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Book Reviews
If
Review by G. Swaminathan
 If
anyone with a language skill than with an innovative concept can be
considered as a writer, Neeru Nanda’s short stories collection ‘If’
qualifies for a good writing. Nanda’s writing is commendable but the
ideas are either hackneyed or too contemptuous. Somehow the writer fails
in her efforts to keep the readers’ mind engaged. Because when you
complete one story you are not eager to move to the next; on the
contrary it makes you sit sad and disturbed with misery. If this be
considered as the success of the writer? Well then, it is.
There are eleven stories in the book and all of them are contemporary
themes only. A short story can have an open ending or a surprise twist.
If the expected appear as the end the reader feels disappointed; at the
same time the conclusion should not be too obtuse also.
Surprisingly, Neeru’s narrative goes quite cynical in many places than
being lyrical, eg. ‘His Father’s Funeral’ and ‘Room No. 38’. The first
story ‘The Peak’ alone stands out fresh and different; the gross
materialism of this world and the depressing naivety are juxtaposed
effectively. Even here, in the end one cannot but feel miserable.
Contrasting to the contents, the most impressive aspects of the book are
the simple but elegant cover and good quality printing. Life is not fair
to many; life is not beautiful to one and all. Yet we have to live in
this world. We come to terms with it or not still life goes for every
one. ‘If’ tries to explore the sordid sides of several such lives.
April 30, 2006
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Book Reviews
The Week of April 30, 2006
Nepal
Maoists: The American Connection and More by Rajinder Puri
India's Reservations Controversy by Dr.
Subhash Kapila
America's One Trick Pony of Band-Aid Policies by
Gaurang Bhatt, MD
Is Sonia above Law? by V. Sundaram, IAS (Retd)
The Education Crisis : Private Vs Sarkari by
Usha Kakkar
Charisma Vs Caste by Usha Kakkar
Are you Safe on Network? by Ruchi
Gupta
Women and War by Dr. Prasenjit Maiti
The Rising by Deepti Priya Mehrotra
Human Limitations: Is it possible to overcome
them ? by TA Ramesh
Banishing Poverty & Illiteracy: Instant Solutions
by Swachid K. Rangan
Europe: The Ageing Continent by Mehru Jaffer
Mahabharata – The Harvest of Hatred by Satya
Chaitanya
Are You the Right Man? by Dr. Krishna
Saksena
A Trip to Self Realization by Surjasikha
Ganguli
How to Choose the Right Book for your child?
by Garima Gupta
Hysteric about Headache? by Dr.
Savitha Suri
The Food-Mood Tangle by Neeta Lal
Remembering Zimbabwe of Old by Dr. Amitabh
Mitra
Trip to the rainbow nation South Africa –
Johannesburg by Jayati Chowdhury
Kenya: Killing her Softly for Playing by
Kwamboka Oyaro
Self-made Stithprajna by J. Ajithkumar
When I was Humbled by Arya Bhushan
Jacky's Gruesome Death by P. Mohan Chandran
An Actor and a Cause – Comparison by MH Ahsan
Re-Evaluating Gulshan Nanda by Satish Chandra
Singh
Pyaasi Ghaggar by Kusum Choppra
What makes Rats Perky and Dinosaurs Tardy?
by VK Joshi
Positive Blip on HIV Radar by Nitin Jugran
Bahuguna
If : A book review by G. Swaminathan
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