Sunday means going easy on life, chores and dreams. It means relaxing, rejuvenating and indulging in a bit of reading. From the IANS bookshelf this week, we pick up light and breezy writings that are not too heavy but good enough to take you into the world of romance and arranged marriages!
1. Book: Hitched: The Modern Woman and Arranged Marriage; Author: Nandini Krishnan; Published by: Random House India; Price: 299; Pages: 256
If you are an Indian woman and old enough to legally bear children, chances are that an overweight relative has asked you, while fondly stroking a pot belly: "When am I going to eat at your wedding?"
The modern Indian woman's attitude to marriage, and especially to arranged marriage, is a confused one. As traditional matchmaking methods and internet chat rooms come together to build matrimonial websites, our parameters have changed, but the time-honoured practice of arranged marriage abides.
The novel explores the considerations marriage should involve and the issues that can crop up at different stages of an arranged marriage. A cross-section of women - those who married young, married late, married the first man their parents parked before them, or married out of caste in an arranged setup - open up about experiences ranging from the frightening to the hilarious and the awe-inspiring.
2.Book: Wise Enough To Be Foolish; Author: Gauri Jayaram; Published by: Jaico; Price: Rs. 255; Pages: 205
This novel is a fictionalised memoir that traces the journey of an Indian girl's life, with all its challenges and delightful surprises, as she blossoms from an insecure child into a confident young woman. This roller-coaster ride of adventure, laughter and heartache, as she balances her love life with her struggle for independence, will keep you guessing - What rules will she break now? How far will she go to find herself?
3. Book: House of Cards; Author: Sudha Murty; Published by: Penguin; Price: Rs. 250; Pages: 232
This is the story of Mridula, a bright young woman with enormous enthusiasm for life who hails from a Karnataka village. A chance meeting with Sanjay, a talented but impoverished doctor, leads to love - and the couple marry and settle in Bangalore.
The more Mridula sees of the world, the more she realises how selfish and materialistic people can be. But she doesn't take the ups and downs of life to heart, and lives each day with positive energy. Trouble brews when Sanjay quits his government job and starts an immensely successful private practice. With affluence comes the never-ending ambition for more, and the inevitable slide into corrupt practices. For a long time, Mridula has no idea that Sanjay has sold his soul. When the truth hits her, she has no recourse but to walk out on him. But can she really find a space of her own?
4. Book: The Corner Office; Author: Ashutosh Garg; Published by: Rupa; Price: Rs. 195; Pages: 196
In 1980, Rahul, Raj, Iqbal, Sangeeta and Anita get their first jobs at a large multinational alcohol-manufacturing company, Trust Corporation. Over the next three decades, they go through ups and downs in their personal and professional lives as they race one another to the top. However, through all of this, their goal remains unchanged - each of them wants to become the chairman and enter the fabled corner office. But at what cost?
Is the dream worth the sacrifices they make? In the quest for money and supremacy, will they compromise their ethics and principles? Will their families and friends stand by them or get left behind? The novel showcases the journey of every enterprising player in the cut-throat corporate arena, and the consequences of ruthless ambition.
