SHADES OF LIFE- A BOOK REVIEW

BOOK REVIEW OF “SHADES OF LIFE - SUBLIME JOY IS IN LIVING”: VASUNDHARA RAMANUJAN & MOHAMMAD AKMAL, MD : WESTLAND : PAGES 160 : PRICE RS 195/-.

On the second day of this month, I was returning to Mumbai after spending dawn to forenoon in Kancheepuram where I went to attend the inauguration of the annual Brahmotsavam held in the Tamil month of Panguni (March-April) at the Sri Yathokthakari Temple. On my way to the Chennai airport, I stopped by at my cousin sister J’s home and shared the Prasadam that I had received. My brother-in-law K had just then come home for lunch and we discussed many subjects of mutual interest. When I was about to leave for the airport, K suggested that I read a book which he said was truly moving. He picked up the book from his library and presented it to me saying that the book had made a deep and lasting impression on him. One quick glance and I immediately decided to read the whole book during the flight of ninety minutes. The book has a Foreword by R. Gopalakrishnan, a Director on the Board of Tata Sons and a well-known author of books on Management.

My father suffered from end-stage renal disease during his last few years which really felled him. I could, therefore, empathise with the author and the sufferings that she and her nuclear family of four went through. The author in a simple and very readable style narrates the story of her son Aditya whose recurring and severe headaches turned into a nightmare for the family when his problem was diagnosed as failure of his kidneys. You feel a lump in your throat when you find that a happy-go-lucky youngster has suddenly to come to grips with a life-threatening disease. Full marks go to the author-mother for the courage, commitment and never-say-die attitude to fight the disease with her heart and soul. Aditya’s brother and father played equally important roles and the family took a planned, systematic and step by step approach in order to find a lasting solution. 

It was a big setback when the author who had decided to donate one of her kidneys was detected to have breast cancer. She had to undergo mastectomy and treat her disease thoroughly before she could be ready for donating one of her kidneys. That she did it in record time speaks volumes of a mother’s love and dedication for her son. After the transplant was successfully done and when it appeared that all was well, Aditya had fresh complications with his transplanted kidney and another donor had to found as soon as possible. Brother Dhananjay stepped in and decided to forsake one of his kidneys for his younger brother. The parents were in a deep dilemma. However, the family discussed and deliberated  and finally came to the conclusion that that would be the best course of action. The boisterous and ever enthusiastic Aditya got a fresh lease of life.

Any family would normally have been devastated with the huge setbacks that the Srinivasan family faced. But when a family is united and well-bonded, courageous, positive, and takes medical advice from the trusted and the best in the profession and goes about remedial actions with a scientific temperament, the results are very likely to be favourable.

The book is remarkable. It is written by a remarkable lady alongwith a very illustrious doctor who is a specialist in renal diseases. It is all about love, dedication, sacrifice, commitment, logical thinking, belief in the Almighty and a positive approach..

I commend Ms Vasundhara Ramanujan for writing a very informative and emotive book and for setting an outstanding example. Kudos to the whole family for selflessly supporting one another and constantly rallying around the young darling Aditya for his survival and happiness. The book is also a helpful guide to those having renal problems for whom there are useful and practical lessons to be learnt.

" A VEGETARIAN IN PARIS" - A BOOK REVIEW

1      A VEGETARIAN IN PARIS: RASHMI UDAY SINGH: TIMES GROUP BOOKS : PAGES 280: PRICE: RS 315/- 

      

      The author is a famous food critic and a connoisseur of good food and a vegetarian. The book is unique in the sense that the author goes literally on a hunt to find restaurants in Paris that serve the best vegetarian food and chronicle them. One would have thought that this city of Parisians who love their non-vegetarian fare would have no room for vegetarian-food loving folks. Surprisingly, the author while doing this major project ate at nearly 1000 restaurants serving vegetarian food. For the sake of brevity, she shortlists them to about 300. The coup de grace is her ability to rope in famous chefs like Guy Savvoy, Alain Ducase and Allain Prassaard to dish out their favourite vegetarian recipes. An excellent book for the vegetarian tourist, Rashmi Uday Singh rates these restaurants on a sliding scale considering the quality and taste of the food, ambience and service. She has selected a range of restaurants from the cheap, affordable and pricey to cater to a whole cross-section of customers. The book traces the historical origins of some of the eateries and the rich and famous who dined in these restaurants. A useful guide for vegetarians.

" OF BIRDS AND BIRDSONG" - A BOOK REVIEW

        OF BIRDS AND BIRDSONG : M KRISHNAN : ALEPH : PAGES 382 : PRICE: RS 595/- : 

      Whether you have bird knowledge or whether you are bird ignorant like many, this is a book that you should not miss. The book is actually a compilation of late Krishnan’s fortnightly column in "The Statesman" for 46 uninterrupted years done painstakingly by Shanti and Ashish Chandola. Many of us who enjoy watching birds, their movements and hear their beautiful “calls” will find the book a goldmine of information on these wonderful creatures. We have about 1200 bird varieties in different environments and we also look forward every year to our guest birds during season with bated breath. They arrive in hordes with stunning precision. Krishnan, whose deep knowledge of birds is awesome, gives the readers details of their plumage, beaks, legs, wings and other features of birds besides their social behavior, food, breeding and rearing habits. Unfortunately, due to our unceasing concretization of cities, many birds have become rare. Sparrows and vultures have almost disappeared from the city scene. There are birds that sing. Like shama, drongos, bush-chats etc. One can go ecstatic listening to them. Krishnan, the ornithologist, is best when he describes the aesthetic qualities of birds. Written with knowledge and passion over a long period of four decades, the contributions are a virtual delight to read. Let us all buy a copy of the book, read it slowly and absorb the stunning birds in our minds alongwith the aroma over a cup of fine tea and savour the world of birds with Krishnan.

" THE BEAUTY DIET" - A BOOK REVIEW

1     THE BEAUTY DIET: EAT YOUR WAY TO A FAB NEW YOU: SHONALI SABHERWAL : RANDOM HOUSE INDIA: PAGES 318: RS 350/- : 

      

      If you are looking for eating healthy and energetic food, you may be reading the right book. Celebrity dietician Shonali Sabherwal who has a long client list of Bollywood superstars offers an easy to follow guide to the old and young alike. It is a how- to-do list to look younger and fabulous. Starting from a detox diet to cleansing the stomach, the author gives many suggestions on how to make your skin glow, hair shiny and teeth healthy including how to cut the fat around your waist and look younger and happier with the right food. The book has diet charts, recipes and real life stories which inspire and motivate you to take a new look. Through this book, Shonali Sabherwal teaches you how to understand food and its energies. She believes that beauty lies in nature. An exponent of Macrobiotics, she tells you how foods influence your feelings and what to put on your plate to flip your mood. Macrobiotic food is just not fruits and nuts. It includes whole grains and veggies too. Shonali Sabherwal introduces you to a lifestyle that is likely to leave you with greater energy without missing out the taste. She examines how human life can be prolonged and perfected by the healing power of right foods and right cooking styles.

"7 SECRETS OF VISHNU" - A BOOK REVIEW

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      7 SECRETS OF VISHNU : DEVDUTT PATTANAIK: WESTLAND LIMITED: PAGES 219 : RS 250/- 

      One amongst the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Siva, Vishnu’s role is that of preserving the universe created by Brahma. Mythology writer Pattanayak is an expert in navigating through the complex web of Gods and Goddesses in the Hindu religion and presenting a deeply soul-satisfying picture to the common man of their respective roles. During the Vedic period, ritualism and philosophy represented by the Vedas and Upanishads remained exclusive to the Brahmins while the common man had no moors to hold on. Buddhism entered at this stage and overtook Hinduism with its simplicity sans rituals and addressed the common man’s problems in an appealing manner. However, it tended towards monasticism which resulted in a gradual loss of interest in this religion among the common folks. Back came Hinduism with its rationalization of the roles of Grihastha and Sanyasa- householder and ascetic through Puranas (stories) which became very popular with the masses. Wisdom belonging to a select few spread rapidly through story-telling of the Puranas, firing the imagination of the people. Anointed with rituals and symbols, these stories of Vishnu and Siva touched a chord in the common man. The book has seven chapters, each devoted to one of Vishnu’s incarnation. Starting from Mohini, the author moves on through each chapter to Matsya (fish), Kurma (tortoise), Trivikrama (dwarf), Rama, Krishna and yet to appear Kalki. The war between Devas and Asuras, the symbolism around Sarawati and Lakshmi and stories from the Ramayana and Mahabharata have been narrated very well and they are interspersed with pictures of murals, sculptures and paintings, beautiful handicraft and poster-art images from different parts of India. Pattanayak’s brilliant story-telling makes the Puranas easier to understand to the modern generation.