Maa Pasalapudi Kadhalu

This book is a collection of short stories, 72 of them at one place, the stories by Vamsee, the director I have come to admire a lot more after reading his stories.. these were published in the weekly Swathi, which again, I personally admire a lot.. followed by the sequel Maa Diguva Godavari Kadhalu, which I guess, is yet to take a book form.  Thanks to Vemuri Bala Raam for such wonderful publications in the magazine.

Baapu provided pictures to the stories and as usual it is tough to say which one is the best, the stories or the pictures.  The combo of these two writer and artist to me is awesome.

I have never really been to Godavari districts but through his writings he makes me smell the river Godavari, play in the sand next to the river, enjoy the moonlit nights by the river, smell the pootarekulu and almost hear the voice of the characters and even go through ups and downs in the lives of the characters that are so realistic.  I read in an interview of his that his technique is part real and part fiction but it seems so real to read, just like someone is telling you the story or actually it is happening in front of your eyes.. someone with an association to villages, not just Godavari would most certainly relate to the stories in a most personal touching way.. I do.. and you may like as well, so this book falls in my suggestions for GREAT READS.


Image Source.

The Help

I take this opportunity to earnestly urge one and all not to miss this compelling read by Kathryn Stockett. The Help is a story of three women set during a time when segregation is still at large in America. This novel mainly explores the lives of the black domestic help in a  small southern town. The story is told not only from the view point of Aibileen and Minny both black maids in white American houses but also from Miss Skeeter, a young white woman who wants to write a book about "the help".

I especially liked the ending because it seemed realistic. There were consequences for the risk taken and all was not so well in the end. But of course, it could have been worse.