The Promise by Damon Galgut

 

Damon Galgut in his book 'The Promise' 51st of 2021, examines the disintegration of the dysfunctional privileged white Swart family in South Africa, living on a farm outside Pretoria, over a period of over 3 decades. There is nothing unusual or remarkable about the Swart family, oh no, they resemble the family from the next farm and the one beyond that, just an ordinary bunch of white South Africans, and if you don’t believe it then listen to us speak. We sound no different from other voices, we sounds the same and we tell the same stories, in an accent squashed underfoot, all the consonants decapitated and the vowels stove in.

It is effectively a family tale – the Swarts, a white and relatively privileged South African nuclear family of five who live on a farm near Pretoria. Their story and the story of those around them.

The family is

Amor - owner of the farm and later the main family business – a reptile park, over time he grows close to an ex Reformed Church Afrikaans minister

His wife Rachel - who re-converts back to Judaism while she is dying of cancer

And their three children:

Anton - whose unplanned birth out of wedlock lead to a marriage Amor’s family considered a mistake – Anton kills a woman when conscripted to the South African Army and deserts before later marrying his childhood sweetheart Desiree who becomes increasingly involved with New Age and Yoga Practices and the leader of a nearby Ashram

Astrid - who converts to Catholicism, has twins and two unhappy marriages

Amor – something of the irreligious conscience of the family, spending her time nursing AIDS patients, refusing to take the family money or to stay in contact, and the only one who holds to the eponymous promise the dying Rachel extracted from Amor – to give the family’s black maid Salome the deeds to her home in the farmlands

There are two very distinctive parts of the book’s execution:

The first is its cyclical structure. The story (which ranges over several decades) is told at discrete intervals in four sections all based around the funeral of a family member (the sections named after the family member that dies in turn as the nuclear group diminishes - less “Ten Green Bottles” than “Four White Racists”). Each section starts with the circumstances of the death (cancer, snake bite, murder and suicide). Each funeral coincides with an important point of South African history (the rugby world cup victory, Mbeki’s inauguration, Zuma’s resignation). Each has details on the dead body and the viewpoint of the person preparing it for burial. Each features in detail the thoughts of the person carrying out the funeral (and the way their views clash largely with the beliefs of the remaining family members) and each has Amor’s latest attempt to realise the promise.

The second is the narrative voice – a very deliberate and intrusive omniscient narrator which swoops from character to character (including some side characters such as a down and out and a criminal and even at one stage some jackals), switches out of its default third person into first person even second person for the point of view character, sometimes addressing the reader directly and sometimes into a brief first person plural chorus.

It isn't much, she says. I know that. Three rooms and a broken roof. On a tough piece of land. Yes. But for the first time, it'll belong to your mother. Her name on the title deed. Not my family's. That isn't nothing. Yes, Salome agrees, speaking Setswana. It isn't nothing.

It is nothing, Lukas says. Smiling again, in that cold, furious way. It's what you don't need any more, it's what you don't mind throwing away. Your leftovers. That's what you're giving my mother, thirty years too late. As good as nothing.

Forster's classic book about who will inherit a house serves as the structure for Galgut's new novel “The Promise”, but it's set in South Africa in the years immediately before and after Apartheid. It follows the experiences of a relatively-privileged white family who own a small farm and their fates over time. An annexe to their property is inhabited by Salome, a black maid who has worked for the family for many years and the novel begins with matriarch Rachel on her deathbed requesting that the deed to this property be given this woman who has served her so faithfully. Although her husband Manie promises to fulfil her wish, the transfer of ownership to Salome is delayed year after year after year. The self-consumed and selfish family members are so concerned with their own dramas that fulfilling this bequest always seems tediously inconvenient or perhaps it's a power they are unwilling to relinquish. But youngest daughter Amor witnessed the promise being made and persistently reminds her family it should be honoured (much to their exasperation.) Just as Forster's novel symbolically asked who will inherit England, Galgut's story asks who will inherit South Africa but I think his query is much more complicated than that simple concept sounds.

The striking thing about how this novel is written is its impressively fluid style which artfully weaves in and out of certain perspectives, briskly navigates through different scenes and frequently switches point of view. At first this felt almost disorientating to me as transitions in focus are made so rapidly it sometimes requires careful attention to follow the narrative, but it soon became mesmerising as I felt caught in the flow of time and Galgut's gorgeously poetic language. However, the apparent freedom of this narrative to roam wherever it wishes (even into the perspective of the dead) is deceptive. As the story progresses, it becomes apparent that in following the fates of different members of the Swart family we're also tragically locked into the white gaze from which they cannot escape. Their prejudiced views saturate the sensibility of this novel. Their assumed superiority and odious casual racism appears with wincing regularity.

The End of Illness by Dr. David B. Agus

 The End of Illness by Dr. David B. Agus, has covered health in basically  three parts:

Part 1: The science and art of defining your health - this part covers what is health, a Pound of cure, go back to the future, rotten eggs and cute chicks, two French restaurants one without butter.

Part2: The Elements  of  healthy  style - this part covers proceeding with caution, the truth about synthetic shortcuts, the fallacy of fresh, hot and heavy, running to sit still, timing is everything.

Part3: The Future You - This part covers hi tech helth,  the give and take i.e sharing of medical information,  the art of doing nothing.

We need these conversations to happen. They power cycles that are our life to the ultimate destination : a place where we all die the way we want to - with dignity, peace, a sound mind and in as much good Physical health as possible.

The intention of this book is threefold:

1) to propose a new model of health that will dramatically change your view of the human body 

2) To show you how to apply that model to your own life through tactical Strategies and practical prescriptions and 

3) To reveal eye opening medical Technologies that are currently available or in development that can help you to achieve the quality of life and longevity that you deserve.

The entire book can be summarised in a single phrase as 'get to know yourself'. It's human nature to point fingers at someone or something else for our own flaws and shortcomings and to avoid any personal culpability.

This indispensable book is filled with practical but impossible to ignore suggestions that may surprise readers including :

1) how taking multivitamins and supplements could significantly increase our risk for diseases like cancer over time 

2) why sitting down most of the day despite a serinus morning workout can be as bad as or worse than smoking 

3) the single most important thing we can do today to preserve our health and happiness that cause absolutely nothing.

He emphasizes that that is no 'right' answer, no master guide that's 'one-size-fits-all' each one of us must get to know our bodies in uniquely personal ways and he shows us exactly how to do that so that we can individually create a plan to live longer and better.

Open - Andre Agassi

 

A rebel in his tennis career as he shunned the stuffiness of the sport for a rock and roll approach that earned him fans around the world, in Open’ An Autobiography  of and by Andre Agassi AKA  says that he always resented the sport that made him a global superstar because it has deprived him of the childhood he craved, so he made it his mission to ensure the next generation would not be denied the chances that passed him by. The book starts with the end, his last match and ends with the Beginning,  his dream project. 

He always had mixed emotions about this game. He didn’t enjoy it when he was out on court at times, but he appreciates what it did for him and now he is trying to use the platform it has given him to give something to others. Agassi’s Preparatory Academy opened its doors for the first time in 2001 and  providing young kids with the kind of chance to get an education the mastermind behind the project missed out on when he devoted his life to sport at a young age.

His favourite feature of the school is the code of respect that begins each day.  It says;

The essence of good discipline is respect, respect for authority and respect for others.

Respect for self and respect for rules. It is an attitude that begins at home, is reinforced at school and is applied throughout life.

As that's the beginning,  where the book ends, thought of starting  with it. 

Once upon a time, it was Agassi and Sampras's match that drew my attention  to  the sport and kept me hooked to it. I had always  been  a bigger fan of Sampras so am just waiting  to grab his book next. What was intriguing  was his marriage  to Stephanie when the tax controversy was going  on in Germany  on her father specially,  though the book dont speak much about it, it do say how both had similar  pops interested in sports especially  boxing  and thus tennis which are similar and how they both made their children great players who disliked the sport. For him having her in his life was a privilege. A goal written  down by his coach come true. Still I wonder about it. 

When he introduced (in 2004) Stefanie at the International Tennis Hall of Fame, he said the truest words of  life: “Ladies and Gentlemen, I introduce to you the greatest person I’ve ever known, Stefanie Graf.” In 1992 when both won Wimbledon,  they were supposed to have the dance but got canceled.  Steffi was dating  a car racer in Germany,  and Agassi had different  girlfriends every two years, married  one of them and the wedding lasted for two years.

Life is a tennis match between polar opposite winning and losing, love and hate, open and close. It helps to recognise that painful fact early then recognise a polar opposites within yourself and if you can't embrace them or reconcile them at least accept them and move on.  The only thing you cannot do is ignore them.

The Me & The Week

 Memories, pains and love was  the week gone by.  Blessed to have someone to take care of. 

Though reading was a bit slower, it was more of free and timely healthy eating and sleeping.

The day started with fresh soup in the morning made of beetroot, carrots, tomatoes, onion,  pepper and a bowl of sprouts followed by traditional breakfast.

Lunch was a bowl of rice, rasam, green vegetables, home made pumpkin or mangoes.

 Evening it is a bowl of mixed fruits and oats

 with yummy chukku  kappi at around 6 

and dinner by 8. 

Thanks to Mumma dear.

Full Tilt - Dervla Murphy

 

Full Tilt by the Dervla Murphy is her experience of travel from Ireland to India with a bicycle. The journey started on 14th Jan 1963. 53rd of 2021

Epictetus  put it in a nutshell when he said 'for i is not death or hardship that is a fearful thing, but the fear of death and hardship'.

 And the route of the journey was from Dunkirk to Teheran. Through  the Afghan Frontier, Herat to Kabul to Bamian to Pul-I-Kumari to Jalalabad to Peshawar to Saidu Sharif to Rawalpindi to Gulapur to Sher Quila Rakaposhi to Babusar to Abbottabad and Lahore to Delhi.

Few thoughts on her way comparing Persia to Afghanistan 'is it that if a nation expends sufficient energy to get to a peak she hasn't enough left to maintain herself there and false for, where as if she remains at a certain restricted level Limited degree of national well being can be maintained indefinitely? I suppose history prove that this is the pattern'. 

She is clear that Kashmir  should  be part of Pakistan  based on partition agreements and if India had as much guts as Afghanistan  she would  not have been  conquered.  

Aarkkariyaam

"Aarkkariyaam"  another lockdown movie that has been largely shot in a house located in a large plot near Pala. A gender-bender. Authenticity and attention to detail in the writing and direction impressed me.  It was soothing to watch the characters behavior inside and outside the house. It seemed to be the most admirable thing in the film that the gender roles were taken down from the norms without being obvious. The fact that kitchen work is done by everyone in a family is not even obvious with a single dialogue. In doing things for everyone, everyone does everything, regardless of who they are or what they work for. No one is overburdened. Jobs and responsibilities change inside and outside home as part of everyone’s actions.

All are at the same time emotional beings, believers, bound to each other at a frequency that is sustainable. When one falls, the next rises with it and reinforces that relationship in precise balancing. Even there, only individuals can be seen. All these is done without telling them they were a social activist, feminist or progressive, and thus without establishing anything. There is an unwritten rule in society and in movies that such interventions can only be made by giving such labels.

All the characters in it had individual stories. It's a little different making. Mixed reviews are heard but as a craft it is a film that is loved when viewed without prejudice

Cinematographer Sanu John Varghese makes his directorial debut with this movie. The film begins with the couple - Roy (Sharaf U Dheen) and Sherly (Parvathy Thiruvoth) in Mumbai - Roy is facing financial issues with his export business and his childhood friend Vyshak (Saiju Kurup) has helped him temporarily with some funds he should repay soon. Sherly's father, Ittiavirah (Biju Menon), a retired school teacher and a widower is living alone in a house located in the middle of a large property in Kerala and Sherly and Roy decide to drive down to provide some solace to the old man. Sherly also needs to bring her daughter from her convent school in Nagercoil - the daughter is from her earlier marriage to Augustine who died a few years back. Roy had also married and divorced Melissa and looks like it was not a very cordial separation. 

The couple reach Kerala and within a couple of days, the old man understands that they require financial support. The family decides to sell the house and property since Ittiavirah is too old to live alone and there is no way Roy and Sherly can move to Kerala for good. They very quickly find a buyer but that's when Ittiavirah makes a revelation to Roy that leaves him completely shaken, the secret shared.   It all rests on a wafer thin plot, which for some reason reminded me of Drishyam too. Father taking law in his hand to make his daughter's life safe. 

Roy and Sherly's difference in upbringing is also made very clear - Roy and Vysakh talk largely in Mumbaiyya Hindi while Roy and Sherly speak to each other in Malayalam or English - the use of a Salil Choudhary tune wherein Sherly sings the Malayalam lyrics and Roy sings the Hindi lyrics is especially a clever way of establishing where they were brought up (The song in question is Onnanam Kunninmel / Chhota sa ghar hoga). The stepdaughter - stepfather relationship (through telephone screens) has been shown as a very cordial one and looks like how it could be in today's modern families. 

Arun Janardhanan and Rajesh Ravi join the director as writers and needs appreciated for the details. Biju Menon's justifications seeped in spirituality for whatever has happened and is happening; is quite amusing and the actor is in good form. The last scene, where Parvathi is worried that her father has started forgetting things, and is asking her if Augustine has come back, made me awestuck, with she praying that he don't and Roy/Saraf being silent. 

The Guest List - Lucy Foley

50th of 2021. On an island off the coast of Ireland, guests gather to celebrate two people joining their lives together as one. The groom: handsome and charming, a rising television star. The bride: smart and ambitious, a magazine publisher. It’s a wedding for a magazine, or for a celebrity: the designer dress, the remote location, the luxe party favors, the boutique whiskey. The cell phone service may be spotty and the waves may be rough, but every detail has been expertly planned and will be expertly executed.

But perfection is for plans, and people are all too human. As the champagne is popped and the festivities begin, resentments and petty jealousies begin to mingle with the reminiscences and well wishes. The groomsmen begin the drinking game from their school days. The bridesmaid not-so-accidentally ruins her dress. The bride’s oldest (male) friend gives an uncomfortably caring toast.

And then someone turns up dead. Who didn’t wish the happy couple well? And perhaps more important, why?

It has all the right ingredients for a good murder mystery whodunnit - creepy and claustrophobic atmosphere, multiple suspects with motive to kill, loads of secrets threatening to be revealed, and five intriguing narrators to move the story along, all wrapped up in a big festive occasion. Jules, the bride: an attractive, ambitious publisher of online magazine, The Download, whose driven, always aware of the optics, self-centered personality bores me. Next up Will, the groom: an exceedingly attractive, self-assured TV star with enough plastered-on humblebrag charm to get his way on just about anything. Add to the mix Charlie, Jules’ best mate, who goes from mild-mannered school teacher to obnoxious turd in the course of one weekend, his wife Hannah, an ex-party girl turned good wife/mom who seems tempted by every hot guy/girl at the wedding, Jules’ half-sister Olivia, who is just an unstable hot mess, and a hodge-podge of groomsmen/ushers - Johnno, Duncan, Femi, Pete, and Angus - school friends of Will’s who were toxic bullies as children who grew into drunk toxic bullies as adults. It's the first event by Aoife with yummy food by her husband Freddy. 

After the cake is cut, and light go out, each of them wish that they kill for the treatment towards her sister and fooling her, for destroying the life of her sister, for using him since childhood, taking away his chances, and pushing him aside, for killing her brother and for fooling her. The Bride had received the note saying: Will Slater is not the man you think he is. He's a cheat and a liar. Don't marry him. Those with power, look and money, seem to get away, but people like Alice and Loner (Darcey) Malone, a million times brighter and better never get their chance. 

The bride ‧ The plus one ‧ The best man ‧ The wedding planner ‧ The bridesmaid ‧ The body. In range. 

Oxygen and Blood

Two things we take for granted, but very precious. Like the love of our dear ones. Oxygen and Blood!

It was that time of the year, when people around were gasping for oxygen. So much was told about it, there was even a black market created for the purchase and sale! Of something, that we thought was free .  The sale began in bottles of all shapes and sizes. People started sending it as gifts from foreign lands to their loved ones in India. 

Around this time, my HB count - which is just one of the component in our blood started reducing drastically.  Though recommended count was 12 mine reached 8, which happens because of multiple reasons. Internal blood loss, inappropriate food etc. Fibroids could have been the cause for this. I had been taking homeo medicines for the last two years and this happened inspite of that. 

As I consulted the doctor, she said, blood transfusion is the only way out, and this has to be done immediately. Times of covid, and unexpected recommendation, family got worried. Isn't it ridiculous that there is no other remedy, we thought and asked her again, which she did not appreciate.  She said the other way out is injections, and that is not a guarantee and you have to take a course of at least three. We asked would tonics, tablets and food habits not help? She said no, it would not. Took an injection and left the hospital. She had also suggested that we take a biopsy, and said it would have to be done in a weeks time or it would turn to be dangerous. My sister, who accompanied me, was too emotional too. So from then on regular health checks. She started emphasizing on better diet. Sailakshmi my friend said it could be pre menapause, and suggested consulting nutritionist. But I did not have any energy left.

Each has their own styles, thoughts and recommendations. Allopathy doctors can prescribe what they have studied, what was in their syllabus. Thanks to Ayurveda and healthy food. In two weeks time the HB reached 11. Daily mocktail of beetroot+gooseberry +lime; pomogranates, dates, green vegetables, especially leaves of drumstick and few medicines that helped. Thanks to Hubby Dear.

We have reached a point in our life, where nothing is free, neither air, nor water or for that matter anything!

സ്നേഹത്തിന് വേർപാടില്ല. ദേഹം മാത്രമേ ഇല്ലാതാവുന്നുള്ളൂ. ഹൃദയം കൊണ്ട് സ്നേഹിച്ചവരുടെ  നന്മകൾ പങ്കുവയ്ക്കുക.. അതിലൂടെ അവരുടെ  ആത്മാവ് ജീവിക്കും. അതിൽ കൂടുതൽ ആനന്ദം മറ്റെന്താണുള്ളത്.💞🙏🏻

Patanjali to Ruchi

 Written by Mr Peri Maheshwer 

Here is a story for future investigations to dig deep. 

People looking at Baba Ramdev through the prism of Patanjali are missing the forests for the trees. He is now playing through a listed company he bought in a sham of a transaction. Here is the story:

1. Ruchi Soya went into insolvency as many banks led by SBI made claims of Rs12,146 crores. 

2. SBI had the highest exposure of Rs1,816 crore but agreed to settle it at 883 crores, thus writing off Rs.933 Crores in all. Other banks, including PNB, CBI etc. also took a haircut in their recoveries from Ruchi Soya. 

3. Having reduced the liabilities to less than half, only two bidders remained - Patanjali and Adani Wilmar. 

4. In January 2019, Adanis having bid initially, withdrew, leaving only Patanjali in the race. 

5. The bid of Patanjali was Rs. 4350 crores of which 3250 crores would be funded by banks led by SBI that took a hit earlier. 

6. Now we have a situation where the banks that wrote off massive amounts are now funding another loan to Patanjali to acquire a company where they had booked losses. 

7. SBI, which wrote off 930 crores and recovered just 883 crores, funded Rs.1200 crores. 

8. When Patanjali completed the acquisition, Ruchi Soya shares were around Rs 3.50 per share. Today, the share is priced at Rs. 1195. That is 341 times the value or 34100% growth, in 15 Months. 

9. Ruchi Soya, a company that Patanjali acquired in Dec 2019 with a 1000 crore of own money is now valued at Rs.35,360 Crores. 

10. Ruchi Soya, now owned 99.5% by Patanjali, would soon be coming up with a follow on public offer to raise 4000 Crores by diluting less than 15% to repay the debt of 3250 crores which was 75% of the investment to acquire Ruchi Soya by Patanjali. They also plan to raise more funds through equity dilution over coming two years. 

This is the story of India and crony capitalism - Of SBI and our PSU banks, of the bidding jugalbandi of Adani and Ramdev, marketing jugalbandi of Ruchi Soya and Patanjali. 

Just to be clear. Every thing is legal  But Ramdev is no longer just Patanjali. He is Ruchi Soya worth 35000 Crores.

Ek Ruka Hua Faisla – 12 Angry Men

Basu Chatterjee's Ek Ruka Hua Faisla was inspired by the landmark courtroom drama by Sidney Lumet 12 Angry Men.  The story in both the films follows an open-and-shut case that begins to unravel because of one demurring juror out of the 12. They were asked to separate facts from fancy, where one man is dead, another man’s life is at stake. If there is a reasonable doubt, then bring the verdict of not guilty. Verdict must be unanimous. Death sentence is mandatory in this case.  They had to talk and convince. 

The story begins in a courtroom where a teenage boy from a city slum is on trial for stabbing his father to death. Final closing arguments have been presented, and the judge then instructs the jury to decide whether the boy is guilty of murder, which carries a mandatory death sentence. Once inside the Jury discussion room, it is immediately apparent that all jurors with the sole exception of Juror Number 8 (K.K. Raina) have already decided that the boy is guilty, and that they plan to return their verdict quickly, without taking time for discussion. His vote annoys the other jurors.

The rest of the film centers around the jury's difficulty in reaching a unanimous verdict. While several of the jurors harbor personal prejudices, Juror 8 maintains that the evidence presented in the case is circumstantial, and that the boy deserves a fair deliberation. He calls into question the accuracy and reliability of the only two witnesses to the murder, the rarity of the murder weapon (a common pocketknife, of which he has an identical copy), and the overall questionable circumstances (including the fact that an elevated train was passing by at the time of the murder). He further argues that he cannot in good conscience vote "guilty" when he feels there is reasonable doubt of the boy's guilt and slowly convinces each juror about the same by his logical findings around each piece of evidence.

How can all be so sure? The small questions are not asked, because they are afraid. The boy is poor, afraid, and not very knowledgeable. The judgement could be wrong. It' not a science where everything can be said with certainty. Coincidence is possible as with the knife.

The vakil was appointed by the court, and he did not have any confidence on the boy. Any proof that takes a person to death, should be accurate. We cannot confirm that a person is a convict unless proved otherwise. 

With Patience, conviction, 11 guilty and 1 not guilty changes to 1 guilty 11 not guilty. It's not easy to stand against all. 11-1, 10-1, 9-2,  8-4; 6-6 and then began the second inning. 9-3 vote – after the way he was killed. Then it moved from 8-4; lady 11-1; The meaning of everything can be changed. How circumstances can make you stick to your convictions. Life in their hands, death is on their mind. It explods like 12 sets of dynamite. 

The film starred great actors like Pankaj Kapur and Annu Kapoor in their early days. Annu Kapoor was the first to change his mind, while Pankaj Kapur was the last. Even after all agreeing Pankaj Kapur was unwilling, because of his differences with his son, whose photo he carried in his purse.  The other characters where Deepak Qazir Kejriwal as Juror No. 1,  Srivastav as Juror No. 2, Pankaj Kapur as Juror No. 3, S. M. Zaheer as Juror No. 4, Subhash Udgata as Juror No. 5, Hemant Mishra as Juror No. 6, M. K. Raina as Juror No. 7, K. K. Raina as Juror No. 8, Annu Kapoor as Juror No. 9, Subbiraj as Juror No. 10, Shailendra Goel as Juror No. 11, Aziz Qureshi as Juror No. 12, C. D. Sindhu as Gatekeeper were all amazing. 

Finally got to see both the movies same day, after waiting for years. Thanks for the assignment, and the happening's at home/flat association reminded me of this. 

Vaccination no more a state subject - देर आये, दुरुस्त आये !

Supreme Court order and The Attorney Journal was grilled every day before they ordered the government, as summarized by Peri Maheshwer:

1. The SC settles that #vaccination is a central government responsibility: "Thus, the management of the pandemic, control  of  the  spread  of  COVID-19,  vaccination  policy  and  pricing,  are  the responsibility of the Central Government," which must work with State Govts

2. The quota of 25% to States, the SC says, "is extremely disproportionate and not in touch with societal realities". So the "quota available to the private hospitals must be reduced"

3. SC on critical issue around differential pricing: "The only room for negotiation with the manufacturers was on price and quantity, both of which have been pre-fixed. This  casts  serious  doubts on UoI's  justification  for enabling   higher   prices as a competitive measure."

4. "Furthermore,   the   Central Government justifying  its  lower  prices  on  account  of  its  ability  to  place  large purchase  orders  for  vaccines, raises  the  issue  as  to  why this  rationale  is  not  being employed  for  acquiring  100%  of  the monthly  CDL  doses."

5. "The  Union  Budget  for Financial Year 2021-2022  earmarked Rs 35000 crores for procuring vaccines...the  Central  Government  is directed to clarify  how  these funds  have  been  spent  so far  and  why  they  cannot  be utilized for vaccinating persons aged 18-44 years." 

6. And here is the nub as the SC cites Article 14 of the Constitution. What Article 14 says: "“The State shall not deny to any person equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws within the territory of India.”

7. Therefore, SC says: "it  is important  for  us  to  examine  the  rationality  of  the  existing Liberalized Vaccination Policy  against  Article  14  of  the  Constitution,  since  it could place  severe  burdens, particularly on States suffering from financial distress." 

8. On the use of CoWin App, SC cites various reports on internet availability. Here is one stat in the order: " approximately  13,000  Gram Panchayats in India do not have a Common Service Centres".

He took credit of states successes. He blamed states for his failure. He made an SC order look like govt. policy. He was in hiding when people were dying, And emerged once the pandemic abated.

Sri Krishnaji & Youth ( Addiction) – Ekam The Oneness field.

 

https://www.ekam.org/india/

Krishnaji is Kalki's son and his wife Preethaji is Kalki's sister's daughter. Their talks have been awesome, and I have been following them in Facebook and youtube. But could hear Krishnaji live. PK Consciousness. 

Are we an addicted civilization? Today is on addiction, next month is on love and heartbreak. Last month it was how emotional wounds become objective.  You learn from your wounds, but you should not transfer it to others.  Don't contribute to the world that is already wounded. Uplift others. Emotional wounds if not resolved become suffering.  Don't add fear to it. 

All my life I have acted fearlessly and acted consciously.

Cut the fear, and live with courage.

Lead from the heart.

Time is vast, don't rush. But every moment hold infinite potential, so don't waste time. Move with passion and speed. 

Don't break, don't crack. 

Each of you is an undiscovered treasure. Discover yourself. 

Oneness changemakers are leaders with heart, doers. Passionate people who want change in themselves and seek to change the world around. 

Keep doors of grace open - daily from 6 am to 6.21 am.

How can we identify, when a habit is becoming addiction?

Habit vs. Addiction - 

Wake up and brush teeth daily - neutral habit; wake up and do exercise - good habit, when you are angry with some one and you walk out of conversation is a bad habit.

One need to break bad habit not just because it cause inconvenience or create bad impression, but it is less intelligent and less conscious. 

My one good habit and my one bad habit. 

Now let us understand when habit become addiction?

When pleasure and suffering is attached to it.

Once it become an addiction, you feel helplessly drawn to it. 

How to deal with addiction life laziness/anger/inferiority, drinking, watching netflix/internet/game etc.?

Addiction is a monster to which you become slave. You become succumb to your addiction. Addictions are two kinds: Physical and Mental.

Vast majority of human being are psychologically or emotionally addiction.

Human mind is strange. It can get you addicted to negative things like anger, loneliness, anxiety. 

In order to escape these painful states to go into pleasure. Into fantasy. To escape a suffering state. But it falls back, it's a vicious circle. 

Behind every external addiction there is a suffering. Example Flirting - loneliness. This is a serious issue. 

You can change your life and others. We can all contribute to make this world a better place.

What are your emotional addictions and physical addictions? Write it down. 

One of the challenge in quitting addiction is the temptation? How can I stay centered in vision and not be driven by the temptation of the world?

This is an ancient problem, we get hooked on, the current civilization too . There is limited territory and each one want to use it to themselves, and only way this can be done is by making you addictive, unthinking. This is the problem with our current civilization. Go deeper. Learn to look into impact and experience. Think, ask, enquire. Are you the cause?

Being addicted to productivity and success; to lazyness and inertia. How can we come out of it, without damage?

Is it true, once an addict always an addict? Know what it means to let go and be free of emotions. Live in the present. Once your brain is flooded with the nectar of experience /knowledge, you can live in consciousness . The spiritual bliss is the greatest cure. Become enlightened. Have a consciousness that is awake. That should be your passion. Towards this vision we have door of Thapas or door of oneness. 

Two of the biggest problem is addiction to fast food and social media, how to stop this?

If any of you have stuck on the verge of bad habit , 

1) Hold a spiritual vision for well being, value yourself, passionately seek enlightenment - bring attention to the suffering 

11) Go behind living in selfish consciousness. One who cares, succumbing to addiction will be difficult.

 111)  Be connected to the world around you.  

1V) Freedom is not a one day, or one week affair. Elevate yourself. Think of this journey as ongoing. Approach freedom with passion, and work towards uplifting yourself. 

How many of you really want this world to be a better place?

How many of you are willing to take a step to make this world a better place? 

We have to sow seeds, make people conscious. 

Become Bliss! Sow seeds of enlightenment and liberalisation. 

Encourage others! Do your part!

Ask for liberation from any negative habit or addiction, your are grappling with. Hold your awareness at the heart. Breath in and Breath out. Gently. 

Gratitude to Sri Krishnaji for the Blessings received. 

Email: OCM@ekam.org

The Family Man

Created, directed and produced by Raj Nidimoru and Krishna D.K. who also co-wrote the story and screenplay with Suman Kumar, and dialogues were penned by Sumit Arora and Suman Kumar, The Family Man is an Indian espionage action thriller streaming television series on Amazon Prime Video. The series features Manoj Bajpayee as Srikant Tiwari, a middle-class man secretly working as an intelligence officer for the Threat Analysis and Surveillance Cell (TASC), a fictitious branch of the National Investigation Agency. It also stars Priyamani, Sharad Kelkar, Neeraj Madhav, Sharib Hashmi, Dalip Tahil, Sunny Hinduja and Shreya Dhanwanthary. The Family Man drama  unfolded in Mumbai, Delhi, and Kashmir. 

1) "The Family Man": The Indian Coast Guard captures three ISIS terrorists in Arabian Sea near Kochi. Force One is tasked to handle the transportation of these personnel under TASC supervision. Meanwhile, Dhriti, daughter of Srikant Tiwari (Manoj) who works for TASC, is on the brink of suspension from school for her activities. The ISIS personnel tries to escape in Mumbai which results in a shooting by Force One. Srikant convinces Moosa, one of the ISIS operatives to surrender. Meanwhile, in Pakistan, Major Sameer is planning a mission in India to force India into taking military action. One of the ISIS militant plants a scooter bomb and is considered by Sameer for Mission Zulfiqar.

2) "Sleepers": The bomb planted by ISIS militants in the scooter near Black Horse (Kaala Goda) statue explodes even after the security forces try to defuse it. Pressure increases to find the bomber. Chief analysts of T.A.S.C receive information about three gaming engineers who are linked with ISIS. Srikant plans to arrest them. After arresting them at their company, on interrogation they mention a dropbox and strongly suspect it is a student in Victoria College but they reveal that they have never met him face to face.

3) "The Anti-National": Under the instructions of T.A.S.C., local police monitors the dropbox. Meanwhile, in college, Karim is contacted by ISIS for a mission. In Pakistan, Major Sameer plans to misguide the intelligence of India to throw them off their trail. Karim, at Victoria College, picks up a message from the dropbox and hence falls in the radar of T.A.S.C. T.A.S.C sets up surveillance at Karim's room and finds that he is planning something with a floor plan and guest list. However, Karim has his suspicions that he is being watched and gives T.A.S.C the slip. Karim with two of his friends are shown preparing a van to get into a party. T.A.S.C scrambles to find his location otherwise they will have to evacuate the market.

4) "Patriots": Srikant suspects that his wife is having an affair with Arvind, whereas Suchitra is just meeting Arvind for a new job offer. However, Srikant traces her phone and confronts her at the hotel, where Suchitra and Arvind are just having drinks. T.A.S.C is meanwhile able to hack into Karim's hard drive and they figure out the location of the strike. On night of attack by him, Karim and his friends run into the road blocks set up by T.A.S.C. One of Karim's friend starts shooting and hence all three are shot down in the return fire. T.A.S.C finds out that their plan was to just feed beef to the guests in the party and not to bomb the place. Srikant reaches home drunk and accuses Suchitra of having an affair. Karim and his friends are branded as terrorists to save T.A.S.C's face. In the last scene, it is shown that the actual person responsible for the scooter bombing is, in fact, Sajid, also a student from Victoria College, who has just been released from jail after a rough interrogation.

5) "Pariah": Sajid meets with ISIS agents who tell him that they have bigger plans for him and Karim was sacrificed to protect his identity. Srikant is under investigation and during interrogation assumes all the blame on himself. Guilt ridden, Srikant visits Karim's girlfriend Jonali and tells her that Karim is not a terrorist. On the other hand, Moosa seduces nurse Mary to meet his ends. He is able to make a call using Mary's cellphone and informs ISIS militants that he will escape from hospital in 2-3 days. In the middle of having sex with Mary, he leaves his hospital room to see Asif. There Moosa kills Asif by injecting Potassium into his blood. Sajid's next task is to go to Srinagar for Mission Zulfiqar. Meanwhile, Srikant is temporarily transferred to Srinagar as punishment. He and Suchitra are still not on speaking terms. When Srikant reaches Srinagar, Kulkarni then tells him that there is a reason for his transfer as they received intel from R&AW about a key terrorist sleeper agent coming to Srinagar.

6)"Dance of Death": In flashback, it is shown that Moosa is one of Faizan's top ISIS agent and he had orchestrated a terrorist attack in Istanbul in which he killed 270 people with nerve gas. Major Sameer recruits him for Mission Zulfiqar. At present nurse Mary is scared when she learns about Asif's death but does not reveal the truth to T.A.S.C or any other authorities. Asif's death is attributed to cardiac arrest and the security force is substantially reduced in the hospital while Pasha is suspended. Meanwhile, Srikant flirts with his current CO, Saloni Bhatt, who is coincidentally also his ex-girlfriend. The team at Srinagar is tracking Basharat who supervises every terrorist activity in Kashmir. Srikant has his doubts that Moosa is Al Qatil and asks Talpade and Pasha to rush to the hospital. At the hospital, Jayesh, Zoya and Milind are guarding Moosa, when four armed men attack the hospital in order to free Al Qatil (Moosa). In the fighting that ensues, Jayesh and Pasha are killed along with the four attackers. During the ensuing firefight in hospital, Moosa is able to escape from the hospital but only after brutally murdering Mary with a surgical knife and leaving a trail of bodies behind him.

7) "Paradise": As the news of the attack at hospital spreads, T.A.S.C. faces criticism and investigation. Suchitra goes to help Arvind when his daughter falls sick. In Srinagar, Sajid gets impatient and demands a call with Faizan. Meanwhile, the Indian security forces team gets the intel that Basharat is attending a wedding in Baramulla; however, the residents of Baramulla recognize themselves as Pakistanis and the army cannot enter that area without upsetting the status quo. Basharat attends the wedding to meet Sajid and to get him in touch with Faizan. Srikant, being anxious, enters the wedding in disguise and recognizes Sajid as one of the suspects arrested by Mumbai police. But Srikant continues to pursue Sajid ignoring the warning and orders from Saloni and Major Vikram. Srikant's impulsive actions causes the army to lose Basharat's trail and Sajid easily escapes in Baramulla with support from the locals.

8) "Act of War": Faizan is captured in Pakistan in a operation by U.S. forces. Srikant enters Balochistan with the help of an undercover R&AW agent. They extract information out of Faizan posing as agents from the ISI, appealing to his patriotism towards Pakistan. It is found that the terrorists are planning to release a nerve gas in New Delhi. The gas has been smuggled into Kashmir over time and is now being transported to Delhi. Sajid is supposed to transport the nerve gas and build the bomb together with Moosa. The PM of India is alerted about this plan. Suchitra goes to Lonawala for a conference and impresses the VCs. Dhriti being home alone goes to a late night party at her friend's house and Atharv finds Srikant's revolver in the locked room; being curious, he starts playing with it, but puts it under the pillow, when Dhriti comes home.

9) "Fighting Dirty": Some officials of T.A.S.C accidentally send an SMS to Jonali from Karim's phone. This make Jonali curious and she goes on a search for Karim's body-cam which is hidden in an abandoned car. Pakistan's PM makes a deal with General Ansari and General Ansari abandons Mission Zulfiqar. Major Sameer is arrested by 1/11 infantry of Pakistan army and provides the details of the nerve gas attack when he finds out about General Ansari's deal, but is able to warn Basharat, who catches up with Sajid and warns him but the Indian army is able to procure all the nerve gas canisters and Basharat dies in a cross-fire. Moosa is planning another attack by blackmailing a chemical engineer, Vaibhav, in New Delhi. Sajid meets with Moosa in New Delhi where Moosa informs him that there is a plan B for Mission Zulfiqar.

10) "The Bomb": T.A.S.C. realizes that Mission Zulfiqar is not over. Moosa's plan is to recreate the Bhopal Gas Tragedy in New Delhi. Sajid blackmails Vaibhav to gain entry into Orion chemical plant. Moosa's men commandeer a water tank which Moosa uses as a reagent for the toxic reaction. Moosa and Sajid get into the chemical plant and Moosa kills Vaibhav. Moosa sets up the plant to spew toxic gases which will kill everyone in Delhi within 2 hours. Zoya and Milind enter the chemical plant and end up in a cross-fire with Moosa's men disguised as security guards. Srikant meets Moosa's mother in Delhi and releases a video in the news in which Moosa's mother appeals to him to surrender. Moosa changes his mind and decides to stop the toxic gas from leaking but Sajid disagrees and kills Moosa. Srikant and Talpede again prematurely celebrate their victory when they find Moosa's dead body. Meanwhile, Zoya and Milind are pinned in the cross-fire and are unable to reach Srikant. In the last scene, it is shown that the pressure has reached the critical limit and the toxic gases have started leaking while Zoya cries in desperation. Suddenly, one of the containers bursts open after reaching the critical pressure, and the show ends on a cliffhanger.

While season 1 kept me wondering, how and who is The Family Man, the second season began with an answer to it.   The Family Man season 2 stars Manoj Bajpayee, Sharad Kelkar, Priyamani and Sharib Hashmi reprising their roles from the first season while Samantha Akkineni has also been roped in for a pivotal role. This marks Samantha’s debut in a web series. Several Tamil actors including Mime Gopi, Ravindra Vijay, Devadarshini Chetan, Anandsami, and N Alagamperumal also play important roles in the web series. Amazing characters, well played.  In the second season, the story was set in Chennai, London, Mumbai, and Delhi.

Uday Mahesh (Chellam) is one we all loved.  He’s the most cautious person in the country; he carries multiple phones and even knows how to smartly discard SIM cards once the job is done. And he’s an encyclopaedia of information and data that helps JK successfully finish the operation. One wonders how his earlier days at TASC must be. Who all are there in the family? Did he have to face some really unpleasant experiences that made him so cautious? If any character from The Family Man universe deserves spin off series, then it has to be the mysterious Chellam hands down!

Devadarshini Chetan (Umayal) She is tough and hot-tempered and that’s evident when she throws away JK’s phone in the water. But when she realizes about JK’s real identity, she goes out of her way and even offers to pay for his new mobile phone. And her coolness comes to the fore when she asks JK to prepare a larger peg of whiskey and even admits nonchalantly that she won’t mind a cigarette. Raji overpowered her badly but one can’t take away the fact that she gave her best shot.

Ravindra Vijay (Muthu Pandian) He is likeable from the first scene especially when he taunts JK without him knowing about it. He also has issues with the stereotyping of people belonging to the South of India. But he’s friendly, he’s brave and he’s always there for his colleagues and the country at large.

Late Asif Basra (Counselor) He raises a lot of laughs with the way he would rattle off quotes. He’s so angry with Srikant’s behaviour that he tells the receptionist to charge him Rs. 5000 instead of Rs. 3000. He also forces his patients to buy a book which is said to be complimentary but is actually sold to them at a discounted price! However, towards the end, he wins hearts when he makes an important statement that truth does not always set one free. One really feels sad that such a fine actor had to end his life and is not alive to see how much people are raving about his performance.

Dhriti (Ashlesha Thakur) She was present even in Season 1 as the rebellious daughter of Srikant and Suchi. In her quest to continue with her cool attitude, she gets into a relationship with Kalyan (Abhay Verma). One thing leads to another and she gets kidnapped. At this juncture, the manner in which she eliminates Kalyan aka Salman and even saves herself from Sajid (Shahab Ali) while locking herself in the room was brave. Dhriti proves she has her father’s genes and can make for a great agent in the future!

Deepan (N Alagamperumal)He is the voice of sanity among the Tamil rebels. He stresses on dialogue rather than violence and even helps the agencies in locating Bhaskaran (Mime Gopi). It is his Gandhian approach that makes him really awesome.

Seema Biswas (Basu)She essays the part of the Prime Minister of India and is shown to be stubborn and adamant. There’s clear intel that she can lose her life if she goes ahead with the meeting with the Sri Lankan Prime Minister in Chennai. Yet, the way she decides to take the risk makes her a hero of sorts.

Corporate Life = Screen, Chair, Printer, Coffee Machine, Celebration, Dining in fancy expensive restaurants  AND 'Don't be a MINiMUM guy'; the five letter mantra - definition of minimum is defined by respective bosses 

The Family Man is returning soon with its third season.  The new season rolled out on Amazon Prime Video revived many twists and turns from the first season. A source close to the development informed the portal that Srikant Tiwari, JK, and his colleagues will reunite again on a new mission. According to the post-credit scenes of season 2, the upcoming one will be set in the Covid times. The report further revealed that Srikant will not be fighting with the invisible virus, but he will be tackling the Chinese troops.  The makers might be looking forward to the North Eastern belt of India for the major part of season 3. It will reportedly be set in Nagaland alongside Kolkata, Mumbai, and Delhi.

Covid Toll Continue

Got up to the message, our colleague Praveen passed away. It could be one death for data - but he was a son, a husband, a brother,  a colleague, a friend, a cousin, so many relationships. So untimely. Very ambitious person. Just married, constructed his own house, and was planning to move in next month. It had been less than three years since they got married.  

This was soon after the message that Mili's husband passed away. Both she and had husband had tested positive a month before and where in hospital. She got discharged and her husband was out of ICU.  They celebrated their 12th wedding anniversary over phone. 

When she had got discharged she had posted a message in FB saying:

"I am a person who strongly believe in the power of good vibes and prayers. So, anytime I'm in trouble, I'm always too vocal about it as I know the love, positive vibes, encouragement, suggestions from my friends would give me strength to fight back with my current situation, no matter wherever they are on this planet. 

May 1st, I tested positive of covid along with my husband. He had serious symptoms n I got busy taking care of him unaware that it would catch up on me soon. I ensured to buy an oximeter the same day as I had foreseen a good part of it coming, husband had got hospitalized with severe condition n was in ICU for 4 days. He's still in hospital recovering. It hits you when you are least expecting, on 8th day my oxygen saturation levels dropped n I had breathlessness. 

From day 1, our own angel Dr. Dhanya Sukumaran , my cousin kept monitoring our condition from another country n her timely instructions saved us both. We used to take utmost precautions but you never know until it hits you. My son had no symptoms n thanks to awesome media coverage all around, the 11year old thought that we will be dead soon. Now, that's where it breaks you emotionally when you are helpless. It took my family to connect him on Google meet to convince him that we will live. Tough days my apartment friends n authorities were of great support getting us provisions n food for my child. 

8th May, I had breathlessness, my feable voice message was enough for Dhanya to know it's time, I made n number of calls to all concerned to have an ambulance to reach hospital ASAP. Left son alone at home, who was later taken home by my brother. 

Lucky to be in Kerala in a situation like this, ambulance service was prompt, medical help I got the moment I reached hospital was excellent. Throughout the way I had health inspectors, doctors, counselors calling me up to check on me n asking me to stay awake. In hospital, saw the angels in PPE kits tirelessly catering to patients rushing in left right center. For once n many times I felt their height of discomforts faced to save lives n that too with so much patience. I saw them dripping in sweat inside their PPE n still being so nice n cordial to all patients. Those things are not a great thing to be inside though it is for their own safety. But for once what we all as a service back to all front line workers n medicos cud do is do our best to stay safe, respect their work, show them love and gratitude. Value the only life we have and stay safe. 

........

Adding about getting favors in most unexpected ways, toothpaste n food shared by the uncle in adjacent bed. A good samaritan, a person I don't even know identity, got me besdsheets, fruits, water n juice. All arranged by Dhanya. An ex-colleague who arranged for my urgent meds via panchayat as I couldn't get hold of it due to strict lockdown. An aunty in the ward made tea for all every morning. They all had their own share of horrors but we stayed together strong.

Yes I'm overwhelmed with all the love showered n know that I'll be always there for you. 

This is the only life I have got, I got a second chance n there is no way I'm going to take it for granted. I owe you all for my sweet life. 

Thank you one and all... 

Stat safe, be blessed.. Love you all 💕🙏

Ankur Bhatia, the Executive Director of Bird Group, passed away today morning after a massive cardiac arrest. He was 48. Bhatia is credited to have brought the Amadeus brand to the Indian sub-continent in 1994, which today provides travel technology for travel agents and airlines. Amadeus celebrated 25 successful years of operations in India in 2019. Well many have been dying, why mention about this? Ankur Bhatia, the owner of Indigo airlines, IBIS hotel and Roseate Hotel, of 1990 batch of Modern School Vasant Vihar passed away today at the age of 48 due to a sudden cardiac arrest as he was on a cycle ride today morning. He had just recovered from COVID-19 a few weeks back. 

This is a grim reminder to not overdo things till 3 months after full recovery. Bhatia is survived by his wife Smriti Bhatia, who is an architect, and his two kids- Arnav and Saina.

https://travel.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/aviation/domestic/ankur-bhatia-is-no-more/83228867

And as we end the day, there is a news that Gigeesh friend was feeling unwell, went to hospital at around 5 pm, got antigen test done which turned out to be positive, and by 7.30 there is phone call, he passed away. 

Aa Gale Lag Ja

Aa Gale Lag Jaa (transl. Come, embrace me) is a 1973 Hindi romantic film directed by Manmohan Desai, based on a story by Smt. Jeevanprabha M. Desai. It stars Shashi Kapoor, Sharmila Tagore and Shatrughan Sinha. 

Preeti (Sharmila Tagore) is a young medico living in Mumbai along with her widower father, Heerachand (Om Prakash). On a holiday to Simla, she meets a young man Prem (Shashi Kapoor), an amateur skater. The pair reminds me of Kashmir Khi Khali - ever green.  He teases her initially but later falls for her. After some wooing, Preeti also reciprocates his feelings. During a trip to the hills, Preeti meets with an accident and loses consciousness. To save her from hypothermia, he gets close with her and one thing leads to another and become intimate.

Immediately after, Prem tells her that he got close only to save her and proposes to her. She gladly accepts and directs him to her father. Her father, Heerachand doesn't want her daughter to marry him and offers him money to leave her. Prem doesn't agree and leaves a letter for Preeti at her hospital explaining everything and asking her to come with him. But Heerachand meddles with the letter and rewrites it as if Prem was asking money to marry her. Preeti becomes surprised and decides to forget him and leaves for Bombay.

There, she gets engaged with Dr. Amar (Shatrughan Sinha), her long-term friend and admirer. He leaves for Germany for higher studies and then Preeti comes to know about her pregnancy. Her father wants to abort the child, but she doesn't agree, at last, they decide to go to Khandala to give birth. She goes there and unbeknownst to her, Prem stays there along with his mother. Preeti gives birth to a healthy boy there. Knowing that Prem requests to take the child for himself. Heerachand agrees and gives him the child. Preeti is told that the baby was stillborn. She mourns and comes back to Bombay.

Prem comes to Bombay along with his son and starts a career as a skating teacher. His son Rahul can't walk due to a polio attack. After years, Prem again meets Preeti in a function. She thinks that Prem got married and had a son. In that function, Amar announces that he wouldn't marry till he makes Rahul walk. He starts treating Rahul and meanwhile Preeti grows attached to Rahul without knowing that he is her son. She tries to talk to Prem, who then knows the truth that Heerachand changed his letter. But he keeps mum for the sake of Amar.

Amar comes to know the truth about Preeti and Prem and gets emotionally troubled. He succeeds in making Rahul walk though. Prem gets mortally injured while saving Tikki (Amar's sister) from goons. He gives Rahul his wallet before going for surgery saying that his mother's photo is in there. Preeti sees it and questions her father about her child. He confesses that he hid the truth from her and Rahul was her son. Amar saves Prem and everybody reconciles. Preeti and Prem marry and stay happy with their son.

The songs of this movie were composed by legendary music composer Rahul Dev Burman and the lyrics were penned by Sahir Ludhianvi. The songs of this movie are popular till today, especially "Vaada Karo" and "Tera Mujhse Hai Pehle Ka Nata Koi" are remembered till this day, the other one is "Na Koi Dil Mein Samaya".

It was the song, that took me to the movie.

The 2021 International Booker Prize

 

At Night All Blood is Black was chosen from a shortlist of six books during a lengthy and rigorous judging process, by a panel of five judges, chaired by Lucy Hughes-Hallett, cultural historian and novelist. The panel also included: journalist and writer Aida Edemariam; Man Booker shortlisted novelist, Neel Mukherjee; Professor of the History of Slavery, Olivette Otele; and poet, translator and biographer, George Szirtes.

https://fb.watch/5UI1rsddCD/

It was nice listening to it live, for the third consecutive year. 

At Night All Blood is Black portrays a young man's descent into madness and tells the little-heard story of the Senegalese who fought for France on the Western Front during World War I. After his best friend is mortally wounded in combat, Alfa, the protagonist, is alone amidst the savagery of the trenches, far from all he knows and cherishes. He throws himself into fighting with renewed vigour, but soon begins to frighten even his own comrades. 

"I always tell people that if they want to know about the history of a country, do not go to the history books, go to the fiction. Fiction is not fiction. It is the substance and heartbeat of a people’s life, here, now, and in the past."

– Chenjerai Hove

Thanks to my bibliotherapist- The lonesome reader; Eric Carl Anderson for keeping us updated and engrossed.  

Booker International Prize Shortlist & purchase links: At Night All Blood is Black by David Diop (translated by Anna Mocscovakis) https://tidd.ly/3syhLIS The Dangers of Smoking in Bed by Mariana Enriquez (translated by Megan McDowell) https://tidd.ly/3dcXiTv When We Cease to Understand the World by Benjamin Labatut (translated by Adrian Nathan West) https://tidd.ly/39jYN15 The Employees by Olga Ravn (translated by Martin Aitken) https://tidd.ly/3foqidu In Memory of Memory by Maria Stepanova (translated by Sasha Dugdale) https://tidd.ly/31sXlFf The War of the Poor by Eric Vuillard (translated by Mark Polizzotti) https://tidd.ly/2QMMpAi Reviews of the six books shortlisted: At Night All Blood is Black by David Diop https://lonesomereader.com/blog/2021/... The Dangers of Smoking in Bed by Mariana Enriquez https://lonesomereader.com/blog/2021/... When We Cease to Understand the World by Benjamin Labatut https://lonesomereader.com/blog/2021/... The Employees by Olga Ravn https://lonesomereader.com/blog/2021/... In Memory of Memory by Maria Stepanova https://lonesomereader.com/blog/2021/... The War of the Poor by Eric Vuillard https://lonesomereader.com/blog/2021/... Also please read: Minor Detail by Adania Shibli (translated by Elisabeth Jaquette) https://lonesomereader.com/blog/2020/... Review of last year's winner: The Discomfort of Evening by Marieke Lucas Rijneveld https://lonesomereader.com/blog/2020/... -------------------- Get in touch Book Blog: http://lonesomereader.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/lonesomereader Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lonesomerea... Facebook: http://tinyurl.com/hfkkhus Goodreads: http://tinyurl.com/h8uus5t LetterBoxd: https://letterboxd.com/lonesomereader/ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lonesomereader Email: lonesomereader@gmail.com