HydRAW 2021 FebruaryReads

Published in

HydRAW Zine

4 min readMar 20, 2021

List and views of books read by our members in February 2021

A slight dip in the number of books we read in February, however the quality and the breadth of subjects and themes remain widespread as always.

Views

Aishwarya (on Chali Cheemalu): The story of this drama is more like an old Telugu movie. The usage of different slangs of the language is interesting.

Manohar Grandhi (on Go Giver): This is a book about Joe, a marketer who is struggling hard to meet his quarterly targets. He misses his first 2 quarter targets and wants to make up in quarter 3. He meets a big guy named Pindar who changes Joe’s life by giving him 5 laws of successful business.

Law of value.
Law of compensation.
Law of influence.
Law of authenticity.
Law of receptivity.

Each of these laws is explained beautifully by a very good story. The book is 158 pages and would completed breezily. A definite read for everyone according to me.

Arun Kumar (on Loss): It deals with loss (death) of dear ones. The author, after his mother, father and pet loss wrote essays on various issues revolving around death.

Muralidharan Parthasarathi (on Why Choose the Chosen Ways): Their approach was different and they were dating to take risk and experiment. Examples: A consultant on different blends in coffee making, behavioural sciences consultant and a therapist curing psychological issues or addiction by music.

Hari Ariyammakul (on Malabar Kalapam): Malabar Riots happened at today’s Malappuram district of Kerala, in 1921, exactly 100 years ago. The author wrote the book almost 10 years after the riots (after personally visiting the locations).

There are 3 versions of what actually happened during the riots.

The Congress party claims the riots was against the British. The Muslims in parts of Malabar rebelled against British heeding to Gandhiji’s support to Khilafat movement.
The Communists claim the Malabar rebellion was a peasant movement against the upper caste feudalist Hindus.
The rightists parties say it was simply a communal riot against Hindus in the only Muslim majority district of Kerala.

A little bit of history of Malabar.
Malabar was once well known for its communal harmony and Mopla culture, a Sufi sort of Islamic way of living. Malabar Riot was perhaps the first major incident that had a communal angle to it. Murders and mayhems did happen, whatever be the reasons.

2021 being the century year, the subject has become politically hot here these days. Lots of books on subject are being published. 3 cinemas are planned for release.

This particular book by K Madhavan Nair was out of print for long years. It was again republished recently by Mathrubhumi, a prominent Media house in Malayalam. I preferred the book because the writer was a eminent personality (a Gandhian, journalist, freedom fighter and a social reformer).

What I understand is as always the truth is somewhere in the middle. The riots had in fact all the three elements quoted above, associated with it. Mathrubhumi is soon publishing the book in English.

Ravi Theja (on Hyperspace) : By far, this one I liked the most among the Feb reads.

List

Manohar Grandhi

Go Giver A Little Powerful Story About a Powerful Business Idea by Bob Burg and John David.
The Shade of the South by Amita Prakash
Dear Tummy by Shaista Khan

Arun Kumar