September 6, 2012

Dongri to Dubai

Dongri To Dubai: Six Decades of The Mumbai Mafia Dongri To Dubai: Six Decades of The Mumbai Mafia by S Hussain Zaidi

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


If you are interested in the underworld, you can read it once. The author gives a fleeting glimpse of oldies like Haji Mastan, Varda bhai etc. and mostly concentrates on Dawood. The book clearly reflects the author being a reporter as most of the book looks like several newspaper reports put together. A kind of linearity we expect on biographies is missing for the book. Still, you can read it to know about the life of Dawood and the rise of Mafia in Bombay.



View all my reviews

August 26, 2012

The Krishna Key

The Krishna KeyThe Krishna Key by Ashwin Sanghi

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I was skeptical as to whether he is trying really hard to become Dan Brown of India. turns out it is true! But I really liked how well he tried to build up the premise and how much research he has done. Though he is not an author who can engage you in general, the story will help you to peg on.
  The only complaint I have is how he is closely following Dan Brown . A mercenary, a secret group, a professor of history....everything is eerily similar to Brown's style of writing. But I like how he tried to connect a lot of things. I was also surprised that I didn't know so many things about Indian history. The only thing is , of many things he mentioned , I am not sure what sources are credible and what are fiction he wrote for the sake of book!
A brave attempt nevertheless, and a thumbs up to Ashwin Sanghi. He lived up to his fan's expectations and deleivered another awesome book!

I only hope, he becomes as famous as  Amish Tripathi.



View all my reviews

The Brain that changes itself

The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain ScienceThe Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science by Norman Doidge

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I expected it to be more technical but it is a book written for a common man. Very interesting experiences. Makes you wonder at brain, life etc...
I highly recommend it to anybody interested in the wonder called Brain..



View all my reviews

June 1, 2012

Turbelence : Book by Samit Basu

TurbulenceTurbulence by Samit Basu

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


I liked The Game World Trilogy a lot and had high expectations on Samit-Basu. But this is a big disappointment as it looks very very ordinary. The imagination looks like a little child's who watched too many super-hero movies. I think after you watch too many super-hero movies and read so many comics, anything you try in that area will eventually look like an existing super-hero.
   Even the plot was very hazy and the ending felt as if he didnt know what to do and just finished it someway. It all looked like a B-grade action movie. Suddenly  Tia and Jai's gang become insignificant and he never explains the Iron-man suit (it even becomes a suit-case just like the Iron Man movie!!). The whole thing is so badly written that I cannot believe that someone as imaginative as a person who wrote the amazing Game World Trilogy could have written it. Maybe even I could have had a better imagination if I started with the basic premise of the plot.

Bottomline: If you liked Game World Trilogy, don't read this. Your appreciation of Samit Basu will dampen!



View all my reviews