Flying Colors- A "novel" treat by Chetan Singh

The cover is appealing in the sense its blue hues hints at the bland life of the people working in the aviation industry. As you leaf over and star reading, it picks up the pace. The writer has very nicely summed up the life of the airline crew members that is constantly under the sun. Its a different  story because very  few writers attempt to pick up a sector that's not exciting in a typical sense. A well appreciated attempt.

The first few chapters are peppy. From the jokes to friendly banter,the novel touches the heart and soothe the troubled minds. Its easy and fun to read. Not much to think about or tax our brains. I was in fact amused by the writers style that how he has weaved a emotional catastrophe of the air hostess into a series of lighthearted jokes. This helped the book in not being too heavy or philosophical and at the same time an interesting read. The character of Sam is very relatable and unique. This goes on for almost all the characters penned down.

Amidst the jokes and parties happening, the journey of the aviation guys is surreal and very comforting. A warm read with a cup of coffee. The writer has not used a incomprehensible vocab and that is actually a plus point. 

The plot is not a very mysterious or a powerful one, and that remains to be a negative and a positive both. If you are looking for a brain taxing novel, then this is not for you. The novel at some places looks like a movie screenplay.

Do read it. The author has attempted a road less ravelled and tried to portray the shades of the aviation industry. A heartwarming novel. 

I would rate the book as 3/5.

Grab your copy at:


http://www.amazon.in/Flying-Colors-Chetan-Singh/dp/9384315362/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1471583085&sr=8-1&keywords=flying+colors

A Bad Hair 'DE'

“She” is a well known and highly acclaimed novelist and a columnist who has to her credit umpteen literary recognitions. Or that’s what her wiki page suggests. “She” has redefined the socialistic charm and glittery world of the fashion with her “sex-sational” write-ups that center on these “good-for –nothing’ celebrities. When I say good for nothing, I do not intend to question their sensibilities or qualifications, but attempt to mention, with full respect to their achievements, that their contribution to this nations pride is clouded with a lot of speculation.

So, when “she” decided to ‘talent-shame’ the highly talented and qualified athletes representing our country in the Olympics 2016 at Rio, little did she know that her “larger-than-her-brains” mouth will get her into trouble. And it was a well deserved social slamming for her.

“She” is Shobha De.

In the series of events that began on Sunday she took to twitter to express her disappointment over the poor performance displayed by the Indian sportspersons. Point. We all were disappointed. But she was not done. In the same flow she went on to mock at the athletes for their selfie moment and took digs at them.

Well, we live in a free nation. She has a right to opinion. A right to wear that glossy lip color and shoot the obnoxious words off her mouth. She holds the right to tweet in any which way possible and whatsoever her whacky mind desires. I understand Ms De must have taken time out from her busy schedule, that includes attending page 3 parties and quoting sex musings, to watch the sporting event ( if at all she did) before commenting on our “Star performers”. Yes, that is how I choose to address them as they all are stars who represented India in the most prestigious sporting extravaganza

.

So, Ms. De missed out on some technical details before showing off the symptoms of a verbal diarrhea. They don’t just have one goal of “going to Rio and take selfies”. Madam, they tire out their bodies, suffer lifelong injuries, and battle out all odds to make it to the Olympics and represent Indian contingent. Dipa Karmarkar, if Ms. De has ever heard of her, has qualified for the vaults final match and becomes the first Indian Gymnast wonder to qualify for the vaults final in a long time. It is very dangerous to say the least. A small error and a gymnast can die. Experts say Dipa does the Produnova even better than Produnova.

The Men’s hockey team missed it by a whisker and lost to Germany. The agony was visible on their faces. Abhinav Bindra , the man who brought home gold in the Beijing Olympics 2008, failed to grab that shimmering beauty this time. But did they not try? Were they not shattered ? Was it not visible on their faces?

Did these people set their “selfie goals” before reaching Rio. Oh! Come on Ms De get a life. That reminds me, neither has she won a Booker prize nor has she been nominated for it. Any Life goals, Ms De?

Does she even realize that when she tweets on social media , she is actually addressing some 7 lac followers , who for some odd reasons choose to even follow her, and is disparaging the image and credibility of the country? While she is busy typing those unwanted words , comfortably seated in her plush study and sipping green tea, those very athletes, who she choose to mock at, are sweating out in scorching sun and saving every single penny to afford a coach for themselves. They are dreaming of making it big while peddling their way through odds of life in some remote village of India. When she writes a socialistic sex drama and gets it  "Penguin published”, she can guarantee that millions of copies would be sold off due to her “connections”. But these performers , they put their life on stake, take the tough challenges in  their stride, and search for sponsors.

 One thing is for sure.

Turning sixty does not bring in sensibilities. 

Want to read more....

Follow the link

http://www.halfbakedbeans.in/blog/2016/08/10/a-bad-hair-de/

For the selfie craze, a suggestion to a certain Ms. De. Next time you flaunt your senseless slapstick humor and over-hyped intellect, do remember that people have different life goals and they do not need a 'gyan' from you.

P.S. We love you, Writers!

5 Reasons you should never argue with a writer

Writers are people with an immense knack for creativity and finding uncommon in the commons. In search of their plots, they get into the skin of the characters and feel myriad emotions through them. Their mind is a garbage bin where umpteen ideas get stored, wrapped in dust. Superficially they are calm and composed, but beneath there is a volcano that is all raring to erupt. Be sweet to them and they will go to grave with you or dare you argue with them; May God bless you!!!!!

Before you indulge in some mouthful of word war with them, do keep the following pointers in mind:

1.     His vocabulary will slash your poor choice of words and throw you on the ground. They are the elite crowd who uses a glossy list of vocabulary for simple words like “yes” and “no” and you are left wondering what did that mean. Before arguing with them, keep a dictionary handy. Writers are so uncanny and unpredictable that you cannot make out if that's a frown or a wrinkle that has grown out of years. The humble and polite souls may turn into a demon the moment you miss an article in the sentence.  Argue at your own risk.

2.     Writers are parasites.  They survive and draw the ideas from the people living and character-paints them. If you enter into a verbal fracas with a writer, chances are that you might end up being etched on some high-quality paper with varied characteristics. The writer may kill you in one of his plots by resorting to hideous means. He might throw you off the cliff and dedicate a torturous death or let your character succumb to slow death by some fatal disease. You are giving him a plot for his next literary canvas. Unintended fame for him. You never know he might use your character in his fiction and murder you there. Cold blooded murder. Beware. You might end up in a coma by the time you finally conclude what was it about.......actually. 

       Read on more at the Official Half Baked Bean page by clicking on the following link 

http://www.halfbakedbeans.in/blog/2016/08/01/p-s-we-love-you-writers/

E-Love:Terms & conditions applied

Welcome to the e-world where virtual space is more happening than the personal space. The debut novel of the author has hit the bull’s eye and tapped the much in trend cyber love to attract the readers. And he is successful to a limit where he effortlessly depicts the mundane life of an individual, the college chaos, and the cyber frenzy. At first glance, it looks like a love diary more than a book.

The book begins on a very pleasant note and the narrative picks up well. The language used is very simple yet endearing. Its transition from the real world to the virtual world through few “tings tings” is very catchy and transports you to a completely different level that you can relate with. The plot is set in the city of Rajasthan and gives a very earthy touch to it which is in complete contrast to the fast paced plot.

The flow of the story is smooth and the transition from one chapter to another is easy and doesn’t require much forced thought process. The lead characters Ankit and Akshi are lovable, simple, and relatable. Every youngster can relate with them. At times, it gets little boring to read the detailed explanation of the texts but that is thoughtfully done to convey the Cyber slangs.

Coming to the core theme of the book, the cyber love that blooms in all its glory is cliché, yet endearing.  It keeps alive the interest of the readers. The plot could have been more gripping and crisp. Overall, a fresh read while travelling or over a cup of coffee on a rainy day.

My rating 
3/5

Amazon buy link

http://www.amazon.in/E-Love-Ankit-Bohra/dp/9384315184/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1469976263&sr=8-2&keywords=e-love

WARNING- DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK!!!!!

No ..No...I am not promoting it.

Seriously...am not promoting the book.

Okay,  I am just giving you 7 prime reasons to read the book till the end, and soak up the magic of this cute little black thing. By God...amazing sense of humour I have!

I will definitely not tell you to spend 299 INR on this BOOK. 

But STOP spending those hard earned bucks on that double burst pizza and go grab this book.....NOW.

Quick 7 reasons to buy the book:

1. That cheesy pizza will make you fat and your lover might ditch you. So I just want to prevent your breakup. Trust me, honey punch you will not regret this book...but the pizza...yesses you will!!!!!

2. The cover is so enigmatic that it might appease your guests and increase your social standard. Place it nicely in your bookshelf and let guests adore this black beauty.

3. A quick Arabic language guide so that you can flaunt it like Emraan Hashmi did in that song....the same with Hawtiee Mallika Sherawat.....AAH ....Murder!!!!! Few catchy words, "Maafi Mushkila", "Kullu Tamaam", "Mabrook”.

4. If you are sex deprived and feel frustrated then you will find solace in the book and your horny desires will freak out. No...The book does not "satisfy" you but the informative and intellectual content will actually supress your wicked cravings.

5. If you are a foodie then this book is for you, man. Learn the names of royal Arabic delicacies and flaunt your cookery vocab amongst your gang. Win the passes to MasterChef India .......Bang on!!!!!

6. If you are a social media addict then straight jump to chapter 15. Some important tips for you there such as:

a. How to hit off on WhatsApp?

b. How to cope up with a recent break-up?

c. Never jump to conclusions over the cyber.........the net speed might be slow. Not your partner always.

7. If any of the above reasons do not appeal you........JUST OPEN  AMAZON. IN AND TYPE "Doha! Diary of a Delhi-O-holic" AND BUY IT RIGHT NOW. NOTHING CAN CONVINCE YOU TO BUY GOOD STUFF.....THIS UPPERCASE CAN!!!

GO BUY IT..............ITS GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH.

P.S. Do not send me threatening mails. Lovingly yours.

BUY LINK

http://www.amazon.in/Doha-Diary-Delhi-O-Holic-Anam-Arsalan/dp/1482875071/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1468438026&sr=1-1&keywords=doha+diary

Dalits, Dynasty and SHE- A brutal political satire.....!!!!!

An honest portrayal of the down-in-the-mud political system of the country where the faces are not genuine and conscience of the leaders has hit the rock bottom pit of oblivion. The book begins with the political tyranny of the Dalit leader who has proved her mettle in the vote battle and now rules over the most populous State of the country.  The true colors resurface with each chapter and the characters of the book bring with them perplexing attitudes and social disharmony. The character of Shanti Devi is splashed with oodles of confidence, manipulative antics, and hideous intentions. This is in complete contrast with the naïve, but sharp-minded Rama Chandra who upholds his backward values and condemns the ways of the political tyrant. Amidst all this chaos, there are other prominent players in the political corridors that help in maintaining the grip of the plot. Such a blatant portrayal of the dirty politics that actually acts as a page turner.

Talking about the book, the characters are subtly penned down giving them a realistic touch. The political satire that it is, it truly justifies the random twists and turns in the book that maintains the pace throughout. At couple of places, the grip tends to loosen as the characters add little confusion to the political drama already in full vigor. But, the highs and lows of the human characters are shown in the white light.

A crisp read that engages your mood and makes you ponder over the naivety of the citizens who trust their political leaders blindly. The strong command over the language is actually the USP of the book and reflects the pensive approach of the author. Kudos to the concept, the grim satire, and the superlative characterization.

I would rate this book as 4.5/ 5.

A MUST read!!!!

Food-O-mania...!!!! An NRI's food woes

Someone has rightly said, “Food is your body’s fuel, without fuel your body wants to shut down”. And the  protagonist personally believes that all great minds are set to work and love after a lavish feast. 

Wink wink. :)
So the protagonist has this ‘Breakup friendly’ food theory that’s quite amusing.  It says Yummy and fatty food is the only way to heel a broken heart. Who wants to mourn over heartaches when you are served a divine platter!!!!  But you can never predict what life has in store for you or so was the case with him.

Food-O-mania

Hailing from North India, where an evening tea sans ‘samosa’ /’kachori’ is a sin, he is a big time foodie.
Life slaps a 'pita bread' on his face and he ends up in Doha only to wake up to aroma of sulemani tea. From ginger tea to red tea. ..life has been too hard on him. PMS Indeed. .....Poor metabolic Syndrome.  Savour your thoughts. ..!!!!

The five food woes of the protagonist :

1. From 'harry's' to Harees life has taken a mouthful of twists. When hummus replaces 'Chana masala' and 'Majboos' replaces Biryani. ...taste buds go on a strike.

2. Ķeratin shoots up only to escalate the libido. ....The lifeguards are required and they come pricey.  Oooops!!

3. It's only Doha and no DOSA. ....aarrgghhhhh

4. A temporary breakup with street food takes him in the pit or 'pita' of despair.

5. Shawarma se na sharma meri jaan. 

Read on to know more about the protagonist in the upcoming book, "Doha! Diary of a Delhi-O-holic".

https://m.facebook.com/Doha-Diary-of-a-Delhi-O-holic-1710720389168925/