How do you say BOW-WOW in Marathi?

I saw this interesting cartoon by Ajit Ninan in today's Mumbai Mirror. Well, the previous post reminded me of the jingoism going on in Maharashtra today. This cartoon has captured the haplessness of the people of Mumbai and the rowdy MNS.

Saumensch du dreckigs!

Do not go gently into that good night

Rage, rage against the dying of the light

--Dylan Thomas

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

When Death Tells a Story, You Really have to Listen

When Death is the narrator, it would seem the world is bleak with no living voice to speak. Guess Germany in the 1930s was as good as dead. Deportation, ghettoization, persecution and massacre of Jews, Communists, Homosexuals, Opponents of the government--even Death was moved to finding solace in a little girl's life for a change. I started reading this book last night and have learnt quite a few interesting German words -- saumensch, saukerl and arschloch. Interesting! Now, if only I knew the correct pronunciation.

From what I have read and seen via movies and documentaries, it seems to me that most German citizens knew what Hitler and his cronies were doing but preferred to turn a blind eye or deluded themselves with his madness. Markus Zusak, however, gives us the picture from a little girl's perspective. Liesel Meminger's world is shaken when her foster family hides a Jew in thier basement. Finished reading two parts of it. So far so good!

Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol

Picked up this book...pretty excited about it. Post Angels and Demons, Brown's narrative gets stale. I didn't like Deception Point and Digital Fortress that much after getting familiar with Brown's walking talking running jumping encyclopaedic archeaophiles. After boosting tourist traffic in France and Italy, Brown is all set to do his bit for the American economy albeit with a lethal dash of action, suspense and drama. Strangely, the book jacket doesn't mention any female character akin to Sophie Neveu, Vittoria Vetra, Rachel Sexton and Susan Fletcher. Wonder who the heroine in this one is. Will get back after I complete it.

Cheerio:)

At first you smile amusingly...

Then turn away expecting not to return..

Browse through the treasures on the burdened shelves.

Come back and now pick it up.

Run your fingers on the shiny silver cover.

Read the abstract.

Then keep it back. After much wrangling, I purchase

"The Curious Case of 221 B--The Secret Notebooks of John H. Watson, MD" by Partha Basu.

I am a Sherlock Holmes fan--maybe not the ultimate fan nevertheless a fan. I've read the Complete Works umpteen number of times and am still filled with foreboding at the Hound; marvel at the peeling away of the Study in Scarlet and smirk at the pathetic bufoon in the Blue Carbuncle. Enough rambling.

The Curious Case of 221 B etc etc shifts your perpective to the female characters. Partha Basu creates rounded personalities in Irene Adler, Frances Carfax, Kitty Winter, Gemma Gold aka Violet Smith. These non-consequential heroines who have been dismissed as scheming or naive (with the exception of Irene Adler) have got their say back at Holmes. The notebooks are engaging while the narrative tries to build up stamina.

Enjoyed the read.

Cheers!

Writers [on Writing]

Found an arresting idea in the essay by Rick Bass.

"...Ortega y Gassett said...the prey, with its flight, fairly summons the predator..."

Hmm!

Crisis of Boredom

Started reading John Keay's China- A History and am getting nowhere with it. It's been four weeks and the bookmark's still stuck at Page 121. From what I have understood till now, Chinese history is only about the kings and warlords. The people feature too albeit as worker ants vulnerable to massacre and calamities. So I am putting this tome aside for lighter entertaining gruesome reading.