Kabira khada bazar me mange sabki khair; Na kahu se dosti na kahu se bair.

राम की शक्ति पूजा (Hindi Poetry): Ram Ki Shakti Pooja by सूर्यकान्त त्रिपाठी 'निराला' My rating: 5 of 5 stars One of the best. This is a long poem like Milton's paradise lost. It is about the war of Ram and Ravan metaphorically between good and evil. At the end of days war there is darkness everywhere even in heart of Ram. Here Ram is portrayed as a human and not God who has his moments of doubts. It is published in 1937 when India was under British rule and it has also to be seen in the context of moments of doubt about Indian freedom struggle. It is also the angst of poet himself. At the end of day Ravana proves to be formidable. Ram is in doubt. Ravana has abducted Sita and Ram has to free her. Ram is thinking whether he can rescue his beloved Sita. Ram ask eternal question "is the Shakti (Power) is always on the side of Evil" (also relate to british empire whose sun never sets and which has subjugated/ colonized whole earth by brute force). But he is a her...

A Casualty of Grace by Lisa Brown My rating: 4 of 5 stars A very heartfelt thanks to netgalley and Lisa Brown Books Carlisle for providing me a copy for reading and reviewing. I give 3.5 stars to the book. Two brothers Oliver and Simon become orphan and are put in an orphanage. They are sent to Canada in foster homes separately. Older oliver is very protective of timid and lost Simon. He is heartbroken when they are separated. Oliver is sent to a farm where the owner is very ruthless but the lady Liza is very kind. They develop an emotional bond and Liza manages to bring Simon to farm too. Oliver is happy to be united with Simon at the same time terrified because of Pritchard the owner. But surprisingly Pritchard is very lenient towards Simon, as he himself is dealing with his own demons. Oliver find solace in company of neighbour girl Helen. The story traces life stories of all of them. This is a very poignant and emotional story. The Language is simple but graceful. The story...

Even You by Marilyn Oser My rating: 3 of 5 stars A very heartfelt thanks to netgalley and for providing me a copy for reading and reviewing. I give it 3.5 stars but taht option is not in goodreads ;). The book is story of two woman in a relationship jassie and claire. The relationship cant be labeled as the author explains below. this book moves semalessly vetween past and present. It slowly builds up the story and keep you engrossed. Here are some excerpts from the book: “Your resumé?”He fished it from a stack on the corner of his desk and waved it in the air. “Your experience?”Brandishing it, accusing her of something, but what? “Here’s what I think of your experience.”He crumpled the twenty-pound, cream-colored laid paper in his fist and, rising from his chair, turned his back to her. Then—flamboyantly, protractedly, comprehensively—he wiped his rear end with it." _______ “Forget it. Listen to your gut,” they said. “What good are your plans, anyway? Man proposes, and God ...

Djsturbia by David J Schow My rating: 3 of 5 stars A very heartfelt thanks to netgalley and Subterranean Press for providing me a copy for reading and reviewing. the copy i received in my kindle is confusing as I can't figure out where the book begins and the interview ends. These two are intertwined. Though I like the language. Here is a sample ; "The first time I ever kissed a girl was delirious, like smoking crack. Time and space seemed to plunge and morph . The very air seemed alive. Like everybody else I spent the rest of my life trying to recapture that feeling. It started that way with Constance, less potent, less vital, yet adequate. I guess it depends on how desperate you are." View all my reviews

Supernatural Serial Killers: What makes them murder? by Samantha Lyon My rating: 2 of 5 stars Thnx netgalley and Arcturus Digital for providing me and advance copy for reading and review. i did not find this book interesting. It seems just a copy paste of old trial records. it does not give a peek into psyce of these killers. very boring and repetitive. View all my reviews

The Moonlit Road and Other Ghost and Horror Stories by Ambrose Bierce My rating: 2 of 5 stars Thnx netgalley and Dover Publications for providng a copy for reading and review. I am not impressed. the stories were too short and details were sketchy. they were dated. View all my reviews

Hell's Bounty by Joe R. Lansdale My rating: 2 of 5 stars Thnx netgalley and SUBTERRANEAN PRESS for giving me a copy to read and review. this is an odd book. Nothing much happen. I dont know wethere lansdale brothers wanted to write a westerner or vampire or horror story. quill looks like a winged vampire who creates havoc. sample this "Quill came in through into the saloon, flexing his leather wings. He was bigger than before and had taken on a mummified look, as if he had been wet down good and dried in the sun. Had more teeth than before, more teeth every time they saw him , more teeth than a mouth should hold; they poked in all directions. The piano stopped playing, and except for a long, slow fart easing out of a ghoul’s foul digestion, the saloon was as silent as the face of the moon." thus is a pretty average read. View all my reviews

The Adventure of the Reigate Squire by Arthur Conan Doyle My rating: 5 of 5 stars A very mysterious story of my most favorite fictitious character of all time, Sherlock Holmes.  Watson takes Holmes to a friend's estate near Reigate in Surrey to rest after a rather strenuous case in France. Holmes finds that his services are needed here, but he also finds that his recent illness serves him well. His host is Colonel Hayter. There has recently been a burglary at the nearby Acton estate in which the thieves stole a motley assortment of things, even a ball of twine, but nothing terribly valuable. Then one morning, the Colonel's butler tells news of a murder at another nearby estate, the Cunninghams'. The victim is William Kirwan, the coachman. Inspector Forrester has taken charge of the investigation, and there is one physical clue: a torn piece of paper found in William's hand with a few words written on it. Holmes takes an instant interest in this, seeing something ...

The Adventure of the Greek Interpreter by Arthur Conan Doyle My rating: 5 of 5 stars A very mysterious story of my most favorite fictitious character of all time, Sherlock Holmes.  It is a warm summer evening, and their conversation wanders from subject to subject until Holmes mentions his family. Despite Watson’s sharing the apartment for several years, he has never known Holmes to speak much of his background, and Watson is surprised to hear that Holmes has an elder brother, Mycroft, whom the detective describes as a reasoner even greater than himself. However, Mycroft, Holmes explains, has an absolute aversion to interrupting his daily routine for the sometimes vigorous activity needed to solve crimes. Holmes has a purpose in mentioning Mycroft precisely at this time, because his corpulent brother has summoned him to what Holmes characterizes as one of the strangest clubs in London. Holmes and Watson, therefore, stroll to the Diogenes Club for Watson’s first sight of this...

The Adventure of the Dancing Men and Other Sherlock Holmes Stories by Arthur Conan Doyle My rating: 5 of 5 stars A very mysterious story of my most favorite fictitious character of all time, Sherlock Holmes.  The story begins in Holmes and Watson’s Baker Street apartment in London. Holmes, who appears to be deeply engrossed in his chemicals and test-tubes, surprises Watson by apparently reading his mind: “So, Watson . . . you do not propose to invest in South African securities?” Watson, astonished by Holmes’s remark, demands an explanation, and Holmes complies, relating an intricate chain of reasoning that begins with the presence of chalk on Watson’s left hand the previous night and concludes with his investment decision. Holmes then hands Watson a sheet of paper bearing some stick figures and asks him what he makes of it. Watson believes it to be a child’s drawing, but Holmes tells him that a client, Mr. Hilton Cubitt, is calling on them soon to seek an explanation of the...

Carry on, Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse My rating: 5 of 5 stars Reading Wodehouse is pure bliss. His writing style seems simple but it is not. Wodehouse is a genius and he painstakingly creates humor out of ordinary everyday situations. It is not slap stick, satire or comic. It is pure unadulterated humor. Reading Wodehouse is the best stress buster and anti-depressant. He doesn’t claim to very highly literary writing prowess. In his own words “I believe there are two ways of writing novels. One is making a sort of musical comedy without music and ignoring real life altogether; the other is going deep down into life and not caring a damn...”. Wodehouse believed that one of the factors that made his stories humorous was his view of life, and he stated that "If you take life fairly easily, then you take a humorous view of things. It's probably because you were born that way." "For a humorous novel you've got to have a scenario, and you've got to test it so that...

The Sign of Four by Arthur Conan Doyle My rating: 5 of 5 stars A very mysterious novel of my most favorite fictitious character of all time, Sherlock Holmes.  Miss Mary Morstan goes to Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson with something of a mystery. Her father, formerly an officer in an Indian regiment, sent her word from London that she was to meet him at a certain hotel. When she kept the appointment, her father failed to appear, and he has not been heard from in the ten years elapsed since that time. His only known friend in England was Major Sholto, a brother officer, but that gentleman disclaimed any knowledge of Morstan’s presence in London. For the past six years, Mary has received one large and valuable pearl on a certain date each year. That morning, she received a note asking her to meet the writer at a certain spot near a theater. She is to bring two friends if she likes, but not the police. Apprehensive and puzzled, she turns to Holmes for help. Miss Mary Morstan goes...

The Valley of Fear by Arthur Conan Doyle My rating: 3 of 5 stars One of the weaker novel of my most favorite fictitious character of all time, Sherlock Holmes.   Valley of Fear begins with Sherlock Holmes, the famous detective, and Dr. Watson, his fellow lodger of 221 b Baker Street, in mid-conversation. Holmes is puzzling over an encrypted message, which he has received from Porlock, an associate of Holmes’ nemesis Professor Moriarty. A second message from Porlock, which was supposed to contain the key to the coded message, soon arrives, stating that he (Porlock) is afraid of Moriarty’s wrath and will not reveal the purpose of his correspondence. Holmes soon deciphers the message regardless, and discovers that it warns of imminent danger for one Douglas of Birlstone. The two are soon visited by MacDonald, a policeman friend of Holmes, who informs them that this same Douglas has been murdered.   Upon inspection of the dead man, it is revealed that he has been kill...

The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle My rating: 5 of 5 stars A very spine chilling novel of My most favorite fictitious character of all time, Sherlock Holmes.  The Hound of the Baskervilles opens with a mini mystery—Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson speculate on the identity of the owner of a cane that has been left in their office by an unknown visitor. Wowing Watson with his fabulous powers of observation, Holmes predicts the appearance of James Mortimer, owner of the found object and a convenient entrée into the baffling curse of the Baskervilles. Entering the office and unveiling an 18th century manuscript, Mortimer recounts the myth of the lecherous Hugo Baskerville. Hugo captured and imprisoned a young country lass at his estate in Devonshire, only to fall victim to a marauding hound of hell as he pursued her along the lonesome moors late one night. Ever since, Mortimer reports, the Baskerville line has been plagued by a mysterious and supernatural black h...

Namak ka Droga by Premchand My rating: 5 of 5 stars This short story is a sweet reminder of the days of british raj when the ordinary salt was a precious commodity which was taxed heavily and was smuggled like drugs. Story is simple. Vanshidhar is an very honest man and after being appointed salt inspector he stops Pandit Alopidin's salt to be smuggled. He refuses to accept bribe. Alopidin was a staunch beliver in the pwer of Lkashmi, Hindu goddess of wealth. He gets Vanshidhar suspended for arresting and insulting him by using his money power. But at the same time he is impressed by his honesty and appoints him manager of all his propoerties. My favorite portion of the story is when Vanshidhar's father expalins him the benefits of taking bribe. Please read it, it is hilarious. उनके पिता एक अनुभवी पुरुष थे। समझाने लगे, 'बेटा! घर की दुर्दशा देख रहे हो। ॠण के बोझ से दबे हुए हैं। लडकियाँ हैं, वे घास-फूस की तरह बढती चली जाती हैं। मैं कगारे पर का वृक्ष हो रहा हूँ, न मालूम क...

Gaban by Premchand My rating: 5 of 5 stars I will prefer it to call it a romance. Premchand's novel Gaban ("Embezzlement"), focusing on the middle class' greed is summarized as below: The novel revolves around Ramaa, a young man of malleable moral values and his intrepid wife Jaalpa who seems outwardly flaky and greedy for gold ornaments but hides a much stronger core. Ramaa’s world is build on a mountain of lies and hubris. Jaalpa is young and restless and believes all the tall stories her handsome husband tells.Rama soon finds himself committing embezzlement(Gaban) to buy her ornaments which leads to a huge misunderstanding thanks to his cowardice. Gaban tells its story with impeccable empathy for all its characters. The novel is a broad exploration of middle class hypocrisy and cowardice especially among men. Premchand paints in rich shades of grey unlike the bulk of the cinema of the time.By contrasting the relatively higher moral ground occupied by a low-cas...

The Speckled Band by Arthur Conan Doyle My rating: 5 of 5 stars A very mysterious story of my most favorite fictitious character of all time, Sherlock Holmes.  “The Adventure of the Speckled Band” is probably the most famous of Sherlock Holmes’s cases, not only because of its diabolical plot about a stepfather preventing his twin daughters from marrying and thereby diminishing his income from his deceased wife’s estate, but also because it so perfectly realizes the pattern of detection that became Holmes’s trademark. Watson opens the story with the information that he has been freed to tell this story by the premature death of the client, Helen Stoner. Helen comes to Holmes and Watson in April, 1883, terrified that she may meet the same fate as her sister, who died mysteriously two years earlier. Encouraged and reassured by Holmes, she recounts the reasons for her fears. Because of repairs on the house, she has had to move into the bedroom used by her sister when she died an...

Life at Blandings by P.G. Wodehouse My rating: 5 of 5 stars Reading Wodehouse is pure bliss. His writing style seems simple but it is not. Wodehouse is a genius and he painstakingly creates humor out of ordinary everyday situations. It is not slap stick, satire or comic. It is pure unadulterated humor. Reading Wodehouse is the best stress buster and anti-depressant. He doesn’t claim to very highly literary writing prowess. In his own words “I believe there are two ways of writing novels. One is making a sort of musical comedy without music and ignoring real life altogether; the other is going deep down into life and not caring a damn...”. Wodehouse believed that one of the factors that made his stories humorous was his view of life, and he stated that "If you take life fairly easily, then you take a humorous view of things. It's probably because you were born that way." "For a humorous novel you've got to have a scenario, and you've got to test it so tha...

Life With Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse My rating: 5 of 5 stars Reading Wodehouse is pure bliss. His writing style seems simple but it is not. Wodehouse is a genius and he painstakingly creates humor out of ordinary everyday situations. It is not slap stick, satire or comic. It is pure unadulterated humor. Reading Wodehouse is the best stress buster and anti-depressant. He doesn’t claim to very highly literary writing prowess. In his own words “I believe there are two ways of writing novels. One is making a sort of musical comedy without music and ignoring real life altogether; the other is going deep down into life and not caring a damn...”. Wodehouse believed that one of the factors that made his stories humorous was his view of life, and he stated that "If you take life fairly easily, then you take a humorous view of things. It's probably because you were born that way." "For a humorous novel you've got to have a scenario, and you've got to test it so that...

My rating: 5 of 5 stars Reading Wodehouse is pure bliss. His writing style seems simple but it is not. Wodehouse is a genius and he painstakingly creates humor out of ordinary everyday situations. It is not slap stick, satire or comic. It is pure unadulterated humor. Reading Wodehouse is the best stress buster and anti-depressant. He doesn’t claim to very highly literary writing prowess. In his own words “I believe there are two ways of writing novels. One is making a sort of musical comedy without music and ignoring real life altogether; the other is going deep down into life and not caring a damn...”. Wodehouse believed that one of the factors that made his stories humorous was his view of life, and he stated that "If you take life fairly easily, then you take a humorous view of things. It's probably because you were born that way." "For a humorous novel you've got to have a scenario, and you've got to test it so that you know where the comedy comes in...

The Boscombe Valley Mystery by Arthur Conan Doyle My rating: 5 of 5 stars A very mysterious story of my most favorite fictitious character of all time, Sherlock Holmes.  Whilst having breakfast with his wife one morning, Dr Watson receives a telegram from Sherlock Holmes. Holmes wishes Watson to accompany him to Boscombe Valley for an investigation. Watson is unsure about deserting his medical practice, but, after a little persuasion from his wife he packs a bag and hurriedly sets out to meet with Holmes. On the journey to Boscombe Holmes informs Watson that the case concerns the death of Mr Charles McCarthy. McCarthy was a tenant of Mr John Turner, the largest landed proprietor in the area. The two men had met in Australia years ago and although Turner was the wealthier of the two they seemed to be good friends and constantly in one another’s company. Both men were widowed. McCarthy had an eighteen year old son named James and Turner had a daughter, Alice, of the same age. ...

Leave It to Psmith by P.G. Wodehouse My rating: 5 of 5 stars Reading Wodehouse is pure bliss. His writing style seems simple but it is not. Wodehouse is a genius and he painstakingly creates humor out of ordinary everyday situations. It is not slap stick, satire or comic. It is pure unadulterated humor. Reading Wodehouse is the best stress buster and anti-depressant. He doesn’t claim to very highly literary writing prowess. In his own words “I believe there are two ways of writing novels. One is making a sort of musical comedy without music and ignoring real life altogether; the other is going deep down into life and not caring a damn...”. Wodehouse believed that one of the factors that made his stories humorous was his view of life, and he stated that "If you take life fairly easily, then you take a humorous view of things. It's probably because you were born that way." "For a humorous novel you've got to have a scenario, and you've got to test it so th...