Blogging,  Book Reviews

A Bibliophile's Wonderland!

May 31, 2016 / 46 Comments

Wonderland! What is the picture that comes to your mind when I say wonderland? The word wonderland holds a different meaning for each one of us. A bibliophile like me would define wonderland as any place with books, books and more books. Yes, please, more books any day anytime!

Reading is one of my most favorite activities. I remember telling a friend, who found me reading while I was walking/jogging in the park, that if I could, I would read even in my sleep. Now, that may sound a little extreme to some but give a good book to a voracious reader and you will know what I mean.

Of course, I have no dearth for books to read. Nonetheless, the idea of waiting for a new book to release still seems exhilarating. I get goosebumps as the day of the release dawns as I am aware of the opportunity it presents for me to jump into a sea of words and swim with the protagonists through every twist and turn of the plot. The excitement of the release is especially true for books with a captivating blurb. Experts say that a book’s blurb is the second thing every potential reader notices after the cover. I believe that is true, I try my best not to judge a book by its cover, which is why I make a choice of whether or not to invest in a particular book by reading its blurb.

This year I made a conscious decision to read books from various genres rather than staying put in my comfort zone as always. With that in mind, I signed up for a Reading Challenge, which I must say, was a good decision! Signing up to the challenge meant I had to search for some good books to read in places that I normally do not, it was also the need to find books from other genres and fields that had me sign up to websites like Netgalley and Goodreads. I also started following some online sites that promotes indie authors. It is from one such site, Readomania, that I came across a book with an intriguing title. Upon further inquiry, I figured that it is a new book awaiting release in early June 2016. In case you are wondering what it was about the book that I found interesting, here are some details that you might enjoy too:

Title:    That’s News To Me! 

A Presswallah’s Journey

FINDING LOW

If the title in itself did not hold your attention, then read the blurb:

“Dogs can be trained to fetch newspapers for their masters. Should a journalist be treated as a retriever of news by his masters? Told with verve and wit, this is the story of Manush, a talented, independent-minded journalist who tries to stick to the core values of his profession while keeping body and soul together. Out in the field, he enjoys the adrenaline rush of getting scoops and the challenge of solving real-life mysteries. Back in the office, he has to tackle toxic bosses who don’t give a toss about talent and are insecure about their own jobs. And at home, there is emotional distress from a marriage only in name. As the action shifts from a magazine in Noida to a newspaper in Delhi to a website in Gurgaon, the world around Manush changes while he continues his dogged pursuit of career goals and fascinating women. Will forces out of his control make him go into a free fall? Will friends and family give him the respect he deserves? Or will he realize redemption lies elsewhere?”

After reading this blurb, I knew this was a book I did certainly pick up the moment it released. I also thought that I must share it here on my blog for the benefit of all the reading enthusiasts I know!  🙂

In case you were wondering about the author of this book, here is a little something I know About the Author:

The author, Manjula Lal currently works as Dy Editor with Tehelka. In a career spanning 30 years, she has worked for Economic Times, Pioneer, The Times of India, Indian Express and a host of smaller banners.

Born in a remote village in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India where her father was a district magistrate, the author spent 11 years in a convent boarding school in the hill station of Nainital. After attending college in Lucknow and getting her master’s in political science from Jawaharlal Nehru University, she went to Pennsylvania State University as a teaching assistant. Her stint as the first columnist of foreign origin for the local newspaper gave her a taste of celebrity that made her impatient to return to New Delhi and plunge into journalism.

It must be the experience she garnered in the 30 years of her career that prompted her to write a book based on journalism. This is the first book authored by her and I hope she goes on to author many many more.

I am now looking forward to the release of “That’s News To Me!” and am really excited about it.

What about you? Have you ever found yourself excitedly awaiting the release of a book? Maybe your own book? Let me know in the comments.

A Single Mother with an unbreakable passion to Live the Life! I am a Writer/Author by passion and an IT Project Manager by profession. I am also the voice of Artemis at In The Pantheon - a multi-author collaborative writing project. When not hunting as Artemis, I am busy querying agents and working on my multiple writing projects. Women Empowerment and Child Rights Advocate.

You May Also Like

How to Instagram as an Author
February 22, 2020
The Hunter – A Haiku
October 17, 2016
Tips To Revive Your Blog
October 5, 2019

46 Comments

Your Thoughts Matter - Tell Me!