Razeen Rafi

Jassim the Leader: Founder of Qatar Book by Mohamed A. J. Althani .I received this book while I participated in an event with author conducted by Qatar National Library. Author was former minister of economy and trade in the State of Qatar.This book on leader who laid foundation stone for creation of Qatar. Qatar a country which become richest from rags was primarily a pearl producing country before discovering fossil fuels. This book gives details on life of these pearl collecting tribe and how Jassim made Qatar from uniting Bedouin tribes and gives details on relation of Qatar with other Arab countries, Ottoman and British.

പ്രേമത്തിന് അതിർവരമ്പ് ഇല്ല. അതിനു മതമോ ജാതിയോ സാമ്പത്തികമോ ഒന്നും ഒരു പ്രശ്നം അല്ല. ഈ പുസ്തകത്തിൻ്റെ ചരിത്രത്തിൽ ഒന്ന് തിരിഞ്ഞു നോക്കുകയാണെങ്കിൽ 1942ൽ തിരുവിതാംകൂർ സെൻട്രൽ ജയിലിൽ നിന്നും രാജ്യ ദ്രോഹ കുറ്റത്തിന് ശിക്ഷികപെട്ടപോൾ എഴുതിയ ഒരു ലഘുകഥ. ദിവാൻ സി.പി.രാമസ്വാമി അയ്യർക്കെതിരെ ലേഖനങ്ങൾ എഴുതി എന്നുള്ളതായിരുന്നു അദ്ദേഹത്തിൽ ആരോപിച്ചിരുന്നു കുറ്റം. മതിലുകൾ എന്ന പ്രേമകഥയ്ക്ക് ആധാരമായ പ്രണയവും ഇതേ തടവുകാലത്താണ് സംഭവിച്ചത്. ജയിലിൽ വെച്ച് സഹതടവുകാരെ കാണിയ്ക്കാനായി അദ്ദേഹം പല കഥകളും എഴുതിയിരുന്നു. എന്നാൽ പുറത്തുവന്നപ്പോൾ ആ കഥകളൊന്നും പുറത്തേയ്ക്കു കൊണ്ടുവരാൻ സാധിച്ചില്ല. പ്രേമലേഖനം മാത്രമാണ് അദ്ദേഹത്തിന് പുറത്തെത്തിയ്ക്കാൻ ആകെ പറ്റിയ കഥ. 1943 പ്രസിദ്ധീകരിക്കുകയും 1944ഇൽ തിരുവിതാംകൂറിൽ നിരോധിക്കുകയും ചെയാപെട്ടു. രണ്ട് മതത്തിൽ പെട്ട കേശവൻ നായരുടെയും സാറാമ്മയുടെയും പ്രണയകഥ അവരുടെ ഭാവി സ്വപ്നങ്ങൾ എല്ലാം ബഷീർ നമോട് പങ്കുവെക്കുകയാണ് ഈ ചെറു നോവലിൽ. ആക്ഷേപഹാസ്യം കൊണ്ടുള്ള എഴുത്ത് കൊണ്ട് സ്ത്രീധനത്തെ പരിഹസിക്കുന്നതിനൊപ്പം മിശ്രവിവാഹത്തെ പ്രോത്സാഹിപ്പിയ്ക്കുക എന്നതുമാണ് കഥയുടെ വിഷയം.

There are many loves we forgot to tell,many caring circumstances where we neglected, many love we didn't feel when loved one is nearby. This book contains such stories of love,desire, lust and death. Some love we will be experiencing when our loved one will be in death bed or some will have high desire for love and they may share it with stranger but all the eternal love may have an end in tasting the death where all the hopes gets shattered. K.R Meera brings us with such short and wonderful stories to us. Her mesmerising story telling skill will make us in trance. ഞങ്ങൾ‌ പറയാൻ‌ മറന്ന നിരവധി പ്രണയങ്ങളുണ്ട്, ഞങ്ങൾ‌ അവഗണിച്ച പ്രണയങ്ങൾ നമ്മൾ മനസ്സിലാകുന്നത് പ്രണയിച്ചവർ വിട്ടുപിരിയുമ്പോൾ ആയിരിക്കാം അത് ചിലപ്പോൾ ഒരിക്കലും തിരിച്ചു വരാത്ത മരണം അവരെ തലോടുപോൾ നമ്മൾ അ നഷ്ടപ്രണയം തിരിച്ചറിയുന്നത്. സ്നേഹം, കമം,ആഗ്രഹം/ മോഹം, മരണം തുടങ്ങിയ വിഷയങ്ങൾ അടങ്ങിയ ചെറുകഥകൾ ഈ പുസ്തകത്തിൽ പ്രതിവദികുന്നു. ചിലർ സ്നേഹലബ്ദികയി അപരിചിതരുമായി നിമിഷങ്ങൾ പങ്കുവെക്കാം, ചിലർ അവഗണിച്ച പ്രണയം ഓർത്തു വിഷമത്തിൽ മുങ്ങിപോകാം എന്നാൽ എല്ലാ പ്രതീക്ഷകളും തകർന്നടിഞ്ഞ മരണത്തെ ആസ്വദിക്കുന്നതിൽ എല്ലാ നിത്യസ്നേഹത്തിനും അവസാനമുണ്ടാകാം. കെ‌ആർ‌ മീര അത്തരം ഹ്രസ്വവും അതിശയകരവുമായ കഥകൾ‌ നമ്മിലേക്ക്‌ കൊണ്ടുവരുന്നു. അവരുടെ കഥ പറയുന്ന വൈദഗ്ദ്ധ്യം ഞങ്ങളെ ആകർഷിക്കും.

V.S Ramachandran one of renowned neuroscientists takes us to the wonders and misteries of human brains through this book. Wonders of human body is unlimited. Each cases we are dwelling into the magic world of human body. Some patients who visits author had bizare cases. Some of patients are elusive on their cases like phantom pain of a amputee, a patient who see his parents are not real they are just imposter ,a woman who see cartoons character in her blindspot. This book provides fascinating details on brain and details on the above mentioned cases which seems crazy is defined in language which can also be read by layman.

Monkeys, Motorcycles, and Misadventures Book by Harsha Road always provide us best experience in life. Travelling will help in interacting with different people who have humanity and also misanthropy, different unexpected experiences which helps us to move forward. Author Harsha follows his dream of traveling on foot following way of Hanuman from Kishkinda to Sri Lanka. Hanuman is a Hindu God who is companion of Lord Sri Rama. Author starts his journey with his two friends walking all the way from Kinskinda ( which is present day Hampi )to Mahendra Giri in Nagercoil. After that they travel to Sri Lanka and follows Hanuman travel by motorcycle. Author provides details of his adventures which went wrong and also tasted success in his travel. This also provides with some cuisines of Lanka and India like Venu's Biryani of Dindigul,Sivakasi Pakoda . This book gave me a new information on different temples and places for egs: Rameshwaram temple's deity is Shiva and deity was installed here by Lord Rama himself which was made of sand as Hanuman got delay to bring shiv Linga from Himalayas. This Shiv Linga was installed by Rama himself to absolve him of sin of killing a Brahmin committed during the war against the Rakshasa king Ravana (who was a brahmin, son of a vedic rishi) in Sri Lanka.

On My Terms: From the Grassroots to the Corridors of Power Book by Sharad Pawar This is autobiography of Sharad Pawar one of the veteran leader of NCP party in India . As a politicians book we cannot predict whether some of the topics covered over is whitewashed. Book starts with his family who are communist and gives relationship with his mother who is his all time mentor. How Early in his career, Pawar who was regarded as a protege of Yashwantrao Chavan, the most influential politician from Maharashtra at that time And which later lead Pawar to chair of cheifminister of Maharashtra and Union minister of India . He Describes his relationship with Nehru family from Indira Gandhi ( indeed it was a turbulent relationship) , his friendship with Rajiv Gandhi and later his wife and son. He also describes regarding his relationship with Morarji Desai who instructed him to follow shivambu therapy when pawar had a chest pain while travelling , how he saw JRD Tata helping his staff in serving customers when an AirIndia flight got delayed. He discuss some of the controversy like HCC Lavasa project and some elegations related to him and Dawood Ibrahim (notorious Don who hails from Mumbai). His day as chief minister and during tenure how he tackle with 1993 bomb blast and Mumbai earthquake, also discuss on issues related to Marathvada university changing name to Ambedkar university. He also suggest that in India there should be training institute for training politicians as of Korea.

Ravish Kumar is one of senior journalist in India. This book he deals with one of the issue that India is currently facing like fake news, lynching . As many fake news are propogating from WhatsApp and other social media site it is getting difficult to understand which one is true as there is a saying if we propogate 1000 lies it will gradually become true news.Even some of the history gets distorted by these fake news teams who forward it , these are created by professors of WhatsApp university. As per author Fake news is a tool that Powers uses to transport citizens to an alternative reality where, forgetting their real and urgent problems. Mobs terrifies the people and install fear in minds of people and if you dare to challenge them they will ask you ' where are you when such things happened' ( a cliche you can hear in many evening hours news debate ). Author also discuss regarding how Hitler propogate Nazism and how same thing may happen in India,Discuss regarding con man Baba's of India ,inter caste and religion marriages , Gauri Lankesh assassination and journalists Struggle for reporting Truth

Kerala southmost state of India was believed to be Created by an epic story of Parashurama who is believed to be incarnation of Lord Mahavishnu. It is believed that this land was created with Axe thrown by Parashuram. Land which raised by this act starts from Kanyakumari. This land was donated to Brahmin by Parashuram . Brahmins brought Shudras as their helpers and it was told that ladies of these class have to walk in bare breast as Brahmins are god's representative so these women's need to make their boss happy by these way. Namboori Brahman used to make sambandham( informal mode of marriage followed by Nairs).Nairs are Knight class who used to live in Tarawad and practiced Matrilineal alliance. Woman's followed polyandry in this caste. This book deals with history of Travancore, How Ezhava caste which was backward class came up in social hierarchy by education and business and how missionaries have helped them to prosper. Also how some of colleges and newspapers where started in Travancore and how it deals in enhancing literacy rate of state . How Travancore government Diwan's have been helping British and missionaries are well explained in this book. We can tell this book as a predicissor of Ivory Throne book by Manu Pillai.

Paradoxical prime minister by Shashi Tharoor is a political book criticizing Indian Prime minister Narendra Modi .Tharoor an opposition party leader in India writes that Modi's government is a fiasco. Since his Inception as prime minister of India, economy got tumble , religious amity got dismantled to political opprobrium. As per Tharoor BJP made NAMO as a messiah,and extolled and Ode has been sung by PRO teams praising his prowess . Stories During his childhood as a fable in a comic-book called Balnarendra was published , praising his disciplinary life which makes NAMO as a stellar . His Gujarat model development was ostentatious advertisement by PR firms which made his entry into national politics Concealing Gujarat riot issues. His tenure found increase in cow vigilantism, lynchings of peoples ,pogroms etc . As per Tharoor NAMO is person with rhetoric skill and Snollygoster, sycophant floccinaucinihilipilification person who ruined Indian economy and social equilibrium of India especially cult.Author writes that many projects by NAMO is just the renamed version of projects by his predecessor UPA government by ManMohan Singh. All his boosted economic policy like demonetization,GST was failure and also discuss regarding some of his boondoggle s. Indian's foreign policy was Tumbled during Modi's reign. As this book is by opposition party leader negative information will be more highlighted and some of positive information will be neglected as this is a political book.

Turning PointsBook by A. P. J. Abdul Kalam A.P.J. Abdul Kalam is known as people’s president and young India was much motivated by this president during his tenure as president. He is the person who taught Indian’s to dream for developed India. This book discuss his tenure as president and is sequel of his autobiography ‘Wings of Fire’ which discuss on his childhood and career time. Meanwhile turning point discuss regarding his life as president. As a president he use to travel lot and give lecture to the students and worked much for development of country. Book starts as his Anna university professor days PM Athal Bihari Vajpeey call him to become president of India. This started India’s glorious era of people’s president.