I have been tagged...

Confused Rambler shared his biggest quirks with the world (or the few odd people who read his blog) and has tagged me to do the same. I have no clue why I am doing this, but here goes...

1. I love stationery !! I can spend hours in the store browsing through all sorts of writing material - notebooks, paper, envelopes, diaries, pens, pencils...ya especially pencils :)
2. I make a detailed agenda during vacations which of course we never follow. But even the act of making an agenda is so fulfilling
3. I dont like the feeling of weightlessness that comes with amusement park rides, planes etc.
4. I DETEST bass sounds because it makes me restless and uncomfortable. I have a theory that the bass frequencies resonate with my heart and might cause it to explode. My theory has been rubbished and I have been ridiculed by my friends. But when has the world recognized greatness?
5. I dont answer my cell phone. It is for me to contact others, not others to reach me at will. Needless to say,
I never check my voicemail. Can someone tell me how to disable it?
6. I get cranky when hungry. So Abi ensures I am well-fed at all times

I think this should do for now. For my part, I am tagging Ink, quirky quill, meravablog and T to share their biggest quirks...

Japan Trip Pics

The 50 book challenge !

At the beginning of the year, I had set myself a target of reading 50 books this year, primarily to force myself back into the reading habit. Have read 33 to date and am slightly lagging behind my target vs. time elapsed !

Posting a wishlist of books I want to read before end of this year so that I dont get tempted to read trash and meet my target.

1. Undercover Economist (Tim Harford) - Currently reading. It is great economic reasoning in a very easy to read manner. It uses real world examples to explain economic theories. Unlike Freakonomics, the book explains key economic concepts starting with the value of scarcity and marignal cost vs. average cost.

2. End of Oil (Paul Roberts) - Just bought it in Bangkok a week ago. It is about the energy crisis, how real it is and what the implications are. I am not a very environment conscious person, hopefully the book can make me a bit more aware

3. Confessions of an economic hitman (John Perkins) - Highly recommended by Shrenik. The book is about the life of an economic hitman - highly paid professionals who cheat countries around the globe out of trillions of dollars.

4. India 60 (Edited by Ira Pandey) - Collection of essays as India matures into a 60 year old nation. Currently reading. Quite ordinary. But since I have invested time in it and the stress of finishing 50 books, might as well finish it.

5. Maximum City (Suketu Mehta) - Have heard my husband rave about book forever now. Intend to find out for myself what is so great about it.

6. Tao of Physics (Fritjof Capra) - Tried reading, gave up. Worth another shot. The book draws parallels between eastern mysticism and western physics. Quite involved, I dont even understand it sometimes.

Do let me know if you have recommendations for good books that I can read !

Book Review: The Algebra of Infinite Justice (Arundhati Roy)

‘The algebra of infinite justice’ is a collection of essays written by Arundhati Roy covering a range of issues – Nuclear weapons, nationalism, big dams, globalization, corporatization, America’s war against terror. Her opinions and essays are strongly leftist. I agree with some (America’s war against terror), strongly disagree on most (nuclear weapons, Narmada Andolan, Indian democracy) and dont even understand the rest (I dont know what the essay ‘the ladies have feelings so...’ was about).

Despite my disagreement with most of her opinions (I wont call them arguments, because they dont qualify as that) the book was an interesting read, mostly because her writing is very passionate and evokes a response from the reader - my response was mostly anger at her naivete and violent disagreement with her opinions. Though it did open my eyes to the perspective of a minority groups of freaks (she calls herself that...I didnt) on issues of global and local relevance.

That said, there is a lot that I dont like about the book

1. Her essays sound like emotional outbursts rather than a coherent, rational argument. Sample this – “The nuclear bomb (in the context of India’s nuclear tests) are the most anti-democratic, anti-national, anti-human, most outright evil thing...” with no explanation or context whatsoever. OR “India’s nuclear bomb is the final act of betrayal by a ruling class that has failed its people”
2. Some of her essays also take a very patronizing tone like the reader is not capable of understanding governments’ hidden agenda, unlike her. For example - “Has anyone bothered to tell them (the un educated millions in India) that nuclear war has nothing to do with pride? Has anyone bothered explaining to them about Thermal blasts, radioactive fallout and nuclear winter?Are there even words in their language to describe it? Do they not matter at all? Should we treat them like cretins?”
3. It also doesnt help that she asks tons of rhetoric questions. I distinctly remember one page in the book which had only questions, which completely threw me off. In parts, It seemed like an exam question paper rather than an essay.
4. Though she has effectively raised issues (some non-issues), voiced dissent, asked questions and criticized the system, there is no attempt to suggest solutons for the same. Being an intellectual (she considers herself one), is the reader allowed to expect it of her?

To find faults, criticize, point fingers and rubbish the system are all easy to do. To understand the issue, its practical implications and identify possible solutions calls for a much more mature writer (and thinker) !

Overall, the book is an OK read for someone who hasnt read Arundhati Roy's political writing before, just to decide whether you agree with her or not. I most certainly dont!

Rating - * *