Roving Eye
Book Review
The Family
Author: Anita Burgh
Reviewed by Rafida Khalid

"The greatest danger for family life lies in the midst of any society whose idols are pleasure, comfort and independence, and lies in the fact that people close their hearts and become selfish."

-- Pope John Paul II

This novel by Anita Burgh, a British writer, gives a glimpse of the deceptions and false impressions that we may have about people we seem to know and love the most.  

Jillian, who is the centre of this story, is a sweet, sensitive, and beautiful girl. However, people tell her that she accedes too easily to other people's wishes and doesn't seem to have a mind of her own.

Jillian and Jack fall in love and eventually get married. She gets to meet his family, but first impressions are not necessarily the last impressions, and she has yet a lot to learn in life. Jack is always the loving husband. His sister Esmee, a playgirl, thinks that Jack has found a treasure in Jillian. His father Ralph seems to be genial, but Jack hates him for some reason. His mother Theresa is an elegant lady, but overprotective of her son Jack.

The rest of the characters include Jillian's father Charlie, who has had a religious intensity for several years. Her mother Mary often seems to have an intuition about Jillian, but is more concerned about the little sister, Patsy. Patsy is a silly, annoying hippie and a constant source of worry. She had been able to talk and walk early, and seems to be in a hurry ever since; and is her parents' favourite.  

Jillian loves Jack and her children, and life seems hunky-dory to her. But will it always remain the same? And will she ever be able to forgive the person whom she loved the most, and who walked out on her?

Movie Review
A Beautiful Mind

Reviewed by K

'A Beautiful Mind' is based on the biography of John Nash, the economist who overcame serious psychotic disorders and isolation, to emerge as a Nobel Laureate. Russell Crowe stars in the flick and manages to deliver beautifully. The movie opens in the year 1948, with Nash's arrival at Princeton University. Though he was promised a single room, his roommate Charles, a literature student, greets him as he moves in, and soon becomes his best friend. A few years later, he gets his Ph.D and an appointment at the MIT, where he meets Alicia. They fall in love with each other, and get married.

The plot thickens upon John's return visit to Princeton. He meets Charles and his young niece, Marcee, and encounters a mysterious agent, named Parcher, who invites Nash to US Department of Defence, to decipher enemy encrypt. Impressed by his skill, he gives Nash more and more assignments that help the US government. But somewhere along the way, his behaviour begins to change and he begins to act erratically. On observing this, his wife informs a psychiatric hospital, and it is confirmed that Nash is suffering from a mental disorder that he is not willing to admit. After therapy sessions, Nash is released on the grounds that he would take his antipsychotic medication regularly. But after a while, things start becoming confusing, and Nash and his wife develop problems. Of course, folks, we cannot tell you what problems and why; for that you must watch the movie. Suffice it to say that despite his problems Nash works doggedly to achieve his objective.

For anyone with the slightest bit of taste and aesthetics, the movie is a must watch.