SlishaCrazy

Not the song, but the book by Haruki Murakami It does however, get its title from the song that the protagonists in the book loved. I can't say whether I like it or I don't. I can see why it makes a beautiful movie. It can be pictured in some setting of natural beauty in the snow and in the mountains, intertwined with the confusion of Tokyo and a sweet love story under the shadow of a tragic love story. Sometimes I would think of the book as utterly hopeless with 4 characters having committed suicide. It's depressing and I can't understand what could be haunting all these people who kill themselves for no reason as it seems. I think it should never be read by anyone under 25, or may be 35 or may be anyone. It's like the opposite of Veronica decides to die , which I think should be prescribed reading for teenagers. And then I again, I love the way the book flows in and out. It isn't the story, it isn't the writing. But it leaves you with a feeling th...

This post is overdue, written on the very day I came back. I was waiting for pics but I shall add them a few weeks later. Sitting here in London, right after St Jude and colder, darker nights after the clocks switch back, it's hard to believe I was on a beautifully sunny beach hours ago. Flights and timezones, latitudes and seasons. The world is small place today. Day 1 It is probably one of the closest airports to any city. It takes barely 18 mins by train (Renfe) from airport to Barcelona Sants. The metro has long transfers, air-conditioned coaches with doors that don't automatically open. The metro shuts at midnight every week night, later on Friday nights and never on Saturday nights. I got a T10 card that allows for 10 travels but if you are staying for longer a Hola BCN might be more useful. To figure all this out reading between Spanish and Catalan, I arrived much later than expected missing a Sandemans walking tour. So no snippets or history this time (any you see...

It started out as an annoying and boring book. I am not interested in pirates unless it's Johnny Depp dressed as one. And so it starts. Capt Charles Hunter based out of Port Royal in Jaimaca sets out on a pirate voyage calling it a privateering venture for cutting wood, to rip off a Spanish treasure ship from a Spanish strong hold, Matanceros.  The operation goes from one precipice to another. It's interesting and you get sucked in. It may get a little too much drama but its fun, all the way to the end. And at the end the epilogue is the best. The epilogue almost cons you. And it's perfect for this world of smartphones and wikipedia. Ironic isn't it, when the entire plot is based in 1660s and is written for the 21st century audience ?

One of the last sunny weekend afternoons in London, we watched The Illusionists at Apollo. We had watched Now You See Me and we wanted to watch the real deal. It wasn't as grande obviously. But it was wonderfully done.  The Mentalist opened the show with the oldest trick of all, pick a card from a pack and guessed a lot of things which he actually manipulated the audience into thinking The Trickster was funny with audience volunteers and put up an entertaining show The Escapologist escaped in time and charming with his Italian accent The Inventor made a lovely rose for a little girl and he even made her do some magic The Enchantress and the Gentleman melted solid rings through each other taken from the audience and cut her into two The Anti-Conjuror, Dan Sperry, is the best of all. He didn't say a word, fashioned himself as Marilyn Mason and brought out pigeons out of everywhere and anywhere. But he also did some really weird things like getting a thread into his ...

A short tight novel that tells you the happenings over one night. The story is written like a script and with such detail that your brain automatically starts playing a video inside your head. The camera moves back and forth in the book and in your head. The story moves in and out of reality and surrealism. In some places I had no idea where the story was going but it is still delightful to read.However, the writing style was struggling in some places and the words come out forced. It could be more to do with the translation though.

Firozsha Baag is an apartment complex in Mumbai largely occupied by the Parsi community. The stories are about some of the families living in it. Not that they are exceptionally different. They are ordinary and that's what makes it beautiful. Ordinary stories woven into each other that by the end of it, you feel they are your neighbours. I can't pick out one or another because they are all together a single entity.

It's an ordinary story of love; a rather sad brooding unsuccessful love story. But there is a beauty in it that cannot be captured here. Yet I try. It's the story of Michael and his love for Julia. A violinist and his love for a pianist who met as students of music in Vienna. But Michael walks out on his music teacher in Vienna, walking out of Vienna and out on Julia. A decade passes on in his sad brooding way but he has joined a string quartet and he is somewhat on the happy side of life. He has gotten over the happiness in his life with Julia and settled for this lesser happy life. At least he has his music, even though the violin is not his own but borrowed from a family friend. Unusual fate brings him face to face with Julia again, and unlocks the door to that little room in his heart where he had locked up his memories of a higher happiness in Vienna, in music, and in love. And they start their duet yet again. But Julia is married and is a mother of a delightful lit...