Cutting for Stone

Abraham Verghese is an NRI Malayali doctor working and living in the US currently (Stanford). However, he has spent a good part of his life in Ethiopia, which is reflected in his stunning novel of almost epic proportions, Cutting for Stone. This is his first work of fiction, and it is an engaging and intense read. His love for Addis Ababa is evident in his careful, painstakingly constructed prose. The book covers themes of love, loss, passion, deceit, despair and political turmoil seamlessly constructed against the backdrop of another great love of his life. Medicine.

The book offers in depth passages into the workings of the human body and captures it in all its frailties as a body lies open in front of the doctors on the operating table. The detailed descriptions of various body organs and diseases, as well as operating procedures, may not be entirely understandable to everyone out of the medical field but is still fascinating nonetheless. I felt like I was acutely conscious of my internal organs for the first time after I was done. I couldn’t help feeling that, at least initially, the influence of one my favorite author’s was present in his writing. And it was confirmed in the acknowledgements when he thanked John Irving. The quirky characters, situations and complicated emotional wrangling reminded me of his style.

The story is about the lives of a group of people at the Mission hospital in Addis Ababa, mistakenly christened the Missing Hospital. Here, the almost incredible union of surgeon Thomas Stone and a nun, Sister Mary Joseph Praise leads to the birth of twins Shiva and Marion and brings unprecedented changes in everyone’s life. Thomas Stone flees in despair and shame and the twins are brought up lovingly by two other long serving doctors there, Hema and Ghosh. There is also the housekeeper Rosina and her daughter, Genet, among others. Genet comes to play an important role in shaping everyone’s destiny, especially Marion’s, from whose perspective the story is told. Destiny, deceit and the consequences of even the most inconsequent seeming actions play an important role in the story. The story spans the continents of India, Africa and the US as it follows Marion on his journey through his life. Among the political landscape of Ethiopia’s unstable past, the story is woven around the life of this motley set of doctors and others at the Missing hospital.

Definitely highly recommended for lovers of good fiction. But be prepared to immerse yourself in a story that will take up much more time and involvement than your average book.

Of Home and Coffee Houses

Sitting in the musty, confined interiors of the Indian Coffee House in Thrissur’s main round, right next to the famous old Jos theatre, I wondered what kept bringing me back to the joint. I know the Indian Coffee House is an establishment all over India, but I’m pretty sure the menu is not the same everywhere. The ones in Kerala have a delicious assortment of Mallu non veg cuisine including various preparations of beef which I doubt would be found anywhere else. But their food, while simple and inexpensive, is delicious to the taste buds. Starting from the regular favorite anywhere in Kerala, the porotta and beef roast. This is something I have to have whenever I’m in that city I call home. The biriyani’s are also great. This time around I tried out something I had never had before, called a Beef Omelet. As can be ascertained from the name, it is an omelet with beef inside it. Sumptuous.

The place is always crowded with the common junta of Thrissur and efficient in their service. There is something so typically Mallu and comforting about the place which is reflected in the town as a whole. The Thrissur Round, which is the main center of the city, is unique in its layout. The traffic bustles around the circumference of this round, while in the middle there is the famous Vaddakumnathan temple (where every year the famous Thrissur pooram takes place). This middle area has large courtyards and green lined avenues where one can take a stroll without ever realizing that it is bang in the middle of the heart of the city.

So what keeps bringing me back? Is it the familiarity of home? The realization that the place has a soul and the desire to soak in that soul once in a while? The beauty that my eyes are assured of reliving every time I take a trip, via Kunnamkulam, to my ancestral villages? Or the great food? Maybe it’s all of these. All I know is, when I think home, it is the place which first comes to mind.

2666

Roberto Bolano’s 2666 is a monster of literary fiction. In the sheer size and scope of its literary ambitions. Among all the books I have read since my love affair with literary fiction began, this has to be the most taxing one I have read. At times it seemed the book would never end and at times I was wondering where the story was taking me. But at the end of the mammoth (almost 900 page) book, I felt like going back to it. Re exploring all the themes of death, passion, intensity and love for books which he endorses in his book.

The book is divided into 5 stories which are all tangentially linked to each other and which in some way or the other take place or are linked to Santa Teresa, a fictional city in Mexico. Here, unemployment is very low, but crime and murder and degradation of society rampant. A lengthy part of the book in the middle is dedicated to explaining murder after murder of young women who were mostly factory workers. These women were mostly brutally raped and tortured before they were left for dead. This is definitely not for those of a weak stomach, but there is an irreducible beauty and detail in his writing which cannot be ignored. The first of the 5 parts deals with the story of 4 literary critics who are obsessed with an enigmatic German writer, Benno Von Archimboldi and the various sexual and emotional twists they get caught up in while trying to search for him. There is another section dealing with an American reporter, Oscar Fate, who ends up in Santa Teresa to cover a boxing fight but gets involved somehow in the killings taking place. The final part of the book deals with Archimboldi’s story.

It seems Bolano based the fictional town of Santa Teresa on the Mexican city of Ciudad Juarez where there were similar killings of women. He is an author I heard of recently only and is a Chilean whose works are written in Spanish originally. 2666 was actually published posthumously, since he died in 2003 at the age of 50 of a liver ailment. Though he seemed to have been quite famous, he remains a bit of an enigmatic figure who never used to give much interviews or did not take them seriously when giving them. His previous biggest critical and commercial success was the book ‘The Savage Detectives’ the English translation of which is also available. While his writing is definitely not for anyone other than the advanced readers of literary fiction, I would say this book is something every serious reader should give a shot at.

World Cup Finale...

There is one thing that has made me real happy about the end of the world cup. Diego Forlan has won the Golden Ball as the MVP of the tournament. If there was one player who defined what it meant to raise a team with his performances, it was Forlan. Uruguay may have finished fourth, but Forlan’s contribution cannot be sidelined. He was poacher par excellence, apart from turning into a playmaker in a position he is not familiar in. English football fans will be wondering if this is the same player who flopped at Manchester United back in the early part of the decade. And some of the more high profile players who complain of being played out of position can learn a thing or two from him. I couldn’t help but feel sorry for him when his final kick of the tournament, off a free kick, hit the crossbar and denied Uruguay a goal which would have taken the 3rd place match to extra time. It would have given him, deservedly, the Golden Boot as well. As it stands, it is Muller who gets it by virtue of having more assists.

If Uruguay had one thing going for them, it was their deadly strike force. Both Suarez and Forlan are golden boot winners in Europe, though they were not playing for the highest profile clubs. Despite attempts to paint Suarez as a villain, he just did what anyone would have done at the time and he got punished for it. Like their coach asked, what more should be done?

Coming to which, the most poignant moment of the cup for me was Asamoah Gyan at the end of that heartbreaking quarter final loss to Uruguay. He was such a colorful and passionate character till then and epitomized Ghana’s fearless approach to the tournament, you couldn’t help but feel for him. He showed he had the character by taking the first kick in the shootout right after he missed the penalty. As I’ve said before, they will be back stronger. Another moment was North Korean striker Jong Tae Se’s tears during their anthem, and his subsequent exciting display against the Brazilians.

The most disappointing aspect was all those big name players who just couldn’t do it. Apart from Messi, to an extent, messrs Ronaldo, Rooney (and most of the England team for that matter) just couldn’t cut it. England played probably the most boring match of the tournament in that goal less draw with Algeria.
Shocking results? There were a couple but the best was when completely unheralded Slovakia knocked out the aging Italians in one of the best matches of the tournament. Cannavaro cut a sorry figure as he trooped off for the last time on the world stage.

My favorite goals of the cup:
1. Suarez’ second goal and the winner in their second round match against the plucky South Koreans. A class act.
2. Maicon’s thunderbolt from the narrowest of angles against North Korea. One of the few moments which reminded us why everyone used to love the Brazilians.
3. Tshabalala’s opening goal of the tournament for South Africa against Mexico. It raised the roof of the stadium and the South Africans started dreaming.
4. Van Bronkhorst’s belter in the semi final for the Dutch against Uruguay.
5. Keisuke Honda’s and Yasuhito Endo’s free kick goals against Denmark. After all the complaints against the Jabulani, these guys showed how it is to be done, while totally outclassing a toothless Danish side.
6. Villa’s 40 yard strike against Chile. It may have been an empty net after the keeper came way out, but didn’t take away from the fact that Villa casually and confidently struck from that distance. This was a striker at the top of his game.
7. Italy’s second but ultimately fruitless goal against the Slovaks by Quagliarella
8. For sheer drama, Landon Donovan’s injury time winner against Algeria. The US were on their way out until Donovan showed his class and deservedly put the Americans through.

Oh, and a nice piece of trivia. When the Dutch lost their final, it left New Zealand as the only team to leave South Africa unbeaten with three draws from their matches. For a team that was expected to be cannon fodder for the other teams, their passion and determination in the face of superior opposition reminded everyone what it is about the world cup that everyone loves so much. They may not have had the quality to beat Paraguay in their final match and progress, but in terms of endearing themselves to football fans around the world, they came second to none.

World Cup Diary – July 13

Almost inevitably, the Dutch lose their third final at a world cup. But then again, can any fan of the Dutch football of yore really feel too bad for this team? I had fallen in love with the Dutch style of play from the late ‘90’s at France ’98, when a team of stalwarts including Bergkamp (my personal fave), Overmars, the De Boer twins, Davids, Seedorf, Zenden, Cocu, Jonk, Van Der Saar, Kluivert among others played some great football but were desperately unlucky to lose out in the semi’s to Brazil on penalties. Two years ago my love affair with them was re in forced when they played exhilarating attacking football to thrash both Italy and France at Euro 2008. But a naivety in defense cost them dearly in the quarters against a rejuvenated Russian side. This team was supposed to be the best of both worlds, finally a potent combination for the Dutch. But the game they played in the final was, to put it simply, ugly. Van Bommel had been looking like a time bomb waiting to go off all tournament and I was surprised he didn’t get sent off even once. De Jong tried practicing his kung fu on Alonso’s midriff and yet stayed on the pitch. Almost the entire team was booked, and they were lucky the sending off only came with ten minutes of extra time remaining. Sad to say, but despite possessing some wonderful attacking talent, this team did not really deserve the cup ahead of those great teams of the past.

And what of Spain? Well, its safe to say, they were the best team of the tournament and the best team of this generation. They lost, totally undeservedly, to a boring and dour Swiss side in their first game, but you could see it did not really affect their confidence and they continued with their own style of play despite the odds. In fact it almost seemed like it was Barcelona playing out there as, obviously, it was their style which had been replicated onto the national team. Ironically, a lot of that style was influenced on Barca by Dutch geniuses like Cruyff and Rijkaard. The only reason Spain did not win this world cup even more emphatically was because, apart from Villa, they suffered a curious lack of finishing power. They may have won most of their matches by the odd goal, but deserved to win by more. This is a great team and deserve all the plaudits that come their way, despite the odd grumble or two about some play acting. As long as they are trying to play the game beautifully rather than stopping other teams from playing, I think it can be tolerated.

But I did like the final classy touch from the Dutch team and their personnel, with the guard of honor they made for the Spanish players coming with the cup. How many times do you actually see such sportsmanship in football? Despite the ill fitting final, that was a nice touch to finish off a grateful tournament.

World Cup Diary – July 8

The Spanish Armada have marched on into the final. After all the twists and turns, we have the favorites in the final finally. And of course they are already most peoples favorite now for the title, but I would say never discount the Dutch. They are finally playing with an efficiency and manner not seen before from them, and they are the only team to have won all their matches in the tournament so far.

All the hullaballoo over the German performance against Argentina had barely died down before Spain gave them a lesson in attacking possession footie and defending staunchly. After their quarter final performance, Germany had been instilled as the new favorites, but I always felt that the Spanish team with all their brilliant personnel were a very effective and efficient, if not as exciting as they could have been, outfit and would probably bring the young Germans down to earth. The Germans have to face the despair of a second successive world cup exit in the semifinals. The past decade, they seem to be becoming the nearly men of international soccer, which is ironic considering in the last century they were one of the most efficient at winning it all. But this past decade, they have reached the final of the world cup once (2002), the euro final (2008) and two world cup semifinals (2006, 2010). Oh, but I expect with this generation coming through they will start winning with their usual efficiency in the next decade, and all will be right with the world again. However, the Germans will probably be too disappointed to make much of an attempt in the third place match, so expect Uruguay to take the honors.

Back to the world cup final. This final will see a couple of deviations from history. These include:
• A new winner for the trophy.
• The first time a European team will win the trophy outside its continent.
• The first time Europe will win two world cups in a row. In a pattern stretching back to 1962(!), the world cup has alternated between Europe and South America.

This will also probably be the last world cup final with the current system of refereeing. With all the controversy that the refereeing decisions have caused this world cup, it would be inconceivable that FIFA won’t institute changes by the next time.

So onto Soccercity for the final. The Spanish have played at times with an almost arrogant sense of their destiny. Even when they lost to Switzerland in their opening match (seems so long ago now), they did not seem particularly perturbed. They continued playing every match the same way and assuredly qualified from each round. But so have the Dutch. It will be, if anything, a very interesting final to watch.

Oh, and I do fear for the safety of the psychic octopus, Paul. Last I heard the Spanish authorities are planning to provide security for him… ;)

World Cup Diary – July 7

And it’s onto Soccercity, a magnificent stadium, for the Dutch. Their win in the semi finals was expected, but the manner in which it was achieved was far from easy. The Uruguayans played with a verve and energy which would have made them wonder what if Suarez and their first choice defenders were available?

However, the Dutch took control in the second half, and the final score of 3-2 gave an undeserved respectability to the score line. But even the last goal by Uruguay in the dying minutes of the game had a touch of class, and they leave this tournament having provided some enduring goals and play for the fans. As well as drama (Ghana, anyone?). I don’t think Suarez will be taking a pleasure trip to Accra anytime soon. In the absence of Suarez, Forlan had to shoulder most of the creative burden and for a while it looked like he can take the Dutch on all by himself. His goal was again well taken and he had a good chance from a free kick later on.

Ultimately, though, it is the Dutch who continue their unlikely, almost unnoticed, march to their first title. The first goal was a wonder strike from Van Bronkhorst, of all people. In the second half they were looking far from comfortable before Sneider shot from the edge of the area, a shot that went into the corner off a deflection. His fifth goal of the tournament. After this, Holland were dominant, and got a third a few minutes later, a wonderfully pinpoint pass from Kuyt which was headed in assuredly by Robben. They probably could have had one more, before the drama of the final few minutes.

Amazingly, Holland have reached this final playing a brand of practical football so different from their usual free flowing and attractive style of play. But those days never really branded the ultimate results, which is probably what their coach, Van Marwijk, had in mind before the tournament. Well, their fans aren’t complaining. But it will definitely be the toughest match of the tournament for them so far, with a date with Germany or Spain to look forward to.

Beatrice and Virgil

I am not sure what Yann Martel was exactly intending here. His previous book, the Life of Pi, is supposed to be the largest selling Booker winning book ever thus making it a commercial and critical success. However, since I haven’t been able to read it yet, I had no pre emptive notions about his writing. I’m pretty sure I will have to read the Life of Pi now, as this book is definitely not the best work of someone so acclaimed.

The story begins off about a writer called Henry who, after having a super successful last book about animals and such, is trying to sell the idea of a book he has written about the Holocaust to his publishers. This book is a flip book, with one cover and side of it being fiction, while the other side is an essay. However, his publishers reject the idea and Henry relocates to a nameless metro with his wife, disillusioned and with writers block. While amusing himself there taking music lessons and with an amateur theatre company, he receives a letter from a reader with an excerpt of Flaubert's tale "The Legend of Saint Julian Hospitator", a fable about a boy whose greatest pleasure is killing animals. It also contains a snippet of a play which the reader seems to be writing about a donkey and a monkey talking about a pear. Henry’s interest is piqued and he decides to pay the reader a visit. Once he reaches there, he realizes that the writer of the play is a taxidermist and has his own shop full of stuffed animals. Incidentally his name is also Henry. Though the first Henry has his doubts about the strange disposition and story of the taxidermist, he decides to help him out.

Unfortunately, Martel’s idea of using the parable of a talking donkey and a howler monkey to symbolize the holocaust suffering of the Jews falls flat mostly. The numerous analogies and metaphors just don’t cut it. The donkey and monkey are supposedly walking on a shirt, which is supposed to represent the world as such, with different provinces like Collar. Yea, whatever. While the true nature of the ‘Horrors’ they keep talking about does seem brutal, most of the book doesn’t really hold our attention with its meandering descriptions of Taxidermy and endless conversations in the play. After a point, you start wondering whether Martel is using the way we treat animals as a metaphor for the Holocaust, or if it is the other way around. Ultimately when the truth about the taxidermist is realized, it seems abrupt and not very convincing.

There is, however, a great piece of writing at the end called ‘Games for Gustav’ where Martel poses some grim moral quandaries as a game. These tug at your heart and leave you wondering that if he had elaborated on these instead, we could have had a great book.

World Cup Diary – Jul 4

So it’s going to be Spain Vs Germany in the second semi final. While I was thinking Germany may brush it past Argentina, I (probably like everyone else) never expected the astonishing ease with which they managed it. They have scored four goals now against the Aussies, the English and the so called mighty Argentines. Hot form, indeed, and they will take some stopping. I get a feeling the names Muller, Ozil among others are going to be household names for the Germans in the near future to make proud their predecessors like Mattheus, Klinsmann at al. This was again a young German side whose fearless approach was exemplified by some pleasing attacking play that the Argentines had no answer to. Maradona just looked stunned at the end of it all, as did Messi. Like German coach Joachim Low said after the match, the Germans had managed to effectively shut out Messi without resorting to fouls. Every sane football fan has always wondered when Maradona’s perplexing decisions to leave behind Javier Zannetti and Esteban Cambiasso, both of them from Inter Milan’s brilliant treble winning side of the season past, will come back to haunt him. Up till now Argentina had not met a team which could exploit their lapses, and were able to put on a show with their attacking flair. Even in the match against Mexico, who are a very good team, the first Argentine goal was yards offside and the Mexicans seemed to lose their heads to give away a weak second. What if? The backline would surely have held up better with the two Inter Milan team mates.

But will the Germans be able to hold this up in the semi’s against a Spanish side which, like the Dutch, have not reached their dazzling best in this cup so far yet find themselves in the semi final. Is a Spanish masterclass just around the corner? Because if they do get into their top form, I doubt if even the Germans cans top them. But, the Spanish were not very pleasing in their narrow win over Paraguay and could have even lost it. A flurry of penalties in the second half saw Casillas make an excellent stop from Cardozo before Spain immediately broke and won one of their own. Alonso thought he had scored, but the referee spotted some encroachment and ordered it to be retaken upon which Alonso changed direction and the shot was stopped by the keeper. In the ensuing melee, Cesc Fabregas looked like he had been brought down and should have got another penalty. Finally, after all the madness, it was Villa once again with his fifth goal of the tournament who sent Spain through. Torres, sadly, was once again a pale shadow of his former self and was once again substituted early in the second half.

So, a quarter final line up which looked so promising for the South Americans (4 teams made it through) ends with only Uruguay, with their suspended and injured players, with a slim chance of making it through to the final. Don’t bet on it, though. Once again, European tactical dominance seemed to unsettle the South Americans and it looks like one of the three European nations left in the competition will finally be the first European team to life the trophy outside their continent. What were people harping on about a Brazil Vs Argentina final?