Mirror, Mirror on the Wall...

Author : Neeraja      Blog : The Mind's Language      Date : 5/21/2013 4:28:00 PM

'Sometimes, I don’t understand the point of rigorous scientific studies, like the one referenced in this article. The title of the article says it all - “You are less beautiful than you think”. Really? Someone would actually go to such great lengths to emphatically state that our perception of our beauty/worth is way more bloated than reality? That we, in fact, look uglier than we think?That’s all we need today, isn’t it? Someone to justify our qualms that the reflection we see i(...)'

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Reflections: Trimalchio

Author : Neeraja      Blog : The Mind's Language      Date : 5/15/2013 9:24:00 PM

'I usually don’t care about early editions or first editions or special editions of books - even my most favorite ones. But, I readily invested in this early and unedited version of The Great Gatsby because the book/story had managed to capture me enough to want to read the early, “unedited” version as it were. The story of The Great Gatsby is one that grows on the reader. The reader should let it wash over them and let it slowly sink in. As with most classics, I realized that(...)'

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Reflections: The Reluctant Fundamentalist

Author : Neeraja      Blog : The Mind's Language      Date : 5/6/2013 5:48:00 PM

'Everyone’s been talking about this book and movie lately. And of course, the timing of everything. Yeah, timing is something, because I came across this book a few weeks ago by chance, and after reading the first page, I checked it out, came home and read it all in one sitting. It is that much of an intense and interesting book. Only later did I realize that it was soon coming out (well it has come out as I type) as a movie, adapted and directed by Mira Nair. Coincidence, rea(...)'

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Reflections: A Confederacy of Dunces

Author : Neeraja      Blog : The Mind's Language      Date : 4/22/2013 10:11:00 PM

'Ignatius J. Reilley is an eccentric idealist. Highly educated, extremely opinionated, completely frustrated and disillusioned with the ways of society, he lives with his mother, watches juvenile TV shows, criticizes every kind of movie that comes out, and records his intellectual musings in his notebook. In short, he leads a life that is devoid of responsibilities of any kind until one day his mother’s little accident forces him to find a job to scrape together some money. Wi(...)'

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Reflections: The Museum of Innocence

Author : Neeraja      Blog : The Mind's Language      Date : 4/12/2013 8:46:00 PM

';;;; Kemal is a young and wealthy Turkish man educated in the West.  He is soon to be engaged to Sibel, another wealthy and westernized young woman wholly in love with Kemal. But when Kemal chances on Füsun, a poor distant relative, he is hopelessly attracted to her. The two begin an affair that soon escalates into something far more serious and destructive than they could ever imagine. Through a detailed narrative of Kemal’s relationships with Füsun, Sibel, his family and frie(...)'

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Reflections: The Reader

Author : Neeraja      Blog : The Mind's Language      Date : 4/5/2013 8:09:00 PM

'The choices we make mold us into the people we are today. Sometimes, we underestimate the weight of those beliefs that doggedly lead us to make choices that cumulatively stray us down paths we least anticipate. What does one do when one walks down a road they didn’t mean to take but can see no exit, little alternative, thanks to their beliefs, their insecurities, their mental-model of themselves and their place in the world? So many of us are caught in such traps. We rush hea(...)'

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Reflections: The Hungry Tide

Author : Neeraja      Blog : The Mind's Language      Date : 3/27/2013 8:28:00 PM

';;;Marine biologist Piya travels to the Sundarbans to study the rare Irrawaddy dolphins. Through her research and friendships she learns about the history of the islands in the Sundarbans and the dangers and realities of the people living their fragile lives in a place that’s equally menacing as it is beautiful. With Nature’s sleight of hand, Piya is pulled into unique friendships and an everlasting bond with the people and the place in a way that realizes her true calling. In this (...)'

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Reflections: In Custody

Author : Neeraja      Blog : The Mind's Language      Date : 3/13/2013 10:06:00 PM

'Deven is a timid and oppressed Hindi professor in a town near Delhi. His profession is a drudgery he has to put up with for the sake of a livelihood that barely meets his family’s needs. His hobby, his passion, is Urdu and Urdu poetry. But when India fragmented during its Independence, the birth of Pakistan also meant the loss and steady whittling of Urdu within India. Hindi elevated to be the National Language, the language of Hindustan. Many Indian scholars continue to lam(...)'

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Reflections: Clear Light of Day

Author : Neeraja      Blog : The Mind's Language      Date : 3/12/2013 5:38:00 PM

'All families are wrought with emotions. Emotions in so many colors, brightness, and intensity that they are hard to capture and arrange within a structure, a spectrum. But its presence in the form of wild splatters, delicate splotches, careful strokes, and rough smudges creates a unique pattern that begins to define the family. Only the those within the family unit can find meaning in that colorful picture and remain connected to its significance. It’s a bond so full of inten(...)'

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Reflections: The Great Gatsby

Author : Neeraja      Blog : The Mind's Language      Date : 3/6/2013 1:31:00 AM

';;; In feverish anticipation of the movie, I read this acclaimed book. I know it sounds shallow to read a book just to prepare for a movie-adaption, but it’s so fitting given the main themes of the book. With “Love is Blindness” ringing in my ears, the trailer playing in my mind’s eyes, the reading experience was way more dramatic and sweeping than the book itself inspires.  Jay Gatsby is a mysterious millionaire shrouded in enigma. He yearns and cultivates a dream so fantastic(...)'

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Reflections: The Death of Vishnu

Author : Neeraja      Blog : The Mind's Language      Date : 3/2/2013 2:52:00 AM

'Vishnu is a homeless man taking refuge in the first-floor landing of a middle-class apartment in Bombay. Thanks to the odd-jobs he does for the people in the apartment, he scrapes his way through life, barely living, but surviving. Now, he lies dying on the stairs. As the families in the apartment steadfastly neglect and wish him away from the stairs, Vishnu’s life flashes past him as a series of delirious visions that mingle and move in and out of the happenings in the apart(...)'

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Reflections: Brahma's Hair

Author : Neeraja      Blog : The Mind's Language      Date : 2/26/2013 8:46:00 PM

'If you are interested in flora and are into mythology, particularly Indian/Hindu mythology, you would like this book. It is a collection of mythological stories surrounding the origin and nature of several tropical plants of India. The stories are entertaining; quite reminiscent of Panchatantra tales. Kids who are interested in plants would love to read or hear these tales. It would be a nice collection of bedtime stories for them. Each tale is accompanied by a factual description o(...)'

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Reflections: The Good Earth

Author : Neeraja      Blog : The Mind's Language      Date : 2/22/2013 8:39:00 PM

'This is yet another classic book that, for some reason, despite being a fan of Pearl Buck,  I was never motivated to read until last month. And I didn’t exactly read the book, because I listened to the audiobook. A few words on the audio-format. This was the first fiction audiobook I tried. Despite being extremely skeptical of one voice representing several characters, I decided to try it anyway. And I was blown away by Anthony Heald’s expert narration. It was fantabulou(...)'

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Reflections: The Happiness Hypothesis

Author : Neeraja      Blog : The Mind's Language      Date : 1/10/2013 10:51:00 PM

'As elusive as happiness is, it is even more elusive to read about it. But I still try. I don’t know why I have this need to theorize or analyze fundamental human emotions, but it’s my personal plague. So, anyway, in this richly analytical book, Dr. Haidt presents a holistic picture of Happiness - how and where does it stem from, what influences it and sustains it? He takes ancient wisdom and philosophy prescribed by philosophers and spiritual spearheads and analyzes if these (...)'

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Reflections: Three Men and a Maid

Author : Neeraja      Blog : The Mind's Language      Date : 1/8/2013 10:23:00 PM

'For a light and breezy read to break up the monotony, I resorted to this book. Wodehouse never disappoints. Although this isn’t his one of his best works, it does the trick to infuse some light-hearted mirth. Nothing and noone soothes me better than Wodehouse.The novel revolves around three men and the turn of events in their romantic lives. They are all connected to each other through some fortuitous or unfortunate circumstances, and at the center of it is one volatile girl.(...)'

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Reflections: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

Author : Neeraja      Blog : The Mind's Language      Date : 1/7/2013 5:33:00 PM

'I finally got around to read this popular book.Christopher is an autistic young man who narrates and records his experiences following the killing of his neighbor’s dog. Deciding to get to the bottom of the mystery of the killing, Christopher applies all the detective skills he has learned and assimilated from Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes. But little does he know that the detective game he doggedly pursues would lead him to secrets and revelations that are too complex(...)'

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Life of Pi - The Movie

Author : Neeraja      Blog : The Mind's Language      Date : 12/1/2012 8:07:00 PM

'My thoughts on the book. After much apprehension and skepticism, I decided to watch Ang Lee's Life of Pi yesterday. I'm so glad I did!! It was easily one of my best movie experiences ever!I remained skeptical of a movie/visual medium representing the weight, depth, and essence of the book - not to mention the horror and gore. But how wrong was I! The screenwriter and Ang Lee have masterfully done justice to the book! It's rare for me to rave about a movie made from a book that (...)'

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Reflections: Three Men in a Boat

Author : Neeraja      Blog : The Mind's Language      Date : 10/31/2012 11:24:00 PM

'Fans of P.G.Wodehouse have to read Jerome K. Jerome - especially this book. It is a witty account of the (mis) adventures of three men (and a dog) taking a two-week-long vacation riding on a boat. There isn't much of a plot, but that doesn't in anyway affect the reading experience! The narrator's reflections and ruminations  are laced with satire and wit. In fact, I found Jerome's satire to be even more sarcastic than Wodehouse's - and the contrast was good! Jerome's humorous a(...)'

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Memorable Books: The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down

Author : Neeraja      Blog : The Mind's Language      Date : 10/27/2012 3:40:00 PM

'I'm beyond happy and honored to be posting this marvelous review written by my talented friend, SS. To me, she is the glorious symbol of an elder sister I never had. Even before I think about standing up for myself, this affectionate powerhouse of energy and knowledge will enter the fray to defend, support, and fight for me :). I'm forever indebted to her for helping me pick up the pieces.  And when it comes to books, she knows them all - and I mean, all. It's a privilege to ha(...)'

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Sometimes...

Author : Neeraja      Blog : The Mind's Language      Date : 9/26/2012 9:58:00 PM

'Sometimes, it's much easier to find peace within ourselves when we find the means to silence the inner-voice's constant "Why?" questions. Especially when there are no answers. At least, no apparent ones. It's better to accept that sometimes there are no reasons, no linear causal chains. Sometimes, things just happen. They just do. Just like that. Sometimes, you will be treated badly. Just so. Sometimes, people will not like you. Just so. Sometimes, no matter(...)'

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