The Compassionate Rebel: Energized by Anger, Motivated by Love
Burt Berlowe, Rebecca Janke and Julie Penshorn
Publisher: Growing Communities for Peace; First Edition edition (February 1, 2002)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0964667649
ISBN-13: 978-0964667648

When I finished reading this book, I felt deeply honoured to have been given the chance to review this book and immensely humbled by the stories therein.

The immense effort put in by the four people (Berlow, Janke, Penshorn and Cota) is visible from the word ‘Go’. The book begins with an Introduction which is a short essay on the concept of the Compassionate Rebel. Who are they? What do they do? How do they do what they do and also how to use the book – it clearly sets out the theme for the book and on the whole, the book has succeeded in keeping to this. And, what it the theme? Perhaps, it is easiest to reproduce part of the text here:

Everyday, the media take snapshots of our culture. And, though it is said that the camera doesn’t lie, what we see is not truth. In fact, we are being lied to about something very basic: who we are. … In The Compassionate Rebel, we take the camera, literally and figuratively, into our own hands and point it at people whose stories depict the rest of who we are. Through interviews, stories, and photographs, we share with you a hidden culture, and our hope is to reveal it in its full power and beauty.

Compassionate rebels are role models for the masses and mentors for activists. The are produces of democracy, rather than embittered citizens. They teach us how to protest without violence, how to revel without destroying and how to say no without saying goodbye. Compassionate rebels bring to our viewfinder people who are exploring their anger, rage and disappointment and seeking solutions to oppression, racism, abuse, troubles relationships, and economic woes.

Next is an explanation of the four ‘Story-Carriers’. We learn, amongst other things, that Berlowe is a freelance writer, journalist, educator, community organizer and activist. Rebecca Janke and Julie Penshorn, together, have done extensive writing and co-authoring of several books. Then, there is Todd Cota, the photographer who, I believe, took most of the pictures in the book. Throughout the book, there are little vignettes which reveal their lives, personality and no doubt, immense courage and belief in what they do.

There are Ten Chapters all together and in each there are on average five stories. Each story is relatively short, concise and precise. What makes these stories all the more special is that at the end of each story, there are two sections: One called Questions for Contemplation and the other, Resources for Reflection and Action.

For example, in the story of Melvin Giles, Peaceful Love Warrior, we are introduced to a man who decided to dedicate his thinking time to good thoughts as he knew that his thoughts were critical in forming himself.

After this story, under Questions for Contemplation, the first question asked is: What person close to you offers you “the gift of perspective” thereby helping you see a different point of view?

In addition, under Resources for Reflection and Action, there is this resource:
The Four-Fold Way: Walking the paths of the warrior, teacher, healer, and visionary, by Angeles Arrien: The four archetypes present in virtually all shamaic traditions are detailed. They show us how to: 1) Access the human resources of power, presence, and communication 2) Become open to love, gratitude, acknowledgement and validation 3) maintain our authenticity while developing our inner vision and intuition 4) become open and unattached in order to recover wisdom and objectivity.

Moreover, intermittently, there are songs and personal essays written by the Story-Carriers which makes this book have that personal touch in a tale, which is so very important in a work such as these.

Add all this together and you have not only a story that entertains, there is also a moral theme which motivates you to do something … anything … to further peace.

In chapter 1 – Brave New Warriors – the reader is introduced to storytellers, associated with violent confrontation and brutal conflict. Instead of reacting badly to their experiences, they took action to use outrage, anger and passion non-violently. The stories are told honestly and the Story-Carriers are to be commended for not editing strong language that some readers may consider offensive; the language used only serves to give the tales that element of authenticity.

The section on Building Bridges has one of my favourite tales as it deals with compassion shown towards animals. I had tears in my eyes reading about when Dune, the dog belonging to Ray Nelson, had to be put to sleep. Ray’s story is about his compassion towards animals only makes me want to say, if only everyone could be that kind to animals …

There are elements of humour in this book. Especially when you read the story of Bob Tumbleweed, who refuses to give his last name, to this day. There is also a touch of romance in the stories of Jim Janke and Manfred and Turan Schonauer.

There are stories of believing in one’s maternal instincts (Sally Chapeau), leadership (Stacy Hersrud), faith questioned and career choices – which all arose out of being a rebel. For instance, there is the story of Sunshine who says she is contemplating going on to law school; I could not help the vision emerging in my mind of Sunshine as the real-life Elle Woods (from the movie Legally Blonde)- equally as feisty and the strong need to do what is right.

On retirement, there is advice from Don Irish Marjorie Sibley:

Though now in their 80s, neither has any intention of stepping back from their commitment to peace. You don’t stop because you’re old,” Don exclaims. “You do what you believe in as long as you can. … Retirement is a luxury of the the affluent and privileged. We haven’t retired from peacemaking or from being active citizens. I’m not one that could play golf and let the rest of the world go by.”

If the assumption is made that the Compassionate Rebel is someone who is an adult, the last Chapter, Torch Carriers, will reveal a different side.

Indeed, Psalm 8:2 comes to mind:

Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.

Chapter 10 is a collection of stories about children, youths and young people who are determined to see peace reign. The most poignant moment is when one reads Marika Staloch’s speech at a peace conference:

“The most frequently asked question to me from people not involved in the peace movement is: ‘How do you care so much about that stuff?’ (The ‘stuff’ being politics.)

My answer is cliché, but to the point, ‘How do you not?’

“But I’ve been forced to think about that question when deciding the path I want my life to take now that I’ve graduated. If there were to push the question further, I think I would answer: ‘Because I’m mad.’ Or perhaps, ‘Because I’m sad.’ And a lot of it has to do with the fact that I’m scared.

“I can envision peace:
I envision myself, female, not needing to be constantly aware of that.
I envision myself American, not needing to be embarrassed of it.
I envision myself a concerned citizen, but not being in a minority because of it.
I envision myself a white person who does not have any more power because of it.
I can envision little things like being able to go to any large city and breathe the air, taking midnight walks without having to be afraid; being able to buy something, knowing that what I purchased isn’t contaminated or the product of unfair labor conditions.
I can envision peace.
“So why am I scared?”
“I’m scared because I don’t understand how the power works in this world. I’m scared when I see the media and the politicians and the general public shutting their eyes to protesters, activists, and strikers. I’m scared that even if we do care a hell of a lot about the world and get a revolution going, it may only be the tip a very huge undertaking.
“And I’m scared because our society tells me my career should start soon. That I should sell my daylight hours so I can be productive and make use of the degree I just earned. I will become mature, responsible. And when I have a career, I’ll have to give up silly notions of taking off three days to listen to talks on peace.
“But I did and here I am. And during these three days, I’ve remembered that I’m female, I’m American, I’m an activist, and I can change the world. And I’m part of a very strong family of people who care.
“And now I’m not so scared.”

Finally, the authors have put into words what I have always believed in:
“… There is no doubt that stories can change the world.

Storytelling also changes the teller of the story by opening new doors to the past and inner self, as well as expanding and deepening interpersonal relationships. …”
Needless to say, I highly recommend this book. I am not alone in this for I understand this book was a finalist in the Nautilius Book Award and this award recognises authors and titles that contribute to society’s awareness and embrace of spiritual and ecological values such as compassion, sustainability, simplicity and global peace. The Compassionate Rebel – Energized by Anger, Motivated by Love certainly does this.

Spiritual Clarity
By Jackie Wellman
Paperback: 158 pages
Publisher: PublishAmerica (July 25, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 141377654X
ISBN-13: 978-1413776546

This is Jackie Wellman’s first book and in one sentence, I found the book informative, entertaining and in many parts funny.

The book is divided into five sections which demonstrate the manner in which Ms. Wellman has conducted her study. It follows the natural progression when a study is made and this aids in making the book a pleasurable read.

In Section 1, Ms. Wellman begins by explaining the purpose of this work. She clearly states that it is a personal quest – one that began when she was given a unfavourable prognosis for a medical condition she suffers from. This is most evident when Ms. Wellman states: When I hear someone say, “It must be God’s plan; we just do not understand,” it gets my blood boiling. How could God be involved in possibly giving my beautiful son HSP [hereditary spastic paraplegia]?”

Though it starts in this manner, throughout the book, there is use of humour; this, coupled with a personal touch immediately draws a reader into Ms. Wellman’s quest. This lightness in her words makes reading such heavy stuff a pleasure.

In the next section of the book entitled ‘Religion Rundown’ there is no doubt that Ms. Wellman has done extensive research.

Her statement at the beginning of the section is very positive in its nature:
“Most religions send out a message of love and compassion. The ways those messages are sent out are a little different, but they basically all say the same thing – be nice!”

She has listed down not only the various meanings given to the word ‘religion’, she has, thereafter, listed down almost all known religions of the world today. Though I am aware of most of them, I learnt about a few new ones like Congregationlists, the Shakers, Wicaa and Roma and Vudon.

I must admit that when it came to a rundown of my own religion, Hinduism, I was ready to criticise; however, I was immensely pleased to read, “Hinduism is a complex religion that can answer questions about how to achieve whatever the follower wants … Here is a little more to add to the confusion: …” To me, this showed a maturity on Ms. Wellman’s part for she recognised the difficulties that surround this ancient set of beliefs.

Ms. Wellman’s maturity is even more pronounced when she gives the rundown on Islam when she clearly states the main beliefs, the rules by which Muslims live and the fact that “It is a peaceful religion.”

Even in this section, humour is employed. For instance, when she mentions Jehovah’s Witness, she says, “Now, be honest, who has pretended they are not home and not answered the door when they are in the neighborhood?”

In Section 3, “Evolution and Common Sense”, Ms. Wellman ‘applies’ what she’s learnt from her research and here, some of the most entertaining passages are written. The overriding concern here is the concept of Creation. She ponders the facts, scientific issues like radioactive aging, Darwin’s theory of evolution and eventually, the truth. These are all difficult subjects to deal with and whole textbooks have been written about them. Ms. Wellman has described, in simple language, each of them which gives the reader just enough information to understand the concepts, theories and ideas.

Then comes what can be considered a potentially explosive part of the book – section 4 which is entitled, “In the Name of Religion”.

She sites numerous examples of atrocities that have been carried out and are still being carried out in the name of religion. In one sentence, she sums up her understanding that, “Religious intolerance has been around as long as religion has been present.” She proceeds to give a succinct account of the Crusades, the Inquisition, Jewish Persecution, Witch-hunts, Natives, Colonists, Slave Trade and Recent Intolerance.

The last section, which is Ms. Wellman’s concluding part, is entitled, “Clarity” – this is really a set of questions that Ms. Wellman asks. But the way in which she asks the questions, which are very difficult to ask, let alone answer, can make you laugh. For instance: Right after the tsunami disaster I caught the end of a special on CNN … about how different religions were explaining the immense wrath of nature. Several answers were about how people were being punished for their sins. How ridiculous!

She proceeds to list times in history when natural disasters occurred and many people perished. She says, “These last four [China and countries around the Indian Ocean] are countries were overpopulation is prevalent; was God doing a little population control? Was he bored and needed some excitement?”

Then comes her gripe with the Church on how they treat women. She says,
“Just the idea that women were created as an afterthought from a small piece of God’s “special creation” makes it seem that man are superior to women. How can any woman with any self-esteem believe any of this?”

Finally, we see Ms. Wellman’s own clarity for she says, “The big question for me was … Do people need to go to church every week to be “good people”?”

Further on, she comes to, what I think, is her most important realisation –
“There is a natural tendency to associate spirituality with religion, but they are different. That, I did not know. Religion is an organized system of beliefs in the worship of God or gods. Spirituality is finding your own authentic self.”
There is an emphasis in her study on Christianity and America; this is only to be expected considering that she is an Episcopalian and lives there.

If there a single criticism I can make, it has to do with the design of the jacket cover. For a book entitled, “Spiritual Clarity”, the exact design on the cover is very hard to make out!

In all, this has been an enjoyable, relaxing and informative read.

The Romantics
Pankaj Mishra
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Anchor (February 20, 2001)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0385720807
ISBN-13: 978-0385720809

Touted prior to its release a few years back as the Next Big Thing in South Asian literature, Mishra’s “The Romantics” fails to live up to its promise.

Told through the eyes of Samar, an undergraduate at the Benares Hindu University at the end of the 1980’s, “The Romantics” takes a look at the reality that is India and the romantic preconceived notions of it that Samar sees in his foreign artisan friends, in particular the beautiful French girl Catherine who, unfortunately for him, is already involved with a local musician.

Samar is faced with a variety of predictable conflicts: the conflicts of Eastern and Western culture, of his Brahmin upbringing and his attraction to ‘non-Brahmin’ vices, of his desire for Catherine and his loyalty to his friends, as well as the everyday conflicts and class struggles of Benares.

Bland prose, a sanctimonious and emotionless tone and an overall lack of substance make this a boring and not particularly memorable read. Mishra’s explorations of a post-colonial, post-Emergency, pre-nuclear India are disappointing and too self-absorbed to be realistic.

***

This review is by Sharanya Manivannan

The Compassionate Rebel: Energized by Anger, Motivated by Love
Burt Berlowe, Rebecca Janke and Julie Penshorn
Publisher: Growing Communities for Peace; First Edition edition (February 1, 2002)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0964667649
ISBN-13: 978-0964667648

When I finished reading this book, I felt deeply honoured to have been given the chance to review this book and immensely humbled by the stories therein.

The immense effort put in by the four people (Berlow, Janke, Penshorn and Cota) is visible from the word ‘Go’. The book begins with an Introduction which is a short essay on the concept of the Compassionate Rebel. Who are they? What do they do? How do they do what they do and also how to use the book – it clearly sets out the theme for the book and on the whole, the book has succeeded in keeping to this. And, what it the theme? Perhaps, it is easiest to reproduce part of the text here:

Everyday, the media take snapshots of our culture. And, though it is said that the camera doesn’t lie, what we see is not truth. In fact, we are being lied to about something very basic: who we are. … In The Compassionate Rebel, we take the camera, literally and figuratively, into our own hands and point it at people whose stories depict the rest of who we are. Through interviews, stories, and photographs, we share with you a hidden culture, and our hope is to reveal it in its full power and beauty.

Compassionate rebels are role models for the masses and mentors for activists. The are produces of democracy, rather than embittered citizens. They teach us how to protest without violence, how to revel without destroying and how to say no without saying goodbye. Compassionate rebels bring to our viewfinder people who are exploring their anger, rage and disappointment and seeking solutions to oppression, racism, abuse, troubles relationships, and economic woes.

Next is an explanation of the four ‘Story-Carriers’. We learn, amongst other things, that Berlowe is a freelance writer, journalist, educator, community organizer and activist. Rebecca Janke and Julie Penshorn, together, have done extensive writing and co-authoring of several books. Then, there is Todd Cota, the photographer who, I believe, took most of the pictures in the book. Throughout the book, there are little vignettes which reveal their lives, personality and no doubt, immense courage and belief in what they do.

There are Ten Chapters all together and in each there are on average five stories. Each story is relatively short, concise and precise. What makes these stories all the more special is that at the end of each story, there are two sections: One called Questions for Contemplation and the other, Resources for Reflection and Action.

For example, in the story of Melvin Giles, Peaceful Love Warrior, we are introduced to a man who decided to dedicate his thinking time to good thoughts as he knew that his thoughts were critical in forming himself.

After this story, under Questions for Contemplation, the first question asked is: What person close to you offers you “the gift of perspective” thereby helping you see a different point of view?

In addition, under Resources for Reflection and Action, there is this resource:
The Four-Fold Way: Walking the paths of the warrior, teacher, healer, and visionary, by Angeles Arrien: The four archetypes present in virtually all shamaic traditions are detailed. They show us how to: 1) Access the human resources of power, presence, and communication 2) Become open to love, gratitude, acknowledgement and validation 3) maintain our authenticity while developing our inner vision and intuition 4) become open and unattached in order to recover wisdom and objectivity.

Moreover, intermittently, there are songs and personal essays written by the Story-Carriers which makes this book have that personal touch in a tale, which is so very important in a work such as these.

Add all this together and you have not only a story that entertains, there is also a moral theme which motivates you to do something … anything … to further peace.

In chapter 1 – Brave New Warriors – the reader is introduced to storytellers, associated with violent confrontation and brutal conflict. Instead of reacting badly to their experiences, they took action to use outrage, anger and passion non-violently. The stories are told honestly and the Story-Carriers are to be commended for not editing strong language that some readers may consider offensive; the language used only serves to give the tales that element of authenticity.

The section on Building Bridges has one of my favourite tales as it deals with compassion shown towards animals. I had tears in my eyes reading about when Dune, the dog belonging to Ray Nelson, had to be put to sleep. Ray’s story is about his compassion towards animals only makes me want to say, if only everyone could be that kind to animals …

There are elements of humour in this book. Especially when you read the story of Bob Tumbleweed, who refuses to give his last name, to this day. There is also a touch of romance in the stories of Jim Janke and Manfred and Turan Schonauer.

There are stories of believing in one’s maternal instincts (Sally Chapeau), leadership (Stacy Hersrud), faith questioned and career choices – which all arose out of being a rebel. For instance, there is the story of Sunshine who says she is contemplating going on to law school; I could not help the vision emerging in my mind of Sunshine as the real-life Elle Woods (from the movie Legally Blonde)- equally as feisty and the strong need to do what is right.

On retirement, there is advice from Don Irish Marjorie Sibley:

Though now in their 80s, neither has any intention of stepping back from their commitment to peace. You don’t stop because you’re old,” Don exclaims. “You do what you believe in as long as you can. … Retirement is a luxury of the the affluent and privileged. We haven’t retired from peacemaking or from being active citizens. I’m not one that could play golf and let the rest of the world go by.”

If the assumption is made that the Compassionate Rebel is someone who is an adult, the last Chapter, Torch Carriers, will reveal a different side.

Indeed, Psalm 8:2 comes to mind:

Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.

Chapter 10 is a collection of stories about children, youths and young people who are determined to see peace reign. The most poignant moment is when one reads Marika Staloch’s speech at a peace conference:

“The most frequently asked question to me from people not involved in the peace movement is: ‘How do you care so much about that stuff?’ (The ‘stuff’ being politics.)

My answer is cliché, but to the point, ‘How do you not?’

“But I’ve been forced to think about that question when deciding the path I want my life to take now that I’ve graduated. If there were to push the question further, I think I would answer: ‘Because I’m mad.’ Or perhaps, ‘Because I’m sad.’ And a lot of it has to do with the fact that I’m scared.

“I can envision peace:
I envision myself, female, not needing to be constantly aware of that.
I envision myself American, not needing to be embarrassed of it.
I envision myself a concerned citizen, but not being in a minority because of it.
I envision myself a white person who does not have any more power because of it.
I can envision little things like being able to go to any large city and breathe the air, taking midnight walks without having to be afraid; being able to buy something, knowing that what I purchased isn’t contaminated or the product of unfair labor conditions.
I can envision peace.
“So why am I scared?”
“I’m scared because I don’t understand how the power works in this world. I’m scared when I see the media and the politicians and the general public shutting their eyes to protesters, activists, and strikers. I’m scared that even if we do care a hell of a lot about the world and get a revolution going, it may only be the tip a very huge undertaking.
“And I’m scared because our society tells me my career should start soon. That I should sell my daylight hours so I can be productive and make use of the degree I just earned. I will become mature, responsible. And when I have a career, I’ll have to give up silly notions of taking off three days to listen to talks on peace.
“But I did and here I am. And during these three days, I’ve remembered that I’m female, I’m American, I’m an activist, and I can change the world. And I’m part of a very strong family of people who care.
“And now I’m not so scared.”

Finally, the authors have put into words what I have always believed in:
“… There is no doubt that stories can change the world.

Storytelling also changes the teller of the story by opening new doors to the past and inner self, as well as expanding and deepening interpersonal relationships. …”
Needless to say, I highly recommend this book. I am not alone in this for I understand this book was a finalist in the Nautilius Book Award and this award recognises authors and titles that contribute to society’s awareness and embrace of spiritual and ecological values such as compassion, sustainability, simplicity and global peace. The Compassionate Rebel – Energized by Anger, Motivated by Love certainly does this.

Liliane: Resurrection of the Daughter [Paperback]
Ntozake Shange
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin; First Edition (October 11, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0312644108
ISBN-13: 978-0312644109

“I travel a lot,” Liliane tells us early on. “I look at men and take some home or leave the country, borders have never intimidated me. My passport is in order and I carry letters of credit, perfume, four fancy dresses and six nightgowns. I always sleep naked alone at least once a week. I pray and say hail marys by some window at dusk. It’s always best for me to deal with the sacred when I’m naked. For me it has something to do with humility.”

Meet Liliane, easily among the most exuberant, most grittily real characters I’ve ever had the pleasure of encountering in a novel. A spirited artist troubled by her parents’ separation in childhood, and by the killing of a friend by an abusive lover, Liliane’s life is revealed to us through the monologues of those presently or previously close to her, illuminating both her extraordinary character and the climates of racial and sexual politics through which they have all lived. From miscegenation to the March on Washington, through virginity and feminism, the voices of her lovers, friends and sometimes Liliane herself take the reader through a rich, sometimes brutal plot landscape. (Watch out for the chapter in which Liliane begins to fantasize about a man she’s never met, obsessively trying to capture him in sketches, sleeping beneath six-foot long metal dreads she thinks might be his – it’s quite remarkable.)

To be able to answer her own questions, Liliane turns to her art. When she cannot even begin to ask the questions she needs answers for, Liliane seeks her psychoanalyst. These segments, which come between chapters and are stripped-down and immediate in nature, are full of challenging, well-crafted dialogue that were no doubt honed on the Obie award-winning Shange’s background in theatre.

Also noteworthy is how, unlike for instance Julia Alvarez’s ¡Yo! (at the end of which the reader sympathizes with every character but the one the book is supposed to be about), a novel which is told mostly through the multiple perspectives of various secondary characters could paint so captivating a portrait of its intended protagonist.

Liliane has a succulence normally associated with fruit, but without the requisite seeds and stickiness that tend to come with writing of the exotic variety. The prose is sensuous, musical, almost exquisite even at its most starkly disturbing.

All that being said, this novel isn’t for everybody. A lack of interest in the particular social issues and periods of the novel, the various references (“I heard Eric Dolphy in his eyes”) and even the rhythm of the language could well throw some off. But for anyone looking for a book with a strong, multifaceted woman of colour as its central character, or just some really unique writing, this is it.

***

Review by Sharanya Manivannan

Fury
By Salman Rushdie
Paperback: 272 pages
Publisher: Random House Trade Paperbacks (August 6, 2002)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0679783504
ISBN-13: 978-0679783503

Set in contemporary New York City, the somewhat familiar character of Professor Malik Solanka has abandoned his wife and three-year old son without a word, fleeing from England to NYC in the hope of escaping his rather enviable life, with all its rather enviable trappings. A former dollmaker and creator of the phenomenal Little Brain doll, to which he owes his fortune, and erstwhile academic, to which he owes his social circles, Solanka finds himself unable to make peace with neither his circumstances nor his choices.

All over the city, well-heeled young women are being murdered with a lump of concrete. Taxi drivers spew religious diatribes. Solanka suffers memory lapses, dances at various pride parades for the sake of enjoying anonymity within crowds, and comes dangerously close to breaking his vow of celibacy with Mila Milo, the young neighbour with her very own bodyguard posse and serious problems of her own.

Into his life waltzes another rather familiar character (Fury, naturally, is dedicated to the delectable Ms Padma herself), Neela, the goddess-like antithesis to the Furies who plague him, who literally causes traffic accidents as she sashays through town and graces rallies in support of her native Liliput-Blefuscu, an island on the far side of the world torn apart by communal conflict.

Solanka finds himself drawn deeper both into the political crisis that so engrosses Neela’s passions, as well as his growing suspicions about the identity of the city’s serial killer, and somewhere along the line hits upon the idea to reinvent his doll-making into a veritable cultural epic to suit current consumer tastes, a concept that will have far-reaching individual and international consequences.

What’s interesting about this novel is it’s subjectiveness, it’s almost personal frame of narrative. While many a fan will be disappointed by the various departures from tradition Rushdie undertakes, the very idea that this is the closest we have come to autobiography from him is sure to keep many more reading till the end. Certain revelations, though almost irrelevant to the plot as a whole (where’s your imagination gone, Sultan Salman? you may wonder at times), do pique different, more voyeuristic curiosities. What is Rushdie trying to say about his father, or his ex-wife, for that matter? And just what kind of ending is that to put your new wife’s doppelganger in?

Missing, though, is the trademark wordplay (the cunning linguistics, the man himself would no doubt say, with a twinkle in his eye) that brands virtually all his other fiction. Though still fairly engrossing, at times the prose reads almost like a poor parody of Rushdie’s higher scalings of the vocab gymnastics heights.

Mourn this fact or be relieved the verbal hi-jinx have taken a hiatus, one thing’s for sure: having clearly reached a point where the most fantastic protagonist he can come up with is a caricature of himself and the most unbelievable plot twists he can conjure are allegories on his own life, no other word puts quite as succinctly what Rushdie has done – mellowed.

***
Review by Sharanya Manivannan

Ranch Boy
by H. Steven Robertson
Publisher: Rutledge Books Inc.
ISBN: 1582442169
Type: Fiction
Category: Action/Thriller
Pages: 293
ISBN No: 1-58244-216-9

One of the purposes of reading is to discover new and exciting places. A story well told, will take you on a journey far beyond your land to meet people who are exciting and complex all at once. Yet, you must not be taken too far away that you are not able to understand the conflicts, the interests and the plot of the story. In essence, a great story is one that strikes this balance. This is precisely what Ranch Boy achieves.

I would call this a ‘feel good book’ that teaches you just that little more about what life in America is like. It is not a book that tells you about the destruction of society. It is not about divorce, incest, murder or unhappiness. It is a story of a boy who struggles and comes through with flying colours on a subject that most teenagers have trouble with – growing up!

The story takes place in Sebring, Florida in 1959. Robbie Duncan, and his family have just moved to this city and at 15, Robbie has to “Go get a job.”

Robbie finds a job on a ranch. Although it is hot, back breaking and dangerous work, he finds that he really enjoys it. Robbie learns to be a cowboy. Inevitably, he meets a young girl, is smitten by her and his adventure in trying to ‘grow up’ are both hilarious, touching and emotional. The way in which these stories are written is to the author’s credit: more often than not, you find that you are quietly encouraging Robbie with, “No, Robbie. Don’t do this. Do that…”

The language used is easy to understand. The words and phrases are not complicated and as a bonus, the author even illustrates his description with drawings … all created by the author! This is good for those who live no where near a ranch and what a Brahman Bull or a Cattle Prod look like would be beyond one’s imagination.

It is possible that the objection to this book is the fact that Robbie as a school-going-teenager seems to have indulged in a sexual relationship well before he should have. Indeed the girl that he chose was one who was already ‘committed’ to another. That said, it would be a fallacy to think that most teenagers today do not know or indulge in themselves. Therefore, to look at this in a positive way, the author is to be congratulated for being able to write about this issue openly and in the process also ‘guiding’ Robbie.

In all, an enjoyable read.

Autobiography of a Yogi
by Paramahansa Yogananda
Mass Market Paperback: 604 pages
Publisher: Self-Realization Fellowship (December 12, 1946)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0876120796
ISBN-13: 978-0876120798

When writing an autobiography, the challenge for the writer, I would imagine, would be to write a story that everyone would say, “I want to read that!” More often than not, autobiographies of celebrities, statesmen and others can be deadly dull. I found, however, that Autobiography of a Yogi is anything but dull.

In so writing his autobiography, I would say, Paramahamsa Yogananda has probably fulfilled his life’s mission and that was to introduce Eastern philosophy to the Western World. He writes with humour, simplicity and pure entertainment. However, all throughout the book you are learning. Learning about a philosophy, learning about the truth and yourself. Perhaps, one can say that he went beyond his divine mandate and actually introduced Eastern philosophy to the world.

What then is this Eastern philosophy that he talks so much about? It is all based in the art and practice of Kriya Yoga – prevented by divine injunction from explaining the whole concept, Paramahamsa Yogananda explains this as comprehensively as he can:

Kriya Yoga is a simple, psychophysiological method by which the human blood is decarbonized and recharged with oxygen. The atoms of this extra oxygen are transmuted into life current to rejuvenate the brain and spinal centers. By stopping the accumulation of venous blood, the yogi is able to lessen or prevent the decay of tissues; the advanced yogi transmutes his cells into pure energy. Elijah, Jesus, Kabir and other prophets were past masters in the use of Kriya or a similar technique, by which they caused their bodies to dematerialize at will. Kriya is an ancient science.

On the Amazon.com website, under Product Description it is stated as follows:

Autobiography of a Yogi is at once a beautifully written account of an exceptional life and a profound introduction to the ancient science of Yoga and its time-honored tradition of meditation. This acclaimed autobiography presents a fascinating portrait of one of the great spiritual figures of our time. With engaging candor, eloquence, and wit, Paramahansa Yogananda tells the inspiring chronicle of his life: the experiences of his remarkable childhood, encounter with many saints and sages during his youthful search throughout India for an illumined teacher, ten years of training in the hermitage of a revered yoga master, and the thirty years that he lived and taught in America. Also recorded here are his meetings with Mahatma Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore, Luther Burbank, the Catholic stigmatist Therese Neumann, and other celebrated spiritual personalities of East and West. The author clearly explains the subtle but definite laws behind both the ordinary events of everyday life and the extraordinary events commonly termed miracles. His absorbing life story becomes the background for a penetrating and unforgettable look at the ultimate mysteries of human existence.

It is a profoundly inspiring and at the same time vastly entertaining read. I would recommend it to anyone!

Notes from a Small Island
Author: Bill Bryson
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 0-552-99600-9
Publishers: Originally published in Great Britain by Doubleday, a division of Transworld Publishers Ltd.

On the back cover of the copy of this book I was given to read, this was stated:

“After nearly two decades in Britain, Bill Bryson took the decision to move back tot the States for a while, to let his kids experience life in another country, to give his wife the chance to shop until 10 p.m. seven nights a week, and, most of all, because he had read that 3.7 million Americans believed that they had been abducted by aliens at one time or another, and it was thus clear to him that his people needed him …”

I just knew I had to read this book … and I so enjoyed it.

The style of writing is interesting: At a first glance, you think that the author is really opening up and telling you his inner thoughts about a particular person or thing. Then he makes a joke about the subject which is really couched in terms so serious that you’re left wondering what are his real thoughts on the subject. And all throughout you’re laughing. A perfect example is his notes on his visit to Windsor Park:-

‘ … Once, on Boxing Day when I was ambling along in a paternal fashion beside an offspring on a shiny new tricycle, I became aware with a kind of sixth sense that we were holding up the progress of a car and turned to find that it was being driven by Princess Diana. As I hastened myself and my child out of the way, she gave me a smile that melted my heart, and since that time I have never said a word against the dear sweet girl, however pressed by those who think that she is a bit off her head because she spends £28,000 a year on leotards and makes occasional crank phone calls to hunky military men. (And who among us hasn’t? is my unanswerable reply)”

The author, in this book, has managed to combine four aspects of telling a great story into one book:

• An extensive knowledge in the history of the place, the geography of the land and the architecture of the buildings.
• As for its people, the ability to observe people around you is a must for any author. However, the ability to then use words to correctly ‘paint’ what you have observed is a skill and art and in this, Bill Bryson has is a master.
• He has been able to give the reader an insight into his inner thoughts, feelings, fears, frustrations and thereby make it a mini-autobiography.
• His commentary about politics, economics and life in general is to be applauded.
  In all, he has written with such humour that his book is really, pure entertainment.

Really, this has been one of the best books I have read in a long, long time.