MIGHTY MAY MONTH OF 2017

MIGHTY MAY MONTH OF 2017

Being a book worm has got its own advantage! You can be on your own where ever you go, mind your own business and even if there is no company of friends or relatives, you have your COMPANY in the form of a book in hand.

This year in May we were in the US. Though we traveled a lot to nearby places in and around Washington DC, New York etc., I could finish reading six books on diverse topics. They were stacked especially for me by my daughter and son-in-law knowing my taste. It used to be a routine to get up early in the morning sit and read. This followed by breakfast and reading session. Then visit to local sight-seeing and then in the night the reading session continued. Americans are found to be so fond of books wherever you go you may find a few glued to books- be it the metro station, airport, hotel, bus stop etc.

The first book was by one George Orwell with the title “Homage to Catalonia”. This one was about communist up-spring in Spain. Nothing so spectacular to mention !  

The second interesting book was by one Gilbert King with the title “Devil in the Grove” which was about Mr. Thurgood Marshall. A very interesting book about Thurgood Marshall who struggled for equal rights for Afro-Americans. I was terribly moved by the struggles faced by natives and the atrocities committed on them by KKK. What we see now as a free world with equal rights and liberal America happened because of the tireless efforts by these stalwarts. When we paid visit to Arlington Cemetery we visited the cemetery of Mr. Thurgood Marshall and paid our homage to him very fondly. 

The book “ The looming tower AL-Qaeda & The Road to 9/11” by Lawrence Wright was too good I hardly put it down when reading the voluminous book. Total Communication break down between two intelligence agencies of the super power of the world, due to tuff protection and office politics allowed an instance like 9/11 to happen. When we visited Pentagon we could relate to the events of 9/11.

“ A long way gone Memories of a Boy Soldier” By Ishmael Beah of Sere lone made an interesting reading from the point of view of the sufferings of innocent children who get exposed to war and how they lose their childhood, innocence and get conditioned in this cruel war torn world. What good an exposure to a new country like America does to them is revealing.

I am a fan of God Father. The book made a lasting impression in me since college days. A sequel to the Original God Father by Mark Winegardner  “ The God Father’s Revenge” made an interesting light reading. Though nowhere near the original, it came as a breeze of fresh air amidst all these serious reading.

I was a small lad when Bangladesh was formed. Though living in South India meant little exposure to war time effects, we were fed with lot of information on the print media. The book by Salil Tripathi “The Colonel Who Would not Regret- The Bangladesh War and its unique Legacy” made me nostalgic recounting childhood memories of Bangladesh war. War time crimes, atrocities on women, Loss of lives, Balant betrayal by trusted military commandants etc. were looming in my mind for days together!

The last book in the month of May was totally unrelated to all the above, but something on parenting. My daughter was going crazy while going through this book. “This Chinese mother is this, that and all that”. I had earlier read a review of this book in The Hindu. When I got a soft copy of this book I was very happy to finish the same in a few sittings. The book “BATTLE HYMN OF THE TIGER MOTHER” By Amy Chua is about the agony of parenting. Amy Chua’s narration is interesting. Though some of her actions may e mistaken to be going to too extreme, We should also listen to the two poor girls born to a Jewish father and Chinese mother. May be one day they will publish their stories !!

In all these reading was possible due to total absence of any distraction from the idiotic TV !