HBR - Test - All Post

Vendor of sweets

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Up with the review of another R.K. Narayan book. The vendor of sweets is a novel that revolves around the emotions and attachments of a father towards his son. It reveals the unspoken and unexpressed love and affection of a father towards such a son who according to me only knows to use his father. The ideas of modern world and the traditional Indian ideology subtly blend together in this story and give the reader a story with some depth. Some amount of maturity is needed to analyze and understand the book thoroughly so the book is not suitable for children. I did not experience any sort of entertainment while I turned page after page but a certain amount of anxiety grew in me and it urged me to read on. The climax unveils itself as unexpectedly and suddenly as can be.<br />The biggest specialty of  Narayan's writing is that he manages to add a new flavor to each and every novel, inspite of the simplicity  and vividness which they carry. Though I did not enjoy the novel very much I would like to suggest hard core bookworms to go through it to experience a swish into the delicious pond of gripping events.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGhsdTCBkX5bgBlrhp_I5GUgt_8tBQ3drDHtTMmyIa6UJ1Mp4rOHUI4Q7jq1A9d8vdFBf1NpIRAZB-C3JHbqxgXTR0C4WhtJzG0RP0DY37LQ3uNXxCapqw-EwP5cz5GN6Jy8Q_ny3HWNbP/s1600/vendorOfSweets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGhsdTCBkX5bgBlrhp_I5GUgt_8tBQ3drDHtTMmyIa6UJ1Mp4rOHUI4Q7jq1A9d8vdFBf1NpIRAZB-C3JHbqxgXTR0C4WhtJzG0RP0DY37LQ3uNXxCapqw-EwP5cz5GN6Jy8Q_ny3HWNbP/s1600/vendorOfSweets.jpg" /></a></div><br /></div>

Vendor of sweets

Up with the review of another R.K. Narayan book. The vendor of sweets is a novel that revolves around the emotions and attachments of a fath...

Under the Banyan tree & other stories

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4yXyKf-Q-CiC8v9utkAiwbkOeMlcgdO4aqAAGTqx_oUTioVXyvfBjHe8HKm4-tcsoOvWj5zAy-h23ZXMkmtHymc8z-WASWmYq_FpVD3ZtRcgkU9h_a4Dn37ZXBDyRdZNPselW5Kjh-t8C/s1600/Under_the_Banyan_Tree_and_Other_Stories.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4yXyKf-Q-CiC8v9utkAiwbkOeMlcgdO4aqAAGTqx_oUTioVXyvfBjHe8HKm4-tcsoOvWj5zAy-h23ZXMkmtHymc8z-WASWmYq_FpVD3ZtRcgkU9h_a4Dn37ZXBDyRdZNPselW5Kjh-t8C/s1600/Under_the_Banyan_Tree_and_Other_Stories.jpg" width="205" /></a>A lovely collection of short stories by R.K.Narayan interested me a lot this time. Surprisingly, no humour was found in this set of mind boggling stories by me but it surely gave me an entirely new experience- an experience of studying different personalities and characteristics of strange yet unique people. Playing with the emotions and personalities of people is the predominant ingredient found mostly in stories by Nobel laureate, Rabindranath Tagore and it astonished me , when I found this flavour in stories by R.K.Narayan . Stories such as 'A breath of Lucifer', 'Chippy', 'Annamalai', 'Under the Banyan tree' and many others grabbed hold of my attention all through the book. A must to read as it not only entertains it's readers but, also allows the reader to analyse the personalities of different people.</div>

Under the Banyan tree & other stories

A lovely collection of short stories by R.K.Narayan interested me a lot this time. Surprisingly, no humour was found in this set of mind bog...

Go Ahead Secret Seven

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzOiWkcjXYDvfDCowvkVnj_XNtweuzMJURETTm6ilGt7bbDEfSIVeIRTpYj4GQOWWWNC1y4ZbH2LbosuHKuroDqIh6meRGOmftKsx7aIjCrMZQQ6N1C9vvWaCCkHzpnXqVp871Eu-LbXE/s1600/download.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzOiWkcjXYDvfDCowvkVnj_XNtweuzMJURETTm6ilGt7bbDEfSIVeIRTpYj4GQOWWWNC1y4ZbH2LbosuHKuroDqIh6meRGOmftKsx7aIjCrMZQQ6N1C9vvWaCCkHzpnXqVp871Eu-LbXE/s1600/download.jpg" width="224" /></a>Another review after a long time. Written by Enid Blyton, published in 1953, this simple adventure story continues to mesmerize the readers. This wonderful book is the 5th of 15 full-length stories written containing the Secret Seven.<br /><br />The series is about a secret society consisting of 7 members: Peter, Janet, Jack, Barbara, George, Pam and Collin. A dog named Scamper is always with them. The organisation's prime aim is to solve cases regarding absolutely anything interesting! In this book, the Secret Seven are assigned duties to follow, shadow and characterize people by Peter, the leader. Trying to do the same, some members fall in serious trouble. Series of interesting events go on, which I would not prefer to reveal.<br /><br />A mysterious person is followed, and the Secret Seven understand that he is responsible for the disappearance of many different types of dogs in the locality. They discover a secret coal-hole in a filthy, small area, and decide to explore it. As they explore the interior of the coal-hole, they discover many dogs moaning in despair.<br /><br />Read this book to discover what happens next. Will they present freedom to all the groaning dogs, or will they entirely lose their own freedom. The language used is a bit different from many other novels, but is definetly a lot better than the language in which <a href="http://heavybookreview.blogspot.in/2012/12/gullivers-travels.html">Gulliver's Travels</a> was written!</div>

Go Ahead Secret Seven

Another review after a long time. Written by Enid Blyton, published in 1953, this simple adventure story continues to mesmerize the readers....

My Journey

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">As I recollect the short real life incidents of this book the only word that gushes into my mind is- INSPIRATIONAL! This book is written by India's ex-president who is also called "The missile man of India". Each and every chapter of this book carries a message that gets imprinted into the pages of your mind. Lovely are the stories and the way the events are arranged. The language is very easy to understand and the main reason behind that is to radiate the values to every reader.<br />The main motto of writing this book is to enlighten the youth of India to transform their dreams into actions. This is my first A.P.J Abdul Kalam book and I look forward to read many more books of his. I sometimes feel that there is some change in my way of looking into things after I've read this book. What for are you all waiting? Go ahead and read the book to experience a lovely, motivational time.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbSNW3LG7DNOb9SurrVYtHz4tpLCu65uV_i4wnOoH0HP9eGbmyuEdmqi2Ytz94-FAMcCDwpICyJBY4vc9vR5o0OAri58LLDIM4mX0FQ8Pnq_HmJeSb3H5MCEn2BPrUSN4yLD_7NC2JPNd8/s1600/Kalam.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbSNW3LG7DNOb9SurrVYtHz4tpLCu65uV_i4wnOoH0HP9eGbmyuEdmqi2Ytz94-FAMcCDwpICyJBY4vc9vR5o0OAri58LLDIM4mX0FQ8Pnq_HmJeSb3H5MCEn2BPrUSN4yLD_7NC2JPNd8/s1600/Kalam.png" width="202" /></a></div><br /></div>

My Journey

As I recollect the short real life incidents of this book the only word that gushes into my mind is- INSPIRATIONAL! This book is written by ...

The English teacher

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyXTByWR-RyOBdIk97roKHauPRyFbfdVSUH2Uax7I4hs9EMhyZ8xiGFm4NpAMoXAibaDefTgAFfLi2V70JqyhCprDNA22E0G6Vo0eWcvTvAhhJ9pKAIaY5IQZGDeC4RWd54Lpnivtls91A/s1600/engtea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyXTByWR-RyOBdIk97roKHauPRyFbfdVSUH2Uax7I4hs9EMhyZ8xiGFm4NpAMoXAibaDefTgAFfLi2V70JqyhCprDNA22E0G6Vo0eWcvTvAhhJ9pKAIaY5IQZGDeC4RWd54Lpnivtls91A/s1600/engtea.jpg" /></a>I'm truely a R.K. Narayan book worm and here I am with another review of one of his most prominent books- The English teacher.  Surprisingly, this is the foremost book of his that brought tears into my eyes. It revolves around a bitter-sweet tale of an English professor and his family and feelings. In Narayan's autobiography I came to know that this bundle of pages actually included the author's own experiences with his daughter after his wife's death. As always the novelist's style of writing is vivid and lively. Though the story and the flow of the tale are thought-provoking some parts of this book could have been shortened. I felt they were prolonged a bit and that it could give birth to boredom in the reader. Well, this is altogether my perspective. The ingredients that enhance the experience while reading are wonderfully balanced and added to this work of art. Weaving humour and irony into this melancholy story is the author's skill that needs acknowledgement.<br />Build your own perception on this story after going through the colourful paragraphs of this remarkable<br />piece of work.</div>

The English teacher

I'm truely a R.K. Narayan book worm and here I am with another review of one of his most prominent books- The English teacher. Surprisi...

Oliver Twist - Abridged

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">Same book, Another review : </span></span><a href="http://heavybookreview.blogspot.in/2013/04/oliver-twist-abridged.html">http://heavybookreview.blogspot.in/2013/04/oliver-twist-abridged.html</a><br /><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">Written by Charles Dickens, this book gives you a sensation of loneliness and despair around you, which is due to the writing style of the author. Although the book I have read is the abridged version, it still causes that feeling.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">So, let’s come to the story. A boy born as an orphan was named Oliver Twist, and sent into an orphanage where children died of starvation. He was many times ‘donated’ or ‘adopted’ by others, but still his gloominess remained almost intact. Unable to face the difficulties in his life, he runs away.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">He sets upon travelling to London to lead a better life, and also gets aided by a same aged boy in the way. However, he nearly tumbles into the dark life of Money and Crime, and soon finds that he was to escape. He gets caught by the police, but fortunately adopted by someone. He is taken care off, until the burglars kidnap him. He makes unproductive attempts to escape, and gets shot during his involvement in a robbery.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">He then begs for help, to the same people whom he was forced to rob. He finds help, and soon recovers. He narrates his story and everyone believes it. The search for robbers begins.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">I would not like to reveal everything, but am sure that reading this would definitely fluctuate the thoughts of joyfulness and despair among you. This story is embedded with little crime, in which innocent humans and animals get harmed.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">Enjoy reading this book which represents the unchivalrous life of Charles Dickens during his childhood. I did not choose to read the unabridged book as it was too long, and required a lot of time, which is absent for me at present.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij58M2YdBcPCD2JHrzYVCbycAQrpFcnVqcFuXd8S9x2CAPDgNcy0ayTMZnsP6jNiY3xeOpA5yUJeuY3Hs8EzUQsSt1PCzEfsDK-RdS2LL6gq8LzJwPvxjW_ZMyhIW2A7Od-fsxErnX7f0/s1600/iver.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij58M2YdBcPCD2JHrzYVCbycAQrpFcnVqcFuXd8S9x2CAPDgNcy0ayTMZnsP6jNiY3xeOpA5yUJeuY3Hs8EzUQsSt1PCzEfsDK-RdS2LL6gq8LzJwPvxjW_ZMyhIW2A7Od-fsxErnX7f0/s1600/iver.jpg" /></a></span></div></div>

Oliver Twist - Abridged

Same book, Another review : http://heavybookreview.blogspot.in/2013/04/oliver-twist-abridged.html Written by Charles Dickens, this book giv...

Mahabharat

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoxX3dYYfMBEsBhff9JDjfTh7bT-EadzE3SUCQj71ANMuE2wJejRYLSgNSPjtY3fnHNVRb4R57jMIJxtkr5tFPogXiBIcEvUeZlJNvVawK1SEBgrUY69Mifre0ab-Imh0f0HMdywXFGVt4/s1600/mahabharat_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoxX3dYYfMBEsBhff9JDjfTh7bT-EadzE3SUCQj71ANMuE2wJejRYLSgNSPjtY3fnHNVRb4R57jMIJxtkr5tFPogXiBIcEvUeZlJNvVawK1SEBgrUY69Mifre0ab-Imh0f0HMdywXFGVt4/s320/mahabharat_1.jpg" width="220" /></a>At last I finished the 444 paged epic (including the glossary it would have been483 pages)! I personally don't have much interest in Mythology but somehow the beautiful and vivid portrayal of the events in this book grasped my attention all the while I read it. It is written by a very famous Indian writer who is popularly known as 'Rajaji', his original name being, Chakravarti Rajagopalachari. I still did not gain the courage to read the original epic written many thousands of years ago by Vyasa which comprises of 18 fat volumes (Parvas which consist of sub- parvas), each being atleast three times (can be more too) of this retold version.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYMA__nlZDE6tB9XhFywxtHZl4J5YPA6JYUehEciLcfbptisYtiHhDBqATugpjNOcU2TMuwo-akgz_5Ovhde0bGb4VvRoVwmxJcZZzM1EMg92tl-aXhXShy9OJRgJHe2axd7QfB4DOqgzf/s1600/Mahadraupadi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYMA__nlZDE6tB9XhFywxtHZl4J5YPA6JYUehEciLcfbptisYtiHhDBqATugpjNOcU2TMuwo-akgz_5Ovhde0bGb4VvRoVwmxJcZZzM1EMg92tl-aXhXShy9OJRgJHe2axd7QfB4DOqgzf/s1600/Mahadraupadi.jpg" /></a>What is the most amazing thing about the Mahabharata, is that, it contains every thing that we come past in our lives. Nothing is left untold, neither drama is missing nor romance nor betrayal, nor jealousy, nor anything . The treasures of the Mahabharata do not limit to India only, but to all parts of the world. However, this fact cannot be denied that the unmatched epic has given a perennial source of spiritual strength to the people of India and is the main reason for some of the most heroic tasks done by them.<br />These are the words given out by the writer- "The realities of life are idealized by genius and given the form that makes drama, poetry or great prose. Since literature is closely related to life, so long as the human family is divided into nations, literature cannot escape the effects of such division. But the highest literature transcends regionalism and through it, when we are properly attuned, we realize the essential oneness of the human family. The Mahabharata is of this class."<br />Books like The Mahabharata enhance human character and embed the best moral values in it. The victory of the Good over the Evil is prevalent in all sectors of life and a better perception of this stays behind, with you after reading the book.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj75cssF7s7PLPt9QIGku1E0j0tvFUSU0C9qPPXbuQEPz2yRunaNAw7dOkewi1z3yMdHhLgNHWjVjFlowJEhvdEiwqYarAS13zKlcXWiVnWPgGP3JzNYb1P2k66F8WO8ow85kN1coRbZXoR/s1600/Maha.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj75cssF7s7PLPt9QIGku1E0j0tvFUSU0C9qPPXbuQEPz2yRunaNAw7dOkewi1z3yMdHhLgNHWjVjFlowJEhvdEiwqYarAS13zKlcXWiVnWPgGP3JzNYb1P2k66F8WO8ow85kN1coRbZXoR/s320/Maha.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The Pandavas become an ideal to all who read the book and so do the Kauravas, but there is a vast difference in their idealism. The poet, Vyasa through his narration shows you that the Pandavas did what we are expected to do and the Kauravas did everything that is not desired and is not expected to be done by anyone.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho8WebmDpNpLZizSdVtKtY71WExzRDoQs8P9OjGc7abSjsCus9VFAaQ83wykH1P7nNoPnenaS8_-956mv7L_avhvJnomgz84QaPuoCJ5R5g6w-IpoDEtiakJa7fxhqSg4jNYk2e2vcJgSQ/s1600/Mahakrishna_arjuna_conchshells.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho8WebmDpNpLZizSdVtKtY71WExzRDoQs8P9OjGc7abSjsCus9VFAaQ83wykH1P7nNoPnenaS8_-956mv7L_avhvJnomgz84QaPuoCJ5R5g6w-IpoDEtiakJa7fxhqSg4jNYk2e2vcJgSQ/s1600/Mahakrishna_arjuna_conchshells.jpg" /></a>Retelling the story in such way that creates an interest in me, a person who dislikes any type of mythology, is truely where the author's real skill lies in.<br />The richness of the Indian culture and traditions and the sweetness of a well civilized Indian life is wonderfully painted by the author.<br />To conclude- The Mahabharata is an evergreen classic whose truthfulness will never perish. Read this translated, retold version to obtain a better life and to learn to distinguish the good from bad. Let modern yet noble ideas come to you by reading this enchanting epic.</div>

Mahabharat

At last I finished the 444 paged epic (including the glossary it would have been483 pages)! I personally don't have much interest in Myt...