Ekta | wisdomekta

Action. Drama. Plot. Twists. This latest read with an exciting title, “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo”, was the perfect “time pass” novel. I found this book to be un-put-downable, addictive, heartfelt time travel in Hollywood—a story of Old Hollywood that's simultaneously gossipy and poignant. Ready to share her life story, recluse Evelyn Hugo chooses unknown and unconfident reporter Monique Grant to write her biography full of Hollywood glamour and scandal. Invited to Evelyn’s home, Monique listens to Evelyn recall her life of fame, fortune, failed relationships, the journey of deceit, humiliation, friendship, and forbidden love. As Evelyn nears the end of her story, her life crosses with Monique’s heartbreakingly. The book is written in mixed prose, varying from Monique’s point of view to flashbacks as Evelyn recalls past events. The novel also includes ‘articles’, which makes it feel like the reader is living in that time, reading a celebrity gossip page. I recomm...

This read happens to be the parting gift from my office senior cum friend. Even before I began reading it, the book title and I agreed on the single point that listening (through both ears and visually) is required to understand the conversation and the meaning behind the spoken (and unspoken) words. In a world that is glued to the screen and where emotions are getting a reel trend without any real feeling, listening is the rarest of commodities.  Despite acknowledging that listening is crucial for a successful and fulfilling life, this is yet another trait that has yet to be taught formally in academics. “At work, we’re taught to lead the conversation. On social media, we shape our personal narratives. At parties, we talk over one another. So do our politicians. We’re not listening. And we are still waiting for someone to listen to us.” Kate Murphy depicts the problem of not-listening in an elaborate and well-researched manner. She also presents the ways of imbibing th...

Beste zonen ( Dear Sons in Dutch),      I am preparing you to be brave and face the worldly challenge with patience in heart. But the experiences are different for everyone, and I also understand you will face your set of challenges in life. During those times, I urge you to be brave enough to seek help without hesitation.      Recently, while waiting for a flight at Mumbai airport, I overheard a loud conversation that automatically reached my ears. The conversation went like this- ….. Person A- “My sister never help me.” Person B- “Why, what happened…” Person A - “Ärey I helped her so much as soon as she asked me, but she was not there for me when I required.” Person B- “But did you even bother to ask her or seek help by direct communication” Person A- “Well, she should have understood; why do I need to ask her. She is my family and must know what I need then.” …..      I kept thinking about this conversation on my flight, realising...

Believe. Be Different. Journey on unknown paths. Courage. Acceptance. In the days of social-media-wok-ism when everyone (including myself) seems to be in a rigorous search for self, peace, purpose and meaning in life, this re-read of “The Witch of Portobello” by Paulo Coelho gave a fresh insight on spirituality, love, life and hope.  Coelho's books offer an incredible journey not only into the plot of his story but also into the self-discovery of his reader. The Witch of Portobello is the story of a mysterious woman named Athena, aka Sherine, who, at the onset of the novel, has been brutally murdered. The rest of the book is filled with transcripts of interviews with different people in her life- her mother, her ex-husband, a lover journalist, an actress who despised her, her teacher, and others- who claim to know her well—or hardly at all presenting the complex and differing views of “who Athena is” through the eyes of all the characters. As I read this book, I though...

To Kill a Mockingbird, a novel by Harper Lee, was gentle advice from a fellow (in fact… senior ) reader who, after going through my blog post “book review- Siblings without Rivalry” dated 15.04.2023, suggested an “odd” book for “unconventional” parenting tips. The book was already on my to-read list, and I instantly grabbed it. The decision and the suggestion to read this book were fruitful. This 1960-released book was a refreshing treat to my mind and heart as it deals with critical issues most humbly. The plot and characters are loosely based on Harper Lee's observations of her family, her neighbours and an event near her hometown of Monroeville, Alabama, in 1936, when she was ten. The protagonist is Jean Louise (“Scout”) Finch, an intelligent and curious though uncustomary girl who ages from six to nine years old during the course of the novel. She is raised with her brother, Jeremy Atticus (“Jem”), by their widowed father, Atticus Finch. Atticus Finch is a prominent...

  Changes are part of life. Being part of transferable jobs, relocation between places is typical. I have trained myself to prepare for these sudden, unexpected, and unwelcome changes, but whatever the mindset, the changes are self-draining. It may sound easy, but relocation is a challenging thing to do. On the one hand, it is emotionally, physically, and financially draining, but on the other hand, it might provide a fresh perspective towards the “ boring ” life. This blog post is the mini-version-saga of the latest relocation my family and I underwent. I just got transferred to the new location. A location that is quite a contrast to the life I have been living for the past 13 years, and the change is overwhelming. The quest of being “lost and found” is most potent and simultaneously appealing.  Somebody once told me that transfers are an opportunity to reset and revise the current lifestyle. It is a chance to put all planning mode ideas into action. For me, the previous tr...

  I finished this thick trilogy of 1318 pages when my life events led to a numb situation, leaving me dumb and fooled. Right now, my mindset is like the lives of the protagonists in the novel who landed in some parallel world where everything is different and yet everything is the same. The book's ending has lent me some hope that there may be a stairwell for me, too… which will escape me from the dead-end. 1Q84 refers to 1984, where the Q stands for “question mark,” i.e. A world that bears a question. This novel follows two protagonists, Tengo and Aomame. Both of them are doing something dangerous, and unknowingly, in a strange intertwining of fates, they are together drawn to a peculiar world and start living through magical realism- a beautiful, dyslexic teenage girl with a unique vision; a mysterious religious cult that instigated a shoot-out with the metropolitan police; a reclusive, wealthy dowager who runs a shelter for abused women; a hideously ugly private investigator; a...