Vipula

Marcus Didius Falco is a private informer and the protagonist of Lindsey Davis‘s mystery series set in Ancient Rome. Emperor Vespasian has come into power and good imperial agents are required to hide royal crimes, curb corruption and sniff out political scandals. This detective series starts with ‘The Silver Pigs‘ where Falco accidentally stumbles upon an imperial minting fraud. The investigation begins with the death of a Senator’s young and impressionable niece. Falco’s inquiry takes…

An inspired variation of the famous Rumpelstiltskin fairy tale, Spinning Silver is a tale about a young, poor girl who learn to spin silver into gold and all the trouble of the world that brings her. There are fire demons and winter lords, not one but three strong female leads, dodgy romances and enough plot points to keep you interested. 

When we took a long weekend break to fly to San Antonio with our 5 year old son, the popular weekend getaway in Texas, we knew that we still wanted some grown-up fun. I mean let’s get real. Travelling with kids is not exactly fun. It’s chaotic and unpredictable; filled with unexpected tantrums. Sure, you can make the trip about seeing animals in the zoo or heading to a theme park but is that what…

Revolutionary Road is not a movie that you watch for entertainment. Based during the 1950s, this story of the suburban couple April and Frank Wheeler hits you below the belt. Revolutionary Road is based on a novel by Richard Yates that did pretty well for itself on the award circuit. I saw this years ago but stumbled on it again on Netflix recently and I decided to rewatch it. The Plot April Wheeler, a desperate housewife, yearns to run…

Not entirely sure if this post qualifies for a ’round-up’ as I read only two books in October. I was travelling half-way across the world to India, busy visiting family and friends, and was jet-lagged for half that time –  I could only squeeze in very limited reading. Washington Black by Esi Edugyan This one has made all major award circuits this year and it’s not hard to see why. Spanning several years and continent,…

In 2011, my mother traveled half way across the world to spend some quality time with us. This was her first time ever in the US and I thought it was interesting to see what she thinks of this place. So I present, her take on the ways of America after spending a few weeks here.  You can also follow her on her blog On the Top of my Mind . Her guest post below: ——————————————————————–…

Rolling hills, coffee plantations, waterfalls and vivid green landscape–the district of Coorg is the perfect little tropical paradise that offers a welcome break from the craziness that is now Bangalore. The best way to get here is by a car/taxi or multiple bus services on offer by travel operators and the state transport services from Bangalore. Here is our list of 7 things to do when you get there : 1. Lodging at a homestay Being…

No trip is complete without trying to hit a local bookstore, especially now that they are a dying breed. This also gives me a good excuse to buy books by local writers! When you are in Boston, the one bookstore that you have to check out is the Brattle Book Shop. Brattle Book Shop is an American treasure and a must-see for any book lover. It’s located at 9 West Street, Boston MA 02111. Established in…