Saturday, 30 November 2024
Friday, 29 November 2024
Thursday, 28 November 2024
Wednesday, 27 November 2024
Tuesday, 26 November 2024
Monday, 25 November 2024
A Wonderland of Words - A Review
Shashi Tharoor believes in the philosophy “Words are Power: Words are Magic.” Chandran Tharoor, to whom the book is dedicated, is described as the ‘author’s author’. Tharoor, in the Introduction, talks about the two word games that were part of the family vacations - 'Scrabble' and the early version of the now famous game 'Wordle' Tharoor defines his father as a 'milver', an individual who shares a strong interest in words with another person, particularly an interest in usage and wordplay. Most of the 101 essays in this book have appeared in the 'World of Words' column of the Dubai-based newspaper Khaleej Times. It is no wonder that some of the examples used are contextualised in the culture of the U.A.E.
Sample this one:
"It's pretty safe bet that there won't be too many readers of the original version of this piece, which appeared in the Gulf newspaper, who suffer from ‘xerophobia’ - an abnormal fear of dryness and dry places such as deserts."
Another one:
"We don't have too many turkeys around either in India or the UAE, but we have the word, if not the bird."
The book is well-researched, and even though the book ends on page 403, the Notes section extends to 442 pages. Every section has more than 50-60 references. Tharoor acknowledges the help rendered by Professor Sheeba Thattil, who did most of the research for this book. He describes her efforts as 'indefatigable' and ends the acknowledgement with these words. “In many ways, this book is as much to her credit as to mine."
According to her X profile, Professor Sheeba Thattil is a consultant copyeditor at Aleph Book Company, Delhi, a Professor of English, and a researcher. The excellent illustration before each section is by Priya Kurian, the Bengaluru-based illustrator and comics maker. I started following her on Instagram because of the beautiful cover and the charcoal illustrations she designed for Manu Pillai's "The Courtesan, the Mahatma & the Italian Brahmin."
The book has thirteen sections covering topics like punctuation, spelling, literary tools, and language of inclusion. I plan to take up some of the book's topics for the next 100-day challenge.
The book inspires me to take non-academic research more seriously. It always amazes me that a busy bee like Shashi Tharoor finds time to write books, deliver well-crafted lectures, and attend literary festivals. The same can be said of Manu S Pillai, who has written his latest book, "Gods, Guns, and Missionaries," which is more than 600 pages long. It is all about the time taken and the quality of research that makes the work great.
Tharoor recently published three books about the power and magic of words. The first one, "Tharoorosaurus,” came out in 2020. The second book, published in 2023, is "The Less You Preach, the More You Learn," a collaboration with Joseph Zacharias. The latest book about the magical world of words is "A Wonderland of Words." As an English teacher, I welcome this shift in the content from arid and squally political topics to much more enriching and inspiring content.
Sunday, 24 November 2024
Saturday, 23 November 2024
Friday, 22 November 2024
Thursday, 21 November 2024
‘Meiyazhagan’ Revisited
Nostalgia is one form of memory that is highly commercialized, especially in movies. “Meiyazhagan” is the second movie by C. Prem Kumar (‘96) which explore themes like family roots, home and identity. Interestingly he has worked in another movie as a cinematographer “Naduvula Konjam Pakkatha Kaanom” which also revolves around memory or rather the loss of it. The lead character (played by Vijay Sethupathi) in this movie suffers from anterograde amnesia or short-term memory loss. ‘Meiyazhagan’ which started streaming on Netflix last month is about the influence of nostalgic past on the present life of the main character Arulmozhi "Arul" Varman played by Arvind Swamy. As he travels back to his place of birth (in time) to attend a wedding, he (and the audience) are reminded of the simpler times in life. The movie portrays his childhood, teenage life and how his father had to bequeath the ancestral house to the relatives and migrate to Chennai.
The movie reminded of the lines from Milan Kundera’s book “Ignorance”. The lengthy description about nostalgia which appears at the very beginning of the novel which goes like this - “the Greek word for "return" is nostos. Algos means "suffering." So, nostalgia is the suffering caused by an unappeased yearning to return”. I could trace a similarity between “Ignorance” and “Meiyazhagan” They both examine the concept of homecoming and the concept of home. Kundera was forced to move to France from Czechoslovakia in 1975 and his novels dealt with themes of emigration and exile. Arulmozhi’s father even while residing in the city is connected to his home. In one of the over-sentimental scenes in the movie, he engages in a telephone conversation with his uncle and is shown as a heart broken man. Sadly, the scene could have better with some more histrionics thrown in. Indian films are yet to learn the art of sensitively portraying poignant scenes.
‘Meiyazhagan’ explores the concept of home. The movie is set in an idyllic village near Tanjore, a city in Tamil Nadu known for its rich culture, art, architecture, and literature. Arulmozhi’s journey like that of Victor in Sherman Alexie’s short story “This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix” is a wake-up call to reclaim both the family and historical roots. There are many symbols used by the director, C. Prem Kumar to invoke these roots – the temple elephant Kutti, the bicycle with the faded sticker of Undertaker (even after 20 years), Dhoni, the Jallikattu bull, school photographs, the sacred snake etc. Pierre Nora in her essay “Between Memory and History”: Les Lieux de Mémoire (1989) introduces the concept of lieux de mémoire (sites of memory) and examines how physical spaces, including homes, serve as anchors for collective memory. Home can also be sites of traumatic memories, spaces for difficult or painful memories.
Poet Manu Joseph shared his thoughts about the movie after watching it on the streaming platform.
Ace film maker Karthik Subbaraj wrote - "What a Beautiful Beautiful Film #Meiyazhagan is.... Felt like getting a long warm hug from a close friend... Walked out of the theatre with Such a Heartwarming feeling ... Super awesome performances from @Karthi_Offl Sir @thearvindswami Sir and whole cast #PremKumar Sir... U r a master at bringing out human emotions on screen with such beauty... Hat's off Great job by #Govindvasantha, #MahendiranJayaraju & whole crew ",
They were critical reviews about the scene shot on the wedding stage where Arulmozhi’s gifts were opened by the bride. Some movie fans felt that the scene really tested the patience of the audience. Music of Govind Vasanta was a dumb squib when compared to his earlier outing with C. Premkumar ‘96.
Wednesday, 20 November 2024
Remembering Selma Lagerlöf
She is one of the best-known authors in Sweden and she grew up at Mårbacka. She is famous for her novel, “Gösta Berling´s Saga” (1891), “Jerusalem” (1902) and “The Wonderful Adventures of Nils” (1906). She is the first woman and the first Swedish author to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1909. Most of her writings are based on Swedish folklore and local traditions. Today is her birthday.
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| Image source: https://marbacka.com/en/ |
Her childhood home, Mårbacka, is now a museum dedicated to her life and works. One of the exhibits in the museum is the kitchen with the AGA stove in the centre. The cooker was a gift from the cook's inventor Gustaf Dalén, Nobel Laureate in Physics in 1912. Selma Lagerlöf was very proud of her AGA cooker and often showed it to her visitors. This is a great example of the camaraderie that existed between two Nobel Prize Winners.
Gustaf Dalén received the Nobel Prize in Physics for his work on lighthouse illumination, especially his Sun Valve. The Nobel Committee praised his contributions to energy conservation and maritime safety.
Selma Lagerlöf’s portrait appeared on the Swedish 20-krona banknote from 1991 to 2015.
Tuesday, 19 November 2024
Monday, 18 November 2024
Sunday, 17 November 2024
Saturday, 16 November 2024
Friday, 15 November 2024
Orbital by Samantha Hayes ( not a book review)
2019 saw two women authors winning the Booker Prize for Fiction – Margaret Atwood for "The Testaments" and Bernardine Evaristo for “Girls, Woman, Other.” In 2009, Hilary Mantel won the Prize for “Wolf Hall”. Samantha Harvey’s first novel “The Wilderness” appeared in the Booker Prize Long-list in the year 2009.
In 2024, she won the Prize for her novel “Orbital”. This year, out of the six short-listed authors, five are women. So far, 19 women have won the Booker Prize since its inception. Orbital is about six astronauts orbiting the Earth. Each chapter of the novel covers a single 90-minute orbit around Earth, with 16 orbits in the 24 hours.The novel explores profound themes such as mourning, desire, and the climate crisis.
Thursday, 14 November 2024
Wednesday, 13 November 2024
Shōgun
2024 is indeed the year I fell in love with Japanese culture and literature. It all started with “In a Grove”, which I taught in the second-year English language syllabus in the month of June. This short story authored by Akutagawa Ryunosuke was adapted by Akira Kurosawa as “Rashomon”. I was introduced Japanese crime fiction in the year 2023 with Keigo Higashino’s “The Devotion of Suspect X”, the first in his Detective Galileo series which was followed by “Malice.” This year, I read the other three books in Detective Kaga series namely, “Newcomer”, “A Death in Tokyo” and “The Final Curtain”.
For my classroom discussions with my students, I delved deep into the Japanese concepts like Ikigai ( purpose and reason for living ), Kaizen ( continuous improvement ), and Wabi-Sabi (accept impermanence). My exposure to Japanese culture continued when I happen to watch an interview with Francesc Miralles, the co-author of the best-selling book “Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life”. “Perfect Days” by Wim Wenders was another window into the world of Japan and the life of Hirayama. One episode in the Netflix documentary “WWII in Color Road to Victory” presented the historical background of the Pearl Harbour attacks.
Last night, I completed the first season of the series “Shōgun” in Disney Hotstar. The first season of the series had ten episodes, and the second season is expected in 2026. For me “Shōgun” was a continuation of the movie “Silence” by Martin Scorsese. Since the movie came out in 2016, and the series in 2024, the audience had to watch history topsy turvy. It is mentioned that the movie and series are 30 years apart. Both are based on highly acclaimed novels. “Silence” is based on the 1966 novel of the same name by Shūsaku Endō and “Shōgun” is adapted from the 1975 novel by James Clavell. It is interesting to note that James Clavell wrote, produced and directed “To Sir, with Love” featuring Sidney Poitier and based on E. R. Braithwaite's semiautobiographical 1959 book. He spent three years researching and writing Shōgun (1975), about an Englishman who becomes a samurai in feudal Japan.
It was interesting to watch the deceitful ways Portuguese (Roman Catholics) and the Protestant Dutch fought for supremacy in a Japan which didn’t have a Central Ruler Shōgun. The series is slow paced because the Japanese life is also slow paced. Hiroyuki Sanada excels in the role of Lord Yoshii Toranaga. It was good to watch the performance of Hiroyuki Sanada after watching him in the series “Lost.” It was a treat to watch Anna Sawai as Toda Mariko. The last time I watched her perform was in Apple TV+ series “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters”. I think she has mouthed some of the best lines in the series like “Life and death are the same. Both can have value and purpose.” She talks about the Eightfold Fence which is an impenetrable wall you build within yourself. She says, “Do you know “The Eightfold Fence”? From the time we are small, it is something we are taught to build within ourselves. An impenetrable wall, behind which we can retreat whenever we need. You must train yourself to listen without hearing. For instance, you can listen to the sound of a blossom falling or the rocks growing. If you really listen, your present circumstance vanishes.” Mariko sama is more like a tour guide (translator) for John Blackthorne (Cosmo Jarvis) , the marooned sea captain. It is through Mariko-sama's eyes; we understand the culture of Japan in detail.
Tuesday, 12 November 2024
Monday, 11 November 2024
Remembering Kurt Vonnegut
Today is the birthday of Kurt Vonnegut, the American novelist. Salman Rushdie wrote about Kurt Vonnegut in the June 13th issue of the New Yorker magazine. The article discusses Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five in the context of another war novel, Catch 22 by Joseph Heller. He says that he read the two novels in the same year and both of them had an incredible effect on his young mind. Later in the article he also shares his experience of reading another war novel. Leo Tolstoy’s “War and Peace.” As a student in England, Rushdie remembers how he was part of the anti-war efforts. He says that both Slaughterhouse-Five and Catch 22 treats the theme of war seriously and comically. He sums up his observation in this line “If Heller was Charlie Chaplin, then Vonnegut was Buster Keaton”. Rushdie describes Kurt Vonnegut as a sad faced comedian. He further says that Kurt Vonnegut “was present for a great horror and lived to tell the tale.” Kurt Vonnegut is praised as the writer of American counterculture particularly influencing the students of the 60s and 70s who carried copies of his book in the back pockets of their jeans.
Slaughterhouse-Five is based on the Second World War firebombing of Dresden in February 1945. The attack destroyed the city and its inhabitants. Rushdie uses a phrase from the novel which is used to describe death. The phrase “So it goes” is used in the novel every time someone dies. He describes the novel as “a great realist novel.” According to Rushdie “Slaughterhouse-Five” doesn’t tell the reader how to stop wars, it informs that wars are hellish which is something we all already know. Slaughterhouse-Five was published in 1969 when America was facing three challenges, the Vietnam war, racial unrest and cultural and social changes.
Reference:
https://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/what-kurt-vonneguts-slaughterhouse-five-tells-us-now
https://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/11/books/11cnd-vonnegut.html
Sunday, 10 November 2024
Saturday, 9 November 2024
Imre Kertész – A Tribute
Imre Kertész is a Hungarian author known for his semi-autobiographical novels. Most of his novels are based on his experience at the Auschwitz and Buchenwald death camps. He is the winner of the 2002 Nobel Prize for Literature. The Nobel Committee praised his work for describing the “fragile experience of the individual against the barbaric arbitrariness of history.” In his Nobel acceptance speech, he said “ I died once, so I could live”.
When he won the prize, only two of his novels “Fateless” and “Kaddish for an Unborn Child” were translated into English. He was surprised that he won the award because he was not popular except for a small group of serious readers in Germany, France and Scandinavia. Even after his liberation from the Buchenwald camp in May 1945, he felt stifled by authoritarianism because he returned to a Budapest which was under the Soviet Communists. He lost his job as a journalist because he was not ready to glorify the Soviet leaders and the ‘ism’ that they espoused. He became a translator of German-language authors including Nietzsche, Freud and Wittgenstein. He began focussing on fiction and had a difficult time when he worked as a labourer in the day and wrote fiction at night. To publish his first novel “Fateless” he had to face many challenges because of the repressive Communist regime. It took 13 years for him to complete “Fateless”.
His second novel “Kaddish for an Unborn Child” is addressed to a child narrator. Imre Kertész refused to father a child because he didn’t want the child to experience a childhood like his, a decision which led to a marital breakup. From 2003, his novels were sold like hot cakes in Hungary – 500,000 copies were sold. Many Hungarians wrote protest letters to the Nobel Committee deriding their decision to award the prize to a Jew. Towards the end of his life Imre Kertész developed Parkinson’s disease and had to move back to Budapest from Berlin for medical care. The interview for the Paris Review was recorded at Berlin. He discussed his initial tryst with writing and how a journal in his childhood helped him to capture everything about the life around him. He says that the reality of the totalitarian systems that he lived in was complex and difficult to convey in words.
References:
https://www.theparisreview.org/interviews/6235/the-art-of-fiction-no-220-imre-kertesz
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/31/imre-kertesz-obituary
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/01/world/europe/imre-kertesz-dies.html
Friday, 8 November 2024
Teachers as Knowledge Workers
The term 'knowledge worker' is something unheard in the academia. The normal classification of teachers begins with an assistant professor, followed by an associate professor and then a professor. These labels are based on teaching and research experience and also on the numbers of papers published in national and international journals. The nomenclature of 'knowledge worker' is something akin to that of construction workers, health workers etc. In fact, knowledge workers will also include these professional domains also.
The Oxford English Dictionary defines a knowledge worker as ‘a person whose job involves handling or using information.’ A teacher’s main capital is knowledge. The qualities of a knowledge worker as listed in an online journal are: continuous learning, autonomy, innovation, productivity and prioritising quality over quantity. Another article discussed how treating teachers as knowledge workers improves the esteem of the teaching profession.
Managing knowledge is one of the greatest challenges of a knowledge worker. This is based on the evolving methods of knowledge transfer. This is opposite to the rigid and stagnant approach of the traditional knowledge system. COVID-19 and the usefulness of online classes has led to a rethinking about the ways knowledge can be transferred. Technology and new techniques of student engagement plays a big role in the life of a teacher who is a knowledge worker.
Thursday, 7 November 2024
Incubation of Ideas
On a rainy, slushy afternoon, a group of professors met to discuss and plan for setting up an incubation centre in a college campus. A simple definition of an incubation centre is to provide support to entrepreneurs who are starting their own businesses after their graduation. The centre will also serve as a vital source of motivation for budding entrepreneurs. They also promote innovation and creativity by facilitating knowledge exchange and collaboration between students, teachers and professionals. The key areas of an incubation centre are skill enhancement, networking opportunities, encouraging innovations and inculcating an entrepreneurial mindset.
The Government of India has initiated the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) to promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship. One of the primary objectives of AIM is to promote and establish world-class incubation centres. These centres will be established across the country.
UGC guidelines stipulates that the incubation centres should come under the Institute Development Plan. The various stages in incubation are: The Pre-incubation stage, the Idea stage, the Seed stage, the Early stage, the Growth stage, the Expansion stage and the Maturity stage. Some of the activities that can be conducted by the incubation centre of a college are, expert talks on topics related to entrepreneurship, seminars and workshops on topics like problem solving and ideation, Ideathons where ideas are discussed, screened and suggestions are given.
Wednesday, 6 November 2024
The Wonderful and the Challenging World of Personal Challenges
‘Atomic Habits’ by James Clear talks about how small habits daily can lead to wonderful results in our journey of self-transformation and growth. Personal challenges are an extension of these small habits which are also part of our daily routine. They are defined as ' powerful catalysts for profound life changes '. They will enable us to extend the boundaries of our comfort zone. They will unlock our hidden potential for creativity and innovation. Personal challenges will also lead to significant personal growth. Personal challenges also borders on Ikigai – the purpose of your life.
Growth happens in a slow and steady manner. You cannot become a writer overnight. You may have to read a lot and write more to fine tune the finer aspects of writing. There is hard work and dedication involved in the process of growth. Above all these, there is also the element of enjoyment. The quote by Confucius can be added here to amplify the joy quotient - “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life,”. If you want to be consistent, you should enjoy your daily routine. Personal challenges are like private endeavours which will help the doer grow privately. It will boost confidence and will instil the mantra
“Everything is possible’.
Personal Challenges are also fraught with difficulties.
1. The initial excitement may soon fade away.
2. Expecting immediate results will lead to disenchantment. You cannot expect
instant gratification.
3. Personal Challenges should not be done based on external validation. You
cannot expect the whole world to appreciate what you are doing.
4. It is important to make a judicious decision regarding the kind of challenge that you want to pursue.
5. Personal challenges can also be kept as a secret. You may keep it hidden from others. The decision to make to share your challenge in the public domain is entirely up to you.
I have always enjoyed taking up challenges in life. I challenged myself to read 12 books in the beginning of this year. After three months, I had to revise my reading challenge to 24 books. Now, as I write this blog in November, I have read 28 books this year and I am on my way to complete three more books this month and some more this year.
This year I have completed another personal challenge by posting vocabulary posters from April 8th 2024 to July 16, 2024. The words for this 100-day vocabulary challenge was curated from two books. ‘The Last Lecture’ by Randy Pausch and ‘Man’s Search for Meaning’ by Viktor Frankl.
Tuesday, 5 November 2024
Deep Work for a Deeper Life
One of the best books which I read this year as part of my personal reading challenge was Deep Work by Carl Newport. It discusses the potential of doing focussed and deep work. One of the major takeaways is the expression ‘deliberate practice’. The only way one can engage in deep work is based on ‘intentions’. This will help us to avoid distractions and avoid multitasking. Carl Newport is also the author of Digital Minimalism, Slow Productivity and How to Become a Straight A Student. Last night I was able to engage myself in deep work for more than three hours. The work involved preparing the internal mark sheets for three classes. I started the work at 10.30 pm and by the time I took the final printouts it was 1.30 am. The idea for this blog popped up before I hit the sack.
One of the main intentions behind this three-hour deep work session was to complete the academic backlog. There is also an element of joy and excitement in the work. I like using Microsoft Excel for preparing the marksheets. Every time I use the software, I am in awe of its computational capabilities. One feature, I really enjoy is the drag and fill option which is a great way to complete the mark entry in one go.
One essential thing that enables deep work is the availability of the resources or the data that is required to complete the work. For preparing the marksheets, what I required were speaking marksheets, Kahoot! Scores, Google Form scores, students’ attendance data and mark statements of the three continuous assessments. All these were readily available, my task became effortless. This method is so conducive when writing research papers and articles.
Technology is a double-edged sword. It makes us productive and at the same time it can also be highly disruptive. Carl Newport’s book Digital Minimalism talks about the significance of adopting technological sabbatical. The book encourages us to step back from the onslaught of digital distractions. The book is a clarion call for reclaiming self-autonomy and to lead a more satisfying and healthy lives. One of the recommendations by the author is to leave the mobile phones at home while going for walks.
It is not easy to create a distraction free study environment. Either we have to create one through conscious efforts or we may have to find one inside a library, park or a coffee shop. The quality of research will be based on the quality of the workspace. The following books will help to design a distraction free, productive environment: Outer Order, Inner Calm by Gretch Rubin, The New Corner Office by Laura Vanderkam, The Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking, Mind Over Clutter by Nicola Lewis, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying-Up by Marie Kondo.
When I completed the mark sheet task, I felt that the whole world was non-existent. The intention was so strong that I took up the task as a top priority by giving up my daily routine which included reading three books and watching a web series. When you are engaged in deep work, your mind should focus the most important task and you may have to sacrifice some simple pleasures of life.
Monday, 4 November 2024
The Parallels between Human Body and an Organization
Ageing is a natural process. The human body which was once flexible and agile starts experiencing sluggishness and tardiness. There are many ways the human body can maintain its healthiness. This blog is not entirely about the human body or human physiology. The blog attempts to explore the interconnectedness between human body and an organization. We can draw many parallels between the health quotient of human body and organization.
Early Warning Signs
When hearth deteriorates , the body exhibits warning signs. It will be wise to heed the early warning signs and take preventive measures. The same applies to an organization. When there are cracks appearing on the basic structure of the organization there is the need to address the problems. Ignoring these early warning signs will only lead to disorder and the ultimate death of the organization.
Self-Corrective Measures
To set things in order, the affected body will have to adopt certain corrective steps. This is essential for reclaiming the health quotient. The organization should also undergo course corrections or resetting to bring back the robustness of the system.
Information and the importance of data
One of the primary resources for implementing this self-correction or course correction is the available data or information. Data will help in making informed decisions. In the case of human body, it is the health records, and scan reports that will contribute as the data for improving the health. For an organization, the data will be mined from feedback, surveys, polls from the stakeholders which will help in reclaiming the organisational integrity.
Open Discussion/ conversation
One of the ways Dr. Paul Kalanidhi (When Breath Becomes Air) combatted the malicious cells that had cropped up in his body was by engaging in deep conversation with his wife, his doctor and family members. It created tremendous amount of trust and confidence in Dr Paul Kalanidhi and his care givers. This is true about organisations also where an open channel of communication with the various stake holders would lead to better decision making and instil institutional confidence.
Swing into action:
One of the ways to achieve positive transformation in human body or organization is by stop theorising or talking and by doing. Planning without any follow up or a concrete action will result in zero results. If weight loss is your ultimate aim, then it is better to hit the gym or follow a dietary plan to achieve the outcomes. If the discipline issues in the campus is something that is bugging the college management, then appropriate steps must be taken (suspending students, creating a strict code of discipline, calling for a department level meeting) to tackle the issue and focus on institutional growth. This action phase also involves making necessary changes by seeking constructive feedback from the stakeholders and monitoring of the outcomes.
This blog is an attempt to find a correlation between a human body and an organization. Like the human body, an organization suffers from bouts of illness, and it is up to the owners / managers to adopt different strategies to improve organisational health.
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