Adi

The title of the book is just a clever ploy to dangle a carrot (so to speak) to shoppers. It's a clickbait of sorts. And I'm glad I bought it.

The master of storytelling - Neil Gaiman, who along with two fabulous twins illustrators - Fabio Moon & Gabriel Ba, - have created a fascinating story unlike any other. The book measures a mere 61 pages, but Gaiman and the twin brothers have squeezed the entire universe into a focal story about what it means to be human.

Most people are familiar with Gaiman's storytelling and his affiliation to the science fiction genre. Gaiman is also a master in fusing two different universes into one. If you read his short story - A Study in Emerald, in which he meshed Cthulhu and Sherlock Holmes into a ‘whodunit' - you will love this one. By infusing science fiction elements to a plot where two guys are simply looking to get laid, Gaiman has notched up his storytelling to another level. The story is about two friends – a thin doofus (who can't bring himself to talk to girls) and a muscular alpha-male (whose track record with women is like no other) – attending a party where things begin to get interesting (and very very weird!). I won't say anything more because you must read this!

Fabio Moon and Gabriel Ba (of the ‘Daytripper' fame; if you haven't read this I highly recommend it) have outdone themselves, with each panel in the book a joy to behold. Superb watercolour strokes and innovative use of orange & red palettes to convey the essence of Gaiman's story, characters and its world merits close attention and appreciation. On the outset, their style may look simplistic but it is very hard to pull it off. Kudos!

This book is unlike any other. It comes at a rather steep price for just 64 pages, but it is worth it. I'm glad I bought and it is another worthy addition to my graphic novel collection.

I bought this book with great expectations because it's about squash, a sport I happen to play and love in equal measure. Yet it was a total let down.

This book is very shoddily edited. It felt like a series of blog-posts strung together to form a book. It felt very uneven and the disjointed time-frame left me confused at times. Many a times, the author veered into an off-tangential rant on random stuff which was exhausting to be honest. Overall, the writing felt extremely dry and very repetitive at times, especially when it came to descriptions of his matches.

Yet, this is probably the best squash book out there. There are nuggets to learn when it comes down to the sport and its nuances - ghosting, warm up techniques, injury prevention - are all great and solid pieces of advice that any weekend squash player would appreciate. The mental aspects of the sport is also explored in detail. It does give perspective to how hard the sport is and how professional squash players approach it.

I only wished the author highlighted more of his relationship with his girlfriend. He does, however, open up about his tenacious relationship with his father and also pours out his heart when it comes to his late mother, which shows his softer side.

The book is devoid of drama, humour and colour, which could have elevated this otherwise staid book on squash onto something else.

Needless to say, if you're a squash fan - do pick it up - but expect it to be a sort of ‘boring' read. Otherwise, give it a pass.

If I had to pick one book that accurately depicts what it's like to be lonely it's Summer Blonde. I bought this book in the mid 2000s, being my first Adrian Tomine purchase, and I'd bought nearly every book of his since. His stories are relatable on many levels, but mostly touches upon loneliness, ennui, and general lack of direction in life. All of us have experienced these feelings at some point in our lives if not throughout. To be able to do this with few words and in graphic form is no small feat.

If you're into comics and graphic novel, this deserves to be in the collection. Even if you aren't, just pick it up and read it. Don't argue. Just do it.

Optional: drink hard alcohol while reading the book for maximum effect.

Of course, everyone wants to get rich. Who doesn't?

This book contains a bunch of ‘axioms' or maxims on risk management (aka speculation). I first read this book 17 years ago. In my 17+ years of experience as an investor and casual punter, I've relied on books, experience, and several sleepless nights to get to where I am today. I read this book again. I can say I'm glad I read it before starting out as an investor. And I'm glad I read it again. You bet I will read it again. And again.

For anyone starting out in the world of financial markets, it pays to read a few good books, and this book ought to be in the top of your list. Even if you do read it, expect to make many mistakes. The book gives you clarity on what to expect and how to go about it. As simplistic as the axioms may sound they aren't easy to execute. Remember, experience is your best teacher.

Recommended for both new and experienced investors alike.

I love interviews, especially of less well-known personalities and their craft. If you are into cooking (particularly non-vegeterian) then this book is for you (I cook a lot BTW). There's a lot to learn after you read about many of the chefs and how they hone their craft. It isn't just about cooking but, particularly, how restaurants are run – from staffing to skilling the staff to setting the menu & pricing. It gives readers a voyeuristic view of the kitchen and what goes on there.

If there's one very important thing I learnt it is this – restaurant is brutal business, and not for the faint of the heart. But if you have any aspirations to run one, or become a chef, then pick up this book to learn the nuggets that goes into building a successful establishment. And oh, one of the chefs in the book found love in the kitchen :-)

I wished I could give this book four or five stars, but given it three instead because not much was written about vegeterian cuisine and most of the recipes were non-veg and very British (which is kind of boring, to be honest). Yet, I plan to visit one of these establishments if I ever find myself in the UK.

The comic form remains the most under-appreciated form of storytelling. As one saying goes – a picture is worth 1000 words, and comic panels are no exception. Human desire is too complex to be distilled into words and the best way to express this is through the comic form. This book is about infidelity. I'll stop here. It's very short though and can be completed within 15-20 minutes. I'm afraid the sticker price doesn't quite justify the length.

Here's the thing about flying: it's statistically safer than road transport.

Taking off is somewhat tricky as is landing, but the author chose landing because there are a lot more moving parts involved while landing a plane. This is a super fascinating and perfect companion for aviation enthusiasts. It makes me want to read his other book which has got rave reviews. I can't wait to try this out on MS Flight Simulator 2020!

One gripe with this book: it sucks in Kindle format. The images are so tiny and illegible. Don't buy the Kindle format. Get the actual book and take it with you while flying.

Well, it's about fucking & love – Chester Brown style. I admire how graphic novelists elevate the banal into something altogether different & meaningful, in visual form. BUT this book could have been better and a little...umm...longer. WHAM, BAM, THANK YOU. Nada. A little more loving would made this book 4 stars.

This is an unvarnished take Chester Brown's teenage sexuality and his obsession with Playboy. I finished this book in one sitting and in less 30 minutes, and I must say that I have mixed thoughts. The book is rather short, even though it is more than 200 pages, with just two (sometimes one) panels per page. For this alone, I think it's unfair to pay 800 bucks for it. Secondly, there isn't much to this book. We only learn that Chester buys one Playboy after another and masturbates everytime he does this. That's all we learn from this so called “memoir”. Actually, we learn that he has a thing for big tits and blondes (Tiger Woods has company). That's it. There's virtually no plot and character development. We don't know whether his relationships are affected or not. We do not know how and whether this filthy habit affects his self esteem. Needless to say, I liked the humour. There were many panels in this book that left me chuckling, especially of those frantic moments when someone is about to find out that he just bought a copy of Playboy. The illustrations are monochromatic and well done. The ‘Notes' at the end of the book is a treat to read. Having read this, I can't wait to read ‘Paying For it', which supposedly got rave reviews.

Unless you're a comic book collector like me, don't buy this. Instead, go for the “quickie” (pardon the pun): pick it up, read it in the shop itself and put it back.

“If advertising has anything to do with real life, then sex will always have something to do with advertising”

Madvertising is a short but brilliant book on the British Advertising industry during the Thatcher Era i.e. the late 1970s and the 1980s, written by Martyn Forrester, himself an adman who quit the industry in 1985. I stumbled upon it while reading a newsletter. Even though I do not work in the advertising space, in any capacity or form, I do keep a tab of its developments in India and world over. Not only is the industry wildly different from any other, some of the advertisements are so atrociously bad that it makes easy fodder for gossip; “Did you see that shitty ad?”, “Really? Creatives get paid so much write such crap?”, “Clients actually bought that BS?”, and so on.

And I thought Indian creatives and advertisers were lousy. This book proved me wrong. Everybody in advertising are the same. If you look at some of the advertisements today, you'd wonder where the creativity comes from. Of course, creativity comes from the so called ‘creatives' which includes copywriters, film-makers, creative head and so on, which is ironic. I learnt that they practically do nothing all day except one thing which makes the world (and advertising agencies) go round and round and round. Read on.

Well, OK, they do, maybe, a little more than nothing. But what they do is unconventional from other careers: Sex, and lots of it. Sex is what drives advertising (and the world too). Admen sleep with co-workers or clients and still get away with it, without any shame. It's normal. Sex is the rite of passage in advertising, especially as a way to get to the top (no pun intended). The book offers a rare insight to how the machination involving sex works in advertising.

Again, advertising works unlike other industries in terms of expenses. The expenses are paid for by the clients, not the advertising agency. Yes, admen buy a bottle of ridiculously expensive Moet Chandon and happily guzzle down a glass, and then sleep with a secretary or co-worker – all on the clients' dime. Want to have a naughty weekend in the Bahamas? No problem. The clients will probably foot the bill or the agency will simply pass on the cost. Just make sure you choose a fancy hotel and pack plenty of condoms. I'm not sure if this practice is continued today. I won't be surprised if it is. Someone probably needs to head to Goa to do some sleuthing.

Lastly, there's a dichotomy to the way the industry functions, which is funny. In most industries, you're expected to deliver, whether it is making world class products, or making money for clients, or taking care of patients, or writing well thought out pieces for a publication. In advertising, it works the other way – clients reward for the most inane and crappy ideas. Yes, admen get paid to come up with nonsensical ideas, ideas that are so bad that they're so good (just read any slogan or watch an ad and chances are you'll enouncter a bad one). Admen are expected to travel to Mauritius, again on the clients' purse, in order to obtain an epiphany for an advertising idea, in case they are unable to come up with one.

And remember, this book talks about the 1980s Britain, the heady days of hedonism. It's far more rampant today! And the tentacles have spread to the narrowest confines of Bandra as well. And I would be surprised if it wasn't the case. I've heard salacious stories during my journalist stint in Bombay which are not too hard to believe after reading this book.

The book is an eye-opener for me because I learnt how advertising actually works. It seems, to me, that not much has changed since the 1980s. Till then, the stories I've heard about advertising were transmitted through incredulous gossip and hearsay, which were harder to believe if it came directly from the source. Not much has been written about the intricacies of the industry as a whole until I came across this one.

Mr Forrester does a brilliant job of describing the industry whilst retaining the humour. The book is ridiculously funny and insightful (I like the last part of the book, where he lists out anecdotes and first hand accounts of advertising, as well as advertising cock-ups). I like that the book is succinct and explains the whole industry with less. I wish more such books were as short (or long) as this one.

I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to know a little more about advertising. For those who are on the fence whether to take a career (this book isn't a career guide, far from it) in advertising, I can't really say whether advertising is an ideal place to work in, but if you're the hedonistic and promiscious kind, and appreciates drama and tension, then maybe advertising is for you.

(Below is a quote excerpted from the book)
OVEHEARD AT MOSCOW'S
‘Doing business with that agency is like wearing a condom. One gets a feeling of pleasure and security, whilst being screwed'

I almost never read autobiographies but this one is an exception. And I don't read much cricket. I had to read this one because a friend loved it and insisted I give it a shot. I can't say he was wrong. Also, I enjoy watching KP play because he makes the game entertaining, like Sehwag and Jayasuriya. 

I must admit that KP's book, like his batting, is one cracker of a read - very entertaining, hilarious and even insightful.

However, the book reads more as a one-sided rant than an autobiography of sorts, packed with gossip and juicy stuff. Kevin Pietersen, or KP as he is called, exposes the sorry state of English cricket and the dysfunctional system that is the ECB. He also rips apart a few select individuals and lays them out to rot in the open, because of the supposedly unfair treatment he got while he was with the English cricket team, so the book might be biased to an extent. We'll never know the truth unless the other side is read and heard. But he doesn't flinch and is brutally honest in his views, most of which makes a lot of sense. Though, I couldn't help whether he omitted one thing or the other. He does try hard and earnestly to banish his “mercenary” persona which he has been described often by the media and team-mates. And he does succeed at garnering some sympathy and even my respect.

One of the best aspects of the book is the humour, mostly sarcastic and acerbic, had me in fits and laughing out loud. The language used is easy to follow and devoid of any jargon. I like the way the words were stringed together. Very simple and yet effective.

The biggest flaw, and it does rear its ugly head not just once but many times, is the constant amount of repitition and character assasinations. Indeed, it sounds like he has sour grapes over the ignominous way he career was put to a full stop. He bashes the same guys one too many times that it starts to get boring towards the second half of the book. It's the same old thing served in a different dish. This alone costs the book two stars.

Yet, there's a lot of saucy details that makes the book unputdownable, even if the overall theme is pedantic and repetitive. I finished it in just two sittings, and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. Perhaps, the satisfaction was derived from having no expectations whatsover. After all, I detest autobiographies. But this one, even if it doesn't read like one, surprised me.

If there's one thing I learnt from reading this book it is that cricket cannot get any more dysfunctional than the English cricket. It makes even our own BCCI look like a saint! 

And I like KP even more from now.

Clean prose. Disappointing plot. Two dimensional characers. The plot & underwhelming climax is the reason the book lost three stars.

The first half of the book was decent, and then it goes downhill from Saturday onwards. The characters are vapid with no depth whatsoever. Typical millenial angst. The plot showed spark only in parts, but largely a let down.

I made a blunder of expecting fireworks all over the place, given that it's about about a rudderless writer, June, who gets invited to a famous geezer's house for a weekend retreat. You know, a lot of things could go wrong, especially when the plot has got Sugar Daddy overtones written all over. I had to wiggle all the way to the climax (no pun intended) to find out if they f***ed or not.

Overall, Erin Somers shows a lot of promise as a writer. If you're looking for a chilled out read, without any expectations whatsoever, then this book will serve your needs. You could read it in one sitting. Preferably with alcohol. You'll need it.

Minimalist panels, with bare colours, yet somehow evokes beauty. Is there beauty in being a two-dimensional lackadaisical human being?

This book has zero plot which is why I gave this book lost two stars. You can't help but feel sorry for the protagonist – a loner who kills time visiting museums. He doesn't even comes across as an affable person. For all we know, deep inside, he could very well be a douchebag and a selfish asshole who would rather wank off to renaissance nudes than get a girlfriend.

You will either feel sympathy for Hubert or simply hate his guts; most likely the latter. This comic book brilliantly captures Hubert's character.

I read this in one sitting, in 20 minutes. This is the kind of book you'd much rather read at a store than buy. Yet, I went ahead and bought it because it smells good.

What can I say about this brilliant graphic novel? I finished it in one sitting, in less than an hour (all graphic novels/comics are quick to read, usually).

Betty is a cute goblin, who mixes and cooks the most potent booze and food you can imagine. She specialises in thievery.
Dee is a sultry black acolyte and, ironically, an atheist. She specialises in healing.
Hannah is an elven, a sex fiend, and a trash talker. She specialises in offensive magic.
Violet is a blood thirsty dwarf powerful enough to slice the strongest diamond into shreds with her sword. She specialises in killing. 

Meet the Rat Queens!

And I'm totally in love with Betty! Actually, no, I want to sleep with the entire Rat Queens gang: Betty, Dee, Hannah and Violet. Damn it! They're all hot, witty and, above all, kick serious arse that would make [INSERT YOUR FAVOURITE SUPER HERO] shit their pants. No, I'm serious! The Rat Queens are my favourite super heroes.

I love their brand of humour – very colourfully profane, sarcastic and raunchy. There's even a subtle dig at Harry Potter (sort of), where the Rat Queens sing a song while they're drunk, that had me laughing out loud. This graphic novel has all the elements of great fantasy: violence, blood & gore, booze, profanity, humour, friendship, rollicking adventures and monster slaying. And sex. 

The characters are fully fleshed out, each of whom has a back story. This makes you care for them and want to know them more. They even openly talk about drugs, sex, men (and women), and bitch & celebrate in equal measure. They have needs, just like us human beings, and therefore people you could hang out and make out with. In other words, they are relatable characters. 

And oh, did I mention that the violence is intense, excessive, over-the-top which makes the gore in other graphic novels tame by comparison? You may want to read this book before a meal. There, I've warned you. But it's totally worth it.

If you liked Game of Thrones, you will love this even better. Go and buy one right now! 
If you're fond of Dungeons & Dragons, role-playing games (RPGs) and Lord of the Rings, then you need pick this one up. 
If you're a woman, then picking this up will make you wet with glee. 
If you're a man, then put aside your male ego and pride and pick this up to enjoy kickass women slay monsters that will make you rock hard.

I can't wait for the next installment! Go Rat Queens!

It's a well known joke that men love golf more than women. In fact, golf is THE first love for many. There are countless email/Whatsapp/Facebook memes, jokes, & innuendos about golf. For example, we would rather use the shaft than our right hands; we would play 18 different holes than the one at home; a threesome is more fun than a twosome; and so on. Golfers would rather walk 5 hours under the blazing sun, to get knackered, just to waffle a small white ball into a hole over the scorched earth. It's true. Golf is an addictive sport. In fact, some might even say it's a form of pleasure in the same vein as heroin or sex. It hooks you and never lets you escape. If at all, golf is a form of escapism from the real world. It's true.

And that explains why US President Donald Trump loves golf. His businesses have gone bankrupt. His presidency seemingly going from one crisis to another. So what does he do? He golfs to escape from them all. In terrible fitting Dockers about to explode. Is he a good golfer? Apparently, yes, he's good. But he also “cheats” (i.e. he plays golf his way and not by the normal rules). A LOT. And that's what this book is about. His exploits on & off the golf course gives you insights to his so called colourful personality & somewhat unpredictable mindset.

This is the most unconventional book I've read about a US President. It's not even a biography, but it might well be. At the same time, it's one of the best golf books I've read. Seriously. Rick Reilly has nailed it. The best part? You don't have to know golf to read this book. You can even hate golf and still love this book. Even better – you can hate (or love) Trump and still love this book.

Why did I not give this book 5 stars? Because this book won't make you a better golfer!

Disclaimer: I'm a decent weekend golfer and used to be a golf addict.

This is Michael Lewis at the top of his game. Highly recommended if you want to know how the US Governments (and by extension most democratic governments, including the largest democratic government in the world - India) keep a country safe from natural disasters, terrorists, and the likes. 

Lewis has taken a staid topic - the US Government - and turned it into a page-turner. He writes about how Donald Trump and his administration are endangering American lives through sheer (and wilful?) ignorance and incompetence. However, Lewis skirts the politics and dives straight into the nitty gritty of the US Government administration, and how it keeps America safe. The metaphorical 5th Risk implied in the book's title is the US Government and the Presidency (i.e. administration) itself.

I didn't give it 5-stars because I had set far higher expectations. I wished Lewis could have written more because it turned out to be a shorter book than I had expected.

A must read.

This is a great graphic novel and deserves to be in any serious collector's bookshelf. The book deals with taboo topics: sex and prostitution. Chester Brown deftly tackles the topics which could very well provoke a staunch feminist.

The story is quite simple: Chester Brown is a 30 something who finds romantic love too much of a burden to carry on his shoulders and investing heavily on a relationship wears him out and makes him less content and happy. He also finds that sex in a romantic relationship is less fulfulling. So, in order to feel more content, he finds solace in having sex with prostitutes – plenty of them – in different shapes and sizes. We find out that he has a preference for women with bustier breast, a dangerous notion that is propogated by mainstream pornography.

The illustrations and panels, especially the steamy stuff, are tastefully drawn without going over the top. My only gripe, which is why I've given it only 4 out of 5 stars, is that the most panels feel re-used and plot started to get repetitive.

The best part, as always is the case with Chester's books, is the afterword where he delves into a lenghty worded discourse on the prostitution and whether to legalise it or not, the morals of having sex with prostitutes, slut shaming, etc,.

Of course, sex and prostitution is a polarising issue, and I can envision readers either agreeing or disagreeing with Chester's views. There are clearly no shades of grey. And that's precisely the point of this book – to provoke readers, albeit with a noble intention, to open up and talk about taboo topics.

If you are into mystery and suspense, just read this one. It reminds me of the short Alfred Hitchcock mysteries devoured during lunch-time at school. This brilliant story is just SIX (yes, one two three four five SIX!) pages long with mind-blowing presentation – the feel, the theme, typeface, advertisements, et al. Just download the PDF (it's free) and you'll know what I'm talking about.

Pre-requisite: You need to be familiar with Sherlock Holmes and Cthulhu (i.e. Lovecraft) universes.

So good is this story that it has been adapted into a board game of the same title. And I must say that the board game is equally fantastic and elevates the story-telling onto another level, inducing a level of tension not experienced in any other board game.

This book is the gold standard of what it means to be a good journalist. Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohy have essentially written a textbook on reporting. It's brilliant!

The book actually reads more like a thriller than a non-fiction book. It's a total page-turner. There's so much I learnt – from styles of reporting to politics of reporting to machinations of the newsroom in New York Times (or for that matter any news room), the procedural aspects of reporting – how to talk to victims and abusers, how to deal with sensitive information and dicey situations, how to deal with legal ramifications of reporting facts (yes, apparently even solid facts can land you in court!). There's a lot that I could write about this book because it's just so so so good! 

However, the reporting isn't the crux of the book although it does form the core part of the narrative. The book is essentially about the case that ignited the #MeToo movement. It chronicles two men – Harvey Weinstein and Brett Kavanaugh – who were accused of sexual abuse. It's a harrowing read. Yet, even more harrowing is witnessing the trauma of the victims, both in the immediate aftermath and the years after the abuse.

If you're an young budding reporter/journalist or an avid news junkie, you owe it yourself to read this book. Even if you aren't either, you still need to read it. Correction: YOU HAVE TO. 

SPOILER ALERT: Weinstein has been found guilty by court in New York. Kavanaugh denies assaulting Ms Ford and has been elected to the SCOTUS (he has never been tried).

This book is about sex. Well, sort of.

There isn't much difference between the old & young when it comes thinking about sex. But this book is a lot more than just putrid fantasies & boning - it's about relationships, broken relationships, past lovers, present lovers, spouses, families, children, faded memories, death, orgasms, and clutching to bits & pieces of yourself at the twilight of your life. The sex is quite graphic and erotic, but it takes a backseat, giving way to fully fleshed out characters.

It's a well written book, and it does give perspective on aging, relationships and, to some extent, sex.

Not bad. Not great. I read it in 10 minutes flat, in a bookstore. Don't even think of buying it, unless you want to gift someone. If you're gifting a bookworm, forget it. This book is more about style than substance.

If you want good advice, I'll go ahead and say it: be nice and kind. That's it. I said it in four words, for free.

This book is simply a reminder that the internet is a dark, creepy, and scary place. And a place to steer away from. Jon Ronson has done a fantastic job of detailing the finer aspects of a topic that few talk about – public shaming. And how to recover, if you're a victim of shaming.

What have I learnt from reading this book?

1) Don't do anything stupid on the internet. Duh. The fewer footprints you leave online, the better.
2) Don't even try hurting someone on the internet. It's very easy to do this though because of inherent bias of crowd behaviour. This is far worse than doing something stupid.
3) Unfortunately, empathy is a difficult trait to acquire; either you have it, or you don't. Most don't. Even the good guys don't have it.

This book also sheds insights on deshaming and how powerful kindness can be to those affected by public shaming. The world (and the internet) will be a better place if we all read this book.

This is Ted Bishop's mini-memoir in which he describes his tenure and achievements as President of the PGA of America, his impeachment, the prologue as well as the aftermath. It is packed with juicy titbits. Even though this is a memoir of sorts, it doesn't read like a standard autobiography. Instead, it reads like a long vindictive riposte against those who plotted his downfall for making what it seemed like a sexist remark.

There are segments in the book which seem constructed poorly, some passages end abruptly without any warning, and some sentences seem disjointed with no relation to the previous one. But that doesn't mean the book is bad. If you can look past the shoddy editing, the book is enjoyable.

Notwithstanding the poor editing, the book is more than just sour grapes. It is an expose on media's double-standards. It is an expose on the highest echelons of corporate golf, the cloak-and-dagger society amongst the power hungry pawns of the PGA of America. It is a lesson on political correctness, and if the American elections are any indicator of political correctness, this book reveals hypocrity of those who make as well as condone sexists & deragatory remarks. It is a sad reminder that we still live in a world that is inherently patriarchal and that gender-equality still has a long way to go. There's plenty of juicy, behind-the-scenes bits to keep you glued to the book.

Mr Bishop describes the drama, his fall from grace, with poigancy and simple language that is accessible to all, even those who are not familiar with the game of golf.

I recommend this book to golfers. For non-golfers, it is average book.