Creating, collecting, and sharing thoughts and ideas. And learning along the way.
I couldn’t get into this… although I’ve read other Jhabvala works in the past that were a lot more gripping…
Maybe it is sometimes the time, place and mood at a given point in time that makes one feel more into a certain type of story or setting… I’ll admit I wasn’t in the best frame of mind to find this as fascinating as I thought I might.
A nice variety of short-stories– entertaining even if you’re not a fan of Russian literature.
The Indian Clerk by David Leavitt is a story that attempts to capture and catalog the days and ways of the legendary Indian mathematician, S. Ramanujan in the early part of the twentieth century in England, at Cambridge, in particular. Ramanujan’s mathematical genius is the stuff legends are made of, and the stories that circulate in India to this day attest to that fact, not to mention the many books about him that continue to be published on his work and persona to this day.
Therefore, it was with much interest that I embarked on this book, and for the most part it is indeed a well-written story; yet, it seems at times too tedious a literary journey to undertake what with the almost endless portrayal of Ramanujan as the eccentric from the East who is dysfunctional in his social relationships with all and sundry in England even as he seems equally dysfunctional in his personal relationships with his wife and mother across the oceans. One wonders if this is indeed the price of genius: the loss of self and the lack of love–to give or receive. This characterization of his “freak factor” is juxtaposed alongside his seemingly supernatural ability with numbers and his obsession with solving the Reimann hypothesis (what is that, anyway?).
This is a story in the broadest sense about unrequited love, dreams and hopes. Ramanujan and Alice Neville are unable to break the proverbial glass ceiling in expressing their feelings for each other (although it is hazily clear that Ramanujan is as besotted with her as she is with him– why and how else would he have memorized and remembered all those songs she had taught him and sing them with her many years later?). Littlewood’s desire to make Mrs. Chase his own wife remains unrequited to the end even though she ends up bearing him not one but two children. Hardy’s past with Gaye bears a foreshadowing of what may be to come with Ramanujan, yet even those feelings remain unrequited to the very end. Finally, the piece de resistance that tops the list of unrequited items is Ramanujan’s inability to solve that most sought after theorem even though he is hailed repeatedly as the most important mathematician of the “last five hundred years”.
And so we arrive at the conclusion: death comes early–too early–at the impossible age of 33 to Ramanujan. It is senseless, mindless and meaningless, and is owing in large part of his own doing. Religious dietary restrictions be damned, my man– you should have kept that cake down instead of going into a tizzy about the fact that it was made with eggs!
So pick up this 500-page tome if you wish to catch a glimpse of this tenuous collaboration of East and West during colonial times that presents questions of the mysterious nature of human relationships, sexual identity and questions of genius.
A fascinating account of one woman’s battle with a spate of mental illnesses ranging from psychoses to schizophrenia, and the various treatments that are administered (usually by trial and error) ranging from psychoanalysis and group therapy to legally prescribed drugs.
What is remarkable about her story is that it not only provides for a better understanding on how to help oneself–or another–to overcome mental illness, but to realize that despite such odds, it is even possible to wildly succeed in a profession of choice, in this case a teaching career in academia.
A bit scary about how thin the “edge” can be between sanity and insanity.
Outstanding in every way, the prose and poetry that Amis employs to conjure up visions of Russia’s past and present is chilling to the bone, leaving you shaking at the end of it at the stark cruelty of the universe alongside the sublime beauty of moral complexities.
Plus, if you’ve ever wondered about the art of letter-writing, Amis’ protagonist will show you a thing or two on how it is to be done.
Absolutely one of the finest books of 2007 that I’ve had the pleasure to read and count as my first one of 2008.
Two big thumbs up! (Now let me quickly check the AADL and put on hold each and every Martin Amis book they might have!)
And where might you find the freshest Mexican cuisine in town? The El Camino Real, of course! The experience starts from the moment you pull into the parking lot. You are beckoned to a tavern-like establishment with landscaping that is reminscent of terrain in the Southwest.
You then enter into a most vibrant interior so splashed with the brightest colors so as to compete with the colors of the food that will soon be served to you. See for yourself the slideshow below. And then scroll down for a few more thoughts about this dining experience.
So! I highly recommend the Mango Margarita; the Toquitos Platter (that came on a bed of shredded lettuce and tomatoes, and with the freshest Guacamole and a huge dollop of Sour Cream [SC]); the Pollo Vallarta, a perfectly seasoned and grilled chicken and shrimp dish also served with a similar salad as the toquitos along with the Guac, SC and Red Rice; and finally a delectable dish the name of which escapes me but which tasted not too different from a mutton-curry and looked not too dissimilar from it either. This also came with the Red Rice and with a big serving of the Refried Beans and a side of Mini-Tortillas kept warm in the aluminum foilwrap. Oh, and the fresh Chips-and-Salsa that you are first served are on the house, and are a great way to start the dinner experience.
Want to go to Mexico? Start here to get a taste of the cuisine!
And that birthday lunch was for someone very dear to me, so much so, that I took half the day off just so we could do lunch together! And we chose Sushi Dabu, the oh-so-authentic little Japanese restaurant that has to be one of the best-kept secrets in town!
Having changed ownership in only the last year or so, Sushi Dabu, on the southeast side of town doesn’t attract the type of attention a typical downtown restaurant would, but if that is the only downside to the dining experience, then that is no downside at all! Because the smaller crowds have no bearing whatsoever on the quality of the food and the service. Not to mention the classy decor.
The three of us had a platter of Sushi Rolls, a Bento Box, and a Stirfry of meats and veggies that came in a big soup-like bowl.
Given that two of the three among us has traveled to Japan in person, we are no stranger to the ubiquitous miso soup, and the spicy ginger-dressing on the starter salad. Not to mention the tempura, the cold udon noodles, the pickled radish and ginger, and the killer wasabi.
You might not have had a chance to go to Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, or Nagoya in Japan (like yours truly has had the pleasure and privilege of traveling to), but you can certainly experience authentic cuisine right here in a small town in the Midwest.
Sushi Dabu, Arigato Gozaimasu!
Vintage Bellow.
