Faster : 100 Ways to Improve your Digital Life by Ankit Fadia Book Review

Name        : Faster : 100 Ways to Improve your Digital Life

Author      : Ankit Fadia

Publisher   : Penguin India

Price         : Rs. 199.

Pages        : 312

“Oh my God, I think my account is hacked.” “I forgot to send that email.” “I wish I didn't spend so much time stalking my ex boyfriend on Facebook.” These are some common problems we face in our digital lives, right? Ankit Fadia’s book ‘Faster’ targets 100 technological problems and tries to give a solution to it.

The book is divided into four sections. First is ‘Functionality’. The author has addressed 55 problems here- like  "How to send a secret message that will self destruct in the recipient’s inbox, how to stop wasting time online, how to un-send an email, how to easily split the bill at dinner, how to create expense reports easily, how to extend your mobile’s phone battery, how to catch a cheating partner, how to drive safely with the help of your phone, how to fight spam in your Gmail account and how to use Google like a pro; are only a few.

Second is ‘Look and Feel’. Social media is a part of our living now and 13 problems addressed here try better it. How to re-size pictures easily, how to beautify Facebook chats, how to download entire photo albums from Facebook and how to get the movie theater effect while watching YouTube videos may be the most useful.

Third is ‘Security’. This is the most concerned topic as far as working on the internet goes. There are 16 chapters which try to remove our anxiety. How to detect if your account has been hacked, how to make your account hack proof, how to secure your Wi-Fi network at home, how to save your passwords securely and how to block inappropriate websites and content from your kids; seem the most important.

Fourth and last is ‘Fun Stuff!’ Another 16 problems like- how to convert your phone into a remote control for your computer, how to use the panic button to hide stuff from your boss, how to beat internet trolls, how to stay inspired in life and how to use a fake SMS to get out of trouble.

The book is extremely user friendly with its lucidity and simplicity. It really doesn't matter whether you are a gadget guru or a non tech savvy one. Loads of screenshots for every chapter, the certified apps and URLs and the designated time for each operation; makes the book even more accessible. The author has already done a television show called ‘What the Hack’ in which he had dealt with similar problems. So it was quite believable for him to come out with this wonderful book and a blessing in disguise for us too. The price being at Rs. 199 is again a reasonable bargain.

A minor hiccup of this book is that there is slight slant towards the Android and the IOS platforms. But the market is evolving and people are updating themselves too.

P.S. The above mentioned chapters are only the tip of the iceberg. To be technically smart pick up the book and start your journey towards Internet-enlightenment.  

Rating :- 9/10

                                                          About the Reviewer :-

Debottamaa Sarkar is a passionate dancer, a book reviewer, and freelancer. An inquisitive teenager with a superior imagination makes her a perfect all-rounder.

CONTACT HER AT :-

https://www.facebook.com/sarkar.debottamaa

India in love: Marriage and Sexuality in the 21st Century by Ira Trivedi

Aleph book company proudly presented the Kolkata launch of “India in Love: Marriage and Sexuality in the 21^st Century” by Ira Trivedi. The theme of the book is a ground-breaking look at the sexual revolution that is sweeping through Urban India. The evening commenced with a reading of poems by young actor Shahana Chatterjee, which mirrored the themes of love, marriage, relationship and separation in Modern Indian Society. The book was released by Nabaneeta DevSen, eminent author followed by an in depth conversation between author Ira Trivedi, Bickram Ghosh, renowned percussionist and trendsetting fashion designer Nil. The session was ably moderated by impresario Oindrilla Dutt.

“India in Love: Marriage and Sexuality in the 21^st Century” explores the sexual proclivities and mating habits of young Indians on college campuses and in offices; examines the changing faces of Indian pornography and prostitution. The author has travelled from Shillong in the northeast to Chennai in the south, Konark in the east of Mumbai in the west, and over a dozen other cities and towns, in order to gain unprecedented insights into how the nation has sex, gets married and falls in (and out of) love in the 21^st Century.

About the Book

 India in love: Marriage and Sexuality in the 21^st Century is a 2104 non-fiction book. The book is about India`s new changes that Indian Society is going through in the 21<sup>st</sup> Century. Trivedi has travelled to over dozen cities and interviewed 500 people including academics, policy makers, law-enforcers and other participants in India`s sexual and marriage revolution. India in Love is her first work of non-fiction, and it is divided into two parts: sexuality, and marriage.

About the author

 Ira Trivedi is an Indian Novelist, yoga teacher, entrepreneur, and speaker. Her published works are What Would You Do To Save the World? (Penguin 2006), The Great Indian Love Story (Penguin 2009) and There is No Love on Wall Street (Penguin 2011), all of which have translated into several regional languages. This book was released at Jaipur Literature Festival by Pulitzer Prize Winner author Jonut Diaz and has been translated to Greek and Spanish. Trivedi is an MBA from Columbia Business School where she won the Feldberg fellowship and a BA in Economics from Wellesley College.   

INTERVIEW OF SUJATHA LALGUDI

Sujatha Lalgudi is an Author and Illustrator of over 230 eBooks for Children.  Some of her books have been best-sellers in their category.  Her books have been translated to over 15 languages. She is the co-founder of Armo Infomedia Pvt Ltd., and publishes her work through her own company.

She strongly believes that learning can be 'fun' and her  books for children blend in educational aspects while adding a good amount of humour to hold a child's interest.

She holds a Masters Degree in Computers. After working for several years as a software professional in the Silicon Valley, she moved back to India.  Writing and illustrating books is her passion.  

Check out her books :- SUJATHA LALGUDI`s BOOKS

1. Since you write books for children, so what is the difference between your childhood and the childhood the present generation experiences? 

SUJATHA:- My parents encouraged me to read books and I am doing the same as a parent. The difference is that in those days physical paper books were the only option. Now, kids can use tablets like iPads and Kindle to read eBooks as well as physical books. There are interactive books, audio books and educational apps to help children too! While we had one television channel, today there are many channels to choose from

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2. You are software engineer, so when did you think that you have a career in writing?

SUJATHA:- I have been writing since my childhood.  I used to maintain diaries, wrote poems and had pen-friends.  I was very interested in painting as well and even sold a few.  These were my favourite hobbies.  However, software engineering was the career I chose for a living.  But when my daughter was born, I decided to take a break and over time, I decided to pursue my passion of writing and painting.  Books for children became the ideal choice as I could combine both!!  I love telling stories...

3. How many books do you write in a year? 230 books is a huge number. 

SUJATHA:- I really don't have a number or pattern of writing.  When something inspires me, I write.  I always carry my diary with me :-)  I have been writing stories for several years now.  Sometimes, the plot stays in my head for a while and I let it simmer ...  My books have been translated to 15 European languages.  This year I plan to have regional languages like Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, and Sanskrit to name a few.
 

4. How easy as well as difficult it is to write books for children? 

SUJATHA:- It’s easy to tell stories to children.  They don't have a set expectation and are really open and are great listeners. This has been my experience with the children I told my stories to in several schools.  It’s the parents who are sometimes hard to please :-)   Still, it’s challenging to write books for children since the written word and the illustrations must emote together.  Books have to compete with animated episodes/serials and that is the difficult part.  How does one compel the child to pick a book over TV...?

5. Will you ever write books on other genres or will you stick to children`s book? 

SUJATHA:- My first completed book was actually a part fiction/biography inspired by my grandmother and my parents.  Well, I never did publish it.  But I do know that I will be writing for children since that is what I love doing.

6. Kids are very vulnerable these days. They have to face atrocities like sexual abuse, child marriage and trafficking. What are your views on these issues?

SUJATHA:- Yes.  It’s a sad reality and we need to equip our children to deal with this.  In one of my story-telling sessions in a school recently, they asked me if I could write a book on this topic.  I have been thinking about this and might come up with a book in the near future.
 

7. What do you plan to do in future?

SUJATHA:- I have a few ideas about doing a Television series about Jojo, a naughty elephant.  I have published three books already and eight are in the pipeline. So let's see...

8. What do you think are the major problems      children`s face?

SUJATHA:- There's peer pressure, bullying, consumerism.  But most of all, I think children of this generation are exposed to many things and competition is more intense.  But as long as we as parents are available to actively listen, children will learn to cope well.
 

9. Have you written any books for special children?

SUJATHA:- Yes. My White peacock book is about children who are 'different'.  You can read this book here: THE WHITE PEACOCK

10. Lastly, your message for our readers. 

SUJATHA:- I strongly believe that iPads, Kindle and other tablets can be used to encourage children to read. Our mindset that these devices are meant for apps and games must give way to edutainment and book reading too.  EBooks are just as effective as physical books.  In fact, the inbuilt dictionary may even help children improve their vocabulary!
Thank you for the opportunity to be part of your community of readers.

Check out her books here http://www.amazon.in/s?_encoding=UTF8&field-author=Sujatha%20Lalgudi&search-alias=digital-text

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR SUJATHA, DO LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS. 

INTERVIEW OF KASHVEE R. BARJATYA - ONE OF THE YOUNGEST AUTHOR OF THE WORLD

At 9 years of age, Kashvee R. Barjatya becomes one of the youngest published authors in the world. The book was launched by Sudha Murty and Sooraj R. Barjatya at a fun-filled event at Hamleys, Lower Parel. 

Getting published at the age of 9 is an achievement in itself. Many young authors have made a mark in English literature like the English writer, Thomas Chatterton was an 18th century child genius who was prone to fits of fantasy, solitude, and peculiar behavior even as a young boy. He began writing poetry, letters, and satirical works that were published in local journals before he was 12-years-old.  

Here is an exclusive interview of Kashvee R. Barjatya 

Q.1. Share with us your experience of penning down "LOST IN THE WOODS"?

I showed some of my poems to my father and he encouraged me to weave them together to write Lost In The Woods. I started working on the book when I was 7. It was a very exciting experience. Right from writing the poems, weaving them into an adventurous story and finally making all the amazing illustrations with Bombay Design House, I enjoyed every part of publishing my first book.

Q.2. How does it feel to get published at the age of nine? 

It feels wonderful to be one of the youngest authors in the world. I wish all those who read my book enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Q.3. Do you want to pursue writing as your career? 

Books are my best friends so yes I would love to pursue writing as my career.

Q.4. Are you penning down your second book?

Yes I am.

Q.5. Your message for our readers? 

Everyone should pursue their passion and live their dreams as I did.

Book launch and Book Review of Pathways to the Green Cities

HELEN LAFAVE SPEAKING AT THE EVENT

On 18^th April, at Oxford Bookstore Park, Helen LaFave, the Consular General of United States of American to Kolkata and Padmini Narayanan, the first lady of West Bengal inaugurated the book - Pathways to the green cities. It deals with the problems and solutions of cities of India. The book can be downloaded online without any cost. The book launch was conducted by Earth Day Network-India.

Growing out of the first Earth Day, April 22, 1970, Earth Day Network (EDN) networks with over 22,000 partners in 192 countries to broaden, diversify and mobilize the environmental movement. More than 1 billion people now participate in Earth Day activities each year, making it the largest civic observance in the world. The theme for Earth Day 2014 and 2015 is Green cities. 

The book contains 24 success stories aka Case Studies from 13 cities across India on innovative strategies that have already been implemented to make cities greener. Speaking on the Occasion, Helen LaFave said “The best part of this case study is that even small ideas, one day becomes a big idea”. She added. All the guests of the evening were presented a sapling on the eve of Earth Day.

BOOK REVIEW

The book presents 24 case studies from 13 countries across India on innovative strategies that have already been implemented to make cities greener. Many of these are related to water and waste management. Others to increasing the green cover, developing green buildings, traffic control, reduction of air pollution, use of renewable energies, and the judicious use of natural resources. Excerpts from few case studies are stated below.

Where have all the parks gone?

Centre for Contemporary communications conducted a survey of parks/open areas in Kolkata that indicated that many had ‘vanished’. Working with NGOs, efforts have been made to reclaim some areas and prevent other parklands from being urbanized.

Sustainable Hawking

Local Governance Network helped relocate street hawkers in Bhubaneswar to specifically designed vending zones, thereby freeing up pedestrian areas. Moreover they advocated conversion to the more efficient energy lighting and lowered the carbon footprint and saved 1500 tonnes of C02 in 2010.

Improving Livelihoods and Localities 

Waste Warriors developed a partnership model with business located in Anekant Palace, Dehradun, to clean the area of garbage. The success of the project has inspired the Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority to fund a 7 km Clean Zone Project, along with same lines.

Rag pickers Turn Entrepreneurs

South Asian Forum for the environment has empowered rag pickers to turn trash into cash. They helped them develop business acumen and the waste recycling project has inspired the Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority to fund a 7 Km Clean Zone Project, along with same lines.

Urban Forests

Afforestt turns urban spaces into miniature forests as alternative to the water-guzzling lawns and decorative plants that dominate artificially laid out landscapes in some metro cities.

The People`s lake

Puttenahalli Neighborhood Lake Improvement Trust has rejuvenated their neighborhood lake and become the first citizen custodians of a ‘saved’ lake in Bangalore. In just five years, the once marshy dumping ground is now teeming with aquatic and avian life. The lake is today recharging the water table. Avian and other species have returned to the area. 

The book is written in simple language and the best part, you don`t need to pay anything to buy it. 

Ratings :- 9.5/10

            

INTERVIEW OF DURJOY DATTA

Durjoy Datta has been the most loved romantic author in India. Fans, mostly girls, thronged for his autographs and click selfie`s with him, when we visited Kolkata at the brand new Starmark, Quest Mall. Here is an exclusive Interview of Durjoy Datta.  

Q.1. Your fans are curious about your next book. Tell us something about it?

Durjoy Datta: - I think it`s too early to talk about it but half of it is set here in Kolkata and the rest half is set in Bombay where I am currently living. It`s coming out in June.

Q.2. Recently, authors from other genres like Ravi Subramanian, Amish and Ashwin Sanghi are become very popular among Indian readers. So, do you think this will demean the popularity of romantic books?

Durjoy Datta: - I don`t think so. It`s just that other authors have started creating their own niche`s as well. Previously no one used to read corporate thrillers or mythological books. It`s not that they are eating into each other`s profile. They have their own audience.

SPOT THE GUY !! 

Q.3. Have you read the books by Ravi Subramanian and Amish?

Durjoy Datta: - Yes, I have read first two books of Ravi and the first of part of the trilogy of Amish and they are good writers.

Q.4. Nowadays, ever other author is penning down his/her love stories and 95% of them are a piece of crap. So, what are your views about those book.

Durjoy Datta : - It depends which side I am in.   

Q.5. We have seen you writing Veera and Sadda Haq. So, are you moving from books to serials?

Durjoy Datta: - No, I am not. Books is something I will be doing for rest of my life. I write serials because I thought it would be fun and it is fun and that`s why I do it.

Q.6. Will you keep writing for serials?

Durjoy Datta : - I might, I might not. Right now, it`s fun so I am doing it. If it`s not fun, I will stop writing.

Q. 7. How has been the experience writing for Sadda Haq?

Durjoy Datta : -Sadda Haq has been an entirely new field. They are an entirely different medium. Like, you write a book and you get a response and here the thing is you are being judged every week. Every Thursday, people are reacting and you have to change the story, according to that.

Q. 8. So, what do you think is better?

Durjoy Datta: - Of course, books.

INTERVIEW OF DURJOY DUTTA, QUEST MALL

Q. 9. You have worked with Sumrit Shahi in Sadda Haq and with Nikita Singh for your books. So, how easy as well as difficult it is to work with a co-author for a project?

Durjoy Datta: - Previously, it used to be easier. No, I cannot write books with a co-author. For television, it`s different. It`s good that you are working with someone before it gets short and goes on television. Television is a lot more expensive medium than books.

Q. 10. You co-author Nikita Singh has penned some books. So, what are your views on her?

Durjoy Datta: - She is a good writer and that`s why I had started writing with her.

Q. 11. What is your message for our readers?

Durjoy Datta: - I think you should start reading a lot even if is just newspaper, you should just read otherwise the country is going to the dogs, so reading is very important in life.   

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR DURJOY, LEAVE YOUR COMMENT !!

UNSATISFIED SATISFAACTIONS BY RIITIK BABBAR - BOOK REVIEW

Name: Unsatisfied Satisfaactions
Author: Riitik Babbar
Publisher: Author`s Empire India
Price: Rs. 140

A love story written by debutant author, Riitik Babbar, is a fascinating love story. The book is inspired from a real-love story and the first thing that catches a reader’s attention is the title of the Book. “Unsatisfied Satisfaactions is a confusing combination of two words and feelings when someone close to you, whom you loved the most, is no more in you are still satisfied thinking about someone`s well-being and happiness”, this the how the Author describes it and this messages echoes all throughout the book.

The story begins when Riitik, a common boy from a Punjabi family, falls in love in Niyati. The meet at Connaught Place and spend their first date at KFC. The author describes the exquisite beauty of Delhi, from Gurudwaras to traffic Jams, from Restaurants to Connaught place. The author has tried to touch all facets of a life in Delhi.

                                             Aditya another guy, based in Bangalore, claims to love Niyati, but later he had betrayed her. This gives Riitik a chance to propose Niyati, and then begins their beautiful love story. Riitik does everything for Niyati, from giving a wonderful Birthday gift and making their Valentine’s Day special. Riitik meets Niyati`s parents, when they go for a weeding and they like him a lot, but then hell broke loose and you need to grab this book for the wonderful ending the author has written. What I liked the most about this book is the last four chapters and a mind-boggling ending. This book is a bit different from the general love stories available in the market. The last few chapters are well-written but I think the description could be better. The author needs to improve a lot for his upcoming books, if any.

The Book has a beautiful cover designed by Amol karambe. This book is a light read and you can complete it in less than four hours. This book will appeal to the youth at large and you should grab it if you want to read an unconventional love story.

Ratings:-

Script 5.5/10           Description 6/10              Technique – 8/10               Overall – 6.5/10

About the author:

He completed his school from St. Martins, Delhi and graduated from Delhi University in 2006-07. After pursuing a course in Travel and Tourism he started working with travel firms and went on to hold more than five years of experience in the same sector. But, fate had other plans and he ventured into Market and Research industry. It has been two years working with MR professionals now. After gaining a plethora of work experience and satisfaaction from his professional life he had never thought that he would become an author someday.
Riitik Babbar currently resides in Delhi and is working for an ITES KPO in MR industry.

FIVE WAYS TO PROMOTE YOUR BOOK

      These are few economical ways to promote your book. Remember, you can always sell a bad book with good marketing techniques, but the fact is that the readers will lose trust in you. So, beware. 

 1. Front and Back Cover – An average potential reader spends around 7 Seconds looking at the front cover of the book and then if they like your front cover they will spend around 13 Seconds browsing your back cover, and then they decide whether to invest their time, money and energy in reading your book. So, make sure you have a wonderful front and back cover. 

2.  Bribe your readers, before they buy it – Your first two or three chapters should be available for the readers in e-commerce websites for free, then let them decide whether they will buy it or not. When you buy a car, you test-drive it, right? Same theory applies for a book.  Your readers will get the taste and feel of the book.

3.  Offer Signed Copies of Books – If you offer signed copies of your books, even if you are a debutant, if can create some demand.

4.  Visit your Alma-mater - Your University, college or even high school can be a great resource... You can even offer to do a presentation for faculty or the students and talk to your teachers about your book.

5. Buy your own books - Yes, in many countries authors buy their own books so that it can hit the best-sellers list. You can do it and use those books in promotional campaigns or giveaways or sell them at a discount to your friends offline.   

DHANDHA : HOW GUJARATIS DO BUSINESS BOOK REVIEW

Name:                  Dhandha: How Guajarati’s do Business

Author:                Shobha Bondre (Translated by Shalaka Walimbe)

Publisher:             Random House India

Price:                   Rs. 199

Shobha Bondre is a celebrated and much-published Marathi writer. This book is translated in English by Shalaka Walimbe. The book starts with a message by Mr. Narendra Modi, chief minister of Gujarat and the Introduction is written by Amitabh Bachchan, (Brand Ambassador,Gujarat Tourism). This is a non-fiction with a brilliant cover designed by Sourav Das.

Book review of "WISE AND OTHERWISE" by SUDHA MURTHY

NAME        :   Wise and Otherwise

Author        :  Sudha Murthy

Publisher   :   Penguin 

Price          :   Rs. 199

Wise and otherwise (A Salute to life) is a book written by Sudha Murthy. She is a social worker, author, a humanitarian and involved with many charities. She is the wife of N.R.Narayana Murthy, co-founder of Infosys. Published by Penguin, Wise and otherwise is a compilation 51 stories which are Mrs. Murthy`s real experiences, gathered from travelling across the country.