Today, the New York Times featured the research project that I worked on while at the University of Michigan. And carried a nice picture of my advisor, Prof. Paul Resnick. It's great to see the research featured in NYTimes, even though the only quote from Paul was "The data are a researcher's playground"!
Online markets are certainly growing in size, and also maturing as they grow. Economic studies of these markets are certainly vital to the field. Do check out the website: Reputations Research Network.
There are several excellent research papers listed at the site. For a gentle introduction, read the Reputation Systems article.
June 24, 2003
June 16, 2003
Laughable Loves
Milan Kundera is a very strange writer. I don't really know what to make of his stories. I like the stories, the characters and the narration. There is a lot of subtle humor. However, I can't really say I enjoyed the book. Its strangely paradoxical just like most of the stories in "Laughable Loves".
This book is truly a collection of short stories. The stories are all built around the same theme, and are in some way connected with each other. The first few stories build up the intensity, while the later seem to focus more deeply on what Kundera wants to convey. They are delightful and at the same time, quite sad. To some extent, the plot seems to be extraneous to the story.
Read it, and you'll probably know!
This book is truly a collection of short stories. The stories are all built around the same theme, and are in some way connected with each other. The first few stories build up the intensity, while the later seem to focus more deeply on what Kundera wants to convey. They are delightful and at the same time, quite sad. To some extent, the plot seems to be extraneous to the story.
Read it, and you'll probably know!
June 11, 2003
Mukhawataa ("The Mask" - in Marathi)
I was looking forward to reading "Mukhawata" by Arun Sadhu for quite some time. Laid my hands on it thanks to the University of Michigan library.
Mukhawata is set in Maharashtra in two time-periods, the 14th century and through the mid-to-late 20th century. It tracks a Brahmin family over the pre-independennce, and post-independence period. The 14th century portion runs as the background story of the family, its particular traditions, and a reference as to how certain rituals come to be. It is a plot device that, while running in the past, connects strongly with the present, and sets up the stage for the goings-on.
The novel is set in rural Maharashtra, in the Vidarbha region. The local references - towns, culture and language are very detailed and wonderfully written. The everyday life in the village- agriculture routines, meals, pooja and the annual Paalakhee - are all wonderfully described. The ritualistic nature of religious practice, devoid of any real connection to a God, and the reality of the surroundings creates questions in the minds of the practitioning Brahmins. This doubt leads the different men, responsible for performing these rituals, in search of truths. Some break the rituals, others try to find its meaning in alcohol, some others see virtue in giving, and some try to find it in the family history and the deep-rooted traditions. Some break all ties with the family, and chose to run away.
While describing a patriarchal society, where the family tree is centered on the Man of the family in that generation, the author actually throws up a contradiction that is novel. He tries to identify the meaning of "family" and shows the real identifiers to be the family traditions, language, food and other issues, most of which take place at home. He notes then that its the women, who are married into the family who are responsible for continuing with and at the same time modifying, modernizing these traditions. Their influence, whichever families they come from, are responsible for the continuation of tradition as well as all changes, small and large, in the way the family lives. It is these women, who adopt the family as their own, and give it meaning.
The novel thus presents a rich new look at the known facts. The caste politics, changing climate of education, rising cities, and redcued dependence on agriculture are all part of the fabric of the story. In the novel's peak moment, which you feel coming all through reading it, the author ties these themes together. The traditional views on caste, education, religion, and human life are thus challenged and layers are peeled off to reveal the richness underlying mundane everyday existence.
Arun Sadhu is one of my favorite novelists. This is undoubtedly one of his best books.
Mukhawata is set in Maharashtra in two time-periods, the 14th century and through the mid-to-late 20th century. It tracks a Brahmin family over the pre-independennce, and post-independence period. The 14th century portion runs as the background story of the family, its particular traditions, and a reference as to how certain rituals come to be. It is a plot device that, while running in the past, connects strongly with the present, and sets up the stage for the goings-on.
The novel is set in rural Maharashtra, in the Vidarbha region. The local references - towns, culture and language are very detailed and wonderfully written. The everyday life in the village- agriculture routines, meals, pooja and the annual Paalakhee - are all wonderfully described. The ritualistic nature of religious practice, devoid of any real connection to a God, and the reality of the surroundings creates questions in the minds of the practitioning Brahmins. This doubt leads the different men, responsible for performing these rituals, in search of truths. Some break the rituals, others try to find its meaning in alcohol, some others see virtue in giving, and some try to find it in the family history and the deep-rooted traditions. Some break all ties with the family, and chose to run away.
While describing a patriarchal society, where the family tree is centered on the Man of the family in that generation, the author actually throws up a contradiction that is novel. He tries to identify the meaning of "family" and shows the real identifiers to be the family traditions, language, food and other issues, most of which take place at home. He notes then that its the women, who are married into the family who are responsible for continuing with and at the same time modifying, modernizing these traditions. Their influence, whichever families they come from, are responsible for the continuation of tradition as well as all changes, small and large, in the way the family lives. It is these women, who adopt the family as their own, and give it meaning.
The novel thus presents a rich new look at the known facts. The caste politics, changing climate of education, rising cities, and redcued dependence on agriculture are all part of the fabric of the story. In the novel's peak moment, which you feel coming all through reading it, the author ties these themes together. The traditional views on caste, education, religion, and human life are thus challenged and layers are peeled off to reveal the richness underlying mundane everyday existence.
Arun Sadhu is one of my favorite novelists. This is undoubtedly one of his best books.
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