An Evil Cradling

 

An autobiographical account of his 4 and half years of captivity in Lebanon by Brian Keenan, the Irishman who had gone to teach English at the American University in Beirut. 

As detailed an account as you can get, of his imprisonment, beatings, blindfoldness, chaining, inhumanisation, total subjection - mind and body of a person. Made for difficult reading at times, pages after pages of such tragedy and torment of a human being. Being made to sit inside a cramped room with no amenities, no fan, no light, no windows, for days on end is sheer torture. 

And all for what - for no cause, because he was Irishman, not a Britisher or American, and he was not a spy or a political or bureaucrat or a religious figure for being captured and tortured. Luckily for him he had John McCarthy for company most of his captive time and the two of them bonded so well that it became difficult for Brian Keenan to leave when the time came for his release.  

Goodreads 4/5 

A Turbulent Mind

 

A Turbulent Mind is written from heart. Written by my good friend Swetha Amit, whom i know for a good many years. She has chronicled her journey from an unsure, turbulent, self conscious individual to a confident, determined, dedicated woman going on to conquer Ironman 70.3. Many of us are runners, marathoners, mountaineers, tennis players, footballers etc. We have seen pictures and images of multi sport people on our television, sportspersons like Daley Thompson, Swapna Barman, decathletes and heptathles, those sportspersons who compete in 10 sports and 7 sports respectively. That is for professional sportspersons. The closest that amateur individual can come close to achieving that kind of super stardom status is by taking part in a sport called triathlon, which comprises of three sports, i.e. swimming in open waters, cycling and running all done back to back with cut offs at each sport. To do that and also carry on with your normal daily life routines takes some miraculous will power and determination. Swetha did all that within a few months of reaching US on a work assignment which took her hubby there. Having to juggle sports times for 3 sports, plus strength training, stretching and then your family time, household work, shopping, etc. all in a day in the US where you don't get household help unlike in India and also to ensure that one gets adequate sleep takes some kind of planning and clockwork precision. Luckily the sport has many advantages in US where you get good open water swimming facilities and cycling lanes unlike in India. Along the way Swetha has conquered her fear of open water swimming, and hill cycling and conquered her inner demons on the way to her Ironman 70.3 medal.  Swetha has written her journey very well, very meticulously detailing all her thoughts, fears, aspirations, in a very simple language. She has written from her heart. Highly recommended for all sports persons and those planning to take up triathlon shortly.  Goodreads 5/5