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Saturday, September 28, 2013

English Bites! by Manish Gupta


Foreword:


When I first received a mail from the author asking to review his book, I was pretty impressed from the way the mail was composed. The whole mail comprised of six lines and those lines contained the basic plot of the book, the publications (which played a big role on accepting to review his book right away) and his liking for our blog (which I presume is genuine and feel grateful).

It has been sometime since I last read a researched non-fiction. Of course, my last read, Wise Enough to be Foolish by Gauri Jayaram, was a non-fiction, but it was a story, while this book is a researched non-fiction on English language, trying and improving the readers' vocabulary.

Overall, the book was pretty helpful for the BR catalog and to me, an aspiring author, to plunge and discover undiscovered areas of literary genres.

I can't continue with the rest of the review without thanking Manish Gupta, the author, for writing and sending the books over to us. Hope you are satisfied with our review, Manish ji.

After a good amount of thinking I decided to add two descriptions of the book - one from the jacket of the book and the one stated by the author in the mail - so that you, the readers, have a better idea of the aim of the book...

Plot:
From jacket:
English Bites! My Fullproof English Learning Formula is the story of a man who goes from being tongue-tied in school to becoming a smooth talking banker. Through a series of hilarious personal adventures and misadventures, Manish Gupta provides easy solutions to problems faced by language learners. So, whether you're a vernacular speaker, a GRE/ GMAT/CAT/XAT aspirant or just a language nut, English Bites! will expand your vocabulary and improve your verbal ability. It may even help you love the English language a little more! 

• Add over 1000 new words to your vocabulary and figure out easy and effective ways to expand your word bank.
• Combine etymology, mnemonics, jokes and anecdotes to better your understanding of the English language.
• Differentiate between similar sounding words and learn to use them right.
• Improve your general knowledge with trivia that spans brand names, automobiles, fine dining, love, money, banks, science and B-school jargon.

From the mail:
It is a simple yet hilarious story of a small town guy who studies in the vernacular medium and extremely poor in his communication skills, pronunciation, and vocabulary, and how he discovers and invents interesting tools techniques to best the convent educated lot in his class. He finally realises his dream of an MBA, gets a great job in a multinational bank, marries the women from his dream profession (medicine) for his spouse, and how he gets stumped by English in the new nursery rhymes his kids begin reciting at home. 

About the author (from the jacket):
Manish Gupta is a banking professional. When not crunching numbers he is busy engaging with and examining the vagaries and idiosyncrasies of the English language. He also likes trivia, travelling, adventure sports, delving into human psychology, and giving professorial discourses to colleagues, family and friends, and practically anyone who can give him a patient hearing. An engineering graduate from Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh and an MBA from XLRI, Jamshedpur, he lives in Mumbai with his wife Deepali, a medical professional, and daughters Tamanna and Prakriti.

He can be reached at mystruggleswithenglish@gmail.com

Our review:
Cover Design:
The tagline - My Fullproof Enlish Learning Formula - with the word, fullproof, rounded with red marker visibly prompts that the story is comical. (If you didn't get it. The tagline indicates that this book helps you learn English in a more faster way. But the word 'Foolproof' is mispelled as 'Fullproof'. Hope you get the witticism behind the tagline. If you don't get it even now, God help you.)

Friday, September 20, 2013

Wise Enough to be Foolish by Gauri Jayaram


Foreword:


This is one of two books I have received first from Jaico Publishers. It didn't take much time for the other three books to add up to the list, too. So by the time I started reading this book, I had to make a choice between five books. How I settled upon this book? Well, honestly, this seemed to be most appealing among the five books. I wasn't yet ready for the Sherlock Holmes.

Before I get on with the review, I would like to thank Marina Fernandes for contacting me, in the first place, and especially, for sending this book over (even though I was one who requested to review the book).

For more details of Jaico Publishers and out relation with them, go here: BR with Jaico.

Plot (from the jacket):


Wise Enough to Be Foolish is a fictionalized memoir that traces the journey of an Indian girl’s life, with all its challenges and delightful surprises, as she blossoms from an insecure child into a confident young woman. This roller-coaster ride of adventure, laughter and heartache, as she balances her love life with her struggle for independence, will keep you guessing – What rules will she break next? How far will she go to find herself?

About the author (from the jacket):
Mother of two girls, amateur athlete, part-time writer, management school drop-out, entrepreneur, in full time employment with the world’s largest escorted touring company and the woman behind the Active Holiday Company, Gauri Jayaram is a little bit of many things and still not satisfied. She frequently combines her love for long distance running with rock music.

Our review:
Cover design:
The cover design of this book isn't flashy. It isn't dull, either. It is just sweet and simple. Just like the story enveloped between the covers. The cover pic pretty much depicts the basic idea of the story. 

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Look What Came In The Courier Today...

A Salesman's Lessons
by
C. R. Jena
~~~
Horseshoe Garage
by
Hitesh
~~~
Marry Go Round
by
Sadiqa Peerbhoy
~~~
Arjuna
by
Anuja Chandramouli



Sunday, September 15, 2013

The Guardians of Karma by Mohan Vizhakat


Foreword:


Like many other books from Srishti, this book too was sent by Arup Bose.

When I first received this book (I received it like this) I was damn excited. The cover gives the impression of a sci-fi. And I am damn excited about sci-fis.

The Guardians of Karma. What a name? I had real high stakes before starting reading this book sometime around last weekend.

Plot (from Goodreads):


INTRIGUING MYTHOLOGICAL SF THRILLER BASED ON ANCIENT SHIVA PURANA

Prehistoric times beyond the mists of vedic India - the forgotten era of ‘first wave’ civilisations.

Around 10500 BCE, with sea levels much lower than they are today, and mainland continents still largely covered with ice, the primary centres of Indian civilisation were dominated by two highly advanced nation states – Dev Lok and Daityan Empire. Spiritually-inclined Devas lived in harmony with nature, whereas Daityas believed in brute force technologies for rapid prosperity and material gratification. Steady inundation of the tropical islands created a crisis, particularly for Daityas. To fuel their hunger for material resources, the aggressive Daityas proceeded to invade other nations.

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Look What Came In The Courier Today...

The Execution of Sherlock Holmes
by
Donald Thomas
-o0o-
New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
by
Donald Thomas
-o0o-
Find_Love.com
by
Neeta Iyer







And finally, the promotion cover of Liftoff Leadership!!

You can find other books from Jaico publishers to us, here...

                                                         
                                   
                

Monday, September 9, 2013

Look What Came In The Courier Today...

Millionaire
by
Dayal Madan





The books seems innovative in every way possible.
Cheers to the self-published Dayal Madan and Rhythm Books!!

Friday, September 6, 2013

The Off-Site Tamasha by Abhay Nagarajan


Foreword:


This is the second book from the Abhay Nagarajan. The review of the first book, The Corporate Atyaachaar, you can find here.

Well, like the author had said, there is little connection between the first novel and this one. Save for the lead characters and few other puny characteristics, there is little connection, or need for connection, between the novels. They differ diversely in their own ways. While the first novel is the comical tale of a office doormat, which dealt best part with finance and financial world, this book dealt gravely with the humorous part and the off-site trip the Corporate Atyaachaar team undertakes.

Plot (from the jacket):
In THE OFF-SITE TAMASHA…a comical tale of team building, a team of financial advisors are headed to Kyari for a relaxing three day company off-site. The team includes a dominating boss, his docile subordinate and a rich colleague. The colleague argues with the boss during the various team building games resulting in hilarious outcomes.

The predictably planned off-site changes rather dramatically, with the arrival of two mysterious women. They get the attention of the three men. Each of them is sex obsessed and lusts after the women in the hope of a sexual encounter. What follows is a series of interactions- part comical, part sexual, part revelry and part debauchery with telling consequences.

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Look What Came In The Courier Today...


I Played a Game with Life
by
S. Richardson

Though I was prompted that I would be receiving the book,
I am pretty surprised and excited!!

A personalized message!!
A exclusive bookmark, to top that!! Wow!!


Monday, September 2, 2013

Look What Came In The Courier Today...

The Lost Years of Sherlock Holmes
by
Ted Riccardi
------
Wise Enough to be
Foolish
by
Gauri Jayaram





Thank you, Jaico!!


                                   
              

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