There are books which engage us for a short time and some which touch our hearts. Sreemoyee Piu Kundu’s novel lingers on in our hearts even after we have finished reading the book. It is lyrical and very very feminine. Though not a feminist statement, it does reveal an underlying feminine consciousness.
A piercing insight into human emotions, Faraway Music is a wonderful debut creative endeavour.
Once in a while, you come across a book that will make you ponder about the life you have lived – about everything you have learnt and done; and this thought process might trigger a self introspection of your being. This book did that for me – it had me thinking about my journey, things that I could have done better and how I can start making little changes that would make me a better person and take a step closer to achieving my dreams.
Read moreThe genre of self help books has gained immense popularity and readership over the past couple of years. These books help in self –improvement as well as provide useful guidance to enable one to tide over the tumults of life. Readers Digest (yes, that international magazine) had conducted a survey and had found the top ten self help books that have successfully
Read moreReady for another E.X.I.C.T.I.N.G. contest on The Tales Pensieve! Best Asin-isation Contest (oh no it has nothing to do with the actress orrr…….may be it has 😉 ) This one gets you a Flipkart.com gift voucher worth Rs. 1000/- Plus you make it to the banner on the home page of The Tales Pensieve! What Do You Do: Asinisation – Every institution,
Read morePart of Debut Indian Writers Challenge 2013, South Asian Challenge 2013 and Reading Challenge 2013: First Reads What is the most exotic thing you know about Kumbh Mela in India. Answer in the form below. The most e.x.o.t.i.c. answer makes you the Reader-Winner of July 2013 and gets the laughter riot book The President’s Coming by Anuvab Pal home delivered at your place. A
Read moreHere is something for the realists of the world!
A signed copy of Let’s Talk Money by Akhil Khanna and a personal investment question or question related to the ongoing Global Financial Crisis answered by the author.
Read moreThis interview is a dream come true for me. No really! I have said this before, The Pregnant King was a turning point in my realization as a reader and this man made it possible. He opened up a whole new genre for me and honestly there has been no looking back. His articles and books are my one-point reference
Read morePart of South Asian Challenge 2013, Debut Indian Writers Challenge 2013 and Reading Challenge 2013: First Reads I am sure by now anyone who follows this site knows that if there are books that I will pick up by just the genre then they have to be Indian history and mythology. I first saw Arjuna: Saga of a Pandava Warrior-Prince on Flipkart.com amidst new
Read moreA science graduate of Stanford University with an MBA from the Harvard Business School, an insatiable interest in the religious history of India, spirituality and mythology and one who claims to have spent his entire life researching for his debut book Tantra – Adi is the WordMaverick of April 2013. We get inKonversation with the shy wordsmith who gives us not
Read morePart of South Asian Challenge 2013 Books have strange relationships with the readers. I like to call it something akin to eating. We try out a lot of dishes before we know, yes, this is what I like. On the same principles readers read (try out) different genres and books before they can put a finger on some genre/s and say,
Read moreThe Shiva Trilogy by Amish for me will always represent that whiff of freshness that stormed the Indian literary scene that was nearly choking with louveeee in 2010! (not that the scene is any different now [after 3 years] but the winds are definitely changing). The mythological – historical – adventure – fiction series is all but immortalized as one of the trend changers amongst Indian books and Indian publishing
Read moreRoll of Honour is without doubt one of the best books read and reviewed on The Tales Pensieve so far and a journey into the mind of the wordsmith behind the book was yet another wonderful experience. In again one of the best interviews here, Amandeep Sandhu gets inKonversation about capturing the stories in our lives, peeling yourself to write and some
Read morePart of South Asian Challenge 2013 and Reading Challenge 2013: First Reads This review is honoured to be on the author’s website. I had earlier interviewed Amandeep and his answers were the major push behind me wanting to read the book. I was born at the end of 1983 in Bhopal. Two major events happened in Bhopal around my formative, childhood years
Read morePart of South Asian Challenge 2013, Debut Indian Writers Challenge 2013 and Reading Challenge 2013: First Reads Title: Tantra Author: Adi Publisher: Apeejay Stya Publishing ISBN: 978-81-908636-2-9 Pages: 335 Genre: Fiction Rating: 3.5 of 5 Reviewed for: Blogadda.com I am going to let you on a secret. Many may tsk tsk me after they read this especially the ones amongst you who are
Read morePart of South Asian Challenge 2013 Title: Blood Red Sari Author: Ashok Banker Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers ISBN: 978-93-5029-321-8 Pages: 283 Genre: Fiction Rating: 4 of 5 Reviewed for: Mysmartprice.com Ashok Banker is a name I have always associated with mythological re-tellings having read his Slayer of Kamsa, The Forest of Stories and The Seeds of War, finding a women centered thriller
Read morePart of Debut Indian Writers Challenge 2013 and Reading Challenge 2013: First Reads Title: Chasing Maya Author: Rohan Gogoi Publisher: Global Vision Press ISBN: 978-93-80707-36-5 Pages: 142 Genre: Fiction Rating: 3 of 5 Reviewed for: Global Vision Press They say fiction is the only truth that exists! How apt and true atleast in the case of this book by Rohan
Read morePart of 2013 Reading Challenge: First Reads Title: Return of a King Author: William Dalrymple Publisher: Bloomsburry Publishing Plc ISBN: 978-1-4088-1830-5 Pages: 487 Genre: Non-Fiction Rating: 4.5 of 5 Reviewed for: MySmartPrice The line between fiction and real blurs as one digs more into the real. History exploring is one such real digging and unbelievable are the treasures that pop
Read morePart of Debut Indian Writers Challenge and South Asian Challenge 2012 Title: My Magical Palace Author: Kunal Mukherjee Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers ISBN: 978-93-5029-119-1 Pages: 372 Genre: Fiction Rating: 4.75 of 5 Reviewed for: HarperCollins Publishers A nizam’s palace in Hyderabad, the exotic Bengali culture and the pangs of first love – that is where Kunal Mukherjee’s debut saga takes us.
Read morePart of Debut Indian Writers Challenge 2012 and South Asian Challenge 2012 Title: Toke Author: Jugal Mody Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers India ISBN: 978-93-5029-340-9 Pages: 214 Genre: Fiction Rating: 4 of 5 Reviewed for: INDIAreads.com This review is honoured to be on the author’s website. Three facts I bet you did not know about marijuana and getting stonned: 1. We know
Read morePart of South Asian Challenge 2012 Title: What Young India Wants Author: Chetan Bhagat Publisher: Rupa Publications ISBN: 978-81-291-2021-2 Pages: 181 Genre: Non-Fiction Rating: 3.5 of 5 Ok, before anyone jumps on me let me confess I am a fan of Chetan Bhagat’s columns, if not of his books (though I loved 2 states; it is his best fiction work
Read moreEntry no. #5 – Debut Indian Writers Month: October 2012 Part of Debut Indian Writers Challenge and South Asian Challenge 2012 Title: Death in Mumbai Author: Meenal Baghel Publisher: Random House India ISBN: 978-8-184-00065-8 Pages: 231 Genre: Non-Fiction Rating: 3 of 5 Reviewed for: Random House India
Read moreAll of my growing up years the first sounds that I heard everyday had been my mother urging me to get my sorry back (or stomach, depending on whichever side I slept on) out of the bed and the first sight unchangeably over the years as I would walk into the kitchen had been her back, bending over the gas
Read moreEntry no. #1 – Debut Indian Writers Month: October 2012 Part of Debut Indian Writers Challenge and South Asian Challenge 2012 Title: An Idiot, Placements and IntervYOU Author: Toffee Publisher: Times Group Books ISBN: 978-93-80942-87-2 Pages: 189 Genre: Non-Fiction, Self Help Rating: 1 of 5 Reviewed for: Blogadda.com
Read moreTitle: I am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced Author: Nujood Ali, Delphine Minoui Publisher: Random House India ISBN: 978-0-307-58967-5 Pages: 176 Genre: Memoir Rating: 2 of 5 Reviewed for: Random House India
Read morePart of South Asian Challenge 2012 Title: Poor Little Rich Slum Authors: Rashmi Bansal, Deepak Gandhi, Dee Gandhi (Photographer) Publisher: Westland ISBN: 978-93-8162-618-4 Genre: Non-Fiction Pages: 187 Rating: 4.5 of 5 The book cover with blue colored low roofed, sandwiched shacks sprawled all over its front and back, against a background of white with a blue airplane taking off over
Read moreDid gods create mankind, or did mankind create gods? The back cover screams this question at the reader with the preamble concluding that this book by Ajay Kansal deals with establishing the fact that anthropologies and histories lead to one conclusion – mankind created gods! The writer starts off with a very arresting question in the preface – Why are
Read moreThe bright yellow cover with a painting depiction of the blue god Krishna on it, is eye-catching enough to get added to any book collection. The cover design by Dhaivat Chhaya completely justifies the title and contents of the book – 7 Secrets of Vishnu. The god who is said to be draped in yellow silk has a book cover
Read moreWho was Jesus? A divine soul who led humanity to spirituality or a mortal who led himself to divinity on the path of spirituality? ‘Do what you will, Father but if you love me, bury me yourself when it’s done.’
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