Tears of the Giraffe

Tears of the Giraffe 

  - Alexander McCall Smith

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have now read the first two books in the series, and though I am reviewing the second one here, this applies to both of them.

This is an absolutely delightful series, featuring a spunky Precious Ramotswe, who sets up a detective agency as Botswana’s first and only female private detective. The protagonist, Mma Ramotswe, is intelligent and kind; and finding herself on her own after the death of her father, she finds her calling in helping people in distress. The books relate the stories of the cases she undertakes, interspersed with the story of her own life. She handles her cases with abundant common sense and great spirit, helped by her understanding of the ways of the land and its people.

But I must say that I can’t really see them as detective stories – in fact, as a study in mystery solving, they are rather tame. The solutions, and actions required to achieve them, are very simple and straightforward; there are no challenges, and the perpetrators of crimes yield right away.

What then, makes these books so enjoyable? I think that it is the fact that these stories are more about humanity and empathy, and the simple things in life that make it worth being alive. This is demonstrated in the tone – in turns light, amusing, wise, philosophical and profound. Deftly woven in are the description of African landscape, villages, and the life of people in this part of the world. I have never read a book based in Africa, so it was an enriching experience for me to get a glimpse into the African culture and way of thinking. The language is simple and conversational, and I loved the way it makes insightful observations of human nature and truths of life in a down-to-earth manner. It is one of the rare books, that are light without being frivolous, and profound without being highbrow.

What I didn’t like was the ease with which Mma Ramotswe is able to conclude quite a few of her cases – even if we consider them as human interest stories, rather than mysteries – it is highly unimaginable that people who have committed serious crimes can be coerced into confessing or repenting because one lady confronts them and appeals to their better side – that is just not how the human nature works. I enjoy reading the books where the author can tell a wonderful story and convey the underlying feelings and tensions using simple, relatable language, and so I loved the simple and delightful language and tone here, but even so, I felt that the language or thoughts conveyed were too simplistic at places.

Despite these shortcomings, these books can be thoroughly enjoyable once, and can serve as comfort food for the mind.

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet 
  - Jamie Ford

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a beautiful, touching tale of friendship and love, that moves between two time periods – the past is in 1940’s, and the present in 1986. The protagonist, Henry Lee, is a second generation Chinese American, who has never been to China, and who grew up in the USA in the times of WW2. His relationships form the core of the story, and give the bitter-sweet feeling that the title mentions.

Henry’s complex relationship with his parents present an important cultural aspect – being first generation immigrants, their heart is Chinese, but they dream of an American life, especially for their son. Their internal conflict between their two identities, and the way it impacts their son, is something that most Indians of our generation can understand and identify with. His father’s efforts for the Chinese cause, and hatred of the Japanese, his imposing on Henry to speak only English (which neither of the parents understand), and yet complete his education in China, his mother’s constant and quiet efforts to placate the father and son, and the expectation of both of them that Henry unquestioningly obey his father’s wishes - their interaction offers a glimpse of the traditional Chinese family values and norms. The nuances are beautifully described, and wonderfully woven into the story.

Henry’s unlikely friendship with the local, black, Jazz musician Sheldon is full of warmth and compassion, and results in a lifelong brotherhood. Not only does Sheldon stand by young Henry, when he has no support from any other corner, he also introduces Henry to music that anchors him through the most difficult times in his life. Even though I have no understanding of Jazz, I could feel the beauty of the music, and loved the way it describes the Jazz scene in Seattle.

The friendship between Chinese-American Henry, and Japanese-American Keiko, forms the main thread in the story. Thrown together as kids in a school where they are isolated from everyone else, they forge a bond that grows stronger with time and adversity. I feel that it was primarily due to Henry’s loyalty and kindness that this relationship grew into a tender, unspoken love, and withstood the challenges faced by them. He stands up to his father who harbors a deep-rooted hate for the Japanese, and despite the threat of severe retribution, helps Keiko and her family.

It is quite unusual to find a WW2 story, that has a backdrop other than Europe. All the books on this theme that I had read so far, were set in England, France, Italy or Germany. In that aspect, it was a new learning for me. All the stories I had come across were from the allies’ point of view, so I did not have an idea of what the people from the other side went through. For Germans or Italians (and ultimately, the Japanese, of course), it was understandably a very horrific time, for the war was actively fought on their territory. However, the suffering of the people who were away from the actual scene of war, is relatively unknown. I am rather ashamed to admit that I had no idea of how the USA – the nation that prides itself in the idea of freedom and equality for all – had treated people of Japanese origin during the war. They faced racial abuse, and were later interned in labor camps. These included second and third generation Japanese, who had only ever identified themselves as Americans. The camps were not as terrible as the Nazi concentration camps, but they certainly were no picnic, and the author may have portrayed a lighter picture of the reality.

Also woven in the story are the relationships Henry shares with his wife, and his son and son’s fiancé. His wife had died shortly before the story opens, and this aspect is therefore in retrospect, and gives a moving account of his devotion. The way his relationship with his son, Martin, evolves in the course of the story is heart-warming. Throughout, Henry comes across as a kind-hearted and generous person, who you can’t but help feel for.

One glaring loophole that the book had was the mention of an internet support group in 1986 (that was presumably accessible to the public, since Martin was a part of it). Other than this, where I found the book lacking was a closer look into Keiko’s life. Whereas Henry’s family life is closely examined in nuanced detail, we get to see that of Keiko only from outside. It is possible that the author portrayed it as a happy, ideal family with no tensions to lend interest to the story, though I feel that would have added depth. I would have really liked to know about what happened to Keiko after the war.

At times, the relationships and events described in the book are not entirely believable (not going into more detail to avoid spoilers), but overall the story is very engaging and deeply touching. It takes you on an emotional roller-coaster ride of hope and desperation, rejection and warmth, loss and love, as it traverses seamlessly between the past and present.

Five Quarters of the Orange

Five Quarters of the Orange
  - Joanne Harris

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was my third Joanne Harris book, after Chocolat and The Lollipop Shoes. It follows the same rich, evocative style that I found so compelling in the previous two books. Once again, culinary art forms an integral part of the story – recipes, ingredients, and the entire process of creation of the scrumptious-sounding delights – I feel that I can almost get a whiff of the aroma, and taste the flavor. The description of the French countryside is vivid, and makes me want to explore these small, sleepy villages and towns along the river. And the story is poignant, rather heartbreaking.

The story is told in a first-person narrative, alternating between two time lines – when the narrator was about 9 years old, and when she has crossed to the other side of 60. I find Joanne Harris a brilliant story-teller – while in the previous books she juggled multi-person narrative with great skill, in this one, she switches between two time periods effortlessly and seamlessly

The earlier part of the story is set against the backdrop of WW2, in occupied France. It does not focus on the major events in the war, but how it impacts a small village on the sidelines. The focus is more on relationships – a strained relationship between a mother and her children, changing dynamics between siblings who have completely different temperaments, trust and secrets between friends, and empathy between French children and a German soldier. A whole range of emotions are sketched with a wonderful attention to nuanced details.

This is a bitter-sweet story, (though more bitter than sweet) of loss and heartbreak, with glimpses of hope and warmth. Throughout her childhood, the narrator shares a mostly antagonistic relationship with her mother. The mother seems to be rather hard on children, we can understand a part of her difficulties in raising three children alone after the death of her husband in the war; but it is only much later that we, along with the rebellious daughter, come to know of the other demons that she had been fighting. Children, on the other hand, in their naivete and in the absence of understanding from the mother, deliberately hurt her. It’s so painful to watch that you want to shake some sense into them, even as you want to shout out to the world to see the futility of war and the importance of empathy

In the current time period, the daughter comes to know her mother, long dead by then, through her journal. It is then, that she regrets her own actions, and not understanding her mother’s challenges and feelings, as well as the love her mother couldn’t show, which had long lasting repercussions. Perhaps the greatest of all losses you can feel is the lost opportunity to right a wrong.

The book had a great start, and probably could have been a 5 star for me, but I ended up rating it at 3.5 or 4. I felt that the suspense was tediously long-drawn – from the very start, it is hinted that “something” had happened in the village, which was catastrophic for her family. Bits of information is given out gradually, however, it is not until the very last pages that the events are revealed in entirety. By then, the wait had been so long that the revelation failed to have the full intended impact. On the other hand, it sorely missed on how the relationship among the siblings evolved (or deteriorated) after these events, and how their relationship with their mother turned out. It was a crucial link between the past and present, but was not given much attention other than a few facts in retrospect.

Phool ko khaar banaane pe tuli hai duniya

फूल को ख़ार बनाने पे तुली है दुनिया,
  - कुँअर बेचैन

फूल को ख़ार बनाने पे तुली है दुनिया,
सबको अंगार बनाने पे तुली है दुनिया ।

मैं महकती हुई मिटटी हूँ किसी आँगन की,
मुझको दीवार बनाने पे तुली है दुनिया ।

हमने लोहे को गलाकर जो खिलौने ढाले,
उनको हथियार बनाने पे तुली है दुनिया ।

जिन पे लफ़्ज़ों की नुमाइश के सिवा कुछ भी नहीं,
उनको फ़नकार बनाने पे तुली है दुनिया ।

क्या मुझे ज़ख़्म नए दे के अभी जी न भरा,
क्यों मुझे यार बनाने पे तुली है दुनिया ।

मैं किसी फूल की पंखुरी पे पड़ी शबनम हूँ,
मुझको अंगार बनाने पे तुली है दुनिया ।

नन्हे बच्चों से 'कुँअर ' छीन के भोला बचपन,
उनको हुशियार बनाने पे तुली है दुनिया ।

Main usko dhoondh raha hoon

मैं उस को ढूँढ रहा हूँ
  - अजमल सुल्तानपुरी

मुसलमाँ और हिन्दू की जान
कहाँ है मेरा हिन्दुस्तान
मैं उस को ढूँढ रहा हूँ

मेरे बचपन का हिन्दुस्तान
न बंगलादेश न पाकिस्तान
मेरी आशा मेरा अरमान
वो पूरा पूरा हिन्दुस्तान
मैं उस को ढूँढ रहा हूँ 

वो मेरा बचपन वो स्कूल
वो कच्ची सड़कें उड़ती धूल
लहकते बाग़ महकते फूल
वो मेरे खेत मेरा खलियान
मैं उस को ढूँढ रहा हूँ

वो उर्दू ग़ज़लें, हिन्दी गीत
कहीं वो प्यार कहीं वो प्रीत
पहाड़ी झरनों के संगीत
देहाती लहरा पुरबी तान
मैं उस को ढूँढ रहा हूँ

जहाँ के कृष्ण जहाँ के राम
जहाँ की शाम सलोनी शाम
जहाँ की सुबह बनारस धाम
जहाँ भगवान करें स्नान
मैं उस को ढूँढ रहा हूँ

जहाँ थे तुलसी और कबीर
जायसी जैसे पीर फ़क़ीर
जहाँ थे मोमिन ग़ालिब मीर
जहाँ थे रहमन और रसखा़न
मैं उस को ढूँढ रहा हूँ

वो मेरे पुरखों की जागीर
कराची लाहौर औ कश्मीर
वो बिल्कुल शेर की सी तस्वीर
वो पूरा-पूरा हिन्दुस्तान
मैं उस को ढूँढ रहा हूँ

जहाँ की पाक पवित्र ज़मीन
जहाँ की मिट्टी ख़ुल्द-नशीन
जहाँ महराज मोईनुद्दीन
ग़रीब-नवाज़ हिन्द सुल्तान
मैं उस को ढूँढ रहा हूँ

मुझे है वो लीडर तस्लीम
जो दे यक-जेहती की तालीम
मिटा कर कुम्बों की तक़्सीम
जो कर दे हर क़ालिब एक जान
मैं उस को ढूँढ रहा हूँ

ये भूखा शायर प्यासा कवि
सिसकता चाँद सुलगता रवि
हो जिस मुद्रा में ऐसी छवि
करा दे अजमल को जलपान
मैं उस को ढूँढ रहा हूँ

मुसलमाँ और हिन्दू की जान
कहाँ है मेरा हिन्दुस्तान
मैं उस को ढूँढ रहा हूँ।

Ashaar mere yun to zamane ke liye hain

अश्आर मिरे यूँ तो ज़माने के लिए हैं
  - जाँ निसार अख़्तर

अश्आर मिरे यूँ तो ज़माने के लिए हैं
कुछ शे’र फ़क़त उनको सुनाने के लिए हैं

अब ये भी नहीं ठीक कि हर दर्द मिटा दें
कुछ दर्द कलेजे से लगाने के लिए हैं

आँखों में जो भर लोगे, तो काँटे-से चुभेंगे
ये ख़्वाब तो पलकों पे सजाने के लिए हैं

देखूँ तिरे हाथों को तो लगता है तिरे हाथ
मन्दिर में फ़क़त दीप जलाने के लिए हैं

सोचो तो बड़ी चीज़ है तहजीब बदन की
वरना तो बदन आग बुझाने के लिए हैं

ये इल्म का सौदा, ये रिसाले, ये किताबें
इक शख़्स की यादों को भुलाने के लिए हैं।

Ek gadhe ki atmakatha

एक गधे की आत्मकथा 
  - Krishan Chander

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In this book, the author takes a look at the human nature, our society and our governance system. Seen through the eyes of a non-human protagonist - a donkey, it is an objective commentary that is at times humorous, at times satirical and some times philosophical. 50 years after it was first published, it is still relevant - it is a sad truth that the issues it highlights still ail our society.

It is a short book, easy to read and thoroughly enjoyable. And the language is exquisite, without the use of overly complex Sanskritized words that are difficult to understand. It is also a wonderful example of how humor can be written in classy language, it does not need to resort to cheap gimmicks, as has been the more recent trend.

Sharing a couple of the most poignant lines in the book:

- एक हिंदू या मुसलमान गधा हो सकता है पर एक गधा हिंदू या मुसलमान नहीं हो सकता।

- बड़े आदमी के जमाई के लिए बुद्धिमान होना ज़रूरी नहीं। उसकी उन्नति के लिए यही काफी है की वह एक बड़े आदमी का जमाई है.