The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck

Honestly, although the book has been pretty interesting, I took a long time to read it. The story is based on ancient China- the sublimated value people had on certain materials, and how they looked at their life.
I was just thinking of my mother, as to how she toiled in her life, and everyday she says she is devoid of peace today when she is supposed to be at the end of the tunnel and see bright light. I told her to console her, and also realized something myself when I said it not knowing how I felt it : "peace is never eternal. As long as we are alive, peace is intermittent to prepare us to face the tough side of our commitments"
My mother understood what I meant in a positive way, and I realized what I told her was true when I read of Wang Lung in his old age.
Another aspect, as to how we are driven to certain bizarre things in life whether we are rich/poor, sad/happy, and are to live with it.

O-Lan's character would have surely annoyed the feminists, but I found her a very interesting character supporting the man when he was right and wrong. Not everyone get such a person to share a life with. This anyhow does not justify what Wang Lung did to her. But it is a typical old story.
Also Wang Lung reminded me of the old man from the short story or extract"Refugee" that I read when i was in my degree college, as to how a farmer loves his land.
This story seems familiar as we have seen/heard a lot of such stories of men who made their wealth and a destiny, and how their children react to it.
The book makes me want to know (sadly because I cannot read long scripts in tamil) the concept of "Netru Indru Naalai" of Shiva Sankari. I am told that the woman predicted the change in three generations. This book was like an english version of it, if Netru Indru Naalai is all that I have heard from my mother.

Current Track: Aur aahista kijiye baatein- Pankaj Udas
Current Book: The Money Changers- Arthur Hailey

The Secret Of the Nagas by Amish

(I think this is the first book review that I am writing in my blog.)
This book, Secret of the Nagas is the sequel to the first- The Immortals of Meluha, which was pretty good, and ended with a suspense to make me grab my copy of the sequel on the day it released.
The second book lived up to the suspense although the actual secret can be known if you just read the last line in the last page. The pages till there are worth the read though.
The story is convincing, as to how one could justify God as a human or human as God. What I saw in the book was, to search the God within us. And what makes one strong and powerful enough to be worshiped or rather eternally remembered in glory.
To understand the approach of the author towards the characters, you should read the first book. 
The second book explains in human terms as is the style of the author in this series, the relation in the Shiva-Sati family.
Some secrets rather enlightening knowledge is seen in the conversations between the Lord and the Vasudev pandits, and overall the book doesn't disappoint the readers. I found these more interesting than the real secret itself.

I certainly felt that the language/writing style could have been a lot better.

Yet, I await the third one which Amish, I guess is going to start this October. 

Currently reading: The Good Earth by Pearl S Buck.
Next: want to grab the Millenium series, but The Money Changers by Arthur Hailey is on queue followed by Yes Minister which I am supposed to return to Suwarna.
Current track: Mona re- Bombay Vikings