Penkutillu – Kommuri Venugopala Rao

I heard many good reviews about this book, so started with great expectations.

It’s the story of a middle class family in 1960’s (or may be 70’s)….Chidambaram, a lazy n good for nothing fellow lives with his family of 7 including his 4 children. The novel is all about their day-to-day lives,struggle for existence, adjustments and finally ends with a happy note. It reflects the financial and caste discrimination system prevalent at that time.

Good at parts, nothing so great. Just on OK to read.

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Naakoo vundi oka kala – Dr Verghese Kurien

This’s the telugu translated version of the book ‘I too had a dream’ , an auto-biographical novel written by Dr.Varghese Kurien. He’s the father of  the White Revolution in India. For even more clearer picture just think of Amul – The Taste of India. Yes, he’s the man behind this brand.

Dr.Varghese Kurien, after finishing his masters in Engineering in the US of A returned to India in 1949 and started working as a dairy engineer in a govt based milk production company in Anand, a small village in Gujarat. He gets attracted to the local milk co-operative society formed by a group of farmers headed by Mr.Tribhuvandas Patel. Due to inefficient collection and distribution systems and interference of middlemen, milk co-operative societies were not producing any profits to the producers. Dr. Kurien determined to change this picture and started building the co-operative society from scratch. Since then, there was no turning back. He dedicated 50 years of his life to pursue his dream of acheiving empowerment to poor farmers in India. Initially he had to fight with private companies, bureaucrats, politicians and some multinational companies like Nestle, but his efforts and strong determination transformed India into number one milk producer in the world.

This  book describes his work, experiences and acheivements. An inspiring read for people who truly want to contribute something to the society and country.

Telugu translation is done by Dr Tummala Padmini and Dr Atthaluri Narasimha Rao.

For his contribution to dairy industry, Dr Kurien received so many awards in India and overseas. Ramon Magsaysay award (1963), Padmasri(1965), Padmabhushan(1966), Padmavibhushan(1999),  Wateler peace prize (1986) are just few among them.

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Gadi Lopali Goda – Palamaneru Balaji

A collection of 19 short stories. The author chose a wide variety of topics like farmers’ suicides, corporate education system, problems related to women and many other issues as subjects to these stories. Each story is unique, most of them reflect our day to day lives and we can identify ourselves in few characters. Loved all of them.

Simple, yet thought provoking.

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My most loved stories from around the world – Apple books

This’s a collection of famous folk tales from China, Africa, Norway and few other countires. Reading a folk tale had always been a pleasure to me ‘coz through these stories we get an insight into the culture and traditions of the society from which they originated.

Simple, short and sweet tales. They take you away to strange and distant lands. Recommended for bedtime story telling to kids 🙂

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నాన్నకు జేజేలు

Ee post enno nelala nundi postpone chesthunnaa. Ante S gurinchi thiduthoo raayamante enthayinaa raasthaanu kaanee pogadaalante manasuku kastam kadaa, andukani vaayidaa vesthoo vasthunnaa 😛

Mother-child relationship enni generations maarinaa okelaa vuntundi, may be inkonchem friendlygaa move avuthunnaaru ee generation mothers n pillalu..Kanee father-child relation daggaraki vasthe manam chaalaa chaalaa maaraamanipisthundi naaku…naa personal life ye theesukunte naaku nanna ante daadaapu pellayye daakaa bhayam tho koodina gouravam, inkaa aayana patla oka admiration vundedi. Oka rakamgaa cheppaalante nanna kante koodaa Mams ante naaku ekkuva istamgaa vundedi appatlo…naathoo chaalaa friendlygaa vundevaadu…nenedisthe odaarchevaadu, navvithe santhoshinchevaadu, tease chesevaadu, naake help kaavaalanna chesevaadu….Nanna naaku ye lotu lekundaa penchaaru kaanee thanante vunna bhayam valana nenu thanaki antha daggara kaalekapoyaanu…Pellayyaaka S ni prathi vishayamlonoo Nannatho, Mamstho polchukunedaanni….Innella tharvaatha nenu thelsukundemitante Nannaki thana prema, concern express cheyyadam raadu, Mams ki vacchu ani. Adi ardhamayyaaka nanna naaku chaalaa manchi friend ayyaaru…nenu naa friends tho personal issues ekkuva share chesukonu…Ye salahaa kaavaalsi vacchinaa naannane aduguthunnaa…and aayana cheppindi follow ayipothunnaa…kaanee maa nannaki inkaa nenu good girl ni anna nammakam kudaratledu…appudappudoo class peeking sessions nadusthoone vunnaayi 😦

Ika S vishaayanikosthe thanu vaalla fatherki baagaa close…Prathi vishayam (ante Engineering lo modata theesukunna branch nundi slide ayi civilki maarina sangathi, oka ammaayini preminchina sangathi ilaantivi cheppadu) aayanatho share chesukuntaadu…

Ee generation lo fathers pillalatho inkaa closegaa move avuthunnaaru, S kaanee, maa BIL kaanee pillalani chaalaa chaalaa baagaa choosukuntunnaaru…Vaallaki sambandinchina panulannee visukkokundaa chesthunnaaru…adedo thalli bhadhyata ani vadileyyakundaa istamgaa chesthunnaaru…ippudu nuclear families ekkuvayipoyi only mom and dad intlo vundatam valla babycare responsibilities couple iddaroo share chesukuntunnaaranedi koodaa nijame…kaanee joint familieslo vunna vaallu koodaa ilaane chesthunnaaru…daantho okappudu amma koochullaa vunde pilakayalandaroo ippudu nannala venta parigeduthunnaaru..

Maa pandu gaadikayithe nanna vunte chaalu, amma gurthu raadu (aakalesthe thappa)…Ammayithe snaanam cheyi, annam thinu, nidrapo ilaa edo okati chepthuntundi..nannayithe eppudoo aadukodamo, bayata shikaarkelladamo…so Pandu gaadiki vaalla nanna company chaalaa istam…vaadu puttaaka ippati varakoo nenu mothergaa konni occassionslo fail ayaanemo kaanee S maatram fathergaa ye rojoo fail avaledu…kakapothe okate gola, gaaram ekkuvavuthondi 😦

Last year ide timelo nenu chaalaa depressed gaa vunnaanu…memunde citylo naaku saripade jobs levu ani vere placeki move avudaamani chaalaa gola chesaanu. S raanante raanu annaadu, chaavayinaa brathukayinaa sontha oorilone annaadu. Pandu gaadini theesukuni nenu vellipodaamanukunnaanu (vaadini day carelo petti nenu job chesettu)…but ee vishayam thelsi amma, naanna  “Vaadini thandri prema nundi dooram chese hakku neeku ledu, nee career kosam vaadinenduku kanna premaki dooram chesthaavu, alaage S gurinchi koodaa alochinchu, mee iddarikee kaavaalsinavannee athanu choosukuntunnappudu, mee iddarinee baagaa choosukuntunnappudu athanni vadilesi meeru dooramgaa velthe thattukoledu, ee pani chesthe athaniki chaalaa anyaayam chesinatte” ani nannu oka rangelo kadigipaaresaaru…vaallu cheppina vishayaalaki naa daggara samaadhaanam ledu…vaadiki ee chinnathanamanthaa repu peddayyaaka gurthundadu, kaanee lifelo mallee vaadiki ee phase vundadu kadaa…nenenduku vaadi aanandaanni deprive cheyyaali…naakem right vundi? Thalligaa nenu vaadiki naa premani panchivvaalsina badhyatha naa meeda entha vundo thandri prema ni vaadiki andelaa choodatam koodaa naa badhyathe…anduke adjust ayyaanu…and ee past one year nundi vaadiki vaalla nannatho erpadina attachement choosthe naaku nenu theesukunna decision right ye anipinchindi…

Naaku ippudu naa career gurinchi regrets emee levu…nenu chadivindi kaakapothe maroti..ippudu kaakapothe inko 2-3 years lo vaadu schoolki vellaaka ikkade try chesukovaachu…naaku nijamgaa antha pattudale vunte edo oka job cheyyagalanu, andulo nannu nenu prove chesukogalanu…daaniki boldantha time vundi…kaanee Pandu gaadiki thandri premani, aa prema dwaaraa vaadu ponde santhoshaanni enni kotlu kummarinchinaa nenu thelenu…

S naaku husband gaa chaalaa vishayaallo nacchaledu kaanee Pandu gaadi fathergaa thanante naaku chaalaa chaalaa istam…He’s the best dad I’ve ever seen….ippude kaadu futurelo koodaa vaadini ye lotu raakundaa choosukogaladu, nenunnaa lekapoyinaa….aa father-son relation choosthe naaku jealousgaa vuntundi (TW)…

Ee post ee roju raayadaaniki oka reason vundi,

Night nidrapoyetappudu pandu gaadu kaasepu naa vaipu, kaasepu vaalla nanna vepu thirigi padukuntaadu…ninna ardharaatri vaadu nannu hug chesukuni ‘Naanne, Naanne’ ani kallumoosukuni thega kalavarinchesaadu….Chaalaa deep sleeplo vunnaadu vaadu…mellagaa vaalla naanna vepuki thippi padukobettaa…thanani kaasepu thadimi appudu mallee calm ayyaadu…idanthaa nidralone….entha prema lekapothe alaa chesthaadu? Chaalaa sepu vaalliddarine choosthoo vundipoyaanu…..

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Gaalikondapuram railway gate – Vamsee

I’m a huge fan of writer/director Vamsee. I’ve read his 3 short story complilations (Maa Pasalapudi Kathalu,  Aanaati Vaana chinukulu and Aaku pacchani Gnaapakam) earlier, totally totally loved them. Coming to  novels, this’s my first read.

It’s a suspense thriller written in the backdrop of the beautiful Araku valley and Dandakaaranya forests. Like in all other Vamsee’s writings I’ve read so far, there is no focus on the storyline in this book too. The narration, characters in the story and the wonderful description of the scenic beauty of the locations captivate the reader.

Light n quick read, recommended for Vamsy’s fans 🙂

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The Bachelor of Arts – R.K.Narayan

The is the story of a young man, Chandran who lives with his family in the village of Malgudi during the pre-indepence era. The story describes his journey from adolescence to matured adulthood. It’s a short, simple and thought provoking story. Another delightful read from R.K.Narayan.

It’s just about 160 pages, a quick read 🙂

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The Other Side of Midnight – Sidney Sheldon

The story is about the lives of two women, Noelle Page and Catherine, both from two different parts of the world. Both of them fall in love with the same man, Larry Douglas. Larry betrays Noelle and settles down with Catherine. Noelle plans to take a revenge and in the process she becomes the mistress of Constantin Demeris, a greek business tycoon. The story revolves around these four characters. Very much entertaining and the title is very well chosen. Good timepass read.

But, strictly not for readers under 18 as it has too many steamy lovemaking scenes.

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Gattu thegina cheruvu – Aari Seetharamayya

Collection of 14 short stories. Most of the stories are based on NRI lives. One story which I liked the most is ‘Avachaaram’ – a grandmom’s struggle to say no to babystitting responsibilities. Heart-touching one. Rest others are just average. I’ve read so many stories based on the same concepts, nothing new.

The book I got has a misprint. So I missed some connections in few stories.

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Ditavu Gundelu – Dmitry Medvedev – Uppala Lakshama Rao

I don’t  know the English title of this original version, this book is written by Russian author Dmitry Medvedev (not sure whether he is the one who’s the current President of Russia) and the telugu translation from English was done by Uppala Lakshmana Rao.

Soviet Russia has a great history for its fight aganist the Naazees. This’s the story of Russian Gourilla war fighters during the second world war. It gives you an insight of the events in the gourilla war that took place in the Saarni forest areas and Ukranian towns during the years 1942-1948.

I am not very good at reading and memorizing the Russian names and this book has too many characters, so it was a tough read for me memorizing the names,places and events and reading further. Otherwise the transalation is good.

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