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Book Review: Asides, Tirades, Meditations

 Asides, Tirades, Meditations is collection of selected non-fictional essays by the late Kiran Nagarkar. The essays are presented in three different sections based on the subjects that they deal with. Part I, titled ‘On Culture,’ is subdivided into two sections: ‘Writing’ and ‘Cinema.’ Part II is titled ‘On Society and Politics.’ Whereas the essays in the first part present Nagarkar and his views as a writer and a film critic, the second part brings forth Nagarkar as an individual—a social being. There is something in these essays for every kind of reader.

Nagarkar had a rather tall stature and he continues to cast a long shadow on the Indian socio-cultural-scape. Accordingly, these essays appeal to the reader in diverse ways. While one is likely to disagree with some of the opinions that he expresses on different issues, one struggles to find room for his or her own disagreements under the authoritative tone of Nagarkar. That is not to say that the reading experience is stifled; it remains thoroughly enjoyable. His tongue-in-cheek style, which is more pronounced in the second part of the book, helps in gulping down ideas that might otherwise make one disinterested. His sarcasm and wit is sure to turn everyone into a fan of his charismatic personality that shines well through his writing.

As someone who is more interested in books than films, I enjoyed the section on writing the most. In fact, the essays from that section can serve as a useful compendium to Nagarkar’s other works. They reveal to the reader what goes on in the mind of a writer while he plans and creates his works. Then, the essays in part II appealed to me for the brief and intermittent autobiographical glimpses that we get into his life as an ordinary human being; and yet the reader continues to marvel at his extraordinary character. There are a couple of essays where his classic tongue-in-cheek style seemed to have extended been to the extent that it gets tiring, but that does not affect the overall reading experience much. Besides that, I did not enjoy the section on films as I am personally not much interested in cinema. But I am sure that it would appeal immensely those who are cinema buffs. The introduction by Salil Tripathi and the afterword by Nayantara Sahgal make for interesting reads as well.

All in all, the book got me quite interested in reading more of his works. I have read only Jasoda by him. And after going through these essays, I am certainly going to read more of Nagarkar. Having said that, I do feel that the book is meant for those who are already somewhat familiar with Nagarkar and his works, and not for new readers.

Source - 

 https://booksnmyself.wordpress.com/

Book Review: Small Towns, Big Stories

 Title: Small Towns, Big Stories

Author: Ruskin Bond

Publisher: Aleph Book Company
Pages: 190
ISBN: 9789382277545
Source: Publisher

Small Towns, Big Stories’ is a collection of 21 short stories written by Ruskin Bond. Some of the stories in the collection are never published before, while some of them are the most cherished ones.

About the Author

Ruskin Bond is one of the most famous Indian authors. He has penned several bestselling novels and collections of short stories, essays and poems. He has won a number of awards, including the Padma Shri, Padam Bhushan & Sahitya Academy Award. Many children grow up reading Bond’s stories.

Review

While children grow up reading books by Ruskin Bond, this was my first book by Ruskin Bond. The reason being I didn’t read any books during my childhood & early adolescent. But after reading this book, I know why Bond is favorite among children.

The stories in this collection provide a soothing effect. We get a pleasant feeling while reading the stories & even after reading them. I was looking for something light, after reading ‘Angels & Demons’- which has a quite exhausting end. So, I picked up this collection & it did serve its purpose.

The stories featured in this collection are diverse in a sense, but still have a lot in common. There’s a sense of adventure in almost all the stories. Most stories have a young boy or girl in the centre. Some others have an ‘I’ character. The ones with ‘I’ character are semi- autobiographical. But as a reader, one fails to find out where & when the line between the fact and fiction is crossed by the author.

I loved reading all the stories.They are of varying length ranging from 2 pages to 30 pages. What I didn’t like about the collection is the recurring episodes. Railway Platforms of small towns, a brook in the jungle, rumors of a Leopard roaming around, a young boy selling assorted items keep appearing again & again.

I feel this book is not meant to be read in a single seating. The best way would be reading 2-3 stories at a time & yielding the pleasure gradually. Perhaps, the recurring episodes won’t bother that way.

My favorite ones from the collection are The Night Train at Deoli, Time Stops at Shamli, The Tail of the Lizard, The Funeral and A Long Walk for Bina. The stories in this collection are more suited for teenagers & children. But if an adult reader picks up this book, he might end up feeling nostalgic. So, I feel anyone can give it a try.

Source - 

https://booksnmyself.wordpress.com/