Category Archives: Miscellaneous Musings!

Book Reading – Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond

General Comment:As mentioned earlier on my April 19 2007 post, I have embarked on writing a few words on all the books that I may read in my retirement. I will reread few books which I read over last few years – this to allow me to capture some good essence from the readings.

The recent book I have completed reading is a book by Jared Diamond titled  Guns, Germs, and Steel . This book is a big book  (some 471 pages long).

I borrowed the book from my son, Sunir, during my last visit to Toronto. Sunir completed reading this book and he is already on to the second (follow-up book by Jared Diamond).

It is very well written, easy to read and covers the human development since historic times   spanning from some 13000 years of history on all continents.

He provides why there was differing development at various locations   and continents and how food production ( based on domestication of wild plants and mammals) helped some human groups to get a head start on development and thus manage to engulf the remaining low developed societies over few thousands of years.

There is lot of information and inferences based on logical arguments

I am bit surprised that the historic development in the Indain sub-continent is considered secondary compared to Iraq area –   Known as “Fertile Crescent” ( Mesopotamia) , China   and Europe.     India is not known for much archielogical finds as Indians never believed in posterity and there are no burial places or graves  . Even writing came late in the Indian sub-continent.

It is a great read.

Pravin Shah

 

Book Reading – Before and After by Rosellen Brown

General Comment:As mentioned earlier on my April 19 2007 post, I have embarked on writing a few words on all the books that I may read in my retirement. I will reread few books which I read over last few years – this to allow me to capture some good essence from the readings.

The recent book I have completed reading is a book by Rosellen Brown titled  Before and After. This book is paperback (some 420 pages long).

This book is about small town American family – wife, Carolyn Reiser is a medical doctor and her husband, Ben is a sculptor who stays home raising two children. The son – Jacob (17 years old) and the daughter -Judith is younger sister.   A lovely home , every thing is going right but one day the door bell rings with the Police Commissioner at the door. He brings the news of shattering crime of killing of a young girl – the suspect being their son- Jacob. The whole life of each member of the family turns upside down.

The family goes thru trauma of keeping their love of their son intact but also to be aware of  pain of the deceased girl’s parent.   The book makes the reader aware that one event can change everything – the family has to confront the society – lose friends , fight the legal battles for the acquittal of the son who admits killing the girl but unintentionally. There is a fine line betweeen guilt and innocence.

This is another book I discovered on an obscure shelf in my office room. These are my son”™s books who became avid reader of books when in middle and high schools. So now I am joyful to discover these books and enjoying reading them

A gripping book.

Pravin Shah  

Book Reading – Cold Fire by Dean R. Koontz

General Comment:As mentioned earlier on my April 19 2007 post, I have embarked on writing a few words on all the books that I may read in my retirement. I will reread few books which I read over last few years – this to allow me to capture some good essence from the readings.

The recent book I have completed reading is a book by Dean R. Koontz  titled Cold Fire. This book is paperback (some 421 pages long). Dean Koontz   has written many books with paranormal mental gifts as the main element in his stories. Cold Fire is the book about a person (Jim Ironheart) who had been gifted in paranormal /psychic abilities – he seems to have inherited this ability from his father (& grandmother).    He lost his parents (from a random shootout at a restuarant) at the age of 10 years and within a year  lost his Grandmother – by an accidental fall – brought on by a paranormal happening in the family windmill (abondoned).  The windmill is the  central  area around which  the story  is weaved.

I enjoyed the book as to the description of light, shadows, colors and general atsmospheric happenings at various times . It provides shocking suspense & reveting terror.

This is another book I discovered on an obscure shelf in my office room. These are my son”™s books who became avid reader of books when in middle and high schools. So now I am joyful to discover these and enjoying reading them.

Pravin Shah

Book Reading – Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens

General Comment:As mentioned earlier on my April 19 2007 post, I have embarked on writing a few words on all the books that I may read in my retirement. I will reread few books which I read over last few years – this to allow me to capture some good essence from the readings.

The recent book I have completed reading is a book by Charles Dickens titled Oliver Twist. This book is paperback (some 419 pages long).Charles Dickens  is famous English writer who was born in 1812. He wrote the book in 1837 and thus this book is a classical book and bears witness to life in London at that time. It is painful book to read – most parts- Howevre there is humour in it all along. Young Oliver meets with calamities one after another but Oliver comes thru life   by help from good people (who incidently  were related to his mother  as unfolded in the story). It is a thriller in that the spy and detective work is required to unrevel the mystery of Oliver’s background. All in all a pleasant book to read.

This is one of the books I discovered on an obscure shelf in my office room. These books   are my son’s who became avid reader of books when in middle and high schools. So now I am joyful to discover these and enjoying reading them.

Pravin Shah

Book Reading – Harry Potter and Goblets of Fire – 4th book

General Comment:As mentioned earlier on my April 19 2007 post, I have embarked on writing a few words on all the books that I may read in my retirement. I will reread few books which I read over last few years – this to allow me to capture some good essence from the readings.

The recent book I have completed reading is the fourth book in a series of books titled   ” Harry Potter” written by  J.K Rowling. The books  are about wizardary and witches   – a fiction theme (under English milieu).

The fourth  book is titled “Harry Potter and the  Goblets of Fire“. It is hard cover  book (more than 600 pages) but  easy to read as it is written for young people. I completed the reading in ten days. The book is very captivating and thus it becomes very difficult to put down.

The book is about a contest between three champions (each from three well known international Wizard schools). However, fourth champion was spitted out by the Goblet of Fire – of course he was Harry Potter. Someone had entered Harry’s name (without his knowledge) even though he did not qualify  due to his age (only those who were 17 years or older could enter and represent their school).

Harry could not get  out of the contest as it was the rule any names spitted out by the Goblet would have to compete. This was facilitated by  an act of a Death Eater (who is loyal to  Lord  Voldemort – a Lord of Dark Ages)  who wants to  kidnap Harry so the Lord Voldemort could be revived into a human form – by using Harry’s blood into the potion for such revival. Eventually Lord Voldemort did get revived but Harry managed to escape death and back into the school. The Ministry of Magic was all in uproar from all the happenings and thus in turmoil.

I managed to complete this book within 10 days  even though it was competing with the other book I am currently reading . This book is Oliver Twist by David Copperfield.     I will wrote about this book soon.

Pravin Shah

Book Reading – Euro Temps ( PSIs sans frontieres) devised by Alex Srewart & Neil Gaiman

General Comment:As mentioned earlier on my April 19 2007 post, I have embarked on writing a few words on all the books that I may read in my retirement. I will reread few books which I read over last few years – this to allow me to capture some good essence from the readings.

The recent book I have completed reading is called Euro Temps devised (written) by Alex Stewart & Neil Gaiman. I borrowed book from my son-in-law, Sunjay. This book is a collection of small stories (13 different stories) related to paranormals. This is a Psi-fi book and would work thru various Talents in differnt individuals (of each story) who would use their paranormal abilities to help Governments (in Europe) to  capture or neutralise evil (bad) elements in society.   A vewry difficult book to read as language is is structured so differently then other books. 366 pages – it took immense persevernce to complete the book in a week’s time.

The book educated me about   the core of PSI TV shows. Though I have not yet seen any of these TV programs yet.

Pravin Shah

Book Reading – Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban – 3rd book

General Comment:As mentioned earlier on my April 19 2007 post, I have embarked on writing a few words on all the books that I may read in my retirement. I will reread few books which I read over last few years – this to allow me to capture some good essence from the readings.

The recent book I have completed reading is the third book in a series of books titled   ” Harry Potter” written by  J.K Rowling. The books  are about wizardary and witches   – a fiction theme (under English milieu).

The third  book is titled “Harry Potter and the  Prisoner of Azkaban“. It is a small book (371 pages) and easy to read as it is written for young people. I completed the reading in three days. The book is very captivating and thus it becomes very difficult to put down.

The book theme is based on a prisoner at Azkaban who escapes. This prison in the wizardland is supposed to be very severe and no one can escape. However this prisoner (Sirius Black) escaped as he was wrongly charged in helping the evil lord to   kill Harry Potters parents ( who were the prisoner’s very best frinends). He was thus  able to muster enough stamina to fight the prison’s control mechanism.   It so happened that Sirius Black was named Harry’s Godfather by his parents.  

The book has to be read to get proper story.

Note: I saw the movie based on this book on CBC ( television) prior to reading the book. I will need to see the movie  again to capture all naunces of the book.

Pravin Shah

Book Reading – Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – 2nd book

General Comment:As mentioned earlier on my April 19 2007 post, I have embarked on writing a few words on all the books that I may read in my retirement. I will reread few books which I read over last few years – this to allow me to capture some good essence from the readings.

The recent book I have completed reading is the second book in a series of books titled   ” Harry Potter” written by  J.K Rowling. The books  are about wizardary and witches   – a fiction theme (under English milieu).

The second  book is titled “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets “. It is small book (251 pages) and easy to read as it is written for young people.

I immensely enjoyed the second  book which I could not put down once I got it from the local  library. Completed reading in two days. Harry goes back to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardary and completes the second year. The highlight of the school year was his confrontation with Lord of Dark  Arts  ( Lord Voldemort)  and discovering a Chamber of Secrets below the  School. Harry Potter vanquishes Voldemort in the Chamber after killing a giant snake (who was taking command from Voldmort to kill students at the school – especially who were not of pure lineage as Wizards but sons and daughters of common men).

The book is very captivating with many twists and turns

The   author has an excellent grasp of her subject and the plot for many  books to come  

Note: I saw the movie on the CBC (television) prior to reading the book

Pravin Shah

Book Reading – Harry Potter and Philosopher’s Stone -1st book

General Comment:As mentioned earlier on my April 19 2007 post, I have embarked on writing a few words on all the books that I may read in my retirement. I will reread few books which I read over last few years – this to allow me to capture some good essence from the readings.  

The recent book I have completed reading is the first book in a series of books titled   ” Harry Potter” written by  J.K Rowling. The books  are about wizardary and witches   – a fiction theme (under English milieu).

The first book is titled “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone“. It is small book (223 pages) easy to read as it is written for young people. An excellent book. I am prompted to take interest to  read this book as my daughter is now in her final (latest) book – recently published. She is reading the book even while she is busy looking after her new born daughter, Sitara.   This is the power of Harry Potter stories.

I enjoyed the first book which I could not put down once I got it from the local  library. Harry goes to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardary and completes the first year with many adventures while at the school.

The   author has an excellent grasp of her subject and the plot for many  books to come  

Pravin Shah

Book Reading – Strange Highways by Dean Koontz

General Comment:As mentioned earlier on my April 19 2007 post, I have embarked on writing a few words on all the books that I may read in my retirement. I will reread few books which I read over last few years – this to allow me to capture some good essence from the readings.  

The recent book I have read is titled ” Strange Highways ” by Dean Koontz. The book have various suspense stories  with horror as main theme. In all there are 14 stories – 12 of these are small stories but two fairly large. The story titled “Strange Highways is the largest.   The theme in variuos stories encompasses from supernatural to a Vietnam hero chasing a   rightwing nut who wanted to clean the world of sins   (though in private he himself was sinful).  

Dean Koontz is an author who can be very captivating as he is intense in his subjects.He is author of many suspense books.

Pravin Shah