The Zahir

The third in the series by the same author as the last 2 books I read. Much more sophisticated and complex to understand but still holds on ones interest like the other two. Its about an author in search of his missing wife learning through the times what Love is all about before he finds her again. Though I read a lot more interesting things to write about but cant recollect. The lesson this book tries to convey in my view is to define the true essence of love which I guess many lack to understand. The word forming the title of the book means obsession which is what the main character in the story suffered from in the beginning. Also there is an interesting insight on why rail tracks are always about 143.5 cm apart. The book surely made me think again, trying to reevaluate some of the fundamentals which were so imbibed without ever realizing the same. The author does a beautiful job trying to say things generally marked taboo quite openly in the book, i guess one of the reasons of success for his books is he speak about things through the characters of his stories which people could relate to being in some bits their own and then trying to find and answer of how to deal with it in a correct way. As with the earlier book lot of things to ponder upon when one reads through the book, and definitely more readings required to understand completely. There are some sudden shifts in the plots so one gets confused sometimes as one has just been in same frame of reference as last read paragraph and suddenly some other scene is built up and it starts right away without any introductory paragraph in beginning....makes one feel lost out sometimes but that's a style of writing i guess :). Some interesting insights on some practices in Kazakhstan and France. Oh remembered, the book was banned in Iran, that drove further interest in me as to find the reason for the same ...which is guess happens to be some sharp comment marked against mohammed preachings.

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Some quotes which I could mark down while reading:
- Freedom is not the absence of commitments, but the ability to choose- and commit myself to-what is best for me.
- People always believe what they want to believe
-Love is an untamed force. When we try to control it , it destroys us. When we try to imprison it, it enslaves us.When we try to understand it, it leaves us feeling lost and confused.
-Epilepsy is an excess of electrical impulses in one specific area of the brain, which provoke convulsions of greater or lesser severity.
-acomodador: there is always an event in our lives that is responsible for us failing to progress
-Suffering occurs when we want other people to love us in the way we imagine we want to be loved, and not in the way the love should manifest itself- free and untrammelled, guiding us with its force and driving us on.