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Bonding over Roald Dahl

remya Everyday Life November 8, 2019November 8, 2019 0 Minutes

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November is here.. Also the time to celebrate the child in you..#Runuptochildren'sday#favoritechildrensbook #roalddahl#matilda #theenormouscrocodile #themagicfinger#thegiraffeandthepellyandme #favoritechildrensauthor #childrensbooksmatter#kimmersbooks

A post shared by Remya Ramdas (@remyathebookworm) on Nov 4, 2019 at 9:44pm PST

Which is your favourite Roald Dahl book?Mine is Matilda..

Just imagine if you could put the Magic Finger to right everything!!!My finger is already hot and tingly!!!😀

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Published November 8, 2019November 8, 2019

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Book Review-The Bastard of Istanbul by Elif Shafak This is a book that’s already weighed down by the negative publi… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… 18 hours ago
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Book Review -Flood of Fire by Amitava Ghosh Flood of Fire is the last book in the Ibis Trilogy by Amitava Ghosh. It… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… 1 day ago
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Book Review-The Bastard of Istanbul by Elif Shafak This is a book that’s already weighed down by the negative publicity it generated .Elif Shafak , the author was put on trial for disparaging Turkishness through her book “The Bastard of Istanbul” where she has discussed the Armenian Genocide at length .The book ,just like Istanbul is teeming with characters .It weaves together the lives of 2 families , the Turkish Kazanci family and the Armenian Tchakhmakhchian family .The Kazanci family men die early , so the household comprises of women only .And each of the women , are unique individuals with their own set of eccentricities &idiosyncrasies .The household is ruled by their matriarch Gulsum. The “Bastard" in the title is Asya who is the daughter of the youngest Kazanci woman Zelilah .Then there is Armanoush ,who is the Tchakhmakhchian daughter ,raised in America ,visiting Istanbul to discover her roots . And between their conversations, the 2 girls unravel common secrets of their past and family.Many questions relating to the past and its significance in the present are pondered upon . At times ,I found the plot to be slightly overwrought and myself getting lost in the bevy of characters and their complex relationships .She has also touched upon the deportations from the Armenian genocide from 1915 which is not something that I have read anywhere else . So ,Shafak has successfully thrown spotlight on an event which has been practically forgotten and erased from public memory as also the ambivalence surrounding it .The author’s real achievement however I believe is in bringing Istanbul home to the reader . With its smells ,sights ,hustle-bustle, chaos and confusion, description of food, the book is a sensory delight .Magical realist descriptions of Asya’s home & Istanbul are interesting ,and we see a morphing of fantasy and reality . An entertaining read … #istanbul #istanbulturkey #bastardofistanbul #elifshafak #turkey #turkishwriters #turkishbooks #bookstagram #booksofinstagram #bibliophile #bookworm #instabooks #booklover #booknerd#bookblogger#bookaesthetic#booksbooksandmorebooks#booksbooksbooks#instabooklovers

Book Review -Flood of Fire by Amitava Ghosh Flood of Fire is the last book in the Ibis Trilogy by Amitava Ghosh. It brings closure to all the characters we meet in the earlier books, their lives intertwining over the space of the 3 books. Just like the previous two books, this one too is brilliantly researched and the amount of detailing is phenomenal.Against the backdrop of the First Opium war, Ghosh charts out a multidimensional story in this book. Just like today, the questions ofidentity, race, ethnicity were of utmost significance in people’s lives and in the social tapestry. There are many small stories within the main plot that throw light on the characters from different perspectives . These small stories also highlight the conflicting loyalties, identity and ethnicity, fortunes, affairs of convenience of the characters wonderfully well. It is a fascinating account of British colonialism, India and China during & preceding the Opium war .Typical of Ghosh’s writing style,this one too abounds with descriptive imagery bringing the story line to life. Skillful character development, complete with temptations and moral probity, is the strength of this series.If you are up for a lesson in history along with some drama ,then this is where your search ends !!#historicalfiction #bookblogger #booklover #bookaesthetic #booksbooksandmorebooks #booksbooksbooks #instabook #bookstagramindia #bookstagrammer #booksofinstagram #booksofindia #bookworm #instareads #booklovers #lovereading

My next read!! My never ending love for history, monuments and ruins had me pick up this one...Isn't it amazing how history comes alive in the hands of gifted writers like William Dalrymple... Which is your favourite historical fiction ?

Book Review-The Rose of Sarajevo by Ayse Kulin Most wars in history are an outcome of the wanton ambitions of a few , strange delusions of many and the helplessness of the majority .The West remained a disinterested witness to the conflict of the Balkans ( the Kosovo Crisis , The Seige of Sarajevo , The genocide and ethnic cleansing of Bosnian Moslems ) despite the untold sufferings and the horror stories that emerged from the region . It was for this sole reason that I picked up this book to read . And Ayse Kulin did not disappoint !The Book was an intensely emotional experience for me ....The story revolves around the Lives of Nimeta , her husband Burhan , her kids , and her lover Stephan . It is difficult to not feel a connection to Nimeta as her orderly life falls into disarray because of the war ,the impossible love affair that she has with Stephan , a fellow journalist and the effort to maintain the semblance of normalcy for the kids . Though flawed , she fights with all she has to salvage her family .Her turmoil is in some ways a microcosm of the external turmoil .....Ayse Kulin has meticulously researched the history of the region and the details shine through in the book . The author has also included some bits of history as well that set the political stage for the later events .For those readers who are not familiar with the politics / political readers of those troubled times , the first part of the book may seem like a lesson in non-fiction . What also stood out in the second part is the altering of the multiethnic, multicultural ,socio-religious tapestry of the region .The second part is gripping and keeps the reader hooked . The end though is a little disappointing and abrupt . However I decided to overlook that little letdown in favour of the rest....The writing style is impeccable and endears the author .Recommend it.#aysekulin #bibliophile#bookaesthetic #booksbooksandmorebooks #booksbooksbooks #bookwormsunite #booklover #booksofig #bookstagramindia #bookstagram#instabooklovers #instabooks #instareads#bookreviews#bookblogger

Book review-The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls. The author ,a successful gossip columnist recounts her dysfunctional family life and childhood in this book . Her memory is detailed and extensive.When I finished reading this book I could only feel an overwhelming sense of outrage at the parents.She and her three siblings — older sister, Lori; younger brother, Brian; and baby sister, Maureen — live in numerous desert towns where their father, Rex, does odd jobs. Rex is an alcoholic, mired in debts ,unable to hold onto a steady job .Their mother Rosa is a self-proclaimed excitement addict and artiste .Both parents are textbook cases of neglectful parenting “Pursued by debt collectors , the family made a getaway so hasty that Rex felt compelled to toss Jeannette's recalcitrant cat out the car window. Bitten by a scorpion, 4-year-old Lori suffered convulsions. Accidentally hurtled from the family station wagon onto a railroad embankment, Jeannette had to wait in the desert sun until her parents realized she was missing; while she scraped off the blood, her father plucked pebbles out of her face with pliers” Children were encouraged to view these episodes of absolute , willful parenting failures as a glorious adventure!We are all profoundly flawed and chipped and broken , yet we still try to do our best for our kids .Which was why I was simply unable to assimilate such intentional neglect.What also struck me was that despite such a dysfunctional upbringing all the 3 siblings went onto lead fairly respectable lives themselves .The deeply damaging childhood had only emboldened them and strengthened their resolve to build a life as different as possible from the one they left behind ..It’s a compelling memoir no doubt ..The author’s refusal to justify or vilify her parent’s behavior is the cornerstone of this book . It is just a balanced account of an imbalanced family .#bibliophile#bookcommunity #bookgram #bookishlove #booklover #booknerd #booksbooksbooks #booksofig #bookstagrammer #bookworm #epicreads #goodreads #igreads #readersofinstagram #welovebooks #becauseofreading #bookfeature #bookishfeature #bookstagramfeature #bookwormlife #bookwormsfeature #bookwormsunite

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Book Review-The Bastard of Istanbul by Elif Shafak This is a book that’s already weighed down by the negative publicity it generated .Elif Shafak , the author was put on trial for disparaging Turkishness through her book “The Bastard of Istanbul” where she has discussed the Armenian Genocide at length .The book ,just like Istanbul is teeming with characters .It weaves together the lives of 2 families , the Turkish Kazanci family and the Armenian Tchakhmakhchian family .The Kazanci family men die early , so the household comprises of women only .And each of the women , are unique individuals with their own set of eccentricities &idiosyncrasies .The household is ruled by their matriarch Gulsum. The “Bastard" in the title is Asya who is the daughter of the youngest Kazanci woman Zelilah .Then there is Armanoush ,who is the Tchakhmakhchian daughter ,raised in America ,visiting Istanbul to discover her roots . And between their conversations, the 2 girls unravel common secrets of their past and family.Many questions relating to the past and its significance in the present are pondered upon . At times ,I found the plot to be slightly overwrought and myself getting lost in the bevy of characters and their complex relationships .She has also touched upon the deportations from the Armenian genocide from 1915 which is not something that I have read anywhere else . So ,Shafak has successfully thrown spotlight on an event which has been practically forgotten and erased from public memory as also the ambivalence surrounding it .The author’s real achievement however I believe is in bringing Istanbul home to the reader . With its smells ,sights ,hustle-bustle, chaos and confusion, description of food, the book is a sensory delight .Magical realist descriptions of Asya’s home & Istanbul are interesting ,and we see a morphing of fantasy and reality . An entertaining read … #istanbul #istanbulturkey #bastardofistanbul #elifshafak #turkey #turkishwriters #turkishbooks #bookstagram #booksofinstagram #bibliophile #bookworm #instabooks #booklover #booknerd#bookblogger#bookaesthetic#booksbooksandmorebooks#booksbooksbooks#instabooklovers

Book Review -Flood of Fire by Amitava Ghosh Flood of Fire is the last book in the Ibis Trilogy by Amitava Ghosh. It brings closure to all the characters we meet in the earlier books, their lives intertwining over the space of the 3 books. Just like the previous two books, this one too is brilliantly researched and the amount of detailing is phenomenal.Against the backdrop of the First Opium war, Ghosh charts out a multidimensional story in this book. Just like today, the questions ofidentity, race, ethnicity were of utmost significance in people’s lives and in the social tapestry. There are many small stories within the main plot that throw light on the characters from different perspectives . These small stories also highlight the conflicting loyalties, identity and ethnicity, fortunes, affairs of convenience of the characters wonderfully well. It is a fascinating account of British colonialism, India and China during & preceding the Opium war .Typical of Ghosh’s writing style,this one too abounds with descriptive imagery bringing the story line to life. Skillful character development, complete with temptations and moral probity, is the strength of this series.If you are up for a lesson in history along with some drama ,then this is where your search ends !!#historicalfiction #bookblogger #booklover #bookaesthetic #booksbooksandmorebooks #booksbooksbooks #instabook #bookstagramindia #bookstagrammer #booksofinstagram #booksofindia #bookworm #instareads #booklovers #lovereading

My next read!! My never ending love for history, monuments and ruins had me pick up this one...Isn't it amazing how history comes alive in the hands of gifted writers like William Dalrymple... Which is your favourite historical fiction ?

Book Review-The Rose of Sarajevo by Ayse Kulin Most wars in history are an outcome of the wanton ambitions of a few , strange delusions of many and the helplessness of the majority .The West remained a disinterested witness to the conflict of the Balkans ( the Kosovo Crisis , The Seige of Sarajevo , The genocide and ethnic cleansing of Bosnian Moslems ) despite the untold sufferings and the horror stories that emerged from the region . It was for this sole reason that I picked up this book to read . And Ayse Kulin did not disappoint !The Book was an intensely emotional experience for me ....The story revolves around the Lives of Nimeta , her husband Burhan , her kids , and her lover Stephan . It is difficult to not feel a connection to Nimeta as her orderly life falls into disarray because of the war ,the impossible love affair that she has with Stephan , a fellow journalist and the effort to maintain the semblance of normalcy for the kids . Though flawed , she fights with all she has to salvage her family .Her turmoil is in some ways a microcosm of the external turmoil .....Ayse Kulin has meticulously researched the history of the region and the details shine through in the book . The author has also included some bits of history as well that set the political stage for the later events .For those readers who are not familiar with the politics / political readers of those troubled times , the first part of the book may seem like a lesson in non-fiction . What also stood out in the second part is the altering of the multiethnic, multicultural ,socio-religious tapestry of the region .The second part is gripping and keeps the reader hooked . The end though is a little disappointing and abrupt . However I decided to overlook that little letdown in favour of the rest....The writing style is impeccable and endears the author .Recommend it.#aysekulin #bibliophile#bookaesthetic #booksbooksandmorebooks #booksbooksbooks #bookwormsunite #booklover #booksofig #bookstagramindia #bookstagram#instabooklovers #instabooks #instareads#bookreviews#bookblogger

Book review-The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls. The author ,a successful gossip columnist recounts her dysfunctional family life and childhood in this book . Her memory is detailed and extensive.When I finished reading this book I could only feel an overwhelming sense of outrage at the parents.She and her three siblings — older sister, Lori; younger brother, Brian; and baby sister, Maureen — live in numerous desert towns where their father, Rex, does odd jobs. Rex is an alcoholic, mired in debts ,unable to hold onto a steady job .Their mother Rosa is a self-proclaimed excitement addict and artiste .Both parents are textbook cases of neglectful parenting “Pursued by debt collectors , the family made a getaway so hasty that Rex felt compelled to toss Jeannette's recalcitrant cat out the car window. Bitten by a scorpion, 4-year-old Lori suffered convulsions. Accidentally hurtled from the family station wagon onto a railroad embankment, Jeannette had to wait in the desert sun until her parents realized she was missing; while she scraped off the blood, her father plucked pebbles out of her face with pliers” Children were encouraged to view these episodes of absolute , willful parenting failures as a glorious adventure!We are all profoundly flawed and chipped and broken , yet we still try to do our best for our kids .Which was why I was simply unable to assimilate such intentional neglect.What also struck me was that despite such a dysfunctional upbringing all the 3 siblings went onto lead fairly respectable lives themselves .The deeply damaging childhood had only emboldened them and strengthened their resolve to build a life as different as possible from the one they left behind ..It’s a compelling memoir no doubt ..The author’s refusal to justify or vilify her parent’s behavior is the cornerstone of this book . It is just a balanced account of an imbalanced family .#bibliophile#bookcommunity #bookgram #bookishlove #booklover #booknerd #booksbooksbooks #booksofig #bookstagrammer #bookworm #epicreads #goodreads #igreads #readersofinstagram #welovebooks #becauseofreading #bookfeature #bookishfeature #bookstagramfeature #bookwormlife #bookwormsfeature #bookwormsunite

For the love of All things Peppa and George!!! My 5 year old is in love with Peppa and George .. Lovely illustrations and an easy to follow storyline keep him hooked!!!I am not complaining!!! #peppapig#peppaandgeorge #peppapigworld #georgeanddinosaur #ladybirdbooks #ladybird #childrensbooksmatter #childrensbooks #childrensillustrators #kidsbooks #kidsandbooks #kidsbookstagram #raisingreaders #booksforkids #bookstagrramers #readaloud #readersofinstagram #kidsofinstagram

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