[Book review] The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Well, its about time I revived this  blog and what better way than to talk about a book I have just finished reading for the 2nd time. "The Yellow Wallpaper" by the American writer Charlotte Perkins Gilman [it is is all of 27pages and was first published in January 1892 in The New England Magazine..

The book is entirely in a first person narrative.. It is all about what One woman goes through, dealing with her husband [a physician], brother [also a Doctor], husband's sister and a housekeeper, not to mention her own thoughts which daunt her day and night. All this happens at a home away from home, a place chosen to help her recuperate and cure herself of what she deems to be “nervous depression" but one that is completely shrugged off by her husband and others, sometimes they even  mock her.  Over time she starts exhibiting different behaviour in front of those who don't accept she has a problem and on her own she is a completely different person. 

She wants to occupy the rom downstairs that opens out to a garden with flowers, but her husband decides otherwise and they move to what used to be the nursery upstairs. He says the room downstairs is small and even if he wants a room of his own, there are no others nearby. Yes, it is a big room, but quite drab. She hates the wallpaper and wants to rip it off. She is left with nothing to do and no one for company, she stays confined to the room upstairs and does nothing but is lost in her thoughts or writes in her journal. Unfortunately her husband or his sister do not approve of her writing and so she hides it from them. She slowly she starts developing an increased interest regarding the room’s wallpaper, especially the pattern. Over time, with nothing to do, the wallpaper becomes her sole focus and soon her interaction with it grow deep and dark.. 

The book speaks volumes about how women/people are just ignored when they talk about having random thoughts, fears or issues. They are told to just put those thoughts away, and focus on other aspects of life. Apparently, back in the 19th Century, women were considered psychologically quite frail and no attention was paid to their aspirations or desires.

There is this one statement the woman makes in the book- "There are things in that paper that nobody knows but me, or ever will.” ... this left me haunted... I couldn't even wrap my head around what she was going through. 

Free download of the book is available on the net..  

A piece in The Guardian about the book & the author..

[Book review] Nisha Mehta, My Tarot- Something Paranormal

Title:My Tarot- Something Else by Nisha Mehta
Format: e-version
Pages :110 pages.
Goodreads link-  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30399534-my-tarot?from_search=true
Amazon- https://www.amazon.in/My-Tarot-Something-Nisha-Mehta-ebook/dp/B01H4SJF06?ie=UTF8&btkr=1&ref_=dp-kindle-redirect

 Well, the author is a Tarot reader herself and so this book makes a lot of sense..  I, on the other hand was introduced to Tarot about a decade or so ago, and since then I have strong belief in it. I have a few friends who are Tarot readers and it always amazes me the things they share.  That apart, I did not know much about Tarot. So reading this book was quite a different experience for me.

For those wondering what Tarot is, Nisha says "Cards act as a bridge between the known and the unknown". How simple and yet complicated right? The best way for you to grasp it all would be to get a reading done~

The book opens with an Introduction that concludes with these words "Tarot tells you what you need to know and not what you want to know". Over the past, I have come to understand the true essence of these words.. Yes, when you go for a Tarot reading, you need to have a few things in mind - belief, and a few *to the point* questions that you ask the reader to help give you clarity in life.

And with reference to the title "Something else", Nisha explains that people are always looking for something more than just a reading. She says this book will be more than just about Tarot cards, it will give people something they can relate to, understand and associate with.

The one thing I understood at the end of it was that it was a well thought out book- the subject was dealt with under different sections, clearing giving an introduction to each chapter. It made it easier for a novice to understand what it was about and how one should approach the same.

For example, this statement Nisha makes in the book “Tarot is not restricted to images and their interpretation only” is so true..  She has explained each deck, the main cards, and how a beginner should approach the tarot cards as well. Not just these, but you gain insight into how to read the cards, almost like a list of top 4 things to follow towards the end of the book.

The best thing about this book was the simple language, clear explanations and even the diagrams to explain how it works. So, if you have been hearing the word "Tarot" from your friends/ if this is  something you have been curious about, do give this book a shot and let Nisha know what you thought of it.

Reach Nisha via her FB page - https://www.facebook.com/nishamehta.tarotreader.author/

[book review] Rainbow in my clouds- Radhika Lee

 

Book name: Rainbow in my clouds

Author: Radhika Lee

Print Length: 332 pages

Publisher: Notion Press; 1 edition (12 November 2015)

This year has been quite good, have been reading  more than ever. Am on my 40^th Book now and it is only April..

The latest book I breezed through was Rainbow in My Clouds by Radhika Lee. It is not fiction, heck it is far from that. It is a book about Radhika’s journey through life, the twists and turns she has been through, her turmoils and  traumas, and how she overcame it all to become what she is today.

Radhika Muraleedharan, aka ‘Mrs. Lee’ hails from Kochi and is the founder and director of Nairobi International School (NIS), in Nairobi. This is about 30 years of her struggle…one that seems unending, daunting and certainly makes us wonder how she went through what she did and did not give up ever.. She overcame an abusive marriage, dealt with a drunk husband, a sick child, family troubles and work as well.

After moving to a foreign land at a young age, she works at different schools, helps children beyond just what a teacher would do going on establish three schools of repute in Kenya, not just any school but e-schools. She had to deal with red tapes, banks, cranky colleagues and personal issues all the while. Her tale is inspiring, in some parts I was in awe of how persisted…The moment where she meets John Couch, the Vice President of Education, Apple, who asks her to narrate her story [to conclude the conference in Vienna, with 700 present] is truly a wow moment for anyone!

Her story gives other women going through troubled lives the hope that they too can make something of themselves, achieve something and go on to create a name for themselves in this world. 

If you are looking for something to get you going, give you the motivation you need to push the envelope, then this is the book for you. She has written in simple language, and there are parts you will choke, gasp and smile, so be prepared for a roller coaster ride~ 

An article in The Hindu