What would you do to save the world

As I mentioned I read this book by Ira Trivedi, last week. It belongs to the genre popularly called as 'chick-lit' these days. One would think I would never touch this kind of book after 'Opal Mehta...' experience. I guess I didn't learn my lesson; but well, the blame is not entirely mine. A good friend of mine, who borrowed 'Opal Mehta ...' from me (against my suggestion), gave it to me "to take a revenge". Oh, no doubt her really being my friend by this act - she was the one who also gifted me 'The Kite Runner' :-).
So, this book is about a business management graduate, who has dreamed of becoming Miss Indian Beauty since her childhood. She takes a semester off during her MBA to attempt to realize her dream. The book relates her experience through the paegent.
I found the premise of the story rather strange - management studies and beauty paegents seem poles apart to me. Chosing to ignore this apparent anamoly, there is little that is new or interesting - by now, we have read and heard so much about the things that go on in the world of beauty and fashion - starvation diets, dangerously high heels, exploitatio, layers of make-up, and most of all, the superficial questions which bear no consequence, that the judges ask to assess the intellect of the contestants - such as the one this book takes its title from - what would you do to save the world. I mean, in all these years, I have seldom seen any winner of any paegent do anything to uplift the poor, help the cause of health or sports (or anything else that they so grandiously claimed to feel for, and pledged to devote their time and energy to), much less save the world!
The inside view of the goings-on behind the beauty paegants could be appreciated by quite a few people. But its not my cup of tea. I guess I am cured of this genre of literature for good. I am happier with the likes of 'Five point someone' or 'Anything for you ma'am' (which incidentally is the next one I am going to write about).