Book Review – Cosmos, Carl Sagan

We humans have come a long way. From the days we were wandering the planet looking little different from our primate cousins, to these modern times where we take for granted technologies that would have been equated to magic just a century or so ago, we humans have made amazing progress. Science is what brought us here and science is what is going to help us evolve in the days ahead too. Science helped us see things as they are, dispelled our fears, gave us hope, made us discover fire and invent the wheel – two of the most important findings till today.

While science may not have solved all our queries yet - and raises as many demons as it lays to rest - it makes genuine, continuous efforts to arrive at the Truth. Armed with science, we humans have started exploring all around us. From the microcosmic wonders of atoms to the mega marvels of Universe, science has lifted many veils and shown us things beyond our limited understanding. Scientists like Carl Sagan have played an important role in lifting those veils, not only by their direct contribution to the sciences, but also through their ability to communicate such esoteric wisdom to the masses, to laymen that are keen on understanding their surroundings but limited in their ability to do so.

Books like ‘The Origin of Species’ remain special, not just because they tell us about groundbreaking discoveries, but also due to their telling it in a language that we, the laypersons, can understand. While ‘Cosmos’ by Carl Sagan may not be as earth-shattering as ‘The Origin of Species’, it is special by its own right. Written nearly four decades ago, co-developed with a television series of the same name, this book was produced with the idea of popularizing the sciences, especially astronomy, among the masses. To the uninitiated but curious mind, this book is the ideal beginning into the wonderous realms of the cosmos. This book is to the budding astronomer what the alphabets and the arithmetic are to the young child.

From the ancient budding of scientific thoughts at the Ionian islands to the then-latest launching of space missions like Voyager-2, Carl Sagan takes each stage in the evolution of science as we know it, elaborates on the circumstances prevailing at those times, enumerates important contributions by various scientists. The real fun is his doing all this in an interesting, pacey manner, without letting the reader feel bored even once. After helping us navigate the unimaginably vast expanse of our Universe and showing us the wonders of our solar system, stars, planets, galaxies and the bleak black holes along the way, Sagan ends the book with philosophical musings on the future of mankind on this nuclear era and the possibilities of our encountering extra-terrestrial intelligence.

This is not just a book on astronomy. Burgeoning with interesting details on history, evolution, atomic science and mathematics, this is one complete book that every mind passionate about learning must possess.

Book Review - The Bachelor of Arts, R.K. Narayan

There is a quaint charm about the books of R.K. Narayan, like the languid grace of late summer afternoons. There is no urge to spell out the minutiae of the plot, no kid-gloved treatment of readers by letting them into every detail, including the color of the characters’ iris. There are no otherworldly characters with vaunted virtues or revolting vileness. Narayan’s characters are all simple human beings, persons we come across every day at work, on the road, in public transports, or at the cafeteria. The characters are so natural to the point of making you feel like one of them. Again, there is no fairy-tale like fantasy in the plots. The storyline is - to borrow the comparison by some writer that I vaguely remember - like lifting the curtain from a stage where the events are already going on, observing it without any judgement and then gently letting the curtain fall.

Unlike most of the contemporary Indian authors, many of whose works I nearly ended up flinging through the window, the Indian masters of yore had a sense of simplicity and sincerity in their writings. If I say that RKN is chief among them, not many would contest my point.

This book by Narayan is an absolute delight. Dwelling into the transformation of a young, easy-going college student into a man of serious disposition, the joys, aspirations, dreams, the inevitable heartbreak and revival of hope that all stud this period of transformation are well narrated in a manner only RKN can.

Chandran is the son of doting parents and elder brother to an adoring young boy. In his final year in college, Chandran has little to care about in life, except his college History Association meetings and, later, his final year exams. A life of comfort, simple joys and routine dreams promises to get better when he meets, no, sees a young girl during one of his evening strolls by the river. Smitten by the girl, even whose name he is not aware of, Chandran relishes all the dreams of youth, only to be rudely awakened by the challenges and customs that marked the Indian societies in that period. Did Chandran marry the girl of his dreams? Did he get to make a mark for himself and settle in life? What did it take to turn that carefree young man into a mature adult? Read the book for answers.

There are more than a dozen books of R.K. Narayan in my shelf now. Each book evokes in me a different sensation. Some books make me smile, some stir in me a sense of mischief, some give me peace, some cause sadness, some fill me with hope and some stoke all these emotions at once. ‘The Bachelor of Arts’ is one such book laced with the trademark subtle humor of R.K. Narayan, mixed with a tinge of sadness that lurks in the background like the ever-present nose in front of our eyes.

If you like books that deal with the intricacies of human nature, with all the pleasures and frailties that make us stand high above all other creatures on this planet, then ‘The Bachelor of Arts’ is a book that you MUST experience!

Let Bygones Be Bygones

I have no respect for even a single politician of this generation. I have no affinity to any of the casteist, religious, societal ideologies either. All I trust is this - when a life ends, when death occurs, all the goodness and evil associated with that life come to end. The soul departs leaving behind all the glories and condemnations. We, as decent human beings and fellow souls, can only pay respect to it and pray for its salvation.

But the things that I see in social media are absolutely horrifying. And, repulsive to say the least. Never has one seen the animals celebrating the death of one of their own. But here, we civilized humans are busy taking side, for and against Karunanidhi, reviling one another in words soaked in filth and acid, laying bare all the religious, casteist muck dumped inside our minds.

Holy or wicked, let his Karma deal with him. This is not the moment to don the holy garb and judge him. There is no pride in attacking someone when he cannot defend himself. Similarly there is no goodess in reviling someone at one's death. If you can, do pray for the soul. If not, just go about your tasks, ignoring the death. Taking to social media, throwing sickly words about his death or hurling dirty abuses at unseen, unknown people belonging to other ideologies/religions/castes, just because they eat, pray, think, sleep or shit in a way different from yours is to only prove how lowly a creature we humans are.

Let peace prevail!