e-book by Chris Cade

Review by Keith Beasley

Spiritual Stories may be a comparatively new genre, but as more and more of us seek for meaning in our lives, it’s an important and rapidly growing one. It’s also one that really enables and encourages those new to writing to have a go: it’s healing and it’s liberating. In this guide, Chris clearly and enthusiastically helps us to create . . . and grow.

As co-founder (with his wife) of www.spiritual-short-stories.com, Chris Cade has done much to bring Spiritual Stories to a wider audience. This site is not only used by countless new writers but also includes material by the best selling Paulo Coelho! Assisted by these ‘How To’ notes and examples, anyone with a story bubbling inside of them can now get them story out . . . for their own and everyone’s benefit.

This book contains plenty of useful practical tips which will really help those new to writing . . . and indeed more established authors. All aspects from original ideas and when to write to editing and flowing are included. Particularly important for this genre of story, this guide is written from personal experience, with Chris happy to share his own journey into writing . . . and publishing.

It is said that we all have a story, if not a book in us . . . and life itself provides us with ample topics to explore through writing. In so doing we are engaging in our own personal spiritual journey: hence Spiritual Short Stories . . . and why this e-book could get your soul flying!

Besides the e-book “How to Write Short Stories for Spiritual Growth”, Chris also has available 3 audios & 2 workbooks . . . and offers personal mentoring to spiritual short story writers. For further details and to obtain copies visit www.SpiritualGrowthWriting.com

Lahiri’s latest offering is “Unaccustomed Earth”, a collection of stories basically having the same underlying theme- the non resident Indian, and their cultural strife in the foreign soil and the trials and tribulations, both personal and cultural faced by them. These are coupled with subjects like alcoholism, unrequited love and failed relationships et al and it is interesting to note that each story is extremely real and diluted without being exaggerated in terms of treatment.

The book is divided into two different sections: the first part titled ‘Unaccustomed Earth’ consisting of five collections of stories and the second named ‘Hema and Kaushik’ threading together a single story woven through three separate parts. In the first part, the title story recounts the changing dynamics in the strained relationship shared by a father and daughter and towards the end while the story is all set to move towards a positive reconciliation, a revelation once again tears the daughter apart. Very thought provoking and very real. ‘Hell Heaven’ is a poignant tale narrated through the eyes of a daughter relating her mother’s unreciprocated longing for a younger man.

The theme is very sensitively handled by Lahiri and her writing prowess is deftly expressed in every part of the story. The growing passion of an American student for his Bengali roommate who is already embroiled in a passionate affair with another man in ‘Nobody’s Business’, a sister’s revelation that her younger brother has become an unashamed alcoholic out of her own indulgence to pushing him into it during their growing years in ‘Only Goodness’ are some of the other concepts dealt with by Jhumpa Lahiri in this collection. The last part, named ‘Hema and Kaushik’ includes two first person narratives, accounted from the perspectives of Hema and Kaushik, detailing their growing up years and all this culminates in the third section where they meet after a gap of several years since they were destined to be in love and then are finally separated by death.

Lahiri’s writings have always been very simplistic. It is very rare that one will come across the use of ornamental and superfluous language. The descriptions are real and pictographic at times. The streets, lanes and by lanes of the American countryside are described in vivid details and are very lively. The characters too are well-crafted, complete and not at all ambiguous. But somewhere down the writing tends to become quite monotonous. For those who are well-acquainted with Lahiri’s previous works, “Unaccustomed Earth” seems to suffer from a hangover of the previous published collections, especially those of “The Namesake”. Some instances, descriptions and characters seem like being extended versions of the ones that we have already read in her previous writings. This note of ennui that sets in is probably one of the primary reasons that will contribute to making this book only a good leisure time read.

The Kite Runner is indeed special to me in many ways. Most importantly it can be counted among those very few narratives which moved me to the extent of forcing tears out of my eyes on countless occasions and struck a chord in the core of my heart which very few books had managed to in recent times. It is in a few words, incredibly enthralling.

Khaled Hosseini’s literary journey in The Kite Runner is a first person narrative where the author voices himself through the character of Amir and his reminiscences about his childhood, his interactions with his father, Ali the Hazara who served them and Ali’s son Hassan who was Amir’s loyal companion. The novelistic voyage traces Amir’s failure to save his friend and guide Hassan from being sexually abused, his guilt pangs and the subsequent atonement of his sins years after Hassan has fallen victim to the Russian mercenaries in Afghanistan. The principle medium which facilitates Amir’s redemption is Hassan’s son Sohrab. The initial sections are resplendent with poignant descriptions about Hassan’s extreme faithfulness towards Amir, his unconditional love for Amir beautifully marked by a phrase that explains Hassan’s undying affection as he says “for you, a thousand times over.”

Hosseini’s moving images of their interactions have a great role to play in heightening Hassan’s martyr act and Amir’s brutality when Amir conspires and succeeds in driving Hassan and Ali out of his home as a way of distancing Hassan who was his father’s favorite and most importantly as a means of reducing his own sense of guilt which increased at the sight of Hassan. Hassan’s silence makes him the real hero and the readers are sure to feel a sort of sympathy and compassion for him in a similar manner like those evoked by the tragic heroes in the great Greek tragedies of yesteryear.

However The Kite Runner falls short of being regarded as a literary masterpiece. For once, it must be admitted that after a point the turn of events become quite predictable. At times it turns a bit melodramatic and very little is left open for the reader’s imagination. In a way, except in the end, there is little scope for the readers to exercise their imaginative prowess and reinterpret the story from their own perspectives. But it is Hosseini’s immense credit that despite so, he is able to keep the reader totally engrossed and gripped to the tale simply by his deft use of the English language.

The strength of the narrative is definitely the utilization of language. The author seems to be a master craftsman as each and every scene is woven with delicate threads of magnificent expressions flowing lucidly and it is at times astonishing to note the immense grace and precision that Hosseini manages to exercise over the Queen’s language. Not a single instance can be pointed out as being fragile or incoherent.

The descriptions of Afghanistan are picturesque and beautiful and he manages to portray vividly a slice of life in the country during the troubled times of the 1970s. So much so that in comparison, the description of the American countryside seems quite pale. Quite a few instances are worth remembering: the kite tournament where Hassan and Amir participate as kids, Hassan’s silent and helpless submission to his oppressors while Amir watches in fear, descriptions of Amir and his wife’s conjugal relationship and their yearning for a child, Amir’s final conversations with his father, his reading of Rahim Khan’s letter which brings in the revelation that Hassan is actually his half brother and Amir’s rescue act by releasing Sohrab from the clutches of Aseef who in his teens had sexually abused Hassan. But the most sensitive moments are towards the closing chapters of the book where the title of the book actually connotes its significance. The kite tournament and the interactions between Amir and Sohrab present some of the most heartrending moments in the entire narrative.

The Kite Runner is a tale of hope and it does manage to instill a sense of optimism among the readers. The end leaves the readers much to speculate and hypothesize of what the future might hold for the characters, but that future definitely is a better future, a brighter future. This is where Hosseini emerges a winner. There could not have been a better conclusion to this novel and despite the open endedness of the concluding part of the narrative, the reader is sure to feel a sense of satisfaction and contentment. It is a must read.

Pierce Brosnan and Gerard Butler star in this low profile mystery thriller; and not surprisingly, both characters are at loggerheads throughout the movie. The storyline is reasonably well constructed; though the idea might not be an entirely novel one. There are sufficient thrills, twists and surprises in the movie for you to allocate your 95 minutes to it.

Neil and Abby Randall, with their beautiful daughter, are living a perfect life in a perfect world, until today, when Tom Ryan shows up in their car. Throughout the day and into the better half of the night, Ryan puts them through ordeals, the reason for which is not so clear. How far would Neil go to save his family and how far would Ryan go to make his point?

There are scores of other movies that roam along the same storyline but this one has a better cinematography to go with it. Ashley Rowe, who did cinematography for movies like Hope Springs, Calendar Girls and Alfie, has done an excellent work. You cant possibly miss the silky capture of the scenes in Chicago and Vancouver (where the film was pasteurized). You can’t possibly miss the sly camerawork in scenes that involved car interior, mirrored walls and urban panorama.

The acting is good enough. The movie revolves primarily around three characters. Maria Bello showed decent performance as a perplexed wife and a concerned mother in the whirlpool of events. Gerard Butler definitely has the skills to shed fragments of his previous movie characters and play a brand new character every time. Pierce Brosnan, and I am saying this because I am a fan, shouldn’t have taken up this role; it wasn’t strong enough for his powerful presence on screen. Still, it wasn’t a complete disappointment.

There is an element of mystery about the name of the movie as well. Originally titled, Butterfly on a Wheel, the film was renamed to Shattered for USA release, in Europe it was released under the title of Desperate Hours while for the rest of the world they kept the name simple enough to just call it The Butterfly.

For a lazy Sunday afternoon, it’s not a bad watch.

6.5/10

History/Drama
Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007)

Those of you interested in history genre and who enjoyed watching Elizabeth (1998), might want to check out the latest installment, Elizabeth: The Golden Age. Cate Blanchett plays Queen Elizabeth I with an impeccable class. The year is 1588 and England is at the verge of war with enemies outside and traitors within. Elizabeth fights the war as well as the battle of the heart as she falls in love with Sir Walter Raleigh. Will she win the war; does rebellious Raleigh really love her, would the fine line between allegiance and treason keep fading away? Shekhar Kapur directs another modern classic.

Action
I Am Legend (2007)

The only unacceptable thing about this movie is that it ends as soon as you would imagine it is about to begin. It leaves you unsatisfied and wanting for more. Yet, as long as it lasts, its an enjoyable movie. Will Smith, it seems, can do no wrong at the box office. He has acted terrifically and has in fact carried the entire movie on his lone shoulders. If you are a Will Smith fan, I am sure you’ve already watched it. If you haven’t; its just about time you do.

Romantic Comedy
Frankie and Johnny (1991)

I am yet to watch No Reservations so I have nothing to say on that. Lately there haven’t been any good romantic comedies. Knocked Up was a good storyline gone wrong in the script so I wouldn’t recommend that. While sifting through my pile of DVDs, I caught sight of a Pacino classic. Unlike Scent of a Woman, this one isn’t very high profiled but if you are looking for a good show all round, this is the movie for you.

Johnny (Al Pacino) is fresh out of prison and finds a job in a café where Frankie (Michelle Pfeiffer) works as a waitress. Both are loners but Frankie is on a dose of melancholy. The persistent pursuit of Johnny is a mix of comedy, irritation, tragedy and most of all, brilliant acting.

Mafia
You Kill Me (2007)

Two things to begin with: first, don’t confuse it with Lidsay Lohan’s substandard I Know Who Killed Me and second, don’t go for the name at all.

I was skeptical of this movie when I started watching it, but it turned out to be a great watch. Ben Kingsley plays a stern-faced alcoholic who is a hit-man for his Polish mob family. How he juggles his life between alcohol, AA meetings, venomous rivals and … aham aham … a love interest, is a treat to watch.

Just in case you cant get your hands on any of these movies or if you have already watched them, here are a few other recommendations:

American Gangster
The Bourne Ultimatum
Ratatouille

Enjoy your weekend.

How could a movie, without a story, without even a hint of plot construction, regular run of the mill acting and sans directorial insight be a winner, except from may be bottoms up. Yet, here is your winner; not just for Best Picture but also for Best Direction and … here is the irony … Best Writing for Original Screenplay.

I went through the first half of the movie expecting something to happen, a prologue to a climax. There might have been, at occasions, a hint of a prologue, but there definitely was no climax. An absolute disappointment. Blind justice? We should rephrase it to Blind Oscars now.

On the flip side, there is Michael Clayton. Well written, well acted, well directed. I wouldn’t go that far as to call it a classic, but this one was worth the money. George Clooney, as always, shows off, in an ever so subtle manner, his strong presence on screen.

Clooney plays the role of a ‘cleaner’ in a giant legal firm; his job is simple, clean up the mess that no one can take care of. As it turns out, he has to fix the mess left by his own friend. The movie starts off on a slower end but finally builds up to its climax. Those who watched and liked The Firm, will definitely love this.

If you are looking for a well crafted drama/thriller, Michael Clayton is for you. But if you are insistent on wasting your money bucks, go ahead and watch No Country for Old Men.