I don’t really like to read short stories because of the way most short stories end. The ending makes me feel very unsettled. I spend considerable amount of time trying to imagine how the story would pan out, after the author left me hanging in a cloud of suspense and drama.
The first collection of short stories I read would be A quiver full of arrows by Jeffrey Archer. I borrowed the book from the lending library near my home ( Bangalore) I can see the road and the library in my mind. I can even see the billboard across the road with the sign “Hashish to Ashes, Dust to Dust, Say no to drugs”. But I can’t remember the name of the road. it was a major road and the library was at the junction of woods street and the major road. ( If anyone knows what I am talking about, do leave a comment.. It bothers me terribly when I can’t remember something). There was an ice cream parlour two shops from the library. If I saved the bus fare by walking ( abt 45 minutes one way), then I used to bus fare money and bought Kulfi from the ice cream shop and ate the kulfi while reading the book. I had only started to read books seriously around that time and Jeffrey Archer was/is one of my favourite author. I was so excited to get another book written by him. I didn’t even buy Kulfi that day and I took the bus back home, so I could sit quietly in my room and read the book. I was so disappointed that the book I thought was another master piece was nothing but a collection of short stories.
I do try my darnedest to stay away from short stories !
My friends know my love for books and when they come over, instead of bringing me a bottle of wine ( for my health, they say), they buy me books. The Gurkha’s daughter stories by Prajwal Parajuly was given to me as a gift last weekend. I feel terribly guilty if I don’t read a book given as a gift, it feels like I have betrayed the gift giver, especially because the gift giver has painstakingly picked a book from Indian Subcontinent, knowing how much I love all things Indian..
I know nothing about Prajwal Parajuly..I read the book last night and very rarely an author can make me travel to a different world..I could almost see Kali and her cleft lip and money inside the Liv 52 bottle.I hoped Kali wouldn’t find her way to the red light streets of Mumbai..If an author could make me feel those emotions..then to me, he is the best of the best.
I have absolutely enjoyed reading the book.
Woods street is in between Brigade Road and Residency Road. But then, I don’t know where exactly Brigade Road ends and Hosur Road starts.
I don’t normally like short stories myself. And that is probably because they end too fast. By the time I reach that world, the story is over. Will try this book.
URT: It has to be Hosur road, if you take a left near where the library, walk about 10 minutes, there was a catholic hospital, a bit more further, there was a short cut to the right that would take you to the market next to Jacobite church..Have I got it all muddled up after 25 years or am I making any sense?
St philomena’s hospital? Don’t know which Church you are talking about. All saints? But there is no market there. May be I don’t know if it. I have been here since mid 2002. Even then, you know the place better than me. ..
URT: Yes, St. Philomena hospital.. it is on your left side if you turn from Hosur road coming up from Ulsoor towards city. There was a short cut on the right that would take you to the St. Gregorious jacobite church ( marrett achan was the priest in 1994) and the Johnson market was somewhere near the church.. I have only been to the market a few times, it was very traumatising to see the head of goats on display in the meat market.
Is it Richmond road by any chance? 🙂
Asha: it is Hosur road, Richmond road would be the other end of woods street, where there used to be a famous bakery. My first easter egg was bought there.
I love kulfi. I have beautiful memories of the kulfiwallah ringing the bell and me being given 10 or 15 or 25 paisa by my mom on summer holiday afternoons and running without shoes to get the kulfi on the stick. It tasted divine…can still taste the cardomoms..
To get that kulfi had to read newspaper editorials daily.. after hefty negotiations, I would reluctantly read it and then savor the kulfi..:)
MS: We weren’t allowed to eat any food from icecream/kulfi wallah. Amma used to say they sold Thuppal muttai/ice cream/kulfi etc because when they were hungry or thirsty, they would lick the muttai. kulfi etc and put it back in the container. I only had kulfi that too without my mom knowing in my late teens..that too from reputable shops.. I was too scared to eat thuppal muttai.
If someone told me what your mom told you, even I would not touch it.. When I first moved to the US, my colleague told me not to get food from the Chinese place called ‘Yip’s’. I used to love it.. she told me that it was ‘cat food’. I did not know what cat food was since, in India cats eat the same food and some leftovers, unlike special cat food here. I took it literally thinking they served some kind of cat meat that I did not detect. That was the last time ate from the ‘Yip’s’ franchise. I can see developing aversion to ‘Thuppal muttai’ 🙂
MS: 🙂
yes the gurkha’s daughter is my favourite book too. i love the kaali story so much. have you read the other stories. the book keeps on getting better and better… i love the title story, its a work of genius, id say… keep writing
Anna: I loved “let sleeping dog’s lie” the most because I could visualize the chocolates inside the glasscase..As a child, I remember going to the shops with Amma and drooling over the chocolates that were inside the display cabinet with the glass cover.
My favourite story in The Gurkha’s Daughter was the Immigrants. There was so much romantic and perhaps sexual tension between the protagonists that I didn’t want the story to end at all. The entire book felt like a movie that you dont want to end. I am excited about Parajuly’s new book.
JHolland: I agree with you that the entire book was like a movie that you didn’t want to end. It was a brilliant piece of work.
Nice blog. My favourite story was the father-daughter story. I cried when it ended. I wonder when Parajuly’s next book is out.
Aubrey: I hope he will write more..
Just did some googling. Its apparently out in November in Asia and in January in Europe and Australia. Very excited.
Aubrey: Thanks
His second book is out in a week!!!!!!