happiness and food

Yes, the story is really about a crucial hour (60 minutes) in the lives of three people and what had happened in the past that these 60 minutes become the crux of the book.

Plot & Storyline: Set up in Mumbai, this novel is a corporate drama where cut throat competition, infidelity, work place politics, performance pressure and everything else is neatly knitted together. There are CXOs Sailesh and Agastya who are rivals and yet appreciative of each other’s strengths; there is Maithali, a successful, financially strong and beautiful woman who adds an oomph factor to the plot. There are bosses and partners from abroad who want things their way and then there is a well-baked narration.

The story is well thought and I liked the detailing in the book. FMCG market and the way it functions, the distribution networks, Agastya’s obsession with stock markets, and the way the story will relate to anyone who works in a private company is worth mentioning. Simple things like blocking calendar, being on Blackberry messenger and sending emails on the go will resonate with a lot of readers. Knowing that Upendra is a Sales and Marketing professional, it feels good that this is not just some vague research but years of experience talking. You wouldn’t hate if Stephen Hawkins talks about Theoretical Physics, right?

If you have watched the TV show 24, you will find that this novel has a close connection. It keeps going into the past and coming back to the present with every chapter. This kind of narration style works well in movies but when reading a book, I felt the need to go at one shot and know what’s coming next. Having said that, I guess this is experimental and hence kudos for attempting the style.  I understand it’s not easy.

What could have been better: Though I liked the detailing, I also felt that it could have been avoided at a lot of places. Trading methods, stock prices, the distribution channels and planogram references, newspaper ads, politics, too much around pricing strategies was overboard – certainly avoidable. Coming from a publishing house like Westland, Wouldyouliketoreadthis – kind of printing error was a turn off. The small snippet of haiku/poetry at the beginning of every chapter made no sense to me. May be it’s just me!

Tactical Details: The cover page is attractive and well designed. The writing style is simple and easy to grasp. The content page is like reading a report and a feel good factor about the author’s organizing skills.

Overall Verdict: The only thing with 60 minutes is that you will not be able to finish the book in 60 minutes. If you are fond of reading corporate drama, this one is a good pick. With the pace, detailing and narration, I give the book a rating of 3/5.

Book Details:

Name:  60 Minutes

Author: Upendra Namburi

Genre: Indian Fiction

Publisher: Westland Ltd

Publication Year: 2014

Number of pages: 361

Price: 350 INR

My rating: 3/5

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Also linking this post to the Write Tribe Pro Bloggers Challenge – September (Post #3). A pledge to write everyday.