yet again ... getting lost ... then enjoying self-discovery ...

Striking a balance in the world of children  An edited version  has been  published by Deccan Herald here . Thanks to the team at Deccan Herald.  During a recent bus trip I came across a group of school students sing Maati Kahe Kumhar Se, Tu Kya Rondhe Mohe - a song they often began their days at school with.   A few minutes later they followed it up with Chaar Bottle Vodka, Kaam Mera Roz Ka - a song that often accompanied them when there were ‘chilling’ with peers during the later part of the day. Kabir and Honey Singh, one after the other.   This perhaps aptly brought out one of the challenges today’s school-going children  face - trapezing between different worlds. Some of these scenarios the children are able to express clearly. Few years ago I overheard a child convey her frustration to her friend. It was election time and her father and her teacher were at the opposite ends of the ideological spectrum. When at home she would have to listen to he...

Title: Days at the Torunka Cafe  Author: Satoshi Yagisawa  ISBN: 978-1-78658-757-2  First Published: Japanese 2022, English 2025  Pages: 224  Price: 399/-   Six lines on the book First things first. The cover entices.   I purchased a book on whim, after long, and it turned out to be a good companion to 2 of the author’s previous books -  Days at the Morisaki Bookstore  and  More days at the Morisaki Bookstore . There is a special feel to the author’s simplicity, and, the translator too has kept it so. Together they remind us that life is simple, and we can live it better that way,  The author sees no need to project an iota of complexity or intelligence more than the story, its flow, warrants. There is not much that is earth-shaking, or book-shaking here, but the book keeps you glued.  The book reminds us that the normal is so very different for each of us. That there are stories within and around us which we will do good ...

  Evening walks sometimes lead to surprises,  Surprises - around the corner - that do what no planning can,  Suddenly these flowers are there, and only there on the hill,  And, we dare not ask any questions, but do it all, Go close in awe, look with admiration, touch with trepidation,  just be there around them, We do not plan, but are back the next day,  To pay respects, to thank them for being there,  To the beauty that reminded us of Van Gogh, Beauty that, at times, in sheer human arrogance, is brushed aside as weeds,  Walks that gel with the silences around,  Walks that help set the pace of our lives, Walks where we are closer to ourselves,  Walks, one of the reasons we are here, 

A book I recently read, and enjoyed About the book Title: The Lost Bookshop  Author: Evie Woods Publisher: One More Chapter (Harper Collins)  First Published: 2023 ISBN: 978-0-00-860921-4 Pages: 434 Genre: Fiction Price: 599/- What I liked about the book Has 3 parallel stories spanning 2 timelines The author is good with words and has enjoyed writing the book Frequently mentions other books and authors  Characters converse with historical personalities (including authors)   The section where story turns sad was touching  Page turner with the pace picking up towards the end  Different from what little I have read recently Magic realism  Few lines that stood out  It was such a terrible excuse, it must have been the truth It is only in something’s absence that you realise how much space it takes up At least in children’s books nothing terrible happened, and if it did, it always got fixed by the end People don’t like it when you tell them things you s...