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How Did It All Start?
As human beings, it is only natural to wonder where we came from and how we came about. It is only natural to wonder about the Earth and its history. Biku Ghosh has contributed to the conversation with an enlightening book that provides an exploration of the origin of the earth that the average person can understand. The author Biku Ghosh has done extensive research and provides a lot of great ideas to ponder.
This book reads like a campfire story session. It contains different origin stories from around the world, from Africa to Europe and Asia, and I found them all to be fascinating. It provides interesting insight into the beliefs of different communities. Although, a common element is a deity as the originator of the world. The Slavic creation story is especially funny in that it suggests that mountains came about as the devil coughed and fell over while trying to scamper away.
The author seems committed to presenting a well-rounded book. He begins the book with the scientific basis of the history of the planets. It also provides a historical account of the evolution of human beings. He ends the book with a catalog of interesting facts about Antarctica like the Blood Falls and diamonds floating in the air, for example. All of this is intellectually invigorating and provides plenty of food for thought.
Like all human beings, the author admits that no one really knows much about where everything came from and what was there before the Big Bang. His is a simplified account of what is known about the origin of planets and evolution. He strikes a delicate balance between scientific lingo and symbolism making the book more palatable.
How Did It All Start is not a menu of conspiracy theories, it is a museum of beliefs and scientific findings. It is a literary presentation of conversations we have all had in our heads. It is an excellent source for interesting tidbits to share with friends over wine under the stars.
Pages: 180 | ASIN: 183819178X
Around the world in 65 years
Author Biku Ghosh shares a detailed account of amazing life lived over six decades and reaching all corners of the globe. Biku Ghosh beautifully describes cities and landscapes. Ranging from ancient cities to modern landscapes such as New York. Amazing architectural descriptions are a fantastic feature in this book, whether it be the Leaning Tower of Pisa, or the Empire State Building or the ‘quirky’ and ‘tacky’ hotels in Las Vegas. He vividly describes many natural settings such as the “copper colored Colorado River,” African deserts, and the Niagara Falls. Biku Ghosh briefly describes his work, but mainly focuses on the sights, food and people he encounters.
As one of Biku Ghosh’s interests is mountain climbing his climbs feature throughout the memoir. Some of the climbs described include: the Himalayas, the highest peak in the British Isles and Mt Kilimanjaro. He describes his joy when reaching the summit of Mt Kilimanjaro. Eventually we hear of Ghosh’s climb to the Everest Base Camp. He writes a detailed description of the trip, split into the various stages and mountain heights. Aside from mountain climbing he also describes completing a safari in Africa, raising money for a Breast Cancer charity, scuba dives in Sorrento and the Great Barrier Reef, paragliding and skydiving in New Zealand! There are also photographs throughout the memoir, adding color and bringing life to the story.
The author’s mode of transportation is also a feature of this book. Ghosh describes the type of transport he takes in each journey, from public trains in India, electric buses in Paraguay to taxis in New York. Airplanes of various sizes from large long haul planes to a 12 seater plane to traverse the Grand Canyon. Bus rides vary from local buses, to 45km trips through forests and canyons. All of this really gives you a front seat view of the entire trip, not just the highlights.
As well as his transport and activity details, mouth-watering meals are a constant in this story: dosa, samosas, yoghurt, roti, Ethiopian coffee and popcorn, boiled shrimp, French Onion soup, almond pastries and numerous servings of ice cream to name but a few! The inclusion of food and meals adds to the depth and authenticity of the memoir.
The memoir is organized in chronological order, which makes it very easy to follow. At the beginning the sentence structure is quite long and cumbersome, however as the memoirs progress the writing becomes more natural and easier to read.
Around the World in Sixty-Five Years is an extensive memoir filled with vivid visual descriptions of exotic locations. The travel is extensive, and the anecdotes are always interesting, as are the activities, food, animals and people described. This is an engrossing memoir that will show you how much beauty there is in the world, and inspire you to travel.
Pages: 512 | ASIN: B08P7LQ9JS
LITERARY TITAN 