The casual vacancy by JK Rawling

I bought an audio version of this book narrated by the brilliant Tom Hollander. It is a splendid production with a simple plot brought to life by the brilliant JK Rawling. She is definitely the Prophetess of the have-not, downtrodden population of Great Britain. The story kept me on the edge of my seat with numerous twists in the plot of middle class or working class people at loggers with the scums of the society, the junkies and fallen of modern Britain. The main question which Rawling asks is whether it is right of the junkies to avail themselves to benefits or should they be left to their own devices? But then, just whose fault is it that they turned out they way they have? Can we judge anyone without giving him/her a fair trail? Do they expect the sympathy of the workers? Do they deserve another chance? Rawling then goes and paints a complex picture of many a life of the fallen junkies which left no doubt in my mind that it is not their fault as they are desperately trying to survive and strive for respect within the context of their lives.

'In trying to save him she had him killed.' Is it right for a sixteen year old girl to put under so much pressure that she literally cracks? is it her fault if her mother is a prostitute and a druggie who cannot look after her younger brother? Is it her fault if she is raped by her mother's only regular boyfriend? Where can she go? To the social worker who is only really interested in her own career? Or to the many relatives who want nothing to do with her because of her mother bad reputation? It is indeed a story which maybe truly reflects the reality of modern Britain. Well done madame, you have written brilliantly.

Dancing in the no-fly zone by Hadani Ditmars

The book is written by a journalist who has been to Iraq before and after the latest American invasion. For me she has managed to capture the difference between a sanction induced Iraq and a colonised era pretty well. The book left me with a dark and depressing mood with not much hope for humanity.

Snowdrops by A.D. Miller

I loved this little book. It had all the right ingredients to keep me flicking through the pages, Russian girls, middle aged protagonist, sex, a white collar crime, sprinkled by a great dose of the current zeitgeist in Moscow which is captivating to state the least. This book is great read for anyone interested in Moscow life, set in Russia's historical context of war and cold weather, filled with a healthy amount of Russian narrative. My best one, which I found very similar to Pakistani situation is, 'They (Russian) know the rules, they can keep ripping their own people off, so long as they can play nice to the foreigners.'

Nagaland: A Journey to India's Forgotten Frontier by Jonathan Glancey

The book is a very detailed introduction to Nagaland, ideal for people with little or no background knowledge of the troubled region.

There are two problems with India, its aggressive insistence on patriotism from each minority which intertwines dangerously with the lack of desire to deal with communal-ism. India refuses to deal with any community differences, preferring to hide behind nationalistic wall. And this nationalism is pretty much tinged in a Hindu culture. Just to quote from the book, 'If India were to open the borders of Nagaland to foreigners, it would very probably be for the better rather for the worse. There will never be a flood of tourists to this difficult if bewitching terrain, and yet an exchange of ideas, dreams, values, medical aid and joint-venture projects between Nagas and people from different corners of the world could well enable it to feel less persecuted, less suspicious of outside influences, and even allow it to flourish.'

For me the Indian policy of pumping people and money into Nagaland is working along-with the severe infighting between various Naga militias. 

1788 by David Hill

It's a desperate story of the first shipment of convicts transported to Australia from mainland Britain. And it's makes a fascinating reading, though the immense details sometimes make difficult to read. Two in every ten dwellers in London were making a living out of thievery, while the government of the time was trying to enforce probably the toughest rule of law imaginable, where one could be hanged if caught stealing even a silk handkerchief. But the real issue was enforcement of these harsh punishments as all internments and ruling carried a cost on the exchequer which pushed the government into banishing the convicts abroad. Australia was chosen because of the loss of Americas after its independence. What makes this story even more remarkable that nothing went according to plans. This includes the very study which this excursion was base upon, the choice of landing site, the choice of governor and the efficacy of the land to provide. Human desire to survive under the most dire conditions is probably the single most important lesson I have learnt from this book.

Sandstorm: Libya in the Time of Revolution by Lindsey Hilsum

A very interesting book on the little know history of Libya and Gaddafi. The author has done a pretty good job of presenting various aspects of the 42 years of Libya under Gaddafi which includes all the Western governments and corporations desperate to sell Libya contracts. The books reads like a story which kept me interested throughout. I enjoyed the profiles of many revolutionaries and even supporters of the Gaddafi regime. I was also surprised to find out about the role played by Qatar and UAE in the revolution, two countries which I didn't believe were big players in the region.  I think the only area which remained unexplained was the kernel of the revolution, who were the masterminds and what were their vision after Gaddafi had been ousted. The last chapter touches on the Islamist agenda but not to a great extent. This makes the whole book seem like a huge newspaper article which is a common fault with journalists turned-from journalists. At least it is start as much needs to be written about this land and its history.

The East India Company: The World's Most Powerful Corporation by Tirthankar Roy

Its a great little book focusing only on the creation, rise and fall of the East India Company. The Company thrived in the chaotic times both in Britain and India with a partnership between the English businessman cum adventurer and the Hindu Baniya. Together they managed to forge an opportunity where individuals, both English and Indians, made a lot of money. I agree with the author's view that the East India Company was able to introduce modernity into India but I also think that this modernity was inevitable as Indians would have latched onto superior goods and technology in any case as they have a natural eye for good and easy life. I cite the example of African countries and their current plight as evidence. African countries were colonized as well, but they did not soak all the technology and educational skills in a similar fashion. So the great Indian IT industry of today, selling its services all over the West, owes its birth and grooming directly to English occupation.

Birds Without Wings by Louis de Bernières

Fikret, Fikret, can you see the green birds?
Very slowly and quietly and sadly he said,'There are no green birds.'
'Will you send me some spare virgins?'
He smiled a very little and shook his head to say no, and then sighed very deeply and died.

At last I have found my ultimate favourite English story teller! And its probably because he is of French origin. What a story, set in Ottomon times just before the onset of the WW1. There is the microcosm, in the detailed portrayal of a tiny inconsequential village in Turkey, inhabited by Muslims, Armenians, Christians trying to lead perfectly ordinary lives when the great war starts. Gallopoli was explained through the eyes of one of the sons of the same village making the horrors of war very real indeed. Louis juxtaposes this micro story with macro version of Kemal Attaturk rise through the ashes of the Ottomon empire. It is the best way to learn about a bygone era.

I have become a huge fan my Louis de Berniers.....

Software Testing by Brian Hambling

Software Testing: An Iseb Foundation 
by Brian Hambling 

Tariq Mahmood's review 

Jan 10, 13  ·  edit

Read from August 27, 2012 to January 10, 2013

I bought this book to help understand all the latest industrial testing techniques. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a career in Software and Network testing.

Thor's angels by Dan Carlin

It's a wonderful listen. I love his style, he reads history like a story which I found impossible to put down. It's pretty revolutionary style, he uses his podcasts for his very subjective takes which are extremely refreshing. Please listen and decide for yourself.