Without Fail by author Lee Child (Jack Reacher Novel)

Book: Without Fail  (Jack Reacher Novel)

Author: Lee Child  (www.jackreacher.co.uk )

Publisher:  Bantam Books and Random House (www.booksattransworld.co.uk and www.rbooks.co.uk and www.randomhouse.co.uk )

ISBN: 978-0-553-81343-2

The hero of this series is Jack Reacher. Lets get it straight at the start of the review. He is a man’s hero and a woman’s dream man. No nonsense, less emotions, less of mushy wooshy stuff.  Tough exterior, good looking in a rugged way. Drifter, who doesn’t have any strings, nor any loose ends. Retired trained Military police, or in his own words: the man who keeps trained killing machines in check and order. Absolute expert in weapons and martial arts. Doesn’t fight often, but when he fights you have to call in the insurance people…. for the place and the people. Do I have your attention?

And now this drifter is being actively searched by an woman at the core of US power base. She needs Reacher’s help to track down an elusive killer who is supposed to be targeting the Vice President of the United States of America. Is everything what it seems or are there shadows within shadows. Is it the VP that is being targeted or is it really the President.

Will Jack Reacher be able to ferret out the killer in time?

An absolute must read, a buy to be treasured, action packed thriller. The book : One Shot is now a major motion picture starring Tom Cruise.

A Wanted Man by author Lee Child (Jack Reacher Novel)

Book: A Wanted Man  (Jack Reacher Novel)

Author: Lee Child  (www.jackreacher.co.uk )

Publisher:  Bantam Books and Random House (www.booksattransworld.co.uk and www.rbooks.co.uk and www.randomhouse.co.uk )

ISBN: 978-0-593-06572-3

The hero of this series is Jack Reacher. Lets get it straight at the start of the review. He is a man’s hero and a woman’s dream man. No nonsense, less emotions, less of mushy wooshy stuff.  Tough exterior, good looking in a rugged way. Drifter, who doesn’t have any strings, nor any loose ends. Retired trained Military police, or in his own words: the man who keeps trained killing machines in check and order. Absolute expert in weapons and martial arts. Doesn’t fight often, but when he fights you have to call in the insurance people…. for the place and the people. Do I have your attention?

Jack Reacher is drifting and this time he has a busted nose and shabby appearance. And yet he is able to hitch a ride with a car os two men and a woman coming back from a convention and heading home. And yet all of Jack Reachers instincts tell him that there is tension in the air. The men are to belligerent and cocksure and the woman seems to be furitive. Are they hiding something. But what could a group of business people be hiding? But within moments Jack Reacher iis involved in a massive police man hunt and he is being hunted ! It takes all of Reachers Armed Forces training and skill to keep himself and the victim alive and to convince the Government agencies of a sinister plot afoot.

An absolute must read, a buy to be treasured, action packed thriller. The book : One Shot is now a major motion picture starring Tom Cruise.

On Cars by author Jeremy Clarkson

Book: On Cars

Author: Jeremy Clarkson

Publisher: Penguin Books (www.penguin.com )

ISBN 978-0-141-01788-4

Jeremy Clarkson, the author, has written for many newspapers in his career and has had the time to pen down around 10 books. He is also host of the popular automobile show Top Gear on BBC TV.  Jeremy Clarkson has a very unique style of sardonic humor, where he is quick on the uptake to pick out nuances of humor in everyday life situation and politics.  Personally I, thebooksurgeon.blogspot.in , am an avid fan of humor in any form of media. For me I rate Jeremy Clarkson amongst the best humorists. I have bought each and every book written by Jeremy and for me they are ROFLMAO.

On Cars by Jeremy  Clarkson, is a book about Classic machines. The Classic cars stretching back to mid 1980 and all cars and car columns mentioning his name have been referenced. And his views are not just ranting and sarcasm, they are well researched and yet his point is put forward very humorously.

And along the way he talks about: Perils of bicycle ownership, why Australians require bull bars, Why Jesus’s dad would have owned a Nissan Bluebird.

Plus keep in mind that Jeremy is host of show “Top Gear”. His writings are interspersed with comments on Cars, their strong points, their weaknesses and their effect on transport as a whole.

I shall not go on trying to “explain” and review the humor of Jeremy Clarkson for that would kill the joke. All I am going to say is: Buy the Book: On Cars by author Jeremy Clarkson and chuckle every time that you read and re-read this book. 

The Bankster by author Ravi Subramanian

Book: The Bankster

Author: Ravi Subramanian

Publisher: Rupa Co

ISBN 978-81-291-2048-9

Bankster is a book about Banks and the men who do banking, Bankers. Banks are built upon credibility, reliability, trust. Once tarnished, a bank never rises back to trust or client confidence.

For bankers, it takes years and mind numbing exactness to build their  reputation.

So when the Greater Boston Global Bank has a series of murders amongst it personnel, its reputation and safety is at stake.  Are these murders a smoke screen or are they the doing of a banker who is turning into a bankster?

A press reporter, and a ex banker, digs deeper and stumbles upon a global conspiracy. The scandal would blow apart the bank and the entire nation.

And the story takes us to Kerala, Africa, Mumbai and jets sets at a thrilling pace. An absolute ripper of a novel by author Subramanian Ravi.  A must read action thriller. You can contact the author on twitter @SubramanianRavi

Cross by author James Patterson (Alex Cross Novel)

Book: Cross  (Alex Cross Novel)

Author: James Patterson  (www.jamespatterson.com )

Publisher:  Hachette Book Group USA (www.HachetteBookGroupUSA.com)

ISBN-10: 0-446-61905-1    ISBN-13: 978-0-446-61905-9

Alex Cross is with the Washington DC Police force. Single father after his wife is gunned down. Melancholic, mulling and contemplative personality. Not a grab, wham, kow pow kind of action action hero. But a regular cop. What is his forte is his tenaciousness with a case and his incisively deductive abilities, coupled with a team that adores him and a family that is his strength. After he leaves the FBI too, Alex Cross decides to become a psychologist.

But when his ex partner Sampson calls him in on a case, Alex is forced to take up investigation as there are some clues tying it with his wife’s killing. A serial rapist threatens his victims with photos and the rape is chillingly cold blooded. And where does the Butcher, a hit killer figure in all this?

Another spine chilling, thriller of Alex Cross by author James Patterson.

London Bridges by author James Patterson (Alex Cross Novel)

Book: London Bridges (Alex Cross Novel)

Author: James Patterson  (www.jamespatterson.com )

Publisher: Time Warner Book Group (www.twbookmark.com)

ISBN : 0-446-61335-5

Alex Cross is now FBI. He was with the Washington DC Police force. Single father. Melancholic, mulling and contemplative personality. Not a grab, wham, kow pow kind of action action hero. But a regular cop. What is his forte is his tenaciousness with a case and his incisively deductive abilities, coupled with a team that adores him and a family that is his strength.

Alex Cross is on vacation, when he gets a call. Soldiers evacuate a small town in Nevada and minutes later a bomb completely destroys it. The Wolf is responsible for the blast. While Alex is busy trying to come to terms with the enormity of such a bombing, the Wolf is threatening to blow up other major cities including London, New York and Paris. More investigation shows the involvement of another criminal known as Weasel. Alex Cross is at his wits end trying to match his brains with these two criminals.

A taut thriller with a surprise on the last page, as is with all Alex Cross novels of James Patterson. A must read.

Bad Luck & Trouble by author Lee Child

Book: Bad luck and trouble (Jack Reacher Novel)

Author: Lee Child  (www.jackreacher.co.uk )

Publisher:  Bantam Books and Random House (www.booksattransworld.co.uk and www.rbooks.co.uk and www.randomhouse.co.uk )

ISBN: 978-0-553-81810-9

The hero of this series is Jack Reacher. Lets get it straight at the start of the review. He is a man’s hero and a woman’s dream man. No nonsense, less emotions, less of mushy wooshy stuff.  Tough exterior, good looking in a rugged way. Drifter, who doesn’t have any strings, nor any loose ends. Retired trained Military police, or in his own words: the man who keeps trained killing machines in check and order. Absolute expert in weapons and martial arts. Doesn’t fight often, but when he fights you have to call in the insurance people…. for the place and the people. Do I have your attention?

Jack Reacher is all of the above and more. But he has to respond when he gets a code message via his Bank account credit slip. His  old buddies are calling out to him. He has to get all of them together. One of them, their own, has been murdered. Thrown from a helicopter onto the vast desert. They are faced with an enemy that is ruthless in his ingenuity.

With this hard hitting reality is also mixed an international gang of terrorist out to hijack  a stock pile of missiles to target USA and Kashmir. Will Jack Reacher be able to save his team and himself? Will he prevent this threat to USA in time?

An absolute must read, a buy to be treasured, action packed thriller. One of Jack Reacher’s best. The book : One Shot is now a major motion picture starring Tom Cruise.

Die Trying by author Lee Child (Jack Reacher Novel)

Book: Die Trying  (Jack Reacher Novel)

Author: Lee Child  (www.jackreacher.co.uk )

Publisher:  Bantam Books and Random House (www.booksattransworld.co.uk and www.rbooks.co.uk and www.randomhouse.co.uk )

ISBN: 978-0-553-50541-2

The hero of this series is Jack Reacher. Lets get it straight at the start of the review. He is a man’s hero and a woman’s dream man. No nonsense, less emotions, less of mushy wooshy stuff.  Tough exterior, good looking in a rugged way. Drifter, who doesn’t have any strings, nor any loose ends. Retired trained Military police, or in his own words: the man who keeps trained killing machines in check and order. Absolute expert in weapons and martial arts. Doesn’t fight often, but when he fights you have to call in the insurance people…. for the place and the people. Do I have your attention?

On a windy Chicago street Jack Reacher tries to help a woman on crutches with a loaded laundry bag, and gets involved in a kidnapping. He too is kidnapped with a shotgun aimed at his stomach.

Tied along with his co-hostage in handcuffs, in the back of a pick up truck, racing across deserted America,  Jack Reacher uses all his ingenuity and street savvy to keep himself and the woman alive. She claims to be FBI, but is she? The kidnappers say nothing as to the purpose. And yet the sanity and security of the woman is threatened at every pit stop. Can Reacher use his guile, his intelligence and his brute strength to save himself and a crippled woman, before the truck reaches its destination, where they are to be killed.

An absolute must read, a buy to be treasured, action packed thriller. The book : One Shot is now a major motion picture starring Tom Cruise.

How to ruin your Love Life by author Ben Stein

Book: How to ruin your Love life

Author: Ben Stein

Publisher: Hay House (www.hayhouse.com )

ISBN 1-4019-0240-5

The book: How to ruin your love life by author Ben Stein can be classified as Black Humour, Satire, Wit.

This book is Not to ruin your love life, but to improve your love life. But what the author does is gives your prime examples of what you should do, how you should act, how to behave like a total ass in various scenarios IF you want to end your love life, break your relationship.  And then the author sardonically exhorts you to avoid these pitfalls and to improve your love life in 44 steps. For example some of the chapters of “how to ruin your love life” are : “Know that your wishes are the only ones that matter in any situation”, “Compare your lover with lovers you’ve dated in the past”, “Talk about yourself exclusively”…..

You get the gist? ….Right? …..If you don’t, then you are a prime example of that group of  Homosapiens that should Not be reading this book.

So if you hate your girlfriend, think your boyfriend is a nerd, your love life bores you, then go ahead and buy this book and learn how to ruin your love life……or not.

Pop goes the Weasel by author James Patterson

Book: Pop goes the Weasel  (Alex Cross Novel)

Author: James Patterson  (www.jamespatterson.com )

Publisher:  Hachette Book Group USA (www.HachetteBookGroupUSA.com)

ISBN: 978-0-446-60881-7

Alex Cross is with the Washington DC Police force. Single father. Melancholic, mulling and contemplative personality. Not a grab, wham, kow pow kind of action action hero. But a regular cop. What is his forte is his tenaciousness with a case and his incisively deductive abilities, coupled with a team that adores him and a family that is his strength.

Washington DC is rocked with a spate of gruesome murders. The murders are so twisted and gory that the investigation is thrown wide and open. But eventually they have a suspect. But he is a British Diplomat. Leave alone interrogating him, even investigating him becomes a dangerous task. Emboldened by this the diplomat engages in further activity that ensnarls Cross and his fiancée.

A thrilling, edge of the seat story. One more excellent Cross novel from James Patterson.

The Hindi Bindi Club by author Monica Pradhan

Book: The Hindi Bindi Club

Author: Monica Pradhan

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing  (www.bloomsbury.com)

ISBN : 978-0-7475-9513-7

Monica Pradhan was born and raised in USA…. The quintessesntial definition of the NRI…. Or the Immigrant Indian with roots and sentiments in the dusty villages and streets on India.

The usual emotional tug to the heart of an NRI is the constant juxtaposition of his two persona …. The comfort, opportunities, technology, freedom and lifestyle offered in countries where they have emigrated ….And the family, the festivities, the food, the people, the climate, the lure of India…. And yet, like everyone, they make a compromise to the best of their intentions. Yet, they try to keep their culture, customs and family ties alive by forming groups and clubs. They share food, recipes, functions, festivities and their troubles, trying to keep India alive.

Hindi Bindi Club is exactly such a story by author Monica Pradhan, about mothers who were raised in India, emigrated to USA and formed such clubs to support themselves. Now their daughters are grown, with lives, travails and troubles of their own.

Author Monica Pradhan, through the proceeds of sales of this book, supports two nice initiatives, www.aseema.org and www.roomtoread.org . Do buy this book and support the awesome initiative.

Introduction to Vedanta by Swami Dayanand Saraswati

Book: Introduction to Vedanta

Author: Swami Dayanand Saraswati

Publisher :Vision Books & Shri Gangadhareshwar Trust (Phone :Rishikesh : 0135-430769)  ( www.sastraprakasika.org )

ISBN 81-7094-289-6

Swami Dayanand Saraswati is a living enlightened human being. He is well versed in the Vedas and Upaniishads and also has a grasp of the modern world, sciences and society. His discourses are structured to suit the modern life and individual and yet adhere to the immutable fundamentals of atma and moksha.

Vedanta is a Sanskrit word and means the Knowledge of the self, found in the Upanishads at the end of the Vedas. Hence the term Vedanta.

Man is continuously in pursuit of some mirage and chasing some unspecified ‘happpiness’ which always eludes him, even after attainment of object of lust …. Or the happiness is impermamnent. And yet there are moments and instances of happiness without bounds and limitation.

This limitlessness and completeness is called moksha or the realization of the atma. This is the basis of Sanatana Dharma ( a philosophy) which is loosely (and falsely) called as Hinduism.

All pursuits of security and pleasure by man are bound to fail as they are directed to the attainment of an object which in itself is ephemeral and temporary or flawed. Plus there is an inherent misunderstanding or ignorance of the fundamental problem or the ever existent solution. Therefore the result of an ignorant and misdirected effort is bound to meet with disappointments.

Vedanta introduces you to the vast subject of Veda and Sanatana Dharma. First you have to understand your malady to understand and accept the cure.

Swami Dayanand Saraswati is very lucid and precise with his words and thoughts and is able to convey the intricacies of our Upanishads in a very clear fashion and language.

A must read for any person wishing to understand the basis of Sanatana Dharma ……. Or Hinduism.

In fact I recommend each and every book of Shri Dayanand Saraswati for his clarity of thought and his precise knowledge about your quest towards finding Moksha or Atma.

With much humility and taking the excuse of my ignorance, I find some of his books and thoughts very repetitive. But the Truth is just one and hence is bound to be repetitive.   Please persevere in your quest for ultimate truth. 

The discourses of Swami Dayananda Saraswati are in English. Available on audio CDs.

61 Hours by author Lee Child

Book: 61 Hours  (Jack Reacher Novel)

Author: Lee Child  (www.jackreacher.co.uk )

Publisher:  Bantam Books and Random House (www.booksattransworld.co.uk and www.rbooks.co.uk and www.randomhouse.co.uk )

ISBN: 978-0-553-81813-0

The hero of this series is Jack Reacher. Lets get it straight at the start of the review. He is a man’s hero and a woman’s dream man. No nonsense, less emotions, less of mushy wooshy stuff.  Tough exterior, good looking in a rugged way. Drifter, who doesn’t have any strings, nor any loose ends. Retired trained Military police, or in his own words: the man who keeps trained killing machines in check and order. Absolute expert in weapons and martial arts. Doesn’t fight often, but when he fights you have to call in the insurance people…. for the place and the people. Do I have your attention?

Jack Reacher is on a bus in the midst of a snow storm somewhere in North America. The bus skids and stops, leaving all the passengers in the bus confined to a small town till an alternative is arranged in the circumstances.

The town serves as a supply and amenities base to a high security prison compound. But is it what it really seems? There is news of an imminent prison break.

And yet Reacher senses something amiss. How does a midget from South Americas fit into this whole puzzle. Amidst the freezing cold and snowstorm, Reacher has to protect an old woman who seems to know more than she tells. And an entire towns police seems unable to provide her protection.

An good read, a buy to be treasured, action packed thriller. The book : One Shot is now a major motion picture starring Tom Cruise.

Roses are Red by author James Patterson

Book: Roses are Red (Alex Cross Novel)

Author: James Patterson  (www.jamespatterson.com )

Publisher: Time Warner Book Group (www.twbookmark.com)

ISBN : 0-446-60548-4

Alex Cross is with the Washington DC Police force. Single father. Melancholic, mulling and contemplative personality. Not a grab, wham, kow pow kind of action action hero. But a regular cop. What is his forte is his tenaciousness with a case and his incisively deductive abilities, coupled with a team that adores him and a family that is his strength.

Alex Cross is pitted against the most brilliant and ingenuous criminal ever, also known as Matermind. While Alex Cross is bust trying to unravel Matermind, a spate of  crimes ensue in Washington DC, where bank employees and their families are killed by bank robbers until their instructions are followed to the smallest dot. Alex Cross is busy with these crimes while his personal life with Christine is unraveling. And Alex Cross has to stop this spate of crimes before the Mastermind threatens the ones closest to him.

Read this master thriller from James Patterson with a evil twist on the last page.

The Enemy ( Jack Reacher Novel) by author Lee Child

Book: The Enemy  (Jack Reacher Novel)

Author: Lee Child  (www.jackreacher.co.uk )

Publisher:  Bantam Books and Random House (www.booksattransworld.co.uk and www.rbooks.co.uk and www.randomhouse.co.uk )

ISBN: 978-0-553-81585-6

The hero of this series is Jack Reacher. Lets get it straight at the start of the review. He is a man’s hero and a woman’s dream man. No nonsense, less emotions, less of mushy wooshy stuff.  Tough exterior, good looking in a rugged way. Drifter, who doesn’t have any strings, nor any loose ends. Retired trained Military police, or in his own words: the man who keeps trained killing machines in check and order. Absolute expert in weapons and martial arts. Doesn’t fight often, but when he fights you have to call in the insurance people…. for the place and the people. Do I have your attention?

New years, 1990, Jack Reacher, Military Police gets a call about a dead officer in a motel. When he reaches there, he gets a surprise. The dead man is a 2 star General. When Reaccher questions the hookers doing the rounds of that motel, he learns that the General for sure wasn’t with a girl. Then who killed him? When Reacher goes to deliver the news to the widow he finds her brutally murdered. While the investigation is on, a soldier is murdered on the army base. His investigation into these murders takes Reacher to US Army bases around the world, and yet the answer is elusive.

Will Jack Reacher persevere in his quest for truth as a Military Police? Will he find the reason behind the string of murders? Will he do this at the cost of his Military career? Will he remain in the Army while breaking its rules?

An absolute must read, a buy to be treasured, action packed thriller.

The book : One Shot is now a major motion picture starring Tom Cruise.

The Tainted Throne by author Alex Rutherford

Book: The Tainted Throne ( Book 4 of series www.empireofthemoghul.co.uk )

Author: Alex Rutherford

Publisher: Hachette India ( www.hachetteindia.com ) (www.headline.co.uk)

ISBN  978-0-7553-4760-5

In his series “Empire of the Moghul”, the author: Alex Rutherford, as always relies on historical facts and deftly weaves them into a fictional biographical story that encompasses the mightiest and longest dynastical rulers of India, the Moghuls.

Books, 1 to 3, dealt with Babur, Humayun and Akbar, the mightiest of the Mughal dynasty kings. The series traced the trials of Babur and his multiple attempts to rule the far flung reaches of the Indian empire. Then it enacted the rot in the Mughal dynasty with brothers fighting for the throne of Delhi. The next book touched upon the mightiest and most quoted Mughal ruler, Akbar.

Book 4 enacts the mighty infighting and deceit in the Mughal dynasty with brothers baying for each others kingdoms and blood. The intricacies of the Moghul court. The rot and heady mixture of power, wine, opium and women.

This series is a must read for every history buff, lover of adventure. But for the people of India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Persia this book is a pure visual treat as we can literally see our favorite and much remembered historical characters come to life. We can watch the daily enactment of the Moghul court, the deceit,  the blood feuds, the power mongering.

This book is also juxtaposed with the start of the downfall of the Mughal empire and the advent of the European players in the drama of the Indian subcontinent….. to be more specific, the British and the East India Company.

A must read for adventure lovers and history buffs.

How to ruin your life by author Ben Stein

Book: How to ruin your Life

Author: Ben Stein

Publisher: Hay House (www.hayhouse.com )

ISBN 1-56170-974-3

The book: How to ruin your life by author Ben Stein can be classified as Black Humour, Satire, Wit.

This book is Not to ruin your life, but to improve your life. But what the author does is gives your prime examples of what you should do, how you should act, how to behave like a total ass in various scenarios IF you want to ruin and debase your life, break your security.  And then the author sardonically exhorts you to avoid these pitfalls and to improve your life in 35 steps. For example some of the chapters of “how to ruin your life” are : “Criticize early and often”, “Use drugs and alcohol freely..you are macho”  “Fight the good fight…over everything”…..

You get the gist? …..Right?..... If you don’t, then you are a prime example of that group of  Homosapiens that should Not be reading this book.

So if you hate your life, think your life sucks, your life seems dreary and lonely, then go ahead and buy this book and learn how to ruin your life……or not.