The Ascent of Money by Niall Ferguson

I came to know about this author Niall Ferguson, when one of my close friends told me about the concept 'Chimerica',which is the term indicating the symbiotic relationship between Chinese and American Economy. According to author, this was one of the main drivers behind the recent recession.

Anyway coming back to the book 'The Ascent of Money', it reminded me of the works of Alvin Toffler, especially the 'Third Wave' and 'Future Shock'. This book tells you the financial history of the world, especially about the currency,banking system, bond markets, stock markets, insurance and real estate. I will not be ashamed to claim that I was more than scared after reading this book. I am enlightened as well as confused about money now.

And at the same time, I will say today's schools should include this book in the course, because nobody can't remain untouched by financial market at least in the civilized world today.

A must read.

More articles on author's work can be found here http://www.niallferguson.com/site/FERG/Templates/Home.aspx?pageid=1

2 States - The story of my marriage: Chetan Bhagat

Sometimes, I think Chetan Bhagat is writing specially for the generation that I belong to. His debut novel “Five Point Someone” came at a time when I was in the last leg of my engineering and that too in Mechanical Engineering. So, the novel was and still is very close to my heart. Then came “One Night @ Call Center” and “Three Mistakes of My Life” that were again very precisely timed to match the movements in my life. And now, when I’m pursuing my MBA, Chetan has come up with this new novel “2 States” about an IIMA passout who finds his love for life during MBA.

The story of the novel spins around the lives of a Punjabi boy Krish Malhotra and a Tamil girl Ananya Swaminathan. As was written in their Nakshatram, they met over the dining table in IIM-A and fell into love with each other, just because the Punjabi honcho couldn’t stay “just friends” any more. Subsequently, they had made to each other’s beds pretty fast and often during the course of the MBA. But again, as the legend has it, their parents had to disagree with this decision of their children. The refusal was partly due to North India – South India clash and partly due to the generational egos of parents when children select life partners for themselves. And then, it takes the Citibank Relationship Manager, Mr Malhotra and HLL Marketing Manager, Ms Swaminathan, quite a while to bring the two families together.

Chetan has spun the novel nicely around this story and maintained the seriousness of the North India-South India issue along with the fun of reading his novel. The description of intimacies by Chetan Bhagat has been as unmatched as ever before. And some anecdotes like “we don’t use spoons to measure alcohol” made me laugh at the conversation between a Punjabi boyfriend and his prospective Tamilian father-in-law. The description of Punjabi lifestyle and their way of looking at the Tamilians and vice-versa has been interestingly funny. Just like his previous novels, this one is also full of youth and unrealistic idealism at certain points, but that fits in perfectly well. Some twists here and there make it an irresistible read.

On a serious note, there’s one particular incident that left an impression on my mind from the novel. There is a conversation between Krish and a Guruji in Pondicherry’s Aurobindo Asharam where Guruji guides him that forgiving someone doesn’t make him/her right. All it does is to make the forgiver feel lighter and happier.

All-in-all, I found 2 States an interesting novel, worth spending some time to get yourself relaxed.

Arun Sharma

Visit http://am-i-possible.blogspot.com

Book Review: Of Course I Love You..!

Durjoy Dutta and Maanvi Ahuja have nicely presented the tale of the college life of a guy Deb who is an average performer in every field except getting girls to bed. The novel is all about the college life of a loser who doesn’t get to see good grades in his college life but still believes he was an IIT stuff, just dropped in DCE. The story has some characters like Vernita, Tanmay, Deb, Shrey and Avantika who made me feel a left-out from the world and doubt my physical (read sexual) prowess given the fact that I’m 25 year old virgin. Vernita is the only girl in Mechanical Engineering department and hence, pretty obviously scores good marks every time. Tanmay is Vernita’s boyfriend who’s hated by Deb and Shrey because he’s rich, handsome and intelligent. Deb is an average performing guy in studies but scores high on girlfriends and night outs. Shrey is this dream-guy who doesn’t give a shit to the studies and exams and still makes it to a start-up company in Germany. Avantika is the goddess, the most beautiful girl on the earth, the most gorgeous and the sexiest one too. She knows what to do, when to do and how to do, I hope you got it. After struggling hard in the college, when Deb doesn’t get placed in any company, he hooks up in BHEL and finds Amit, his to-be-best friend. He enjoys his life by shaping up a love life for Ami and Astha and hence getting all the office work done by Amit, the studious small-town boy.
The story ends in such a passionate love-making by Deb that I envied him for the same. It’s a nice book, Five Point Someone class. It’s a story about the youth, but it can be frustrating at times, especially when you do not have a girlfriend of your own.


Arun Sharma

State of Fear By Michael Crichton

It is my second reading of Michael Chrichton. First one was TIMELINE.

I sometimes wonder, what sort of research these authors do, to present such a real plot.

This book created all the doubts in my mind regarding Global Warming and all other Environmental Campaigns going on in the world.

I recommend this book to all the good citizens of the planet.

Its indeed an eye opener

Goal by Goldratt

I read this book, after i was recommended by my friends atleast dozen times.

I was surprised that this book is in story form, where the author has explained lot of management tactics via form of situations arising in front of our Hero.

I was more surprised to learn that this book was a textbook of MBA students in NITIEE.

It definitely acts as a source of inspiration to all management practioners in general and to operations guys in particular.

Angels and Demons by Dan Brown

This is the second novel I picked of Dan Brown. I picked it as lot of my friends told me that it is better than Da Vinci Code.

The style of writing is same of both the novels.

In this novel Brown has shown one organization named ‘Illuminati’ against Church. Again the clues are spearheaded by Robert Langdon.

I came to know a lot about secret scientific societies via this novel.

Now I m looking forward to read other works of Dan Brown

Prey by Michael Chrichton

This is the second novel by Chrichton I ever read. The first one was ‘Timeline’. This novel is similar to Da Vinci Code, as its breathtaking.

The novel is about the fusion of Nanotechnology, Computer Technology and Biotechnology to create Artificial Intelligence. I was unable to sleep many nights after reading it.

And was not able to leave it after 30 pages.

I sometimes, wonder what authors like Chrichton do to write such a novel. Its totally beyond the normal human imagination.

I am sad that Chrichton died, I will miss his good work.

Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

I picked this novel for the third time. Last two times I couldn’t get past first 30 pages. And I kept on wondering, whats so special about this boring novel, that all my friends are crazy about it.

This is what I realized on my third time. The moment you get past the first 40 pages, its breathtaking. I used to wait whole day in the office to get it over, so that I can get home and read it.

It made me doubt the very foundation of Christianity, and gave me lot of glimpses of Pagan religion.

No wonder, it’s one of the best novels ever I read.

Wheels by Arthur Hailey

This is the second novel of Hailey, which I read.

It was a logical choice for me, as I belong to Automobile Industry. The style of Hailey was as usual, too detailed.

Giving the feeling of how Automobile Industry works in Detroit, and especially by Big Three i.e. GM, Ford and Chrysler.

It gave the visual work details of the Assembly Line, then how the whole process of starting new car to selling it.

It also touched the lifestyle of Detroit, of automotive guys, and then the Black population in Detroit.

Overall, it was a decent read, with a slow story, and without any message for readers. I will say, read it only if you are interested in Automobile Industry.

The Money Changers by Arthur Hailey

This is the first novel by Arthur Hailey, which I read. Before it, I tried to read, Overload, Airport and Detective, but was not able to proceed more than 50 first pages.

I picked this novel, understanding that Arthur Hailey is research oriented author, who gives full ins and outs of the sector, about which it is writing a novel.

So, in the given picture of Global Economic Tsunami, ‘The Money Changers’ by him was the logical choice.

The story is thrilling, giving all the details of Banking industry. And it gave me better picture about how US is pushing its valueless Dollars, projecting it equivalent to gold, in the whole world. Also, it gave me insight what might have happened to Lehman Brothers, Merryl Lynch, J P Morgan Chase, Bank of America…………………

I think if you seek enjoyment in reading and you are interested in Financial Sector, specifically the Banking Sector, it’s the best time to read this