 1 or 2 books of poetry a year. Though not a hardcore Bukowski addict, whenever I see a new book by Bukowski, I usually pick it up. The guy died in 1994, and so I am always excited to be reading new poems by him in 2006.

Charles Bukowski, for those who haven't read him or heard of him (and I really think everyone should read at least one book of his and decide for themselves if they like him or not) has the reputation as the Big Bad Boy of Poetry. And many will say the reputation is well deserved. (Bukowski is to poetry what George Carlin is to stand-up.) There is also the widely held belief that his poems are misogynistic, and perhaps even misanthropic. I will leave all those labels and discussions to the erudite Lit critics.

I basically like him mainly because his poems are so readable! I love his no-pretensions no-gimmicks approach (though that might in itself be one neat gimmick.) I am drawn to his topics -- hard-living, hard drinking, all sorts of women, horse racing and gambling -- because they are a world removed from my own rather subdued, suburban life. There is a lot of humor in his poems, and I enjoy the way he uses the device of self-reference in so many of his poems.

I love the way he demystifies poems and his irreverence towards other poets and critics.

from
I have continued regardless
[...]
let them all rail:
if it wasn't me,
it would just be someone
else.

these gossips and complainers,
what have they accomplished
anyway?

never having risen
they
can neither
slip nor
fall.

And I especially love the fact that his poems (all of them without exception) are so wholesome. They have great endings and there is a sense of completeness to each poem, which is such a rarity in today's poems.

That he really cares about poems comes through in many of his poems about poems.

from
a note upon modern poesy
[...]
poetry is still moving slowly forward, I guess.
and when your average garage mechanics
start bringing books of poesy to read
on their lunch breaks
then we'll know for sure we're moving in
the right
direction
[...]

Until I did some research I hadn't realized that there were so many books about Bukowski. May be I will get the time to read some of them, someday. Perhaps someone reading this knows if Bukowski edited his poems. He probably did, and I must be naive to imagine that poems just flowed out of his pen -- wonderful and whole -- every few minutes. That's way it seems to me whenever I read him.

If you are new to Bukowski, check out "Come On In" or any of his other books of poems. And do let me know whether or not you liked them by leaving a comment here.

I can't think of another poet who makes people as
angry as I do.
I enjoy it

from the x-bum

Category: Books, Poetry. Links: Bukowski: Born into This;orange county register

Movie: Born into Brothels

2006-01-20T22:39:00.000-06:00

Movie: Born into Brothels

I imagine that having the word 'brothel' in a title will elicit one of two reactions. Some will be intrigued and will therefore seek out the movie. Others will decide that it is not "family friendly" or G-rated, and might choose to skip it.

To all those in the latter category, I urge that they reconsider. By skipping this documentary because of a mere word, you will be missing out of something important and essential. I am even willing to go as far as dubbing this as "seminal", for those of us who have any ties with India. In this movie, the brothels serve mainly to provide a background, the mileu for the stories and lives of these lively children.

After watching the movie, I couldn't think of any group of people that won't like the movie. But when I browsed the Web for reactions, I did find critics and they had two main objections.

Quite a few people felt that the movie/documentary, which rotates through the stories of 8-10 children, doesn't allow us to get close to any of them. I understand the objection, but feel that this arrangement might be by design. This is not a story with that plotline. It is more about how the photography classes (which is something so outside of norm for these kids) enters and impacts these young lives.

The other objection was that this movie was more of a self-promotion by the photographer/teacher, Zana Brisky. I cannot really side with this objection. While the rest of us are living lives of luxury (reading, writing and commenting on blogs) Ms. Brisky went off to live in Calcutta and chose to spend her time making the world aware of female infanticide. That fact alone should give her the license to tell her stories in any way she wishes to.

If you haven't already seen the movie, you will almost surely see it in DVD. After watching the movie, absolutely don't miss the part (in the extras section of the DVD) where we get to see the reactions of these same kids getting to see the movie in which they are featured for the very first time. Three years have elapsed since the original footage was shot, and we can visibly see that the kids have grown up a bit. Their reactions (laughter and sadness) are honest and I found this segment quite amazing. Again, don't miss this part in the DVD.

Born Into Brothels was lucky, in that got nominated and went on to win an Oscar for Best Documentary, and consequently got worldwide publicity. That was the main reason I got to hear about it and ended up watching it. What I feel bad about is that there must be so many more wonderful documentaries out there, that don't get nominated, and don't get the publicity and so we all end up missing them. If you know of other documentaries that you'd like to recommend, please leave a comment for the other visitors.

(If you wish to recommend this movie to someone, you can use the "letter" icon below to forward this post to them via email.)

Two Quick Quotes on Philanthropy

2006-01-15T17:47:00.000-06:00

A couple of quick quotes that I found and liked in the December 26, 2005 issue of Time, in which they named Bill and Melinda Gates and Bono as the PERSONS OF THE YEAR.

The man who dies rich dies disgraced -- ANDREW CARNEGIE

"From those to whom much is given, much is expected" -- Mary Gates (Bill Gates' mother) in a letter to her then future daughter-in-law Melinda Gates.

Beautiful Minds: Capture the spirit of Nobel achievement

2006-01-14T23:18:00.000-06:00

British Library -- Temporary Exhibit
One day last week, I found myself in London with nothing to do on a late afternoon. Armed with an all-day Underground pass, I was looking for some place to get to. It was cold, and it was too late to get into any museums. I had left my gloves back in Chicago (foolishness, rather than hardiness) and so I couldn't wander the cold streets for too long.

Then, in a map of Central London that I'd picked up at the Heathrow Underground station, I noticed the British Library marked next to King's Cross station.

Being a big fan of libraries everywhere, I decided to check out the library and see their collection of books. As it turned out, I never got to see their rooms of books. They wanted me to apply for a "reader pass" and then I was told that it was too late in the evening to get one that day.

But I was in for a very pleasant surprise. The library had many special exhibits and to me, those were fascinating. In the John Ritblat Gallery they're showcasing the "Treasures of the British Library." The features of this room include the actual notebooks and manuscripts used by Da Vinci, Newton, Mozart's and Beethoven's musical notations, as well as some of the notebooks used by the Beatles.

I was fortunate in that there was a special exhibition on Nobel laureates on display at the time I visited. I spent over 2 hours on just that one. The overall topic was whether or not the "mileu" (the place where the Nobel laureates worked) had a huge influence on their creativity. (For example, why does Cambridge produce so many more Nobel laureates than Oxford?)

There is a room where they are showing 7 documentaries, running continuous ly, projected on 3 large screens. To me, these were the highlight of the exhibition and I recommend those films highly. It was especially great to watch the one on Tagore's Shantiniketan. (I believe those documentaries were made by an organization called NobelMuseet.) There were tons of sound recordings by the Nobel winners, but I was short of time.

(It was interesting to listen to Hemingway stiffly apologizing to the people of Scandinavia on being unable to come in person to accept his award due to his bad health.)

Anyway, if any of you reading this live in or near London, I recommend dropping and checking it out. (The special exhibition runs until March 15th, 2006.)

Category: Museums/Libraries

Most Enjoyed software -- iTunes

2005-12-22T22:46:00.000-06:00

iTunes

I don't own an iPod. And so, for the longest time, I didn't pay attention when I came across the terms "iTunes" or "podcasting". Then I read somewhere about "iTunes for Windows", and after getting intrigued, gave it a try. And I am very glad that I did. It has given me hours of enjoyment, especially at work, when my neighboring colleagues get a little noisy.

I have especially enjoyed the ability to create numerous Playlists (in particular, the ability to cross-index the same song in multiple playlists) . I love the equitability in being able to play only the songs I haven't heard in a little while. I haven't yet fully explored podcasting, but what I have seen has been impressive. (I have listened to a few podcasts of NPR's Story of the Day.)

If any of you haven't tried iTunes, you should consider downloading it for your PC. It's free.

category: Music, Software

Mohandas -- before he became Mahatma (Museum Africa)

2005-12-20T22:45:00.000-06:00

Mohandas before he became Mahatma
Museum Africa in Johannesburg, SA.

Had the opportunity to be in Johannesburg a few weeks back. Even though the cautionary tone of our guidebooks was very clear, there was one museum we didn't want to miss -- the one in Newtown called Museum Africa. (I was hoping to get a better understanding of South Africa, the run up to apartheid, and the creation of Soweto, the treason trials, and the making of Mandela.) But the exhibit that I most enjoyed turned out to be a very different one.

For some unknown reason, the museum has waived the seven Rand entrance fee these days, and still we pretty much had the museum to ourselves. I won't go into details about the exhibits about gold, Mandela, and the photo-essays, which you can read elsewhere on the Web. But I would definitely ask that anyone who visits Jo'burg not miss this museum.

What most resonated with me in the museum was the coverage that the museum has given to Gandhi. For over twenty years in Johannesburg, MKG was a practicing barrister representing Indian laborers who were indentured to work in the mines. The museum has a large area set up with photos, newspaper articles and artifacts from Mohandas' time in the city. It is claimed (by the museum and by others) that the foundations for many of the ideas that Gandhi became known for (ex. satyagraha) were laid in Johannesburg.

Everywhere in India, whether in Raj Ghat or elsewhere, I've only seen him as Gandhiji, as the Mahatma, one to be revered. Museum Africa provided a retro-glimpse into the life of Mohandas, before he became the "Mahatma" that the world came to know. His home and office in Rissik street, the two vegetarian places he often ate in, some of his scribbled letters and postcards are all documented for the interested visitor.

It becomes clear from the displays in the museum that Mohandas was only one of numerous Indians at the time in South Africa, resisting and fighting against the poor treatment of Indians at the hands of the British. They were mostly the leading members of the South Africa Indian Congress (SAIC). Gazing at the artifacts in the exhibit, while also knowing that through the sheer force of his character it was Mohandas who emerged as the giant who took on the mighty British made for a fascinating experience.

It later occurred to me that I was pondering the bigger question of why some people succeed, while their colleagues are quickly forgotten.

Anyway, if you are ever in Johannesburg, don't miss visiting Museum Africa.

Cateory: Travel

Abuelita -- Mexican Hot Chocolate Drink

2005-12-18T19:06:00.000-06:00

Here's something that I've been enjoying for well over a year, but I am not sure if a lot of others know about it, and hence the post.

I first had this rich chocolate-and-cinammon drink in the town of Oaxaca, in Mexico. That region produces caca0 and the night before, we'd seen the demonstrations of the mills in the little shops where they mixed and ground the cocoa with sticks of cinammon and sugar to create vats of the hot drink mix. The next morning, we stepped into a cafe and ordered a cup of hot chocolate instead of our usual coffee. It was a bit pricey (Starbuck's price) especially when contrasted with everything else in town being so very inexpensive. I'd loved the taste of the drink.

After returning to Chicago, in a Hispanic-owned store where we buy our fresh produce, I caught sight of the distictive yellow hexagonal box of Abuelita. It seemed like what I'd had in Oaxaca and I bought it to give it a try. I've been buying it ever since. The box contains six discs (tablets) and each disc is good for 3-4 cups of the drink, when dissolved in hot milk. The right way to make it is to put it all in a blender/mixer, but I find that a spoon works too. (The interesting thing is that these boxes must've been there in the store all these years, but only after that trip did I notice them and see how widely available they were.)

When it's around 10 in the night and dinner has long been digested, but I am not yet ready for bed, and coffee seems too strong, I make myself a cup of Nestle's Abuelita. It's perfect to overcome the 10 p.m. slump. If you are a chocolate drink lover, you should give this product a try. Do leave a comment if you end up trying it. Does anyone know if the drink is available in India?

Category: Food

GlobeTrekker: Most Enjoyed Travel Program on TV

2005-12-17T15:43:00.000-06:00

Just finished watching Globe Trekker's the 1 hour program on Egypt, and felt that posting here might mean that a few more people would learn about this great program that airs on PBS (if you are based in the U.S). You can also watch the episodes on DVD, which is what I did to view Egypt.

Highly recommended for both armchair travelers and airplane travelers. The premise for this program/travel video is this: One twenty-something traveler lands in a country and backpacks his or her way around to places of interest. The nice thing about these video programs is that the emphasis is on the experience rather than on the sights. This is certainly not your top 10 things to see in XYZ type of a travel program. (The theme music for GT is very catchy. Does anyone know where I could find an MP3 of that tune?)

The unquestionable king of the GlobeTrekker hill is Ian Wright. (Any disagreements here from other GT fans?) Don't miss his quotes and his travel philosophy. This guy Ian is fearless and an absolute hoot. There are many other trekkers, quite watchable. The Egypt trip featured Megan McCormick. There is even an Indian (guessing she was born in the UK) -- Shilpa Mehta, and I quite enjoyed her Northern Spain travel video. PBS keeps messing around with the airtime of this program, otherwise I would surely watch every episode.

Check your local listing and try one episode. If you love travel, more likely than not, you'll love the program.

Category: Travel.

Frank McCourt's Tips On Writing

2005-12-16T07:04:00.000-06:00

Towards the end of his very readable book Teacher Man, Frank McCourt has the following to say to his students in Creative Writing class. I thought I would share some excerpts here.

Listen. Are you listening? You’re not listening. I am talking to those of you in class who might be interested in writing.
Every moment of your life, you’re writing. Even in your dreams you’re writing. When you walk the halls in this school you meet various people and you write furiously in your head. There’s the principal. You have to make a decision, a greeting decision. Will you nod? Will you smile? Will you say, Good Morning, Mr. Baumel? or will you simply say, Hi? You see someone you dislike. Furious writing again in your head. Decision to be made. Turn your head away? Stare as you pass? Nod? Hiss a Hi? You see someone you like and you say, Hi, in a warm melting way, a Hi that conjures up a splash of oars, soaring violins, eyes shining in the moonlight. There are so many ways of say Hi. Hiss it, trill it, bark it, sing it, bellow it, laugh it, cough it. A simple stroll in the hallway calls for paragraphs, sentences in your head, decisions galore.
[…]
Dreaming, wishing, planning: it’s all writing, but the difference between you and the man on the street is that you are looking at it, friends, getting it set in your head, realizing the significance of the insignificant, getting it on paper. You might be in the throes of love or grief but you are ruthless in observation. You are your material. You are writers and one thing is certain: no matter what happens on Saturday night, or any other night, you’ll never be bored again. Never. Nothing human is alien to you. Hold you applause and pass up your homework.

Getting a flat tire in Kruger National Park, SA

2005-12-14T11:25:00.000-06:00

The lady in the Nkuhlu picinic area was the one who got us excited. We were doing a self-drive safari in KrugerNational Park which is a mind-bogglingly large park (over 400 kms long), and so whenever we could we asked others about the animals they'd spotted. In the picnic area, the lady with the spiky blond hair said in her Germanic accent, "Yes, we saw many animals. We saw a Leo-paard." She then gave us exact directions to spot the leopard 8 kms north of Nkuhlu, but of course we never did spot her leopard.

After taking a long detour to get some gas in the Skukuza camp, our car's tank and confidence restored, we took a side road, heading north towards the picnic area of Tshokwane, where our guidebook said the lions were.

It was a tar road in excellent condition, and we pretty much had the whole National Park to ourselves. Hardly anyone there at all, this being early December. We'd seen plenty of wildlife, and because of the big cats, the rule was to absolutely, positively never to get out of our vehicle. (Frommer's even had a graphic story of a seasoned ranger who got out to take a leak, and was killed by an animal before he could even zip up.)

With the windows open, I was driving at a slow pace, eyes scanning the branches of every passing tree hoping to catch sight of a leopard, the most elusive of the wildcats. And that's when I heard the flap-flap-flap. We knew what it was without even looking. We had a flat tire -- of all places, in a South African NP where the wild animals roamed.

I put on the flashers and we started to read the car's manual to see if the spare tire could somehow be fitted. (I was really scared of the animals and even considered driving the 20+ kms to civilization with the tire flat.)

In a minute, a car passed us, then reversed and the man (an American from his accent) asked if we'd called for help. "I don't have a cell phone," I said and neither did he. I told him that I was hoping to install the spare tire, and he offered to help. Given that we were in a no-getting-out zone, this was really a magnanimous offer. (I have since asked myself if I'd have offered to help if I came across a car with a flat tire in a game reserve.)

Just at that instant, a white truck drove up towards us from the opposite direction. "Good day," said the black man who was driving. "Do you have a spare tire?" I nodded yes. Without my even asking, the 3 occupants of the truck jumped down to help. All I had to do was remove our two suitcases from the boot so that they could get to the spare tire. They did everything else. These 3 worked with the efficiency of a race-car pit crew and they changed the tire in under three minutes, no exaggeration. It all happened so fast, I didn't even have time to register relief fully.

I gratefully started to shake the hands of the men. We were not sure if it was okay to offer them money. I took a currency note, folded it and tentatively handed it to the driver while shaking his hand. Thanks, thanks he said and they all drove off. From getting the flat tire to being back to driving took less than 10 minutes. I resolved to write this entry here to thank all these men who helped a stranger spontaneously. Also, this whole incident has now morphed into something that I quite enjoyed.

P.S. That same evening, as we were driving towards the Crocodile Bridge gate to leave Kruger NP, with our stay over, we did spot a leopard when it decided to cross the road right in front of our car.

Frank McCourt's Teacher Man

2005-12-11T09:53:00.000-06:00

Most Enjoyed Book

Full Disclosure: I am a big fan of McCourt's, so this review (if this can be called a review) won't be very unbiased, I'm afraid. My big regret is that I missed attending his book signing when he was in Chicago recently.

Perhaps, you've read Angela's Ashes (or seen the movie). Angela's Ashes is what hooked me on to McCourt. When 'Tis came out, I eagerly read it. And now his third book, Teacher Man, is perhaps my most favorite one. (I should mention that I have noticed a tendency to give a higher score to things that are fresher in my memory.)

Teacher Man is all about Frank evolving into a great teacher over a 30+ year teaching stint. All the trademark McCourt touches that you might have noticed in 'Tis or Ashes are there -- his self-deprecation, the ever so slight ways in which he injects a moral or a lesson here and there, and his irreverent humor. This memoir is a series of vignettes of classroom events, written in his deceptively simple prose. Phyllis writing about Armstrong landing on the moon, while her father lay dying, the singing of recipes, Papa's Waltz are a few examples. Suffice to say that towards the end of the book, I was rationing how much I read, just in order to savor the book longer.

I found this CNN interview and this review by Powell's to be good reading.

If you haven't read any of McCourt's book, Teacher Man is as good a place to begin as any of the other two. The interesting thing is that I can't think of a segment of the population that will NOT like this book. Like I said, I am biased.

Shashi Tharoor takes on other writers in "Bookless in Baghdad"

2005-12-11T06:06:00.000-06:00

Book: Bookless in Baghdad
Author: Shashi Tharoor

Let me start with a qualification: If you are not of Indian descent, then perhaps this shouldn't be your first Tharoor book. Many of the essays, I felt, were targeted at and written for Indians.

Now, I must admit that this is my first Shashi Tharoor book. Years ago, my younger brother urged me to read him, having been assigned this author for one of his assignments when he was training to become a civil servant in Mussoorie.

What I found surprising, almost dangerously so in BIB, was how scathing, vituperative even, Shashi gets when writing about certain other writers or politicians.

On Winston Churchill: My blood still boils when I hear teary-eyed British friends describe him as a great fighter for freedom, when I know him principally as a blinkered imperialist untroubled by the oppression of nonwhite peoples...

On John Le Carre: Maybe, just maybe, Le Carre should stick to writing about the gray and gloomy England he knows best, rather than trying to set to rights a world that has moved beyond the sterile divisions of a global antagonism that threatened us all.

On Nirad C. Chaudhuri: (NCC had written an article in the Illustrated Weekly of India entitled Why I hate Indians) Tharoor writes: But even then, I wondered why the arrogant pedantry of the man, his sweeping generalizations and apocalyptic conclusions, usually unsupported by any empirical evidence, were taken so seriously by readers and editors.

On R.K. Narayan: Narayan wrote of, and from, the mindset of the small-town South Indian Brahmin, and did not seem capable of a greater range. His metronomic style was frequently not equal to the demands of his situations.

It has been many years since I read a RKN novel, but I found myself disagreeing strongly with ST on this one. I guess I am not as discerning as Shashi. Moreover, good story-telling is so important to me (and RKN was one no doubt) that I can overlook this "lack of range" in RKN that Tharoor complains of.

I still have a few more essays to read, and might post again.

Loved this Sentence in "Bookless in Baghdad"

2005-12-01T21:46:00.000-06:00

I am reading Shashi Tharoor's Bookless in Baghdad, and I will post a couple of times about it as I wend my way through the book. However, this one sentence in the Preface of the BIB hit it right on with the metaphor. I thought it was so good that I had to copy it down to share here.

"To me, books are like the toddy tapper's hatchet, striking through the rough husk that enshrouds our minds to tap into the exhilaration that ferments within."

Links to blogs that have written about BIB: FreedomFries, LazyGeek, Organic Consciousness

Most Audacious -- Million Dollar Home Page

2005-11-30T20:41:00.000-06:00

Making a million dollars selling Pixels

I read about this in the Wall Street Journal. Just when the cynics are out to convince you that there are no more ways to make money on the 'net, along comes 21-year-old Alex Tew. I really enjoyed the creative audacity of this guy from the Great Britain, who got an idea, actually implemented it and is now reaping the rewards. Here's his idea in a nutshell -- he is selling each pixel in his now famous homepage for $1. There are a million pixels (10,000 times 100 pixels) and he's set to rake in a million dollars. In return, the throngs of people who buy the pixels (in sets of 100) get to run their ads in the milliondollarhomepage. They get extra traffic to their websites for spending just a few dollars, and Alex gets to keep the money that these advertisers pay him for these tiny 100-pixel billboards on his prime virtual real-estate property.

Interestingly, (and perhaps to be expected) Alex has also spawned off a whole genre of imitators in what is now being dubbed the pixel wars. Be sure to check out the milliondollarhomepage, as well as Alex's blog,wherein he shares his experiences. I give this concept an 8 for its audacity-combined -with creativity. If you agree, disagree or know of others similar or better, do leave a comment. Thanks.

iBonds - Most Enjoyed returns

2005-11-28T21:38:00.000-06:00

Yes, this posting is about personal finance. IBonds return 6.73% on your money, offered by Uncle Sam. I decided I'll take it. I just purchased some recently, directly from www.treasurydirect.gov. (You can start with as little as $25 or go up to $30,000 per year.) The idea of no middleperson, no financial planner appealed to me.

Read about iBonds from folks eminently more qualified than me. Clearly, IBonds are not for those of you who are confident of making double-digit gains every year in the stock market. However, I did find the monotonicity of the interest rate graph (to the right, click on the image to enlarge) very compelling. Perhaps that is what pushed me over and made me buy. I enjoyed the thought of the returns, but obviously your mileage may vary.

Vietnam: A Veteran's Perspective

2005-11-27T20:22:00.000-06:00

Lecture: Vietnam: A Veteran's Perspective
Presented by Author and veteran Ned Ricks
Arlington Heights Public Library (Thu, Nov 17, 2005)

I was looking for excuses to give myself. I wasn't going to go. It was on a work day, it was at 7pm, and I hadn't had dinner. But this war (more than many of the others) fascinates me, and so I got on the car and went.

Now, I admit that I had a mental image of an elderly man mumbling and trying to push his book. But the minute I stepped into the auditorium, I knew I couldn't have been more wrong. This guy knew what he was doing. The sad thing was that there were less than 2 dozen listeners.

Mr. (or should I refer to him as Sgt.?) Ricks was a showman, a raconteur, an educator, a contemporary version of a patriot and a complete inspiration. First of all, you have to respect anyone who brings their own mike system to a library.

Ned Ricks has been giving these presentations for 8 years, and boy he's got it polished so it shines. He starts out giving us a feel for how innocent the town of Crawfordsville, IN was when he was growing up, and takes us along step by step, as he gets recruited and sent over.

I enjoyed his version of humor as he refered to how his colleagues get recruited ("You can go to jail, or you can join the army") . The idyllic vision of life and the army are slowly shattered as the war progresses. His combat experiences, and even more so his experience doing the "grave duty" struck a chord in me. Again he narrates these seemingly humorous anecdotes to drive the darkness home. The sargent who shot his own hand so that he wouldn't have to fight in the front line, and how that bullet cut his finger, hit the ground, bounced back and hit an 18-year old private in the chest and killed him. The experienced soldier who threw a grenade into a cave, and because it didn't go off, bent down to pick it up hoping to throw it again.

He talked about seeing the image of the Buddist monk burning himself. I then later looked up that incident so that I could provide a link here for those interested. Ned gave an interesting piece of statistic: In Vietnam, the US had 10 men supporting each soldier who actually fought. In contrast, the Vietcong had a ratio of 3 to 1.

54,000 U.S. lives lost in 'Nam, and Ned Ricks witnessed close to 5,000 corpses go by in all the time that he did his grave duty. His description of the silver coffinboxes, stacked 6-high were chilling. What was admirable to me was how one man who has seen so much suffering can still stay so positive.

He made a reference to Saving Private Ryan, and the scene when Tom Hanks whispers in Ryan's ear. We the audience don't hear the whisper. Cut forward 50 years to the elderly & grown up Private Ryan, and he turns and asks his wife if he's lived a good life. (And we infer what Tom Hanks had whispered all those years ago.) Ned ended his lecture by telling us that for 35+ years he's tried to live a good life.

During Q&A, Ned wasn't afraid to air his political opinion, saying that while he supported the war in Afghanistan, he didn't support the Iraq war, thereby making a fine distinction between the two wars that usually get lumped together. I asked him if he'd do it all over again if he had to, and he said no, not if he knew everything that he knows now.

Here's a link that references his book if you wish to read a little about Ned Ricks.

Sudoku Addiction

2005-11-22T21:00:00.000-06:00

I had a goal. That I would post here only after I had solved one in under 5 minutes. A modest goal, I readily admit. But, boy, had I underestimated the difficulty. I would come close, but nowhere near 5 mins. Well, today, I lucked out and did it in exactly 5 mins. (I have included the screen shots here.)

I am no expert, just posting here because I enjoy it from time to time. Discovered it this year, and got addicted, and sort of un-addicted myself by forcing myself to think of the bigger things in life. All said & done, Sudoku is nothing but a magical square, albeit a special one.

When I do play, it is at www.websudoku.com. (I usually play the Easy mode, and use the setting that has the seconds ticking to put some pressure on myself hoping that will help my concentration. If you haven't tried it yet, please do so.

2005-11-21T18:54:00.000-06:00

Book: The Search by John Battelle
Subtitle: How Google and Its Rivals Rewrote the Rules of Business and Transformed Our Culture

I have increasingly become a Google fan (of the company, not just the search engine). So I eagerly looked forward to reading the book. Suffice to say that it doesn't disappoint. Many of you are sure to think that this is a rather dry subject. However, I request you to give a chapter or two a try and to then decide for yourself.
It is especially those who don't know all that much about Search who should read this book. There is a revolution happening, and John is the guide who points it out to us.

The book is worth it simply for all the other references that you will pick up. John does a great job of conveying the sense of how we are merely at the proverbial tip of the iceberg. Interesting personalities abound as do several neat anecdotes.

Two things I particularly liked: Battelle, who is clearly an expert on search writes like "one of us," and that makes the reading smooth. Also, what I thought would be nonstop Googlepraise turned out not to be the case. I appreciate the author's attempt at balance.

Finally, here's the Author's Blog. You will surely find a thing or two of value there. I know I did.