Tag Archives: books

Getting Social

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The nineteenth century belonged to “Popular Media” (ofcourse apart from Rock gods and World Wars). It saw the advent of Telegraph, which subsequently moved on to Radio and the phenomenon that was Television. This hunger for information gave rise to giants like Reuters, BBC and CNN, their power growing exponentially with their reach. Towards the end of the century then, these media groups were probably the most powerful force in the world, representing the bubble of humanity and capable of bringing even the mighty to their knees.

This natural progression and the innate curious nature of mankind led us to the culture of 24×7 news – which is where the troubles began. The insatiable thirst for these media houses to bombard us with information (whether useful or not) diluted the very concept of journalism. It moved on to the dark lanes of tabloid journalism and then to the more unfortunate episodes of fabricated reportage. This mixed with the ever increasing power of the media, twisted the control of public opinion and there is a prevalent feeling that something needs to be done.

To the rescue came – or so it seems – Web 2.0. Well the internet was quite well established by the turn of the century, but the early 2000s saw the explosion of “Social Media.” The World Wide Web therefore moved on from being the Pandora’s box of information to a living web of a million connected and interacting individuals.

The explosion of social networking sites such as the ubiquitous “Facebook”, to the much lesser known “Couchsurfing” meant that one could connect to likeminded individuals across the world, no matter how bizarre be the field of interest. Much less glamorous was the rise of “Blogs”, which though seem to have taken over the creative and cognitive landscape of the web. As with the networking sites, you can find a blog to cater to the funniest, craziest, dumbest, and whatever-you-might-like interest. And I better not get started about Twitter here.

What makes this new concept so addictive and powerful is 1) its immediacy in spread of information, and 2) the intimate access to our life accorded to it by us. In short, a tweet about my lost dog reaches to all my contacts instantly, right onto their handheld devices. This in turn is broadcast by them, and in a span of minutes the lost dog is a concern for more people than needs to be. Good for the dog then!

Humans are social animals, and when you have the fodder that is Web 2.0, tectonic changes are bound to follow. This living sphere of digital ones and zeroes evolved into the largest open forum on the planet, with views being exchanged, ideas floated and opinions offered to an ever interested audience. To cite just an example it is estimated that social media was integral to the Arab revolutions of 2011. As one activist put it, “We use Facebook to schedule the protests, Twitter to coordinate, and YouTube to tell the world.”

But where does this freedom of use of information and broadcast stop. The fiercest debate on this was raised by Julian Assange, the maverick founder of Wikileaks. While most netizens hailed him as a visionary, governments across the world were not amused. What followed is history and the dust hasn’t settled for sure, but the matter might be crucial in deciding the future path of online freedom. Does an individual’s right of expression accord him/her the liberty to disclose secrets without knowing the full extent of its impact? And does the world have the right to know every fact, or does good old censorship still hold true.

As Uncle Ben said to Peter Parker “with great power comes great responsibility” and naturally the same would employ to this nascent technocultural bubble. Unlike the popular media, there is very scant editing or censorship in the social media, and anyone with access to a mobile device is capable of shooting “expert opinion” as he/she fancies. This not only is potentially hazardous, but also tones down the credibility of social media to be used as a legal tool in any future conflict.

But the reality is much tangled than appears. Despite being hailed as the saviour of public information, Web 2.0 is anything but so. Did you know that Google tracks 57 signals about each user before turning out results for the searched content? And this is even when you are not logged in! We then live in what Eli Pariser hails to be the “Filter Bubble.” He describes it as “the personal universe of information that you live in online — unique and constructed just for you by the array of personalized filters that now power the web.”

In his book of the same name (a must read according to me), he argues that personalization is sort of a privacy turned inside out. Today’s net not only allows you to control what the world can see about you, but conversely also decides what you get to see of the outside. The worrying part though, is that most of this happens passively, unknown and uncontrolled by us.

The twenty first century seems to belong to the social media, but if we have learnt anything from the past, then it is upto us in preventing it turning from a powerful source of focussed opinion to an uncontrolled fire breathing monster. Internet is the most adaptable and dynamic invention by us, and is in a way the first form of a self conscious machine much feared by sci-fi writers since ages. But the beauty of it all is that this self consciousness has come to be defined and in turn defines the cultural landscape of the world today. Where it will lead is to be seen, but what is sure is that we are driving the bus, and therefore hold the sole responsibility for the path it takes.

ps: If you want to know more about Eli Pariser and his Filter Bubbles, watch the video below

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Five great sports books

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Sports and books hold a very special place in my little world. Most of my free time (apart from my runs and weekend escapades) I’m either watching a game, or reading a book – which mostly has to do something with sports. So it was inevitable that I found a few particularly interesting than the rest and this write-up is about the five books I found absolutely unmissable for any sports fan.A few disclaimers before I begin. Firstly this is not intended to – and is not – any kind of “five best sports books” or any such other list. I believe no one person is qualified enough to make such a list, and even if he/she does make it, can never appeal to the wide spectrum of audience it faces.Secondly I’ve got books from different sports. No, I did not intend to be diplomatic and try to appease fans of all sports, it just so happened that these five were the best I found, which transcended their particular sport, and were a treat to read in the general sense.

Lastly the order in which I present the books below has nothing to do with their relative merits, it’s just random.

“Its not about the bike” — Lance Armstrong (ISBN – 0425179613)

As far as inspirational reading goes, I doubt if there is any other book in the world (sport or otherwise) that can match this. “Lance Armstrong’s story is the stuff of legends” it says on the back cover and the epithet pretty much encapsulates the spirit of the book. A mediocre international athlete, who changed to pro cycling from triathlon was diagnosed with testicular cancer, relatively early into his career. What followed was the epitome of human spirit, determination and sheer courage.

The book initially dabbles a bit into the author’s childhood and rise to international sports but soon reaches the tragic juncture of him being diagnosed with cancer. Armstrong, not with much hope of survival, went through a painful and seemingly career ending treatment. He made out of it, broken in body, but not spirit. Armstrong’s description of the vagaries of recovery and the mental battles fought during are enough to shake the stoicest of people.

Thereafter the book traces his first Tour de France victory. Being the maiden triumph, the description has a bit of innocence to it, as well as a romantic thrill. Lance steers the reader through his tumultuous and unbelievable journey, while also introducing us to the enchanting world of international cycling. Words such as “peloton” and “maillot jaune” take familiar overtones and by the time you’re finished with the book, it is impossible not to google more about Le Tour and Armstrong.

A very powerful book then, not just with the element of sports, but the potential to bring about a change in the approach towards life. I believe this book should be made a compulsory read in today’s scenario where suicides are committed for trivial reasons. If there is one message out of the book, it is that life is a gift, no matter how bad the wrapper is, the article inside is too valuable not to be fought for, till the last breath.

“How football explains the world” — Franklin Foer (ISBN – 0099492261)

Football is a game played by more nations on this planet, than probably many other games put together. That FIFA has more affiliated members than the United Nations is proof enough of the global reach and impact of the beautiful game. While these figures almost feel clichéd, Franklin Foer goes on to analyse how is it that a sport passionately followed by billions goes on to change the thread of life on earth. Because something so widely accepted cannot just be a mere footnote in the larger scheme of things.

The book takes us on a whirlwind ride from the dusty pitches of South America, teeming with rich talent, to the highly advanced and mega corps of Europe afflicted with unforgiving rivalry. In the process the book revolves around many significant issues such as antisemitism, globalisation, pseudo nationalism and their effects on football and vice-versa.

The author admits that the purpose of the book is to explore the nature of the game in cultural terms more than its economic impact. So while he does wonder at the failure of global giants such as Manchester United and Real Madrid’s failure to wipe out local allegiances, he also studies the role played by many clubs across the world as an expression of local identities.

For a football fan, the reading varies from euphoria to surprise, bringing him/her closer to the game than just the big name worshipping. But the real impact of Foer is felt on a newcomer to the world of football. His lucidity of expression (possibly coming from being a political journo in Washington) and immense research helps put across the emotional connect of the game and its oxymoronic power to liberate cultural boundaries, at the same time creating venomous divides. Overall Foer succeeds in explaining the connect of the game at a much higher level than sport.

“True Colours: My Life” — Adam Gilchrist (ISBN – 1405038969)

I’m not a big fan of cricket. Great game that it may be, I find it a bit too slow for my taste (and 20-20 is more entertainment than sport). But if there is one name that comes to my mind when reminded of cricket, its Adam Gilchrist (ok all Sachin fans don’t kill me, let me live with my weird choice). One of the last standing gentleman of the so-called gentleman’s game has been equally candid in the narration of his life’s story. The book is an emotional roller coaster which could move even the toughest of hearts and look towards the psychological demands of modern sports.

Gilly starts on a solemn note bringing out his predicament of deep sorrow after playing a memorable innings. But it’s just a prologue as afterwards he guides us through his childhood, his days as a young boy in a family obsessed with sports. While being surrounded by above average athletes did have its advantages, but it certainly had its pressures too. However one thing that emerges about the initial days in the legend’s life is that he was equally humble and maybe a bit introvert even at this young age.

Moving on to his adolescent years and the initial successes, he details the dilemma faced by a young teenager spending years away from family and friends ,focussing most of his waking hours in the single-minded pursuit of cricket. Gilly’s also quite candid about how tense he was when being compared with the legendary Ian Healy and the doubts in his mind if he could ever replace the revered gloveman (in the team and public imagination). But his admiration was not limited to the greats, he also indicates his fascination watching sublime talents like the precocious Ponting and McGrath, many of whom were younger than him.

But he did get his break and the next part of the book is certainly more interesting. It details his triumphs and travails in international cricket, right from the highs of consecutive world cup victories, to the lows of being part of the first Australian team in ages to lose the Ashes. Gilchrist has devoted much print space to the debacle of 2005 which was the most testing time for him professionally and personally, and one cannot be anything but moved on reading of such unreasonable pressures being put on an already demoralised person.

The last part has a bit about his last world cup and the man of the match performance in the final. He also has tried to bring out his view in the monkeygate scandal (though how much that would appeal to Indian readers, I’m not sure) and the ever controversial issue of “walking”. Overall Gilly’s provided a peek into an international sportsman’s life while staying clear from commenting on other players and causing controversy. A very good read then, which may not appeal to the tabloid in you, but certainly to the true fan who cherishes pure sportsmanship and sheer joy of participation more than anything else.

“Who do you think you are, Michael Schumacher” — Ian Stafford (ISBN – 009190885X)

Ian Stafford is the author of famous titles like “Playground of the gods” and “In search of Tiger”, but in this particular book, he seeks to find what is it that separates him and a top motor-sport star. His various discoveries enroute take the reader through a whirlwind trip from the tracks of England to a ranch in Australia and in the skies with a former world champion. Stafford’s narration is meant to tickle the funny bone while answering the demands placed on a top-level athlete in motor-sports.

The wild goose chase started (as it often does) with a remark from the author’s better half. Tired of the relentless boasting of his own driving abilities, she utters the dreaded words “Who do you think you are, Michael bloody Schumacher.” Now for any self-respecting male such a comparison is bound to ruffle feathers and start a complex process aimed to prove that the person in question is defiantly at par (if not better) than the German ace. Stafford being the sports journo he is, definitely believed (more than a normal male) in his driving capabilities.

What follows is a meeting with several world champions, and many (then) present day drivers. One of the best is his interaction with David Coulthard in Monaco and the subsequent bicycle ride both take to a nearby hill. That probably was the first glimpse for the challenger as to his slightly precarious physical condition when compared to a top F1 driver. But not one to be dissuaded, Ian continued in his pursuit and finally managed to get a one to one with Schumacher. That he managed to defeat him in a go-kart race was (and probably will be) the high point in the journos life.

But hey, it was not as simple as that. There is a bizarre twist in his victory over Michael, and for that one really needs to pick up this book and find for oneself. Rest assured it’ll be a hilarious ride in company of some of the most famous men to grace this sport and probably would help the reader in answering such a question in the future (someday you just might have to you know) in a slightly more pragmatic fashion.

“Playing the Enemy” — John Carlin (ISBN – 0143115723)

This book is probably the starkest example of the power of sports and the place it holds in the subconscious of humans across the globe. All movie buffs would know the story by the name of Invictus (which is also the name of the latest edition of the book) and it is the true story of the Springboks’ world cup victory at home against all odds – sporting and political. It also is a masterpiece in mass seduction and understanding of human psychology by a great man, kind of whom we so badly lack in our country.

First half of the book is pretty much about the political atmosphere of an apartheid infested South Africa fighting for independence in a post colonial era. The author very briefly guides us through the initial opposition movements, formation of the ANC, the rise of Mandela and has very successfully painted a rough political and demographic map of erstwhile South Africa. The book brings out some watershed events in the country’s past, which hastened the process of independence and maybe this accelerated pace left the country’s new administrators with a humongous amount of patching up effort to do.

Carlin then moves on to give a glimpse of the understanding of Nelson Mandela’s thought process. How in a country at the brink of civil war, Mandela had the courage to focus on something (which most people considered) as trivial as a sport. And that too a sport hated by majority of the population and supposedly an icon of the apartheid past. One of the most succinct explanations in the book is of the significance the name and symbol of Springboks held for the Afrikaner, and Mandela’s early foresight of using it as a tool for winning their trust and ensure a peaceful settlement.

The book steers us through this precarious diplomatic battle being fought by Mandela, while on the other hand his equivalent of the Springboks, Francois Pienaar was trying to unite his own team, and most of all make them believe in themselves. The world cup per-se does not have many pages devoted to it, but then the victory itself was a small (yet significant) link in the massive chain unifying a divided nation.

It may not be to the liking of a purist sports fan, but as far as bringing out the unquantifiable appeal of any sport, this book is worth its weight in gold. It is definitely a must read for all those non believers who still term most sports (and especially rugby) as a barbaric display of two basic human flaws – hunger for victory and display of power. Modern sport may also be that, but as the book shows, in the hands of a great few it transcends the most noble of causes and moves people to achieve the impossible.

So that was my (slightly longish) view of probably the most inspiring and unforgettable sports books that I’ve read – repeat – I’ve read. Am sure I’ve missed out many gems and my apologies if there is a glaring miss, but I would be grateful if any of you has a strong recommendation to make. Once again this is not an exhaustive or a “best” list, it’s just five books that I feel are a must read among many others. So please take out some time and immerse yourself in this beautiful endeavour called sport, narrated by some of the most famous men to have been associated with it, and rest assured it’ll give you a whole new perspective, not just about sports, but about life as a whole.

BOOK REVIEW: BOOTS BELTS BERETS

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Tanushree Podder is a brave woman. No I’ve never met her and neither do I say this because she decided to marry an Army officer. I say so after reading her book “Boots Belts Berets”. To write about a topic so bizarre while at the same time so emotional (for the people connected to it) must have required tremendous effort. In the prologue she writes that it was her jealousy towards her husband’s undulating affection for his “coursemates” that prompted her to get inquisitive in the first place and then to write about it. All those strange incidents that sounded weird to her (if at all they made any sense) seemed to be extremely close to her husband and his coursemate’s hearts.

The book takes us through the three years of trials and tribulations at the National Defence Academy. We get to experience the making of “men form boys” through the eyes of a group of four cadets with one of them narrating their daily rigours. The book is not a history of the NDA, nor any sort of guide to succeed in it- I wonder if any such a guide can ever be written – it is just a description of the life at the academy as Podder could reconstruct from the reminisces of her disband. But more on that later.

The book is set at the turn of the 60s (because that is when her husband was at the academy and hence she could only relate to experiences of that age) with our dreamy eyed protagonist Nikhil Dutta setting foot at “Poona” station unaware as to how big a step he has taken. The day he lands at the hallowed portals of the squadron he is in for a shock of his life. Things are just not as he assumed they would be. For starters there are werewolves all round calling themselves “seniors”. The peculiar thing of this species is that they never run out of jobs to assign to “juniors” and then have an even stronger penchant to dole out punishments en masse. Nikhil finds punishments with rosy names like “seventh heaven” are exactly the opposite of what they sound.

Just as our youngster is thinking of how he would survive in this place for three years, he stumbles upon the solution. To deal with the “seniors” there exists yet another species in the academy, named “coursemates”. They do not override the predators, but certainly help you in dealing with them much better and at times escaping also. Therefore start the long list of (mis)adventures by our quartet of Bertie, Randy, Machh and Pessi. Along the way these four learn a totally different way of lie. Away from the normal pleasures a young boy of their age deserves, they are instead put through the rigours of never ending runs, drills and worst of all, punishments. But in every event they discover a new person in themselves and in people around them.

As they go through the terms getting senior and turning themselves into the seniors whom they hated some months ago, they feel the outright change that has been brought into them in the course of their training. At home they are not looked upon in the same way they were before joining the academy. At the academy they are just not what they thought they would become. In all these differences what is common is their attraction to the opposite sex, penchant for eating and the ability to face the sternest tests which are thrown their way at amazing regularity. Podder has not shied from recounting even the more perverse and uncommon things that go in at NDA. Be it the surreptitious smoking, infatuations or rendezvous into uncharted territories, she has mentioned them all at some point in the book.

However along the way are several errors. Not any glaring blunders, but subtle mistakes that no one else could catch other than those who have been privileged to have undergone the three years at NDA (or a similar academy). She has certainly rushed through the book trying to cover every bit in about 250 pages, in the process not justifying some big milestones in a cadet’s life. There is no mention of the gruelling camp Rovers, neither of the Hexas or the Bakshi cup. Even the coup de grace for any cadet – his passing out has not deserved a chapter and instead been consigned to just a paragraph. For anyone having seen it all, this is a huge let down. Also the importance given to the fairer sex and wanderings of the quartet is way beyond normal. If any cadet were to behave as our protagonists do, he would need a miracle to stay put in the academy for more than a couple of terms. I do not fault her completely for it because as I have mentioned before, the book is just a collection of thoughts that she could gather form her husband’s reminisces. Or more pertinently, it is her understanding and interpretation of those reminisces. For someone who has not been there, done that, many incidents will sound absurd and some monumental achievements might seem a passing matter.

For example the case where she describes juniors duping their seniors/instructors is just not taking as casually as she brings it out to be. At the same time no cadet is afforded the luxury of spare time our quartet seems to have on their hands almost every evening. Then there are many things that she missed out on the daily schedule of the cadets. Was this because her husband did not mention them or because she wanted to limit her book, I do not know. However as I see it the book only gives a selective glimpse of academy life. It does not give a holistic picture of the academy life through which a layman can understand the workings and the culture of NDA.

Having said that, for NDA alumnus the book has several moments to make them feel nostalgic and for the eyes go moist. While for the normal person reading it, it might sound very gallant and equally juvenile in parts. It would be a roller coaster ride at the end of which the final image would be quite convoluted but generally impressive overall. On behalf of Podder I must say again that it is indeed a brave and honest effort. It is just that the subject she chose has so much hidden in it, that it would be impossible for anyone to gouge out all the details. Now only if she could have devoted some more pages to the book.

BOOK REVIEW: A WALK IN THE WOODS

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Ever since I started this blog, I’ve generally been writing about automobiles or sports. While consistency is good, however lately I’ve been wanting to write something different. It was while in office recently when I realised that after sports the thing I enjoy the most is reading. So I thought to myself why not write book reviews. This is how the idea was born.

What I will write here is of course not a professional review (for the simple reason that however I may try I am not that good yet). Hence I’ll use this space to present my views on the books I liked and what was different about them. I will also try and bring out what was novel or missing in them by comparing them to similar books if possible.

I’ll start by penning down about the latest book that I’ve read – mainly because it is fresh in my memory. It is titled “A Walk In The Woods” authored by Bill Bryson. Now for all non Bryson fans reading this, he is an American author now settled in Britain who writes just about anything, though mostly restricting himself to memoirs and travelogues. The moot point is that his books always scratch one’s funny side. He has this uncanny ability to bring a humorous touch to even the most mundane and serious topics. Some of his more popular ones are Neither here nor there, A short history of nearly everything and Life and times of the thunderbolt kid.

This one is his travelogue of the Appalachian Trail. In one of his crazy ventures Bill is enamoured by the woods and decides to hike the trail in its entirety. Despite clear indications from his family in opposition to his eccentricity, Bill thinks it to be a very noble thought with a healthy side to it. His first jolt though is even before he can take a step into the wilderness. Buying supplies for his adventure, Bryson realises that hikes in the new age are meant for millionaires. Actually not just millionaires, they are meant for geek millionaires. And it does not stop there. Without the zillion super specialist (and not to mention exorbitantly priced) attachments, the basic equipment (like a bag) is quite incapable in itself for you to survive the ordeal. The retailer would happily sell you a piece of equipment without which he says you could not live in the woods, only moments later to declare it useless without the even more expensive add-on.

Having survived the shopping spree and lived through incredulous looks of his wife our reborn Crusoe plans out the route, only to realise how big a feat he is about to undertake. Reading about the trail’s (mis)adventures, he suddenly feels the need for a companion both for physical and mental support. Only that it is slightly tough to find a guy who is ready to walk 2000miles through dangerous and intimidating terrain for no particularly evident motive. So Bill is mighty pleased when his childhood friend Stephen Katz calls him to offer his services as his hiking partner. Bill even casually brushes aside his wife’s reminder of his past experience with the good pal in Europe (please read ‘Neither here nor there’ for further info in this regard). All his fears are reborn the instant he meets Katz at the airport. For starters Katz is a perennially hungry, and he pretty much thinks that they’re off for a stroll in a relatively dense park with abundant resources at their disposal. That however does not prevent him from buying a little bit of everything to eat from the superstore in preparation to the trip.

Finally the day arrives when the two trudge out into the woods. Well, actually they catch a flight and then hire a cab to take them till the door step of the trail. The cabby is not particularly excited on seeing yet another hiking enthusiast, most of whom he says give up less than a week into the hike. Not very encouraging then, but our duo is motivated and committed – atleast till they hit the trail for good. Less than half a day into it and Katz has thrown off almost his entire ration, an act not much appreciated by his hiking mate. What goes on ahead is a vivid description of the travails of the trail, the salient points of which I will bring out subsequently.

Bryson says you will meet some of the most interesting and bizarre people on the trail. One such person they met was Mary Ellen. She considered herself a hiker par excellence and the rest, the scum of the trail. With a derogatory suggestion at everything – even as mundane as making morning coffee – she was certainly a nuisance noted by everyone on the trial who happened to be unfortunate enough to run into her (or the other way around). Our protagonists manage to give her a miss at their first stop and after an initial pang of guilt, are mighty relieved to have got rid of the pestilent lady. They manage to survive many torturous phases of the trail hardly enjoying any of the landscapes galore. Bill even contemplates that the trail is an exercise in futility made even tougher by the belligerent Forest Service. But this may just be the learning point of the book. He brings out lucidly the thoughtless destruction man has caused about in the woods with the officials giving nary a thought to the forests until recently. He also elucidates the origin of the trail and how it has fought for survival for almost a century.

The most prominent thing about the trail though has to be the “Bear”. I have written just “Bear” as no one is sure which kind of a bear one may come across on the trial. But one thing is for sure, not many have come across one who would have been particularly jovial in nature. Almost all the descriptions spoke only of attacking, hungry, savage beasts ready to pounce upon any human in sight. And then there are the ambivalent suggestions to counter a bear attack. One book describes the best way is to stand steady and look directly at the bear, while at the very next line mentions sometimes this ploy may not be the best and on occasions fleeing maybe the better option if the bear is not much in a mood to give chase. Another classic case is where the book suggests making lot of noise while hiking, thereby driving off the bears with the racket. However the book duly backtracks a couple of paragraphs later imploring the fact that the noise may attract/irritate the bears enough to cause it to attack the source of the noise. However the best suggestion is saved for the last, where the book says there is no fool proof way to escape a bear – if it decides to attack there is nothing much that can be done, hence it is best to avoid interaction with the beast. Very helpful then, the answer is simple; if you want to escape a bear attack, do not venture on the trail.

Bryson describes two types of hikers – “Thru” and “Section”. The former are the more adventurous variety who hike the trail in its entirety in a single attempt. There have been extremes in the thru hikers category wherein people have raced through the trail or taken ages to complete it. Both cases however have left the people concerned, shattered but smarter than before. Among the section-hikers, though there is no such excitement, but the buzz word here is perseverance. People as old as 85 have kept on with their commitment to complete the trail in bits and pieces, no matter how many attempts they have to make. The trail though can be a dangerous place due to unnatural reasons too. The most powerful predator – read human being – has not only been after the trees, but also after people out in the woods in search of peace and tranquillity. There have been multiple cases of murder (one during the period the author was out on the trail) and multiple books have been written on the issue. Nothing however deters the average hiker from going out there among the nature.

Talking of which, not many people nowadays see the trail as a way of bonding with nature. Most of them come out on a weekend ”picnic” sort of a trip, with soiling their expensive gear the last thing on their mind. Consequently roads and highways have propped up right through the forests making life miserable for flora, fauna and the hard core hiker. Even with the strong willed hiker, the urge to abstain from the luxury of the modern world is pretty tough to practise. Austerity – the author says – is one thing the trails attempts to teach you, though not many people end up learning the lesson in its spirit. After days in the trail even the remotest motel with the barest facilities seems heavenly and the small pleasures of life an indulgence.

Among these pleasures and perils the narration continues in trademark Bryson tongue-in-cheek humour. Both Bill and Stephen never manage to complete the trail (they were not even close), but they learnt enough along the way (least of all to get along with eachother). They had their hairy encounters, narrow escapes and breathless moments all in the period of these months spent together on the trail. The book is not meant to be a guide to any hiker, let alone the Appalachian Trail hiker. It is more of an expression of thoughts and views on the trail and the salient matters concerned with it. It is not a heavy read, neither a page turner but in the end you finish it with a smile on your face and a thought in your mind. What the thought may be varies with one’s outlook – you may join greenpeace, or jump out into the nearest forest reserve, or even start appreciating that warm shower and clean towels – but you are certainly not disappointed with the effort. Having said that, it’s not Bryson’s best effort when compared to his more illustrious ones. I would give it three stars and recommend it to someone looking for a light fun read, maybe for some laugh and a casual look into the merits and perils of hiking.