Book Review: What the Dog Saw and other adventures by Malcolm Gladwell

‘What the dog saw and other adventures’

By: Malcolm Gladwell

Allen Lane (an imprint of Penguin Books)

ISBN: 978-1-846-14294-9

This has been one of the most revealing books I have ever read. In this book, the author goes so deep researching into things so diverse, that one can only feel awestruck at his intellectual capability. Reading this, and slightly starting to look beyond the obvious, as the author does, we would see a whole new world in front of us. The theme of this book is to find answers to all small and big questions in our minds. Getting into the mold, we develop amazing new ways to look at things.

I simply can’t afford to write a full review of this book of over 400 pages with content as wide and diverse and researched as deep into. I would simply list the “contents” summary, for my own reference and in case you feel curious enough, just reach out to Malcolm Gladwell.

Part-I: Obsessives, pioneers and other varieties of minor genius

1

1. The Pitchman: Ron Popeil and the Conquest of the American Kitchen
2. The Ketchup conundrum: Mustard now comes in dozens of varieties. Why has ketchup stayed the same?
3. Blowing up: How Nassim Taleb turned the inevitability of disaster into an investment strategy
4. True colors: Hair dye and the hidden history of postwar America
5. John Rock’s error: What the inventor of the Birth Control Pill didn’t know about women’s health
6. What the dog saw: Cesar Millan and the movements of mastery

Part-II: Theories, predictions and diagnoses

1. Open secrets: Enron, intelligence, and the perils of too much information.
2. Millian dollar Murray: Why problems like homelessness may be easier to solve than to manage.
3. The picture problem: Mammography, air power and the limits of looking.
4. Something borrowed: Should a charge of plagiarism ruin your life?
5. Connecting the dots: The paradoxes of intelligence reform
6. The art of failure: Why some people choke and others panic
7. Blowup: Who can be blamed for a disaster like the Challenger explosion? No one, and we would better get used to it

Part-III: Personality, character and intelligence

1. Late bloomers: Why do we equate genius with precocity?
2. Most likely to succeed: How do we hire when we can’t tell why is right for the job?
3. Dangerous minds: Criminal profiling made easy
4. The talent myth: Are smart people overrated?
5. The new-boy network: What do job interviews really tell us?
6. Troublemakers: What pit bulls can teach us about crime?

- Rahul

Book Review: The Undercover Economist by Tim Harford

‘The Undercover Economist’

By Tim Harford

Abacus

ISBN: 978-0-349-11985-4

I have read Freakonomics and when I read its author’s praise for this book (Steven Levitt: “Required reading… It brings the power of economics to life”, I couldn’t remain but excited about it. And what a read it has been.

Tim Harford is an economist and a member of the Financial Times editorial board. He is now a writer, but before this he worked for Shell, the World Bank and then taught at Oxford University. Through this book, Tim wants to tell us that economics is not pure theory, but it is at its best when applied to solve day to day problems and to answer simple questions in our day to day life. He starts with giving a description of how complex the “economics” is when we think about the various works needed to bring one cup of coffee for us to enjoy. Often, we don’t think much behind the apparent and hence don’t appreciate the big picture. Throughout the book, the author touches one interesting point after the other, providing us with insights which we never got before. He explains how open markets leads to most efficient economy, how “scarcity power” guides the high rents and premium, how ‘marginal’ land is of central importance, how unskilled workers oppose immigration of unskilled workers for their own selfish reasons, how our laziness to go some more steps results in shops at strategic locations ripping us off, and how supermarkets charge more for trivial features and we don’t even know.

He explains how “price targeting” is best for the companies (but it is not so for customers and hence is controversial) and how IBM’s low-end laser printers were actually costlier to make than high end printers. The portion on “efficiency versus fairness: can we handle the truth” is also amazing (case on pharmaceutical companies and pricing methods). He thinks ways to control traffic (concept of marginal cost), evaluates if “green campaigns” are any good at all, and explains the impact of “imperfect information”. The last chapter is on how China is on fast track to richness and why. But it presents a balanced picture, the authors also shows the dark sides of China’s growth.

It is an amazing read on practical economics and I am sure you won’t be disappointed by reading it.

© Rahul

Book Review: Bansi Ki Dhun (Krishnavatar-1)

‘Bansi Ki Dhun’ (Krishnavatar Part-1) (in Hindi)

By Dr. KM Munshi

Hindi Translation by: Omkarnath Sharma

Rajkamal Paperbacks

[ISBN: 978-81-7178-817-0]

One of my very kind friends gave me a set of books called ‘Krishnavatar’ written by Dr. KM Munshi as a wedding gift. I had heard Dr. Munshi’s name many a time, starting from my childhood when we remembered “books and their authors”. Jai Somnath is a very famous account from Dr. KM Munshi’s pen.

“Bansi Ki Dhun” is the first volume of the “Krishnavatar” series. Dr. Munshi has also written many other books on mythology, like a novel called “Bhagwan Parshuram”. The author has researched whole lot of scriptures to find facts and stories around Lord Krishna, whom many including the author accept as an incarnation of God. The scriptures included Srimad Bhagavat, Mahabharat, Harivansh Puran, Vishnu Puran, Bhagavat Puran, Padma Puran, Brahmavaivart Puran, Geet Govind, and Garg Samhita. In author’s words, all these scriptures not only present different accounts of the events happening during Lord Krishna’s life, but at places are even opposite to each other. He says that Srimad Bhagavat and Mahabharata are two scriptures which are source for all subsequent scriptures written on Lord Krishna, but even these two books contain very opposite traditions.

“Visheshkar pratham do granthon me (Srimadbhagavat and Mahabharat) jo anya sabhi granthon ke aadhar hain, bilkul hi vipreet paramparaon ka samavesh hai. Baad ke sabhi granthon me apne-apne rachna kaal me lok-manas par Sri Krishna ke prabhav ke saath-saath us kaal ki adhyatmik avasyaktaon ka bhi varnan milta hai.” (P vii)

“Banshi ki dhun” has been written in the form of a novel. It is essentially a story, which starts with giving a learned historical account of the Yadavas and the ancestors of Sri Krishna, describing the background to Sri Krishna’s birth and up to the assassination the evil king Kansa. It tells about the atrocities of Kansa and how the people awaited for the birth of their rescuer (taranhaar) and also how Devki and Vasudev had to part with their eighth son so as it can live and one day it will kill the evil king Kansa. At times if we don’t read the “whole” of the story and think about only one or two events in particular, we may get confused. This book provides the stream of history and mythology, without any forced artificialness. In fact the author has written this book in a very scientific manner; he doesn’t see Sri Krishna as Lord Krishna with a hallow behind his head but describes him as a human, and tries to explain how a small cowboy “gwala” did so many acts of courage (which people called miracles) that people started worshipping him as “Lord” and an avatar of God. This is why almost anyone can read this book, even the atheists would be very happy to read it and I believe they would appreciate this amazing story from the life of Sri Krishna.

The portion of the book where the author describes the games and tricks of baby Krishna (Kanhaiya or Kanha as he was called with love); where he troubles Ma Yashoda and Nand Baba; when local girls in the villages just become infatuated with the charm of this young boy who is only 7 years old, such portions have become so wonderful that while reading my eyes often flooded with tears. There is not much of religion in the pages neither is there any blind faith or miracles described as if coming from some other world. Krishna’s story is as if it is our very own. We can see Baby Krishna in our younger children around us and his playfulness in their naughtiness. Perhaps it is the result of such soul-touching stories about young Krishna, that I think every Indian mother would must have called her son as Krishna or Kaanha with love at some point or the other.

The portion about Devki and Vasudev’s sacrifice is heart touching and readers can feel a part of their intense pain. The stories of Kansa’s atrocities would make readers enraged too. But the joyous and lovely games played by Krishna would make the readers feel a kind of love, which can only be described as “divine”.

This book is essentially a novel, with some portions coming out perhaps better than any work of fiction. The author has been fair enough to accept that the stories about Radha are not from credible sources and are even unreliable. As the author writes in a note on page-95:

“Radha hamari lok kalpana dwara srijit raswanti gopi hai. Uska udbhav kahan aur kis prakar hua, yah theek se nahi kaha ja sakta. ‘Mahabharat’, ‘Harivansh’, aur sambhavtah 8vi shatabdi me rachit ‘Bhagvat’ me uska ullekh kahin nahi milta. Dusri or, ‘Silappadikaram’ namak prachin Tamil granth me Nappinai naam ki Krishna-patni ke roop me uska ullekh kiya gaya hai. Isi prakaar lagbhag dusri sadi me rachit “Radha Saptshati” namak granth me uska ullekh hai. 8vi sadi ke baad kai Prakrit bhasha ke kaviyon ne, adhikanshtah Shringar Rask e kavyon me, Radha ka ullekh kiya hai.

Sanskrit sahitya me Radha ka pratham ullekh Malav ke Parmarvanshi maharaj Vakpati Munj (974-994 AD) ke teen shilalekhon me aye ek ashirvadatmak shlok me milta hai. Parantu Raja Lakshmansen (1179-1203) ke Rajkavi Jaidev ne jab apne “Geet Govind” ki nayika unhe banaya, tabhi raasleela ki adhisthatri devi, Raseshwari ke roop me samast Bharatvarsh me unki kirti faili.

Chaitanya ne unhe Devi roop me mana aur isi prakar Radhapanthiyon, Vishnuswamiyon aur Nimbark ke anuyayiyon ne unhe Devi ke pad par sthapit kiya. Prachlit manyata ke anusar wah Sri Krishna ki Divyapatni hain aur is manyata ko Nimbark ne bhi swikar kiya hai.Parkeeya prem ko atyant mahatva deti Purv Bharat ki dharmik pranali ke anusar Sri Krishna ne Radha ko apni priyatama ke roop me sweekar avashya kiya hai parantu wah patni to kisi anya ki hi hain. Jo bhi ho, Radha ke bina Krishna-katha ka vichaar karna hi kathin jaan padta hai aur samanya lok-pranalika ke anusaar jo manyata prachlit hai, wahi mujhe yogya lagti hai” (P95-96)

This portion is slightly controversial in the sense that it has become a passionate “love story”. Krishna declares that he will marry Radha, but Yashoda, Nandbaba and even Guru Sandeepani are not in agreement with this decision. Krishna had taken birth to do great work, to relieve this world from the atrocities of kings like Kansa, and if he marries at such a young age and has a family to keep, it would be a big distraction and hindrance. Besides, this, Radha’s family were considered slightly inferior than Krishna’s. But before Krishna had to leave Radha, the book indicates that he marries Radha. Krishna says, “Chal, apne Sandeepni Guru ke paas chalen. Pavitra agni ki Sakshi dekar hamara vivaah hoga,” Krishna ne kaha. And next morning, when Krishna has to part from Gukul, he sees: “Paas me hi Radha nav-vadhu ke paridhan dharan kiye aur lajjasheel navodha ke upyukt ghunghat nikale khadi thi.”

This book is written in such a beautiful language that when one starts reading it, one doesn’t feel like keeping it down. What a wonderful read it has been. And now I am reading its second part.

Highly recommended to all.

- Rahul

Book Review: Pauranik Kahaniyan

‘Pauranik Kahaniyan’ (in Hindi)

Gita Press, Gorakhpur

Pages 128

[ISBN 81-293-1400-2]

The Puranas (पुराण) are part of the Hindu sacred texts. These are ancient compilations; the great sage Vyasa is considered the original compiler of the Puranas, though it is largely believed that the texts have been modified or added all through the history of India. These are compilations written in the form of stories, with many of the Puranas spreading a flow of devotion or Bhakti in the hearts of the readers. Different Puranas are based on many Hindu deities. Many of us would love to get hold of the Puranas and read through the translated versions of the ancient texts (from original Sanskrit). Gita Press (http://www.gitapress.org/) has been doing the commendable job of making such texts available to all, at a very low cost. This book is an example of the same efforts, without which many of us may not have been able to read some of the original stories from the Puranas.

Having read this book, I can’t remain without appreciating the intent of writing the Puranas. These are not purely religious texts, but contain great social wisdom. Each story imparts the readers with a life-building moral learning. Many stories from the Puranas ask us to respect our parents; while one story from Skanda Purana tells us the importance of doing Punya (noble works) in our life in order to secure a good Parloka (after-life). There are stories where the importance of good work like helping the poor is counted higher than doing pure Bhakti (one from Skand Puran); where devotion and worship is shown as critical (one from Varah Puran), where shunning ego is shown very necessary, if we don’t give daana (charities) we won’t get food to eat in the Parloka (after-life) – from Padmapurana, the importance of speaking the truth (a touching story where a lion catches hold of a cow who promises him to come back to him as his food after supporting and consoling its baby calf, and she indeed turns up, so as to keep her word) and the likes. Puranas were also written in devotion of particular deities, though in this book we get a collection of stories and hence a variety of education. One story from Vaman Puran is about how Lord Vishnu got his Sudarshan Chakra because of blessing from Lord Shiva, while another one tells us how once Lord Brahma’s pride was broken (from Brahmvaivart Puran), and one where Muni Narad’s pride is shaken (from Shiv Puran).

There are also many stories where complex events take place and we get to know in the end who all are going to the heaven (Swarga) and who to the hell (Naraka) and because of what reasons. The intent is to inspire us to do “real” good work, rather than just to secure good place.

One piece from Padma Puran tells us the five great pilgrimages (Maha Tirthas): (1) Pitri Tirth (devotion to parents) (2) Pati Tirth (devotion to one’s spouse) (3) Samata Tirth (practicing equality to all humans ignoring caste/creed/status), (4) Adroh Tirth (noble attitude towards all), and (5) Bhakti Tirth (devotion to God). I think devotion to one’s parents, importance of helping the poor and always speaking the truth, are three most common themes in the stories I read in this book.

In these times when a lot of pollutions have happened around us, where we have few truly noble persons to guide us, I think turning to the ancient wisdom in our texts like the Puranas is one very helping initiative in the right direction.

© Rahul