Seven secrets of Vishnu - Devdutt Patnaik (2011)

Breaks down Vishnu's avatars into seven important ones and tries to explain how and why they are important to mankind. Unlike Shiva and Shakti which is all about relationship of a man and woman, Vishnu avatars are about establishing culture and society at large. A very apt way to look at Hindu scriptures.

Seven Secrets of Shiva - Devdutt Patnaik (2011)

The book divides Shiva mythological experiences into 7 parts and forms we are aware of and explains the significance of it in very simple manner. The importance of Shiva and Shakti in our mythology explains the relationship between a man and woman in its most balanced approach. What is acceptable and what is not in experiences of this relationship. How the Goddess convinces a mendicant to live a householder's life. How in the marriage the God and Goddess help each other shade their extreme wilder side in establishing a social order yet continue to let the freedom be there such that the creativity needed is not eliminated. Again the myth behind the children of Shiva and Shakti and their significance is well described. If I interpret it right, the Shiva purana was a way to symbolically describe the most primal relationship of a man and woman and their need for it.

A relatively short book but filled with explanations of mythological symbolism which needs careful thinking through.

Business Sutra - Devdutt Patnaik (2013)

This expert in mythology surprises me every time he comes with a new book. While I was studying formal management education at IIMB a friend kind of asked is our Indian context to life is against business. I gave him a rhetoric reply which did not have any grounded base or explanation. But here is book that relates lots of simple stories of business with our mythological base. I have not read any other book which provides such a clear association.

Definitely, a recommended read but a bit longish book and can test your patience at times.

Seven secrets of the Goddess - Devdutt Patnaik

This is a book on the feminine forms of the Hindu Goddesses. The book is broken into 7 themes primarily focusing on one firm at a time. Definitely, a different way to look at Hindu Goddesses. Like most Devdutt Patnaik's books these are very light read and can be completed in a couple of hours. Gives a very thought provoking treatment of traditional practices of our system.

Sahara: The Untold Story (2014) - Tamal Bandopadhyaya

The author has done a very balanced presentation of the facts related to the Sahara case. If you have been in the thick of business or legal cases in recent years Sahara case is hard to ignore in any manner. As far as the book goes there is an associativity presented with the Peerless case. The scale of Peerless case is no comparison to the size of Sahara. Overall Sahara still remains an enigma in it all. I am sure it always will as much with people as much to regulators and law keepers. I found the text a very well researched balanced view with both regulator and Sahara's view points represented well. The overall story telling is a definite plus. Although, Sahara disclaims the presented facts in the beginning of the book in my opinion there is no easy way to present a case where decisions are still pending.

Worth reading in my opinion.

The woman who died one and half times and other stories - Manoj Das

Presented as a collection with one novelette exposes a lot of idiosyncratic situations in the human interactions. A great collection of simple stories with some takeaways.

The submerged valley and other stories - Manoj Das

One more from Manoj Das. Simply unputdownable. The last story the dusky horizon is definitely worth a special mention. Three friends make a mistake unknowingly and their unique ways to take penance for a girl's death. Definitely, well stated in the book by the master story teller.

Definitely, recommended.

Old folks of the northern valley and other stories - Manoj Das

Another great collection of short stories by Manoj Das. There is subtle charm of witty authorship in most of the stories. The last story bulldozer is kind of a novelette. That has a bit of highs and lows. It may not seem very well connected on first instance. I will consider that one a bit out of place in the collection though.

The miracle and other stories - Manoj Das

Presented as a collection of short stories at different periods, the stories have a mix of strange human emotions, reactions and mysticism in them. The stories are not very much aligned to any realism per se but many of them depict the irrationalities of general human reaction or expression. If you have lived in rural India one could connect very easily to the stories. Manoj Das again all masterful story teller as he is has presented these dozen stories in remarkable simplicity.

Definitely recommended and a breeze read in couple of hours.

The Escapist - Manoj Das (2001)

Yet another remarkable work by Manoj Das, the blessed son of Goddess Saraswati. Needless to write a review. The book is highly acclaimed by many eminent authors and critics. In fact the Kindle edition about 20% of the book is marked for commentary, appreciation and how to read the novel etc. From a simple reader standpoint the book is not the easiest of read. The style kind of goes about a little all over initially till the plot thickens. The story goes around a poor man who tries to earn a simple livelihood and lands up being a godman not by choice but by circumstances. How he adheres to it for all the attributed false expectations and promises made to him. How he is being used wrongfully by certain people around him. The hope or person he tries to save he has no means of saving her. And situation forces him to lie moribund near a river. And he escapes again in life but this time into the reality of being a seeker. As a seeker in the follower of truth his road again meets with his past for him to realize all those factor which has met him history has not been in anyway what they should have been. There had been a lot of changes in life and some serving poetic justice but some not getting the end goal they deserved.

Overall, it made me feel the book makes everyone look like an escapist in some form.

Manoj Das - My Little India

Manoj Das is a bilingual author in Odia and English literature known for his comic sense of writing. This book is more of a travelogue of his several visits across various parts of India over years. Initially, serialized and published in "The Statesman". Each of the 49 chapters are in some sense independent stories or explanation of a specific place, stories associated to the place and also some modern realities of the place now. You can read the book in one go. Fairly easy read, yet thought provoking. Also states the deep understanding of the author of India.

Dramatic Decade, The Indira Gandhi Years - Pranab Mukherjee (2015)

The first of the series of books that Pranab Mukherjee has written. Pranab Mukherjee as usual has kept the controversial topics within check and elaborated on the facts. Reading the book will feel like Indira Gandhi's struggle to survival than a description of policies and life of the 70s. Overall a great book to recall the 70s but at the same time has little coverage on Pakistan war. However, political events like emergency has been covered in details.

Worthwhile reading.

Tales told by Mystics - Manoj Das (2008)

Manoj Das has been my favorite Indian author from childhood. We have grown reading his short stories as part of course curriculum and I am sure his stories must be inspiring the new generation as much it had us. The tales told by mystics is not an original collection of stories. There are about 100 stories which you would have heard, read or have been exposed to from various sources. Manoj Das has tried to compile this into one book of about 300 pages. There is never a low point in the book. You can pick up and read from any page you like. The stories are very short about 2-3 pages. So you can read in between your regular activities. Definitely, the philosophical parables in the list of stories are worthwhile. Not a new collection but the Manoj Das's language is impeccable and style has no parallels.

I thought I would leave fiction reading but writers like Manoj Das make it really hard. Thanks to him I am back to reading some of his fiction.

The Turbulent Years - 1980-1996 - Pranab Mukherjee (2015)

The book establishes Pranab Mukherjee as an accomplished writer. As a political influence and stalwart his contribution to Indian politics is remarkable for almost half a century. Yet the expressions of details in the book is based on only facts that's well known or verified from public sources. No additional disclosures which may be questioned have been made in this book. As an active state head he has established great balance on issues that he personally favors or issues not to his liking with remarkable astuteness. At no place one can question the integrity of expressions. Overall a great book that describes the upheavals of the the decade and half through eyes of a person who not only lived it but actively influenced it. 

Overall a great read. 

My Gita - Devdutt Pattanaik (2015)

Unlike many commentaries of Bhagavat Gita which have been expression of message of Gita, this text is a thematic representation of the mythological Gita. There is very little spiritual content in the book. There are excellent associations of content to other mythological texts in Indian context. Overall reads like a very well researched representation of the Hindu text. It has details on what is Gita and how many forms of Gita has been described in our puranic scriptures and essence of those. There is also mention in clear terms of puja, dana, dakshina kind of concepts.

To summarize, if your intent is to understand the mythological connection of Bhagavat Gita to Hindu mythology in general the book will have substantial food for thought and a breeze read for a day. However, if you are looking to get a spiritual solace in reading something thoughtful this will be a waste of time. There are many interesting commentaries of Bhagavat Gita by many of the great realized masters.

Big Data Analytics and Future of Marketing and Sales - McKinsey & Co

The book is part of CMO/CSO forum. There are a few introductory chapters on Big Data and how data growth has made marketing decision making harder. How big data is resolving some of the issues. Overall book seemed very much based on common sense. I did not find any spectacular content. The case studies were nice. There are a few terms which are new additions to e-marketing jargon a. Overall I did not find the book anyway extraordinary.

Third Class in Indian Railways - M K Gandhi

A collection of 6 essays with the most prominent being the one on which the book is titled. The unfortunate part of Indian literature is we do not consider Gandhi as an author. Some may actually feel that his number of articles and books are really that large. Most of them are newspaper commentaries or letters he has sent to various important people of the time. But good part is all writings are serious, bringing out certain degree of reality of the period and a strong message of the time. Third class is actually a very apt essay on the apathy of the train travellers of those period. Unfortunately in last 80-90 years the condition of Indian train travel in upper classes also has not improved. The other essays are on Swadeshi, Vernacular media, Indian national dress. Everyone of them are treated in depth and upheld against common criticism of the period. Good read for a person who feels Gandhi still relevant to modern world.