Global Software Development - Ragwinder Sangwan, Matthew Bass, Neel Mullick, Daniel J. Paulish, Juergen Kazmeier
	Offering a unique perspective on global agility, this handbook describes the convergence of two movements - globally distributed and agile software development. The book explores techniques that can bridge distances, create cohesion, promote quality, and strengthen lines of communication. The authors delineate an organizational structure that not only fosters team building, but also achieves effective collaboration among the central and satellite teams. They explore the issues surrounding quality and the processes required to realize quality in a distributed environment. The book elucidates how to effectively manage communication among geographically distributed teams.
The origin of species - Charles Darwin
	Even though I have put this book on the backburner for a bit (ok! maybe longer) after reaching page 101, I think it merits a mention. A most notable one that too. Even after having made it only a quarter of the way through the book, I could tell that this is how one ought to write a book - years of careful research, a quest for perfection (okay maybe he almost overdid that one!), a sincere effort to contribute to the body of knowledge already out there. And the surprising thing is that it reads rather interestingly - kind of like a story. But then again it is the story of evolution. And just so that I am perfectly clear on this, I am putting it on the backburner only because I am not that much of a naturalist and talk about pistils and stamen, as interesting as it might be for some, doesn't quite pollinate me as much! Amazingly well organized and simply presented what is by all means a mystifying subject, what is humbling about the genius of an author and researcher is his modesty that rings true like a bell. Even in the brief exposure to the story of evolution, I could not cease to think about the ramifactions that this extraordinary treatise might have had (or still has) on subjects like anthropology, psychology and psychiatry. I think Charles has answered the question that Douglas Adams sought out to answer in the 'Hitchhiker's Guide'...What was it?...What is the ultimate question?...hmm...or was it where do we come from?...something like it... and got lost somewhere on the way. Well, in any case, one of the reviews hails it as the "Most influential work in virtually every aspect of human thought" and in my opinion, rightly so. If you have the stamen-a (Yeah! I know I am a funny guy) of a naturalist, this book is for you!
Three weeks with my brother - Nicholas & Micah Sparks
	Yet another travelog. But wait. This one is special. For it is a journey not only to some of the most exotic places in the world but more importantly, also a journey through life. 3 weeks might not sound that much (especially where I am coming from!) but besides seeing some of the most wonderous sights in the world with his brother, and that too by private jet, Nicholas Sparks (of 'The Notebook' fame) recounts an entire journey of a lifetime. And so many intertwined therein. Exceptionally well written in its simplicity, Nicholas sparks humour (get it?! 'Nicholas sparks humour') in this unique book without any exaggerated rhetoric. His storytelling capabilities make you live the moment and you can't help but laugh out loud as if you were alongside the two siblings, reliving their memories as if they were your very own. I also liked the way he segways back and forth between the 2 journeys, even though there is no common thread but for the two living the tale. Although I do have to admit that reading their own personal tale was much more fulfilling than the travelog per se, the switch, made time and again, is done in a not-so-jarring but rather most effortless and efficacious manner. Nice touch Sparky! And his writing makes me wish I read 'The Notebook' so as to visualize the love through his prose rather than through the director's cuts. About living life and not just having it (in author's own words), the book reminds one of chasing a dream not forgeting to add the secret sauce that makes it all worthwhile - that of enjoying the 'process of the chase' itself. The problems with dreaming and chasing dreams being that too many people do not even try, it imparts the lesson, and that too subtly, of learning about yourself, your capabilities and limitations; the value of hard work and persistence in doing so. For those of you either new at or are floundering your way through parenting, the book might just reveal a new approach. Try this one for size... When Nicky's mother warns his older brother..."I brought you into this world and I sure as hell can take you out." Not to worry, it is all in good stead. Amongst the many other pearls of wisdom, one that I found most interesting was their mother's idea of making all of them tell her 3 nice things that the other siblings did for them each night - soon it became easier to be nice than to invent new 'nice things' each night! The one thing that didn't bode too well with me was the near cynical attitude adopted towards some of the guides and the information dispensed on the artifacts of cultural and historical significance. Having been through some such discourses myself recently, as disinterested as one may be there may always be others who feel differently. And after all just the fact that they are different from one's own culture should not warrant them being the subject of ridicule. Talking of Machu Pichu as a place to experience and not visit, I couldn't agree more. Besides for another truism of the possibility of life ending any minute so better be happy than busy, most others made me think of so many people I know that the book may strike a personal cord with.
True love - Robert Fulghum
	Bordering on being schmaltzy, I guess such are the ways of love. A compilation of true love stories as told to Robert, most of them during his 'tell me a short love story and I will buy you a coffee and make you famous' fairs in Seattle coffee shops! Not unlike what a 'Chicken soup for the lovers' soul' might read like, it is different in the sense that only the most discerning reader might be able to 'get the love' in most of the stories, and that too after making a concerted effort at reading between the lines. Not exactly the most moving of stories, I did have goosebumps - but that might have something to do with the airconditioning having been turned all the way up! What is most noteworthy about the book itself, is that all the net royalties go to the 'Habitat for Humanity' charity - one of the most successful self-help endeavors in the world that had taken hold in 1,200 communities in the USA and 48 other countries at the time of the publication of the book - in 1997. A couple of questions that I couldn't help but masticate on... I wonder what Robert means when he says "Love is never final - there's always a sequel or the hope for one"? And when a lady recounts a fleeting romantic encounter outside of her marriage stating "...made a pleasant break in the drudgery of being a wife and mother...", I started wondering if having a family life is indeed as prone to drudgery as some people make it out to be? After much debate on whether or not I should include it here, I think I will leave you with a synopsis of the story that I thought was most different - "When I was going through puberty, I bought a bunch of very sleazy and much used girlie magazines. I kept them hidden under my mattress where I was sure, of course, that nobody would ever find them. One day I noticed that several of the magazines were gone, but somebody had replaced them with much newer and higher quality magazines. The girls were much prettier and nicer. Although I knew that only my parents or my older sister could have made the switch, nobody ever said anything or let on. And I was too scared to ask. This happened every couple of years, until I left for college. Once there was a whole book about love and sex education with very explicit photographs. To this day I don't know who tended to my magazine collection. I guess I like thinking that any one in my family might have loved me enough to understand my adolescence and not make a fuss about my normal sexuality or embarass me." As the narrator of the story himself claims, it took him a long time to realize that it does qualify as a love story.
The anatomy of motive - John Douglas & Mark Olshaker
	A slow start in the first couple of chapters, but from then on a pulsating read. The book is a well-knit compilation of the author's experiences as a 'profiler' for 25 years with the FBI; and more since retiring. From looking at a crime scene (sometimes, just from the reports!) and analyzing its many aspects, the authors have made a living out of profiling the potential perpetrator of such crimes as blackmail & extortion, homicide, murders (mass, serial, and spree), product tampering, and random violence among many others. It was awesome for me (as a layman in the world of crime!) to understand how such profiles stitched together from miniscule tidbits of information can help serve justice - and they often do. The authors have painstakingly put together knowledge gained from their experiences on-the-field and from what seems like laborious off-the-field interviews of convicted criminals into a book that is both informative and an exciting read at the same time. In so many ways reading the book was like taking a sneak peek at the behind-the-scenes action in a Sherlock Holmes mystery - only it didn't seem as elementary! A must read for those in the business of solving crime, I wonder if the criminals were reading it too?! On the other hand however, I couldn't help but be apalled at the gruesome and heinous, and sometimes nonsensical, stranger-than-fiction reality of US crime. Assuming that it was not the same in India and maybe even in the Eastern hemisphere (not knowing fully the reasons why I make such an assumption), it did make me wonder how and why it is different and seemingly not as gruesome. I also realised that with knowledge, which seems to be the lifeblood of the USA, comes a huge responsibility - that of exercising that knowledge with utmost care and responsibility. I wonder if these last 2 statements are corelated in any way. Not that I intend to make light of it, but it did raise another question. Let's see if you can figure it out from the extract - "...I am confining myself here to characterization of men. By definition, this is sexist, but by definition, men are the problem...For whatever complex reasons, women don't manifest their frustrations and emotional injuries in the same aggressive ways."
Isaac Stern. My first 79 years - Isaac Stern with Chaim Potok
	Meant not only for the music aficionado, the book is a veritable cornucopia of insights. Not only on music, but also on life. My first ever book on music and about a musician, I was not disappointed. Although it did make me realise how little I know about a profession that I profess to so love the product of. Not only by and about a musician, in some ways the book itself is musical. Especially the way the prose has been constructed - it moves from note to note seamlessly and effortlessly, kind of like a piece of well composed music. Comparable to a musician's travelog, the book is a staccato of places and experiences. At times it seems that the book (and by corollary, the musician) is rather inward looking when it comes to music, but then again its possible I might have that confused with the passion for the subject that comes out unequivocally. As much about a passion for learning and striving for excellence, the book rightly stresses the importance of influences in a child's formative years. While Isaac portrays the importance of pursuing a passion and beliefs single-mindedly, he also reminds one not to achieve such an ideal at the cost of "draining the joy from life". A definite read, not only for the music lover but for any avid or eclectic reader, it did raise a question in my mind - on the correlation between the following two lines - "With experience and knowledge, the goals grow higher, and one becomes aware of how much more can be done," and "The goals of anybody who thinks about what he's doing change constantly." The passage that I found most significant however has little to do with music and I would like to leave you with that simple, yet powerful thought - "All countries beginning with the most powerful on Earth today, must believe that it is not only possible but an absolute necessity to find a way to live together without threatening each other's way of life. War is a disease that has to be stamped out of the minds of men. The concept of a superior nation or a superior race as a natural way of life will only lead to a natural way of death. I believe that there is enough power in the human spirit to weld us together in a mutual desire to enjoy the fruits of our planet and to have faith in the continued promise of peace for our children and grandchildren."
Swimming to Antarctica : Tales of a long-distance swimmer - Lynne Cox
	After foraging through the library of the 'Orlova' while making passage to Antarctica, I finally stumbled upon a gold mine. I had practically given up on the small library as a collection of discards after attempting to read many of the books when I chanced upon what seemed like an exciting and worth-while read. And I was not to be disappointed. If any of you have pondered over the answer to the following question - "If you had a goal and worked very, very hard toward it but didn't accomplish it, what would you do, and would you still be happy?," the book more than answers that and many more that might come up in its wake. The book is Lynne Cox's personal journey of struggle and accomplishment as a long-distance swimmer during which she never lowered the bar, always extended herself, and worked towards her goals enduringly and in reachable steps. With dogged determination, she demonstrates time and again, how the perseverance and belief of an individual can mobilize peoples that would otherwise be considered worlds apart and bring them together. Her experiences also demonstrate how doubt and fear are a part and parcel of steeling oneself for an uphill battle and how to fight one's way through it. Since few words (at least mine) can deliver the underlying messages of the book with as much precision and efficacy, I find myself wishing I could quote entire passages from the book without jeopardizing your enjoyment. I will quote a few lines: "It is amazing how incredible the human body is that it can do so much. That it can go beyond the everydayness of life; that it can be extraordinary & powerful, and harbor a spirit of hope & pure will." "I felt so fortunate that I had been able to find a group of people who thought of what could be instead of being stuck on what was." The book, an autobiographic account of Lynne's evolution as a long-distance swimmer and as a human being, has so many more nuggets of wisdom that have been brought to life by her accomplishments. Written in simple, easy to understand prose, the book does not deviate from its intended purpose of motivating people to always try and make a difference and is difficult to put down once you get past the front cover. There are books that derive their merit from prose and others from content. This is of the latter genre. Besides delivering one of the most important lessons in life - that of no one being able to achieve great goals alone, I also learned why (not counting my insatiable sweet-tooth!) I have been struggling to get a 6-pack! .... "Healthy men have a low percentage of body fat, and that fat is usually distributed around the abdomen." A must, must read.
Angels and Rabies : A journey through the Americas - Manchan Magan
	Besides being about his travels through parts of South & North America, I don't know if the book is about much else. Neither does there seem to be an underlying message. I am faced, therefore with little choice but a disconnected delineation. Being a travelog, I found it intriguing how Mocha seems to avoid the entire notion of time. This accentuates its exciting and hard-to-put-down character. I picked it up assuming that I would connect with it for obvious reasons, and I was close! It did hit the right spot on many an occasion and even helped in putting my travels in somewhat of a perspective by throwing light on some aspects I had missed out completely. Also a book about a quest for love, and a meaning to life it talks about "one's primary objective being to hunt down the marrow of life, and suck from it deeply." As far as gaining perspective on my own travels, I awakened to a dormant regret for not embarking on the San Pedro journey, gained a corrective perspective on the Israeli travelers in South America, and most notably, realized that we backpackers are indeed, a special breed - well some of us anyways. )Not that I subscribe to his interpretation of love or how he chose to exercise it, there are a few interesting antidotes to Robert A. Johnson's (author of 'We') thoughts on the subject. )I can't profess that I understand women (some of my decisions in life have disallowed me the privilege) but those who do and those of the opposite gender, please take the time to explain the following lines to me and let me know if they are indeed true - "By knowing a woman in her moontime, not only do you get to know her - her core, where the answers lie and all the future questions - but you get to know yourself. This is the greatest gift a woman gives." On a completely disconnected tangent (I warned you!), Mocha aptly & light-heartedly brings home the futility of so many of our endeavors especially those that result in or involve conflict, or more specifically war - "Troops were flown in to try & find this nebulous border once and for all, but it was proving difficult since the location was so remote & hostile that it was too difficult to get to, or even to move in once you were there." A word of caution for those habituated to reading the last page of a book before they begin reading (I know there are some, even if they don't admit so publicly!), don't! You'll never forgive yourself. I can't remember the last time I had so much trouble comprehending an ending. It did leave me smiling each time I tried though. Give me a holler if you get it. Even though the book reads interestingly and easily and is difficult to put down, it is pretty much directionless, much like Mocha's travels. If you do end up reading it and manage to figure it out, please let me know who Eve is?! It is killing me. I gifted the book to Carmen, a Mexican travel journalist I met in Rio - I couldn't think of anyone who might appreciate it more.
Passion for freedom : Maria's story - Maria Gomori
	About making mistakes, constantly endeavoring to learn, internalizing one's locus of control, and making the most of life, the book is a veritable cornucopia of everyday wisdom, set against a backdrop of the not-so-everyday cruelties of World War 2. In fact, since I have begun maintaining this section on my website, I have developed a rather helpful habit - that of dogear-ing the pages that I want to capture for later. Very few pages escaped that cruel fate. It was also a strain for me to capture the essence of the book without losing the merit of being succint. The book is an autobiography of Maria, who along with her family were fortunate survivors of the tortures inflicted on the Jewish during World War 2. Her life, or rather many different lives sewn together demonstrates time and again how the roles we play in our lives are driven directly by our own choices and are not a function of the past. It opens one's eyes to many different aspects of life - the different kinds of love one can experience in one lifetime all in their own place but enjoying a similar fervor, making the biggest of sacrifices if there is hope for a brighter day, there being no such thing as an insurmountable obstacle... Well, I could go on and on but I guess you'll just have to read it and find out for yourself. Once again, it does make the readers aware of the cruelties & futilities of war. I sometimes wonder, why we, the so-to-speak-thinking race spend so much of our energy on battling with each other over insignificant matters when there is so much deprivation & suffering to weed out. But I will handle that subject in detail elsewhere so let me not give that away entirely. Towards the end, it deviates from how it reads for the most part, and just becomes an incessant vote of thanks to so many others. But it is all good since her life is woven inextricably with so many others. Besides there is much to learn from the people whose paths she crossed. I know I have already been blessed with great people around me - just wish that my luck continues. The book isn't a great work of literature but it does have gems of aphorisms. As a sampler, I'll leave you with these two - "Give life to the years, not years to life", and "Dying for a purpose is not an issue for me. it's a way of living." An easy and inspiring read. It does raise one interesting question though and this does not take away from the greatness of her life and her achievements - If life is not really about what it dishes out your way but about what you throw back at it, then why did she leave Hungary in the post-war years? And I am not saying I wouldn't have done exactly the same thing.
The World is Flat - Thomas L. Friedman
	"No one ever gave me directions like this on a golf course before: "Aim at either Microsoft or IBM." I was standing on the first tee at the KGA Golf Club in downtown Bangalore, in southern India, when my playing partner pointed at two shiny glass-and-steel buildings off in the distance, just behind the first green." From the 3 time Pulitzer prize winning author comes a book that can only be described as the-need-of-the-hour. For those of you who are already living and breathing the emergence of India in the technology and affiliated services sector, what the author describes as the phenomenon of the 'flattening world' should come as no surprise. For those left eating the dust, the author lays down pretty much everything about the phenomenon - from what it means and the ten chief catalysts, to its implications and the need for new strategies for this new world order. Written by an American author concerned largely with the overall health of the American society in today's rapidly changing world, the book has enough wisdom for peoples of all nations, religions, and cultures. As an Indian citizen, what is most endearing is India's current place in the new world order. What is most interesting and universally applicable about the advise dispensed however is this - In this ever flattening dynamic, the recipe for success is not to guard our current positions zealously but to open the throttle on the flattening process; to identify and build our core competencies and take advantage of the flat world for the rest. Kind of like allowing the competencies to filter through nations. The one thing I did not appreciate about the book however, was how Tom seemed to all of a sudden become a religious preacher for a significant section of the book. Not having succumbed to religious fervor for all of my life, I don't see why this particular phenomenon had to be confused with religion. Even though the anecdotal evidence provided by him seems to suggest that he might be barking up the right tree, the advice with its obvious religious overtones might lose its potential efficacy - or not! On the other hand, its probably better if somebody said it outright. All in all, a book extremely well paced and equally well written on a subject that could easily have been boring. A must read survival guide in this new awakened and connected era.
We: Understanding the psychology of romantic love - Robert A. Johnson
	"My lords, if you would hear a high tale of love and death, here is that of Tristan and Queen Iseult; how to their full joy, but to their sorrow also, they loved each other, and how at last, they died of that love together upon one day; she by him and he by her." Using one of the earliest romance tales as the backdrop, Bob has superimposed Jungian philosophy in an attempt to unravel the deeper meaning of romantic love as experienced by both sexes in the western society. For the romantics who have not read the myth, the condensed narrative could serve as a source of joy, sorrow and the unusual euphoria that is usually accompanied with love (you know what I'm talking about right?!). As for the analysis, it slowly but surely erodes some of the charm of being in love. Not that I profess to know anything about Jungian thought, but in my opinion, more often than not the author seems to be on a soap box dogmatizing the right path as opposed to the wrong one treaded by so many rather than sticking to what might be possible interpretations. Which could have helped more by raising the right questions. There are as many ways to love and of being in love as there are people on this planet. Between any two human beings in any kind of relationship there are infinite dimensions of love, I mean who is to say? And what would love be without romance? Can anyone have loved and be loved without the euphoria that the author seems to be refering to as 'romance'. But then again, like the author says, maybe I am in love with 'being in love'. I will give him this much though.. It makes me wonder how love would end, if it did not metamorphose (by design or otherwise) into multiple dimensions including what he seems to be idealizing as love and brushing aside as romance......... It does also give the reader a unique, alternate perspective from which to question his or her own feelings of and about love in the media-frenzied world of today. The author also, I think dilutes the message by getting religion (euphemized rather conveniently with spiritualism) into the picture. Religion to me is just a manifestation of hope and the longing for goodness that our society suffers from but let me not get started on that. And what the fuck is with the bullshit about the love of an Indian (or Hindu) being purer.... All in all, the juxtaposition of the narrative and the analysis makes it a great and simple read, and raises many interesting questions.Oh, and one more thing, for the woman readers, if you are expecting much of an insight into your own psyche when it comes to being in love, I think you might have to temper down your expectations a tad.

OTHER BOOKS

World philosophies - Ninian Smart

Let me see, I bought this book about 6 years back. And everywhere I have gone, this book has gone with me. Sadly though, it has provided me with the least pleasure to weight ratio a book has in some time - I couldn't get past page 120. It was a tough call whether or not to review this book but I decided that the first 100 pages tell a lot about a book. Interested in philosophy per se, I think that the book being at most times a discourse on the history of different philosophies is a tad disappointing. Don't get me wrong - there is the good stuff about the philosophies as well. Not particularly being a fan of history though, to wade dissatisfyingly through so many names, dates and who did what, when - to get to the meat, and that too not all in one place - not for me. It did raise an interesting question though - It did make me wonder how religion and philosophy are related. As the book seems to be use them pretty much interchangeably, I couldn't find my answer in there. But maybe it was to be found on page 326!! Bottomline, if you are interested in philosophy as an academic, by all means indulge. If you are interested in the philosophies 'only' and what they had to opine about so many things...Well you can still indulge, but when you do put it down, give me a holler so that I can say that I told you so!

Islands in the stream - Ernest Hemingway

A 'triumphant, romantic bestseller' the cover professes. With 4 different versions published, all in October of 1970, 'bestseller' it might well have been. In my books 1 out of 3 ain't that bad, unless triumphant is an adjective used to describe its bestseller status and not it being a 'romance' novel! Or maybe 29 years after I was born I have still to attain a level of sophistication required to fully appreciate romance the way it was, a full 7 years before I was born. Okay, I have to stop being mean! Romance aside, the amount of detail used to describe the characters, and in the scenes - breathtaking but arduous to consume. On the good side though, the details are what allow you to feel the emotion, see the scenery, at times even touch the faces. Heming has a way (Get it? Heming has a way....Hemingway!) to create a description where you can practically reach out and touch the set - but you got to make an effort to be able to do this. At times when the author is spending a few pages creating an authentic setting for the ensuing storyline, there is little going on in the pages but you are more there! After labouring through many passages wondering where they were leading up to, there would invariably be one line that would make it all worth it. The humour has many different qualities - sometimes tongue and cheek, sometimes dry, at times even icy, and at times just in the culmination of a series of ideas and expressions, but hardly ever obvious; always subtle, always lurking in the shadows. I still found myself smiling at most times. Talking of the protagonist, Ernest says that "he had trained himself not to quarrel with women anymore and he had learned how not to get married." Anyone I know managed to figure this one out?!

Digital fortress - Dan Brown

Before succumbing to the hype of the Da Vinci code, I read my first Dan Brown. And as fast paced and exciting as the book might have been, I think it'll be a while before I pick up my next Dan Brown. A time killer, it might be a treat for the senses but not for the intellect. No sir! What was a bit unsettling was how the plot keeps jumping between different scenes of action as that made it both exciting and jarring at the same time - Or maybe I have just lost the sense of how one of such fiction novels reads! Have a day to kill at the airport - pick it up! Else you might be better served with something more intellectually demanding.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - J.K. Rowling

Having tried and backed away from purchasing the latest Harry Potter adventure many a time thanks to a rapidly dwindling budget towards the end of my South American tour, I got lucky as I picked up a used copy for a cheaper price at Rio de Janeiro airport's book store. Had it not been for the unbeatable used price and the prospect of spending a mind-numbingly boring night at the airport, I wonder if I would have ever picked it up, especially after having been disappointed with the previous adventure of the boy-wonder-of-the-wizarding-world. It provided for a pleasant change of pace from some of the other books I had been reading at the time. However, had it not been for the seemingly endless nocturnal batte with the rapicious mosquitoes at the Hotel Tropical in Manaus, I might have had to face the ignominy of being seen with the book in public. As little sense as it makes to write a review, the only thing I have to say is this - If you have had the patience to read the previous 5, pick it up for you have nothing to lose, except for time of course!