My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Picked up this book last year with the intention of exploring stories from the Middle East and European regions. The title sold me since I have been somewhat fascinated by the country of Turkey. And the backdrop of the second world war was an added bonus.

The story primarily revolves around two sisters, Sabiha and Selva and their families during the German occupation of France in the second world war. Sabiha is the wife of a Turkish diplomat living in the Turkish capital city of Ankara while Selva is living with her Jewish husband in Paris.

Separated due to a past and by conflicting national boundaries the eponymous train seems to be the only chance of the sisters and the families of reuniting and reconciling their differences. The train also provides hopes for many Jews trapped in German occupied France to return to neutral nation of Turkey and beyond to the promised land.

Apart from the poignant tale of the two sisters and their families, the book also touches a lot on the geo-political situation of the region during WW II. Turkey’s diplomatic situation with the allies and the Axis powers is well explained and that too on a un-boring fashion. We are introduced to a few other secondary characters that aren’t all that important( or required in some instances) but I presume these were fashioned out of the true accounts of Jewish people who undertook this arduous and treacherous journey from France to Turkey via German and German occupied nations.

The writing is very fluid and simple with each chapter flowing effortlessly. I found myself gobbling up numerous chapters in single sittings (A major achievement for me!!) Perhaps it’s the fact that the book is translated to English from Turkish and maybe some of the more “purple prose” passages got trimmed down.

At around 360 pages this is a short read and good one too. The only complaint I would state is the length being a tad too short for the scope of the story that is being told. Especially with the myriad characters that get introduced throughout the book. But the last chapter somewhat makes up for that with a rather touching revelation.

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My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Almost everyone I know has read this book. And their reviews have been unanimously positive. Suffice to say that was enough to get me to read this pseudo-autobiographical account of an escaped Australian convict who called India (and specifically Bombay) his home.

Our protagonist (for lack of a better word), Lin, is on the run from the local authorities back home in the land down under and is just arriving at the Bombay International Airport in the early 80s as the story begins. From there begins his humorous, at times bizarre, uncanny and ultimately spiritual journey through Bombay, India and beyond.

Lin’s journey, as penned in the book, spans five parts with forty-two chapters across the slums of Bombay, a village in Maharashtra, shady hotels in Africa, the mountains of Afghanistan and finally comes full circle to an enlightened end at the slums. The experiences he narrates are often interlaced with philosophical teachings as well personal observational conclusions which at times do sound kinda as though he’s some sort of Guru. But if you remove the prejudicial thought from your mind, the experiences do provide some truly pearls of wisdom.

The author bases the anecdotes and stories based on personal experiences and his knowledge of the land is undeniably first hand. One of the elements of the book that really made me re-read certain chapters was the brilliantly detailed description of the geography of my home town of Bombay (Mumbai if you want to sound politically correct!)

Another aspect of the book that made it entertaining (and also run over 900 pages) was the author’s attempt to vividly describe every single character, minor or major, on every page. Barring a few descriptions that were completely uncalled for, this approach does provide a great visual interpretation of the characters you are reading.

At 933 pages, this is no simple read and took me a good amount of time to complete (but then I’m a slow reader!). But the long reading journey will reward you with the experience of an absolutely unprecedented journey into the life of Linbaba aka Shantaram. And who knows, his journey may inspire you to embark on one of your own!

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My rating: 3 of 5 stars

My interest in the financial sector, thanks to my Investment Banker father and Corporate Banker elder brother, was one of the prime reasons for my decision to begin reading this financial thriller. Comparisons to my other favorite author, John Grisham further piqued my interest in this author.

Bull Street is probably best described in one line as Grisham’s “The Firm” with a financial backdrop. The story, set in the global financial capital New York, starts a little before the infamous 2008 financial crisis and proceeds to get intertwined with the said crisis.

At the center of the story is an idealistic IB rookie, Richard Blum who aspires to greatness at his newly joined firm. His peers think highly of him, his attractive female colleague is crushing on him and he’s living his dream. But things quickly spiral away out of control when an unintended discovery of an insider trading ring by Richard threaten not only ruin his career, but even his own life.

Bull Street has all the elements for a fast paced thriller. Foreign locales, adrenaline pounding action, decent character development and a solid central plot. The only qualm I did have was the under utilization of the financial crisis in the central plot. Although that did not dampen the pace established by the author.

If you like a decent thriller and have a passion (hidden or otherwise) for the financial sector, Bull Street is a definite read.

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