Read novels on your Mobile.

Whenever I used to travel before I had a habit of buying 2 novels at a time, the reason being that I always feared "what if" I completed my novel before I completed my journey. I always had the fear of choking to boredom. Strangely, whenever I carried 2 novels I never completed the first and whenever I just happened to carry one, I would always complete it before time and then curse myself for not carrying a second one. Recently, I found a software that can let me carry as many novels as I want.
No, its not Adobe reader, this little wonder that can fit 100's of novels into your mobilephone is MobiReader. Its a cool software and you can download loads of free novels and other literature from the internet. The best part is that it is free for life. The book format is '.prc' and you would find millions of books available on google. A standard 400 page novel would just take about 1 mb of your card space. I would suggest it to anyone who is an avid reader or people who travel a lot.

The link to the software is: http://www.mobipocket.com/en/HomePage/default.asp?Language=EN

Happy Reading ...

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Precept from The Godfather.

This is an amazing piece from 'The Godfather' by Mario Puzo. A piece of advice everyone should always remember. One of my favourites.


Though Don Corleone disapproved of his son's foolish display of anger, the tantrum served a purpose. It would convince the interlopers that their presence was unexpected and unprepared for. So Don Corleone himself was not angry. He had long ago learned that the society imposes insults that must be borne, comforted by the knowledge that in this world there comes a time when the most humble of men, if he keeps his eyes open, can take his revenge on the most powerful. It was this knowledge that prevented the Don from losing the humility all his friends admired in him.

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Omnipotent and Benevolent God.

This piece of writing was taken from the novel Angels and Demons by Dan Brown. The thing I particularly like about it is how easily the Pope’s Chamberlain (Camerlengo) explains God’s power to the Swiss Guard 'Chartland'.



‘Are you confused because the Bible describes God as an Omnipotent and Benevolent deity?’ said Camerlengo. ‘Omnipotent-benevolent simply means that God is all powerful and well meaning.’
‘I understand the concept’ said Chartland. ‘Its just … there seems to be a contradiction.’
‘Yes the contradiction is Pain. Man’s starvation, war, sickness …’
‘Exactly!’ Chartland knew the Camerlengo would understand. ‘Terrible things happen in this world. Human tragedy seems like proof that God could not possibly be both all-powerful and well-meaning. If He loves us and has all the power to change our situation, He would prevent our pain, wouldn’t He?’
The Camerlengo frowned. ‘Would he?’

Chartland felt uneasy. Had he overstepped his bounds? Was this one of those religious questions you just didn’t ask? ‘Well … if God loves us, and He can protect us, He would have to. It seems He is either omnipotent and uncaring, or benevolent and power-less to help.’
‘Do you have children Lieutenant?’
Chartland flushed. ‘No, Signore.’
‘Imagine you have an eight year old son … would you love him?’
‘Of course’
‘Would you do everything in your power to prevent pain in his life?’
‘Of course’
‘Would you let him skateboard?’
Chartland did a double take. The Camerlengo always seemed oddly ‘in touch’ for a clergyman. ‘Yeah, I guess,’ Chartland said. ‘Sure, I’d let him skateboard, but I’d tell him to be careful.’
‘So as this child’s father, you would give him some basic, good advice and then let him go off and make his own mistakes?’
‘I wouldn’t run behind him if that’s what you mean.’
‘But if he fell and bruised his knee?’
‘He would learn to be more careful.’
The Camerlengo smiled. ‘So although you have the power to interfere and prevent your child’s pain, you would choose to show you love by letting him learn his own lessons?’
‘Of course’ said Chartland. ‘Pain is a part of growing up. It’s how we learn.’
The Camerlengo nodded and smiled. ‘Exactly’
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Lots of times our minds are clogged with questions that seem to have no answers. But when we observe life closely we would find that the answers are just around us and lie in such simple things that we fail to observe them in this complicated world.

Foreign Body - Robin Cook

Recently, on my trip to Banglore I got hold of one of Robin Cook's latest novels "Foreign Body", which is another great addition to his medical thriller series. In this novel the author has tried to highlight the scenario of medical tourism in India. It also deals with issues regarding the Indian way of thinking and the cultural turmoil that still exists in India. And in between these macro issues, he very aptly compares the lives of two females namely, Jennifer Hernandez and Veena Chandra (who happens to be the killer of the Jennifer’s grandmother), and how despite of being from different cultural backgrounds, have faced the same kind of problems earlier in their lives. The author has penned down the Indian scenario very well in this book.

The book revolves around the fast becoming popular concept of Medical tourism to India. The protagonist Jennifer Hernandez comes to know about the death of her grandmother in India through CNN and goes to India to claim the body. She has some disturbing experiences in the hospital that force her to think that some foul play was involved. Meanwhile, there are two more deaths in as many days, and the striking similarities between them add to the doubt.

Twists are at almost every page as the Indian tourism ministry tries to cover up the cases, a big stakeholder in the concerned hospital tries to get Jennifer Hernandez killed, and Nurses International, the subsidiary of a US hospital which trying to hamper the Indian medical tourism industry (also behind the killing of the medical tourists) kidnaps Jennifer to get her killed. A couple of old characters of this author, Jack and Laurie also play a part in the book.
Overall a good read, though it gets a bit predictable at times.

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