Truth is stranger than fiction

It was thrilling to receive a mail from Crossword Bookstore which stated the book launch event of Jeffrey Archer's new release called 'Only time will tell.' My excitement knew no bounds as I looked forward to spending the Sunday evening with this renowned Author. His books took me back to my naive adolescent years where I had transgressed from Enid Blyton's faraway tree tales and had moved on to a mature form of literature. The first book I read was 'Not a penny more, not a penny less'. His language was exquisite and powerful. No doubt it helped me improve my proficiency in the foreign language as I went on to read his Kane and Able. It made a great impact on me. So did his 'As a crow flies, A prisoner of Birth' and his short story collections. Sunday arrived and the store was half crowded with his diehard fans eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Author. At half past seven, he graced us with his presence. He threw a broad smile at the crowd which was fo...

I fondly recollect those good old days of summer vacation especially. Free from school burden, the lazy hours were spent dutifully flipping the pages of the all time favourite Amar Chitra Katha. The tales of the God and Demi Gods indeed ignited a mystical feeling within us. As children, mythology never failed to fascinate us. Probably this was what helped in inculcating the right values as we grew into big swans, ready to face the world. Morals from these tales were imbibed in our subconscious minds which helped us in crossing the hurdles in life. Philosophical quotes derived from these stories inspired us to take things in our stride. These Comic books undoubtedly influenced our thoughts and ideas to a large extent. It is sad to know that the Author of these works-Anant Pai who is fondly known as Uncle Pai is no more with us. He will be missed and may his soul rest in peace. Amen. RIP Uncle Pai.