The Autobiography of God – Lenaa Kumar – Book Review

Actress Lenaa is a popular name in Malayalam cinema. Over the years, she has carved a name for herself as an astute actor assaying a wide variety of roles. A fantastic cinematic debut as a young lead, hibernation, return via Asianet Television, awards for her TV role, and then again working with the superstars of Malayalam cinema, it has been a roller-coaster ride.

There’s another side to her. She has been a state topper in her field of study, a gold-winner in college, and was admitted to the psychiatric ward of a hospital after an incident. In this book that serves more as a diary of thoughts. Lenaa bravely recounts her journey, love, broken hearts, friendship, descent into darkness, and how she pled herself together against all odds to be at a better place emotionally and physically.

Image from the Penguin Randomhouse India Website

Often, we think that the celebrities we on screen lead a charmed life. It could be possible, but they too are human. Lenaa in this book offers a deep understanding of human nature, consciousness, and super-consciousness. There are references to great thinkers, philosophers, and sages. She says meeting Mohanlal who recommended her a book by Osho “The Book of Secrets” was a turning point in her life.

The book is not a solution for your psychological problems. It is a honest portrayal of what the author went through and how she put herself on a track to healing.

A chance spotting on a shelf at Bookworm store. It seems this book was published earlier by an independent publisher and now a leading international publishing house is re-issuing copies with a new cover and in a compact format.

Highly recommended.

#BOOKADAYINDIA – My List

With lots of book-loving friends putting up posts on a daily basis about the books they love – #BOOKADAYINDIA.

Here comes my blog-post, it is finally year-end; but no great change in the ‘quantum of work at work’ – life goes on as usual.

But we need to make some time right 🙂 So without further ado —-

Ideal December Read – ‘A Christmas Carol’

Book Cover – ‘Swami and Friends’ – Life in a simple unhurried time!

A book you identify with – ‘Oliver Twist’.

Wisest book I have read – ‘Autobiography of a Yogi’

A book you keep going back to – ‘The Complete Sherlock Holmes’ – Never tire of reading the book.

Your perfect winter read – ‘Pride and Prejudice’

First book that I remember reading – Very, very tough question – ‘He-Man’ pocket comics perhaps!

The book that gives me the chills – ‘Dracula’

My favourite mythological tale – ‘Mahabharata’

The book that makes me want to write – ‘The Jungle Book’ by Rudyard Kipling

A book character that I want to marry – George/Georgina from the ‘Famous Five’ series 🙂 – Wonder how she would be as an adult!!! Fascinated by Lisbeth Salander as well.

A book that I pretend to have read – ‘Ulysses’ by James Joyce.

I curl up to read – A good crime thriller – Love Jo Nesbo’s works in the past two years he has become a huge favourite.

My favourite book series – ‘The Famous Five’ by Enid Blyton.

My favourite Jane Austen character – Emma

A book that made you hungry – All Tarla Dalal cook-books 🙂

Favourite Autobiography – ‘My Experiments with Truth’ by Mahatma Gandhi.

A book to read when homesick – David Copperfield

Favourite fairytale character – Betaal – from Vikram and Betaal.

Christmas Gift book – ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’

A book that made me cry – ‘Marley and Me’.

Best book that I got as a gift – Twelfth Birthday I guess – ‘A book of Feluda stories’ by Satyajit Ray.

My favourite family read – ‘Winnie the Pooh’ tales.

Favourite Christmas book – This is an overload of Christmas themed entries here – ‘Horton Hears a Who’

Book on my shelf that I have not read – Well I have two racks full of books to read!!!!!

A book I can’t put down – ‘The Phantom’ by Jo Nesbo.

An author I discovered this year – Barry Eisler.

Best read of 2014 – ‘Gone Girl’ by Gillian Flynn.

Favourite Rudyard Kipling Character – Bagheera and Baloo.

Most awaited book of 2015 – Probably the next book to be written by Jo Nesbo!