Book Review : The Amazing Racist

The book “The Amazing Racist “ is the debut novel written by Chhimi Tenduf-La, is a story of an English teacher who is in foreign country Sri Lanka pursuing his career and story revolves around his stay there and why he decides to settle there forever.

Book cover:

The front cover of the book is well designed and attractive which tempts the reader to start off. The wheel chair in front cover makes one think what is all about and who needs it and suspense it maintained till one reads three fourth of the book.

Author: 

Chimmi Tenduf-La is half English; half Tibetan grew up in Hong Kong, London, and Delhi and finally settled in Colombo, Sri Lanka with his family.

Plot:

The story starts with Eddie Trusted trying to convince his would be father in law Thilak Rupasinghe in most hilarious manner. Eddie’s love for Maneka is kind of blind as he sees nothing in front of Maneka’s beauty, even Maneka’s shrugging off responsibility attitude.

Story takes an interesting turn when they both are married with lots of persuasion and tradition change for Eddie. The story not only essays chemistry between Eddie and Maneka but also beautiful understanding between Eddie and his father in law Uncle Thilak.

Kiki, daughter of Eddie and Maneka is the key string between Eddie and Uncle Thilak. After Maneka’s continuous visits to different cities made Eddie and Uncle Thilak co-care takers of her; to such an extent that Kiki does not like her mother’s company.

Reader will be over the edge while reading the incident when Eddie decides to travel with Kiki leaving behind Uncle Thilak. The description of scenario and conversation between Caroline, Eddie’s colleague is so intriguing and upon that Kiki’s constant series of questions make Eddie take a decision that was unexpected.

Eddie missing Maneka and Uncle Thilak is described so sensitively that one can easily relate to it and connects with the story very well.

Caroline and Gagan characters make and witness the relationship of Eddie and Maneka go through many bumps.

Likes:

• Emotions of father and grandfather are strikingly essayed.
• Details of continent Sri Lanka are described in hilarious manner and compared to weird things.
• Author has beautifully understood sentiments of a cancer patient and portrayed them very well.

Dislikes:

• The title Amazing racist is justified in first chapter itself, it could have kept hold for further chapters.
• Chapter headings could have been written instead of chapter numbers, as headings keep you hooked and under the mystery of the title.

Final word:

The narration is free flowing and the characters are so well framed. Go get grab your copy to read the story of a foreigner falling in love with the beauty of things which he hated once. One will fall in love with Eddie Trusted and his amazing racist Thilak Rupasinghe.

Book Details:

Name: The Amazing Racist

Author: Chhimi Tenduf-La

Genre: Fiction

Publisher: Hachette Book Publishing India Pvt. Ltd

ISBN: 978-93-5009-912-4

Pages: 232

Price:  Rs 399

My Rating: 4/5

This review is a part of the biggest Book Review Program for Indian Bloggers. Participate now to get free books!

@Sonal

Roar Of Victory - Haiku

source

Running on race track

Heart beat soaring each second 

Aim is set today

Crossed the final line

Time to assess the hard work

Scream of contentment

 HeedingHaikuWithHA and MindLoveMisery’sMenagerie.

@ Meenal

Looking Back - Landay

Source

Looking back I sit to deeply think

what I need to take along with me in life ahead.

I take many lessons, friends along
mended hearts with smiles and satisfaction to nurture.

This is Landay series, it is originated in Afghanistan. It is a folk couplet that is oral in nature 22 syllables broken into two couplets (nine in the first, thirteen in the second).

Sharing with BJ Shadorma & Beyond, Poetry Jam - Looking Back. 

@Sonal

Thank you for Versatile Blogger Award/ Very Inspiring Blogger Award

Being a blogger we strongly believe that the power in writing is indispensable; this is a precious asset, which is owned by blessed ones. A write up can exhilarate tremendous strength that touches the soul. If a ray of light is a writer then it has the power to diffract through a prism, which can paint the world in any of the seven colors.

Around one year before when we started our painting with words, stepped in the blogger community we had no idea and were little anxious as how things will turn into but now we are pleased to share with you all that we have more than 150 posts in our pocket. Plus the appreciation of co bloggers and their valuable comments made us to evolve and explore a lot. “Blogging is a world of constant learning”.

We are happy to be nominated for the Versatile blogger award by Shweta Dave and for VeryInspiring Blogger award by Vishal Grover.

According to the rule we are supposed to mention seven facts about us.

1. We, Meenal & Sonal, the co-authors of this blog are sisters staying distant apart where this blog is like realizing our dream of writing.

2. Our writing genes are dedicated to our father, we remember how we used to listen to his poems and ponder if we could ever write.

3. This blog was created to spread positivity through our writing and each post of our blog comes out with a positive aspect.

4. Each post published is first discussed on it’s positivity first, and if we feel there is nothing happy or learning in it, then whole idea is dropped.

5. Poetry is our strong point which we enjoy writing and that can be said by the facts that all our most loved posts are poems.

6.Writing is what prioritized at this blog, we appreciate and criticize each other’s writing for the best to be published, as each post is special and with a purpose.

7. One can say if Meenal is soul of blog then Sonal is heartbeat; life does not exist without two.

We love to be part of blogging community getting to know each other’s writing styles and thus learning many new set of things. There are many wonderful blogs, but as list is limited to 15, we nominate following bloggers for the awards.

Ravish Mani : My Way Of Looking

Alok Vats : Tech Acid

Nimi Arora : Quest For More

Cifay Shayar : Iamhat(Moments)

Namrata Kumari : Namrata Kumari

Tomichan Matheikal : Matheikal's Blog

Anita :The Explorer Of Miracles

Poonam Khanduja : Stir Your Souls

Megha Haware : Life is Just a Bowl of Cherries

Vinita Dileep :Reflections

Vinay Leo : I Rhyme Without Reason

Lata Saun : We Rebel

Nabanita Dhar : Random Thoughts

Uma Maheshwari Anandane : Momscribe

Saravana Kumar Murugan : Few Miles

The rules for accepting awards

• Display the award on your blog
• Thank the person who nominated you
• Share 7 facts about yourself
• Nominate 15 blogs
• Link your nominee’s blogs and let them know

@AuraOfThoughts

Time to Rejuvenate

Life is filled with lots of ups and downs; sometimes it takes a full swing and at times the path leading to our destination seems bumpy. These things give jitters and make us feel low and lonely. At that instant of time we badly need somebody beside us or we try to divert our mind by spending time with the company we feel comfortable with. There is a lot of strength in togetherness and I believe that, Life = Being together.

Being a mom I find solace when my kids are around. Children are life of a house, their innocent questions often make us dumb stuck. They care for every little thing, very tiny thing motivates them and their gentle heart treats each one equally. These qualities made me think on the various aspects, we elders can learn from them. Yes, a child is our mentor and a reminder of things, which blurs out as we grow up. We as parents and elders teach our young brigade but in turn there is lot to be learnt too. Thus there is no end of our learning; a little thing can teach us the depth of life. Angela Schwindt very beautifully quoted “While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about.”

There are many such incidences which made me ponder and gave all the answers to my questions and motivated for a fresh start. One such incident I would like to share with you all.

One day I was dusting a windowpane, which faces our garden. Suddenly I screamed seeing a huge muddy caterpillar at the windowpane, I hurriedly looked for a newspaper to throw it and took a deep breath after his fall.

My daughter was observing all this and asked me, “mamma why did you threw that caterpillar away?”

“It was so dirty”, I answered and started off again with my work.

"But mom caterpillars are meant to live in dirt, it is their home; how can you call it dirty? Where will it go leaving its house?” she worryingly asked peeping through the window.

This one question was an eye-opener for me and surprised me what an innocence child have. I understood that it is we who give tags to everyone like dirty, bad, and good. But we forget that all creatures big or small are part of our world. Each one is unique in some way. My little daughter taught me a big lesson that is to respect each one. So every time I spend with my children is a great value to me, and I treasure that together “we” time as the innocence of a child is an astounding quality that spreads love and happiness everywhere. Their purity sometimes amazes me and that is the only reason why I think that why have I grown up; instead I want to remain as a child for my complete life where there is a peace of mind and happiness.

Housing.com too treasures together time of loved ones and believe in holding loved ones in journey called life. Visit them for more togetherness at https://housing.com/

@Meenal

A Letter beholds Emotions

Hello! I am a letter; I behold abundant emotions with me. Today, I share few of them with you all.

I know how much each one care and miss their dear ones. I take the responsibility for dearer messages to loved ones and of course sometimes the news which no one would like to receive.  One can say that I have a strong heart as I encapsulate within me all the happiness as well as sorrows. 

There were times when I was written but was not sent, yes! That has also happened many times. Not all letters reach the destination; thinking that we have shared something to the person we are addressing but are not sent for many reasons. But at that moment of time a letter soothes the heart and serve as a companion to a lonely soul. Those unsaid words are deep buried within me.  I am very close to heart and kept very safely as I am reminder of one’s expression.

I used to travel long distances in search of you even overseas just to tell you how someone have put out their heart to give you this message through me. Long waiting time for my arrival has now just vanished as I reach you within seconds as hand written letters are the thing of past. Today I have evolved and evolved and in a way refined and walking still with you but with a change. From postcards to inland letters to emails I keep up to date with the technology .Though the way I look or the means I take up to reach to the desired person changed but  I still have intact the same emotions flowing and it will flow forever and ever.

Signing off

With lots of feelings

-Letter


Sharing with Indispire edition#55 - The Unsent Letters. Weave a story on Indiblogger

@Sonal

Change - A Golden Start

We all know change is a part of life and it is very important aspect; without which the arena or the way we are living our life is not possible. But what matters much is the degree of change and to what extent it will affect our life. Normally, we like change when it is more swiftly done, when there is not much reshuffling of our routine; sometimes few changes go unnoticed because they have a meager effect on our life. Moreover we accept change when we are prepared for it or when we have a little idea about its after effects. It’s beautifully quoted by Jim Rohm that” Your life does not get better by chance, it gets better by change”.

 I remember a change that completely transformed my life. I was a science stream student, which I chose by my interest and confidence at start; but after the repeated attempts I could not make it to my desired college, all the interest in it vanished. I was motivated by my parents that my hard work is not less and my dedication towards studies shall not go in vain and asked me to look into other options. I decided to take up computers as my field and test my hard work. I was completely supported by my family and I surprised all; that I not only completed it with zeal but was one of the university toppers. Allan W Watts quote “The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it and join the dance” absolutely fits in my scenario. This graduation was kind of start of a new life to me, which motivated me to complete my masters too in same field. After this startling change I have always-accepted change with a big smile be it a tasting a new dish at restaurant or moving into new city, I say “Welcome ChangeJ”

My life is more blessed because I welcomed the change, took chance, which resulted in making my living more comfortable today. Sometimes trying something new can welcome a bright perspective. One has to overcome the fear and routines in time to welcome a blossoming change as it can make your path more beautiful and rosier. One could fear of strange things, for some it may be a routine while for other’s it’s a bet of life; important is to rising above that fear.  Ralph Waldo Emerson very aptly quoted “Always do what you are afraid to do.” 

My final say is “Life always has paths with sharp turns, but a change in our vehicle called mind can make the turns smoother”.  Thus, change is nothing but reorganizing, refining, remolding our priorities to metamorphose into a better individual.  Look up to setbacks with a different angle you are surely to find a new start which is waiting only for you. One can be inspired by this video too.

                     

I share my thoughts with Housing.com that also believes in good change that signifies to move ahead in life for better future that surely starts a new life. #StartANewLife. Reach Housing.com by clicking https://housing.com/

@Meenal