Four brief book reviews.

I just had to tell you about a couple of books that I read. My aunt gave them to me as a gift.

One was "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" by Alexander McCall-Smith. This is a charming novel about Precious Ramotswe, a "traditionally built" single woman who lives in Botswana, and is the only lady detective in the whole country.

The book is fully of small mysteries, that she solves singlehandedly, using just logic and a perceptive knowledge of human nature. In the background of all the simple little problems of life, lies a sinister mystery waiting to be solved, and she does this too, with her usual elan. Comparisons to Agatha Christie's Miss Marple are rife in reviews about this book, but where Miss Marple is a sweet, old, mildmannered armchair detective, Mma Ramotswe is a firm, opinionated, independent, strong-willed, compassionate, Red Bush Tea-drinking individual on the threshold of middle-age.

You will love the protagonist, as will you love the other characters, the most prominent of them being Mr. JLB Matekoni, the expert mechanic who hopes to marry Mma Ramotswe. The book paints a beautiful picture of the little-known land of Botswana, for which Mma Ramotswe nurses a fierce love and pride.

I can assure you that you will not come away from this book without feelings of adoration, amusement, and warmth. I highly recommend it! And of course, now it has me thirsting for the other books in the series!

The second book is "I don't know how she does it" by Allison Pearson. It is the story of a working mother. It is funny, sad, and incredibly chaotic. Kate Reddy, the protagonist is highly likeable but at the same time insufferable. Her story is probably one of every working mother. Kate is torn between love for her job and the desire to be with her kids. Add to this, a feeling of profound guilt, and a long-suffering husband, and there, you have the story.

The book is a very good read. In many ways it was a revelation . It was like the answer to the endless discussions I had with friends during college days, about whether we would work when we have children - and then finally say - ok, let us cross that bridge when we come to it. This book has the answers. Oh no, this book doesn't preach working motherhood, nor the opposite, it just tells a story, it just gives you the facts. It is up to you to pick what you want from it. It was slightly disturbing, I must say. But it is very interestingly written. Full of laugh-out-loud similes, and spot-on behavioral observations.

Actually, while I am at it, I must tell you about a couple of other books. One is "Moulin Rouge" by Pierre La Mure, yes, the same book on which the movies (one old, one new) are based. I haven't watched either movie, but from the reviews, I gathered that the movies deal with just a small part of the book. The book is about the brilliant painter Henri Toulouse-Lautrec. Crippled, and a dwarf, his entire life is spent in the pursuit of love and acceptance. Meanwhile, he paints. Paints outrageous pictures, which shock society. While he pursues love, fame and success pursue him. But all that he wants is love. It is a heart-rending story - another must read.

Then there is the story "The Blind Assassin" by Margaret Atwood. This is a magnificent book. The basic story is about two sisters, Iris and Laura Chase. Laura dies under questionable circumstances, and Iris is now an octogenarian. She is writing a journal about her life, for her estranged granddaughter, whom she hopes to meet some day. So, parts of her story is revealed to us through this story. Then in parallel, there are extracts from the novel written by Laura Chase. The name of this novel is "The Blind Assassin", and it is a kind of a diary maintained by a young girl while waiting for her lover. And the story - The Blind Assassin? It is narrated to her by her lover. Then there are bits and pieces of the story revealed by newspaper clippings. The novel keeps going back and forth in time - and looks like a hotchpotch of excerpts from a journal, a novel, and a newspaper, but it all comes together superbly at the end.

Confusing? That is why I never attempted a review. It is too difficult. Anyway, the way Margaret Atwood has woven all the stories together is amazing. As for the writing - it is fantastic. By the way, this book won the Booker Prize in 2000.

So there you have it - Four books - one charming, one thought-provoking, one heart-rending, and one awe-inspiring. Take your pick. Happy reading.