There used to be a time when you would find books by Jeffery Archer, Arthur Hailey, John Grisham strewn around my room. Even today you would find those books in my room, but now there has been a major overhaul in the look and feel of the bookshelf. Now I have two shelves dedicated to Indian authors; it is far more enjoyable to read a book, when you don’t have to rush to the computer and figure out where in God’s name is Tennessee, or is Ford County a real place or to find the actual meaning of a phrase/slang that is common in US and is akin to Greek in India.
I encountered yet another book by an Indian author: Love, Life And All That Jazz by Ahmed Faiyaz and thoroughly enjoyed it. The story is simple – the book follows the life of four friends over a period of 5-6 years. The struggles they face in life, their hook-ups and break-ups, their work and their families. The author has described each protagonist so well, that you feel – I know this guy, and you start empathizing for him/her. You curse the protagonist when he/she makes a bad decision, and you feel good when the protagonist finally makes a sane choice.
While reading the book, at many times I felt that the author has lived this life and is writing about it. Or at least his close friends have been through similar circumstances, and they are the inspiration for many of the characters he has sketched.
My major grouse with the book was that the story skipped ahead by 2-3 months to a year with each chapter – and that kept breaking the momentum you develop while reading. I had to go back and always check what was the date for the previous chapter and what is the date for current chapter and would try to pick the scattered threads of the thoughts again.
On the whole the book is a very enjoyable read, a perfect way to pass time on a lazy weekend, or a very good company on a boring train journey.
Addendum: I am reviewing the book on the request of the author Ahmed himself. Kudos to him for writing a book and getting it published; and double kudos to him for donating all proceeds from the sale of the book to charity.
I write! Topic does not matter, can be my life, or my travels, or any match I saw, or the Hyderabadi life, or reminiscing about Raipur, or penning Short Stories & 55s.
Yesterday only I ordered few books from flipkart. Only if you had published this review earlier
Order again
cool .. this seems like a definite read for me … will try to buy it when am in india next
and perhaps its time for you to turn into a professional reviewer … you are almost there … soon will see ur reviews in reputed magazines/newspapers … err .. are there any remaining that are good enough to review books properly?
professional reviewer? hmmm, sounds really interesting
but then you posed the obvious question – are there any newspapers/magazines that review books properly?
I am reviewing the book on the request of the author Ahmed himself.
Hmm… Someone has turned into professional reviewer
Thanks Krunal. Wish I was a professional reviewer
Well written review indeed
Read another review of this book here
Well.. after completing John Grisham’s The Client..
I started reading Love-Life-And-All-That-Jazz recently.. (just finished 20 pages).
Excellent review..
Congrts Ahamed .F,
The book should read by youngstrs and you narrated
in a simple way ,,
Good luck,
regds,
PYM
love d buk alot…worth reading!!!! compl buk in 7hrs…love tania alot..her role is fab…hope lyf ll lead in rite direction..learned nize lesson after reading d buk
indira
hey,hii..i desperately want to buy this book..but dnt know the publication house of this book..cn any one tell me the publisher of lov life and all that jazz..by ahmed faiyaz..plzz mail me on imintrb@yahoo.com….plzz plzz
i live i Goa Indai i want to buy this book so how can i buy this book i am a student i want to get for book review and to presented in the college