Review by The New Sunday Express

 Mrs.Happily Single is creating quite a buzz. 

Some readers like its lovely cover (you can read my post on cover designs), other find its title an intriguing. (Tells you something about our mind-set, doesn't it? I'll be writing a bit more on the Book's title in my next post).

The New Sunday Express carried a review of Mrs.Happily Single recently. Sharing it with you. Let me know if you agree with what the reviewer says.

Book Review by Ashutosh Thakur (Bhaskar Live)

 Ashutosh Thakur has penned one of the sweetest reviews. He calls The Awasthis of Aamnagri a thoroughly engaging read. 

Thank you for the words of encouragement. 

You can also read it here: Review

Coverage by Times of India Adda 24

 ADDA 24 TIMES OF INDIA

Coverage by Sambad & Dharitri Odiya newspapers

Dharitri

Sambad

Coverage by Prameya

 

Coverage Continues.

 Bhubaneswar News:

Odisha Post

Review in OmCom News

 

Review in Political & Business Daily

As any author will tell you, reviews are precious. Whether they are from widely circulating dailies and literary critics or small time newspapers which have a closed group readership. Each review is precious. For many reasons. It gives valuable feedback on how the book has been received by readers, what is it that struck a chord or did not interest them, and thus, guides the author on her journey of self improvement. Each review will tell you something, some more and some less. 

Read on for the review by PBD, Cuttack.

I have never put pressure on myself to write!

Pragativadi literally translates to "the progressive one". It is one of the popular daily newspapers in Odia that has a fairly good readership base in Odisha. They came to interview me as a prelude to the book launch of The Awasthis of Aamnagri as part of their "Sakhyaatkaar" or interview series and I was compelled to do some soul searching to answer their questions. 

One of the recurring questions that have been posed are how I find time to write despite being a full-time professional and part-time home maker. The truth is that I also do not know. What I do know is that I do not indulge in self castigation if I cannot find time to write, I do not push myself to write as I have no deadlines to meet and above all because for me writing is a source of pleasure and self fulfillment. It is not penance. 

For those who cannot read Odia, the headline says: 

"I have never put pressure on myself to write!"

REVIEW BY DEEPAN

The Awasthis of Aamnagri have come. And they are meeting people. From different backgrounds, in different places and with different tastes. 

One such wonderful young man who encountered The Awasthis is Deepan Maitra. He describes himself as:

My name is Deepan and I am a sophomore pursuing Computer Science at IIT Ropar. I am a creativity enthusiast who loves creating and learning new things. A reader and a blogger, I regularly update my opinions on bookish stuff through my social media handles. Apart from that, I occasionally sing, paint and do digital art. I blog at:   https://deepansbookshelf.wordpress.com/

When he first mentioned that he would be reviewing The Awasthis of Aamnagri, I was apprehensive. After all, I was a 40+ writer writing about an age and era when young people like Deepan were not even born. I asked myself, Would he appreciate the story, the setting, the characters? Therefore, when I received this glowing review on Instagram, I was filled with childish delight. I had always claimed that The Awasthis of Aamnagri is a story that cuts across geography and time, that you could belong to any part of India, indeed the world, and you would still enjoy reading it. Deepan's review strengthened my claims. Read along to know what Deepan has to say about The Awasthis of Aamnagri:

‘The Awasthis of Aamnagri’ comes with an old age charm, a pinch of nostalgia and pulls us along memorabilia of childhood, family, joint living and days gone by. It doesn’t take us long to appreciate how effortlessly the stories have a vintage feel to them, and how they carry a smell of the past. 

The Awasthis are a family full of chirpiness, quirk and eventfulness. Their days are marked by ordinary happenings becoming memorable within the blink of an eye—gliding between fun, frolic and hubbub. This book presents itself through a collection of stories, each rooting itself around the Awasthis and their way of leading life. There is an immense touch of joint living, of families bound together by harmony and tradition; firmly affirming the belief that the people in the house would never let a day go dull. 

The main element of the book is an acute and often humourous family drama, which paves the way for the many characters to play their roles amidst hubbub, excitement and vigour. The charming writing style soon takes us into a world of sepia tones and forgotten memories, making our hearts wrench with sweet feelings of homecoming. 

‘Awasthis of Aamnagri’ stays true to the quote that ‘Home is where the heart is’. Truly enough, it makes us realize that there was a point in our lives when all this quintessential drama and gossip was what made our days imbibe colour and vibration. Putting to play some really fantastic simple elements of family mystery, superstitions, secret expeditions, troubles and predicaments—this book has made me go beyond a life cocooned into a nuclear family, over the top of walls sedimented with cement and through roads that lead the way home.  

•••

You can also see the original review with the oh-so aesthetically placed flowers and fruit here: Deepan's Book Shelf or Deepan's Blog

It's a pity you couldn't get mangoes for the picture though, Deepan! 

Coverage by DD Odiya

Who does not remember switching on the black and white television set at 5 pm in the evening to see the yin and yang twining and inter-twining on screen and Doordarshan's signature tune playing in the background? Over the years, presentation has become slick, the anchors and news readers more tech savvy and the tune more refined. Yet, the instinctive feeling of reliability and solidness that the name- Doordarshan- evokes, remain unchanged. 

To have them cover the launch of my second book, The Awasthis of Aamnagri, was delightful. 

 

LOSING YOURSELF IN THE VALLEY OF WORDS

In the last few years, Literary festivals have sprouted faster than mushrooms in the rains. But the Valley of Words is one festival with a difference. Curated with care, it provides an unmatched platform to talented writers, authors and poets to share their creations.

Therefore, when I received the offer to launch by second book, the Awasthis of Aamnagri, at the next edition of the VoW, I was extremely excited. And I was not disappointed. Right from the technical team, that made it possible for the festival to be organized online, to the moderator, Ms.Madhulika, everything was picture perfect. As one would expect in beautiful Mussoorie.

It was also the 1^st launch of my book and I replied to all the questions with brutal honesty. In hindsight perhaps a little bit of diplomacy might have worked better!

Here is a short recording of the book launch programme.

 

Review by RP Singh

Some readers are looking to flip the pages. Then there are others who are sensitive to every nuance. I had the privilege of receiving one such review from a fellow officer. 

As I've said in the past, civil servants are the sharpest critics. You simply cannot hoodwink them. Yet they are also generous in their praise. Thank you RP for writing so beautifully. Better than I could ever have!

I got this wonderful collection of short stories few days back and was lucky to get it autographed by the author herself. 

Having lived at Lucknow and studied at Delhi University, I was inclined to read the stories Dinner at Bukhara and Rain first. It was sheer pleasure reading them. They take you to the places and the culture, however what goes on in the minds of the actors, is what people go through in everyday life – anxieties, insecurities, accidents and so on. 

The unpredictability of life is beautifully captured in different stories, though tragic, but at the same time they bring thrill and tell how life doesn’t stop.

In a humorous and interesting way, the author has also captured social problems like corruption and poverty. The story of Panchei Nani in ‘The Buda’ is unique which in a humorous fashion, captures grave human circumstances arising out of poverty. 

One is also not disappointed reading the stories with supernatural tinge. The excitement and thrill is retained in the ‘A Chance Encounter’ and the ‘Demons within’ till the last minute. Rather, the latter is how a psychoanalyst would peep into a troubled mind. 

Simply written, the stories take you completely into the circumstances of the protagonists. Rather, it is like going through full circle of life. Thoughts and feelings of a child, a bride, a married woman or the old man who come in different stories bring with them a flavor of different stages of life. 

A mix of everything one would expect from a good collection. Difficult to resist going through all of them at one go once you start reading. Hope to see the new collection coming from the author soon.- Ravindra Pratap Singh, IAS

Review by Dr.Kinny Singh

Nothing is more encouraging than to connect with readers who enjoy reading The Fly on the Wall & Other Stories. Here is DC, Siang, Dr.Kinny Singh's opinion: 
"Found this in my District Library and as I was reading and marvelling about the impeccable sense of narrative and gripping stories...”The buda” made me laugh and cry at the same time..immediately wanted to convey my appreciation @Shubha_Sarma Ma’am! you are an inspiration!!"
Thank you Kinny for your generosity.

Seeking out the Essence of Life- Book Review in PBD, Cuttack

Another newspaper- The Political-Business Daily- has carried a review of the book in it's Cuttack (Odisha) edition on April 6, 2014. A beautifully written article that captures the essence of the stories with considerable sensitivity. I particularly liked the choice of ending in the piece- it has used one of my favorite sections of the story "Flesh & Blood".
Read more

Review in Kashmir Times

Fly on the Wall and Other Stories

Author: Shubha Sarma

Publisher: Lifi Publications, New Delhi, India

Year of Publication: 2013

Price: Rs 240                                 Pages: 208

ISBN: 9789382536406

Reviewed by Mushtaq Ul Haq Ahmad Sikander

Writing Short Stories needs a different craft, hold on language and treatment of the subject. Not everybody can write a short story. Writing meaningful and interesting stories requires grasp and expertise of both the plot and language. Unlike writing novels, the genre of short stories is difficult because one’s canvass is small, hence economical use of prose and brevity become inevitable. Inspite of the hardwork and seriousness this craft and genre of writing deserves a lot of writers have proved their mettle while crafting beautiful stories. Shubha Sarma is one such writer whose collection of short stories is under review.

In his foreword to the collection K Satchidanandan writers, “Characters etched lucidly as on ivory, situations that look so real in their contexts, strategies that enhance the fascination of the unfolding narratives, subtle ways of critiquing society’s cant and the hidden greed and violence in human beings, the nuanced condemnation of patriarchy in its various crippling incarnations, styles and modes that perfectly suit the stories being told: all these make this an enchanting collection of highly readable short stories”. (P-xiii)

The collection derives its name from the lead story that describes the dark sexual and lustful character of a doctor whose death causes many people whom he had hurt, brutalized and even deceived to turn nostalgic but each one of them pays rich tributes to him at his funeral. The manner in which these well guarded secrets are remembered and the lip service paid to the deceased, portray a dichotomy, wherein lie the epitome of the story.

The violence that accompanies political ideologies, patriotism and patriarchy has been lucidly described in stories like Flesh and Blood and No Mans Land, where in tussle between loyalty and love ensures. The depiction of human qualities of love and empathy that sometimes over ride one’s loyalty towards an ideology and worldview make readers pause to introspect. The triumph of love over loyalty accompanied by violence conveys a strong message.   

Dinner at Bukhara gives a peep into the life of three friends who meet after a long time with their lives in turmoil. Infidelity, Disloyalty, sexual preferences are discussed among them.

Love appears to be a permanent theme and feature of Shubha’s stories. Sunset Surprise describes lovers who desire to fall in love and who come across each other at a meeting arranged by their parents. The Tabla’s Refrain describes the love of two siblings for their elder brother who has a penchant for music. The father refuses to buy Tabla for his son, so his two little siblings start to sell vegetables to collect money for buying the Tabla. These gestures and sacrifices for love make the reader aware about the belief of Shubha in love. While on one hand we have stories depicting love, Shubha doesn’t seem oblivious about the lack of love in society too. The story The Buda is a testimony of the same. How the old people are considered as burden, even their own family members want them dead. The character in the story mixes death with religious pilgrimage but survives and coincidentally brings money too. That changes the attitude of the family towards the oldie.

Being a civil servant the red tapism, corruption and flaws of the system become manifest in Shubha’s stories like Human(s) Matter, Bitter Sweet and Case No. 33/08. These stories depict how the system ousts those who try to work for its reform. How only the low level clerks meet the disciplinary action while the big fish go scot free. Plus in many cases the enquiries against the erring officials are conducted by other civil servants who subvert the process of justice and reinforce the belief that justice can’t be dispensed by the government.

The collection also contains other stories like Rain where the story weaves multi dimensionally involving multiple plots and characters. It imaginatively depicts what can happen in rain. A Chance Encounter deals with the subject of paranormal activity involving a spirit of a dead man. It is creepy. The Demons Within is a suspense filled mystery dealing with a blind double murder case.

Thus this collection has a story for reader of every taste. It has got no general theme, but it has stories that cater with different plots and characters. The reader finds it easy to be associated with any of these characters and the plots are drawn from day to day affairs. The storyline can be nicely comprehended. The collection is a recommended read as Shubha weaves her stories with human emotions and dedicated honesty of an emphatic soul that leaves an indelible imprint on the mind of her readers. I hope Shubha will continue to write lyrical prose with strong plots and characters in future too. I will look forward towards her next collection.  

M.H.A.Sikander is Writer-Activist based in Srinagar, Kashmir and can be reached at sikandarmushtaq@gmail.com

My book is a 'Potpourri'

This is the second review which refers to Fly on the Wall & Other Stories as a potpourri. First it was The Hindu and now The Pioneer. 
The Free Online Dictionary defines potpourri as  'A miscellaneous anthology or collection: a potpourri of short stories and humorous verse' (Source: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/potpourri)
Indeed some of the stories are humorous, though it is wry humor and not of the slap-stick variety. Others are full of pathos and mixed emotions that stir the reader. It's a great review and I am glad they reviewed the book soon after its launch. I have only one disagreement- unlike what the reviewer states at the end, there is no message for the reader. 
Read the Review

The Reviews are coming in.....

And on an online site (Induswomanwriting.com), that promotes creative writing by Indian women, there is another review.

This site encourages writing and allows contributions to be published online for a wider audience. 

The review is succinct and hard-hitting. It captures, in very few words, the essence of the book. As the reviewer states, I do admit that my stories, at least some of them, are not really short. However, the dictionary defines a short story as "a prose narrative of shorter length than the novel, esp one that concentrates on a single theme". I believe that most of my stories are focussed and deal with one issue at a time. Further, a "short story" is supposed to be shorter than a novel and deals with only a few characters. So my tales will pass both tests and can qualify as 'short stories' though they may not all be very short!

Read more of the review on Induswoman.

Review in Governance Now by Trithesh Nandan

A lot of people have expressed surprise that bureaucrats can write. Some have been astonished that those who spend their lives immersed in officialese are able to write a few pages that does not put the reader to sleep.
This feeling has been captured by the review carried by Governance Now, which finds parallels between some of the stories about government and real life. incidentally, all these were written several years ago and have no relationship to the current developments, which the reviewer alludes to. It just shows that somethings never change.
Read the review
 An officer and a writer: beyond mundane bureaucratic notes

A 'Fly on the Wall' touches theme of different facets of life by a member of Indian civil services.

TRITHESH NANDAN | SEPTEMBER 27 2013

Shubha Sarma, an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, is inspired by Tolstoy, Chekov, O Henry and Indian literary greats like Premchand and Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay. Like these literary greats, Sarma has woven compelling narrative of short fictional stories in her maiden book, titled 'Fly on the Wall and Other Stories'. The book has 13 engaging stories that capture Read more

Oriya Daily Pragitivadi carries news of the book launch