This collection of Punjabi stories are not what I would classify as 'excellent', but they are not bad either. Almost all of them were readable and I dThis collection of Punjabi stories are not what I would classify as 'excellent', but they are not bad either. Almost all of them were readable and I did enjoy most of the book. Out of the thirty stories, only 5 authors were women.
Some of my favourite stories were:
Dance of the Devil by Sant Singh Sekhon: A Partition story, a quintessential Punjabi literary topic, this one was about a Muslim woman who was spared from certain death because she caught the eye of a Sikh guard. He proposes to adopt her child and marry her. She gets saved but at what cost?
Sunrise at Last by Sujaan Singh: Another Partition story, this was about a Muslim woman who was missed by gangs of roving murderers and finally rescued by a Sikh man, took refuge with a Hindu man. She was ultimately handed over to safety to a Muslim man who helped Hindu and Sikh women reach their families safely. She wonders about the concept of religion and atheism.
The Moscow Girl by Balwant Gargi: During the Soviet Union, many Russians were pretty enamoured with Indian culture and it is neatly encapsulated in this sweet little story.
Stench of Kerosene by Amrita Pritam: When a man commits bigamy because his mother wants a grandson, there are psychological consequences to pay for cowardice.
The Charity Coat by Navtej Singh: A poor teacher who coaches a rich student suddenly loses al respect in his own and his student's eyes when he accepts charity from them.
Hopes Shattered by Gulzar Singh Sandhu: A story about an active and involved old woman who gets paralysed and hopes for the destruction that rumours are saying would come. When an altruistic neighbour tries to convince her that everything is going to be fine, it destroys her completely. This made quite an impact on me as I just lost my grandmother who was basically bedridden. It's a difficult situation to be in.
I am not Ghaznawi by Gurbachan Singh Bhullar: A man pines for the crush of his youth, who has moved away years ago. When an old friend invites him to his town, telling him the crush lives nearby, he is curious to go. But he sees another old female friend who has now aged badly and realises he is better off not seeing his crush. Very shallow, but a lot of men are like this. ...more
This is a novella set in the fictional town of Malgudi. When a mysterious stranger shows up at the station claiming to be working for the UN, an aspirThis is a novella set in the fictional town of Malgudi. When a mysterious stranger shows up at the station claiming to be working for the UN, an aspiring journalist feels compelled to take care of him. He does it both out of a sense of hospitality and curiosity that he might get fodder for his writing. But nevertheless, the stranger leads to aa major upheaval in his life.
It is a cosy and a pretty short read. The characters are quirky and typical R.K. Narayan style. The story was written in latter part of his career and we see some changes in Malgudi culture from the pre-Independence era stories, which I enjoy the most. The story has some drawbacks, mainly regarding why the journalist is so taken up with this random stranger who is not just cheating on his wife but also seducing young women of the town.
That said, it's always delightful to visit Malgudi, no matter the time period or what the inhabitants are doing. Enjoyable read but not as much as Narayan's usual other works, especially the earlier ones....more
There were some amazing stories in this collection, but also some that I could barely finish reading. The inclusion of duds like Urvashi and Johnny baThere were some amazing stories in this collection, but also some that I could barely finish reading. The inclusion of duds like Urvashi and Johnny basically brought down the rating by 1 star because it was so absolutely annoying to read. The women writers ratio was pretty dismal with only 2 out of 21 authors making the cut. I simply did not think this could possibly happen in a Bengali anthology.
Some of my favourites were:
The Kabuliwallah by Rabindranath Tagore: This really seems to be every Indian's favourite Tagore story, though I can think of many others that I enjoy more. But this was a fun foray into nostalgia, so it definitely makes the list.
The Homecoming by Banaphool: An insurance agent meets a family on a train and tries to sell insurance to them. He realises it's the family of goddess Durga but also manages to sell some insurance! Very hilarious story but short and sweet. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
Two Magicians by Satyajit Ray: This was a thrilling ride and I can totally imagine this story would do well on the screen. An older magician teaches a young one "pure" magic tricks in the Indian style, but is unable to market himself very well. His disciple goes on to become rich and popular by adopting a more flashy style of smoke and mirrors illusions.
Post Mortem by Sunil Gangopadhyay: A story of the investigation of an old man who died after jumping from a tram, it takes a more philosophical turn when the investigator tries to figure out why and who could be responsible for the event.
The Marble Table by Sanjib Chattoppadhyay: A controlling and abusive man holds his entire family in the grip of terror. When his father in law gets his finger caught in the marble table, it starts a saga that leads to lengthy repercussions. Finally, the old man is left alone with his table and has no one left. Apt end for abusers!
Thunder and Lightning by Ashapurna Debi: When a young man gets married off against his will, he wants to spend time with his wife. But the family members only wanted a servant for the house and discouraged this relationship. The man once again pulls away and escapes, leaving the young bride to the mercy of her in-laws and the family to poverty. When the bride finally decides to follow a different path that leads to freedom and money, the family is not loath to take advantage of her while simultaneously abusing her.
News of a Murder by Moti Nandy: I thought this was both hilarious and terrifying. When a woman is murdered by the house servant, another woman of the same name in another part of the city faces unexpected repercussions.
Some stories I did not enjoy included The Discovery of Telenapota and Flapperoos, both of which appear to be some type of weird science fiction. Urvashi and Johnny was a depressing story of a beggar and his singer wife depicting utter depravity. Overall a decent collection, but the "bad" stories were really unreadable for me!
Only two left, and I am trying Punjabi next!...more
A collection of 55 stories, not all of them feature Miss Marple, despite the title. There are only 20 Marple stories. But the collection is brilliant A collection of 55 stories, not all of them feature Miss Marple, despite the title. There are only 20 Marple stories. But the collection is brilliant with only about 4 to 5 stories that I did not enjoy. Most of the stories are mysteries, but there are a few sweet romances as well. I disliked most of the supernatural stuff, but luckily, there were just a few of them.
My favourite stories included:
Philomel Cottage: A chilling story of a couple who bought a cottage far away from the nearest neighbours. Eventually, there is a sinister plot afoot, but who wins this game? I think this has to be the scariest story of the lot.
The Rajah's Emerald: A poor man is mistreated by his date, who hangs out with the rich crowd while ignoring him, though expecting him to be at her beck and call. Quite by chance, the man's life changes when he enters the wrong cottage for changing at the beach. A fun story, rooted in a mystery.
The Tuesday Night Club: A bunch of people get together to throw real life problems at each other and see who wins each round. This is originally from the book The Thirteen Problems, and I enjoy this first story because of the way everyone underestimates Jane Marple but she goes on to solve every single problem.
The Bloodstained Pavement: This is again a part of The Thirteen Problems. Joyce Lemprière (who later becomes Joan West and marries Miss Marple's nephew, Raymond) provides this problem about a couple that Joyce meets at the seaside while on a painting mission. The female friend of the couple disappears, and Joyce discovers the solution. As does Miss Marple.
A Fruitful Sunday: A very sweet romance story. A couple wishes to be rich and while on a Sunday afternoon picnic, they buy a fruit basket and find a precious gemstone in it. Do they keep it or report it? Their problem is solved very soon but not before they find true love and good character in each other.
Accident: When Captain Haydock goes to meet his friend, a retired inspector, he discovers a woman who has been acquitted of her husband's murder and has now married again with a different name. Haydock makes it his business to meddle in her affairs. An astounding climax!
The Blue Geranium: Another Marple classic, this one is about a woman who is into fortune tellers and gets told that blue geraniums will cause her death. Her husband does not heed her terror and believes it's all bunkum. But when random flowers on the wallpaper begin to turn blue, the prediction comes true. Miss Marple finally solves the mystery with the aid of some long-forgotten high school chemistry classes.
The Companion: When the companion of a rich woman dies, nobody suspects anything. Not even when the rich woman herself commits suicide out of guilt. Except Miss Marple ...
The Affair at the Bungalow: Empty-headed actress Jane Helier stumps everyone by telling a story to which she herself does not know the solution. Except, of course, Miss Marple, who gives her some solid advice.
Tape Measure Murder: I remember reading this story as a small child and it stuck with me. A lady is discovered murdered in her living room and it is the local dressmaker who found her. A proper locked room mystery, and Miss Marple arrives at the most impossible solution quite easily!
The Case of the Perfect Maid: When a paragon of virtue is hired by the Skinner sisters after a local girl is fired whimsically, Miss Marple smells a rat. She pokes her nose in only to clear the name of the local girl, and succeeds, astounding everyone else in the process.
The Dressmaker's Doll: This is the only supernatural story that I enjoyed. A rag doll is suddenly noticed in a dressmaker's shop. Nobody knows how she got there but she kept being moved around. Eventually, everyone feels that the doll is rather malevolent and the owner throws it out of the window. Is the doll really out to do mischief or does it just want to be loved?
There is a section of six stories (42 to 47), which all have a supernatural theme, and I did not enjoy these. These stories include Hound of Death, Gypsy, Lamp, Sir Arthur Carmichael, Call of Wings, and In a Glass Darkly.
It's very clear that Christie often rehashed ideas and developed them into other stories, often full-length. I enjoyed coming across certain names in the short stories that the author has used to good effect in some of her other novels for some pretty interesting characters, such as Amos Perry, Miss Pebmarsh, Mr Eccles, etc. ...more
I expected much better from this Marathi stories collection. First, it had 28 short stories of which only four by women. It's insane because there areI expected much better from this Marathi stories collection. First, it had 28 short stories of which only four by women. It's insane because there are plenty of female Marathi authors. The first girls' school in India was opened in Maharashtra, so it's very annoying Mr Potdar chose to ignore Marathi women's contribution to literature. A huge blind spot here.
I did not much enjoy the choice of stories, at least in the first half of the book. Some stories were too depressing for my taste and I felt that some choices did not really bring out Marathi culture very well. Potdar also seems obsessed with crows and there were 2 or 3 crow-related stories in the collection, none of them very interesting or fun to read.
That said, I enjoyed the stories based in Pune as a Punekar of 8 years. Just wish there had been more of them. Some enjoyable stories are:
The Fort by Milind Bokil: Set in Pune, it's a cute story about the relationship between three generations of a family, centring around the building of a fort every year during Diwali time. This is a very Puneri custom which I had only recently come to know about, and it was delightful to actually read about it. This was my favourite story.
The God of Brahmins by Hamid Dalwai: A bunch of young Muslim goons create trouble for everyone until they stole the Brahmin god and began to feel guilty. I am not sure about what this story wanted to convey, but I was just happy it was a happy ending instead of resulting in riots or something.
Vacancy by Ratnakar Matkari: The manager of a company finds someone waiting with a letter from the head office offering him a job. He is puzzled because there is no vacancy. But then things start happening ... I have read so many of these stories by so many authors in so many languages, but this is the only pure horror story I have come across. This creepy story is worthy of included with the works of Edgar Allan Poe or M.R. James!
Red Muck by Bhaskar Chandanshiv: A farmer spends weeks growing his produce and gets very annoyed when wealthy customers try to bargain for a few rupees. Told from the perspective of his son, who innately realises the injustice of the system and wants out through education.
There was a story about Saint Tukaram and how he was a total useless fellow, a few random relationship dramas, a terrible story about how a man gets to marry his friend's daughter by remaining young in space (ugh!), how a monkey becomes god, etc. I found them different (hence, the mention) but didn't really enjoy these.
This was so brilliant! I am going to have trouble choosing my favourites from the list of 21 short stories, written by various Telugu authors. The stoThis was so brilliant! I am going to have trouble choosing my favourites from the list of 21 short stories, written by various Telugu authors. The stories cover a variety of topics and give an insight into the Telugu way of life, rich and poor, Hindu and Muslim, urban and rural. I must point out that Dasu Krishnamoorty and Tamraparni Das have taken pains to ensure that the short stories are indeed very short, and hence, very enjoyable. Not a single story is longer than 12 pages.
After the Urdu short stories, I felt these Telugu stories were delightful. Is North India under collective depression, or is it just a different style of literature that divides the country?
My favourites (choice made with difficulty) are:
Adventure by Kodavatiganti Kutumba Rao: When the teenage Rajyalakshmi's family moves to a new house, she gets in the middle of a love affair between the older tenant and a man, leading to interesting results. It was an enjoyable and light-hearted tale.
Bad Times by Illindala Saraswati Devi: I loved this story about an aristocratic family of Hyderabad during Independence, when things were still in a flux. While the men sat and talked and made random decisions, the two daughters of the family take charge of their own destinies and disappear into the night in order to avoid being sold off by their brother. Brilliant, and I loved the spunk of these women.
House Number by Kavana Sarma: A man who thinks he is a mathematical genius forgets his house number and hilarious events ensue.
Predators by Syed Saleem: This is a heart-wrenching story of a young man who stole from dead bodies of suicide victims floating down the Krishna river. A corpse finally brings home the gravity of his sins to him.
A Mother's Debt by Mohammed Khadeer Babu: The saga of a poor Muslim family in which a young man dies and his mother is unable to perform the Islamic ritual of the gift of her milk to release him on his way. Who is to blame for this unfortunate turn of events?
The Truant by Dada Hayat: A young boy refuses to go to school and his mother lets him bunk class. By the end of the day, he is thoroughly bored and is looking forward to school again. Sweet story!
I totally loved all the stories, but I think the above were some of the best. I'll be getting on to Maharashtra next for some nice Marathi stories....more
Starts off with an excellent introduction by Muhammad Umar Memon, who talks in detail about the differences between Urdu literature (influenced by PerStarts off with an excellent introduction by Muhammad Umar Memon, who talks in detail about the differences between Urdu literature (influenced by Persian style) and other Indian styles. There were some good stories and the anthology is worth a read, but I felt some stories just dragged a bit. Loads of Partition stories again. I feel that maybe parts of North India still has not recovered from this, perhaps?
My favourites included:
The Shroud by Munshi Premchand: An useless pair of father and son are taken care of by the daughter in law. When she lies dying, they fail to arrange even a shroud for the corpse. Very hard-hitting, and slightly indicative of male attitudes towards women in the Hindi belt even today.
Toba Tek Singh by Saadat Hasan Manto: A great classic and yet one more Partition story. An Indian madman is put into a mental asylum across the border and he misses home. The splitting of the country affects him mortally.
Laajwanti by Rajinder Singh Bedi: When women are kidnapped and raped during the Partition riots, many of them were ostracised by their own families. Some men campaigned against this injustice and when the wife of one of the men came back, old secrets spill out and things change completely. A very insightful short story.
Aanandi by Ghulam Abbas: I think this one was my absolute favourite. When a bunch of conservative men vote to throw out the prostitutes from their homes to clean up the city, the result is hilarious. Conservative men and their hypocrisy are showcased very neatly in this small story but the theme is also very funny!
Of Fists and Rubs by Ismat Chugtai: When a middle class woman gives birth to a daughter, the helpers taking care of her in the hospital are convinced she is going to be thrashed for not producing a son. Then they tell her stories about how women deal with this issue. Ugh! Disgusting, but probably true, especially in the past.
The Old Mansion by Ikramullah: Three men live in a dilapidated old house in Lahore as squatters. Their lives are separate but intertwined together due to the circumstances. When the mansion is slated for demolition for safety issues, a whole bunch people become homeless again.
Fable of a Severed Head by Sajid Rashid: Brilliant! As someone who grew up in 90s Mumbai with bomb blasts all over the place, it's interesting to get a glimpse of what might have been going on in the head of someone who actually commits these acts. A suicide bomber is killed but his head remains alive. He can hear and think but not speak or move. When he is rejected by everyone including the man who recruited him to die, it's too late for him. Absolutely brilliant.
Lots of good stories but also contains a few that I did not enjoy at all. Removing a couple of these stories may have made this a 4 star book for me! Will be visiting South India again next with Telugu stories....more
This was the best of the lot! I really enjoyed Assam far more than I ever expected. 25 wonderful stories and I didn't dislike a single one! 8 of them This was the best of the lot! I really enjoyed Assam far more than I ever expected. 25 wonderful stories and I didn't dislike a single one! 8 of them by women, so I think Goa still wins on this front. But the Assamese anthology has a wide variety of interesting stories that encompass women's rights, family life, tribal life, communism, violence, as well as some humour. The collection leans heavily towards communist literature from this part of the country.
Some of my favourite stories include:
Mistaken Identity by Syed Abdul Malik: You hear stories about India-Pakistan Partition, but the Assam side is little heard, so I was glad to read this story. It's the traditional trajectory of Hindu and Muslim friends who get divided during riots. A single misunderstanding gets them both killed.
Kathonibari Ghat by Mahim Bora: I loved this story! A young man befriends a young woman and her brother. The recently married woman is eager to return to her husband, but tragedy looms ahead. This is a classic in Assamese literature and explores themes of marriage, widowhood, family, etc. It's also very evocative of time and place.
Looking for Ismael Sheikh by Homen Borgohain: In chasing an elusive Muslim man, an ex-government employee finds himself in the rooms of a prostitute. Seeing her reading a book by Albert Moravia, he stays to chat. She explains her background as a Brahmin woman made destitute during the Purbo Banga (East Pakistan) riots. In return, the narrator tells her the story of the impoverished Ismael, who had moved to Assam for a better life and ended up losing his wife and children, as well as land. The prostitute is left to draw parallels between her fate and Ismael's, despite being on opposite sides, as well as raising a few anti-caste communist lessons.
Blood on the Floor by Apurba Sarma: When one brother joins the communist revolution and goes underground, it affects the whole family. The Army, unable to catch the troublemaker, troubles the already traumatised family instead.
The Captive by Harekrishna Deka: Yet another communist story! A kidnapped man is on the move with his erudite captor, who is part of an organisation hoping to get concessions from the government in return for his release. A typical case of Stockholm syndrome, the two become friends and the captive comes to understand the kidnapper's point of view.
The Green Serpent by Dhrubajyoti Borah: A woman raped by a "revolutionary" during a tribal agitation goes on to university. She she makes friends there, including a man to whom she connects very deeply. A last-minute revelation upended both their lives.
An Incomplete Story by Rita Chowdhury: A tale about a widow destined to rot away in bleak white. She almost found happiness again but her own willingness to be happy and take matters in her own hand led to her father deciding to retract his permission for her happiness. Disgusting show of patriarchy and definitely not winning father of the year! ...more
Ah, Hindi, one of the youngest and yet the most controversial language in India. The Hindi belt comprises a huge swathe of the country and includes thAh, Hindi, one of the youngest and yet the most controversial language in India. The Hindi belt comprises a huge swathe of the country and includes the states of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, and Rajasthan!!!! So it was always going to be a mammoth task to pick and choose and yet manage to cover a very wide scope in caste and class (like the other books), but also in geographical area.
In this context, I do not understand why Poonam Saxena decided to include so many Hindu-Muslim and post-Partition stories. There is a lot of ground to cover when creating an anthology covering such a large geographical area that is somewhat culturally diverse. I get that this is the hot topic of the day in India, especially in the Hindi belt, but it feels very, very forced. These specific stories were excellent and would have made a great anthology in itself (maybe there should be one about religious co-existence!), but their inclusion took away from exploring different facets of life in this region.
Also, Aleph, shouldn't Punjab get its own book? And Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra?! You give a book to Odia, but not to Malayalam? Crazy!
The Thakur's Well by Premchand: Well, Premchand is a little out of date but nobody writes about caste and gender so evocatively and coolly as he did. Gangi's husband is sick and there is no clean water at home. Gangi goes to fetch water at the Thakur's well secretly, well knowing that she, as a Dalit, would face severe consequences if caught. What she discovers is that whatever your caste, it's a man's world.
Atonement by Bhagwaticharan Verma: When a newly married bride kills a cat, the local pandit is called in to help the household atone. He plans to rack up great expenses for his own benefit. That is, until fate takes a hand. Hilarious look at greedy priests.
Phoolo's Kurta by Yashpal: I loved this story about a young girl who mimics her elders with completely opposite results. Ridiculous customs need to be smashed and it is the young who will do it.
The Soul of Bholaram by Harishankar Parsai: This sounds very much like a 80's comedy and I wish someone had done it. Yamdoot loses the soul of Bholaram and Narad decides to help him find it. Hilarious look at the Indian bureaucracy. Haven't we all suffered from it at one time or the other?
The Third Vow by Phanishwarnath Renu: I didn't exactly like this one but it merits a mention because the famous Raj Kapoor film, Teesri Kasam was based on this story. It's based on the experiences of a bullock cart driver who falls in love with a dancer. Dare I say, I liked the film slightly better?
The Homecoming by Usha Priyamvada: When Gajadhar retires from his railway job and joins the rest of his family at home, he tries to play the 'man of the house' role and discovers that being an absentee husband and father will come with its own consequences. He has no space at home and no clue how the household runs. A bittersweet story but honestly, what was he expecting?
Lord of the Rubble by Mohan Rakesh: Ghani miyan returns from Pakistan years after Partition, only to find his old home in Amritsar in ruins. He mourns, but does not try to find out who murdered the rest of his family, yet leaves the perpetrators feeling very uneasy with their choices. One of the best post-Partition stories I have read.
There were a few boring stories that felt like they just went on and on, such as Trishanku, Forgive Me, Labyrinth, and Tirich. I am guessing after reading so many of these books that I like my short stories to be rather ... short!
This collection gets a 20 percent (5 out of 25 stories) women authors. So that's not bad but could be much better.
I don't actually know anything about Odisha. I thought I would learn a bit about the state and it's culture from this book. If I go by this book, it fI don't actually know anything about Odisha. I thought I would learn a bit about the state and it's culture from this book. If I go by this book, it feels very backward with UP-style cultural practices. I don't think the whole anthology contained even a single modern story. I am not sure whether this showcases just a historical perspective or current rural attitudes. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the a look back on time as well as all the fable-style stories.
Some of my favourites included:
The Solution by Gopinath Mohanty: A man at a dead-end job is frustrated with the work piling up until he takes his pet goat to work one day. Comedy gold!
The Witness by Satchidananda Rautray: Another humorous tale about a man who gives false evidence in support of a thief for some money. It ends badly for him. Very funny!
Ghania Celebrates Ganesh Chaturthi by Surendra Mohanty: A young Dalit boy tries to go to school and is taken in because the teacher is greedy for the goodies his father offers. However, he is separated from the rest, out of sight, and learns nothing. After dropping out, he wants to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi as his upper caste classmates did. Has a nice ending to the story, and I loved it!
The Tale of the Snake Charmer by Chandrasekar Rath: This is the story that stayed with me. A tale about a snake charmer called Jhampura, who people believed had special abilities to communicate with snakes. When he loses a battle with a jewel-headed cobra, he becomes a snake himself. Gorgeous story with vivid detailing.
Mrs Crocodile by Manoj Das: Another fable-like story, this time about a woman who turned into a crocodile for a decade. What's her story?
Salvation by Pratibha Ray: The premise was a little weird. A man and his wife's sister live together but never talk to each other because of social taboos. They even bring up a child together but the man has never seen his sister-in-law's face. I had no idea Odia women had to wear a ghunghat.
Rebati by Fakir Mohan Senapati: One of the earliest Odia short stories, this one is about a young girl who dreams of studying. I am not sure why it is so dark and ended so badly or what the author was trying to convey. Did the author disapprove of girl's education? Or was he depicting reality of the time? Not sure, but the whole cholera epidemic stuff made an impact on me....more
Compared to the other books in the series, The Greatest Goan Stories Ever Told is slightly different. It is the only book that is based on stories colCompared to the other books in the series, The Greatest Goan Stories Ever Told is slightly different. It is the only book that is based on stories collected from a state rather than stories written in a specific language. This anthology consists of short stories translated from Portuguese, Marathi, and Konkani, as well as stories originally written in English itself. This immediately changes the landscape of the collection in comparison to the other books.
Another difference, one which I did not find as enriching, is that the anthology includes a bunch of stories that are not specifically Goan, but give more of an migrant perspective. There are at least two Australian stories, some stories set in other parts of India, as well as British and Tanzanian stories. This defeats the purpose of showcasing the Goan landscape in different forms. Or I may just be tired of the whole migrant perspective that has become so common in literature nowadays.
The collection is, on the whole, quite average. I enjoyed reading the book but it did not enchant me. The anthologist / editor, Manohar Shetty, himself has a story included, which I found rather interesting! One interesting aspect that becomes immediately clear on reading these stories is how much of an influence the Portuguese had on Goan culture. I did not realise how deep these roots went, especially in Catholic families, despite me knowing so many Goans!
Some of my favourites are ...
Sunanda's Dream by Sheela Jaywant: Sunanda is a village girl who finds employment as a security guard. Over time, the monotonousness of life and work sets in, but a simple incident makes her happy.
Coinsanv's Cattle by Damodar Mauzo: Coinsanv and Inas love their cattle and take very good care of them. But poverty and a failed crop forces them to sell the cattle at the local Purument fest. While Inas is gone, Coinsanv prays that the bull would not be sold, but when Inas returns, we get a surprise.
FloRitta by Savia Viegas: When an aging forty year old woman settles for an arranged marriage, she ends up in an abusive relationship. Luckily things work out for her when she finds her backbone and decides that enough is enough. I rather like these type of stories where women finally stand up for themselves, and it ends on a positive note.
The Dead Donkey by Pralay Bakshi: This really gives off a Peepli Live vibe and was similarly amusing. When a dead donkey is found next to a pav bhaji stand, the joke that is the Indian bureaucracy gets into action. The end is simply hilarious!
The Homecoming by Cordelia B. Francis: A wonderful story of a man who is toughened by time and religion. A chance remark by his priest brings home the futility of his strictness and fanaticism and gives him a chance to enhance his artistry by serving other religious communities in addition to his own.
There were other nice stories as well including the one by the editor, Manohar Shetty, himself. I am shaving off one star for the inclusion of the non-Goan stories that I also did not enjoy too much anyway. However, it is noteworthy that out of 27 stories, 11 are by women! Good job there, Goa (and Shetty)!
My third book in this series, I now come to The Greatest Gujarati Stories Ever Told, an anthology created by Rita Kothari, a renowned Sindhi Gujarati My third book in this series, I now come to The Greatest Gujarati Stories Ever Told, an anthology created by Rita Kothari, a renowned Sindhi Gujarati author who has written several books om language and partition. But this anthology is uniquely Gujarati and depicts Gujarat in a multifaceted manner.
Kothari specifically refrained from buying into the rhetoric about Gujarat that is persistent both within the state and without and includes militant vegetarianism, dhandho, and of course, our beloved (/s) ruling party. Instead, she chooses a more organic approach to tell the story of Gujarat in a more comprehensive manner.
Some of my favourites are:
Creamy Layer by Neerav Patel: This is a brilliant story about how some members of disadvantaged communities make it good in life, but it also distances them from their roots and their families, and hence their support systems. The term 'creamy layer' in this case is both political and literal and is marvellously interweaved into the narrative.
Vaadki by Bhupen Khakhar: This one is a rather humorous tale surrounding the disappearance of a 'vaadki' or bowl. When Jamna becomes obsessed with its disappearance, her husband Jamnadas decides he has to find it by hook or by crook. Only, too many sexual escapades are exposed in the process.
Nandu by Dashrath Parmar: A Dalit man has a chance meeting with a fellow village boy in a distant town. The boy is beyond delighted to meet someone from 'home' and follows him around like a puppy. However, despite himself working a good job and the boy working as a servant in a guesthouse, caste rears its ugly head. Can a 12-year old boy be already infected with this poison?
The Invasion by Dalpat Chauhan: Natho singlehandedly breaks taboos of generations by not only farming his own field but also making it difficult for the upper caste people to retaliate. He is both smart and strong. A bit Bollywoodish but eminently satisfying!
Name: Nayana Rasik Mehta by Varsha Adalja: A battered woman finally gets her courage together to lodge a police complaint against her husband and mother-in-law. The police try to dissuade her but she manages to hold her own against the prevalent social narrative of 'adjustment'. Set in Mumbai!
The Twenty-First Tiffin by Raam Mori: One of the last stories in the collection, a tired wife and cranky mother runs the household by cooking and selling lunches to young men. The daughter is tired of her mother's behaviour but when the twenty first young man pays a visit to praise her food, she sees her mother bloom in front of her eyes.
Some of these stories are very vivid and excellently told, but are balanced by pretty long and boring stories such as The Death of Maaja Vela and The Bilge Water. These two were too long and the anthology would have scored even higher without their inclusion. In a collection of 23 short stories, 8 of them are written by women. That's a pretty good score and shows that despite its reputation, Gujarat must have a pretty decent literary scene.
After reading the Tamil collection, I chose the Kashmiri one for my second read in this series. In comparison, it felt very dry and dreary, without thAfter reading the Tamil collection, I chose the Kashmiri one for my second read in this series. In comparison, it felt very dry and dreary, without the rich kaleidoscope of life in the state depicted in minute detail. Going into it, one expects literature from a conflict area to be somewhat depressing, but I felt that a collection of Kashmir stories could do a better job at depicting the intricacies of daily life than this anthology provided. There was also very little humour in the collection.
Some of the boring stories included:
The Road to Immortality by Habib Kamran: A fable-type story by acclaimed the Kashmiri author, this story just dragged on and on and didn't seem appropriate for this collection at all. I also found it boring in the extreme and how is this a "Kashmiri story" other than that it's written by a Kashmiri author?
Man is of a Strange Breed by Akhtar Mohiuddin: A depressing tale of suicide, lost hopes, and loss. A young man runs away from Kashmir during WW2 and then runs back to Kashmir, is depressed and commits suicide. His father mourns him and then when a young Englishwoman is entrusted to his care, it just becomes more depressing.
Anguish by Autar Krishen Rahbar: A Kashmiri American returns back to the homeland and sits by the Vyeth river, reminiscing and wondering about random stuff. Boring, and a bit pointless? Maybe I am just not getting the style.
The Mourners by Hari Krishan Kaul: Yet another story about death and funerals! A pall bearer is obsessed with the cricket score, but the funeral needs to be completed.
Whose Turn Now? by Shankar Raina: By this time, I was thoroughly tired of the incessant depression dump on the reader. Now a cancer ward story, if you were not already fatigued by the previous stories of loss and suicide and death. And yes, of course, it's terminal. Ugh!
I do wonder why Neerja Mattoo (yes, Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ, it's Mattoo, not Mattoc) chose these specifically over the top depressive stories. Is there a point? Does being a Kashmiri mean being depressed, suicidal, and sick? The choices completely flummoxed me, because there is enough of 'bad and sad Kashmir' stories in the media.
However, there are some light-hearted and cultural stuff in the collection and I did enjoy some of the stories. These include:
Radhakrishna's Cat by Deepak Kaul: A story of a nosy woman who gets exposed by the new daughter in law of the neighbours. I almost wept with relief at the comic relief this story provided. This was also my favourite in the whole collection.
To Slavery Born by Bansi Nirdosh: A man is waiting for his son to start earning before he can quit his job, so he can dump the responsibilities on his shoulders. A little old-school but normal in the past when responsibilities were many, daughters were a burden, and people simply could not manage to save.
Paper Tigers by Sufi Ghulam Mohammad: This was the most intricately descriptive story that I thoroughly enjoyed. Two boys slave away in a bakery preparing bread. When a third boy arrives, he incites a rebellion. Does he succeed or not? Brilliant, and very realistic!
The Call by Roop Krishen Bhat: A Kashmiri family is displaced and moves to Delhi. But the old grandmother is unable to deal with the loss of the homeland and slides into depression. Despite the theme of the story, it was eminently readable and one of the best of this theme. I enjoyed the descriptions of both Kashmir and Delhi and the discrepancies between the two.
Overall, I think this collection could be improved on, but there are also some very decent stories. Some big names are there, and I might try some of their other books to see if it's more to my taste. Next, on to Gujarat!...more
A venture of Aleph Book Company, The Greatest Tamil Stories Ever Told is one in a series of anthologies of short stories from different regional languA venture of Aleph Book Company, The Greatest Tamil Stories Ever Told is one in a series of anthologies of short stories from different regional languages in India. The book has chosen a number of renowned writers from Tamil Nadu spanning a period from the 1930s to modern times. As usual in anthologies, some were brilliant and I didn't care for others. But overall, this was a wonderful collection.
The book has a total of 30 short stories, so I will review only a few of my favourites below.
A Village Experience by SVV: A couple decide to pay a condolence visit to a village when someone in their daughter's husband's family dies. The slow pace of life is showcased brilliantly and humorously. It's also very reminiscent of old India, though pockets of such life remain similar today.
Letters from the Inner Palace by Kumudini: Based on Hindu epics, this is a series of letters between Sita and her mother discussing a new sari for her, between Hidimba and her grandmother regarding the former's marital life, and between Damayanti and her mother discussing a cook for the household. Very humorous and strangely relatable!
Crown of Thorns by Janakiraman: In this one, a schoolteacher is able to get and hold the respect of his students without raising his hand on them at all. However, he still manages to unwittingly wield his power and make one boy miserable for a small mistake. When he realises this, it weighs on him forever.
Snake by Sujatha: A snake is sighted and the village gathers to drive it away. Ultimately, it is a young woman, Vatsala, who is the truly fearless and empathetic one amongst them all. I did not like the ending, but I enjoyed the story very much.
The Solution by Dilip Kumar: This tale centres around a Gujarati family settled in Chennai. When a rat falls into a well, people are very hesitant to use the water until an old lady settles the matter. It's hilarious but also shows how superstitions and half-baked knowledge prevails in the country even today. People live their lives through these with the few resources they are given.
Cetificate! by Anbaathavan: A young man from the Irula tribe is seeking a caste certificate from the government office in order to further his studies. When the officials give him the go-around and make fun of him and his caste, he decides to teach them a lesson. It's brilliant and funny, and should teach people to behave themselves!
There are other wonderful stories such as Penance, The First Night, Journey 4, Ponnuthayi, and Change. There were some duds too and some weak stories from otherwise excellent writers like Kalki and Perumal Murugan were also chosen for this. But overall, the book accomplishes it's purpose: showcasing a variety of Tamil authors and giving a beautiful landscape of Tamil life across caste, gender, and class divides.
I have now purchased ALL the books in this collection, so looking forward to touring India from the comfort of my sofa....more
The Night Train at Deoli and Other Stories is a collection of 30 stories that showcase India. The stories have a slice of life feel to them. Like any The Night Train at Deoli and Other Stories is a collection of 30 stories that showcase India. The stories have a slice of life feel to them. Like any collection of short stories, some are great and some are mediocre, others are average. I usually enjoy a good Ruskin Bond, especially his short stories. But this collection left a lot to be desired.
My favourite stories included The Boy who Broke the Bank, The Prospect of Flowers, A Face in the Night, A Job Well Done, The Cherry Tree, and Panther's Moon. These included an eclectic mixture of memoir, village life, mystery, horror, and social observations.
The longer stories in general were not as good, except for Panther's Moon. Love is a Sad Song was the most terrible short story I have read in a while, about a paedophile man of 30 years old lusting after a young girl of 16. Many of the stories were mildly depressing and many dealt with death. Overall, not too enjoyable but I did like some of the stories. 2 stars....more
I've been fascinated by Malaysia over the past few years. I'm watching the shows & movies, reading (or at least buying) books, and even following someI've been fascinated by Malaysia over the past few years. I'm watching the shows & movies, reading (or at least buying) books, and even following some popular culture stuff. It's definitely a place I want to visit someday. Kebaya Tales gives a tiny glimpse into the lifestyle of the Babas and Nyonyas of Malacca and Penang. They call themselves Straits Chinese and the community has developed through the intermarriage of traders with the local population.
The book starts with some cultural snippets to describe the Baba Nyonya culture, which were enlightening. It's very basic and I didn't learn much new but it's a good addition to this book. There are fifteen short stories, interspersed with pictures of historical Nyonya objects belonging to the author. I would have enjoyed a more detailed look at these, but I enjoyed the stories. As with any anthology, the quality differs widely.
Hiram Manis and the Majestic Mayfair Hair Salon: A story about colourism and how such things can backfire on you. 3 stars
The Peephole: This one was highly evocative. A young child peeps through a peephole and sees things nobody knows about. I didn't quite understand what the purpose was, but the descriptions of life was fun to read. 3 stars.
The House on Jonker Street: A woman with an abusive past comes to terms with her past by purchasing a painting. She never tasted any toast throughout her childhood though she craved for it. Does the future hold any toast for her? Quite evocative in its own way. 4 stars.
Dead Men Tell No Tales: Oh, the untrustworthiness of men! A woman who keeps boasting of her husband's devotion suddenly finds he has mistresses galore when he dies suddenly. Sad, but happens. 4 stars.
Boxed-In Bibik: A nice family drama. The matriarch is dying, and the sons and daughters are fighting about who gets what. Meanwhile, favourite daughter-in-law and the one who hates confrontations, is rewarded quietly. Never happens in real life, but nice to read about! 5 stars
The Bachelor from Balik Pulao: Lian remains unmarried and is hounded by her sister to find a man. When said sister finds a hunchback by mistake, would Lian honour the promise? Interesting perspective. 3 stars.
The Breadman's Bicycle: A young girl's grandmother frowns upon her riding a bicycle, fearing for her wedding day when she would have to display blood. However, she breaks free of the shackles by marrying someone from another culture. 5 stars
The Goddess and the Japanese Officer: War has no winners. This story shows this so well. I didn't want to read about the Japanese occupation, but I loved the underlying theme. 5 stars.
My Old Baby: A young boy is able to see things that others can't, and eventually helps get rid of some evil influences. A horror story that I enjoyed. 4 stars.
The Wedding Photo: Tan Gek Kim stands out throughout her childhood, especially since her name is different than the others in the family. When she finds out the truth, it distances her from the family. 3 stars
Marry Me, Marianne: Peter and Marianne are in love and want to marry. Can they? An indictment of polygamy, which has been outlawed in Malaysia except for Muslims. 4 stars.
The Courtesan from Gion: This is the one story I did not enjoy, though it was well written. A young geisha from Kyoto has been sent to spy on the British during wartime. She becomes the wife of a local man and erases her previous identity. When she is caught, she is given choice between life and death, dishonour and honour. What would she choose? 2 stars
A Promise is a Promise: Bebe is pregnant again and Sue Kwan wants her child. If it's going to be a fourth daughter, Bebe promises to give the baby to Sue Kwan. It's a son, but the fifth child is ... different. Would either want to honour the promise? 4 stars
Son Boy and Sisters: My favourite in this collection. With four daughters and a son, Son Boy's dad is a misogynist and racist. His daughters don't really care and Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald forge their own way forward. I loved the humorous vein in which this was narrated. 5 stars
The Island: Two young kids take pork to an island trip unwittingly. A mild horror story with a fun misunderstanding. 4 stars...more
Mostly you read the core fantasy series and then pick up other books set in the world, but there are times when you just come across a random book andMostly you read the core fantasy series and then pick up other books set in the world, but there are times when you just come across a random book and then choose to read the series. I had never heard of Grishaverse before picking up The Lives of Saints. But it feels divorced from any specific world in general and didn't give me much of a clue for whether or not I actually want to read the series.
There is just one story that actually gave me a clue to what the actual world is all about. The Fold and the Darkling sheathing the world in darkness left me a bit intrigued. But other than this small snippet, I am left basically clueless about this world except that it's a sin to not pray, and that's really not interesting. I usually review all the stories in a book like this but there were too many of them!
The Lives of Saints is aptly named because it is a book about the lives of saints who appear in Bardugo's fantasy books. The saints are mostly boring, pious kids whose only job is to pray and then they become saints. Not praying is the most heinous sin in this book. The themes of the stories were endlessly repetitive in this respect.
Few stories stood out except for a couple. One of them was about women accused of witchcraft and a female saint would rescue them and take them to live a free life away from the dictates of patriarchy. Another one was about using the bounties of nature properly, which again resonated with me. All the other stuff about being constantly pious was rather nauseating.
Might check out the show on Netflix before I commit to the books!...more
I wanted to pick this up because I had read Don't Look Now years before in a collection of short horror stories and absolutely loved it. But after thaI wanted to pick this up because I had read Don't Look Now years before in a collection of short horror stories and absolutely loved it. But after that story was done, I was left with a bunch of duds. Every short story collection has its good and bad bits but this is ridiculous!
Don't Look Now: A couple goes on holiday to Venice to try and get over their grief for their dead child. They meet two old psychic ladies, who warn the wife that they need to get out of Venice. A quirky and totally unexpected end! I enjoyed the descriptions of Venice so much that the story didn't even matter, but the story was even better. If you read just one story in this book, read the title one. - 5 stars
Not After Midnight: A schoolteacher goes to Crete on vacation and I am not sure what happened. An American couple and a passion for hunting treasures were emphasised. But mostly, so boring that I didn't even bother paying attention while reading. - 1 star
A Border-line Case: A woman goes off to visit her father's best friend after he dies. She is then kidnapped by the recluse friend and falls in love with him. A bit of a wtf there for me. Quite disgusting. Some Irish / English politics and terrorism thrown in. Would have liked it much better without the disgusting love angle. - 2 stars
The Way of the Cross: This was the only other reasonably good contribution to the collection. A bunch of tourists go to Jerusalem for sightseeing. As they go along, cracks in their relationships and lives are revealed. However, redemption is achieved. A bit religious in its theme but I really enjoyed the sightseeing through Maurier's eyes. (Wonder if she's ever written a travelogue!) - 4 stars
The Breakthrough: An acoustics engineer is sent off to a remote facility engaged in weird experiments involving a terminally ill man and a mentally disturbed twin child. It was rather depressing and I wasn't sure of the end either. - 1 star...more
Hercule Poirot is now bored of commonplace cases and is looking forward to retire and grow vegetable marrows. An old acquaintance of his challenges hiHercule Poirot is now bored of commonplace cases and is looking forward to retire and grow vegetable marrows. An old acquaintance of his challenges him that he would never retire (remember when his previous such attempt was an utter failure?). He decides to take up only twelve more cases mirroring the task of his namesake, Hercules. Though disdaining the brawny and demoustached Greek legend, Poirot decides his tasks would be more cerebral than active.
The Nemean Lion: Poirot is called in to solve a case of a kidnapped pooch. But there appears to be quite a racket behind the simple case. And he stumbles on something even more serious, preventing a horrible crime. - 4 stars
The Lernean Hydra: A doctor's wife dies and rumours about her murder spread around the village. In a desperate bid to salvage his reputation, he approaches Poirot. - 4 stars
The Arcadean Deer: Poirot is approached by a young man who wants help finding a maid who has disappeared. I found this to be rather boring and pointless. There was no actual crime either. - 2 stars
The Erymanthian Boar: On holiday in Switzerland, Poirot is enlisted to help catch the infamous thief and murderer, Marrascaud, at the top of an isolated mountain. Who is who in this odd little story? - 3 stars
The Augean Stables: Ugh, British politician, status quo, good woman doing charitable works, blablabla, save England! blabla - 1 star
The Stymphalean Birds: I think this is my favourite of all the stories in the collection. A young British diplomat is holidaying in Eastern Europe and gets caught up in a domestic dispute leading to murder. Meanwhile, two Polish women are loitering around ... absolutely brilliant! - 5 stars
The Horses of Diomedes: Who is the real drug dealer and who is the victim? Never like drug stories, but this was good enough. - 3 stars
The Girdle of Hyppolita: A schoolgirl and a precious painting disappear around the same time. Poirot is more interested in the girl. - 4 stars
The Flock of Geryon: Miss Carnaby from the first story reappears, asking for Poirot's help in saving her friend from a cult. This was a little fantastical bordering on bioterrorism, but if you overlook the utter improbability of the murderer's talents, a delightful read. - 4 stars
The Apples of Hesperides: A valuable historical cup has disappeared when the robbers died. But Poirot follows another tack and restores it back to its rightful owner. - 3 stars
The Capture of Cerebrus: Another drug story. Vera Rossakoff makes an appearance in this one, which is always enjoyable. My edition also has a previously unpublished version of the same story, and it was rather interesting to see how Christie developed her plots. However, for the actual story, 2 stars...more
Mark Twain is always a delight to read. Irrespective of the subject matter, his droll humour carries any story on its own. This one is an indictment aMark Twain is always a delight to read. Irrespective of the subject matter, his droll humour carries any story on its own. This one is an indictment against those who forget the dead and don't tend to old graves. Written in typical old-fashioned style of the author as a narrator, this is not a scary story but definitely a fun one!
The narrator has a dream in which a number of skeletons are walking past on the road, carrying their meagre belongings. One finally stops and starts chatting with him, telling him tales of how he and his fellow inhabitants of the cemetery have been neglected. The author promises to write about it and gets permission.
Loading...
