The Yellow World by Albert Espinosa [Book Thoughts]

I gained very little from The Yellow World. I respect Espinosa's experiences but his book is unfocused and doesn't do them justice.
-Imran

--------------------

The Yellow World by Albert Espinosa

The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde [Book Thoughts]

In conclusion, The Importance of Being Earnest is a clever little play that’s bound to cause more than a few laughs. It does, however, sacrifice depth to stay light and charming.
-Imran

--------------------

The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde

David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell [Book Thoughts]

You’ll have to forgive Gladwell’s dodgy statistics and research methods but David and Goliath is a well-presented entertaining read even if it might not teach you much.
-Imran

--------------------

David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell

Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett [Book Thoughts]

If you want to wrestle with something that’s strange and ambiguous then Waiting for Godot might be worth a try but no promises that you’ll enjoy it or even find any merit in it.
-Imran

--------------------

Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett

Civilization and its Discontents by Sigmund Freud [Book Thoughts]

A bit complex as an introduction to Freud but Civilization and its Discontents is a great look into his theories.

-Imran

--------------------

Civilization and its Discontents by Sigmund Freud

Ragnarok: The End of the Gods by A.S. Byatt [Book Thoughts]

Not bad, but if you're looking for something suitably epic and mythical you could probably do better than Ragnarok.

-Imran

--------------------

Ragnarok: The End of the Gods by A.S. Byatt

An African Millionaire by Grant Allen [Book Thoughts]

The contrast between Charles and Colonel Clay and the witty schemes make An African Millionaire an entertaining read.
-Imran

--------------------

An African Millionaire by Grant Allen

Sex on the Moon by Ben Mezrich [Book Thoughts]

All flash and no substance. Give Sex on the Moon a skip.

-Imran

--------------------

Sex on the Moon by Ben Mezrich

I, Robot by Isaac Asimov [Book Thoughts]

I, Robot is gripping, fascinating and intellectually stimulating. It’s easy to read and easy to enjoy.
-Imran

--------------------

I, Robot by Isaac Asimov

The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ by Philip Pullman [Book Thoughts]

An extremely difficult topic handled really well. The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ has some really striking insights hovering beneath the pages.
-Imran

--------------------

The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ by Philip Pullman

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens [Book Thoughts]

A Christmas Carol is a story worth knowing about but, in my opinion, it hasn't aged as well as many of the other classics.
-Imran

--------------------

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett [Book Thoughts]

On the whole, there's nothing deep or complex about The Colour of Magic, but it will keep you entertained for a bit without the need for much investment in the story or the narrative.
-Imran

--------------------

The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett

A Confusion of Princes by Garth Nix [Book Thoughts]

In short: A Confusion of Princes is typical sci-fi escapist fiction but it’s decent sci-fi escapist fiction. If the premises interests you or if you’re a fan of Nix or the genre, it’s probably worth a read.
-Imran

--------------------

A Confusion of Princes by Garth Nix

Black Beauty by Anna Sewell [Book Thoughts]

Light, pleasant and positive, Black Beauty is a great story for any child to read. The themes of animal cruelty are handled admirably.

-Imran

--------------------

Black Beauty by Anna Sewell

Beatrice and Virgil by Yann Martel [Book Thoughts]

Probably the best book I've read all year. Yann Martel is amazing. He's quickly becoming one of my favourite authors.

-Imran

--------------------

Beatrice and Virgil by Yann Martel

On the Shortness of Life by Seneca [Book Thoughts]

In the end, On the Shortness of Life is more a book that I am glad to have read but did not particularly enjoy reading. For anyone interested, give the first essay a read, skip the other two.

-Imran

--------------------

On the Shortness of Life by Seneca
(Essay compilation)

The Trading Game [Short Fiction]

I wrote this piece a few months ago and submitted it to a literary magazine. Sadly, it was rejected so here it goes. I'd like to think that I've come a long way as a writer since I wrote this and I hope to do a lot better in the future. At the time, I envisioned this one being a middle chapter in a novel.
-Imran

--------------------

Image is the property of CryptikFox

The Island of Dr Moreau by H.G. Wells [Book Thoughts]

The Island of Dr Moreau is old-school classic science fiction: depth, tension and moral ambiguity. 200 years after publication, it's still easily readable and offers plenty.

-Imran

--------------------

The Island of Dr Moreau by H.G. Wells

The Reason You Crave Pizza [Short Fiction]

This piece is me experimenting with writing dialogue that stands on its own. As for the scene itself, it just ocurred to me one day and I thought it might be interesting :P. Enjoy
-Imran

DISCLAIMER: The following piece is purely my own work. It is not associated with Col'Cacchios, any of its branches or any of its employees. Don't sue me please.

--------------------

Proof of Heaven by Dr Eben Alexander [Book Thoughts]

I doubt that Proof of Heaven changed my life too much and I can't consider myself convinced, but it was worth a read if only to satisfy my curiosity.

-Imran

--------------------

Proof of Heaven by Dr Eben Alexander

Everything wrong with studying Commerce [Part 1]

Tried my hand at writing a critical essay. This is the first part of a series that I'll be writing about my experiences in the Commerce Faculty at the University of Cape Town (UCT). Tried to be conversational in tone.
-Imran

--------------------

Everything wrong with studying Commerce
Part 1: Free Time (Or rather, the lack of it)

Part I: Free Time | Part II: -

Image is the property of One Thousand Words

Fold by Tom Campbell [Book Thoughts]

Fold couldn't keep me invested past the first 10 pages. The characters seemed wimpy and irritating.

-Imran

--------------------

Fold by Tom Campbell

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley [Book Thoughts]

200 years after it was written, Frankenstein remains deep, morally complex, exciting and hard to predict. What a book.

-Imran

--------------------

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

The Exclusive Books Warehouse Sale [Photo Blog]

This week, no Short Fiction Piece. I was actually going to post an Essay I wrote on some of my experiences as a Commerce Student but that can wait for a bit. For now, it's Photo Blog time. Those who remember my old photo album days will not be surprised :P

-Imran

--------------------

Win a copy of Dracula! [Giveaway]

EDIT: The competition is now closed. Congratulations to Laylah Albertyn for winnning!
-Imran

--------------------

Win a copy of Dracula by Bram Stoker!

A Hustler's Bible by Gayton McKenzie [Book Thoughts]

A Hustler's Bible is a cut above the usual repetitive 'success literature'. It's filled with plenty of practical advice from a South African who's achieved incredible things despite adverse circumstances.
-Imran

--------------------

A Hustler's Bible by Gayton McKenzie

Ramadaan: One Month Special [Short Fiction]

I planned this piece a bit earlier in the month but it seems more appropriate to post it now that Ramadaan is ending. I don't feel like this one needs background; it should be quite clear what it's about. That being said, I have a feeling that this one is going to be a bit on the controversial side. I apologize in advance if anyone is offended by the piece, my only intention is to stimulate thought on the matter. Happy reading.
-Imran

--------------------

Justice League of America: Tower of Babel by D.C. Comics [Book Thoughts]

Tower of Babel has an excellent premise, but the general comic book campiness ruins what should have been a dark and desperate arc.

-Imran

--------------------

JLA: Tower of Babel by D.C. Comics

The Lecturer [Short Fiction]

I wrote this piece back in the vacation and brought to my writing group last week where it generated some varied and interesting feedback. It's a piece drawing from personal experiences in Commerce at UCT. In particular, I've tried to capture a particular archetype of lecturer. A general lack of sympathy and empathy towards students is remarkably common in Commerce, especially in the later years. But that's a whole other story. Hope you enjoy the piece.
-Imran

--------------------

Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee [Book Thoughts]

Like much of Coetzee's work Disgrace is unusual and requires thought and investment to get something out. Satisfying, but not for everyone.

-Imran

--------------------

Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee

How Batman Got Fat [Short Fiction]

This week, I decided to give another shot to writing something that would make my 8-year old cousin laugh (as mentioned before, he's difficult to impress). It also has the potential to annoy my Batman-obsessed brother. If anyone is wondering where I came up with this, it came to me at around 3:00AM in the morning when my brain wasn't functioning too well. I'm fairly happy with most of it, but atm I'm feeling like it's hit and miss. If anyone reads, let me know what you think.

-Imran

DISCLAIMER: The following is a non-profit fan-based parody. Batman, the Justice League and all characters mentioned in this post are owned by D.C. Comics. 

Don't sue me please.

--------------------

Image is the property of Ricardo Chucky

Books v. Cigarettes by George Orwell [Book Thoughts]

Books v. Cigarettes shares many themes with Orwell's more well-known Animal Farm and 1984. Intellectually honest and fascinating reading if you appreciate Orwell's ideas.

-Imran

--------------------

Books v. Cigarettes by George Orwell
(Essay compilation)

Tyron Fowler: The Actuarial Innovator [Short Fiction]

Unfortunately, I didn't get to write the piece that I wanted to this week. Campus has just started and its been possibly the most ridiculous first week back that I've had thus far. So this week I've settled for a piece I wrote about a month ago shortly after my Bus Strat exam. It was written to parody those verbose business reviews where some journalist fawns over an entrepreneur like he's God gift to mankind (our case study was on Amazon's Jeff Bezos). It also parodies my friend who's not really crazy about technology. Thank God he doesn't use Facebook or Twitter :P.

-Imran

--------------------

Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu [Book Thoughts]

In closing, the Tao Te Ching is complex and paradoxical. It's up to you to decide whether you see it as art, wisdom or ancient chinese-mumbo-jumbo.

-Imran

--------------------

Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu
(DC Lau Translation)

The Emperor of Swag [Short Fiction]

This week I wrote a short story with the sole intention of making my 8-year old cousin laugh. The reaction from him on this one was lukewarm. He's a hard guy to impress. But I'll keep trying :P. As far as genre goes, consider this literary nonsense...

-Imran

--------------------

Image is the property of b-dangerous

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde [Book Thoughts]

The Picture of Dorian Gray is powerful, dark and witty. It's hard not to be moved by Oscar Wilde's only novel. What a pity he didn't get the chance to write more.

-Imran

--------------------

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

Paranoia [Short Fiction]

I had this strange idea the other night that maybe paranoia or other such mental delusions could be described as creating threatening narratives around ordinary everyday details (not that I know anything about psychology). So I figured I'd try writing a short piece about a man who ties completely unrelated details into some web of conspiracy. Not sure if I pulled that off... but had fun messing around.

-Imran

--------------------

Ice Cream [Short Fiction]

A short piece I wrote for fun a while back originally titled 'A Breakdown in Economic Theory' and based on a true story. Nothing serious in here, at the time I was just toying with the economic notion that more information and more choices = better decision making. But as we know from studies (and going out into the real world) by Dan Ariely (one of my favourite authors) and Daniel Kahneman (have one of his books, reading soon), this isn't always the case. If you've ever walked into a food court and didn't know what you should order, you know what I'm talking about.
-Imran

--------------------

Common Criminals [Short Fiction]

This is a piece I wrote centred around some thoughts and feelings on crime. One of my long-term projects is a book about an ex-cop waging a one-man war against crime. With this piece, I tried to condense the one of the key ideas of that book into a short narrative. That being said, this piece has nothing to do with the book. Just something I tried out. Hope you enjoy, comments and feedback (both positive and negative) will be appreciated.

-Imran

--------------------

Welcome to One Thousand Words!

Hello everybody

And welcome to my blog. A little bit about me: I'm a student at the University of Cape Town in South Africa with the ambition of becoming an author. This blog is a bit of an experiment by me. I plan to post some of my writings here, preferably weekly, and am hoping to get some feedback. I'd love for the writing to speak for itself so, with that, I'll end this post.

Thanks in advance
-Imran