India Books

This book is one of the best I've ever written. I first read it at 14, and have been fascinated by the Taj and it's complicated history, ever since. I was heartbroken when I learned it was out of print, as my own copy was in tatters from constant reading, and I wanted to gift it to some 10 different friends.

It's been reprinted now, and I know what everyone's getting for their birthdays this year!

A story of unimaginable power and suffering and how the two interrelate, Taj is a novel that is both serious and compelling. Unknown to many in the West, the Mughal Emperors of India ruled a vast kingdom and enjoyed unlimited power within their lands. To make their reign the setting for a book is a challenge; the reader must be transported into a very different time and place, and yet made to identify with the characters. The book succeeds on both counts. The characters are well developed and unique, while the details of their lives unfold in all of their exotic difference. Throughout, the question is asked what is the limit of power? The answer resounds darkly: death. The terse Mughal proverb Taktya Takhta Throne or Coffin is repeated along the bloody journey of Shah Jahan, the Mughal emperor who commissioned the Taj Mahal, to the throne and beyond. Along with the historically accurate account of the political struggles of the time, a fictionalized yet plausible love story unfolds between Shah Jahan and his wife Arjumand Banu, a love that culminates in one of the most iconic monuments in the world, the Taj Mahal. The story is fictional because so little is known of the woman for whom the Taj Mahal was built. A few passages from old manuscripts and a giant mausoleum are all that remain of her, yet Timeri Murari does a beautiful job reading the architecture itself and the few written clues available in order to construct a moving tale of love and power.

Great Book so far. I wish there was a glossary or better explanations of the Hindi and Muslim words used in the book but other than that the book is hard to put down. I love the story.

The book is a well-woven historical fiction. If you have passion for history or cultural studies go for it. The writer introduces us to Taj Mahal glimpses of Mughal traditions and grandeur.
The two parallel narratives cover both sides of the Taj, an epic of love on one end, while the agony of a lifelong dread for the craftsmen on the other end. Taj Mahal is much more than a love story. Uptill now it has only represented the love and Shah Jahan. It is highly indebted to thousands of marginalised workers.
There is an unseen shadow of tragedy bandy in the corridors of the Red fort of Agra continuously echoing "Takht ya takhta". The glory and splendour of the throne justifies the successor killing his male siblings. The treasures are a powerful incentive for the rebellions. There is the unfolded story of Khusrau, Jehangir's son who was blinded by his father.
Nur Jahan is worsgipped by many as a forceful, persuasive, powerful and the legendary beautify. There is a conspiratory role attached to her.
The story is informative and to the point. Writer is well versed in research matter.
It reveals that India is not any ordinary land; full of tales, traditions, mystics and treasures.

This is a beautifully written book, which is a wonderful love story, but also gives a great deal of historical understanding about the Mughals and the construction of the Taj Mahal.

If you like historical fiction, this book is for you!

After reading "Sculpting in Time" (which I suggest is important reading to understand tarkovsky and his work), I was hoping that his diaries would shed some light as to the inner workings of the mind of a cinematic genius. Despite many moments of creative prose, and interesting streams of thoughts, on the whole, I was disappointed. I felt as if I were a distant observer to his memories and daily entries. Perhaps some of the work is dry because he didn't intend to have this published, whereas "Sculpting in Time" was (hence the more coherent, poetic and dynamic work) for the audience. It is a good read, the blood and guts of the artist himself, but once again, I would read Sculpting first.

Andrei Tarkovsky Diaries are real, 1st hand exprience from a talented writer and great cinematographer. He is giving reader a very real exprience from Russia in years 1970-1986. I wished I could read this book in it's original language when I felt it too close to my soul, and I wished pages never ended when I finished this book. Read it even if you are not a movie goer or watched none of his movies.

Andrej Tarkovsky understood the truth of life, and dedicated his life to make us understand those important things. Mostly, in his films, but we shouldn't forget ¨Time Within time¨. To me, it's a guidebook to arts, and if you really want to understand what art is about, you shouldn't miss this book, no matter which art you're into. There's no better artbook, but a book written by an artist, and in this one, you'll not only find infomation on his screenplays, but his view and deep understanding on art.

This is an excellent book that provides the non-experienced and experienced Tarkovsky viewer entry into the wonderful worlds in which he lived.

This is possibly the only book that captures the essence of Tarkovsky even better than his own "Sculpting in Time", which is surely one of the greatest film theory books ever written. Extremely personal, the diaries offer a close-up view of T., from daily minutiae to spiritual and emotional crises. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED to anyone who loves Tarkovsky.

At this time, this book book *is* in print in the UK, and is available from Amazon.com's British sister site, Amazon.co.uk.

Understanding the Mind is incredibly clear and precise. Geshe Kelsang Gyatso breaks down each mind we could possibly have, defines what it is, what its function is, and whether the mind is beneficial or not as we pursuit happiness and a spiritual path. There is no other book out there that describes in-depth the nature and function of the mind. I use it as a reference all the time because it is so helpful and inspiring. I would recommend this book to anyone who has a serious interest in learning about the inner workings of the mind from a spiritual perspective.

If you are interested in the details of the dharmic perspective of the mind and that path to enlightenment then this is a well detailed and thoroughly documented definition for any person to follow.

On a personal note:
I am currently going through this book, but one thing that sticks out is that there is no mention of the spirit. Now I have to admit that I have been born into and followed a path that has lead me to believe in the abrahamic (christian specifically) perspective, thus mind/body/spirit. So I am having a hard time incorporating the concepts in this book being that a third of my philosophy is missing, in dharma there seems to be only mind/body.

Thus, anytime I come to a point where I see the spirit involved and not accounted for, I hit a block in the content.

But notwithstanding my own personal bias, the book is well written, fairly dense and a wonderful tool to use to define the processes of the mind, so that we can regain control of the tool that is the mind.

Understanding the Mind by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso provides spiritual practioners with an accessible, insightful, detailed "manual to the mind" where different types of minds are broken down and dissected helping the reader determine what minds are beneficial to possess and what minds are harmful.
The second half of the book is particularly helpful in showing us how to nurture positive states of mind such as faith, love, effort, and patience that are of immense benefit to ourselves and others.

Understanding the Mind is a truly wonderful book that I refer to again and again for inspiration and insight into the inner workings of the mind.

This is a book for those unafraid to look into their minds, those who seek to know what is unknowable for most people. If it isn't unknowable then it is surely never contemplated. The"mind" is shown for what it is with such clarity. Not a single nuance is overlooked...Western psychology is light years behind as it heals the splits, soothes the rips and mends the tears of existence. One sees everything one is, was and can be in the text of this compact "Wisdom" teaching.

Tremendous insight and understanding of the mind, our thoughts and how they produce the world we experience. Tedious for those who won't explore their minds and enlightening for those who will!

This profound book will help you uncover the agenda your mind has in its ego's grip, and how to transform that by becoming fully conscious of what goes through your mind, and exactly how to transform the pain you may feel as a result of painful thoughts.

You will learn how your thoughts are actively producing the results you see as the life you are now living. You will learn how to transform your life, when you are willing to transform your mind.

A fantastic contribution to inner peace, and for the joy and happiness you deserve!

I congratulate Gabor Steingart for writing a book that clearly defines the problems for the West brought about by globalization. He suggests realistic ideas for mitigating the worst aspects of this process. His historical context of India and China and analysis of their current direction and strategies makes it very clear that the West better act quickly to protect our culture and institutions. America's foolish self-subjugation to corporate self interest is the wrong path. We're empowering China without regard to our long-term needs. My only criticism is that he's much too lenient with the Bush administration's many failures. This is a great book and Pulitzer Prize quality writing.

Steingart believes we spend too much time worrying about places like Kabul and Baghdad, and not enough thinking about places like Shanghai. "The War for Wealth" then details that case. Steingart also contends that the true tale of globalization is not being told - it is anything but a win-win situation. By 2025 China and India will likely dominate the world market with their purchasing power. It took both the U.S. and Japan about 40 years to double their per capita GDP; China took only twelve years.

Harvard historian David Landes believes that their success (and others) is determined by culture - moral values and behaviors. Unfortunately, per Steingart, we currently are paving the road to our demise with self-deception and self-affirmation.

Premier Deng Xiaoping was underestimated by Western leaders when he took over after Mao's death - partly because capitalism was seen as incompatible with a lack of democracy. Deng began by gradually liberalizing restraints on China's collectivized farmers, and in five years 98% of farmland was back in their hands. Deng also put off the military demands for resources, telling them the economy needed to grow first. Subsidies for government businesses decreased, then stopped, in exchange for the state no longer claiming all their revenues. Deng also opened China to foreign investment - $7 million in 1980, $250 billion now. Deng's changes were much more successful than those in resource-rich Russia which underwent a U.S. consultant-led crash immersion.

Brazil, Russia, China, and India together comprise about 45% of the world's labor supply. This will increase further - by 2050 another 1.2 billion are expected to live in Asia.

Those waiting for Chinese wages to equal those in the U.S., thereby eliminating its competitive advantage, have a long wait - Steingart estimates it will take another 30 years before Asian incomes are half as high as those in the U.S., if wage growth in Asia remains constant.

Eighty percent of Wal-Mart's suppliers are in China; until 2004 the U.S. was the largest exporter of IT products - now it is China.

Chinese innovation is accelerated by partnership requirements placed on Westerners building in China, piracy, espionage, R&D spending about 1/3 that of the U.S. (not adjusted for currency differences), extensive training in U.S. universities, higher IQs (about 10 points, on average, per research elsewhere; nine of Microsoft's ten most promising employees are Asian), and buying Western companies and resources. (Hitachi bought RCA and found it could sell its products at a higher price using the RCA label.)

Not only is Chinese labor much cheaper than that in the U.S., it doesn't have the social overhead costs of the U.S. - eg. health care and pensions.

Potential Flashpoints in the Future: North Korea (supported by China) vs. South Korea, India (backed by Russia) vs. Pakistan (backed by China), and Taiwan. Meanwhile, the U.S. and China continue their strange economic relationship.

"The War for Wealth's" one weakness lies in its recommendations - eg. more R&D in the U.S. That cannot overcome a dramatic cost difference held by a nation that is rapidly moving from production to also provide capable design and invention as well.

I am currently researching NATO's history, so I was immediately intrigued when I heard about Gabor Steingart's ideas on an "economic NATO" - a stronger partnership between Europe and the US intended to grapple with the challenges posed by emerging economic powerhouses such as China and India and the new forms of authoritarian democracy they propagate. I would not agree with all the conclusions of his book -- overall, I am more optimistic that future giants such as China will ultimately come to the conclusion that increasingly playing by the rules is in their best interest, and that current giants like the US will manage to remain competitive, just as they did when confronted by another economic threat from Asia, Japan, in the 1980s. However, Steingart presents an inspiring and thought-provoking case for the need for stronger transatlantic cooperation: he mixes compelling reporting from all over the world with sharp and concise analysis. The far-reaching interview with Prof. Samuelson at the end of the book is big plus, too.

I particularly liked, though, that Steingart does not hesitate to develop a real vision for the partnership between Europe and the US. In the conclusion, he refers to John F. Kennedy's Philadelphia speech from 1962 and his often overlooked ideas on a transatlantic cooperation beyond NATO. Given the roadblocks even minor agreements seem to encounter, it might be overly optimistic to hope for really closer ties anytime soon -- but any outline of a vision for the future is badly needed in the current debates on the relationship between Europe and the US. That is because, unfortunately, far too many people on both sides of the Atlantic seem to consider the "special relationship" a thing of the past rather than the huge field of opportunity it actually is

Our former Secretary of State Dr. Henry Kissinger has it right: This book is a really compelling reality check for America. I have read a lot of books about Globalization, but this is one of its own kind. Why? Course the author is not satisfied with simple answers or populist doomsday scenarios. He delivers a lot of reporting on the ground from all the hot places - Kabul, Shanghai, New-Delphi and others. And he delivers options for our tomorrows life and one of his option is really outstanding: The United States of the West. I don't know whether its realistic or not, but it seemed to be fascinating to bundle the whole power of the Western nations. May be the new administration in the White House should read this book. You know what: I will send one copy to the new President who ever will win.

Gabor Steingart not only takes the incredibly complex issue of globalization and puts it into terms we can all recognize and understand, but he then dares to go where many authors fear to tread: he offers solutions. For anyone seriously interested in the future of America, it's a real page-turner. Kris Kline, co-author Estados Unidos/United States

This was a great book. Author kept me interested in all the stories and the book was really heart wrenching when this disaster was seen through the survivors eyes.

This book is a must read for anyone remotely interested in the Asian people and their culture. I was truly humbled by the strength and dignity shown by the families featured in this account of the terrible tragedy. Their resolve should be used as a benchmark in our own everyday lives, it makes our own crisis', and the way we handle them, seem pretty silly and trivial by comparison.

Quite by chance, I had the pleasure of meeting a gentleman that employees a Thia aupair just days after finishing this wonderful book. It went out in the mail to him a few days later. I'm sure he will gain some valuable insight upon reading it, and will have a new and better understanding of the person sharing in his own families' culture after reading this wonderful book.

I highly recommend Wave of Destruction. Ready or not, it places you in the midst of the horror.

At least twice, while reading these stories, I flipped to the front of the book looking for the word "novel," or a disclaimer stating that the characters had been compiled in order to tell the story of the many who had suffered. No such words exist. The accounts are real and each person's experiences are more than any human should have to bear. The stories of the waves themselves made me savor every breath. Many of the survivors's minds were shattered making me want to reach out and pull them to safety, something that is impossible, even today.

After the physical horror had slowed, greed and corruption allowed people with varying degrees of power to profit from (and, arguably, even enjoy) the tragedy of others. How can they look in a mirror? How can they sleep at night? In contrast, the survivors choose to exhibit a level of grace for which there are no words.

This book is a must read for all. The book not only sheds light on the worlds deadliest tsunami, but takes you through the hardships of what life was like before the wave struck--perhaps even more interesting than the tsunami itself. It is a jaw dropping tale of tragedy yet strength. I couldnt put the book down, and when I finished I was left in a shocked state of ah. The author tells the story with passion, keeping the reader locked in until the very end. This tragic true story reminds us all just how much the human spirit can endure...

There are not many books that can bring me to tears, but this one did it. The lives of the people in the book are as amazing as they are sad. It reminded me just how strong some people can be. And just how evil others can be. In the middle of the worst natural disater in history people were actually praying on those who had just lost everything. I spent some time in Thailand years ago, but I only went to the tourist places. After reading this book I know I am going back. I have a totally different outlook on the country and the people now. I think sometimes when we go to foreign countries and do the whole tourist thing we miss out on the beauty. This book has shown me what is beautiful about Thailand--it's people. I think this book will open a lot of eyes.

What a wonderful idea for a book!
The brothers Jodha have excelled themselves...this is a thoughtfully conceived, well-shot, well-written and nicely presented books.
It makes one think...

After visiting South India (Dec. 03 - Feb. 04) and buying a lot of books about country, politics, demographics and landscapes, I looked for something that represents India as a whole. "Ageless Mind" is an excellent in-depth mirror of the Indian society in all its dimensions. Not so much the photos but the texts-interviews of the people are unveiling Indias magnitude and tragedy.
Highly recommended for some who would like to understand the dynamics and roots of "future coming world power".

I have recently picked up this book and read it only in bits and pieces but I must say that I am enjoying it immensely. I am not much of an expert on photography and can't speak about the technical aspects of this book but I must say that the photos with matching oral histories make this one a really absorbing affair. Some of the stories are quite hilarious, such as a patriarch who is bit of a tyrant as well an expert on time pieces, having written many books on the subject including a dictionary! He has got his own wife, his sons and their wives, and the grandchildren into this subject and so you have this extended family living with an unbelievable collection of watches and clocks. There are clock fashioned inside a banjo and a guitar, and there are these five-foot high, giant alarm clocks. It is also a very fascinating insight into the whole extended family system that you find less and less in neighborhoods today. The old patriarch says that nobody grudges the watches and clocks taking away all the space in their small flat because this was the condition "I put before my own marriage and then before the marriage of my two sons." So you have this photo of this eight-member family living in this one room tenement with these 2000 watches and clocks.

Photography on serious themes like homelessness, HIV, old age homes are always being done in that grabbing shots/reportage style which work very well in a newspaper context but don't have the same effect when put out in the form of a book. This book however goes in the other direction, taking the large format environmental portrait route more common to celebrity portraiture. More importantly, both in terms of the pictures and the narrations accompanying them, it addresses its theme with a lot of thought and patience. Just as well, since the book deals with the theme of ageing. Although, it has its share of celebrities, I could recognize only one - Pandit Ravi Shankar the famous sitar player, what makes it more interesting and valuable is its focus on the unknown, the forgotten or those who are simply down and out.

In another important change from the work done with such people and such environments, this one lets the people do the talking for a change, even when they don't seem to take very kindly to the book's writer or photographer. In the process this book highlights a world that even when far removed from ours, has human connections and concerns that are universal. The optimism, as one lady in this book puts it, "the years are like sugar in your tea cup. The last sip is sweetest," or the pessimism, as a traditional toy maker puts it, "what is a long life worth for those with limited means?" Then there are characters with their own peculiarities, a 100-year old soldier who thinks his teeth are coming back or a Chinese newspaper publisher, (that India also has a Chinese population was a revelation), who feels that the motto of the young is, "go for the cupboard keys first, then just say bye-bye."

The most inspiring person I came across among the 130 in this book was an eye surgeon who has been going around to really far removed places that have no hospitals and treating people for free. He has done more surgeries than anybody else in the world and has been at it for last 50 odd years. To me he seemed to be like Dr. Sheiwitzer who spent all those years in Africa and was immortalized in Eugene Smith's photo essays for LIFE magazine. But unlike the missionary-doctor this one wears his achievements lightly and says, "I am just an ordinary man and will serve as God wants me to. My instruments are my prayer and the operating room is my temple. My work has therefore been my pilgrimage."

Photography on serious themes like homelessness, HIV, old age homes are always being done in that grabbing shots/reportage style which work very well in a newspaper context but don't have the same effect when put out in the form of a book. This book however goes in the other direction, taking the large format environmental portrait route more common to celebrity portraiture. More importantly, both in terms of the pictures and the narrations accompanying them, it addresses its theme with a lot of thought and patience. Just as well, since the book deals with the theme of ageing. Although, it has its share of celebrities, I could recognize only one - Pandit Ravi Shankar the famous sitar player, what makes it more interesting and valuable is its focus on the unknown, the forgotten or those who are simply down and out.

In another important change from the work done with such people and such environments, this one lets the people do the talking for a change, even when they don't seem to take very kindly to the book's writer or photographer. In the process this book highlights a world that even when far removed from ours, has human connections and concerns that are universal. The optimism, as one lady in this book puts it, "the years are like sugar in your tea cup. The last sip is sweetest," or the pessimism, as a traditional toy maker puts it, "what is a long life worth for those with limited means?" Then there are characters with their own peculiarities, a 100-year old soldier who thinks his teeth are coming back or a Chinese newspaper publisher, (that India also has a Chinese population was a revelation), who feels that the motto of the young is, "go for the cupboard keys first, then just say bye-bye."

The most inspiring person I came across the 130 in this book was an eye surgeon who has been going around to really far removed places that have no hospitals and treating people for free. He has done more surgeries than anybody else in the world and has been at it for last 50 odd years. To me he seemed to be like Dr. Sheiwitzer who spent all those years in Africa and was immortalized in Eugene Smith's photo essays for LIFE magazine. But unlike the missionary-doctor this one wears his achievements lightly and says, "I am just an ordinary man and will serve as God wants me to. My instruments are my prayer and the operating room is my temple. My work has therefore been my pilgrimage."

The Ajanta caves can be considered among the wonders of the ancient world, both in terms of their artistic and their spiritual value, and this book captures the beauty and detail of the remarkable murals. If I were to make one criticism, it would be that it emphasizes the murals at the expense of largely neglecting the sculptures, which are magnificent in their own right. The book might better be titled, "Murals of the Ajanta Caves." I ordered it without seeing it first, and I was a little disappointed to see how few photographs were included of the sculptures. Nevertheless, the beautiful and clear photographs of the murals alone are worth the price of the book, and I'd certainly recommend it to anyone interested in the Ajanta caves, or in ancient Indian or Buddhist art.

If you, like me, have never been to the Ajanta Caves and would like to get a feel for the treasures they hold this is the right book to get. The quality of the prints is great - the artistry is beautiful. Very delicate and sensual in most places and quite bewildering in others. At times I wished the captions offered even more insight on the individual scenes but then I remember that this is not what this book is about. It is a delight to simply sit there, browse through this book and imagine what life must have been like in those faraway days. This book takes you places. If you are into ancient India you will not be disappointed.

although many of the old frescos hardly survived,
their essence and perennial beauty remains intact in the excellent reproductions, taken without any flashlights of this masterly book
I consider this book the most impressive in my big collection of works on Oriental and Buddhist art,
the expression of the faces, their compassion and their gestures are so delicate
and well represented in this book

If you are planning a trip to India, you should consider visiting the caves at Ajanta. If you are planning to visit the caves, you should read this book before the trip. You will get a lot more out of the experience of the caves if you know the Jataka stories and understand the Buddhist iconography described in this book.

Even if you have no plans to travel to Ajanta, the boook contains beautiful photograpghs which will make a nice addition to any collection of art books or, for that matter, to any coffee table.

This book offers the best color photographs of the Ajanta caves that I have seen. The text offers an excellent explication of the history and iconography of the images. Having been to the caves, I can honestly say that you see the paintings more clearly in this book than at the caves themselves. (This is due to crowded conditions and poor lighting at the caves.) This book is an important adjunct to any study of Buddhist art and inconography. If you're planning to travel to Ajanta, buy this book first.

I picked this book up purely by accident and I am so glad I did! For reasons unknown to me, I'm a sucker for Indian authors (Rohan Mistry being one of my favorites). To the best of my knowledge, there is not a drop of Indian blood in me (I'm Puertorrican, for goodness sake!)but the stories written by these authors about the people, the culture, the misery and the joy always leave me wanting to read more. Animal's People is such a book. Animal is a person I wish existed because I would love to meet him. He is quite a character (stay away from his lund, though!). Do yourself a favor and pick this book up. It takes a few pages to get used to the manner in which the story is told and the words used (it took me a while to realize that Kampani meant "company") but it is well worth it.

An unusual and moving coming-of-age story and my pick for the first half of 2008. Animal's voice will stay with you long after you close the book.

It's rare to come across a book with a truly original voice, but that occurs in Animal's People. The protagonist, Animal, is a brilliant, damaged young man who had survived most of his life by his raw intelligence. Because of this -- because of the harsh environment he has grown up in, the abuse he has suffered, etc. -- it is jarring to hear him speak and think like a "normal" person. And yet he does. Animal, despite his apparent madness at times, is one of the most fully developed HUMAN characters I have seen in a novel.

Beyond the wonder of experiencing Animal, the reader is taken on an adventure through the hells of an insubstantial legal system. Justice is a major theme in the book, but the story leaves the reader wondering just how one is supposed to obtain justice if it cannot be obtained through the courts or the government. Should one resort to violence? Peaceful protests? And at what point should one give up on the search for justice?

This is one powerful novel. It's written like few, if any other stories I've ever read. It's a strange world that animal lives in and he explains it in complete unabashed honesty. It appears to have a lot of truth to it, since it was based off the Bhopal disaster of 1984 involving the the Union Carbide. It's not for the feint of heart, it is intense and will move you in many different directions, while in the end it will leave you with a better understanding of hope and courage.

The central character, who is also the narrator of this story, is the force which gives the novel its incredible emotional power. Animal, so named because his twisted back forces him must walk on all fours, was the victim of a toxic gas leak from a foreign-owned company in the Indian town of Khaufpur. Animal is crass, obsessed with sex and self-interested enough to slip drugs into a love rival's drinks. Despite this he is an earthy, funny, self-aware and thoroughly likeable character and a brutally honest narrator.

It is perhaps not possible for someone who has not lived through such horrors to truly understand what it must be like for those who have, but getting to know Animal allows us to come as close as we are likely to get. Animal's dealings with the foreign `doctress' Elli also give us a window of understanding that opens onto the chasm that divides most readers from Animal's world, not just because we have not experienced the kind of atrocity he has, but because we are affluent and privileged.

This is a book about cynical exploitation by big business of the situation in less affluent countries. It is about the corruption that hampers the fight for justice and compensation for the victims and it is about the lack of any true understanding by outsiders of the real plight of those who live in `the kingdom of the poor'. It is also a book which brings all this alive in a very visceral way. Noone could be left untouched after reading this novel.

I lost track of Thalassa Ali after reading the first book in this series, so I was surprised to find that two more were finished. Although perhaps more of the romance novel than the first book, the second is a satisfying sequel. It continues to provide interesting detail about the time and place, the customs, beliefs, and prejudices while delivering an interesting plot and an engaging, if flawed, heroine. Having just finished this book, I can't wait to plunge into the next one.

This was one of the most entertaining books I've read in a while. If you love Indian or Hindu culture, you will love this book. Ali provides a unique look at this culture from the European perspective, at first judgemental, later accepting, and finally, by the end, you fall in love with the beauty of India. Her characters are 3 dimensional and well rounded. I highly recommend this book!

But WHY does it HAVE to be a trilogy? WHY couldn't it have been a big thick juicy blockbuster? This parceling out of the story in parsimonious portions is driving me BANANAS! I waited for over two years for the rest of the story and now I find out that I get just the middle and have to wait another YEAR for the end. Oh dear.

By the time you get to this sequel of A SINGULAR HOSTAGE, you'll probably be as desperate as I was to find out what happens to the adventurous Mariana, her new husband Hassan (the marriage has yet to be consummated), her spiritually gifted stepson Saboor, and the other fascinating characters in this tale of Victorian India. I found it very hard to put the book down.

I adore the love story -- how delicately it grows out of almost teasingly brief encounters between two people culturally primed to misunderstand each other. I also love the way this trilogy takes you into a different world -- actually, many different worlds -- with part of the delight being the ironic juxtaposition of conflicting world views.

I'm not usually one for mystic plot turns, which do occur regularly in this trilogy, but Ali makes them work well, and along the way you gain an intriguing and sympathetic glimpse into Sufism and the history of what today is Pakistan.

My only complaint is that the final book in the trilogy isn't out yet. I can't wait to read it!

In 1838 India, Englishwoman Mariana Givens arrives to find herself a suitable husband amongst the British military. Many officers want her, but instead she falls in love with a native baby Saboor whose mother died from poison.. During her quest to return the allegedly mystical infant to his father, Mariana falls in love and marries Hassan Ali Khan over the objections of both their societies.

Two years later Mariana realizes she has no place in the Indian world and remains the pariah of English society. She knows it is time to return to Lahore where her spouse lives and do two acts that will destroy her soul. She must return her beloved Saboor so that he can obtain his rightful place as a person supposedly gifted with magical abilities and she must obtain a divorce from Hassan. A heartbroken Mariana must say goodbye to the two native males that she loves for the sake of peace between two cultures on the verge of deadly conflict.

The sequel to SINGULAR HOSTAGE, A BEGGAR AT THE GATE is a terrific insightful historical tale with a touch of romanticism that brings to live mid eighteenth century India. The story line moves rather quickly yet not only has full blooded key characters, but also provides a deep window into two peoples at a point of major strife seemingly ready to turn deadly. Still the center of the novel is Mariana and her relationships with the two males she loves and with Indian and English societies. Readers will beg for more sequels especially what happens to the fascinating Saboor as an adult.

Harriet Klausner

The natural beauty of an Indian village has been portrayed realistically in this novel even with the tiniest detail that the reader could view it as if in a movie in front.

Moncy Pothen's hero, Arjunan, is a typical village guy learns Hindu traditions and holy books like Bhagavad-Gita from his parents, in his childhood, and the ancient hero with his same name, Arjuna, inspires him. It is well explained how the unexpected events change his whole path of life when he decides to participate in the social reform. He involves in an extremist group by believing only an armed up rise of the common men would change the corrupt society. He is an educated man, with a respectable job, family and social status, sacrifices everything for the rescue of the exploited and the down trodden. When he returns from jail, regretful about his past, the society does not forgive him and allow him to socialise normally. His good deeds, importance and intention are being scrutinized for a long while.

A woman's helplessness when she looses all hopes in life; at the time of making difficult decisions; when she has to support others in distress and also when she has to choose between the right and the wrong: is shown clearly by the character Ahalya. How the power of woman can be rejuvenated by a node or a small support can be witnessed in the book at a later stage. The woman's role in the society is well explained with many woman characters and it proves without doubt that the woman is not a weaker section in the society and she can stand along side with man in every activity.

Human mind is described with expertise in this book. The way people think and react at life's different circumstances is highlighted realistically. Humour is also applied in various occasions as a part and parcel of the Kerala society. The countless characters in this book represents the cross section of a society, which includes members belong to the countless castes and creeds in India. Their life harmony and the way in which religious fanaticism tries to disrupt it are also explained well. It proves that extremism, whether it is political or religious, is harmful to the society and the common men always stand against that.

The Author shows that love is a combined feeling of security, courage, jealousy, possessiveness, oneness, sharing and caring. True love can face any obstacle when together. Even the smallest of things done for the other can make a big difference.

The unexpected ending of this story also makes it unique.

First of all, as soon as I completed the last lines of the book, tears started rolling down my cheeks. I really wonder why it happened. I think the climax has such an effect on me because basically I am a traditional Indian girl and all Indian girls are same in their heart though some act as if they are not. Beneath the Clouds and Coconut Leaves is a realistic book which gives a good idea about the social and economic conditions of people in Kerala since independence and it wonderfully portraits the feelings of a female heart.

I assume that this book will be a wonderful literary experience to the readers around the world. Mr.Pothen is a kind and nice person. He really impressed me with his story and his excellent writing skills.

Mr. Moncy Pothen in his Novel, `Beneath the Clouds and Coconut Leaves,' narrates, with ease, the rhythms of uncared, stranded lives in bitterness since the dawn of independence.

In his entire story, he spotted the starving world for love with its human touch in real life. Through out the tale, the panoramic expressions are the aerial outcome of the true nature with the living world and the ecosystem.

We can see the pompous days of feudalism are ending and a new age of scarcity or humbleness awakening and it is the hero, an unexpected source that was instrumental to the fall, comes for the aid with attempts to rescue. In the book, we experience the success of humanity above all the ideologies. It also portrays the political, social and cultural scenario in Kerala, the tiny South Indian State, in its true state.

I wish the domain made by the Author be a great success.

Those who lived in Kerala in the Sixties/Seventies would know what it means to be a Naxal. How many young men/women have sacrificed their lives on the altar of this utopian cause! How many families have suffered, some violently and some in silence! All for a cause that just fizzled out within no time and vanished from people's memory without a trace.

It's not a hitherto unexplored theme, but to my knowledge past initiatives have been in Malayalam language. Here Moncy uniquely portrays the life in a typical Kerala village, its social structure, its pulses and the swings. I'm sure the reader will be overwhelmed by the sentiments Moncy has successfully depicted without losing its innocence and flavor.
Kurien V.
Saudi Arabia