Image from Harper Collins site

The plot is nothing new, the story is very predictable. The only savior I felt is the witty humor that keep you smiling throughout the read. If you are, traveling or say you need a relaxing read with “दिमाग की बत्ती off” then this book is an excellent choice. Its not riveting yet not  boring, its witty and time-pass read.

Verdict: I rate this chick flick average, however it is a pleasant read.

After Iraq invasion of Kuwait, Arab states panic. America utilizes the situation, to make Saudi Arabia believe that their oil wells are in danger. Meanwhile the intelligence agencies CIA, SIS and Mossad of the USA, Great Britain and Israel respectively try to understand the next steps and motivation of Saddam Hussein using intelligence intercepts and a high profile mole in Saddam’s cabinet. Americans plan Operation Dessert Shield that transforms to Operation Dessert Storm to attack Iraq. Allied forces come to know about a dangerous secret weapon of Iraq, “Fist of God”. Later part describes how the Allied forces find what the weapon is, where it is and how they destroy it.

My gist of the book sounds boring, however  the book has many interesting espionage plots and gulf war facts makes the read very entertaining. I would not classify this book to be as good as The Day of the Jackal. But better than the Icon.

I give a thumbs up to this book, worth a read.

[Cross Blogged here]

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http://shivanandpb.blogspot.com

Cheers keep blogging…

Image via wikipedia

Very interesting article on the ups and downs in development of Macintosh operating system.

The book starts off with the plot to kill Charles De Gaulle, President of France by Jean Bastien Thiry. This is adopted from a real life attempt to kill the President, by the OAS to show thier anger and discontent on granting Independence to Algeria.

OAS a secret military organization that failed to prevent independence of Algeria, wanted to kill the president seeking vengence . The chief of OAS, Aurgoud is captured by the French, the organization becomes weaker. Their network in France was easily infiltrated by French police and intelligence. During this time, Rodin, deputy to Aurgoud takes over and decides to make a final attempt to assassinate Charles De Gaulle. They hired a foriegn assasin “Jackal” for this task.

Now on the book becomes unput-downable. Jackal starts his meticulous preparation, he flicks the passports of an American tourist and a pastor from Brussels. He gets a custom made rifle for the job from Belgium. French intelligence get to know about this plot when one of the body guards of Rodin reveals all this information.

All that the French know is that a foriegn assisin is hired to kill the President of France. They do not know who it is or when and where this going to happen. Its gets more interesting from here on, how the French police with the help of Scotland yard go about tracking the Jackal. Go grab the book to know how things unfold further.

The book is fast paced, and the author is witty. Sometimes I wondered if the author was a goon to know all tricks of trade. The plot is very well thought of, with no loose ends. This is by far one of the best thrillers I’ve read.

A big thumbs-up for the “The Day of the Jackal”.

One who is the best in what he does ? Numbers and facts of an individual that proves he is great ?

or

One who can arouse emotions in a group of people, every time he comes to do/perform whatever he is good at. The emotion that drives into people when they speak about him/her.

I feel its the latter. No numbers, no certificates can make or prove he or she is great. Its emotions that drives through people makes some one great. Its a charisma that cannot be built in one day. He/She has to go through their ups and downs in the front eyes of the people, achieving and losing many things to be able to drive such emotions. People should be able to relate to what he/she does to understand that he/she is great and celebrate his/her greatness.

I feel greatness is kind of a perception. Its is not a false perception, it is true perception because it get developed over long period of time, sometime it takes life time of a person.

I couldn’t help rubbishing the following article, claiming that Sehwag is greater that Sachin Tendulkar.

Bradman best, Sehwag greater than Sachin: Study

The numbers the economist have come up with does not have anything to do with the greatness of any individual. They are mere a fact of their performances. Some one with best records need not necessarily be great. It the perception of the people that make individual great.