Book: After Dark
Author: Haruki Murakami
My Thoughts - Great read...freshness in style, structure, story....nothing mundane
Set on the background of an hour by hour passing night in the gigantic Tokyo City, this 200-pager is a total delight for the reader. A page turner for its mysterious plot, a sensual treat for the lovely imagery, an innovative approach in its narrative technique, the book makes you take a deep breath, close your eyes and re-run the events on your mind's eye. The story of the in action Mari and in contrast to her asleep sister Ari woven alternately through short chapters and a 'point of view' as a narrator, brings to fore many practices in the dark, whether it is the passionate band rehearsels or thriving of love hotels for making a living and while all these surface story threads keep you focused, alert, and wondering what happens next? , running on the backburner yet of foremost importance is the life story of the central character Takahashi and the sisters Mari and Eri, who finally break the wall of disparate life and unite in the bond of sisterly love.
Point of high for me is the superb choice of words Murakami makes.
Some fav lines:
'Then as if inserting an emotional punctuation mark, she heaves a great sigh!'
'That people's memories are maybe the fuel they burn to stay alive. Whether those memories have any actual importance or not, it doesn't matter as far as the maintenance of life is concerned. They're all just fuel. Advertising fillers in the newspaper, philosophy books, dirty pictures in a magazine, a bundle of ten-thousand-yen bills: when you feed'em to the fire, they're all just paper. The fire isn't thinking, 'Oh, this is Kant,' or 'Oh, this is the Yomiuri evening edition,' or 'Nice tits,' while it burns. To the fire they are nothing but scraps of paper. It's the exact same thing. Important memories, not-so-important memories, totally useless memories: there's no distinction-they're all just fuel"
-Monica
Friday, June 4, 2010
Shadow Play
Setting rays cast the magic spell and make the shadows dance
Up and down in a sprightly jig the shadows move in a trance
Little does their innocence know these moments are last and few
For with the dipping of the sun their happiness shall die too
And tomorrow when it shines up with the halo of its bright fame
Crazy shadows will be trapped to play anew the sun's pleasure game
-Monica
Up and down in a sprightly jig the shadows move in a trance
Little does their innocence know these moments are last and few
For with the dipping of the sun their happiness shall die too
And tomorrow when it shines up with the halo of its bright fame
Crazy shadows will be trapped to play anew the sun's pleasure game
-Monica
Friday, May 28, 2010
The Dead Day
The faint echo of the doorbell, the sharp trill of the alarm clock, the sunrays struggling against the window panes, the distant humdrum sounds……all signs of another day….no not the new refreshing dawn break, neither the bright hopeful beginning, just another routine run of the mill day….
I struggle to keep up to its expectation, I give in to the temptation of recreating the magic of the night and close my eyes…..I try to feel, to sense, to warm up to the beauty that last night held….I strain to hear the echoes of the sweet promising words, I crave to cuddle into the tenderness of belonging, I try to breathe the fragrance of togetherness…..but the spell seems to be broken. Instead of the colors my eyes search for, I sense a void….a snigger at my foolish dreams and a hollow laughter at my desperation.
My well tuned mechanical body clock ticks its fake chime of rise and shine……rise and shine I ask myself? Yes it’s time to say good morning to reality……to a dead morning that wakes on the funeral ashes of half weaved, impermanent, colorful dreams. I get up.
I struggle to keep up to its expectation, I give in to the temptation of recreating the magic of the night and close my eyes…..I try to feel, to sense, to warm up to the beauty that last night held….I strain to hear the echoes of the sweet promising words, I crave to cuddle into the tenderness of belonging, I try to breathe the fragrance of togetherness…..but the spell seems to be broken. Instead of the colors my eyes search for, I sense a void….a snigger at my foolish dreams and a hollow laughter at my desperation.
My well tuned mechanical body clock ticks its fake chime of rise and shine……rise and shine I ask myself? Yes it’s time to say good morning to reality……to a dead morning that wakes on the funeral ashes of half weaved, impermanent, colorful dreams. I get up.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Movie Thread - May
Movie: Rain Man
Cast: Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise
Monica likes it as a one time watch.
A good attempt at a touching story, but honestly misses to touch that chord within. Tom Cruise, our good old hurt-vengance Charlie, on the death of his father discovers that he actually has an autistic big bro Ray. On a get even attempt to be an equal beneficiary of their rich dad's inheritance, Tom 'steals' bro Ray out of the Instituition. The return back home to LA to get an official custody and thereby the inheritance, turns into a learning and discovering journey not only of the genius and lost childhood Rain Man big bro Ray is, but also a trip into self exploration. Dealing with a failed business, care taking of an autistic brother, coming to terms with a traumatic loveless childhood to finally using bro for minting money at casion but equally attending to his pancake, K-mart shorts, and wanting to learn dancing needs, spoilt lil Charlie finally becomes Ray's Main Man.
Separation at the end, due to Ray's requirement to retun to the instituition then only spells reuniting of two brothers bonded in love than inheritance.
And btw Valeria Golino does play her sweet caring girl friend self well though editing her role out will not make the slightest difference to the movie...quite a wasted charater then.
Like I said earlier, a good one time watch, will make you smile often and maybe moisten your eyes too.
Cast: Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise
Monica likes it as a one time watch.
A good attempt at a touching story, but honestly misses to touch that chord within. Tom Cruise, our good old hurt-vengance Charlie, on the death of his father discovers that he actually has an autistic big bro Ray. On a get even attempt to be an equal beneficiary of their rich dad's inheritance, Tom 'steals' bro Ray out of the Instituition. The return back home to LA to get an official custody and thereby the inheritance, turns into a learning and discovering journey not only of the genius and lost childhood Rain Man big bro Ray is, but also a trip into self exploration. Dealing with a failed business, care taking of an autistic brother, coming to terms with a traumatic loveless childhood to finally using bro for minting money at casion but equally attending to his pancake, K-mart shorts, and wanting to learn dancing needs, spoilt lil Charlie finally becomes Ray's Main Man.
Separation at the end, due to Ray's requirement to retun to the instituition then only spells reuniting of two brothers bonded in love than inheritance.
And btw Valeria Golino does play her sweet caring girl friend self well though editing her role out will not make the slightest difference to the movie...quite a wasted charater then.
Like I said earlier, a good one time watch, will make you smile often and maybe moisten your eyes too.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Book Thread - May 2010
Book Name: 44 Scotland Street
Author: Alexander McCall Smith
Since I read this book before I decided to write about books I read, I am only writing a quick excerpt here. Nothing against the book, but I would feel I am not doing justice to the many others I read before. So as I have decided I will start from what my reads are currently. So is me :-)
Coming back to 44 Scotland Street, no second thoughts, the book is an absolute fun read...quick, interesting, and light. Focusing on the typical English society with its many shades, the story has multiple threads intervowen through its central character Pat. Each thread focuses on charaters and relationships and brings to liget the farce that is society and the warmth of true friends. Does not make you emotinally charged, but leaves you with a fond smile and hope that you lay your hands on another McCall Smith soon for a lazy Sunday afternoon!
My fav thread - Irene and her son Bertie
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Book Name - South of the Border, West of the Sun
Author - Haruki Murakami
Since I first picked up Murakami by chance, my opinion about this gripping author has not changed, he sure writes intersting stuff in a welcome fresh style, whether it be his left to concluion thrillers, his page turner short sories, or his pleasing to the senses passionate love sagas.
I read South of the Border, West of the Sun start to finish yesterday and this 186 and a half pager to be precise, still has its spell on me. I know hat sounds a like an overstatement but the book makes you live through emotions so strongly it is difficult to close it and brush away that unsettling feeling within you to another day. The beauty is no one is a hero and no one the bad guy, weaving the love stroy through the central character Hajime and his childhood admiration who remains his soulmate Shimamoto-san, the book remains clean of judgement. As a reader, it is difficult to pin down any character as black or white, you simply accpet them as they come, with their flaws yet their beauty. As in all his writings I have read so far, this love story too is a treat of passion to the senses and leaves you high through some passages. It is also a depiction of the frgility and wekneses of humans albeit without the right or wrong tag, this I think is the beauty and strength of it. Most stongly the sense of hopelessness and sadness runs through the book and it is on a very rare occasion that you find yourself smile in a carefree fashion. Mostly a tear striken smile is what remains but the book makes you want to go wild and cry your heart out without shame. It does not glorify pain but if you are as emotional a heart as me (or maybe more) and have experienced the sweetness, beauty, and biterness that is love then you are sure to read this book through the end and feel that light sense of pain that remains....especially the last couple of chapters make it difficult to remain strong and not break down.
Will not forget the manner in which Izumi is portrayed in the concluding chapters of the book. Glass, hardness, void......the emotions are on a all time tumult with her icy coldness......my irrepairable dmamaged inspiration.
Also a salute to Yukiko for the undying spirit of loyalty and coming to terms with reality, something I am sure each one struggles with.
Murakami might have been a pick by chance bu it certainly remians a pick of choice for a long time to come.
Author: Alexander McCall Smith
Since I read this book before I decided to write about books I read, I am only writing a quick excerpt here. Nothing against the book, but I would feel I am not doing justice to the many others I read before. So as I have decided I will start from what my reads are currently. So is me :-)
Coming back to 44 Scotland Street, no second thoughts, the book is an absolute fun read...quick, interesting, and light. Focusing on the typical English society with its many shades, the story has multiple threads intervowen through its central character Pat. Each thread focuses on charaters and relationships and brings to liget the farce that is society and the warmth of true friends. Does not make you emotinally charged, but leaves you with a fond smile and hope that you lay your hands on another McCall Smith soon for a lazy Sunday afternoon!
My fav thread - Irene and her son Bertie
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Book Name - South of the Border, West of the Sun
Author - Haruki Murakami
Since I first picked up Murakami by chance, my opinion about this gripping author has not changed, he sure writes intersting stuff in a welcome fresh style, whether it be his left to concluion thrillers, his page turner short sories, or his pleasing to the senses passionate love sagas.
I read South of the Border, West of the Sun start to finish yesterday and this 186 and a half pager to be precise, still has its spell on me. I know hat sounds a like an overstatement but the book makes you live through emotions so strongly it is difficult to close it and brush away that unsettling feeling within you to another day. The beauty is no one is a hero and no one the bad guy, weaving the love stroy through the central character Hajime and his childhood admiration who remains his soulmate Shimamoto-san, the book remains clean of judgement. As a reader, it is difficult to pin down any character as black or white, you simply accpet them as they come, with their flaws yet their beauty. As in all his writings I have read so far, this love story too is a treat of passion to the senses and leaves you high through some passages. It is also a depiction of the frgility and wekneses of humans albeit without the right or wrong tag, this I think is the beauty and strength of it. Most stongly the sense of hopelessness and sadness runs through the book and it is on a very rare occasion that you find yourself smile in a carefree fashion. Mostly a tear striken smile is what remains but the book makes you want to go wild and cry your heart out without shame. It does not glorify pain but if you are as emotional a heart as me (or maybe more) and have experienced the sweetness, beauty, and biterness that is love then you are sure to read this book through the end and feel that light sense of pain that remains....especially the last couple of chapters make it difficult to remain strong and not break down.
Will not forget the manner in which Izumi is portrayed in the concluding chapters of the book. Glass, hardness, void......the emotions are on a all time tumult with her icy coldness......my irrepairable dmamaged inspiration.
Also a salute to Yukiko for the undying spirit of loyalty and coming to terms with reality, something I am sure each one struggles with.
Murakami might have been a pick by chance bu it certainly remians a pick of choice for a long time to come.
My Silvers
Knowing shatters all hopes and brings bitternesss along,
When I know not what, I continue to hope in spite of hope,
At least then deep within the silver imaginations live,
So let me lie in my make-belive silver web,
And then when I have to die let the silver strings strangle me,
To my ideal ignorant death.
-Monica
When I know not what, I continue to hope in spite of hope,
At least then deep within the silver imaginations live,
So let me lie in my make-belive silver web,
And then when I have to die let the silver strings strangle me,
To my ideal ignorant death.
-Monica
Once There Was a Me
I sit back and look at the shards that were once me,
A few minutes back I tore myself to pieces,
And bit by bit I let each burn to ashes,
Now the handful of ashes stare back smilingly..fondly perhaps!
I carve me out of you then,
Untouched, Unbroken, Unattached...
Now I do not cry, but keep wondering how to smile?
Now I do not hope, but I have forgotten what it was to dream too
Now I do not hate myself, but have lost my ability to love as well
So now I gather the ashes and let them flow into the colorless seas,
never to find me and never to be found again.
-Monica
A few minutes back I tore myself to pieces,
And bit by bit I let each burn to ashes,
Now the handful of ashes stare back smilingly..fondly perhaps!
I carve me out of you then,
Untouched, Unbroken, Unattached...
Now I do not cry, but keep wondering how to smile?
Now I do not hope, but I have forgotten what it was to dream too
Now I do not hate myself, but have lost my ability to love as well
So now I gather the ashes and let them flow into the colorless seas,
never to find me and never to be found again.
-Monica
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