Book Review: Overland

Author: Mark Stephen Levy

Format: paperback

Language: English

Pages: 250 pages

Price: 98 rps

Publishers: Zorba Publishers (Gurgaon)

ISBN Number: 9788192066936, 978-8192066936

About the book:

A travelogue or a chronicle of an adventurous journey- a love story or simply a tale running across continents, if you are willing to look at Mark Stephen Levy’s “Overland” through my eyes- I would end up telling you—it is a book that says it all. Any book that makes you move through the shelves of your book almirah- is bound to be considered a good one- simply because you are spending more time with it. It leads you to commit yourself to voluntary reference work.

It is when a relationship dies abruptly- you feel the urge to either run after it to give it “the last try”- or run away from yourself to revive your broken heart. Was that the case for Danny Benson of Mark Stephen Levy’s “Overland”? Was Heather truly his destined partner for this life and beyond? She might have not shared the dreamy fiasco Danny had in mind- or else even in the rustic settings of a crude, war torn, opium growing country Danny would have never found the reason to listen to calls of his ailing heart- he would never have approved of Emily’s presence, her lingering thought, she sagacity having an euphoric effect on him. What goes away returns stands true- the old saying- or else would Danny ever end up meeting Emily at all?

You might have seen your Doctors of make shift hospitals falling in love- but in Mark Stephen Levy’s “Overland” love carrying you across countries- making you perform the unbelievable- at least reminding me of Khaled Hosseini’s , The Kite Runner and several of “Pamuk’s rendition. It is a journey wrapped in a colored paper that smells of thrill, with images of distant spices flavored in the colors of eternal pursuit and the final getting tied into a knot of a “scarf”. Am I sounding mysterious- that’s what the novel has to do with.

The story carries two possible sub plots- though the author might have skipped talking about one—leaving it mid way incomplete and seems to have been blown away by the surging tide of the other. Sergeant Jason Benson could have played a more vital role in the plot rather than being kept around the periphery of the main story just for establishing a flashback present time story line. Honestly speaking, I simply loved the capturing interest in the episodes stored of the Sergeant and did commit the Divine crime of flipping through the book- just to read and sigh- “What happens to The Jason?” For all those still disappointed fans of Jason- Mark has promised a sequel dedicated to him.

 




About the author:

Mark Stephen Levy mined certain portions of his traveling adventures from his own love story which was partly the inspiration for his first novel, Overland. He met his wife, Eliane, originally from France, while on a camel safari in the Thar Desert of Rajasthan, India. They have been married for 25 years and have a 19 year-old daughter, Celine. His two year round-the-world journey included all throughout Europe, Morocco, India, Nepal, Tibet and China.

Mark was born and raised in Los Angeles for so many years, then moved to Denver, Colorado (US) with his family 15 years ago.

 



further details:


FB profile www.facebook.com/TheRealMarkStephenLevy 
FB Fan page: www.facebook.com/pages/Overland-in-India 
Overland website & blog: http://www.overlandthebook.com/

Book Review: Thoughts

Author: D Samarender Reddy

Format: Paperback 

Language: English 

Pages: 108

Price: Rs. 200

Publishers: Cyberwit.net

ISBN Number: 978-81-8253-249-6

about the book:

“Thoughts” by D  Samarender Reddy- is rather a reflective collage than a book. I should not say, it is containing a preacher’s discourse- but the verses are often bordering on morality and evoking spiritual questions- that will make the reader ponder more than usual. It is a collage of painted feelings, comprising of small realizations and observable notions like:
“Our knowledge is built,

On the scaffold of doubt;”

The above lines are from the poem Doubt- a small piece but comprising of greater philosophy. I would like to draw the reader’s interest upon how the idea of doubt percolates through the poem. The poem consists of small phrases all contributing to the central theme- in such a way that they often do away with possible punctuation marks. It is either a flow of imagination or something aligned to the concept of stream of consciousness. For doubts give birth to tears of uncertainty and misunderstanding are nothing but, its common sister.

There is one poem that strikes me more than anything else- Pride and Humility. For ever since I have read it, the lines are questioning my mind. How do you connect pride with humility? The words don’t really fall into place. They are bound to contradict no matter in which way you are using them. But the poet sums all arising ambiguities- with an acceptance of defeat- stating the conflict is ever existent- thus they should be together inside the same arena!

The same can be said about No Monopoly. The poet seems to make an effect to decipher the absolute meaning of Truth. In a short and subtle manner- he achieves at describing Truth as the power of knowledge, as it seems, and that it can’t be limited to a single unit-  whether an individual, or race. The idea seems far more superior, thus it has the power to transcend over political boundaries, ethnic beliefs and trapped within barbed wires.

As writers or amateur scribbling enthusiasts, whenever we find it difficult to make our taunt pen move over a horribly white piece of paper- perhaps we tend to follow the thought surviving in tact within the lines of Cajoling a Friend to Write. The poems like Talking of Death or even Brush with Death- are easy flow over a stinging word.

Reddy makes an effort to bring out human experiences with a touch of the old world of language. Sometimes it seems a man is writing down over parchments and letting them flow with the passing wind and at times it is like a soothing whisper which only the mind is capable of listening to.

about the author:

D Samarender Reddy did his undergraduation in medicine (MBBS) from Gandhi Medical College, Hyderabad, and MA (Economics) from the Johns Hopkins University, USA. He has earlier worked as a copywriter and programmer and is currently working as an editor with a medical publisher in Hyderabad. His earlier publications include two books of poetry and History of Medicine. His poems have also featured in several magazines and in an anthology Mosaic. His passion is philosophy, both Eastern and Western.


further details:


http://www.cyberwit.net/publications/317