The Five People You Meet in Heaven

Mitch Albom's books usually act as a balm to a restless soul.

I have always felt that people, at any point of time, are a product of the cumulative set of experiences that have accosted them in their life till then. The attitudes & behavior are outcomes of this baggage that we carry and potray. Albom's simple and easy to absorb books provide explanations for actions/thoughts that might have troubled you in your life. It further acts as a soothing agent to your open wounds.

In this book, Albom talks of some important lessons in life that are cherished in god's books.

Lesson 1. There are no random incidents in the lifespan of a person. All people we come into contact with or incidents that we face are never "unrelated" or "random".

Lesson 2. Sacrifice is never a waste. Sacrifice should never be a cause for remorse or blame or frustration later in life.
Its hard to place one's faith in this lesson. I always think of the people who are mutilated in war. They become invalids for life. Has the sacrifice for their nation gone a waste? Such a state dampens enthusiasm for life itself. Concepts of nation or sacrifice for a nation become weak in the face of a population that has just given you a pass courtesy your inability to match them limb to limb.

Lesson 3. Loyalty is an asset in god's court of law.
This almost seems like an archaic concept. I, however, view it as an answer for the question - How should man lead life? In order for a person not to lead a life of a sloth, one has to associate with certain aspects, principles that make one's life extra-ordinary. The concept of non-violence, united a vastly different population to fight for freedom. Imagine something like that in these materialistic times. In the story related, loyalty to a friend who has given up on life, over one's own anger, frustrations and circumstancial disloyalty has raised this ordinary person's life to an extra-ordinary one. I doubt if i could ever live up to such standards.

Lesson 4. People pass away, but love does not die.
Love is an entity that overrides people in every imaginable way. One lives in memories of the small (till then seemingly unimportant) memories of times spent together, conversations, thoughts, just the comfort of sitting next to each other.. the list is endless. People whom you love always live in your heart and in your memories. They are just not present physically.

Lesson 5: People have a purpose in life, however, wasteful you feel your life has been
In the story that relates this lesson, the protagonist has this frustration and empty feeling as he feels he has wallowed away his life. After a promising start in the army and later as a salesman, the protagonist spent most of his time being a maintenance man in an amusement park. He became a fixture that just existed in time. It is revealed to him in heaven that his purpose in life was to keep children safe and happy. What i found most unnerving about the story is the thought - Did the sub-conscious thrust him into the role of a maintenance man in a penance for having burnt a little girl alive in his years during the war. ?

All in all, nice lessons in a nice & easy to read format. I feel, it can be read by all ages, though the impact on each age group would be different.

Even a person who does not have the habit of reading can read this book. Trust me, he/she will not put it down till it is finished

A must read book as far as i feel.

South of the Border, West of the Sun

This is a book by Haruki Murakami and translated into English by Philip Gabriel. Nice book. Good Book, recommended for one who actually thinks and emotes.

There is so much that an individual suppresses in the path of maturity and pragmatism. Impressions, thoughts, feelings, memories, that are not oft expressed, i guess, that never fall in a conventional box. Fleeting thoughts like, "i feel i can do wonders with my hands", referring to the ability to paint, or cut hair, that can never be expressed in as many words in an adult world and which, at times, rule unconsciously, either through trial or ruing a lost opportunity, a lifetime of choices, is one of the banes of this world of reality and pragmatism.

One wonders, what is it that encapsulates a relationship? What is it that chemistry that ties one to another? What is it that sustains the relationship without a partner spiritually not cheating the other? What is it about two people that brings them together? What is it about two souls where one can go on living a life independent of what the soul truly feels. But then, aren't all humans like that, prefects of dichotomy. Does one do what one truly wants? Again, can you actually articulate what you truly want? And even if you do, is that what you actually want? At the core of all this are the same, fleeting feelings, emotions that surface and topple over the facade of the real world.

What is it about First love that it evokes such strong nostalgic memories? Again.. First love, i stress, not infatuation, not the set of feelings that is over, once tasted.

The relational differences between the Hajime & Shimotomo-san , Izumi and Yukuki all capture different feelings, thoughts that i guess a lot of people undergo but lack the creativity to express in the years of dogged teaching to be in line with convention. The author Haruki Murakami has, i feel, done a wonderful job of capturing thoughts, feelings, emotions and that inner thought that, at times, even we are unaware of.

Tell me your dreams

Author - Sidney Sheldon

Multiple Personality Disorder is an oft abused topic by books and movies. This is another dish in that direction.

As any other Sidney Sheldon novel, this was pacy and a quick read. Lacked the content to have one savour the taste of the dish. Its more like read.. and its over. Well, most Sidney Sheldon novels are like that anyways. I felt, it lacked the juice in the courtroom drama and the psychiatric treatment as well. It lacked the specifics that make it believable. Its not the "been there.. experienced it" kind of a situation.

Overall a nice story and a nice read.

Shadow Family

This is a book by Miyuki Miyabe. I am turning into quite a fan of this author. This novel is the 3rd that i am reading of this author. Its an english translation done by Juliet Winters Carpenter of its Japanese original.

This story was amazing. Gave me a feeling akin to what i had after watching sixth sense.

The entire story revolves around a police interrogation to catch a murderer. A concept that is explored here is the increasing tendency of people to take to the internet. People in this story seemed to have formed a virtual family with a dad, mom and two children. All the characters doing a role-play of their part.

This makes one wonder about the psychology of such a person. Circumstances that have brought one to do something like this. Why is there an increasing tendency to take to the internet? Internet seems to be a place to give vent to your darkest thoughts & actions. I thought it was popular in the western countries because of the cultural emphasis on individualism. The popularity of the same in Japan or any asian culture is a bit perplexing considering that the cultural emphasis is on "family". But then why would someone try to draw an equivalent in a fantasy world?

It reminds me of a link Tushara sent sometime back about IBM employees conducting a strike in Second life. Now, Second Life is apparently a cyber city. Check out this link for more information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Life

The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter

This is a translation of an old Japanese tale. The translation has been done by Kawabata Yasunari & Donald Keene.

It is an interesting story of a young, beautiful girl-Kaguya-Hime setting unachievable tasks for five of her suitors. Their failure automatically excludes them from the race to marry her. The emperor also gets interested and tries unsuccessfully to abduct her. Finally, it ends with the young girl returning to her kingdom in the moon leaving behind her parents (who had brought her up). It is known that she is on earth as a punishment for some misdeeds done on the moon.

What is interesting in the story, are the 5 tasks and how failure in these tasks leads to the origin of certain words. I feel that the fact that these words have a corresponding origin in English is a bit far-fetched.

1^st task:

To obtain the stone begging bowl of Buddha from India (this begging bowl is supposed to emit light). It goes without saying that an imitation is exposed and the bowl is thrown away. The suitor, however, is still diligent in his pursuit of Kaguya-hime. So, people have ever since spoken of surprise at a shameless action as “bowled over”

2^nd task:

To obtain a branch of a tree that grows on a mountain called Horai. This mountain exists in the eastern sea. The tree supposedly has roots of silver, a trunk of gold and bears fruits that are of pearl. Well, another imitation gets caught (the craftsmen betray the owner). People begin to speak of someone as being “stone hearted” if he astonishes others by trying to pass off genuine as a false stone.

3^rd task

To bring a robe made of fur of Chinese fire-rats (this supposedly does not burn in fire). Another imitation-another embarrassment. The word here is “abeyance”. When a plan is not carried out it falls into abeyance.

4^th task

To bring a jewel that shines five colors and is found on a dragon’s neck. The suitor here makes a sincere attempt at obtaining something like this. It ends in a failure. He ends up with eyes that look like plums and a engorged stomach. People speak of any ill-starred venture as being “plumb foolish”

5^th task:

To obtain the easy delivery charms of a swallow (that aids in easy delivery of eggs). This venture ends in the death of the suitor. This rather touched Kaguya-hime. So, something slightly pleasurable has been said to have a modicum of charm.

Unbeaten Tracks in Japan - Isabella L Bird

This book is a compilation of a set of letters that were written by Isabella to her sister. Isabella was one of the first woman adventurers. Check her out. Seems a very interesting personality.

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

This book is an account of her travels in Japan in the closing years of the 19th century. This was the era of the Meiji Restoration. This book captures the emotions, the beliefs (through Ito, her guide), the perceptions that Japanese have towards Foreigners at large. This book is also a perception of Japan through the eyes of the foreigner. What i respect about this book is the fact that she has brought out both the good and the bad about Japan. She is equivocal about this country. She attests to certain good elements that i have come to see in Japan such as the safety for women, the prevalent politeness in the society, the congenial behavior of the people, the fairness in their transactions, their accomodative nature and the generally observed industriousness in the people.

She has managed to explore territories in Japan, like the northern part where even regular officials from Tokyo were not requent travellers, that too, at a time when there was minimum information available about those regions. She talks about the inherent lack of information even in areas villages hardly a few kilometres from one another.

Some points that amazed me were the efficiency of the newly introduced railway system that operated in Yokohama & Tokyo and the very well organized cargo system comprising of mules/horses with rates fixed and adhered to by the traders/transporters.

Her travels start with landing in Yokohama. She then takes the train to Tokyo and lands in Shinagawa. God!! this gives me goosebumps as i have travelled in this route quite often and i presently stay in Shinagawa. She has gone into detail of almost every aspect of her trip for e.g: how people are dressed, the food they eat, customs, the description of nature, the ainos and quite a lot more.

This book is full of information for a Nihongophile. There was this section on Nikko and its temples. I was in Nikko last week and was kind of filled with deja-vu looking at the same places which were described by Isabella more than a century ago.

She spent time from May 21st till Dec 18th in Japan. Keep wondering how she was managing her finances. Moreover, she was doing this travel when she was 49. Quite amazing. I wonder how healthy will i be at that age.

Now.. keeping aside all the ga-ga, the only thing i found a bit boring is that after sometime, it kind of gets repetitive till some new experience comes up. The section on nature was getting repetitive till it took a different turn with the floods, the volcanoes and the landslides. Similarly, the section on the people in different villages seemed to be falling in a pattern till she reached the Ainos(who according to her are very european in their features)

It is a good book. A recommended read for anyone who is visiting japan and would like to spend sometime here.

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