The Picture Of Dorian Gray By Oscar Wilde

The Picture Of Dorian Gray By Oscar Wilde  

                                        …The sitter is merely the accident, the occasion

This is a story of vanity. The protagonist is Dorian Gray, a young man so charming and handsome that he becomes the life of an artist. It is a story about sensuous curiosity, literary debauchery and reckless love for art.

It seems that Oscar Wilde has not only poured his mind, but his life in this tale. It is his own reflection in pages scrawled with artsy stones, doleful verses and undying incenses. The writing style is rather peculiar and carefree. Wilde puts no thought on how his work will be received. He goes on dwelling on art, music, kings and queens digressing from his main plot. His pen doesn’t pay attention to the pages, but to the words. The language is comprehensible and supportive of an easy flow from scene to scene. The words are meaningful as ever, the phrases poetic , the story fantastic. This is more serious than other works of Oscar Wilde that I’ve read. The whole story redefines morality in terms of a conflict between sensuousness and propriety. It examines the life of the protagonist in the wake of his interaction with the world and his “renunciation”. It is a tale no man should read without pain , and no man should write without empathy. The society through the eyes of Oscar Wilde is truly a society of romantics and meaningful only for them. And hence, It is recommended only for romantics.

Happy Prince and Other Tales Review

Happy Prince and Other Tales By Oscar Wilde  

                                                 …I like hearing myself talk

One cannot but drool over the sweet tales of one's childhood. And Oscar Wilde’s stories are just like that, only with a subtle political satire and outright irony. I can hardly imagine a reader not gasping while reading this book. This book is a package of five bittersweet short stories about sympathy, sacrifice, love, selfishness, greed, vanity and self-love. The stories do not have surprising ending , nor do they have any descriptive parts. They are simple fables meant to win the hearts and minds of all.

There is something extraordinary about Wilde’s writing style. Though animals and candles have been personified many a time in literature but Wilde’s characters seem to be utterly novel, almost magical. It is not without pangs of childlike excitement that a reader will turn the pages of this book. The words are beautiful and nothing less. Wilde knows his flowers and stones quite well. The nature is distinct and each flower has its own entity in Wilde’s world. His writing is sincere, magical and appealing. His stories leave no doubt that he was a romantic at heart. I had envisaged him as a self-loving person when I read De Profundis. But this book changed his image in my mind. I feel closer to him in some way through the characters he brought to life. He has gratified the child inside me, and I am very thankful to him for that. Needless to say, this book is a must read.

Theaetetus Review

Theaetetus By Plato
                …all of these off-springs are wind-eggs and not worth bringing up

Plato’s contribution to epistemology can be distinctly perceived and possessed as knowledge through this text. In this dialogue, Plato tries to examine the question “what is knowledge?” unsuccessfully. And yet he tells us “What knowledge is not?”. The famous Socrates belief, the one who knows that he does not know is wiser than the one who thinks one knows and does not know, is tacitly manifested in this dialogue.

Besides a few hasty conclusions and abstract arguments, this text is unerring. Moreover, though the language is simple, the flow of language is a little turbid. Sometimes, the paraphrased theories are less decipherable than the original theories.Also, some part of the text will require the reader to know a bit about epistemology thereby making it esoteric. Sometimes the Socratic portion does not appear to be quite like the standard Socratic dialogues .All the same, this text stands as the seed of epistemology which sprouted into a separate branch of philosophy proving that this text is as significant as Plato’s work of forms if not more. Moreover, some of the arguments are difficult to refute despite the widened human vision of modern era. The simile of bird’s cage used by Socrates to help Theaetetus envisage the concept of “possession of knowledge” and “having knowledge” is awfully commendable inasmuch as it makes one realize that re-learning is different from learning. This example alone makes this text worthwhile.

Read it to “possess the knowledge” of what knowledge is not. Re-read it to “have knowledge” of the possessed knowledge.

Phaedo Review

Phaedo By Plato 

            …opposites from opposites but not Opposites in Opposites

While a dying man is wont to mourn his impending death , Socrates hoped for a better future in death. For his whole life he had been practicing philosophy with the hope of abstaining from bodily afflictions that make us cling to the unreality of this world. We must strive to keep our soul free from any kind of greed and live in moderation.

Phaedo is an edifying dialogue between Socrates and his friends, which is later, narrated by Phaedo. The scene is set just before the death punishment of Socrates and yet all those present are engaged in an intellectual conversation rather than a temperamental one. Socrates argues that soul is immortal and indestructible; it is exists before the body and remains after the body. The soul is sent to the underworld in a direction that depends on the piousness or wickedness of the soul. His friends provide some counterarguments but Socrates is successfully able to address them and reinstate his arguments. After the rational conversation however his friends are no longer able to contain themselves and break down into tears. This shows that though human beings might agree and accept the inconsequential existence of the body they cannot forego their temperaments. Socrates urges them to practice what they have discussed and not just agree with it. Till the very end, Socrates stands by his convictions and admonishes people to stand by them if they have agreed to them.

This text is a must read for anyone who wants to get a consistent perspective towards death.

Crito Review

Crito By Plato
         …Virtue and justice are man's most precious possession

Is loyalty to country to be given any consideration even if it has wrongfully convicted one of major crimes? Does duty to one’s children take precedence over duty to one’s country? This text answers these questions and many more. Socrates deduces through strong arguments that loyalty to one’s country is more important even than loyalty to one’s parents.He will prefer dying to mistreating his country.

The arguments given by Socrates are thought provoking and dispassionate. However it seemed that he could have been convinced of the opposite with simplest logic if Crito had tried. Unlike the other dialogues the inability and helplessness does not seem to be due to the effect produced by Socrates characteristic style of questioning but Crito’s incompetence. Crito is never convincing either in passion or in logic. He is anxious that the majority will see him as a friend who didn’t even try to salvage Socrates. Socrates makes this anxiousness seem pointless by giving counter arguments to prove that majority is not to be trusted in all issues. Only specific people who have wisdom may be considered. This seems paradoxical with Socrates' stance to be loyal for the country but country here is not the same as majority. The concept of country refers to the laws, legacy and services collectively while majority refers to only the people.

This text is recommended for readers interested in understanding the problem encountered by several thinkers when dwelling on the precedence of individuality over nation or vice-versa.

Apology Review

Apology By Plato 

              …I do not know, neither do I think I know

Apology does not refer to conveying that one’s regretful in this text. It is the derived from the Greek word “Apologia” which means dwelling on one’s defense. This text is Plato’s report on the speech given by Socrates during his prosecution. The accuracy of this work is not known like many other works that Plato has written in dialogue form involving Socrates. Socrates says he’s not an orator and yet emanates the effect only an efficacious orator can create.

The charges against him are of heresy, corruption of young minds and atheism. Socrates denies his being guilty of any of the charges and defends himself through reason and wit. This is the story of a man who stood for what he believed until the end no matter what. Until the end does he forward his belief that a good man is the one who gives preference to virtue and introspection rather than material wealth. He ends on the note that he will consider the jurymen just only if they reproach his sons if they sway from the path of knowledge. The language is fairly easy to grasp. The logic that Socrates give in regard to God, death and piousness will force reader to think about the nature of society and individuals.Socrates words are dispassionate and yet inspirational. It leaves no doubt in the mind that he was indeed amongst the wisest if not the wisest.

This text is highly recommended.

Euthyphro Review

EUTHYPHRO By Plato

                         …I prefer nothing, unless it is true.

Before I picked up this book I was apprehensive of it being abstract and trying but it has turned out to be just the opposite. This is a dialogue between Socrates and Euthyphro who has decided do prosecute his own father for murder because of his “complete” knowledge of piousness. But Socrates turns his world upside down and subtly shatters his belief. Euthyphro is so frustrated by the end that he leaves the place.

The clever argument that, being carried makes a thing a “Carried thing” is true but a “Carried thing” is carried is not, is what is best about this dialogue. Through logic and logic only does Socrates manage to imply that piousness is not defined by love of God nor is its form so clear as to one becomes convinced that he knows everything about piousness. And to have so much conviction that one prosecutes one’s own father is just irrational. The fact that Euthyphro leaves the scene corroborates with this fact.The dialogue is in easily readable and decipherable. It is not absurd and medieval but rational and radical. The dialogue form makes one feel that he is in fact present on the premises. Socrates methodology of arguing with “what is this and why is this?” amalgamated with his sarcastic humbleness and quick wit will make reader thing about the questions of morality.

It is a must read for all those who do not want to lead a life of darkness.

A Tale Of Two Cities Review

A Tale Of Two Cities By Charles Dickens 

     …Louder, Vengeance, much louder, and still she will scarcely hear thee.

The subtitle will emanate the feeling that the novel brings about. A tale of two cities is a paradigm of novels intertwined with history. The title of this story is the eponym of what it contains…a tale of two cities. One city is in France and the other is in England and yet they are not greatly asunder. The people are the same, the way is the same, and the revolution affects them the same. This is a heart-rending story of a family affected by the French revolution and what that “revolution” meant for some.

This story is written as an omniscient narrative in which Dickens tells the tale of both the cities in interposed slices. The language is not simple and eloquent. It is overly descriptive and plumped up with words. It is not verbose but laborious and slow. The only evasion from this language comes in dialogues. Albeit the language is difficult to read, the poetic comeliness of the text deserves admiration. The plot is also magnificent with a few apparent loopholes, which I think are really parts of my failed understanding ;rather than Dicken’s obscurity. The story is not a flight of unbridled creativity and capricious freewill; it is a structured plot of trying circumstances, and impressible people who fail to understand the real meaning of a republic.

I recommend this novel to all and sundry because of its historical significance and structured plot.

The death of Ivan Ilych Review

The death of Ivan Ilych by Tolstoy Leo Nikolayevich 

                                    …He tried to add, “Forgive me” but said “Forego”

What is death? Can a dying person know death before death? The death of Ivan Ilych is biography of a Judge who realizes that his life of propriety and appropriateness was not what he wanted, and not what he could rectify. He had suppressed his instincts all throughout his life for public approval, and in the end the people were indifferent to his pain only hoping to get his job.

The language of book is easy to follow and lucid. The words used are accurate and efficacious in depicting the wont of a dying person to live his life once more. The metaphor of sack bag is mind wringing and novel. It appears as if the author had actually gone through the experience that he has penned down. This story is neither of a great conquest, nor of a romantic death but a death so commonplace that its realism in the story urges you to think what might become of yourself. The moral of the story is to know happiness by your instincts and not by public propriety alone. Tolstoy’s omniscient narrative is obtrusively neutral and simple…simple enough to make you realize that death is not a phenomena which occurs to “mortals” but it is the end of all phenomena for “yourself” as an individual.

I recommend this book to all those who have a taste for biographies and don’t mind stories without thrills.

Crime and Punishment Review

Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
                                     …Extraordinary men have the right to kill

This book is undoubtedly one of the best works of literature I’ve ever my hands upon. It would be an understatement to say that this book is a motion picture taking you along with it; this book is much more than that. The wringing of hands, the exquisite anger turning into love…and love being hated by the protagonist…all the hidden feelings are confessed. On the day of the funeral supper, the lady is not only moaning her husband’s death as some of the authors might have expounded; she is bothered by trifling things such as pride,vanity and self-esteem. She wants everybody to pay attention to her, as if it’s her wedding day. She speaks of the laurels she’s earned by her “shawl dance”; she tells everyone that her children are genteel. Could anything be closer to the shrouded reality we daren’t concede even to ourselves?

Judging by the translation, the book seems to have been written in Russian vernacular. It is easy to see that Dostoevsky wrote for the masses, not for a “target audience”. The story is related to everyone, for it is the story of a stinging conscience; a story where delirium is not exaggeration inasmuch as river is not an ocean. The dialogues are appealing, meaningful and even repository of knowledge. This novel is not a thriller; it is a psychological chronicle without sense of time…a mammoth paradox in literature. I recommend this book to all those who exist.

De Profundis Review

De Profundis By Oscar Wilde 

                      ...Art only begins where imitation ends

De Profundis is latin for “From the depths”. It is difficult to review a letter since it is a personal correspondence only to be judged by the addressee, but I shall attempt the same. This letter contains Wilde’s changing views on morality and meaning of life. A general idea of the content of the letter can be grasped from an excerpt: “Behind joy and laughter there may be a temperament, coarse, hard and callous. But behind sorrow there is always sorrow”

Wilde has elaborated little on the details of his imprisonment.He only talks about the influence that Christ as a poet, has had on Wilde. He revisits Christian Gospels to point out that Christ does not love a man who has never sinned;he loves a true romantic.A man who is imperfect is perfect to him. Wilde has discoursed on this paradox beautifully using metaphors and similies. Then he explains the meaning of art. According to him art is a connection between artist and his work more than the work and world. Notwithstanding the fact that letter is filled with Wilde’s true romantic spirit, it lacks the essence of true feelings. Wilde has consciously dropped the discussion when it was at the verge of reaching his true self. He just flatters his vanity by choosing words that imply that his infamy was martyrdom. Those familiar with Wilde’s biography will see this as an appalling matter.

I recommend this letter to only those who are interested to know Wilde as a person.

Third Class In Indian Railways Review

Third Class In Indian Railways By M K Gandhi 

                 …appeal has gone not to the heart but to the stomach

It is not easy to empathize with people until you put yourself in their shoes; So was Gandhi’s maxim. This book is a compilation of his letters and essays on Swadeshi movement, Co-operation, Ahimsa and national dress.

Unlike several political philosophers Gandhi does not talk using larger concepts; he does not burden people with words. He is eloquent and simple.He talks about smallest things like closets and sanitation which have immediate concern to individuals; he is equally concerned with the nature of pestilent activities that are hovering over the nation. The language used is grammatically sound and simple. The author appears to be well read; he uses phrases and idioms at apt places. Another point that will appeal to reader is the politeness of Gandhi when he addresses people.Even if he’s strongly opposed to a certain viewpoint, he does not disparage the concerned person.There is a certain divinity attached to the text which does not come out of its religious inclination but the simplicity of what is true for Gandhi. The author does not begrudge his criticizers; he makes his point clear with reason and logic. This book is the crux of what Gandhi believed in; what he vouched for till the end of his life. Even a person living in a foreign country will appreciate the principles that it elaborates upon.

This book is recommended for readers interested in Political Philosophy.

Political Ideals Review

Political Ideals By Bertrand Russell                     
                     …Diplomacy is in essence nothing but the threat of war

What seems radical now won’t be radical tomorrow; political jargon will incorporate more polysyllabic terms. The only thing that remains is the maxim on which the satisfaction of an individual rests: Unrestrained creative wisdom. This book is based entirely on the life of individuals; it does not give priority to the sovereign power, which controls him/her.

The text has minimal political jargon and its language is easy to understand.The author does not stand for any particular viewpoint .He talks about popular policies that a state can adopt and gives his views on each one of them. The suggestions provided by him in the book have not become obsolete even now. The brilliance of analogy of an individual with a nation is self-evident.According to him,a nation has no purpose other than to cater the needs of its individuals. He professes Self –Governed establishments in which the workers get to choose the working hours, the resource management schemes and the wages. The reader is impelled to revisit his mindset on politics. One of the commendable features of this book is that the author is not trying to revolutionize masses through his work. He never tries to persuade the reader to breed cynicism against his own country. Contrarily, he promotes patriotism and faith in the nation. International disputes have also been looked into with appropriate suggestions for reforms.

This book is a MUST READ for everyone; this will open the mind of readers to radical ideas of science and art.

Existentialism And Human Emotions Review

Existentialism And Human Emotions By Jean Paul Sartre 

                                    …What if everyone acted that way?

I chose to read this book and hence I’ve come into existence as a man who has read this book as opposed to the man I was when I hadn’t. This man is the exemplary man that directs the world to the idea of the ideal man. Hence, if you want to be the ideal person; read this book. And then you will have to write a review like this one to be the new man that I would have became at the end of this review.

This is the maxim of existentialism. Through this book, Jean Paul Sartre defends his philosophy against some charges that it has faced due to the notoriety of earlier works. Hence, existentialism is brought to a new light of freedom rather than the alleged despair. Any reader who is slightly familiar with Freud’s, Descartes' and Kant’s works will readily understand this . The language is one of the easiest that I’ve read in philosophical works. Some concepts however are abstract and difficult to understand.The author ought to have explained these in detail for the reader’s who are unaware of the philosophical jargon. In any case, the author was successful in giving the basic idea of existentialism through logic. He also gives the scope of this line of philosophy in psychoanalysis. The reader should constantly look up the phrases that look obscure because the theory will not be fully understood without that.

This book is recommended for readers who are interested in reading philosophical texts. An ideal man would write a review on it as well.

Persuasion Review

Persuasion By Jane Austen  
                  … Prettier musings of high-wrought love and eternal constancy

It is such a studious undertaking to stop every moment and write its details in minutiae. And Miss Jane Austen has successfully and assiduously handled each moment, each character, and each subplot. Jane Austen ‘s disposition towards the theme of ‘love suppressed by social propriety’ is once again brought to life in this novel. The protagonist Miss Anne Elliot is deprived of her only true love because he was not an aristocrat as her. She is emotionally bruised and condemned to live with it for much long.

This novel puts persuasion and will against each other and in the end teaches us to not judge people too soon. Looks are Deceptive and feelings are the ultimate guide to life. It then asks the questions if the protagonist was right to desert her lover due to persuasion of others. The language is easy to read and reflective of the society that existed during the life of the author. The importance of good looks, social rank and capital is apparent from the text. However, the text and meaning of the text are sometimes substantially asunder. In some parts, Juxtaposition of subplots in the main plot might confuse the reader. However, The reader is sure to appreciate the sincerity with which every word is put. The author never undermines morality. Rather, she puts it in a fitting manner with the feelings of protagonist.

This book is recommended to any romantic especially to one inclined to love stories.

Jonathan Livingston Seagull Review

Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach
                … your whole body is nothing more than your thought.

Figurative in all its aspects, this book guises the most vivid feelings pertaining to human-conformity and self-imposed limits. In a few words the author has managed to create the view of a society laden with drabness and stunting orthodoxy. The being who aspires to embrace life by innovation is not only criticized but banished as an outcast. But the power of ideas is so divine, it surpasses time and space. If braced by a person of will..the ideas and toughts can bring radical changes to life. The story also touches lightly upon the philosophy of mind and its distinction from the body although the rationale behind it is not narrated in the plot.

The author appears to be disposed towards a writing style which can be ascribed to a fable more than any other form. The actions of Seagulls are brought immediately to the mind with the lively use of words. There is a slight discrepancy in the way the story transitions from one state to another towards the middle. It is greatly resolved, however, by the following pages. The story also appears to be rushed during some parts. It might have been better if the author had spared some more details on the main idea instead of detouring to parts which were not important to the story. But the story is good enough to dodge this nit-picking and turns out to be good read for everyone. It is highly recommended as a bed time story!

The Interpretation of Dreams Review

The Interpretation of Dreams by Sigmund Freud 

                                               …They tell not of the future, but self-restrained wishes

Eloquence in verbosity : This paradox best describes Freud’s way of writing. At the first glance it might appear to the reader that much of the book is filled with useless examples and futile paraphrasing. But rest assured that the meaning a reader ascribes to the last few pages entirely depends on it, and hence what might seem to be a mindless toil at first would be an earned enlightenment in retrospective.

The book is partially discernible at best because it was a novel piece of work at the time of its conception and hence even the author has referred to some part of his work as a dark portion. It is extreme in what it does. The writing style is almost pompous and disparaging at some points when the author’s contempt for the work of his contemporaries becomes more evident than the exposition of his discourse itself. The difficulty in comprehension that a reader might face is not to be associated with author’s use of words. The original language of this work was German ;hence because of the difference in structures of the two languages the translation might not have been as effective as the original text.

The theory of unconscious and the analogies conjured by Freud to explain the Psychic apparatus is brilliant.However, the whole book is induction based and not deduction based like most of the scientific journals. This can put reader in an uncomfortable position. For most of the readers, conclusion will partially address this discomfort .

This book is only recommended for those who have special interest in the philosophy of mind.

The Old Man and the Sea Review

The Old Man and the Sea - Ernest Hemingway
                                       ..If he cramps again let the line cut him off. 

The subtitle is an excerpt of the book in question. Here the protagonist of this book, an old fisherman ,is talking about his left hand which has been personified as a traitor. That’s what this book is about. Subtleties in what appears to be a fable. The interminable courage and perseverance of a man and his prey which he refers to as his brother throughout the text. 

Writing style bears a striking semblance with a folklore .The text is always smoothly transitioning between scenes and never lays burden of words on the reader. Though the story is not as eventful but it is nevertheless breathtaking .The writer most vividly conjures the plight of the old man in the mind of the reader and draws contrast between animals and human beings to finally assert that they are not all that different. They both can be brave and determined..or cunning and greedy. He raises the question on the morality of killing animals by constantly referring them as 'brothers'. In the end he asks if the sacrifices were worth the toil.The recurring phrase that the old man uses: “ I never should have gone this far” plants a subtle thought in the mind of the reader which lingers even after the story ends.

The story does not stand out in any respect. It doesn't aim to. Read it for the questions that it raises and not the content. I shall even recommend it for standard literature course book in schools.

Sophie's World Review

Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder
                         ...I think, therefore I am

Reading this review is just a waste of time.Go own the book( Colloquialism?).For those who still want to know whats inside. Here it goes: Socrates dies.Plato opens a school of philosphy called “academy”.Aristotle questions his teacher's philosophy of ideas.Reason questions senses. Senses mock reason. Romantics are treated with the same reverence as “God”. Rivers of philophies divide into streams and meet again in the sea.Where do I live? Who is god? Do I exist? I or Id? Does my ego flow? Do I flow?(Yes gentlemen). Form...matter..law of causality..Buddha..jerusalem.

Quintessentially it is the knowledge of all schools of philosophy using the history of philosophy and fiction as tools.( Is history linear or cyclic?)

The language of this work is free of any impediments. No obscure terms.No unprecedented usage of concepts. Easy flow.This book talks to you as if you are a teenager with no knowledge of philosophy.And it takes you from there to a roller coaster ride of introspection, epiphanies..realization. Come what may, the protagonist of the story faces it with you.She walks with you into the mystical world where me and you can create our own realities(even in recursion!). It is “the” book that sends chills down your spine.

 Bring in the notorious critic that has ever walked the face of this earth (can the creation know the creator?) . Philosophy is no more a vague ,ambiguous subject.Everyone can read it.Truly a short and yet comprehensive course on history of philosophy.The character building seems to be author's consummate skill. You get a chance to live with the character..you don't just read about it.I cannot thank the person enough who recommended me this book. Verdict follows.

The Tipping Point Review

The Tipping Point By Malcolm Gladwell

                             ... Fundamental Attribution Blunder

As much as I'd like to compliment the efforts of the author Malcolm Gladwell in Tipping Point, it ends up being just one of the oversimplified Self-help books in my list.

Malcolm Gladwell has classified the influential people in three categories.Connectors,mavens and salesman.The irony of the book is that it classifies people into different personalities with conscious knowledge that attributing characteristics to people is impossible for human beings due to Fundamental Attribution error (FAE).

Premise 1: Connectors form what is called “weak ties” with people (according to author).

Premise 2: It is impossible for human beings to attribute absolute personalities to people.

Conclusion: Author is not a human being!

This might look a bit trivial at first sight but author constantly forgets that psychologically human mind is so obscure that it is difficult to give a list of possible answers to a questions, let alone a definitive answer. For example he might collect data to show how many people are born after a rain and treat rain as a cause and birth as an effect.

This book is just another cascade of conclusions drawn from experiments like stanford prison experiment ,Good samaritan etc. The author fails to understand that some of the data might have random patterns and bases a complete thesis on his perspective of things without making the user aware of discrepancies.Alas he uses his innate tendencies of looking for “cause-effect” patterns in everything.

Hence I strongly recommend NOT going for this book and looking elsewhere for correct psychological literature. One of my favorite recommendations is Elliot Aronson's “the social animal”.It is not completely free of the cause-effect error but author clearly states his doubts at all critical points.

To Kill A Mockingbird Review

To Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee

                                      ... Inventing Words

To kill a mockingbird is an idyllic literature book.If there's one book that can be reckoned to reach millions of people safely..it is this book. This is not because of any breath-taking mysteries or thrills. And “Safe” here does not refer to the content of the book.Rather its language.The adjectives are perfect.It almost seems like the novelist has invented the words that she uses. They fit seamlessly into the descriptive text.The flow of words is just like what they should be for a healthy reading practice.Its unanimously what you call good literature.

“Mockingbird” here is suggestive of a person who does no evil to anyone. The protagonist is told in the book that its a sin to kill a mockingbird because it does no harm to anyone.It just 'helps' people by singing which relieves them from stress.Those who kill such a benevolent creature can never remain happy.And this story is just about that.

Another aspect of this book is that it has a trifle of innocent humor planted in it at places. This makes reading thoroughly enjoyable .And thus, though the subject matter that it deals with is grave and morose; it still manages to establish a very positive rapport with the user. It shows life just the way it is..not all bad, full of happy moments and with uncontrollable consequences.. not what seems fit to us.All of this through the narrative of a child which makes it all the more interesting and unique.This novel is highly recommended for anyone anywhere doing anything.Period.

V For Vendetta(2006)

V For Vendetta

                       ... Existentialism Beneath The Layers

This is a story about a mysterious vigilante who appears out of nowhere to rescue people of britain from its fascist totalitarian regime .The story is set in a society where 'individualism' is seen with disdain and scorn.The leaders “chosen” to run the country believe that there is no individual in the state.And hence all people must reflect what the state stands for. The party is so headstrong in this opinion that they will resort to any kind of method to implement it..including waging wars ,use of nuclear weaponry and the like.

The movie succeeds in creating an “idea” of the forementioned society primarily with its screenplay. Hence character building is just a positive and not the foundation of the movie.Editing of this movie is one of its strongest pursuit.The jump between scenes is so perfectly executed that the viewer hardly notices it.A peculiar “bagatelle” of this movie is the vocabulary and taste of the protagonist in art, literature and films.This however is not inconsequential as it might look. It is the crux of the movie. The protagonist is the first person to stand for himself ;not only the others.He's the man who has no face in the society like the party wanted I.e no individuality.But he doesn't give in.He develops his individuality through music, literature and art.This and many other incidents/objects make this movie multi-layered.

For instance it also depicts 'Existentialism', which was a school of thought made famous by Jean Paul Satre in 1940. When people are given masks by the protaganists..it leads to the idea of a faceless fascist society which leads to crime and inhumane behavior everywhere just before the D-day.But in the end

when the people lift their masks they cease to be a part of the fascist regime( as the society was just destroyed moments ago) and though they come into existence in an anarchy, they are full of compassion for each other.Their character is the reflection of their own actions which they are completely responsible for.This is existentialism.

This movie is highly recommended for everyone who is into the fantasy/action/drama genre.

There Will Be Blood(2007)

There Will Be Blood

                              ...I AM THE THIRD REVELATION

This movie is about greed for power,money and reverence.It revolves around two characters who can go to any extent to get what they want. The first character is an oil prospector.He is greedy for money and monopoly.The second character is greedy for money and power.He's a false prophet who creates another sector of christianity and calls it “The third revelation”.

The movie is psychologically thrilling and notoriously indulging. It has a slow start which might be a drag for some users; but as it proceeds it becomes a period drama of a time when people were exploited by capitalists and the illiteracy led people to believe in a “punishing God” which was never the idea of Christianity. The self-proclaimed messenger of God beats the devil out of people in a literal way.

However the most indulging thing about the movie might just be its name. “There will be blood”.

The title has multiple interpretations. The most direct one being..the usage of term “blood” during the baptism of the businessman.Here the blood is not suggestive of redemption..but the ulterior motive of the prophet to avenge the businessman for not providing enough funds for the church.

Hence here the blood is symbol of “deceitful revenge”.

The second instance is when the businessman hits the prophet due to his aggrevation.Here blood represents. “Sadism and revenge”

Another indirect meaning might be the oil gushing through the land.But here as well since there is a competitiveness and shrewdness amongst rivals..it is portraying something extremely unpleasant and greedy.

Hence the blood in this movie is possibly a metaphor for everything dysfunctional that happens in the life of the businessman and the prophet.

The strongest pursuit of this movie is honed actors that it boasts.This movie is highly recommended for people looking for some serious drama with cloaked meaning.

1984 Review

1984 By George Orwell

         ...Aristotle's Aristocracy torn into Oligarchy

1984 is a novel by George Orwell which revolves around clandestine love affair between the protagonist,an ordinary middle aged man and a young woman set in a dystopian oligarchy in oceania.Through character building, the author has blatantly criticized a state in which the control is completely in hands of a few chosen people.The satire which has been used throughout the book is not absolute but perceptive.Ergo, the ideas are just suggestive and not provocative.This is really commendable for a novel intertwined around a scenario which was present at the time when state system was foreshadowing the society in britain and radical ideas revolving around the system of government were nothing less than an epidemic.

If this book is read independently of another George Orwell's work “Animal farm” it might appear to be a bit too descriptive with a lot of paraphrasing. But when read along with it, it is almost the materialization of the quintessential idea of a true totalitarian oligarchy.The degeneracy from aristotle's aristocratic society to oligarchy is clearly shown in this book through references of past of the characters.

The author does not appear to be focusing on the fiction part of the book per se.He deliberately puts characters in distress with walls all around them an no door at all.Hence author by no means wants to reduce the dissonance created in the mind of the readers seeking even a satisfactory climax.This book is highly recommended for anyone who has slightest inclination towards political isms and wants to acquaint himself with the process of digression of society.But readers are advised to read animal farm before it to appreciate the true intentions of the author.

Animal Farm Review

Animal Farm By George Orwell
                       ...Naploeon Himself!


This is a brilliant book about animals.(SPOILER: The names of the animals are pseudonyms for stereotypical roles of human beings in a state.). What makes this book absolutely mesmerizing is its neutral narrative approach.There are no happy pigs or sad horses.There are just actions. Horses gambol (excitement),animals rest on a knoll and sing blues(sadness). And while they do it they give the readers a perfect view of aristocratic society torn in the face of oligarchy just like George Orwells' 1984.

It is impossible to appreciate the beauty of this piece of literature without spoilers. Paradoxically however, there are no spoilers for this book. Its fairly predictable in every aspect. Still the words used by author are so apt ,its almost heartbreaking to give away the story and ruin the purpose of these words .This is the kind of book that takes some time to settle in your brain. Confession: I realized how good it is only after the first sentence of this review.Unlike George Orwell's second novel “1984” this novel does not only impart knowledge through fiction but balances the fiction and concept of totalitarian society. Adjectives used for describing the landscape and scenes take you straight to the point of action.Flow of words is absolutely comfortable to grasp. I'll go as far as to say that the satire is impeccable(even though satire is subjective.SPOILER – Napolean himself!)

This book is exceptional.It is a definitive guide to formation of an oligarchy.It has everything..conformity(psychology), aristocracy(philosphy), wind mills(science?). Need I say more? Verdict is in accord to the passage- STRONGLY RECOMMENDED.

Love Story Review

Love Story By erich segal

                   ...It's a bittersweet symphony.

This novel revolves around a story about romance between a “Preppie”(a handsome young man from a wealthy family) and a capricious girl from the Italian ghettos of America.Not the best work of literature and yet quite charming.With its thin layers of overtones, this little narrative might become one of the most endearing tale for you.It does not advocate the best use of language; its full of slangs.It does not give you a convenient flow of words with all its rough transaction between scenes.It also does not give you any moral message except “Love means not ever having to say you're sorry” .

Now the part that describes what the story is! It is humorous, sarcastic and witty.It professes that romance is described by small things like frivolous rebukes and glorious surnames. It gives you a chance to relate to it. To appreciate your loved ones in life.And most importantly ,It gives the message that “Love means not ever having to say you're sorry”. Love is defined mostly by keywords 'intimacy', 'passion' and 'Commitment'. The definition that author gives is however pleasantly radical.It covers all aspects of love...parental,romantic, for siblings and for friends alike.It implies that love is independent of the people embodying it.It is forgiving.

However, this novel is highly dependent on its audience and their taste.Some people might find it ordinary and conclude that it is overrated.Hence my advice is to skim through a few pages before you decide to purchase it.It is recommended for people between 15-45 who have a taste for romantic drama/comedy.