Your Story Your World Flags of Asia - Book Review

Remembering flags of the various countries is a challenge to every child. Your Story Your World Flags of Asia, is one such rare books which will help to remember the countries, their flags and their characteristics. Author Neha Jain Kale devices memory chains through stories, which will help the children, remember the flags with their colours and designs.

I found the book amusing. Here is an example of the memory chain created by the author.

The memory chains are simple. They use mental imagery, create symbolic characters. The stories are written to represent a country. Obviously, they will stay back in memory.

The book is full of interesting nuggets. Here are a few examples

If you have a young child at home. This is the book you should must have. I am eagerly waiting for the next part of the book.

Stem Cell Banking - Book Review

Stem Cell Banking : All You Should Know About by MITCH SHAH
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In recent years anxious parents have been paying hefty packages for stem cell preservation. But what is stem cell banking? Are there are risks involved in it? Is it really important? There are so many questions for which a lay person has no answers.

In his book Stem Cell Banking, Mitch Shah has attempted to answer these questions. Given the dearth of books on this topic, I congratulate him for writing a book on this topic.

The language is simple and easy to understand. The author simplifies the complex medical concepts. This is a short book and every expecting parent should read it before taking the stem cell banking route.

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More Unfairy Tales - Book Review

More Unfairy Tales by T.F. Carthick
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I had absolutely loved Carthick's Unfairy Tales. So when I came across second installment of fairy tales retelling by him named More Unfairy Tales, I simply lapped it.

In this book Carthick choses to retell five all time classics - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, The Beauty and the Beast, Red Riding Hood Rapunzel, The Shoemaker and the elves.

Having chosen the classics which are permanently etched in our minds, Carthick gives them his personal touch and renarrates them – this time from the point of view of the antagonist. Fairy tales are always about victory of the good over the evil. But the evil too has its own perspective, its own philosophy. This makes the book damn interesting.

The writing is lucid. The language is sharp as razor and filled with wit. Every story keeps you hooked to the end, makes you think, rather rethink and that I think is the success of the author.

Such books are rarely written by Indian authors. Though we have retold the epics Mahabharata and Ramayana umpteen times, we have not touched the fairy tales. Hence, I feel that this book is to be embraced with hands wide open. This book is highly recommended. It will make you laugh, cry and think. Isn't it a good reason to buy the book.

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Lights! Scalpel! Romance! - Book Review

LIGHTS! SCALPEL! ROMANCE! by Jas Kohli
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What drew me to Lights! Scalpel! Romance! was its attractive cover. The book didn't disappoint either. This is the story of Dr. Nipun and Dr. Nistha. They have joined the Nirog Hospital. They are pursuing their Master of Surgery course under the guidance of Dr. Ujwal who is considered God of surgery.

Hospitals have serious atmosphere. That is how we have seen them in books, films and real life. But in Lights! Scalpel! Romance! the author makes us wear comic lenses and the hospital incidents come out to be humorous. This is the USP of the book.

The book is extremely well written. It makes you laugh. The characters are so well written that you feel for them. This is the success of the writing prowess of the author. Read this one. It will definitely bring a smile on your face in today's trite world.

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Shhh! Don't Talk About Mental Health : Why Being Quiet is No Longer an Option - Book Review

Shhh! Don't Talk About Mental Health by Arjun Gupta
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In India there is stigma around mental illness. That is why book like Shhh! Don't Talk About Mental Health : Why Being Quiet is No Longer an Option must be given a warm welcome.

The book is written from the perspective of Yashasvi who is depressed and about to end his life. The book is not just his story. It is a primer on mental health issues, the mental health service providers. It also deals with the role of the government and the society on this issue.

The book hooks you right from the first page and you will not stop reading until you have finished reading the entire book. The language is simple and lucid. I really liked the way the author has discussed complex topics relating to mental health in simple, easy to understand language. The book is a well researched work and every human should read it. Mental health issues are on the rise. Reading this book will help you discern the same at the right time. This book is the need of the hour.

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Who Killed Liberal Islam - Book Review

Who Killed Liberal Islam? by Hasan Suroor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

There is a misconception that you can't be a liberal and a Muslim at the same time. The book Who Killed Liberal Islam by Hasan Surror takes this question head-on. In doing so it examines the Islam practised in India and abroad. It discusses the causes of decline of liberal Islam in India.

The following lines from the book will serve as eye openers.
'Sharia is the biggest obstacle to change,' according to historian S. Irfan Habib. This despite the fact that the Quran is only one of its four sources along with Qiyas (human reasoning), Ijma (consensus) and Sunnah (sayings of the Prophet), most of which were written some 200 years after the Prophet's death and many having no authenticity. A number of practices justified in the name of Sharia, have no Quranic sanctions.

Today when the patriotism of every Indian Muslim is put to test, the following observations of the author are timely.
It is often forgotten or wilfully overlooked that a majority of Muslims chose to stay back in India in a massive thumbs-down to the idea of a Muslim homeland. We are the inheritors of their values. Faced with a choice between an exclusionist Muslim nationalism on one hand, and inclusive secularism on the other, they had no doubt what was the right thing to do.

The author says that India has a long history of liberal Muslim reformers who were also deeply religious and often used religion to sell their reforms. He cites the examples of Sir Syed Ahmed, Zakir Husain and Abul Kalam Azad.

This is a book of great scholarly work. It is a well researched commentary replete with real life examples. Every person should read this book for this book is a small attempt to bring peace in today's strained world.

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Dark Destiny - Book Review

Dark Destiny is the debut novel of Kamal Kant, and in spite of being a first timer I must say that he has done a great job.

This is a thriller and hooks you to the story within the first few pages of the book. You are eager to know what happens next. There are ample twists and turns to leave thriller fans satiated. The characters are well etched. The narrative swings between present and past.

The premise used by the author is fresh. This is the story of a man Aditya whose American dream has utterly failed. He has had a heart break and one fine day he is arrested for treason, murder and drug trafficking. This is something I have never read before. Hence, I liked this book even more.

Overall, Dark Destiny emerges as a winner on all counts. Go for it. You wont be disappointed.