Novel - The Positronic Man (published in 1992) - Written by Isaac Asimov

Isaac Asimov is one of the most famous authors of science fiction, but he is not just a writer of science fiction. He wrote on a number of subjects, and was the author of a large number of science books, not only fiction. Asimov had an interesting life, born in the late 1919, or early 1920 in Russia and then his parents moved to the United States when he was only 3 years old. His moved to the Brooklyn area of New York, and that is where he grew up. He started writing for science fiction magazines at an early age, and was soon making a good going out of these. He also grew up in a age where there was worries about science and inventions, with the Frankenstein complex riding high on the minds of people, especially about the concept of robots (which were not a reality at that point of time). He enunciated over a period of time, the concept of the 3 Laws of robotics, which was a theory about the construction of robots such that they would always be subservient to humans, and would not act in a way that would be out of control. And then he went ahead and wrote stories where there were robots who were unusual, and in some cases, the robots had some tweak where they could be a danger.
The novels and short stories by Asimov were not only science fiction in the classical sense, but they actually talked about societies in the future, whether these be societies living in a cave scenario, people who have never seen the sun and would be frightened to go outside; or there were stories about a society which lives under 3 suns, and has never seen night, so what happens when there is a specific time when all of the suns go down and suddenly the society is faced with night that it has not seen in thousands of years (this was the premise of the book, Nightfall). Asimov also wrote a series of books set way in the future, which formed the Foundation series, another of the series of books for which Asimov is famous.




In one of his short stories "The Bicentennial Man", Asimov wrote about a robot who was different from the other robots of that time. A small modification in the robot had causes this robot to almost have an individuality, and the family that owns that robot was fairly rich and liberal, and encouraged him, almost as a member of the family. Because the robot, Andrew, had some unique artistic skills, he was able to make money out of these skills, and starts to display some properties related to emotion, something that robots were deemed incapable of, properties that seemed to differentiate humans from robots. However, this was not easy; there were many challenges from society, even members of the family could only accept part of his desires. Even the corporation that made him, U.S. Robotics, is puzzled over what gave him this creativity, but they are not comfortable with his quest for getting rights, and even change the structure of their robots to prevent his kind of occurrence.
By now, Andrew has rights, but wants the ultimate right, the right to be recognized like a human being; and for that right, in the end, he makes the ultimate sacrifice; he takes the right to die like humans do. Towards this end, over a period of time, he has replaced many of his body parts with organic parts to gain even more acceptance.

Never Leave Me (published in 1953) - A book by Harold Robbins, about a man on the make

Harold Robins is one of the prolific writers of the 21st century. Born Harold Rubin, his parents were Russian and Polish immigrants. After dabbling in sugar futures he took up a job in Universal pictures which propelled his interest towards writing. Thus came out “Never love a Stranger” which courted a controversy for its graphic sexual content. Soon Robbins would become a prolific writer churning out innumerable best sellers. He had this knack of mixing up a thriller with sex and historical anecdotes to create a taut mystery. The worlds favorite author, Harold Robins would publish over 20 books which were translated into 32 languages and estimated to be selling over 750 million copies. Many of his books were made into successful movies, the very first being “A stone For Danny Fisher” which was adapted as “King Creole” starring Elvis Presley. The stories were also made in to mini series and were part of documentaries. Robbins also lived a jet setting life style with cars, wine and women at his disposal. His decadent life style along with those of the high and mighty of Hollywood is often mirrored in his books. Robbins was one of the authors honored with a star on the Hollywood walk of frame. This prolific writer died of a cardiac arrest at the age of 81 in Palm Springs, California.
Harold Robins chronicles the jet set life style of New York where all morals and values pales before the altar of your bank account. In the big apple your status is determined not by your family, love or position, it takes in to account the the bank balance and the power of plastic. Into this big bad world enters Brad with stars in his eyes to make it big. He has his pretty wife Marge to set house for him and to love and cherish. As he climbs diligently up the corporate ladder, his efforts are noticed by the Steel Tycoon Matt Brady.



Brady recruits him aggressively dangling dollops of carrots in terms of money, women and all luxuries. Brad, soon under the pay roll of the millionaire, falls in to the decadent life style. He meets the sexy seductress Elaine and embarks on a steamy affair which would make even Lady Chatterley blush. Robbins goes over board with his steamy revelations and graphic sex scenes.
Brad soon develops a conscience, as he gets to know Brady and this anomaly is a surprise development. As Brad quits, Brady becomes a jealous ex-employer who is all set to ruin him. Soon his business and along with it his mistress also departs with only handful of friends left to console him. So Brad returns to his wife, turns a new leaf to live again.
Never Leave me delivers nothing in terms of a story, climax or emotions. It is just a collection of graphically detailed sex orgies totally aimed at a hormonal teenage readership. There is no mature content and many surprise developments actually makes one wonder about the tautness of the plot. In-fact this is one of Robbin’s last book with his publisher Knoft who let him go inspite of his zooming popularity. It is another tale that Robbins made a killing with Simon & Schuster, but it was his banal sex descriptions which disgusted Knof. So Never Leave me can never be said a literary benchmark on which you should base your reading habits.

A Stone for Danny Fisher (published in 1952) - The story of a fighter during the Great Depression

Harold Robins is one of the prolific writers of the 21st century. Born Harold Rubin, his parents were Russian and Polish immigrants. After dabbling in sugar futures he took up a job in Universal pictures which propelled his interest towards writing. Thus came out “Never love a Stranger” which courted a controversy for its graphic sexual content. Soon Robbins would become a prolific writer churning out innumerable best sellers. He had this knack of mixing up a thriller with sex and historical anecdotes to create a taut mystery. The worlds favorite author, Harold Robins would publish over 20 books which are translated into 32 languages and estimated to be selling over 750 million copies. Many of his books were made in to successful movies, the very first being “A stone For Danny Fisher” which was adapted as “King Creole” starring Elvis Presley. The stories were also made in to mini series and were part of documentaries. Robbins also lived a jet setting life style with cars, wine and women at his disposal. His decadent life style along with those of the high and mighty of Hollywood is often mirrored in his books. Robbins was one of the authors honored with a star on the Hollywood walk of frame. This prolific writer died of a cardiac arrest at the age of 81 in Palm Springs, California.
A Stone For Danny Fisher is the most accomplished book from the the Harold Robins stable. Many may not consider the Robins books as literary masterpieces, but the saga of the young boxer from the Brooklyn slums comes close to it. Even the critics consider this book as one of the best read stories of the time.



Through the pages one can glimpse the trials and tribulations of a Jewish Boy, Danny Fisher, living in post war America. Danny lives through the hate, race violence and the occasional skirmish, to become the lead boxer of the school. His relations with his father suffers progressively and the money issues compound it. Sam Goetlib his coach is the closest to a benefactor Danny has and he even pays the money for his coaching.
As Danny climbs the rungs of the boxing ladder, his bouts actually earn him the money and worse he gets offered absurd amounts to fix his matches. He holds on to his games till the time his father actually implores him to bail him out of bankruptcy. Danny pockets the five thousand dollars and tries hard to throw the match which he ends up winning. Thus on the run and disgraced, he returns to the fringes of the society. Shunned by all he loves he embraces brutality, first passively looking on, and later embracing it. With this new found brotherhood of pugnaciousness he gets the money, maidens and all his heart desires. But soon the castle of cards crumbles, and Danny is left naked to the harsh glares of life. His true friends, his childhood sweetheart and erstwhile coach bail him out and his son. This help Danny to start a new life.
A stone for Danny Fisher does pull your heart strings and unlike other Harold Robbins books, there is no graphic content to take you away from the story. This book was made in to a movie, King Creole starring Elvis Presley. This book is a great way to steal away some time for yourself.

Stiletto (published in 1960) - A book by Harold Robbins, silencing the witnesses against the mob

Harold Robins is one of the prolific writers of the 21st century. Born Harold Rubin, his parents were Russian and Polish immigrants. After dabbling in sugar futures he took up a job in Universal Pictures which propelled his interest towards writing. Thus came out “Never love a Stranger” which courted a controversy for its graphic sexual content. Soon Robbins would become a prolific writer churning out innumerable best sellers. He had this knack of mixing up a thriller with sex and historical anecdotes to create a taut mystery. The world's favorite author, Harold Robins would publish over 20 books which have been translated into 32 languages and estimatedly selling over 750 million copies. Many of his books were made into successful movies, the very first being “A stone For Danny Fisher” which was adapted as “King Creole” starring Elvis Presley. The stories were also made in to mini series and were part of documentaries. Robbins also lived a jet setting life style with cars, wine and women at his disposal. His decadent life style along with those of the high and mighty of Hollywood was often mirrored in his books. Robbins was one of the authors honored with a star on the Hollywood walk of frame. This prolific writer died of a cardiac arrest at the age of 81 in Palm Springs, California.
Stiletto has the usual ingredients of a Harold Robbins pot boiler, a mafia hit man, a special agent, voluptuous blondes who are deemed intelligent by the author but having the IQ of a dodo and graphic sexual encounters. This book also boasts of graphic violence and descriptions of the thrill of killing. Cesare Cardinali is a young aristocrat who is a pervert, disturbed sociopath. But for Harold Robbins he is a young aristocrat with a penchant for killing.



He kills using a stiletto which is a knife not something which the ladies crave for. Cesare, being Italian is tall dark, muscular and handsome with incredible love making prowess that the ladies flock to him asking for more.
Cesare is a race driver and a hit man who enjoys a kill. He is given the job to silence four witnesses by the mafia bosses which he does with aplomb. The scrunch of the stiletto on his victims body gives him a high. But soon his party is over as the mafia gets cold legs about his trustability. Soon they want him dead and also pursuing him is George Baker, a nice guy special agent who had given his prime years marching up the witnesses. The cat and mouse encounters with lot of sexual encounters and bone chilling violence covers the rest of the book.
Stiletto is vintage Harold Robbins. From the man who invented sex, stiletto is full of erotic content and this might be the reason for its popularity. The book has nothing original to offer, no new twists, no great insights as it is a typical hit man on the run from the mafia story. But for Harold Robbins fans this might be entertaining as the typical racy potboiler. So it gives you the expected and since it never promises to be a literary masterpiece, I think there is no scope for complaints.

The Betsy (published in 1971) - A book on the automobile industry, written by Harold Robbins

Harold Robbins is one of the prolific writers of the 21st century. Born Harold Rubin, his parents were Russian and Polish immigrants, although he claimed to be of Jewish heritage. After dabbling in sugar futures he took up a job in Universal pictures, which propelled his interest towards writing. Thus came out “never love a Stranger” which courted a controversy for its graphic sexual content. Soon Robbins would become a prolific writer churning out innumerable best sellers. He had this knack of mixing up a thriller with sex and historical anecdotes to create a taut mystery. The worlds favorite author, Harold Robins would publish over 20 books which is translated in to 32 languages and estimatedly selling over 750 million copies.
Many of his books were made in to successful movies, the very first being “A stone For Danny Fisher” which was adapted as “King Creole” starring Elvis Presley. The stories were also made in to mini series and were part of documentaries. Robbins also lived a jet setting life style with cars, wine and women at his disposal. His decadent life style along with those of the high and mighty of Hollywood is often mirrored in his books. Robbins was one of the authors honored with a star on the Hollywood walk of frame. This prolific writer died of a cardiac arrest at the age of 81 in Palm Springs, California.



A fictional take on the dwindling Detroit Automobile Industry, this book chronicles the days when American car makers had only past laurels to rest on to. With profits plummeting and the public taste leaning to low cost small Japanese cars, many had shut shop during the 60's and 70's. An ode to Henry Ford, Harold Robbins presents “Loren Hardeman I”, the patriarch who was the pioneer car maker presiding over a company which was once the premier automobile maker. Now his grandson Loren III has diversified and to the senior Loren's distaste is now a major Auto spare parts maker. Loren I enlists the talents of a race car driver Angelo Perino to once again make a car that the world would love. He plans to name it after Betsy, his Great Grand daughter.
Angelo, is the narrator of the novel and the narrative swivels back and forth in time. Being a race car driver Angelo is blessed with looks and money and with his shrewd business acumen steers the company to make “The Betsy”. True to Harold Robbins style the protagonist enjoys wealth, women and wine in copious quantities. The affairs and sex drives are graphically described, but still the story of the car Betsy focuses on all the emotions. It tries to understand the apathy among the Lorens and the distaste of Loren III for his grand father for having an affair with his mother. Angelo also tries to juggle the affections for a British lady and the real Betsy who would inherit millions of dollops from her grand father, not to mention the car named in her honor.
Unlike Harold Robbins' gritty dark novels, this book is a tad more cheerful. The tone and the plot makes it a pleasant read, the most important aspect being that you actually believe it. The same is made in to a wonderful movie with young Tommy Lee Jones essaying the role of Angelo Perino. So watch the movie and read the book.

Risk (published in 1977) - Written by Dick Francis, a story of a kidnapping

Richard Stanley Francis or Dick Francis was born in Pembrokshire, Wales, England on October 20th 1920. His father was a renowned jockey and Francis was catapulted in to the world of Horses, Jockeys and racing. He dropped out of school to train as a Jockey and was a fighter pilot in the Royal Air-force during World War II. After the war Francis became a celebrity Champion Jockey winning over 350 races. He was the lead Jockey for the Queen Mother. But he had to drop out of Horse racing after a serious fall and became a racing correspondent for Sunday Express. Dick Francis churned out numerous best sellers and most of his books deal with the mysteries in the realm of Horse racing and Jockeys. He wrote more than 40 international best sellers and is the recipient of numerous awards. Being a three time recipient of Mystery writer of America's Edgar Award he was made the Grand master of MWA. He is also the recipient of Britain's Crime Writers Association's Gold Dagger Award for fiction in 1979 and the Cartier Diamond Dagger lifetime achievement award. He also has the Gumshoe award to his credit. He was accorded the CBE in 2000. Dick Francis died in his Caribbean home on February 10, 2010 bringing down the curtains to an illustrious life.
Ronald Britten the hero is an accountant who moonlights as a steeplechase jockey. This is one of the few books of Dick Francis which has an accountant as the star, as accountants are considered the nerd incarnates. But as it is foretold “nerds rule the world”, Ronald Britten with his penchant for number's analyses and observes each and every situation and gets tailored made solutions for them. Any ways as he wins the Cheltham Open Championships, he is kidnapped and locked aboard a sail boat.



Ronald cannot make head or tail of his incarceration and gets no answers. He soon escapes to an island and is helped by the middle aged spinster Hillary Pillock to evade the criminals. Hillary has a very unusual request as a price for her help and she becomes very crucial for Roland later. Ronald reaches mainland and continues his investigations. He checks out whether he has any bad run ups with anyone while doing auditing and soon he pin points certain suspicious elements.
As the investigations go on, Ronald gets involved in the races and develops a romantic interest with a jockey's daughter. But as he is riding to another race, he is again kidnapped, but let go. Soon he peels off the disguises of many of his so called friends and with the help of his fiancée and Hillary manages to bring his captors to the book.
A very engrossing tale complete with all the racing trivia which an insider like dick Francis can only provide. The language is simple and to the point, therefore there are no skip areas. This page turner does follow the formulaic thriller of Dick Francis, with an underdog hero coming up trumps against a violent world intent on killing him. But Francis manages to get the readers attention focused on the who done it plot. The unmasking of the villain is the masterpiece of this novel and I would suggest not to miss this one.

In the Frame (published in 1976) - Written by Dick Francis - into the world of art fraud and crime

Richard Stanley Francis or Dick Francis was born in Pembrokshire, Wales, England on October 20th 1920. His father was a renowned jockey and Francis was catapulted in to the world of Horses, Jockeys and racing. He dropped out of school to train as a Jockey and was a fighter pilot in the Royal Air-force during World War II. After the war Francis became a celebrity Champion Jockey winning over 350 races. He was the lead Jockey for the Queen Mother. But he had to drop out of Horse racing after a serious fall and became a racing correspondent for Sunday Express. Dick Francis churned out numerous best sellers and most of his books deal with the mysteries in the realm of Horse racing and Jockeys. He wrote more than 40 international best sellers and is the recipient of numerous awards. Being a three time recipient of Mystery writer of America's Edgar Award he was made the Grand master of MWA. He is also the recipient of Britain's Crime Writers Association's Gold Dagger Award for fiction in 1979 and the Cartier Diamond Dagger lifetime achievement award. He also has the Gumshoe award to his credit. He was accorded a CBE in 2000. Dick Francis died in his Caribbean home on February 10, 2010 bringing down the curtains to an illustrious life.
Yet another fabulous novel from the master mystery writer and its all about horse racing again. One of the enduring traits about the Dick Francis book is that there is an endless variety of jobs and passions related to the racing fraternity. In The Frame has a horse painter as the protagonist.



Yes Charles Todd is a painter or an artist who paints horses. During the course of his book Dick Francis gives you the trivia or the interesting facets of painting a horse picture. Many are an event frozen in time by the artist. It is said that Mary, his wife used to help him undertake extensive research to help him get through the book. So she learned photography, parachute gliding and for this book she learned to paint. As Felix, Dick Francis's son put it “they were a team, a cottage industry with out a cottage”.
Charles Todd like all the Francis heroes, is an unassuming gentleman, albeit a cheeky one here. He comes down to Australia to check on a cousin. But as luck could have it he walks in to a crime scene. The cousin's house is burglarized, and the wife is murdered seemingly intercepting the thieves. The house is completely burned down ruining all the expensive paintings and a cellar full of wine. Charles stays back to help his cousin to deal with the police and the insurance. The investigation appears to be stalled and his cousin sinks deeper in to depression. To help the stagnant situation to move Charles takes matter in his own hands follows up the clues.
He meets another middle aged women whose house has been similarly burnt down and the common thread running between the two being a purchase of a painting done by the master. Soon patterns evolve and Charles finds that all the paintings bought were fake and to cover the trail of the phony paintings the fraudsters were trying to destroy them as soon they were purchased. Charles detective work takes him all over Australia and New Zealand where he is battered, bruised and almost killed. But he soon manages to uncover the gang's modus operandi and once again rescues the racing world.
Only Dick Francis can come up with a thriller like this and the simplicity is the major brownie point for this book. An incisive knowledge about the racing world and his vast experience helps Francis to mold a fantastic character like Charles Todd who may not be a jockey but paints horses. The language is engaging, simple and down to earth. Only jarring feature is the prevailing old British overtones through out and its still difficult to believe such chivalry exists in the real world.