john banville: copernicus- kepler - the newton letter

Dr Copernicus

an interesting trilogy about three scientists who propounded some of the most revolutionary theories of their times.

doctor copernicus proposed the heliocentric theory and forever changed the way we perceived earth as being the centre of the solar system. he was however very fearful of the retribution that could occur from the roman church if he made his theory public during his lifetime. his work in astronomy was also a hobby which never took centre stage in his life as a canon and as a diplomat for his maternal uncle the bishop of warmia.

the biography is dramatic in recreating the relationships that copernicus had with his brother and his fear how his studies in astronomy would be perceived. copernicus never married but in the story is shown to have lost out the position of bishop- once occupied by his maternal uncle- as he was seen as living in sin with a woman, anna schillings. anna schillings was a cousin of copernicus, had lost her husband to the political upheavals of the time, lived with him till his death, taking care of his household.

the other important narrative in the biography is that of rheticus who is a student sent up to study astronomy with copernicus. rheticus reads up the heliocentric theory and is allowed to publish a small booklet about it- to test the reaction of the clergy and political masters.

the narrative brings to life the times in which copernicus lived, recreates the bleak climate of poland/ermland during those times. made me feel i was in the world of jrr tolkein with his hobbits. worth a read.

the next biography is that of kepler, who was a brilliant mathematician in the court of emperor rudolph 2. he was also an astrologer at the court. he published a theory on the paths of planetary movement. he was buffetted by the fickle winds of political patronage and his best contribution was when he was the court mathematician. he developed his theories on the basis of the observations of mars made by his predecessor in the court- tycho brahe. kepler also studied the stars by improving the lenses that were available at that time and the biography dwells upon the friendship with the jewish lens grinder wincklemann.

kepler is contracted to be a mathematics teacher at the university of graz in austria, and is shown to have been an absent minded professor, unable to hold the attention of his students. kepler married twice. the first marriage was to a twice widowed barbara muller who had a daughter, regina, from an earlier marriage and is shown as being unhappy in the relationship. he marries a second time on barbara's death after reviewing eleven prospective brides. this marriage - to susanna- is shown as a very happy one. he is troubled in his later years by his mother who is found to be practising witch-craft and she is somehow let off.

the narrative is full of the uncertainities which plagued kepler and kept him in a constant state of worry regarding his income as well as his own inability to be a sauve and sophisticated personality who could flatter his way to great positions. he comes across as a person so immersed and passionate about his work that the usual struggles of living are an unwanted interruption to his lofty study of the universe.

the newton letter contains very little about newton or the letter and is better left unread.

professor and the madman - simon winchester

we are all so familiar with the 'oxford english dictionary' that we no longer wonder at the beginnings of such a marvel.

the book takes us through the making of the OED and the role that was played by one remarkable man- dr william chester minor. dr w c minor was an american in london, visiting england in order to quiet a mind that had become inflamed and who had taken voluntary retirement from the US army on grounds of ill health. he shot to fame in 1872 in london, when he was arrested for the murder of george merrett at lambeth marsh. he was tried, found guilty and sentenced to be held in permanent custody at the newly built showpiece of the british criminal justice system - broadmoor, as a certified criminal lunatic. dr minor was thirty seven years old.

dr murray was the editor of the OED and met dr minor - his most prolific contributor for twenty years, for the first time in 1896.

the events which led to dr minor becoming a lunatic makes a major part of the narrative and is as fascinating to read as the making of the OED itself. both have such dramatic events that it is difficult to say which is a better tale- the madness of dr minor or the passion which went into the making of the OED.

a slim volume, amazingly researched, and an elegantly told tale by simon winchester.

sea of poppies - amitav ghosh

the book is one of the best that i have read this year. amitav ghosh is truly a master story teller!

the tale is set in the background of the British merchants forcing farmers in the gangetic plain to grow opium, thus creating generations of landless laborers. the opium grown in India is crucial for the british to get a foothold into china for trade.

during a lunch hosted by neel rattan-the raja of raskhali, mr burnham, a trader of the east india company, speaks of how the chinese have no use for british products and manufactures, but that britain needs the silk and tea from china. if not for opium, mr burnham says, britain would not be able to sustain the trade in silver alone. mr burnham- a servant of free trade- is very clear that free trade is a right conferred upon man by God and if it was God's will to open up the chinese markets using opium, then so be it!!!

the raja is paying scant attention to the converasation, his attention being rivetted by the wilting water lillies in the centre of the table, that are sitting in an old porcelain chamber -pot.

the burnham household also has paulette- a dead french botanist's daughter, who runs away when mr. burnham begins to trouble her with his unwelcome requests for being chastened with a 'jaaru' used to clean toilets, by applying the same with great force to his posterior.

another important character is deeti- kabutri ki maa-, whose courage and undauntable will provide a brilliant background to the story. she is married to an ex-soldier, who is an opium addict, working in an opium factory. on his death, deeti is forced to remember the events which resulted in the conception of kabutri and the dastardly role that her husband's brother played in it. while the husband's family plots to make her a 'sati' so that they can live off the earnings of a sati-shrine, deeti manages to escape from her funeral pyre and is saved by kalua - who belongs to an untouchable caste. the most touching scene is when deeti makes a garland of flowers, strings them with her own hair and 'marries' her saviour-kalua.

paulette, deeti, kalua and the raja of raskhali become passengers on the ship-IBIS- carrying basically coolies to mauritius.

paulette's brother by relation rather than blood- jodu also is on the ship as a lascar, which was his life long ambition.

the ship's second mate- zachary reid- zikri malum to the rest of the lascars- is not a white man but through a series of events has now come to be regarded as one. it is not a secret but is not published either. he has a soft corner for miss paulette lambert and had been approached by her seeking his assistance to get away from the burnham household. he is unable to help her in the way she wants and is therefore shocked to find her on his ship with the coolie-cargo.

the ship -IBIS-is from america and is used to carrying slaves. but with the abolition of slavery the business opportunity has dwindled. the landless coolies are therefore crucial as cargo, to keep business going for the american ships.

when the IBIS is heading out of calcutta harbour out into the sea, it has to wait for the tidal wave - bore- to sweep it out, zikri malum gets in to the water to free one of the anchor ropes from the bouy. it is jodu who saves him by pulling him onto his slim long boat, and rowing to reach the bouy where the two of them hold on to each other and lash themselves with a rope to the bouy. the immense weight of the bore covers them and the bouy. the description of this incident seems so real that you feel you are actually under water and you hold your breath till the bore passes over.

the drama on the IBIS, is described so well that you can actually live the life of the coolies, convicts, lascars, guards and the dope addicted captain. you can hear the bhojpuri wedding songs, smell the stench of the sweat soaked bodies, feel the fear when the ship reaches the black waters, experience the sting of the lashes when kalua is whipped by bhairon singh....

the global village may have become a very popular term in recent years to explain the interconnectedness of economies, but it was the same even two hundred years ago. the story with its rich and exquisitely detailed language makes the period come alive. a remarkable novel. i can only wait for the sequel that amitav ghosh has promised.

the book of evidence - john banville

the story reminded me of agatha christie's book title 'murder is easy'. the book is about an upper class indolent man - freddie. he has come back to ireland from the mediterranean island that he has made his home. he has to raise money to return to the leader of a violent gang of criminals whom he has cheated. his wife and son are still at the island.

while trying to rob a painting from a neighbour, he is interrupted by a house maid, whom he murders.

freddie's narrative is full of ambiguities - is he homosexual or not? does he love his wife and son or not? does he hate his mother who has taken to living with a stable girl after freddie's father dies? did he mean to kill the girl? can a well educated upper class man show such bestiality to another human being? the murder was unplanned and was not traced for a while- is murder so easy? is it only the police and the legal system that is to be dealt with after a murder and not one's conscience? are all the amorous exploits which freddie recounts normal, if there is no moral frame work?

the ease with which freddie recounts the murder as well as his darkest, innermost secrets to the judge, forms the entire book. the narrative is dark, the contrast with everyday events is chilling, a masterly tale by banville.