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The peddler of soaps | Anand Kurien | WLI foundation, India, 2002 | Rs. 120 | pages 211 |


This book has had a really 'professionally' managed launch during the fag end of 2002 with heavy promos and book readings to boot - and of course, I was all curious about the book. And, when I got a chance, I finished it in one sitting - hmm.., not because it was unputdownable or any such thingie, but because, I had (once again) been reading 'Ficciones' prior to this book, and was furious that I had wasted my money on the souped up soap peddler. I wanted to read the whole book before rubbishing it, anyway... And alas, I should have realized early enough that - coming from an ad man, the book was all much ad about nothing!

It is good to be "greatly influenced by M.T. Vasudevan Nair and R.K. Narayan" [1] - but in the end - to quote Anand's favourite Adi Sankara - "nahi nahi rakshati dukrunj karane" - meaning in essence - "grammer won't save you."

... Sheesh! I can go on and on about the novel(?) - its lack of form, laboured content, cliched situations, juvenile attitude, convenient stereotypes, sudden bursts of sanskrit to prove his 'well read' & 'learnt' nature... and even a sudden and totally uncalled for recourse to that much abused 'stream of consciousness.'

Obviously, Anand should realize that a medley of smart one-liners and constant references to one's Dick cannot suddenly metamorphose into a novel, Dickens notwithstanding!

He has truly out shobade'd THE shoba de! Actually, one review [2] of the book talks of the book as "...part fable..." - but in my current uncharitable mood, I would rather call it a 'fart fable'- period. I am aghast that deep terms like 'fable' are abused by authors and 'paperback' reviewers alike!

The story(?) is about an adman - Tipu - who essentially 'chases a skirt' - and she vanishes (too much of the vanishing cream?) in religious riots, courtesy, the so called hindu goons (who else!). It is then, back to the basics for Tipu. Everyone happily dies everafter. There are some interesting incidents in the narrative involving the hindu crowds setting afire, hold your breath, synagogues and destroying zorastrian 'places of worship' etc... (Hey! Don't faint please, I told you to just hold your breath, you can relax now!)

Hmm - on second thoughts, I should say that the book has some +ve qualities though! Like it being an easy read (it does not require gray cells at all, which is fine), nice typefaces and of course it being highly recommended by such literary stalwarts like - Shabana Azmi, Milind Soman, Mahesh Bhat, Shobha De et al. LOL Of course, I should have stopped right there at the title page, but my curiosity got the better of me. I am sorry. ;-)

[1] http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2002/12/12/stories/2002121200380300.htm
[2] http://www.agencyfaqs.com/www1/news/stories/2002/12/17/5300.html
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all rites reversed 2003 ramjee (ramjee swaminathan)
last updated: 3:45 PM 3/31/2003