Bryce Courtenay and Dan Brown

I have started on a Bryce Courtenay, more than anything else because he is an 'Australian' writer. Megan lent me one of his books, "The Potato Factory" and before I could plunge into it, I read the review of his "April Fool's day". There is something about 'Fools' that attract me no end. Hunted down the book in the uni library. Interestingly it wasn't in the fiction section - and I had this premonition that I was getting myself into trouble.

And trouble is what I am into. April Fool's day is by no means a light-hearted romance. It is the true account of BC's son, a Haemophiliac who died, after much suffering on the first of April.

The book is really heavy (literally as well as figuratively) and four chapters into it, I am wondering how long it is going to take me to finish this. I am not against solemn tomes but given my intense (not kidding, guys!!!) research efforts, I am not sure my brain is ready for such exertions. (More on this book as and when??? I read it)

I sure would love something less profound, another Dan Brown perhaps (I finished both 'The Da Vinci Code' and 'Angels and Demons' and just loved it). And talking of Brown's DVC, saw a documentary on SBS yesterday about the numerous gaffes in Brown's DVC. Historians and scholars from over the world discussed DVC and argued its merits, implausibilities and outrageousness.

Reports of how tourists are flocking into DVC attractions (in Paris, they have special DVC guided tours) were amusing. Remember, how tourists to London for years have wanted to visit Baker street to see Sherlock Holmes' residence. Readers seldom appreciate the thin line between fact and fiction and the author needs to be commended for pulling off this farce, so convincingly.

Brown will also have to be applauded for bringing this raging controversy about the Holy Grail (that has lasted a good 2000 years) back in to popular scrutiny. But to what avail I know not. I seriously wonder if some good would come of it.

All modern religions, including Hinduism seem to attach a lot of importance to 'disowning' sex. The notion that God cannot be born of a sexual union is accentuated by Virgin Mary giving birth to Christ as also Lord Krishna (I recall that while Devaki's other children were born of Vasudevar, Krishna was mysteriously conceived). Ganapathy wasn't born of union either; He was created from the dirt of Parvathi. And Muruga was born of the fire from Shiva's third eye. I am sure the religions have their reason - it is just that I don't know.

As for the Holy Grail, I guess we would never know the truth about it.