Anxiety, Stress and Books

Those who say they have never been touched by anxiety while serving aren’t being truthful. It is common to cross the path that leads to small panic attacks while we are in distressing situations. There are many therapies to calm oneself and enjoy the present but deep down its hard to cope with the mundane reality. The Monday blues hit hard.

How reading helps?

When you read a book that genuinely interest you (this is important) it can help to let go of all the moments and happenings that are haunting you even after hours of their occurrence. When I read it helps me to reach a subconscious state where I don’t see anybody except the characters in the story. I sometimes relate to them and it gives me an extra edge to be in a more confined space in a good way. There are scientific studies that shows how reading is a more effective stress buster then any other activity which people normally enjoy to kill time.

No activity can be an ultimate therapy it can be a path to betterment.

Stress and anxiety can be prolonged or a distant visitor but in both cases it will make you restless. Being restless makes your concentration dwindle and alas resulting in reduced competency.

Reading offers you to fight your demons by reading about fictional ones. It takes you away from reality. Also reading before bed cures insomnia.

How to develop a habit of reading?

-          It is not easy to develop a good habit. I have had many friends who really wanted to read a book and they couldn’t wait to borrow it but they never returned it, as it was never picked up. The only thing that helps is a will and a good book to start with. Whenever someone asks me for recommendations I only ask one question, “What sort of films you like to watch?” it is as simple as that. You will enjoy books only when you enjoy the theme and topic. It is an experiment I did last year and it proved to be fruitful.

-          If you have no time to physically read a book try an audiobook they can do wonders when you are tired after a long day of work but want to get to the next chapter of your book.

-          You don’t need to read continuously or daily, read when you are free, read when you are doing nothing but scrolling through social media.

Some book recommendations from my personal favorites:

1.       Women centric-

-          The divine secrets of Ya-Ya sisterhood by Rebecca Wells

-          The secret life of bees by Sue Monk Kidd

-          Memoirs of Geisha by Arthur Golden

2.       Mystery/Thriller-

-          And then there were none by Agatha Christie

-          The Girl on the train by Paula Hawkins

3.       Indian Authors-

-          Train to Pakistan by Khushwant Singh

-          The God of small things by Arundhati Roy

-          The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri

4.       Fantasy/Magic/Dystopian-

-          Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

-          Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

5.       World War 2-

-          The book thief by Markus Zusak

-          Last train to Istanbul by Ayse Kulin

Happy Reading :)

Book Review: Killing Time in Delhi by Ravi Shankar Etteth

Book: Killing Time in Delhi

Author: Ravi Shankar Etteth 

Publisher: Westland

Genre: Fiction(Mystery/Thriller)

Blurb:

Bon vivant Charlie Seth, a privileged denizen of Lutyens’ Delhi, leads a life of idle luxury fuelled by money, drugs, sex and parties. A cocaine overdose kills his ditzy girlfriend, thrusting him into a maelstrom of conspiracy, murder, blackmail and promiscuity. As the world of Crazy Rich Punjabis unravels, Charlie’s future is suddenly at the mercy of an enigmatic woman, an unscrupulous swami, a society-obsessed policeman, a slippery drug pusher and a disloyal valet. The only person who can help him is his missing aunt. Holed up in the country palace that his grandfather had won in a game of cards from a raja on Diwali, Charlie plots his revenge.

Killing Time in Delhi is a brutally funny look into the shenanigans of Delhi’s ultrarich who live in the fast lane and are high on hypocrisy, borrowed money and dubious deals.

Review:

One problem I have with books dealing with rich people is that I cannot deal with the aura and the surroundings but here in this book when two and two put together the results were fascinating. I really enjoyed every bit of the book; from the thriller element to the witty things everything was on mark.

The characters were so rich and well executed that it felt like a real life experience to me. What takes a book ahead is a story but here the book was carried forward by the instances and narration. With a great narration and ambience this had me on edge from the very start.

I had some personal issues while dealing with this book because I was going in with a mindset that I will be reading a well know tale of thriller but oh my god I was totally wrong. It was hard at first to connect with it but as soon as I was few pages in I couldn’t stop reading it.

This book can be enjoyed any group of reader because it has something for every sort of reader.

Was my mind racing ahead of the book? Yes. Was I predicting things? Yes. Were my predictions somewhat on point? Maybe Yes. So there was a downfall.

Apart from few glitches here and there I had an amazing time reading this book.

About author:

RAVI SHANKAR ETTETH is a Delhi-based journalist, satirist, graphic designer and author. He has been the editorial cartoonist of Indian Express, creative director of Observer Group of Publications, editor at India Today and Sunday Standard, and CEO and editor-in-chief of Voice of India and Millionaire. In 1996, Etteth published his first book of short stories, The Scream of the Dragonflies. Subsequently, he published five more titles—The Tiger By The River (2002), The Village of Widows (2004), The Gold of Their Regrets (2009), The Book of Shiva (2016) and The Brahmin (2018). He is now a columnist and consulting editor at New Indian Express.

Buy the book:

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Book Review: The watchmaker and time by Devang Kanavia

Book: The watchmaker and time

Author: Devang Kanavia

Publisher: Embassy Book Distributors

Genre: Fiction

Blurb:

Pedro's love for watches was born out of a strange incident in his childhood. Over the years he has become one of the most renowned watch designers in the world also holding the title, 'the Maestro of Time'.

One fine day, he gets challenged by his granddaughter on the fundamentals of Time. Unable to answer her innocent questions, he realizes that all his life he had been creating watches but had failed to understand what Time was all about. He gets on to an interesting journey in search for answers.

The journey unfolds with the puzzles of his past guiding him ahead as one after the other his beliefs start getting shattered. Will the puzzles of his past ever let him get to the future? Will he ever find out the true essence of Time? Join this watchmaker in his enriching and thought provoking journey in search of time.

Review:

For a fantasy cum fiction book I always love depth. This book had a great topic to start with. The ambience was great but still something was there that was not enough. It was super quick to start with and I couldn't grasp much. But whatever hit my head, hit hard.

The story revolves around very few characters and I liked how things entangled and emerged as the outcome. The revelation and path taking instances were good and fantastical.

Only if the story could have evolved more and the tale could have been more descriptive, the book could have been on another level.

I loved the relationship between Pedro and the grandchild. The nuances and connection were worth looking for.

I liked how the story turn out to be. The ending to be specific to look out for but it was not obvious. I loved how the book transformed its own genre from fantasy to philosophical and what not.

About loving the book, I am not sure but surely, I liked reading this book. It was different and in the end that is all that matters.

Recommending this book to all those who are looking for a quick and hard-hitting book.

Buy the book:

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Book Review: The Peshwa: War of the Deceivers by Ram Sivasankaran

Book: The Peshwa: War of the Deceivers

Author: Ram Sivasankaran

Publisher: Westland

Genre: Fiction(Mytholody)

Blurb:

Seven years have passed since Peshwa Bajirao Bhat annihilated the Nizam’s armies at Fort Mandu. The two forces have been engaged in attacks and skirmishes ever since. Acting on the advice of his right-hand man, the mysterious Anaamik Dabhade, the Peshwa now sets about laying a trap to truly ensnare the Mughals, and break their might.

The Empire, of course, has methods of its own. And Nizam Ul Mulk is itching for an opportunity to exact revenge of the formidable Bajirao. With assassins, saboteurs and criminals infiltrating the Maratha lands, the Mughal Empire scores as many victories in the night as the Peshwa does during the day.

Meanwhile, in the far reaches of the country, set ablaze by the never-ending conflict between these major powers, a Sikh warlord, a Rajput king and a Bundela princess find themselves increasingly tangled up in the endgame that will determine the very course of history. It is a battle of wits and skill, and the greatest deceiver of them all will prevail.

Review:

The book though being second in line of the Peshwa series seemed liked a standalone as I haven’t read the first book, but it didn’t hamper my reading experience. The best part of the book is the vivid imagery and the execution. Everything seems well planned and well thought of.

Every character has a role in the book, and it adds to the beauty of it. The war scenes add glory, and this makes the reading experience even better. The book was not an easy read there were times where I had to put the book down in order to understand or grasp a part because at some places the writer dragged things.

It was not a perfect read for me because I put the book down to take a break from it several times, but this doesn’t mean that the story was boring, it was just slow and extra elaborated.

The book has a great narrative aspect which made the story even more engaging at times.

Tale of the book doesn’t only deal with one topic but many. There is love, strategic aura, explanations to varied instances and stuff like that. This quality in the book make it a sure shot winner in masses as it can provide a wider area for readers to explore.

I highly recommend this to every mythology lover.

About the author:

Ram Sivasankaran was born in Madras, India, but has spent most of his life abroad, largely in the Middle East and the United Stated of America. He was brought up on stories from Hindu legend and the great epics and classics of both India and the West.

He holds a dual master's degree from Stanford University, specializing in aeronautics, astronautics, space environment and plasma phenomena. Although a scientist by training, Ram is, at heart, a daydreamer of sorts, who believes deeply in the power of imagination—the mind being the canvas on which even the seemingly talentless can create new universes, resurrect eras long gone, bring the gods to life and even revive heroes and heroines of yore.

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Book Review: The Alpha Yeti by Sum

Book: The Alpha Yeti

Author: Sum

Publisher: Authorhouse UK

Genre: Fiction/Fantasy/Folklore

Blurb:

Every tribal land has its own tribulations and the Kasis were way beyond any hope or help, for what they were undergoing was terrifyingly unspeakable. It wasnt any myth or taboo. This one was true. The One God was as real as the White Giants. But, all the suffering and trepidation came from the impossibly aggressive Grey Giants. They were a deformity: a fallen imprecation on the Kasis. Somehow, a sensible Bhirendi, the elderly last of the Kasis, addresses the tragedy and rushes his people into the underground chambers of Ravaial before they are forced to face the wrath of the monstrosities that lately have begun to roll down from the White Mountain. With the situation only getting worse by the moment, the tribes hire a pack of ace hunters from the West. But, one of them freaks out and abducts the daughter of an estranged but once-upon-a-time famous hunter to only earn his ire. The hunters are drawn together into a strangely unwelcome land of doom with their fates sealed under the White Mountain. They soon realise that time is all they have left in the entire world when the Grey Giants begin their vicious play. SUM brings to you, The Alpha Yeti!

Review:

A thriller with a good narrative is always an enjoyable treat. The book is great in terms of execution, the pacing is good, the movement in the story is well done. For a book with such a great topic I thought the book was a bit short and the characters did nothing extra to adjoin in the greatness of the book.

The tale is intriguing from the very start and the same is maintained throughout, though it was a good and interesting read I found it hard to connect with it at times.

I love stories that has some different touch and this book certainly had one. The author did a great job in producing something to the readers at every twist and turn.

I felt the cover of the book could have been story driven, it says nothing to me and is not appealing.

Recommending this to all the book lovers who love fast paced books with edgy topics and narration. This is a sure shot weekend escapade.

Buy the book:

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