Two books I read recently

Couple of books which I read recently are "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri and "If God was a Banker" by Ravi Subramanian. Both the books are real good reads and I enjoyed reading them. The novel by Jhumpa Lahiri has been made as a film as well, it seems.

While reading these books, I realised that I tend to read it in one go if it really appeals to me. Else, I leave it half-way or read it in bits and pieces always wondering where did I last stop. I guess that should the habit of many other people as well. I should say I read both the books in one go. It made me to be awake till very late in the night for couple of days. I cant just keep the book down and wait for the next morning to start again.

"The Namesake" is based on a story of an young Indian student going to US for pursuing his higher studies and settles there to raise a family. The story revolves around the emotional struggle faced by him and his wife living in an alien land through out their adult life. Though they are in US for most part of their adult life, they still consider India as their homeland and feels attached to them. Very natural! The second part of the story is about their children, primarily their son, Gogol, born and brought up in US. How the second generation US born Indians look at their life, their priorities and preferences, their attitude towards India and fellow Indians were beautifully bought out. I could easily relate the life situations narrated in the novel and empathise with the characters. The flow was very good and the presentation was neat. Good book and enjoyed it to the last word.

The next one, "If God was a banker", is a story about the lives of modern day bankers, who are ambitious and aggressive. The novel revolves around two young IIM graduates, Swami and Sandeep, who enter a Multi-national bank to pursue their careers. Both of them raise the corporate ladder but of course following two entirely different approaches. Swami, a South Indian Tam-Brahm, is portrayed as hard-working, ethical and intelligent whereas the other character, Sandeep grows using dubious ways. Since I have a first hand information of how competitive the entire banking industry has become for the employees, I was glued on to the novel. Of course, at times it looks like few of the situations as cliched but on retrospect thats how it happens in real life as well. Though the novel is an imaginary one, as the author claims (the author Ravi Subramanian is a IIM graduate currently working in a MNC Bank in their retail banking operations) it is rumoured that it has a close resembelance to real life story.