First Impression

THE incorrigible Sardarji and his women have always been a ready topic of conversation in Delhi's media and cocktail circuits. And if Khushwant Singh were to write about the many women friends he has had in his lifetime the way he writes his novels, it would certainly be on the must-read list on the party circuits. Unfortunately for those who expect an intimate glimpse into Singh's encounters with the fairer sex, his Book of Unforgettable Women offers none of the titillating accounts that he is so famous for.

Almost a sane, well recounted version of the women he has met, the circumstances of the meeting and the impact they have had on his life, Singh's book is little more than a chronicle of a lifetime of knowing and discovering people. There are, of course, references to great women like Mother Teresa but there are also encounters described which are more down to earth. Perhaps the most evocatively written piece is on his wife Kaval, who has always had a disciplinarian's reputation in Singh's otherwise chaotic life. That she ran his life for him and structured his existence he acknowledges, but even without resorting to flowery poetic language, Singh conveys instantly his youthful romance with her.

Unfortunately, none of the "unforgettable" women are fully developed. It is almost like having an aperitif before the main course.

Book of Unforgettable Women, Khushwant Singh, Penguin, Rs. 250.

VASTU or feng shui? A dilemma that a lot of people find themselves suddenly faced with. Over the last few years there has been a sudden and tremendous interest in the science of vastu shastra. After staying in a particular house for years, urban dwellers suddenly discover that a house is not auspicious anymore. A vastu consultant is called in and changes are ordered. Unlike its Chinese counterpart feng shui, the science of vastu insists on large scale changes being made in existing buildings. According to vastu, each dwelling unit is a mass of energy forces and if these are not channelled in the right direction, the occupants can come to harm. Vastu as an ancient practice had lost much of its importance with modernisation. But now consultants have sprung up all over.

Unfortunately what most people do not realise is that vastu as a science has to be practiced in a holistic fashion rather than for addressing cosmetic changes. However, even as modern city dwellers have to contend with rented houses where major changes are not possible, it seems vastu can be practiced by changing the direction of the furniture. For those interested in the basic science of vastu shastra, this book is a treasurehouse of information

Vastu - Relevance to Modern Times, B. Niranjan Babu, UBS Publishers, Rs. 195.

DESPITE the fact that it is the number one killer disease of modern times, few people understand the risks involved in heart disease or the factors that lead to it. Though most of us may be familiar with buzzwords like "cholesterol", "coronary artery" and "bypass surgery", often we lack a detailed understanding of these terms. Such an ignorance can sometimes be fatal. Take it to Heart is a complete guide to "preventing and treating heart disease", as the blurb says. What it does is try and educate people to reduce the odds against them suffering from heart diseases. The book, written for the lay person by a cardiologist, outlines risk factors, ways to lower cholesterol, which foods to avoid, but most of all on how to quit smoking.

Almost a sequel to this book is an encyclopaedic guide to heart ailments. It outlines all the causes that can lead to a heart attack, ways of spotting them, drug-related therapies and also non-drug-related therapies. It is amazing how little people pay attention to common everyday symptoms that can foretell if one is headed for heart trouble. The book attempts to not only address this problem but also to guide people into management related activities that can either prevent an attack or help those already suffering, better their lifestyle and health. Definitely a book that forty-year-olds and smokers must acquire.

Take it to Heart, Dr. Rob Myers, Macmillan, Rs. 150.

Heart Trouble Encyclopaedia, Gabriel Khan and Henry J. L. Marriott, Macmillan, Rs. 240.

THIS is a typical masala short story. A young man, big on dreams, wheels himself into the great city of Mumbai. A city which has a vice-like grip on its people, from which few can leave. But Chetan Grover has big plans. And even as he dreams, life finally opens its floodgates to him, in the shape of a beautiful and sophisticated woman, Anu. She is a paradox who finally becomes his paramour. And then, true to hard boiled images of women who are city slickers, she dumps Grover in favour of a man twice his age but with lots of money. A run of the mill, self-published novel.

Bombay Wallah, Shiv Sharma, Minerva Press, Rs. 160.

SUCHITRA BEHAL

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Features
Previous : A dream come true
Next     : Watered-down tale