DIGITAL FORTRESS by DAN BROWN

DIGITAL FORTRESS is the first standalone novel published in 1998, by Dan Brown , author of the best seller DA VINCI CODE. Digital Fortress is a techno thriller novel.

The book opens with a death of Ensei Tankado, Japanese and a former NSA cryptographer, in Seville, Spain.The main plot then centers around a code unbreakable by NSA's Super computer TRANSLTR. Commander Strathmore, head of cryptography department, calls Susan Fletcher on emergency basis and briefs her about the situation, which if not solved may place national security at stake. Meanwhile he also requests David Becker, fiancee of Susan to go on an important mission to Seville, Spain. Remaining story is all about how the situation was contained and the journey each and every character travels during that time.

While reading the book, one will definitely experience an Adrenaline Rush. Entire book is gripping and you don't feel like keeping it down, without finishing it. And also, the chapters are very short, with shortest being a page and longest being 6-8 pages. While reading, you come across various facts about cryptography, which are interesting if you are a novice. Every scene leads to a suspense and maintains ones interest constantly.

On the flip-side, novel is too trivial for a person who has already read couple of crypto books. If one has already read American thrillers before, the plot can be easily predicted with little clues.

Over all the book is worth reading for first timers and definitely you will get an Adrenaline Rush.

The Wonder that is SANSKRIT

Wonder that is Sanskrit is a book written on Sanskrit language by Sampadananda Mishra, Sampad and Vijay. It is published by Sri Aurobindo Society.

This books is a simple to read and easy to understand genre. It focuses completely on the charm, beauty and nuances of the world's greatest language SANSKRIT. It begins with author's note on how he began writing this one and proceeds with the pronunciation of the Sanskrit letters. It also gives the significance of their genesis.He briefly introduced the Sanskrit grammar.

The proceeding chapter highlights the interesting and amazing nuances of the language through various  examples like Varnacitras, Sthanacitras, Svaracitras, Gaticitras, Citrabandhas etc...Next chapter, has various extracts relating to science and arts, through Sanskrit language. It proceeds on to the Sanskrit poetry, with brief introductions to poetry of various renowned poets and the magic they created in the Sanskrit poetry. Following chapters show how Sanskrit is the language for upliftment and also spirituality. 

Final chapters emphasize and support an issue of Treating Sanskrit as a national language and its necessity in unifying the country.

Overall, the books is an interesting and well presented. Interesting facts of Sanskrit language is enjoyable and the importance of Sanskrit language is emphasized throughout the book. After reading the book, interesting in learning Sanskrit will be definitely triggered. One should appreciate the efforts of author in briefly accumulating the various facets of Vast language in a single book, in a simple and enjoyable manner.

I will end this post with an extract from the book:

यायायायायायायायायायायायायायायाया । 

यायायायायायायायायायायायायायायाया ।।

This has to be arranged in the manner below

यायाया , आया , आयाय , अयाय, अयाय, अयाय, अयाय, अयाया , यायाय , आयायाय , आयाया , या, या, या, या, या, या, या, या।

The meaning is:

The sandals which adorn the Lord, which help in attainment of all that is good and auspicious, which give knowledge, which cause the desire (of having the Lord as one's own), which remove all that is hostile, which have attained the Lord, which are used for going and coming from one place to another, by which all places of the world can be reached, these sandals are for Lord Vishnu.

THE NEW WORLD OF Mr.TOMPKINS

'The New world of Mr.Tompkins' was originally written by George Gamow and fully revised and updated by Russell Stannard.

Mr.Tompkins is a Bank Clerk who attends a Physics Lecture given by an old Professor, in order to pass time on a public holiday. He feels dizzy at the lecture as he cannot follow it and he dozes off. He gets transformed into a dream where the Constants in Physics take totally different values and effects which were invisible in world gets magnified in his dream world. 

This book is no doubt one of the best in physics. Its written purely for a layman and he can follow majority of the tough Modern Physics concepts effortlessly. Moreover book is not a burden to read and it is more or less like an adventurous one. 

One can appreciate the creativity of an author, in the stories he created to explain the physics' concepts. Many of them are really captivating and enjoyable with light touch of humour here and there. The chapters; City speed limit, Mr.Tompkins Visits a Closed universe, Quantum Snooker, The Quantum Safari, Maxwell's Demon, The Merry Tribe of Electrons, Inside the nucleus and Woodcarver are simply superb. One can observe the heights of creativity exhibited by Author in those chapters. 

On a flip side, last two chapters are bit lengthy, confusing and difficult to understand in the first reading itself. Probably second reading may clear the concepts properly.

Overall, this is the book which everyone who loves and hates physics should read. The fellow who loves the physics will surely enjoy the beauty of physics and fellow who hates it starts loving it. 

ANNA KARENINA by LEO TOLSTOY

ANNA KARENINA  is the novel written by Russian writer Leo Tolstoy , published in installments in a Russian Periodical, Russian Messenger from 1873 to 1877.

The book revolves around 

• Anna Arkadyevna Karenina  – Stepan Oblonsky's sister, Karenin's wife and Vronsky's lover
• Count Alexei Kirillovich Vronsky – Lover of Anna
• Prince Stepan Arkadyevitch Oblonsky ("Stiva") – a civil servant and Anna's brother.
• Princess Darya Alexandrovna Oblonskaya ("Dolly") – Stepan's wife
• Alexei Alexandrovich Karenin – a senior statesman and Anna's husband, twenty years her senior.
• Konstantin Dmitrievitch Levin ("Kostya") – Kitty's suitor and then husband.
• Princess Ekaterina Alexandrovna Shcherbatskaya ("Kitty") – Dolly's younger sister and later Levin's wife.

The book has eight parts. The book begins with a quote All happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. Oblonsky character is introduced with, him being unfaithful to his wife Dolly, and cheating her by having an affair with governess. Anna Karenina is called upon to settle an issue and on her way to Saint Petersburg, she meets Vronsky's mother on train and eventually, she meets Vronsky. Their meeting happens with an inauspicious event of a worker dying by falling under a train. 

Vronsky was supposed to betroth  Kitty but he gets carried away by Anna and her beauty that, he neglects Kitty who rejects Levin's proposal for Vronsky. Story takes a twist from here and various characters undergo various changes in their lives. Remaining part of the book is all about, the way each character's story travels and ends.

The beauty of the Tolstoy's writing is that, he describes a scene so realistically that, you get transformed to that particular time and place, with little bit of patience ( which requires to read his work).  He gives the finest details of the scene beautifully. 

Leo Tolstoy projected his mind through the Levin's character. He also showed his confusion regarding various philosophies and methodologies, through Levin's character. The interactions of the high aristocratic Russian society is depicted well.

I liked the way Leo Tolstoy developed a scene. I liked his way of describing a woman's mentality and the way they think. He showed the fickle mindedness of a woman very nicely. 

Some of the scenes are worth mentioning:

• First acquaintance between Anna Karenina and Vronsky.
• Heart breaking scene of Kitty, when she sees, Vronsky being carried away by Anna's beauty.
• Anna's sudden expression of her love towards Vronsky in public during a horse race.
• Couple of scenes between Anna and her husband.
• Anna's aversion towards her husband after Vronsky proposes to Anna.
• Anna's childbirth scene and Vronsky's suicide attempt.
• Kitty's conduct during Levin's half brother Nikolai's death.
• Nikolai's death scene and Levin's philosophical thoughts.
• Anna's feeling when her son tells that, he had been informed that his mother is dead.
• Anna's quarrels with Vronsky and her growing jealousy towards him.
• Levin's final philosophical thoughts.

The transalation by Joel Carmichael is simple and also an introduction by Malcom Cowley is worth reading.

This book was the first Magnum Opus, I read in my life. It nearly took 6 months to read first 300 pages as I found it bit difficult to adjust to the Leo Tolstoy style of writing and also the Russian atmosphere. Once I got adjusted to it, I finished remaining part of the book (roughly 700 pages) in 20 days.

Overall, its a good book to read and you end it with a nostalgic effect. But it really tests your patience.

Here I am giving you the first print of the novel.

THE FOUNTAINHEAD-- by AYN RAND

I heard this book from my father, who accidentally cited to my friend; when we three were discussing a philosophical topic. My another friend (Narayana) read it and gave the same opinion, but I never bothered about it.

One day ( year and half after my friend bought it), I purchased it in Tata Book House (IISc).  Even then, I didn't have a mind to read that book, as it was very bulky and I didn't have sufficient patience to read such bulky books. I buried it somewhere in my bookshelf and one day I laid my hands on it.

[ Pardon me for the above Biographical notes]

THE FOUNTAINHEAD was written by Ayn Rand, and it was published in 1943. The book has four parts and each one deals with the four principal characters: PETER KEATING, ELLSWORTH TOOHEY, GAIL WYNAND and last but not the least, the protagonist HOWARD ROARK. Dominique Francon is the female lead.

The entire book represents the rise of the each character in their respective lives, beginning with the Peter Keating and ending with Howard Roark. The book, more than representing the story it carries a debate between Collectivism, Socialism, Communism and Individualism; highlights the Individualism, through the protagonist, Howard Roark. This entire debate runs as an undercurrent throughout the book. Though at first instance, I found few similarities between Roark and Charles Strickland of Moon and Sixpence, by the time I finished the book, my misconceptions got cleared. Also, the idealistic relationship between Roark and Dominique is very confusing at beginning but once we think properly, we can make out the depth of their relationship. Abstract relationship never requires any words to communicate. Last but not least to mention, the pre climax part of the  book gives you goosebumps and elevates the Roark character to the unmeasurable heights. Pre climax forms the best part of the book and after reading the entire book, I thought that, if the book had been ended at this point, then it would have been one of the excellent books of the twentieth century. The book lacks its pace in between and it gathers the pace again with the entry of Roark.

After, reading the book, no doubt that, everyone wants to be like Roark, but fail being like him miserably.  This book is better than scores of self motivating books. Its a must read book in ones life and many incidents of Roark makes you to read the book again and again and also his character creates a permanent mark in your mind and life.

[you can also check out my friend's review http://narayanraogs.blogspot.com/]

MOON AND SIX PENCE -- by W.Somerset Maugham

The Moon and Sixpence is a short novel written by W.Somerset Maugham, in 1919. It is about the life of Charles Stickland narrated through the first person of narrator , who journeys through the life of Charles Strickland.

Charles Strickland, stockbroker in England, having a good wife, children and well settled family life, disappears all of a sudden and goes off to Paris.Why he left the family,work and children? Why did he go to Paris? What did he do in his later part of life? forms the remaining part of book. 

This book has one of the excellent quotes of Somerset Maugham. The striking and most selfish character of Charles Strickland, is what the entire book is about. The book is readable upto the point, where there will be a final conversation between Narrator and Charles Strickland, and afterwards, the book becomes dull. 

The dialogues of Strickland are extraordinary and very self centric in nature, sometimes they are also very abstract. After you finish the book, Strickland's dialogues and character still haunts you. The book is worth reading and some of the parts of the book makes you to read it again and again, for its striking conversations.

It is said that, the title ' Moon and Sixpence' was given because, Moon indicates the abstract and idealistic realm of Art and Sixpence is about the human relationships and all other comforts and pleasures of life. 

THE ENGLISH TEACHER--- by R.K.Narayan

Once, I saw a book by R.K.Narayan and I picked it up to read but unfortunately I could manage only a page, which I picked randomly and I liked the conversation present in the page. Sad part of the story was that, I forgot the name of the novel. I knew it was related to English, but couldn't get the title. Recently, a new book shop was opened and I happened to see the two works of R.K.Narayan, BACHELOR OF ARTS and THE ENGLISH TEACHER and both of them were related to English. I fell in confusion and decided to read both and bought them.

Former one, I finished earlier and also posted the review. THE ENGLISH TEACHER, I finished it today only.

The book is about a story of the English teacher, who taught, B.A classes. The story begins with a conversation about, correct way spelling English word. Then it moves to the lonely life of a married man and how he spends it in his hostel life until his wife and daughter arrive. The arrival of his wife and daughter, transforms him to the possessive creature. He starts to enjoy his life until one day, tragedy strikes him and from there, the remaining story is how he could cope with the tragedy and ends with some what surrealistically. 

The beauty of this book is the CHARACTERS and their CHARACTERIZATIONS. You can really feel the typical Indian characters and their behaviours, described so naturally that, it appears as if they are one among us. The emotions are speechless and I felt very sorry for the protagonist at one point of the novel. 

This book is supposed to be the kind of his autobiography.  

If this book is read with utmost involvement, then I think, one can read this book only once and lay man won't venture to give it a second reading. The tragedy is described in such a manner that, it needs bit of courage to read it for the second time.

                                                                           KARUMANCHI VISWANATHA SARMA

                                                                                             24rd MARCH, 2010

OF HUMAN BONDAGE-- by W.SOMERSET MAUGHAM

OF HUMAN BONDAGE is a kind of autobiography of W.Somerset Maugham. It was written in 1915.

The book begins with the death of a nine year old, Phillip Carey's mother. Story then moves through, his school life, college, friends, art, love, women, medicine, bitter failures, despairs, and at last victory; and also his relationship with various people like his uncle, aunt, friends, Cronshaw, Miss Wilkinson etc. 

The beauty of this book is that; anyone who reads it connects himself with the character at some point of the book or other. The various relationships of Phillip and their temporariness are projected very smoothly. The story takes turn with the entry of Mildred. Her character covers majority of the book. The feelings of the Phillip when he is in love with her, are written superbly. 

The scene between protagonist and his dying uncle is also worth mentioning. Cronshaw's philosophy and his conversations are noteworthy. They are bit against the Christianity. His arguments are striking and sounds logical. Also the various doubts Phillip gets during his discussions with his friends and his revelation towards GOD is also good.  Another highlight of the book is, the indifference of the protagonist towards his lover after she leaves him for another guy. The transformation is very well shown and it is also captivating. Throughout the story, the inability of the protagonist and the ridicules he faces are heart touching. No, doubt a tear or two escapes during few scenes. 

I personally like this book a lot as it was realistically written and I thoroughly enjoyed it. 

This book requires patience to read but overall its worth reading; no doubt in it.

Karumanchi Vishwanatha Sharma

March 22, 2010  

SURELY YOU'RE ROCKINGG Mr.FEYNMAN

I can't resist from writing a review on such a fabulous book, I read in my recent times. This is the book, about  Nobel Laureate Richard.P.Feynman and his Adventures, told in his own words. The tag line "Adventures of a Curious character" is very apt to this book.

Once, you begin reading it, you can't resist from not reading it. Various incidents, in his life are narrated very humorously. You can't control the laughter. There are many interesting episodes in this book, which one won't forget  for considerable amount of time.

Some of them are: The door prank, which is unforgettable and very humorous.Prank played with waitress.Answering puzzles posed by a girl, during a ball.Map of cat episode.Testing bloodhounds. His art classes and many more.

After reading this book, I clearly understood the definition of a scientist, which until then, I misunderstood. The way, Feynman, gets to know many things, by investigating and enquiring into them; made him a real scientist. He spread his arms of knowledge on vast and various fields which, I think no other scientist/physicist would have. Its completely mind boggling. He is the one, whom we can call the scientist. No where, I came across the egoistic approach of Feynman. I don't want to say much about this book, you find it out yourself.

The entire book is very beautifully written and most of it is really humorous. A must read for science students, scientists and also wannabe scientists.

B.A- Bachelor of Arts by R.K.Narayan

I think this one is one of the best works of R.K.Narayan, as far as I have read till date, after GUIDE. Every book of Narayan, comes with a package tour to Malgudi, the sole creation of R.K.Narayan.

The book opens with the protagonist, Chandran, struggling in his preparations for the debate. Slowly we get into the character of Chandran, and along with him move through the days of graduation, his friends, college and lecturers. Story glides smoothly, arousing the memories of our college days until a U-turn takes place.

Story takes a twist, the moment, Chandran, falls for a girl, Malathi on, one of his strolls on the bank of river Sarayu. Narayan, described the subtle feelings, which the protagonist undergoes, with every moment of his visual acquaintance with Malathi and the emotional torture he undergoes. He wanders as a Sanyasin, reconciles,  finally coming  back to Malgudi, begins a new business and finally marrys the girl he was destined to.

Narayan showed the Chandran's struggle between then prevailing social norms and his will to break those barriers for the sake of his love is heart touching. The feelings a person feels when he goes to his college after a long gap and finds lots of changes in it, is projected realistically. Heartbreaking scene, when he comes to know a bitter truth, his  dejection at his family members, women and to the world, conversation with his mother during their visit to see the bride and finally his  love for his wife is shown naturally.

This book can be read and one can derive immense pleasure from the characters etched on the Canvas of Malgudi.