Book Review: The Saga of Black Gold by Anuradha

Introduction

ISBN: 9788184959444
Genre: Fiction / Literature/ Historic fiction
Publishers: Jaico Books
Price: Rs.399/- ( I got the book for review from the publisher)

The Portuguese captain anchored his fleet near the Calicut port. He fixed his piercing gaze on the shore and stood still. This time, Vasco da Gama made up his mind to take the treasures of the Malabar Coast back with him at any cost. His priority, pepper the Black Gold! Across the sea, the Zamorin of Calicut began to panic. He knew Gamas return meant trouble. Calicuts relationship with the neighbouring kingdoms isnt exactly cosy, thanks to Zamorins exacting trade policy. A failure at this point is not an option and that too, to a foreigner! To add to his worries, theres a spy roaming free in his own turf, plotting revenge. In the center of all this melee is the Zamorins pretty niece, Kunjulakshmi, harbouring her own little secret that could crumble the kingdom and start a war of doom on the coast.

Behind the Book

Source: Goodreads

About the Author

Filled with familiar milestones from history, Anuradha's splendid novel is accompanied by illustrations from the celebrated Artist Namboodiri. Anuradha is the pen name of Radha Narayana Menon, an eminent writer from Kochi, Kerala. She has published two short story collections and ten novels in Malayalam. The Saga of Black

Me thinks

After a long time I have read a historical fiction I have thoroughly enjoyed till the last page. The sketches along with the mesmerizing story make such an impressive read that long after reading I was still reeling in it. Author Anuradha's writing style is strong and impressive, her prowess on the language is strong enough to take the reader along with her on this whirlwind tour called The saga of black gold.

If you have ever enjoyed history this is one story that you are going to love. Whenever I read such books I feel proud of having lived in a country which has such amazing history full of stories and folklore. This story is immensely powerful and captivating even through its crisp blurb. Add to it , the detailed descriptions by the author I felt I had gone back in time. The scenes came alive in those pages, so much that after a point I didn't feel I am reading a book, it felt like a movie which was thoroughly enjoyable.Vasco-de-Gama is such a well known character in the history of India that reading a story revolving around him was like going back to school and feeling like a student who was eager to know what happened next.

Overall, a wonderfully written book I would recommended to one all for its sheer beauty in the sketches and the strong, captivating narration.

Foodie Verdict

This book is like Falsa juice - unique and delicious till the last drop.

Source: healthfood desivideshi

Book Review: Desiccated Land by David Lepeska

ISBN: 978-9395481205 Genre: Non-fiction Publisher: Vishwakarma Publications Bringing together his experiences as a journalist and a keen observer, David Lepeska writes a raw and gut-wrenching book on Kashmir. Part memoir, part travelogue, and part reportage, Desiccated Land is a page-turner. The book starts by tracing the history of the region along with his own history, as a student who was dimly aware of the history of Kashmir and the turmoil it has been causing for centuries between India and Pakistan. Lepenska takes us to Nilamata Purana ( likely written in the 7th century ) which tells us the story leading to the birth of this region. He also shares an alternate possibility of the word being derived from a lake ‘Mira’ named after Vedic Sage Kashyapa. His first visit to Kashmir closely followed by his second (and much longer) visit as a journalist working for the Kashmir Observer after the 9/11 attacks, make for an interesting read. Lepeska had questions, a lot of them. An

From there to here to where

From this blog in 2011 to Barnes and Noble website, my reviewing journey has been full of surprises. I am working on an essay tracing it and realized that I started reviewing books in 2001 (Yes! I am old) for a small library next to my house. Needless to add, my payment was in the books. The library owner also happened to be the first person who taught me how to write a book review and what to focus on. And that is where I learned why reviews matter. Cut to 2016 when my book review was taught in a Literary Criticism class held by British Library. A relative happened to attend that class and the news spread like wildfire in the family. That is the moment when my family knew this much more than just a hobby.

Book Review: Never Mind Yaar by K Mathur

Introduction · ISBN - 978-0-473-17480-4 · Genre: Fiction · Publishers: Southpac Publishers · Price: Rs. 350/- ( I got this book from Blog Adda for a review ) The title is an attitude - our tendency to feel defeated by the scale and nature of certain problems. Rather than meet them head on, we circumvent them with a sigh and a consoling “never mind, yaar”. When long time friends Binaifer Desai and Louella D’Costa meet Shalini Dayal at Gyan Shakti College, a true friendship that transcends cultural and religious backgrounds is born. Louella is a Christian, Binaifer, a Parsi and Shalini, a Hindu. The novel’s main plotline surrounds Shalini who has fallen for an impetuous student activist, Bhagu. Where does his desire to help the less fortunate lead him? The challenges are many - Shalini’s tradition bound family, the couple’s youth and inexperience and the travails of life in Mumbai, a city the girls love but know, is fraug

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