Uttam Ghosh should have read the book more properly.
To start off with the Opening line, Jacques is 'Staggering' and 'lunging' for a painting, because the chap is just about to die, and needs to pass on his secret ! What else is he supposed to do in such a situation...do a jig ??
Agreed, not everybody knows what a 'Caravaggio' is, but this could be an oppurtunity for 'art-ignorant' people like me to see a few names !!
Consider this passage:
The clichés continue to 'run amuck.' The curator's attacker boasts a 'mountainous silhouette.' He is 'broad and tall, with ghost-pale skin and thinning white hair.' His irises are, apparently, 'pink with dark red pupils.' This attention to detail from a man who, a minute ago, was staggering about and lunging for Caravaggios?
Mr. Uttam Ghosh, You've got it all wrong !! This details the attacker's profile, and not that of Jacques Sauniere. Jacques was the guy who was Staggering !!!
Hmmm....I suggest you the read the book once more..
why would anyone read the da vinci code?is it because everyone else has read it and you dont want to be left behind? well i certainly started off like that...and i must say,it made quite compelling reading. after reading that book i actually followed up on topics like opus dei and knights templar. without doubt, it is a work of fiction.the point lindsay pereira seems to be missing here is that quite often people dont read a book for intellectual awakening.it can be for sheer relaxation and one certainly cannot read a robert goddard or stephen hawking for that.fiction is better when it is interlaced with facts...as can be seen in the works of the many fiction writers like jack higgins,jeffrey archer,frederick forsyth,tom clancy. and further lindsay pereira has quite conveniently generalised all the stars. it is quite possible that there are people who read well...in fact the ulysses is an interesting book for someone who can go through the sheer volume of the book. just a suggestion to lindsay pereira....you have a right to your opinion as anyone should....but please think twice before you make any generalisations, cause the world just might be smarter than you think.
Hi Uttam, I thought your article was very refreshing-- glad there are other people who agree to disagree that Dan Brown is a rather mediocre writer at best. I did enjoy his book though, it was a page turner of the Sidney Sheldon kind, with material from a dozen other books and common historical knowledge... but as to why it is being touted as one of the most must read books of recent times, now that I dont have a clue about. While home visiting India this winter, I was told by at least ten people that I HAVE to read this book. So I did. And I stand by my convictions. I look forward to more of your articles... Amrita.
One of the drawbacks of internet is hordes of incapable people air their views. The article on Da Vinci Code is a perfect example of the same. There will be instances where one cannot relate or understand a writer and it happens with all. Apart from criticising half of the first chapter there is hardly anything more mentioned in the article. Perhaps the only chapter read and rest of views copied and pasted from other reviews on the net. Rediff can definitely do better than such crap internet journalism.
it is a book written with blockbuster perfection, an absolute page turner,i just couldn't stop reading it.Heard it is gonna be made as a movie.Waitng for the release of the movie.Lets wait n watch!!!!
Although the Da Vinci Code might not be a literary masterpiece... it seems a little harsh to say that its complete junk. Plus the book is immensely popular throughout the world and tons of people in India have read it before any celebrity got hold of it. So its perfectly acceptable to expect a celebrity to read POPULAR literature.
(What would you have them read... some Shobha De book?!!)
Well , I agree that its a lotz of cliche. Have read angels and demons as well as da vichi code. Impressive writing and research at times. I like his guts when he throws big names of ppl (galilio ; Einstein) , Institutes (CERN ; swiss banks) and even Pops and Presidents. Well for me , atleast , this is new. There is one thing irritating though , which is , cracking of codes and indication of artifacts leading to a simple treasure hunt thrill. this makes the whole thing cheap. Finally , i have personally seen half the buses in mumbai and here in Gothenburg carrying atleast one copy of one of the novels... Where would celebrities find anything new then... and why... just because they are talked abt... So may be its a Fashion thinggy to say "I am reading Blah Blah" , but may be also because they are just another someone who is reading what quite many others have read already....after all Dan brown is no Homer :-). Nice Article.
