Books

Open by Andre Agassi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Andre Agassi's "Open" is probably the most non-sports memoir I have read and despite being about a lost childhood and a search for self-identity, it's also an extraordinary book about life on the tennis tour. Add to the mix Agassi's failed marriage to actress Brooke Shields and a lifelong crush on Steffi Graf. Highly recommended and unputdownable - even if you don't like tennis.

A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The fourth book in the "A Song of Ice and Fire" series isn't half as thrilling as the previous one, and there are far too many new characters. George R.R. Martin can't help it though - after all, he killed off many of his protagonists in Book 3. Still, "A Feast for Crows" is an enjoyable read. Some really unpredictable things happen in this one and Martin didn't have enough pages to fit in all the characters, forcing him to split the narrative into two books. Planning to read "A Dance With Dragons", the next in the series, before I watch Season 5 of "Game of Thrones". Life is good.

Ladrón de guante negro by Dolores Soler-Espiauba
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Cari is the new receptionist at the Hotel Veramar on the Andalucian coast. She finds her co-workers interesting enough, especially Eneko, the motorbike-riding chef. But who is the man wearing black gloves? In this 50-page novella, part of a series for those learning Spanish, there's enough mystery to keep one hooked till the end.

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Go Goa Gone

Hot. Humid. Honey Singh on the beach. His songs, that is. Signboards in Russian. Even the books in Calangute resort library are in Russian. Mills and Boon from the looks of them. Beach. Red flag. Dogs in the sea. Click! Too hot to go out. But we have to. SPF 50 sunscreen melting. Time to buy hats. Fort Aguada (where 'Dil Chahta Hain' was apparently NOT filmed). Anjuna. Vagator. Hurrah! A table at Thalassa Greek restaurant. Waiter looks like Lord Varys (Game of Thrones). We need you to leave by 4.45. Grrr! Food's nice though. At other places too. Chicken vindaloo. Fish. Prawns. Goan sausage pizza. Apple crumble with ice cream. Black Currant crush. London Dairy scoops. Chocolate Mess. This is not good for my diet. Live music at the Infantaria. John Denver. A bit off-key. Walk to Baga another night. Tattoo parlours. Casino. Snow Park. Nah! Too pricey. Crowded beach. Drunk pot-bellied men. Vendors. No, I don’t want a tiara with lights. No bracelet either. And no foot massages. Why, why do shacks play Punjabi item numbers? Could we have the cheque, please. Where’s my Pudin Hara Fizz? Thank God for complimentary resort breakfast. Yippee! Beach, been there, done that. Games people play in the afternoon. Ludo. Taboo. Switcheroo. Oh no, who stole the buzzer? Cuddly resort dogs. Aww! I love it here. I don’t want to go back to Delhi. Driver berating someone in Konkani. Jam. Airport, here already? Flight delayed. Sigh! Back in Delhi, temperature outside 29C. What?