Showing posts with label 30Day Book Challenge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 30Day Book Challenge. Show all posts
June 21, 2011

Haiku - 17, 18 To Qualify Emotions


Book Challenge Day 6


Blinded by prejudice /
Scheherazade's thousand and one nights tales /
spared her life, his soul //


Based on one of the comments, would like to add a little about the 
book in question...
I presumed everyone is familiar with "1001 Arabian Nights" 
some of the more famous of the tales like Aladdin and the magic lamp, 
Sinbad the sailor, Ali Baba and 40 thieves were part of our childhood 
stories and also made into Films and Television Series. 
These stories are a collection of stories including folk from Western 
and Central Asia (India, Turkey, Iraq) and parts of Africa (Egypt) 
and first translated into English from the original Persian work in 
the 17th century. The origin of the stories is considered to be around
the 9th century.
 These tales are said to have used by the Princess to enthrall the 
Caliph for a 1000 nights. The Caliph's first wife having been 
unfaithful; he married a virgin every day and had her beheaded the 
next day. Until Scheherazade, the grand vizier's daughter, decided to 
step in and offer to be his consort and used her intelligence to save 
her own and the lives of other innocent damsels. 
By the end of the storytelling, the 1001 night, the Caliph had fallen 
in love with her and realised that he had erred in his thinking and judgement.
 They are a magnificent collection of tales that cover all the possible 
human emotions and reactions not to mention elements of fantasy 
and magic.

The one I possess has fewer than 30 tales but is a gift from my Uncle 
and has some beautiful hand painted illustrations by a Czech Artist. 
I highly doubt if my said copy is in circulation now as it's over 
25 years old.

Sixth part of the 30 day book challenge created by Polo at her blog Acotation Al Margen.
Older and newer entries here.

Since yesterday happened to be World Refugee Day...
and this week is Refugee week, a haiku for them...


Herded like cattle /
stinky boats and trucks, entrapped /
blind dreams, bleeding souls //


Added to Haiku Heights
June 19, 2011

A Classical Saturday Trip...

Book Challenge Day 7
By songsnwords | View this Toon at ToonDoo | Create your own Toon

Added to Saturday Centus . Check other builders at Jenny Matlock's meme
...her blog off on my tangent. The prompt by Jeff and back to a story of 
any genre in 100 words excluding the prompt in bold. Hope I am forgiven 
for continuing to combine two challenges into one.

 My take on the arrogant and proud Mr. Darcy
The music echoed, the soft sounds of rain drowning in
the cacophony of piano notes Mary created…The sisters
looked on in embarrassment while the rest sniggered;
some openly, some quietly.
 One stood singeing in annoyance and anguish…
paradoxical results of mind and heart. He considered
his presence a worthy gift lost on the country
bumpkins; yet, would regret missing out on those
intelligent, dark eyes which barely spared him so much
as even an angry glance.
Feelings unspoken, unexpressed “…within the stone..."
invisible walls he was forced by social status to strengthen
…her's by sheltered life and misplaced faith in other’s
coloured impressions.

This is the Seventh part of the 30 day book challenge created by Polo
at her blog Acotation Al Margen.
 For reades and writers alike.

Older and newer entries here.

The Journey Continues.....

Book Challenge Day 5
· Day 5: Favourite Book Of Your Favourite Series
 This is much more easier to answer....
 1 : The Plains Of Passage - Earth's Children (Fourth) by Jean Auel
2 : The Fellowship Of The Ring - LOTR (First) by J.R.R.Tolkien


Both these books in their series' deal with the journey. The Fellowship into a new unsafe world on a quest; Ayla's (the heroine of EC) equally hazardous journey through the glacier of ice into modern day France, to her mate's tribe and home.
The books reflect the decisions they have to take and the challenges they would have to face.
These two individual books  led the main characters to the crossroads  which would change their lives forever, whether they choose to stay back or go forward.


This is the Fifth part of the 30 day book challenge created by Polo at her blog Acotation Al Margen.
Do have a peek.

Older and newer entries here.

June 07, 2011

A Historical Tragedy Loved

Book Challenge Day 3

·  Day 3 : A Book That Makes You Sad
 The Dairy Of A Young Girl - Anne Frank

Another best seller, published posthumously by her erstwhile neighbour and translated into numerous languages.....
The story of a Jewish girl in Nazi Germany.....it relates her day to day activities in hiding; her interactions with her family and the other one who lives with them, her views on friendships and her crushes.
Though it may seem silly at times to an adult, one has to remember it was  a dairy maintained by a teenager and reflected life as she saw it..... 
The tragedy hinted at the end and the subsequent evidence that neither of the two families survived the concentration camps makes it a painful read.
One hopes that such books could in a small way make people reflect on their hatred of others' perceived differences.

This is the Third part of the 30 day book challenge created by Paulami at her blog Acotation Al Margen.
Do have a peek if curling up with  a good book is one of your favourite pastimes.

Older and newer entries here.




June 05, 2011

Philosophy Of A Book Lover

Book Challenge Day 2

Day 2: A Book That You’ve Read More Than Three Times
Footprints Of God - Greg Iles

A bestseller which sparked countless discussions between me
and my brother (who bought the book).

This book is a fictional, intriguing story of a secret U.S
government project "Trinity" that attempts to use MRI 
scans to map the brain. The goal is to create a super computer that not only has artificial intelligence; but self aware based on the brain model of the project head paving way for the so called immortality of man.


The hero is David Tennant, a professor of ethics - 
part of the project; he deals with sabotage and murder of 
colleagues while attempting to discover the sinister master
plan. In the process, he has miracle experiences himself.

I loved the premise of the book.... a lonely god who created
 the universe to find out the reasons for his existence; who also enters spiritually inclined (as distinguished from religious) to teach various lessons he has learnt.


The climax is unexpected, leaving us with more questions 
than answers regarding the origin of religion, ethics and 
unmonitored use of technology.


This is the Second part of the 30 day book challenge created 
by Paulami at her blog Acotation Al Margen.
Do have a peek if curling up with  a good book is one of your 
favourite pastimes.

Older and newer entries here.
June 04, 2011

Different Memoirs - A Book Lover And A Hint Fiction Lover's

Day 1: The Best Book You Read Last Year

Book challenge

The "Memoirs Of A Geisha" published in 1997 by Author Arthur Golden, uses a fictional narrator to describe the life of young girl Chiyo; sold off to a tea house and her struggles through the World War 2 in Japan...
It also depicts beautifully and sometimes meticulously her growth as both a geisha and a person.
It brings an almost lost chapter and often a disturbing practice in Japanese culture.
What sets the book apart for me is the strong love that a young Chiyo(renamed Sayuri ) develops and nurtures for the kind man (referred to as Chairman) she meets at the temple. It is this need to be his concubine that makes Chiyo accept her reality and try to perfect her art and rise through the ranks.
A love story that never seems to pick till the ending which leaves us with a contented Sayuri at New York.


The Geisha system in my mind being similar to the archaic Devadasi system in India. Though the lofty ideals of being God's earthly consort, a Devdasi leads a life very similar to that of a Geisha.

Despite the controversies surrounding the book, its subject - exploitation of women for rich men's pleasures...it is the girl's struggles and her love story that moved me...


This is the first part of the 30 day book challenge created by Paulami at her blog Acotation Al Margen.

Do have a peek if curling up with  a good book is one of your favourite pastimes.
 Newer entries here


Added to Saturday Centus . Check different endings on 
offer at Jenny Matlock's meme...

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