The Man who Never was

One Child: The Story of China's Most Radical Experiment by Mei Fong My rating: 4 of 5 stars View all my reviews Thoughts There was a time, long back, when in high school, I was asked to present an elocution in regards to the population control in India, its benefits vs shortcomings. Coming off the last vestiges of Indira Gandhi’s form of forced sterilization a few decades prior, as well as the renewed government campaign of family planning, the general consensus was that an increase in population is detrimental to the nation’s burgeoning economy.  China’s one child policy, as taught to us in school, through the rose tinted lenses of social studies, was a major achievement implemented by the communist government to control their population. India, with its myriad of religious, cultural and socioeconomic restraints was not a place where a similar system could be implemented.  The fledgling naïve political observer in me, had lamented how India was unable to

The Boxer by jh My rating: 4 of 5 stars View all my reviews I never thought that reading a Manhwa about boxing would make me contemplate the meaning of life, and all existence, or what it means for us to be human. Somehow ‘The Boxer’ by JH managed to do just that. The narrative follows a simple but effective format. Our protagonist, who’s the greatest natural talent when it comes to boxing, is an insurmountable mountain, against whom the existing challengers, and even the champions from different weight classes clash against and fall down broken. What makes this premise interesting is how, over the course of the fight, we are made to explore and deconstruct the people who are involved in the fight. Oftentimes appearances can be deceptive. By the end of a bout, we’re made to feel for the challenger, and almost want them to win, instead of our supposed ‘protagonist’. But no matter how much they struggle, how much they want to win, what motivations

Halo: Contact Harvest by Joseph Staten My rating: 4 of 5 stars View all my reviews

V for Vendetta by Alan Moore My rating: 5 of 5 stars View all my reviews V for Vendetta , by comic book legend Alan Moore, was a rollercoaster ride, even for those who will be familiar with the silver screen adaptation. It is a lot to take in, so here are my thoughts, in no particular order in regards to the book, and the story it tells. Complete Synopsis : (Skip to Page end) 

傘寿まり子 1 [Sanju Mariko 1] by Yuki Ozawa My rating: 5 of 5 stars View all my reviews Getting old sucks, not that I've much experience in that department, although at times, I do feel like I'm ancient. But having eyes, you can see a lot of things which happen around you. There is an elderly woman in our neighborhood, part of a big family, children, grand-children, and recently a great grand child. She is 80-ish, and too weak to even get out of her bed. Her family takes good care of her, but for most days, the household just comprises of the younger generations, while she is relegated to her room. Like a piece of furniture, that is brought out only during special occasions. Nothing can be done of it, just how things are. Most people are barely capable to taking care of themselves, let alone a family, or the elderly, who, is we're honest require quite a lot of attention. In many ways, it's have having a 80 year old baby at home, whom

100 Selected Poems by E.E. Cummings My rating: 3 of 5 stars View all my reviews I'll be honest, I barely understood around 40 out of the 100 poems which are listed in the book. In fact, it took me a while to figure out that, no, my version of the pdf was not corrupted, and yes, the poems are intentionally written in a broken, hard to decipher manner, sometimes, a single word broken apart into three lines, with a healthy sprinkling of (), which may or may not have been meant to read as companion to the main piece. But when it hit, it hit hard, and hit clear. There were some favorites of course > I had an uncle named Sol > A man who had fallen among thieves > Here’s a little mouse And what does he think about, > I like my body, when it is with your Body > If there are any heavens, my mother will (all by herself) have > The greatest advantage of being alive ------------------------------- The one that takes the care however is

The Other History of the DC Universe by John Ridley My rating: 5 of 5 stars View all my reviews In many ways ‘The other history’ feels like a story written by someone who has taken pages from their own life and experience and used it to paint a picture, on the other side of the rose tinted world of superheroes. By exploring several themes and practices, in story and out, to bring to focus an endemic problem which has always plagued comics especially in the western genre. It is largely a white man’s game, and worse it is written for, and by the majority, which over the years has resulted in some very questionable inclusions into the roster, which, in hindsight was not at all tasteful One has to appreciate DC for venturing into such political and socially charged commentary, which, more times than often, points a finger, and tears down the pantheon of some of its most popular characters, when viewed through the eyes of those ‘token’, or supportin