Author I Admire IV - Khaled Hosseini

During the past year when I was dealing with personal tragedy, books became my best friend - and so did work.

I picked up and read books by various authors. Notably, I read the books by Khaled Hosseini. I have read two of his books - The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns.

I found The Kite Runner to be a better book. It has been made into into a movie and has gained enough popularity and awards.

It finds a mention on Wikipedia too.... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Kite_Runner

And if you are interested in the author - here's his spot on the web:
http://www.khaledhosseini.com/

His style of writing is simple.... the simplicity with which he potrays the harsh facts and tragedies in life is heart wrenching. While reading the book, one can simply close one's eyes and the entire scene as descriped by Khaled Hosseini comes to life... such is the power of his writing. His portryal of human emotions like guilt, betrayal, helplessness is stupendous.

Author I Admire - III - Satyajit Ray

It is impossible to write anything new about a man who is not merely an author of in-numerable adventure stories and other stories but also a noted film-maker whose work has won him international acclaim and awards. His in-imitable character of Jatayu in his adventure stories about Feluda is one of the most colorful characters that I have ever read about. And Feluda, a detective by profession, is so un-like the superheroes and superman category characters that are so popular today. Feluda is a down-to-earth, almost real potrayal of a common man whose profession leads him to travel far and wide and overcome obstacles to bring back harmony to the lives of his clients. The potrayal of the character is so strong and well defined that it is no wonder that he was recognised, identified and connected to by the common man. This led to the popularity of not only the charcter but also the man who created the character. His stories about Feluda became so popular that some of them have been made into equally memorable movies directed both by him and his son - Sandip Ray.

I have had the pleasure of reading his work in both English and Bengali. The turn of phrase that characterises his work in Bengali is missing in the translated work. But I have enjoyed both the versions - English and Bengali.

His work today brings some fresh air, peace of mind and simple joys into this complex and busy lifestyle of today. His work will always remain im-mortal. To know more about him click here.

Author I Admire - II – Jhumpa Lahiri

Another author whose books I love to read is Jhumpa Lahiri. Having been born and brought up in a convent school I was pretty familiar with the names of the writers in the western world. Love for books and variety had compelled me to explore the works of Indian authors in the English medium. Jhumpa Lahiri’s book ‘The Interpreter of Maladies’ was one of the first book I read in this category. The books she wrote gave me the motivation to read books by other Indian authors too.

Interpreter of Maladies is a compilation of several short stories revolving around average Indians and their lives which are complicated both by internal and external factors. She has the art of putting a simple thing of everyday life in a manner which makes reading it a joy. With her writing style she invites you to read further about topics that we face in our everyday lives. Instead of being boring and mundane she makes small things in her writings interesting enough for an enjoyable read. She has the art of presenting a very common, down-to-earth situation in a manner which is uniquely hers.

Her book ‘The Namesake’ has been made into a motion picture by Mira Nair. The book leaves a definite mark on the reader’s mind about the lives of Indians struggling to make a living in the USA. It strips away all flowery and idealistic notions about the kind of lives that an average Indian has in the land of dreams. And she does it in her own in-imitable style. Having read the rave reviews that the motion picture has received from the public and the industry I am very enthusiastic about watching the movie myself and indulge in another favorite pass time that I have – of comparing the book and the movie and judging whether the movie adaptation did justice to the book…..

Author I Admire - I - Shobha De

I have been expressing my views on various social concerns over a period of so many months. There was so much happening in and around me that it was more than tempting to write about them. It sidelined the other thing that I am passionate about… books. I love to read a wide variety of books and like to try out books written by various authors. So I thought that I will start off today by discussing about books and authors and hope to follow up with more of the same.

For some reason I am compelled to write my first thoughts on this subject not about a book but about a lekhika ….. a writer …. whose books and articles I read with avid interest. She started her career in the field of film journalism and till date has authored many books and articles. Her views on varied subjects and her candid way of putting things across has made her one of my favorite authors. And she is …… Shobha De.

To be very honest I did not think much about what she wrote and how she wrote it. For a very long time I had the perception that all her writings would have the color of films since she came from that background. But one day I read an article penned by her in the Times of India. The content of that article stayed with me for sometime and that was the beginning of my change in perception about her writings and I read other articles written by her too. And the journey continued…….

I find her to be a very lucid writer … and a writer with a bite… and whenever possible likes to call a spade a spade. She puts forward her views and thoughts on a subject very emphatically, honestly and boldly. The two facts which I find very endearing are her boldness and honesty….. a deadly combination I must say…. but then as a writer I think she does practice the art of diplomacy where-ever required. Her style of writing and putting things across has grown on me gradually and I am a very appreciative reader of her books and articles….. which may be on anything….. like the biting article she wrote about the fact that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie wanted to adopt an Indian child and name him/her India … or her book titled Spouse where she takes a very practical, honest though softer look at a husband-wife relationship. She was bold enough not to hide her experiences in her relationship…. and although she restricted her pointers to the marital relationship only, I find most of her pointers to hold good for any relationship.

Honest, bold and a beautiful woman with a bite… that is Shobha De for you. And in me she has a staunch fan.