Kwaidan - Stories & Studies of strange things by Lafcadio Hearn

This is quite an interesting collection of short stories on the tales/folklore/folk stories in Japan.

It took me back to similar stories of kandarasami and other such tales i had heard in Chertala & Munnar during my college years. There are interesting stories of Kijins (Goblins), Jikininki - Human Flesh Eaters & ghosts. The Buddhist priests are a revered lot who have solutions to these supernatural beings/phenomenon. I remember a story that happened in the mundakayam to kumily upper stretches. Something similar to a human flesh eating woman eating a child. There was another story of a similar woman walking alongside a bus speeding at around 60kmph.

There were stories of butterflies. People here have a special affection for butterflies. There was an interesting story on ants.

All in all, the book was wholesome entertainment.

The author has a very interesting history. He settled in japan in his final years. He fell in love with this country. I know it is hard not to. :))

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lafcadio_Hearn

White Doves at morning

This is a novel by James Lee Burke. From a brief of his works, i found that he is known for his detective series called Dave Robicheaux series.

This falls outside his regular genre.

It was a nice book. Good reading. Nice to read at a leisurely pace. It takes us through the lives of 4 people (Willie Burke, Robert Perry, Abigail Downing & Flower Jamison) through the civil war in the 1860s. It shows how the war impacted different people differently. It captures the sounds, sights & smell of the time, place, nature and history as it happens.

Good for history buffs. I feel there is a class of people who like reading about people, events and life .. the way it changes over a period of time.. over a lifetime or several lifetimes.. its like seeing my life and that of my ancestors & successors in fast forward.. :).. I seem to fall in that class..

This was a good read.

A Sparrow Falls

Another Wilbur Smith novel. I kind of like his novels as it captures a time way in the past and a place which is a melting pot for culture - Africa. This captures South Africa from the boer time till before the second world war.

The story is fast paced. It is interesting in every page. it captures the political atmosphere, the animosity of the Boers & the English, Communism seeping into South Africa, the first outsourcing outrage, the beauty of africa, zulu trackers and a time that is quite enchanting.

Worth reading. It can be quite ecstatic for a history buff and enthralling for someone who know about Africa and its history.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilbur_Smith