I am not very fond of military warfare, so picking up this book was a very different choice for me. The book is a great introduction on Patton's life, his military strategy and his impact on modern war. I liked the perspective this author took in sticking to facts instead of the movie persona of Patton.
The book attempts to portray Patton as a man who was fearful of death, cowardice; led by example and demanded excellence from his men on the battlefield. He had an intense hatred for Communism. He was a man of great contradictions, using the most profane expletives; yet he also carried a Bible with him and wrote tender love letters to his wife, while it is also known he had extra-marital affairs.
He is remembered for his fierce determination and ability to lead soldiers. Unlike most generals, he wasn’t content to stay behind enemy lines and watch the battle from afar. He developed a system that allowed him to be on the frontlines and maintain communication with his rear command post by means of pigeons and a group of runners.
It's likely that men would be more interested than women, but I did find it interesting to learn more about Patton, and more about his part in WWII.
This book by Max Lucado is definitely a one-time read. It's perfect for people who are going through a rough patch and maybe even for those who want to regain their faith in God. But don't pick up the book in case you expect something wild or fun (The lovely cover of the book drew me to it first).
I liked the book- it was different- but please be ready to expect large dollops of spiritualism and Christianity in the book.
As taken from Chapter 1 of the book, 'Jesus takes our fears seriously. The one statement he made more than any other was this: don’t be afraid. I wonder if the disciples ever reflected on the most-often-repeated phrases of Christ. If so, they would have noted, “He was always calling us to courage.”
William Corey Dietz is a science fiction author who may not be as popular as the other luminaries in the Sci-Fi genre. However his storytelling skills are comparable to those of at least Arthur C. Clarke's and dare I say pretty close to Asimov's.
This is one author whose books I will keep an eye out for as I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of writing, characterization and conflicts in this interesting tale.
The novel is set in the year 2176 on a planet called Zuul. There are humans, androids as well as species indigenous to Zuul.
What I liked about this book is the way that Dietz writes about androids with emotions and feelings similar to those of humans.
The ideas in this book are pretty unique and if I may say it - very original, which in my opinion, is a rarity in the Sci-Fi universe.
Have you ever read of a sentient satellite orbiting a planet for ages yet contemplating suicide because of loneliness? I hadn't before reading this book
An very good read if you are a sci-fi fan, however the last 30 pages were a bit of a disappointment considering the cohesiveness of the rest of the book.
Another Grisham masterpiece to be savoured. Even though the protagonist - Patrick Lanigan is a lawyer, he has been hiding under another name in Brazil for the last four years for reasons which will become clear as you delve deeper into the book.
At the crux is a huge sum of money which disappeared when he was a Partner at a small legal firm in Biloxi, Mississippi having serious political backing.
The action seamlessly shifts from exotic locales like Brazil, the Bahamas, Europe and various hubs of activity in the US.
Grisham showcases his excellent storytelling capabilities throughout the book and one is compelled to read on. I read the book at one go after dinner and ended up sleeping a couple of hours past my bedtime.
As one goes deeper into the book, it becomes apparent pretty quickly that there are quite a few crooked characters out for revenge against Lanigan and it is pretty intriguing to read about how Lanigan has forseen almost all possibilities.
A fabulous read, highly recommended. Look out for for the twist in the end.
The Silence of the Lambs was first published in 1988, by Thomas Harris.The novel features the cannibalistic serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter, pitted against FBI Special Agent Clarice Starling.
The novel became a bestseller, and won the 1988 Bram Stoker Award for Best Novel.
Its 1991 film adaptation is arguably one of the best films ever made. The film won five Academy Awards- Best Actor (Anthony Hopkins), Best Actress (Jodie Foster), Best Director (Jonathan Demme), Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Picture
Starling, a FBI trainee is given the task of interacting with the psychopath Lector, restrained in a mental institution, to help the FBI draw up psychological profiles of serial killers.
I couldnt help being drawn into the extremely intense events and dialogues between the protagonists and was soon lost to the world. Having seen the movie after it had won its multiple awards, I had my doubts whether the novel would be as good.
Thankfully, I was proven wrong. This is an extremely well written book around the taboo subject of cannibalism. Harris writes a masterpiece and draws us into empathising with Starling and the various situations that she is thrown in even though she is comparatively a rookie in the FBI. To make matters more interesting, there are another two characters - Jack Crawfod (Starling's boss) and Buffalo Bill, a serial killer whose Modus Operandi Lecter seems to know too much about.
A must read if you can stomach the thought of a cannibalistic serial killer
Vintage Grisham which you simply cannot put down once you start it. I read it at a stretch and found it thoroughly enjoyable.
This is the story of three disgraced former judges serving time in a prison. They come up with a plan to become very rich using a seemingly foolproof extortion scam on gullible middle aged men who are looking for something to spice up their lives.
They strike big with one of their victims and start dreaming of richer rewards. Hence they increase the frequency of their scams using the good old US Postal System and things seem to be running along just fine.
Until the unforseen happens and they somehow snag a seemingly perfect victim, somebody who has a stellar reputation and is on the threshold of political greatness.
To find out more, pick up the book. I promise that you wont be able to put it down.
This is a book by John Grisham which I found surprisingly Un-Grishamlike. Being a Grisham fan, I started it with a lot of interest, however I personally think that he messed up somewhere.
This is the story of Sam Cayhall, an ex-Ku Klux Klan member who is sentenced to die in the gas chamber and the desperate legal battle to save him as his time draws near.
Grisham starts out promisingly enough and one soon gets engrossed in the moral dilemma of whether the death penalty of this former Klan member should be stayed. However, I felt that the book lapsed into unnecessary detail and was at least 150 pages too long. The basic elements of the plot, characterisation and dialogue are unmistakably Grisham-like, what I felt missing was the crisp sequence of events one comes across while reading his masterpieces.
There are a few notable points in the book like getting a brief idea about how the Ku Klux Klan terrorised blacks back before the 1970's, for those who don't know much about them; the myriad thoughts that go through the head of a man who knows the date and time he is supposed to die; the description of how the US judiciary acts in such case and a few others.
But given a choice, I would prefer his other books, which I feel were a lot more "snappier"
It is a decent read to pass the time if you are prepared to be patient and read it without any expectations.
The Immortals of Meluha is first Part of the Shiva Trilogy from Amish Tripathi. It is also one of the first books by an Indian author to be introduced by a viral video on youtube.
The story is set in 1900BC and operates on the premise that Shiva was a mortal, a simple man whom legend turned into God.
Amish summarizes his fundamental premise as:
I believe that the Hindu gods were not mythical beings or a figment of a rich imagination.
I believe that they were creatures of flesh and blood, like you and me.
I believe that they achieved godhood through their karma, their deeds.
With these premises, an interesting read is assured.
While parts of the story are rooted in mythology and some parts are corroborated by history - like the description of town planning by the Meluhans - most parts are pure speculative fiction.
The story is very interesting and keeps you gripped.
The Suryavanshis are the descendants of Lord Ram who have created an extremely stable society based on strict rules and regulations. An ideal state except for a few rules that Shiva finds unfair. To me, this state bore a striking resemblance with modern day Communist state, where everything is owned by government, and resources are allocated to citizens as per government’s policy.
Shiva, in this book, is the leader of his tribe and a Tibetan immigrant, invited to Meluha (the land now known as the Indus Valley Civilization) and slowly recognized as a savior and deliverer from evil.
The evil being the Chandravanshis - who live on the opposite side of India in Swadweep between the Ganga and the Brahmaputra, that also holds Ayodhya - the birth place of Lord Ram.
At times the philosophy in the book sounds like it comes from the Matrix - "You don't earn a title after you have done your deeds... It doesn't matter what others think. It's about what you believe. Believe you are the Mahadev and you will be one"
But there are some statements that make you think and reflect and question previously held assumptions. Amish believes that the cry of Har Har Mahadev actually stems from the thought Har ek Mahadev - Each one of us, has it in us to be a Mahadev.
A lot has been said about the language in the book. While the setting is 1900BC, the language is 21st century AD, with Weapons of Mass Destruction and Departments of Immigration. At times it is difficult to reconcile the two. Amish in an interview said that he had a huge struggle with his editor/publisher about this issue. He wanted the dialogue to be more authentic and his publisher wanted it more modern.
I can empathize with the editor/publisher. The language makes this an easy book to read and will definitely increase sales. But purists searching for authenticity will be disappointed.
Personally I enjoyed the book. I can't wait for books 2 and 3. I have my suspicions, but will try and be patient. :)
He says Book 2 will only be out next year as his day job keeps him busy. Amish, chuck the day job, don't keep us in suspense for that long!
Should you read this book? Definitely. But if you hate cliff hangers (which is how this part ends) then you may be better off waiting for all the books to be released before starting on this. As a teaser, the first Chapter is freely downloadable from here.
Take a quick glance. If you are in the least bit interested in Mythology, I guarantee that you will be intrigued.
Never Let You Go is Erin Healy's first solo fiction novel. The book revolves around Lexi Solomon, who's family was torn apart 7 years ago. She has somehow managed to hold on and salvage whatever she could out of life. But suddenly, everything seems to be coming back. Her husband (who abandoned her) has returned and her sister's murderer is out on parole. Lexi has to figure out how to deal with these issues in her life.
I thought that the book was fairly decent. The story line is good. The book is quite dark, but there is hope and a reminder that God is always at work in our lives. If you want some suspense with some spirituality thrown in, this is the book to pick up.
