CALLING THE COWS Home - Mohan Narayanan

The book by Mohan Narayanan, his 7th work of fiction, is definitely worth a read. The premise is based on the Latin phrase that means You Become What You Eat.

What is interesting is the way he weaves his narrative: of course, Mr. Narayanan is known for interweaving of myths and legends across cultures. His Payyoli Quartet (The Payyoli Pendant, The Payyoli Draupnir, The Payyoli Trident and The Payyoli Nine) is ample testimony of the fact. He is also known for his meticulous research based factual observations on scientific phenomenal influence on society at the crossroads of religious beliefs and inexplicable real time occurrences (as can be evinced in the abovementioned as well as his Austin Colours). 

In this work all these are present. As well as how the past always bites back, finds its way to remind you of both good and bad done, of his belief in the Hindu concept of Karmic cycle (which was one of the stronger underlying themes of his previous two standalone fiction: Austin Colours & Cut). However, what stands out is how all these combine within the space of a novella.

I'm not going to spill the story of Calling The Cows or its sensational ending, all of which makes for a terrific magical realistic movie potential in the same vein as say The Life of Pi. Suffice it to say, when the pipe is played, the speakers are turned on, when the calling starts and the cows start flying home... it gets visceral, you might as well be sitting in an IMAX, wearing 3D glasses, seeing the horns graze past your cheek, as they rush past you! 

A great, quick read if you just decide to travel, say by an ICE from Berlin to Amsterdam or Munich to Paris Nord or Kobnhavn to Hamburg. It could well be a Shatabdi from Chennai to Bengaluru too. That is, if you set aside the nagging little proofing errors in spellings, which in this case, as compared to a lot of publications out there, are only by the fingers.

On board, whistle, get your coffee and call the cows now home either as hard copy or via Kindle! Bon Voyage!! 

The Book Thief - Marcus Zusak

A terrific book... also translated into a terrific movie.

I bought the book, before it's publicity blitz began, upon impulse. I, like millions, have been a product of and fascinated with History, especially European History, both as a student and as a human being. So when I learned that The Book Thief is centered about Holocaust history, impulse lead me to pick the book. No hesitation.

I brought it home and read. Initially a bit difficult going, I gave up, on no particular pretext, after 10 pages. The other book I had done a similar act of give-uppance, that later has come to be my all time Top-3, was Italo Calvino's IF ON A WINTER'S NIGHT A TRAVELLER (the other two being Patrick Suskind's PERFUME & Bram Stoker's DRACULA). As it turned out with its predecessor, THE BOOK THIEF has added itself to the Top-4 of my likes.

Narrated from the 1st person voice, uniquely, of Death, the book took a while warming up... but once it warmed up, like the analogous books that Holocaust ended up licking the pages of in its bonfire,  during the infamous Buecherverbrennung (Burning of the Books), THE BOOK THIEF started burning inside me and searing some of my entrails with such emotional intensity, that there was no let down. I finished, in my second try, in one sitting, ended up recommending it to my students.

Recently, I saw the movie. I had the DVD for a while now, but resisting the watch as I did not want the movie to sour the impact the book had had on me. However, it was my best chance to introduce the book itself to my daughter. She has dangerously been discovering rom, com, chicklit and other mush literature as befits the age (teen), I chanced upon. So I had to force a happenstance on her reading life. Over lunch and post-lunch one afternoon, I played the movie, with a bit of trepidation, for the reason I had already outlined above. It did not disappoint. Perhaps, my ulterior agenda to introduce my daughter to the book, overrode any other notions. Nevertheless, it turned out to be as good a watch as a read, though there are parts in book that stand out for its narrative force that a camera can never intensely catch, but only glimpse.

THE BOOK THIEF is now on my daughter's all time list too. Of course, Pride and Prejudice tops her list, as with most aspiring literature students. It's not a bad start, however!