Truth is stranger than fiction

One of the best things about being enrolled into a writing program is some of the opportunities that it brings in the form of literary events. I have always enjoyed listening to authors and hearing about their thoughts on writing process.  Last week, there was one such session with Author Margaret Atwood. Incidentally her book of short stories titled 'Moral Disorder' is prescribed as a part of my syllabus this quarter. The session began with addressing the crazy times that we were living in. It then went on to talk about the aspects of deep reading. Something that I usually do while interviewing an author or when the book is up for discussion in my class. You read a book once and then read it for the second time, looking for certain, crafts, techniques or themes that the author is trying to portray.  Another important aspect about Margaret Atwood is that she grew up during the time of World War 2-an era of gloom. This probably reflected in her writings and her stories were bou...

  Title: Ahalya Author: Koral Dasgupta Genre: Mythology   Its known that Ahalya was the woman cursed by Sage Gautama for entering into a physical relationship with Indra-the king of the devas. This book attempts to delve deep into her life which includes her birth and how she came into existence.    Created by Brahma, Ahalya sees the metamorphosis of Ahalya from a soul to a human body of a woman. It also chronicles her journey of serving sage Gautama, leading an ascetic life, grappling with loneliness and finding solace in nature.   The writing is lyrical and poetic with beautiful imagery. It entices readers into a mystical world of nature and metaphysical components. It mainly touches upon the theme of spirituality-the ability to let go of desires and enter into a higher plane of existence. It addresses the cycle of birth and death. Readers also get a glimpse into the 2 great Indian epics which is related to the main character.  This is the first book of t...

Wrote this based on a word prompt by my writing group and also after my hike yesterday.  Enchanted by the woods So dark and deep The trees so tall Their trunks towering over That made me feel small.  Taking the road less travelled Rocky roads and muddy trails Swept by hues of blues & greens I watched the ducks sail. White flowers and webbed feet Adorned on the moss of green Like a painting on canvas Reflections of nature was seen.  Branches coiled around like serpents  A bright way of beam Seeping through the leaves  Misty and enchanting like a dream.  Swept away by its spell  Mesmerized and in glee How I wish I could bask forever  In this joyful moment that would never flee.  Just another Sunday it was Yet I could feel the magic With every rustle, every sound The language of the woods defied logic. -- 

Book Review   Title: Moral Disorder and other stories Author: Margaret Atwood Genre: Fiction/Short Story Collection   Moral Disorder is a collection of short stories that follows the life of one woman character named Nell. The author chronicles Nell’s life from a young girl entrusted with responsibilities towards her family, wanting to lead an independent life, grappling with changes in societal values, dealing with complexity in relationships until her twilight years.    Some of the stories are written in first person narrative and gradually shifts to third person in the second half of the book. The author chalks out the life of a character in a manner which makes the reader wonder if this could have possibly ended up as a novella instead of a short story collection.  There is a certain element of morbidity in every story showcasing the vulnerabilities of the character. She touches upon themes of change, fear, anxiety, loneliness and also illnesses like Al...

  Title: When you can why not? Author: Kavitha Yarlagadda Genre: Short Stories   It’s good to read some of the works authored by members from this forum called Did you read today.   Congratulations to Kavitha on her new book and wishing you many more such laurels.    ‘When you can why not’ is a collection of stories that reflects certain issues prevailing in the society. It ranges from accidents on the road, sexual harassment at work places, ego tussles with the boss, gossipy neighbors, domestic abuse, child marriage, deforestation, effects of chemicals on residents and attitude towards homosexuality. These characters are relatable and could be anyone that we come across in real life battling similar issues.    It is evident that this book is well researched. The author provides some pertinent information on certain facts and what the law says.  Written in a simple style, this book can be read in one sitting. Touching upon varied th...

Book Review Title: A Burning Author: Megha Majumdar Genre: Fiction Its nomination for the JCB prize for Literature award 2020 and high recommendations from Barnes & Noble piqued my interest towards this book.  A Burning chronicles the story of 3 characters whose lives get intertwined post a devastating catastrophe in India. Jivan is a muslim girl living in the slums whose life takes a drastic turn after an innocuous comment on social media. PT Sir is a games teacher who uses every opportunity to climb up the social hierarchical ladder. Lovely is a eunuch who harbours dreams to make it big in the film industry. When Jivan is accused of being involved in the train blasts, Jivan and PT sir are the perfect alibi to set her free. Yet it will come at a cost.  Written from the point of view of Jivan, PT Sir and Lovely, A Burning captures some complex themes. It mirrors a society that is infested with corruption, racial prejudices and the greedy quest of indivi...

Book Review Title: Where the Irises Bloom  Author:Will Lowrey Genre: Fiction Being a cat lover, I couldn't resist reading this one.  Where the Irises bloom is the story of an unlikely camaraderie that develops between 2  abandoned living beings and how they find solace in each other during the frigid winter season.  The story is narrated from the point of view of a kitten named Fern who finds herself orphaned overnight. Frightened and alone in the cruel unrelenting world of humans, she struggles to survive the bustling city life. Going past the noisy trains, tall buildings, hiding in the corner of bridges, she eventually seeks comfort from a homeless man huddled by an old tavern.  The book deals with the premises of fear and loneliness. It portrays the picture of the big bad world and its attitude towards lonely souls. While there is cruelty towards stray animals, there exists an equal amount of kindness meted out by some good samaritans...

  Book Review Title: Prisoners of Secrets Author: Lata Gwalani Genre: Fiction It's great to read books authored by members from the forum called Did you read today. (DYRT) Prisoners of secrets entails 2 parallel stories which eventually converge into a family drama and unearths secrets. Meera hails from a traditional Tamil Brahmin family in Pollachi. Manual belongs to Kerala and is an English professor in Meera's college. When the two fall in love, it remains to be seen if they manage to break conventional barriers and lead a life together.  The writing style is descriptive and vivid with a great eye for detail. The author manages to capture the nuances that are typical of a Tam Brahm household and also that of a fishing village in Kerala.  Written from the point of view of several characters, the story transcends generations.  It's interesting to note how the characters' emotions blend with nature. Themes of family, marriage and love are touched upon here. The narra...

Book Review Title: Lot Author: Bryan Washington Genre: Fiction Lot is a collection of 13 short stories which revolve around the community in Houston. Most of the stories portray an unnamed narrator's struggles with his identity, striving to gain acceptance and coping with his dysfunctional family. A couple of  stories namely Alief and Waugh that don't involve the unnamed narrator exhibits the larger part of the community in Houston. The characters in these stories  exhibit a considerable amount of vulnerability. The author in his honest and lucid style captures the complexity of  the family dynamics to perfection along with the several emotions of the characters. The theme of community  forms the main premises of the book, making Houston a character by itself in many instances. A couple of the stories indicate the negative connotation of a community which involves malice, prejudices and stereotypes. While the story Bayou e...

It was a Wednesday. Just another ordinary day in the week, inching towards the much-awaited weekend. Yet September 9th turned out to be anything but ordinary. I didn’t wake up to daylight as I normally did. When I stepped out of the door for a run, it felt like having landed into a scene from The Blade Runner movie.    Instead of the pristine blue sky that I was usually accustomed to seeing, it portrayed an unusual shade of orange. The trees were dark. So were the flowers. I blinked wondering if it was a dream. I pinched myself and winced. It was as real as it could get. The sun seemed to have disappeared, leaving us wondering if aliens had overtaken Planet Earth. I gazed at the surroundings. It was surreal yet in an eerie sort of way. It was beautiful yet disturbing. If I didn’t know better, I’d say it felt like being on another planet. Mars perhaps. Is this how Planet Mars looked like? Well I sure did save a trip via Nasa. An attempt at this feeble joke dispelled the bouts o...

The Dew Breaker is a collection of 9 stories revolving around Haitian Immigrants who have been subjected to violence and brutality. All these characters are carrying the trauma of the past while making feeble attempts to move on. The Dew Breaker is an ordinary Haitian immigrant who is haunted by a terrible past. He was a member of a murderous squad and had killed many people before he decided to turn into a new leaf. The word dew breaker comes from the fact that before the break of dawn when the dew settles on the leaf, he would perpetuate all the victims. The stories consist of a daughter finding out about her father's secret, a couple reuniting after 7 years and are keeping secrets from one another, a nurse taking a special interest in a patient, a retired bridal seamstress trying to find purpose in her life, 3 women who find solace in each other and a preacher who is brutally murdered.  While each story can stand out on its own, they are linked in an interesting manner which giv...

Book Review Title: Remnants of a Separation Author: Aanchal Malhotra Genre: Non Fiction/History/Memoir “Objects have a way of inspiring the mind to remember things that it might have forgotten”. This powerful line from this book sets the tone and precedent of what readers can expect from this riveting historical read.  Remnants of a separation is the author's way of revisiting partition and history through certain objects carried by refugees while crossing the border.  The objects range from a pearl necklace, utensils for survival, Maang Tikka, books and  a pashmina shawl.  The book chronicles 21 individuals from India, Pakistan and England who remember their families, journeys and history through these objects. As they narrate their stories, they delve both on happy and horrific memories. While the happy moments melts the cockles of the heart, the horrific moments elicit pain, unthinkable horrors, instances of war, bloodshed, massacre and inhumanity, families separa...

  It's finally here! My book 'A Turbulent mind' which talks about my triathlon journey to Ironman 70.3 has released. Both Paperback and kindle version are available. Its endorsed by Padmashree Shiny Wilson (Former Indian athlete) and Bob Anderson (founder of Runners' world magazine).  For folks in India, you can order it here   https://www.amazon.in/dp/9389058392?ref=myi_title_dp Also available at  CROSSWORD BOOK STORES For International folks, ( outside India) you can order it here https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FRWTS7Q?ref_=pe_3052080_397514860

Book Review Title: How we fight for our lives Author: Saeed Jones Genre: Memoir How we fight for our lives is a stunning coming of age memoir by award winning poet Saeed Jones. He is the winner of the Kirkus Prize and the Stonewall book award.  This memoir captures his struggles as a black gay man in Texas and how he finds a place for himself in the society. He narrates about his experiences of coming to terms with his sexuality, striving for acceptance and his sexual escapades. He also writes about being brought up by a single mother, his mother's heart condition, economic hardships, getting into college and finding his calling in poetry.  There is an unflinching honesty in the writing style with an unabashed narrative tone.This memoir is packed with several themes, elements and emotions. There Is confusion, disappointment, anger, pain and grief while he grapples with his identity and comes to terms with certain incidents. He touches upon the subject of normalcy and find...