Category: Politics

Documentary Series on Netflix !!

Rotten

A Series that tells you about the business practices and the problems of the food supply chain,
Yes the business of all edible, Food Products we like to eat, But at what cost? Bitter Chocolates, Avocados, Wine, Honey, Milk and a lot of the perishable items we consume might have a mafia running or are either convincingly produced at a cost with the brands making a competitive profit without giving enough to the manufactures who do all the groundwork to produce the finest end product we consume.
This documentary-style series is a total eye-opener for the consumer who demands are being met by the companies, monopolising their market share and quality control practices are being ignored only and only keeping their profits in Mind. A Highly recommended series that questions what exactly are we consuming & How does it finally get to us.

Pandemic

The Series that is very topical & Apt for today’s Time is a must watch to understand what is defined as a pandemic & how in the past they were eradicated and controlled.
A Six episode takes us through all the scientist and researchers knew about a Pandemic coming soon, But How soon, From where will it begin and how contagious would this one.
The Series also takes us through some start-ups with experienced researchers are working on a Vaccine that would fight any disease a one-shot for all. The trials are going on & How sad is the state of Affairs in the USA as many county hospitals & hospitals are shutting down as they have a lack of funding from the government. 

What The Dog Saw by Malcolm Gladwell

 

 

What The Dog Saw by Malcolm Gladwell

Reading a Malcolm Gladwell after about two~three years and it was the title that interested me to read another one of Malcolm Gladwell. This is the 5th Book that I read from Malcolm and this one is as insightful as the previous ones But this has had more case studies that I could relate to personally after a long time and the writing style and the writing is similar to all his previous work – The Tipping Point, Blink, Outlier and David Goliath. Some of the case studies that I could relate to were the Heinz case studies & Prego case studies as these were both I had heard about a long time ago. Is Talent overrated and The Mind hunter we’re other case studies I could relate to. -As I had just watched Mindhunter on Netflix a couple of months ago so it was interesting to live so many stories again.

Garden of Eden by Ernest Hemingway

The Final novel by Ernest Hemingway, Which is believed to be an unfinished Work, for me a rather disappointing read.

The story is about Catherine involving herself & her husband David who is a writer in a strange, erotic triangle with another young woman – And we really never know why until a couple of chapters before the bookend.

This was one book – that was lying on my bookshelf for years and now that I was spending too much time at home and no books to read. I found another book that I was hoping to read “One Day” That day came last week and within a week, I was done reading the book. Maybe I picked the wrong “Hemingway Book” Maybe I had huge expectations. May Be I was just wanting to read a book and that’s why I chose “Garden of Eden”

The style of Hemingway Books are normally incomplete sentences, not too descriptive and just always giving us an outline, not many details of anything much – The setting, and the story takes too long to make you realise what is the actual story. Being my first, I still wanted to know if at all anything happens?

And yes they do, but it too late for that. Leaving the reader to think why did it take this long.

Maybe, Because I have read it today after so many years of it’s the publication and the Era that this story belongs, doesn’t really connect and hence maybe I haven’t enjoyed reading a book from one of the finest writers – Ernest Hemingway.

What I Talk about Running, When I talk about Running by Murakami.

Yes, This would be after ages! Where I have been a fan of not just somebody’s craft but the person itself. So, you might think I would be biased and defence on my analysis for this book reviewing. What I talk about” Running by Murakami “is a Memoir by his on admission.

The only reason I was eagerly wanting to read this book is – How many Writers write their own autobiographies and How many write on the process & their passions.

Murakami had first titled his book “What I Talk about Running When I talk about Running” After being inspired by a short story collection from his favourite writer Raymond Carver.

The Book describes his first instinct of starting to run. He feels he started late at thirty-three he began started learning, And that was because he wanted to in shape and running practically needed no investment besides a pair of shoes and tracks and he wasn’t good with team sports and admits he is a loner. “ I am the type of person who doesn’t find it painful to be alone”

The book also highlights and makes you feel, He was in many ways a late bloomer. He wrote his first book at the age of Twenty-nine. He had this idea he could write stories after witnessing a baseball game And so his first novel was “Hear the Wind Sing”

He has completed a total of twenty-six marathons and has also done ironman Triathlons that involve (Swimming +Running + Cycling ) 4 km (2.4 miles) swimming,180.25 (112 miles) cycling and 42.20 km (26.22 miles) of running. Done in the same order and ultramarathons that’s more than the 42.20 km.

And he describes his process & fears of just following his passions.

And do you know why the running is a race called marathon?

I had never found this piece of information in any of the travel articles until I read the book and it’s so-called because first it’s a place in Greece that’s 42.20 km ( 26.2 miles) And the history behind is the information : Military runner was delivering news to Athens about their victory over Persians at Marathons and hence it’s a standard Marathon is 42.20 kms (26.2miles) long.

Now coming back to his writing. Murakami enjoys being a writer as he is a quiet person who doesn’t seek validation and relies on his inner motivation.

And Murakami believes to be a writer one should possess the qualities such as a talent (An inclination with some skill)

Should be able to focus (Being able to concentrate, and having patience to staring at blank pages and to patience to write for about months ) And Endurance – Writing can be difficult and uncertain but if you can overcome this it would pay off the patience you have invested in the profession.

The book is humorous and funny in many ways, And if you are a runner or into sports you would immediately click with them

Trivia:

  • Just like every other book – There is a playlist of Murakami that’s he has for his running and he uses a traditional music player and not an iPod as he believes you can’t mix music with computers to just like it’s not good to mix friends, Work & Sex.
  • There is a City named Murakami in Japan in Niigata prefecture ( Just like we have states Japan has prefecture and there are a total of forty-seven in Japan), no it’s not named after him, but after the Murakami castle. They have a marathon which Murakami participates in.
  • They are three translators Murakami works with – One translates the music and the other translates the story.
  • An Israeli illustrator, Noma Bar designs all his covers.
  • There is a playlist of Murakami Vinyl on Spotify.
  • He has a stamp that goes with his signature.
  • And for all those who have read his works surely know he once owned & ran a Jazz Bar in Japan.
  • This Book has taken a decade to write & publish and rightly so he doesn’t believe in deadlines.

Being Mortal By Atul Gawande

Being Mortal by Atul Gawande

A Book that I have been wanting to read for a while. That was written in twenty fourteen And what better than a pandemic to understand from a doctor on why “Being Mortal” is important and how we aren’t ready to face it and it’s consequences and during this time it’s an apt book to read.

Being Mortal is on the subject of “Death” – Yes, It questions why in medical we don’t discuss death as important as a “life” and how should we deal with the topic of death.

And the book questions us with some thought-provoking questions –

  • If independence is what we live for, what can we do when it no longer be sustained?
  • The real Issues with Nursing homes & how they are solving this problem?
  • What exactly is the job of one in the medical field – Only to ensure the health & Survival? Or is it also to teach & look into the well being of one?
  • Is it true – Once someone loses their physical independence – A life worth of freedom is simply not possible?
  • And Scientist advances have turned the process of ageing & dying into medical experiences & why is it medical world prepared for or in today’s context wasn’t prepared for it?

You must surely read this book once not only because of what all it makes us question. But because a Doctor himself has shared his thoughts & Experiences on how unprepared we are to face Reality.

This is a slightly Emotional, Dull and emphatic read. But A Must Read

Made In America by Bill Bryson-Book Review

 

Made In America by Bill Bryson.

Bill Bryson is an author, I discovered accidentally while reading “Neither here Nor there “a book on his travel journeys around Europe a couple of years ago. Then read “Down Under “- A book on Australia. Though he is better known for his book “A Walk in the woods” The author’s book that I haven’t read is about A Journey the authors goes through wanting to find peace and rediscover himself. By going on a trekking trail with his friend Stephan Katz.

And after nearly two years I read another book written by Bill Bryson

“Made In America” A book that fascinated me as soon as I had undertaken the journey of neither being here nor there. But, being a very heavy book with a lot to grasp it needed a lot of time. And what perfect time than now to have read this book.

“Made In America “who should read this book & why?

Made in America is about this whole new world discovered and how did it come to be called America. It’s for someone who likes to know about history, The past of America and the future of where it is going.

You need to read the book to know how English as a language was altered to have suited the American.

You need to read to understand again and again America is a land built with immigrates who have migrated from centuries ago and is the land of just a small population of natives.

How the modern-day luxuries- The Escalators, The Automobiles, The Restaurants, Ice cream, Chocolates, Whisky’s and Air conditioner’s had come to existence in this world.

Yes, It’s perfect to call them luxuries today with the pandemic making us aware of what privileged life we live as a human. And how well the Americans have marketed, Branded and Advertised things that were invented in The United States of America and Things that weren’t but made the people believe they were the ones who had thought about it.

The Made in America book takes you on a journey about Americans with a perceptive from an American’s Eye and questions you America you thought it was or it is.