Sidney Sheldon's "The Sands of Time"

Sidney Sheldon's "The Sands of Time" is an action adventure novel that revolves around four nuns who escape a military assault on a Christian convent and are forced to face the challenges of the outside world which they had once renounced. 

The four nuns Megan, Lucia, Graciela and Teresa are being chased by the military after their escape and they are forced to travel with the rebels who are branded terrorists by the Spanish government. Jaime Miro, the most wanted rebel known for his exploits to keep the military and police at bay is burdened with the responsibility of escorting the nuns to a safe place. The nuns reinvent themselves on this journey through the hills and forests with the tension of military closing in on them - a journey where they have to adapt and survive. 

Each one of the nuns have a terrible past and they cocoon themselves into the church as their last resort and escape from the harsh reality of their present lives. With that environment changed now, they fight back their inner fears and their nightmares of the past to adapt to the changed world. The backstories of the nuns are slightly disturbing which justifies their actions but at times obscene which could have been avoided with no impact to the storyline. 

The political situation in Spain where Basques were fighting against Spanish nationalists for self-governance or complete independence to preserve their identity forms the backdrop of this novel and is convincingly interwoven into the storyline. But, the lives of rebels and them giving in to personal desires and urges depicted here is questionable. The lives of nuns inside the Christian institutions and how they are asked to suppress their desires and feelings in the name of service to God depicted here is close to reality.

The novel builds up a tale of bravery, betrayal and survival in a steady pace to keep the readers engaged. There is enough drama to propel the novel to a climactic end. The closure Sidney gives to the characters stay true to the storyline and the character sketches instead of pulling off an unprecedented end just to pique the reader’s interest.

Barring the obscenity and some unnecessary romantic sequences, the novel still is a good read. 

அஜயன் பாலாவின் "நாயகன் பெரியார்"

திரு. அஜயன் பாலா எழுதிய "நாயகன் பெரியார்" நூலை Amazon Kindle-ல் இன்று படித்தேன்.

பெரியாரின் வாழ்க்கையில் நடந்த முக்கிய நிகழ்வுகளைத் திரட்டி ஒரு சிறு வாழ்க்கை வரலாறாக இந்நூலைத் தொகுத்திருக்கிறார். பெரியாரின் பொது வாழ்க்கையோடு நில்லாமல் அவரது சொந்த வாழ்க்கையையும், அதில் அவர் சந்தித்த இழப்புகளையும், உளவியல் ரீதியான அழுத்தங்களையும், அதிலிருந்து எவ்வாறு மீண்டு வந்தார் என்பதையும் விளக்குகிறது இந்நூல்.

பெரியார் அவர்கள் காந்தியக் கொள்கைகள் மீது கொண்ட ஈர்ப்பால் காங்கிரஸில் இணைந்தாலும், பின்னாளில் நாட்டு விடுதலையை விட சமூக விடுதலையே பிரதானமென காங்கிரஸில் இருந்து விலகி சுயமரியாதை இயக்கம் துவங்கியதின் காரணத்தையும் விரிவாக எடுத்துரைக்கிறார் எழுத்தாளர். அதில் பெரியாரின் கொள்கைப் பிடிப்பு தெளிவாய் தெரிந்தது.

பெரியார் முன்னெடுத்த போராட்டங்களில் அவரது மனைவி நாகம்மையார், சகோதரி கண்ணம்மா ஆகியோரின் பங்களிப்பே பெரியார் பெண் சுதந்திரத்தை கொள்கைப் பரப்புரைகளோடு நிறுத்தாமல், அதை சொந்த வாழ்விலும் கடைப்பிடிப்பவர் என்பதற்கு சான்று. இவ்விரு பெண்களின் போராட்ட குணமும் இந்நூலில் இடம்பெறுகிறது.

தேர்தல் அரசியலில் இருந்து விலகி, சாதிய ஒழிப்பு, பெண் விடுதலை, பகுத்தறிவு கருத்துக்களை மக்களிடம் கொண்டு சேர்த்து இச்சமூகத்தை சுயமரியாதை மிக்கச் சமூகமாய் மாற்றிய தலைவனுக்கு இந்நூல் ஒரு "tribute". 

"Bhagat Singh - The Eternal Rebel" by Prof. Malvinder Jit Singh

This book written by Prof. Malvinder Jit Singh is a biography of Bhagat Singh that captures in detail the various events of his life - both personal and political.

Though he has a cult following in India at present, there is often an image of a pistol brandishing angry young man portrayed on him. This book reveals the true nature of Bhagat Singh. It talks about how he valued human lives and never believed in bloodshed, despite being an extremist in the freedom struggle.

His contrasting transformation into a communist hailing from a family with Arya Samaj connection shows the independent intellect in him. The biography also puts forth Bhagat Singh as a voracious reader. It explains how some of his favourite reads had an impact on his thinking and the activities he was involved in.

This book details how Bhagat Singh was drawn towards communism - he and his colleagues wanted to organize the peasants, labourers and working class across the nation to raise voice against the imperialists. This is evident when Bhagat Singh and BK Dutt involved themselves in the assembly bombing incident as a sign of protest against the passing of trade dispute bill which imposed restrictions on workers from organizing and conducting strikes for their demands.

The sufferings of Bhagat Singh and his colleagues in jail, and the unjust treatment they received in the judicial proceedings are touched upon here; the resistance they had shown, by withstanding the pain, in order to make their stand is astonishing.

Some of the articles written by Bhagat Singh in newspapers, books and his jail notebook also find a place in this book. One of the articles on untouchables written by him indicates that Bhagat Singh opposed not just the social hierarchy but also the caste hierarchy. This particular article resonates Dr. Ambedkar's take on the unjust hierarchical structure prevalent in Indian society.

His courage even while facing the gallows and while anticipating death, his undying thirst for the freedom of the country, his determination to stand by his principles and his rationalist approach are inspiring. There is no denial that Bhagat Singh can never be ignored in youth politics.

"Inquilab Zindabad"