Book Review: One Life Is Not Enough

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one life is not enough

Author: K. Natwar Singh
Publisher: Rupa Publications
ISBN13: 9788129132741
Genre: Autobiography
Pages: 464
Source: Flipkart

One Life Is Not Enough is a searing autobiographic account written by Former Minister in charge of External Affairs, Kunwar Natwar Singh on his life as a bureaucrat, politician, and cabinet minister. He talks about his experiences in Delhi s political corridors and sets the record straight on several events, including the Volcker controversy.Natwar Singh joined the Indian Foreign Service and served as a bureaucrat for 31 years. He joined the Congress Party in 1984, and became a Minister of State in the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s council with the portfolios of steel, agriculture, and coal and mines in 1985.

In this much-awaited autobiography, the former cabinet minister talks justly about his experiences and services in various ministries. Singh has played a significant role in Indian politics for more than twenty years and has been a part of some of the most epochal events of independent India, including Indo-China talks and the formation of Bangladesh. In 2002, when the Congress party came back to power, Natwar Singh was appointed as the Minister for External Affairs. But his eventful career saw its end with the Volcker Report in the year 2005. His name appearing in the Iraqi food-for-oil scam forced him to resign from the cabinet and eventually from the Congress party.
Singh talks about all these events and the ups and downs of the Congress party in One Life Is Not Enough, an account of an insider. His association with the party allowed him to observe some of the historical events closely, and he talks about Pakistan in the 1980s, under the rule of President Zia-ul-Haq, Indo-Chinese and Indo-USSR relations among other sensitive developments.

The book has candid details of the party bigwigs which was why it had a controversial release. It shows you a side of the political system that is not visible to an outsider. If you are an avid follower of the happenings in New Delhi, this book is treat for you. Political reads are an acquired taste, if you are a rookie to this genre, this is where you should start.

A pot boiler in its own sense, One Life Is Not enough wins my vote.

Rating 4/5

Book Review: Play With Me

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Author: Ananth
Publisher: Penguin Books India
ISBN13: 9780143423621
Genre: Fiction
Pages: 252
Source: Flipkart

Play With Me is a racy, contemporary read on love, lust and sex. The protagonist, Sid, is a successful photographer in a boutique agency he co-founded. He seems to be living the dream, has almost everything; work that he so passionate about, money, a lavish lifestyle. But the one thing missing, perhaps the most important, is love. And one day, a stunning, independent, free-spirited woman called Cara walks into his life. The two get involved in a thrilling affair, sexually obsessed, which drastically changes all of Sid’s ideas about love. The relationship completely alters the way he thinks about the natural, sensual pleasure. Another twist in the story changes everything because something strange happens in Sid’s life he discovers himself falling intensely in love with another woman, leaving Sid in place where he has to decide between love and lust.

The character of the protagonist is described in handsome detail. Sid is a charming personality, passionate about his work, oscillating between love and lust on his moral pendulum. Cara is the free spirited intern, who breezes into Sid’s life, oozing of sexuality. While the very married Natasha fills the emotional caring spot in his life.

Ananth’s writing is crisp. He manages to keep the plot cooking nicely, spicing it up with sex every once a while. A little more seasoning is all it needed to be a perfect lip smacker. Play with me is an erotica written from a man’s point of view. This makes it different from the others that have been making book store rounds. It also marks a sensational debut for Ananth.

Read the book for the meat or read it for the spice. The book makes a perfect quickie!

Rating 3/5

Book Review: Fade into Red

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Author: Reshma K. Barshikar
Publisher: Random House India
ISBN13: 9788184005547
Genre: Fiction
Pages: 376
Source: Flipkart

Fade into Red is a story of Arya, a smart and intelligent modern day girl, an investment banker who dreams of being an Art Historian. In-spite of being stuck in a job she doesn’t like, she is successfully juggling her family, her career and her long distant boyfriend. On a monsoon day in June, she is suddenly sent packing from Mumbai to Tuscany to buy a vineyard for a star client. The four day trip turns into a two week treasure hunt that finds her in the middle of midnight wine deals, dodgy vintners, rolling Tuscan hills, and a playboy millionaire whose swirling plans don’t just include the wine. A twenty nine year old, Arya jay walks on the road of happiness realising how elusive the end can be.

The author has described every scene the book in beautiful detail. If you let it, your imagination will take you right into the gorgeous vineyards of Tuscany. All characters are almost alive and Arya speaks to you through the authors words. Her dilemma of choosing between things she wants to do and things she has to do is very well portrayed. The loud family and the banter with the boy friend add the air to the book, making it a breezy read.

Reshma K. Barshikar was a former investment banker. She completed her B.A. (Honours) at the Oxford Brooks University, Oxford and started her career as a journalist for The Hindu and Business Line. But she left the job to complete her MBA at the Indian School of Business. Reshma now works as a freelance travel and lifestyle writer. She currently contributes to India Today Travel Plus, Harper’s Bazaar and Grazia among other publications of repute. She is also the co-curator of a prominent e-commerce website.

The book is a definitely worth a read. Pour yourself a glass of red, and take a dreamy walk through Tuscany with Arya while she searches for happiness.

Rating: 3/5

Book Review: Runner

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Author: Patrick Lee
Publisher: Penguin UK
ISBN13: 9781405914994
Genre: Fiction/ Sci fi
Pages: 464
Source: Flipkart

Runner by Patrick Lee is a chase thriller surrounding a young girl and a soldier who was in the right place at the wrong time. Sam Dryden, retired special forces, lives a quiet life in a small town on the coast of Southern California. While out on a run in the middle of the night, a young girl runs into him on the seaside boardwalk. Barefoot and terrified, she’s running from a group of heavily armed men who are trying to kill her. After Dryden helps her evade her pursuers, he learns that the eleven year old, for as long as she can remember, has been kept in a secret prison by forces within the government. But she doesn’t know much beyond her own name, Rachel. She only remembers the past two months of her life and that she has a skill that makes her very dangerous to these men and the hidden men in charge.Dryden, who lost his wife and young daughter in an accident five years ago, agrees to help her try to unravel her own past and make sense of it, to protect her from the people who are moving heaven and earth to find them both.

The author has written a very exciting science fiction thriller. It is a fast paced story, with characters that you connect to and immediately like. You want to see Sam and Rachel get through this together. There is plenty of high-speed action, so the book is a fast read. There is no time to take a breather, its like you are running with the characters. The only thing going through your mind then is DON’T. GET. CAUGHT. which also happens to be the tag line of the book.

Patrick Lee  is the author of three previous novels – The Breach (A New York times best seller), Ghost Country and Deep Sky. This is the first book in the Sam Dryden series.

Runner is a perfect blend of action, science fiction and drama. A great read for anyone who likes thrillers. The twist and turns in the plot hold your attention and leave you with a adrenaline high. Recommended for everyone who enjoys that flavour.

Rating 4.5/ 5

Perfectly Imperfect

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perfect

He’s not perfect. You aren’t either, and the two of you will never be perfect. But if he can make you laugh at least once, causes you to think twice, and if he admits to being human and making mistakes, hold onto him and give him the most you can. He isn’t going to quote poetry, he’s not thinking about you every moment, but he will give you a part of him that he knows you could break. Don’t analyze. Don’t expect for more than he can give.  Smile when he makes you happy, yell when he makes you mad, and miss him when he’s not there. Love hard when there is love to be had. Because perfect guys don’t exist, but there’s always one guy that is perfect for you.