I hadn’t read any books by Louis Charbonneau before this and I must confess I enjoyed reading, “Stalk.” The story line was rather predictable and the good guys had to win at the end but I liked his writing style and the fast pace he maintained all through the book.
Robert Forczyk has written extensively on the Second World War, especially about the battles between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. “Where The Iron Crosses Grow” which I completed some time ago but could not review earlier due to my ill-health is a detailed account of the battles for the Crimea spread over the period 1941 to 1944. I find that Dr. Forczyk has a Ph.D in International Relations and National Security from the University of Maryland and this brings to bear a meticulous mind in researching and presenting material in his book.
Continue reading ““Where The Iron Crosses Grow: The Crimea, 1941-44” by Robert Forczyk”
As an avid fan of military history, I have read books about the First World War, the Second World War, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, but here comes a first, for me at any rate, a book about the more contemporary war being waged by United States troops against the Taliban in Afghanistan. “The Reaper” (published by St. Martin’s Press) is the story told in the first person of Special Operations Direct Action Sniper, Nicholas Irving, who landed in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan with the Third Ranger Battalion in 2009.
Continue reading ““The Reaper” by Nicholas Irving with Gary Brozek”
Nearly 200 illustrations of squadron logos and of fighter planes embellish Tillman’s book on the famous fighter squadrons of the United States Marine Corps during the Second World War. Most of their fighting was against the Japanese in the Pacific. The Pacific War, it is said, was the largest naval conflict in history. Names like Guadalcanal, and Iwo Jima have passed into history as have the Battles for Midway, the Coral Sea and Guam. Likewise, some of the US Marine Corps fighter pilots have become legends: Major Gregory “Pappy” Boyington, Lt Col Harold “Indian Joe” Bauer, Capt Joseph J. Foss, Major John L. Smith, and Capt Marion E. Carl, but to name a few.
Continue reading ““US Marine Corps Fighter Squadrons of World War II” by Barrett Tillman”
I am one of those voracious readers who not only reads all the time but reads several books at a time. I enjoy the variety in dipping into one book which may be quite different from the other. Here are the books that I am currently reading :- Continue reading “On My Reading List”
All my writing so far has been on an individual basis. I framed a plot, wrote a story, and contributed to the editing and publishing of the book that emerged. I also contributed a short story to a publishing house which produced an anthology of short stories from some thirty different authors, like me. The task of the editor here was merely to liaise with the authors and make sure they sent in their stories within a defined time frame and with a certain quality. The challenge I now speak of is totally different. I am at the start of a book project which involves writing the history of an institution. I thought I would share my thoughts and experience. Continue reading “Approaches To A Group Writing Project”
“The Last Mughal” by William Dalrymple is about “the fall of a dynasty. Delhi. 1857”. The dynasty in question is, of course, the Mughal dynasty, founded by Zahiruddin Muhammad Babur in 1526 by defeating Sultan Ibrahim Lodi in the First Battle of Panipat . After ruling large parts of India for centuries, the Mughal Empire shrank over time and with the advent of the British by the 1850s was a spent force. Bahadur Shah Zafar II (1775-1862) was Emperor in name only. However, in the eyes of many he still remained a rallying point as he was the Khalifa, God’s Regent on earth. Continue reading ““The Last Mughal ” by William Dalrymple”
The title of the book was extremely catchy. ” Losing Amma, Finding Home” grabbed my attention at the book store. The brief description of the book, ” A Memoir About Love, Loss and Life’s Detours” made me buy it right then. I am glad I did because I thoroughly enjoyed Uma’s book. Perhaps I could relate to the descriptions more as I am very familiar with the middle-class Madras (now Chennai) milieu she writes about. Continue reading ““Losing Amma, Finding Home” by Uma Girish”
How much of an author gets into the book? Let’s be honest, a fair amount does. “All artists’ work is autobiographical. Any writer’s work is a map of their psyche. You can really see what their concerns are, what their obsessions are, and what interests them,” said Kim Addonizio, the American novelist and poet. I suspect although this is a work of fiction, some elements of her life in Andhra Pradesh and elsewhere in the world have crept into Savithri Duggirala’s debut novel, “Naati Charami: The Game of Love.” The words, “Naati Charami” in Sanskrit are said at the time of the traditional Hindu wedding when the bridegroom swears to remain faithful to this wife. Continue reading ““Naati Charami; The Game of Love” by Savithri Duggirala”
If you study books on sexuality and love, which is a topic, rarely if at all, written about in India, Ira Trivedi’s “India In Love: Marriage and Sexuality in the 21st Century” must rank amongst the best. Meticulous research backed by anecdotal data and personal narratives of ordinary Indians, people who could well be someone we know, make for some highly educative as well as interesting reading. The book, published by Aleph Book Company in 2014 is, I believe, something every educated Indian should read. It clears so many cobwebs in our minds and lays to rest myths that have made any talk about sex and sexuality virtually taboo in our traditional society. A blurb in Mid-day puts it so well, ” Trivedi charged into India’s bedroom and pulled the covers right off. No more secrets.” Continue reading “” India In Love” by Ira Trivedi”
Prem Rao : Stories from a Story Teller 