Book Review:"White Man Falling"

Book Review: “White Man Falling”

Author: Mike Stock

Publisher: Harper Collins

White Man Falling is quite interesting title for any book; it certainly raised my curiosity level so much that I picked up this book right away. And the book does not disappoint me at all. This book is written by Mike Stock. This is his first novel. As his name Mike Stock suggest he is not Indian citizen but still he able to write is first novel based in India. This may be because although his name does not tell his true nationality. He is Indian or he might be traveling in India for long time. If he is just a traveler then work he did is commendable as his portrayal of a Indian family, their emotions, their beliefs, rituals and their psychologies is spot on. He did his research very well and accurately.

The introduction of novel says that this is some kind of comic book, and when you read the plot you also have same feeling. It is a story based in a small city of south India. There is one Sub-Inspector R. M. Swaminathan who is prematurely retired from service as he got paralyzed while beating up a thief. Book tells the story of his troublesome life where he has to mind big family consist of wife and six daughters. With six daughters his worries multiplied six times because he has to make arrangement for the dowries of all six daughters. And all this he has to manage in his paltry disability pension.

When I read this much details I thought it will be like any other Indian story in which poor father with many daughter try all sort of legal, illegal ways with lots of funny twists in it as the book is self proclaimed comedy. But what book tells his somewhat different story. There is a twist in the story, twist of white man falling. So book has a perfect title to go with.

As retired Sub-inspector R. M. Swaminathan going through his misery days when he was not able to cope with his handicapped life and pressure of marrying his daughters. He also made many suicide attempts but that too proved unsuccessful. One such misery full day when he was roaming in the city a white man that is a white skinned foreigner falls from sky at his feet. And then onwards his life totally speeds up things start happening with him. At first things took bad turn so dejected again he tries ro end his life again. This time his attempt with some one else’s help gets more successful and he reached to comma. And when he gets out of comma he finds whole new world waiting for him. The same white man and comma helps him to be a spiritual guru of people and all the negative things around him turn positive by it self.

The book reminds you the work of famous Indian author R. K. Narayan. Especially his book Malgudi Days but it may solely because both are based in South India. The book has many comic elements so it can be called as comedy but it is mainly because of the first part of the book. Second part is more serious stuff with some pinch of comedy. It has little element of “Sorry Bhai” by that I mean one of the daughters fall in love with a brother of her supposed to be Groom. That is really well crafted plot in the book. I enjoyed that the most.

Overall it was fun to read this book and I will suggest all of you to read it. If I have to rate the book I will give 7 out of 10.

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Book Review: The Shadow Lines

THE SHADOW LINES

A Novel by “Amitav Ghosh”

‘The Shadow Lines’ is novel written by one of the well known and celebrated Indian author Mr. Amitav Ghosh. This novel is “Sahitya Akademy Award” winner which is very much prestigious award in Indian literature. And this recognition by Sahitya Akademy led me to read the book.

This book is released in way back in 1988. Amitav Ghosh has really distinctive style of writing. His novel doesn’t have the big glamor, romanticism, heroism or drama like others. But it is more intense, sensitive, moving and more close to human emotions. The book is about a boy and his world through is eyes and his imagination. It is about his uncle who teaches him to travel the world through his imagination. It’s about his grandmother and struggle through her life after husband’s demise to raise her son without taking anyone’s help. It is about boy’s cousin Ila, his love interest who invariably brakes his heart. And it is about many such people. But more importantly is based on the backdrop of riots in Calcutta and post-partition Dhaka in 60’s, as well as in London in 60’s and in wartime of 1939 in London.

The author manage to shape up the book as a web of memories of a person, he starts describing from one point which led him to various situations. His interpretation not time or place bound, he keeps on moving in past and present or from Calcutta, to London or Dhaka. It is like solving a puzzle, he is arranging the pieces one by one and after some time he comes back to point where he started from and rearrange and start other side of it. It deals with relationship, history, myths, politics, humor and many things.

As the name Shadow Line suggest the author builds story builds the story around the lines drawn between people and nations. Which has been drawn by some unfortunate circumstances or by someone else or the character in the novel themselves draw it; but they could not wipe it away nor could they get accustomed to it. So there comes agitation invariably in nations or relationships of individual.

In simple words the book is remarkable and brilliant. It would move every sensible man. If I have to rate the book I will give it 10 out of 10. The book will find top spot in anyone’s personal collection.

www.switch2life.com