Genesis - Bernard Beckett

“Which came first, the mind or the idea of the mind? Have you never wondered? They arrived together. The mind is an idea.” 

“The only thing binding individuals together is ideas. Ideas mutate and spread; they change their hosts as much as their hosts change them.” 

The conclusion of this story is shocking I could not keep it out of my mind even after two days. This small book punch us hard and asks questions which are relevant these days - what is conscience ? what is to be a human?.

The story sets in the city state called "The Republic" after "The Last War". The Republic is completely isolated - no refugees or outsiders allowed. The Great Sea Fence separate the republic from the rest of the world. Anyone approaching near it will be destroyed. The people are divided into different categories - the philosophers are at the top. They controlled the decision making.

“Human spirit is the ability to face the uncertainty of the future with curiosity and optimism. It is the belief that problems can be solved, differences resolved. It is a type of confidence.” 

The story starts with Anaximander, a girl who appears for "The Academy" entrance exam. The whole story is like a Plato's dialogue, interrogative. Anaximander's topic for the exam was "The life and times of Adam Forde". Adam Forde was the last man to disobey the order and listen to his "heart" and saved a refugee girl. The real story starts after his arrest and subsequent interactions with a robot (AI machine) called ART. The scientist felt that in order to improve Artificial Intelligence there must be a continuous interaction between the machine and human so the authorities made Adam a prototype (full time companion) for Art to learn human intelligence.

What happens between Adam and Art is the crux of the story. They discusses many complicated matters.

“I am not a machine. For what can a machine know of the smell of wet grass in the morning, or the sound of a crying baby? I am the feeling of the warm sun against my skin; I am the sensation of a cool wave breaking over me. I am the places I have never seen, yet imagine when my eyes are closed. I am the taste of another's breath, the color of her hair."

"I am curiosity, I am reason, I am love, and I am hatred. I am indifference."

“You’re still just silicon,” he said, as he turned the page. “And you’re just carbon,” Art persevered. “Since when has the periodic table been grounds for discrimination?”  

Art is programmed not to hurt or kill anything with consciousness. So everyone believes that it will not hurt or kill. But the events that happened in  'The Great Dilemma' was something no one predicted. What happened to Adam and what happened to Anaximander for digging deep into Adam's life? was the rest of story. But the climax was chilling and scary. The twist was really unpredictable. This book raises many questions , some are disturbing too. The technological advancement invariably brings lots of social and ethical issues and its human beings responsibility to control it.

The writing is very simple. The names  of the characters ,events and the places makes this novel more interesting and relevant. In New Zealand this book was released  in Children / Young Adults categories but in USA it was released in Adults category - for me anyone can read including kids.

Must Read...!!

ஃ பிரான்சிஸ் இட்டிகோரா(Francis Ittycora) - ட்டி.டி.ராமகிருஷ்ணன்

This book was originally written in Malayalam and was translated into Tamil by Kurinjivelan. The first thing I did after I read was googled Francis Ittycora. But Google returned me only review and news about this book. Was Francis Ittycora a real man lived in 15th centry? The author did not answer this question.

Francis Ittycora was a 15th century pepper merchant who travelled to different parts of the world. Majority of the story was about his expeditions and his friendship with elite friends in Florence . He was schooled at Hypatian schools. He was thought to be a mathematician. The story is revealed here and there by different characters at different time periods. One of his descendant Francis Xavier Ittycora decided to come to India in search of his ancestors and freedom. The first chapter sets the tone. Xavier reveals his past - his time at Fallujah and how he raped women there.He is a Iraq war veteran. Xavier's description about various events happened during training and later about the detailed description of cannibalism are not for faint-heart .

"The School" - sort of sex salon  run by the three main female characters - Rekha, Reshma and Bindu. Xavier through internet found about 'The School' and started chatting with Rekha telling his exploits in Iraq and later in Peru.  The activities of school are questionable. They provides sexual services to clients specially from high society and other countries. The architecture of the 'The school' is unique.Throughout this story women were subjugated by men.The members of the school are not exception to that. More than four love making scenes are there in this book , each described to the minute details.

Then there is "pathinettam koottukar" , the descendants of Ittycora. They are sort of secret society , to outsiders they are just normal Christians. These families follows  "Gospel of Ittycora" written by Ittycora himself. The gospel proclaims Ittycora himself as a god and sets rules for others to follow. "Corakku kodukkal"  a ritual which was described in detail was really unimaginable.  This gospel is gory , really, author needs to be super creative to come up with this.The books talks about lot of historical characters and events  like Hyaptia of Alexandria, Medici family of Florence , Kerala School of Mathematics  etc . . But the stories around these historical characters and events are fabricated by the author.The story travels across the world from Kerala to Florence, Australia to Peru, Japan to US .

One cannot put this book under any category easily - it has history and an alternate history, suspense and thrill ,a documentary feel and in some places fantasy too - covers wide range , may be we can call it a  popular fiction. It has all the elements for a blockbuster movie. The conspiracy theory narrative makes the book unstoppable reading. The author also questions the Euro -centric world history.

Good read .!!

கோட்டை வீடு (Kottai Veedu) - ம.காமுத்துறை (M.Kaamuththurai)

Many times during my visits to the local library this book got my attention but i never opened and checked it. At last I decided to read this book after reading the synopsis on the book cover. Here is that synopsis :

ஒவ்வொரு மனிதனின் அடி மனதினுள்ளும் தேடிப் பார்த்தால், தரை தட்டி நிற்கும் கப்பலாய் , ஆழம் புதைந்து கிடக்கும். உறவுகளும் சொந்தங்களும் இல்லாத மனித வாழ்க்கை கிடையாது. பாசத்திற்கும், அன்பிற்கும், பரிதவிப்பிற்கும் ஏங்காத உறவுகளே இல்லை. இவை இணையும் புள்ளியில்தான் சமூகம் இயங்கிக் கொண்டிருக்கிறது. ஒவ்வொரு மனிதனுக்குள்ளும், ஏதாவது ஒரு புள்ளித் தேர்வு நிகழ்ந்துகொண்டே இருக்கும்.

அவ்வாறு தேர்வாகிற புள்ளியில் நகர்ந்து செல்கிறது அவனுக்கான வாழ்க்கை. ஆனாலும் விடுபட்ட புள்ளியிலேயே எல்லோரது கவனமும் குவிந்து கிடக்கும். அதன்பால் ஒரு குற்ற உணர்ச்சி ஏறி நிற்கும். அந்தப் புள்ளியினைக் கண்டு, அதனைத் தூண்டி சமநிலைப்படுத்துதலே எழுத்தாளரின் கடமை எனக் கருதுகிறேன். இதில் நானும் ஒரு புள்ளியினைத் தூண்டி இருக்கிறேன். ஒவ்வொருவரது மனதிலும் இருக்கிற கோட்டை வீட்டிற்கு இந்நாவல் உங்களை அழைத்துச் செல்லும்.

This is the story of a family trying to understand the sudden weird behaviour of their grandma. The very lovable grandma turns violent during night times. No one understands her behaviour, as days passes the family is gripping with uncertainty about what to do with her.

The eldest grandson check with his friends and wants to take her to hospital, the youngest thinks that the grandma is possessed and calls his friends to do some rituals.Her own daughter worries about the possible problem she may create within the family specially with her husband while her husband thinks of the expenses. None of them are bad , they are in fact , very lovable and took care of her well. Then what prompts the grandma to the weird behaviour?

The author takes the reader back and forth in time to find the answer for that question. After the death of the grandpa ,she left everything to live with her only child.The grandpa was like a  Casanova. Though he did not had good relationship with grandma he enjoyed greatly with other women. He treated her like a slave but grandma was a epitome of love, she treated even the lady with whom her husband had affair with love and took care of her when she gave birth to his child. What bothers her now?

The author very cleverly constructs the story by making the reader go back and forth in time. The reader feels constant state of fear about grandma -what will happen to her? Will she die  ? Will she torture the family? . The writing is simple and the way the author describes the emotions of the family is something I cannot forget easily- specially the situation of  Thanam , the grand daughter.

Good read..!!

பருக்கை (Parukkai) - வீரபாண்டியன் (Veerapandian)

The first thing that came to my mind after reading this book was how come i never heard of this book and how come well known authors like S.Ra , Jeyamohan  and others never talked about this book. Surprisingly good book. The subject is unique and i felt it must be told. Kudos to the author for taking this subject.

"சுதந்திரத்தை என்னால்சாப்பிட முடியவில்லை
சோறு கொடு" - ஈரோடு தமிழன்பன்

For me the theme of this book is - hunger. As one character says " if there is no hunger then there is no world" how true it is. I cried many times while reading this book. This is the story of group of students staying in government hostel. The author beautifully explores the various problems faced by the students.  To overcome the financial burden and to eat good food these students do part time job - their preferred one is catering services. But the catering job is not as easy as one might think. Their constant fight with hunger while serving food and the wrath of supervisor makes their life miserable. But they have no other choice.

கந்தையணிந்தோம் இருகையை விரித்தெங்கள் மெய்யினைப் போர்த்தோம்மொந்தையிற் கூழைப்  பலர்மொய்த்துக் குடித்துப் படுத்துக்கிடந்தோம்”    -பாரதிதாசன்

Most of the conversations revolves around capitalism and its impact. The author shows how the working class suffer at the hands of the rich and powerful through the catering service business. Though the author did not talk anywhere about caste but he clearly indicates the discomfort of some group of students about the allotment of scholarship money to SC and ST. Also the author justifies it by saying its needed for social justice and equal opportunities.

"உயிரே இல்லாத ஜாதி எத்தன உயிர்களை கொல்லுது பாத்தியா? மதம் மாற்றச் சட்டம் மாதிரி, ஜாதிமாற்றச் சட்டத்த உள்ள விடுவானுங்களா?”

How many times we have seen young men serving in parties and marriages and how many times we get angry on them for small things we never know who they really are and whats their stories, well , this book answers that. With hope and ambition lots of students leaves their native and goes to Chennai for their education but the reality struck them hard. No food and no proper place to stay and forced to do all sort of part time jobs. Of course these problems are only for low income and poor students . The author exposes the pathetic condition of government hostels. In reality ,what these students want want is good food and a place to rest, may be monthly scholarship for post graduate students. But no government is willing to listen and do the necessary, The author highlights the pathetic conditions of libraries in colleges and universities and how students are suffering because of it..

The writing is simple and diary like read. The writing just flows. This book received Yuva Purskar award.The writing clearly indicates that the author had experienced the lifestyle explored in this story. Each chapter starts with a quote about hunger and food - which sets the tone for that chapter. Each of those quotes are simply superb. There is no such thing as story in this novel - its just like someone narrating bits and pieces of his life.

A must read !