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The Famous Five … Enid Blyton

November 5, 2025author profile, book corner, book review, book stall, book synopsis, Uncategorizedanne, art, book-reviews, british, dick, enid blyton, five go to demons rocks, five on a treasure island, george, julian, kamlesh tripathi, kirrin cottage, lighthouse, moorlands, movies, shravan charity mission, tattoo, the famous five, timmyshravancharitymission

The Famous Five is one of the most beloved children’s adventure series written by Enid Blyton, first published between 1942 and 1963. The series spans 21 novels, all centred on the thrilling escapades of four children—Julian, Dick, Anne, and George (Georgina)—and their loyal dog, Timmy. Set mainly in the British countryside and coastal regions, these stories capture the magic of childhood freedom, courage, and friendship against the backdrop of mystery and danger.

The series begins with Five on a Treasure Island (1942), where siblings Julian, Dick, and Ann, along with their cousin Georgina, who insists on being called George, are sent to spend their holidays with their cousin at her home, Kirrin Cottage, near the sea. George owns an island called—Kirrin Island—and a dog, Timmy, both of which become central to the adventures that follow. In this first story, the children discover the ruins of an old castle on the island and find a mysterious map leading to hidden gold. Their courage and cleverness helped them uncover the treasure and outwit adult villains, setting the tone for the rest of the series.

Each subsequent book follows a similar pattern: the children go on school holidays, explore new settings (moors, hills, farms, caves, lighthouses), stumble upon suspicious activities or hidden secrets, and end up solving mysteries that often involve smugglers, spies, thieves, or lost treasures. Yet, despite the recurring structure, each story offers fresh excitement through new locations, ingenious clues, and colourful characters.

Across the series, Julian, the eldest, acts as the natural leader—sensible, brave, and responsible. Dick, the quick-witted and humorous brother, balances Julian’s seriousness with his sharp thinking. Anne, the youngest, represents domesticity and caution, often preferring comfort and order but proving loyal and brave when needed. George, the most unconventional character, is a tomboy who rejects traditional expectations of girls. Fiercely independent and short-tempered, she insists on being treated as an equal to the boys and often drives the adventures with her stubbornness and spirit. Timmy, her dog, is as much a hero as any of them—faithful, protective, and courageous, often rescuing the children from danger.

One of the enduring appeals of The Famous Five is Blyton’s evocative depiction of the English countryside. These stories overflow with descriptions of cliffs, secret tunnels, stormy seas, moorlands, and quaint villages—landscapes that become almost characters in themselves. The children’s world is filled with picnics of sandwiches, lemonade, and ginger beer, which have become iconic symbols of carefree British childhood.

While outwardly simple, the series also mirrors the social and moral values of mid-20th-century Britain. Themes of loyalty, honesty, courage, teamwork, and justice dominate every story. The children rely on intuition and reason rather than adult intervention, underscoring Blyton’s belief in the resourcefulness of youth. Adults are often absent, misguided, or even the villains, allowing the children to take control and show responsibility and initiative.

Throughout the adventures—whether rescuing kidnapped scientists in Five Go Adventuring Again, uncovering smugglers in Five Go Off to Camp, or thwarting criminals in Five Have a Mystery to Solve—the Five exhibit a blend of innocence and daring that continues to inspire readers. Their adventures reinforce a sense of moral clarity, where good always triumphs over evil through courage, loyalty, and friendship.

Enid Blyton’s clear, direct prose and rhythmic storytelling made the series immensely readable for children. Her focus on dialogue and action over description keeps the pace fast and engaging. Despite occasional criticism for outdated stereotypes or class attitudes reflective of the era, the books remain celebrated for their imagination, adventure, and timeless charm.

By the final book, Five Are Together Again (1963), the characters retain their youthful spirit and love for adventure, embodying an ideal of friendship and integrity that transcends time. The series’ consistent formula—a mysterious setting, a moral puzzle, and a thrilling resolution—makes each story familiar yet exciting.

Ultimately, The Famous Five endures not just as a collection of adventure tales but as a literary celebration of childhood freedom, courage, loyalty, and the joy of discovery. Blyton created a world where children, unburdened by adult interference, confront challenges with moral strength and curiosity. More than seven decades after its debut, The Famous Five continues to captivate readers across generations, offering a nostalgic glimpse into a simpler, braver, and endlessly adventurous childhood.

Written and posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

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BOOK REVIEW: ARISTOTLE’S POETICS: A Foundational Text in Literary Criticism

October 20, 2025article, book synopsis, book talk, book talk,, Uncategorizedaristotelian, aristotle, epic, euripides, kamlesh tripathi, philosophy, plato, poetics, poetry, shravan charity mission, socrates, sophocles, the soul of tragedy, tragedyshravancharitymission

Aristotle’s Poetics, written in the 4th century BCE, is one of the earliest and most influential works of literary theory in the Western tradition. Though originally part of a larger body of work, only the section concerning tragedy has survived in full, while other parts, especially those dealing with comedy and epic poetry, are largely lost or only referenced in later writings. Despite its incomplete nature, Poetics has had a profound and lasting impact on how literature, particularly drama, is analysed and understood.

At its core, Poetics is Aristotle’s attempt to systematically explain the principles of dramatic art, with a specific focus on tragedy. Drawing from earlier Greek drama and the works of playwrights like Sophocles and Euripides, Aristotle establishes a framework for evaluating and constructing effective tragedies. His method is analytic and empirical: he studies successful tragedies to derive general principles, rather than constructing abstract theories without reference to practice.

One of the central concepts introduced in Poetics is mimesis, often translated as “imitation.” Aristotle asserts that all art is essentially an imitation of life, but this imitation is not mere copying. Instead, it represents a process of distillation and representation through which the artist conveys universal truths. In tragedy, mimesis takes the form of portraying serious and complete actions that evoke specific emotional responses from the audience.

Aristotle identifies six essential elements of tragedy: plot (mythos), character (ethos), thought (dianoia), diction (lexis), melody (melos), and spectacle (opsis). Among these, he places the highest importance on plot, defining it as “the soul of tragedy.” For Aristotle, a good plot must have unity, meaning all its parts contribute to a single, coherent whole. It should also possess a beginning, middle, and end, adhering to a logical and chronological sequence of events.

A key feature of an effective plot, according to Aristotle, is peripeteia (reversal) and anagnorisis (recognition). Peripeteia is a sudden reversal of fortune for the protagonist, often from good to bad, while anagnorisis is the moment of critical discovery or recognition, particularly of a character’s true identity or situation. These elements are central to achieving the emotional effect that Aristotle sees as the primary goal of tragedy: catharsis.

Catharsis, one of the most debated concepts in Poetics, refers to the purging or purification of the emotions of pity and fear that tragedy is meant to elicit. While scholars disagree on whether Aristotle meant catharsis as a psychological cleansing or a moral-ethical clarification, it is clear that he viewed the emotional experience of the audience as essential to the function of tragedy. By experiencing intense emotions in a controlled environment, the audience gains insight, self-awareness, and emotional balance.

Character is the second most important element after plot. Aristotle emphasizes that characters should be “good,” “appropriate,” “lifelike,” and “consistent.” However, he makes it clear that character is subordinate to plot: it is not the portrayal of character that makes a tragedy powerful, but how the characters serve the unfolding of the action. The protagonist of a tragedy is typically a person of noble status who possesses a tragic flaw or hamartia—a mistake or error in judgment—that leads to their downfall. This flaw is not necessarily a moral failing, but rather a misstep that triggers a chain of events ending in catastrophe.

Aristotle contrasts tragedy with epic poetry, noting that while both share many elements, tragedy is more concentrated and immediate. Epic poetry, exemplified by Homer’s works, can encompass many stories and span long periods of time. Tragedy, by contrast, confines itself to a single plotline and typically takes place within the span of a single day. This concentration, Aristotle argues, gives tragedy a greater intensity and impact.

Though Poetics focuses almost entirely on tragedy, it laid the groundwork for centuries of literary criticism and theory. The Renaissance saw a revival of Aristotelian principles in the dramatic unities of time, place, and action, which were extrapolated from his emphasis on unity of plot. Later thinkers, including German philosophers like Hegel and Nietzsche, further developed Aristotelian ideas, while modern theorists have both built upon and challenged his assertions.

Critics of Poetics have pointed out its limitations, especially its narrow focus on a particular type of Greek tragedy. Aristotle privileges structure and form over thematic depth or emotional complexity in character, which contrasts with later literary traditions that emphasise character development or social commentary. Moreover, his prescriptions for drama may seem rigid when applied to diverse literary forms across cultures and time periods.

Nevertheless, the enduring influence of Poetics lies in its pioneering effort to systematize literary analysis. Aristotle’s emphasis on structure, causality, and emotional effect continues to inform the way stories are told and understood, not only in literature but also in film, theater, and even narrative psychology.

In conclusion, Poetics represents a milestone in the study of literature. Aristotle’s dissection of tragedy into its constituent elements and his articulation of how and why it works remain relevant to this day. While the specifics of dramatic form have evolved, the core questions Aristotle raised—about the nature of art, the function of narrative, and the emotional impact of storytelling—continue to resonate in contemporary discourse.

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Book title: Gloom behind the smile by Kamlesh Tripathi

October 12, 2025book synopsis, book talk, book talk,, Uncategorizedgloom behind the smile, kamlesh tripathi, shravan charity mission, worldcatshravancharitymission

Follow the link in WorldCat. Happy reading.

https://www.worldcat.org/title/gloom-behind-the-smile/oclc/694547181

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Book Review: The Roads of Destiny … by O Henry

September 24, 2025article, author profile, book corner, book review, Book review and excerpts, book stall, book synopsis, Uncategorizeddavid, kamlesh tripathi, literature, mutton, O Henry, poem, poems, poetry, shravan charity mission, the roads of destiny, writingshravancharitymission

O. Henry’s The Roads of Destiny may not be a structured poem, but it carries a poetic spirit by way of exploration of fate, choice, and the unpredictable nature of life. The story is about a man named David who stands at a crossroad, literally and figuratively, and each road represents a different future. Through this branching narrative, O. Henry entreats readers to ponder how small choices can lead to vastly different outcomes, and how fate can shape our lives in ways we don’t expect. Although written in prose, the theme and emotions in the story are rich with poetic meaning.

The story’s central theme is how fragile and powerful our choices could be. O. Henry conveys that even decisions that seem minor can send our lives into different directions. Life is full of small, quiet moments that later turn out to be incredibly important. A step to the left or the right might not seem significant in the moment, but later it could be the reason why everything changed. Every decision holds a potential. Life is made up of many such turning points, often unrecognized until we look back.

Closely tied to personal choice is the grip of fate. In each stage of David’s life, no matter which road he takes, he ends up facing difficult or tragic outcomes. This suggests that fate has a stronger grip on our lives than we would like to believe. The author doesn’t present fate as something harsh or cruel, but rather as mysterious and unpredictable. We walk ahead thinking we know where we’re going. But the road can suddenly curve into a completely unexpected direction. This uncertainty gives life its beauty and its difficulty. The poetic lesson here is that though we may have no control where the road leads to, we still have to walk it.

Life’s unpredictability is another theme that gives the story its emotional weight. David’s various life unfolds in unexpected ways, proving that no plan is ever guaranteed. Even when we try to do the right thing or follow a certain path, we can’t guarantee how things will turn out. O. Henry’s storytelling reminds us that surprises, both joyful and tragic, are always around the corner and they will get you. This paradigm of unpredictability is common in poetry, where meaning often emerges in layers and can shift with time or mood. Just like an intricate poem, life unfolds with twists and surprises that challenge our understanding.

Time also plays a pivotal role in the story. It moves forward no matter which path David takes, and it never pauses or gives him a second chance. The passing of time gives weight to our choices because we rarely get an opportunity to revisit them. This is another idea that feels deeply poetic: time is always moving, and once a moment passes, it becomes a memory. The story implores readers to be mindful of the time they have and the decisions they make within it. It also encourages reflection. Looking back at the roads we’ve taken and wondering how things might have been different.

Regret and reflection are intertwined themes that show up throughout David’s story. Each life he lives seems to carry a shadow of what might have been if he had chosen to live differently. This idea is emotionally powerful because almost everyone, at some point, has wondered “what if?” Regret isn’t always a loud or dramatic feeling. It can be quiet, something that lingers as we look back into the past. O. Henry captures this subtle emotion in a way that feels similar to poetry, where a single line can express a lifetime of feeling.

The author uses irony in a poetic way. In each of David’s paths, he faces hardships despite choosing different directions. This irony teaches us that even when we try to avoid danger or seek happiness, we can’t always escape what life has in store for us. The roads of destiny seem to curve back towards difficulty no matter which road he chooses. This twist reflects O. Henry’s trademark storytelling style. In poetry, irony often reveals the hidden truths and helps readers think more deeply about life’s contradictions.

Perspective is another layer that deepens the story’s meaning. Often, we only understand the importance of a choice or event after the time has passed. What appears small at the moment may turn out to be life-changing. Just as a poem seems confusing at first and later makes perfect sense, our understanding of our own lives also changes with the perspective. This reminds us to look at our lives with curiosity and patience. The meaning of life sometimes reveals itself slowly.

All these ideas connect to the phrase “difficult poems make easy mutton.” Though it’s a playful and unusual expression, it captures an important truth: sometimes, the things that are hardest to understand at first—like complex poems or life’s confusing events—can later become clear and deeply meaningful. Just as tough meat becomes tender after careful preparation, a difficult story or experience can eventually offer comfort, insight, or wisdom. The Roads of Destiny is that kind of story. At first glance, it seems simple, but the more you think about it, the more it says about life, choice, and the strange, beautiful mystery of where we end up.

Written and posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

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Bhibhuti Babu The Writer of Pather Panchali

September 20, 2025article, author profile, autobiography, book corner, book launch, book review, book synopsis, city, column, Uncategorizedamar prem, aparajito, apur path, aranyak, bengali novel, Bibhuti babu, bibhuti bhusan bandyopadhyay, burudi dam, calcutta, chander pahar, creativity, dalmia hills, food, ghatsila, gourikunj, india, kamlesh tripathi, kharkhand, pather panchali, rajesh khanna, shakti samanta, sharmila tagore, shravan charity mission, song of the road, story, subarnarekha, supriti murmu, technology, travelshravancharitymission

TIMES OF INDIA: 15/6/25
WHY A SMALL JHARKHAND TOWN STILL ADORES THE WRITER OF PATHER PANCHALI

    Flanked by a restless Subarnarekha river and an unassuming railway line that runs through the small town, Ghatsila reminds you of idyllic Nischindipur, where Satyajit Ray’s iconic Pather Panchali (Song of the Road) unfolds. It’s a drowsy, almost diffident, place that seems to have been bypassed by time.
    Maybe the resemblance is not entirely coincidental. This is where celebrated writer Bibhuti Bhusan Bandyopadhyay, who penned the unforgettable Bengali novel, spent many creative years of his life and breathed his last at the age of 56 in 1950.
    The finest works of Bibhuti Babu, as every one refers to him in Ghatsila, include ‘Aparajito (Undefeated)’, ‘Aranyak (Of The Forest)’, and ‘Chander Pahar (Mountain Of The Moon)’. Director Shakti Samanta’s ‘Amar Prem’ (1972), a melancholic story of unrealised love, starring Rajesh Khanna and Sharmila Tagore, was based on a Bandyopadhyay short story, Hinger Kochuri.
    It has been 75 years since he passed away. But Bibhuti Babu remains Ghatsila’s calling card. Hotels are named after him. So are sightseeing spots, libraries and grammar schools. He is present even on restaurant menus. In fact, the writer is everywhere.
    Ghatsila is nestled in the lap of the Dalma hills in Jharkhand’s East. Singhbhum district shares a border with West Bengal’s Jhargram and Purulia districts to the east and north, and Odisha’s Mayurbhanj to the south.
    At the spot where NH 33 turns towards Ghatsila, the Jharkhand tourism department has built a hotel called Bibhuti Vihar. The town also has a Bibhuti Inn, owned by a businessman. A popular hotel on the banks of the Subarnarekha is named after a spot where the writer used to sit on moonlit nights, and that he had named ‘Ratmohana’ (charmer of the night).
    The house where Bibhuti Babu lived is located in Dahigora, now the poshest part of the town. The residence is called Gourikunj, after his first wife, who died during childbirth. The road leading to Gourikunj is called Apur Path– the road of Apu, the protagonist of the semi-autobiographical Pather Panchali.
    There’s more. A local society for the preservation of Bandyopadhyay’s house and his legacy is called Gourikunj Unnayan Samiti. Says its president, Tapas Chatterjee, “Nobody commands more respect than Bibhuti Babu in Ghatsila.”
    “Not an inch of his house was encroached upon, even though nobody lived there for 57 years. In 1950, when Bibhuti Babu died, his second wife, Rama Chattopadhyay, and son Taradas Bandyopadhyay, who was three then, left the town. Taradas ji gave us the NOC to construct this memorial in 2007, three years before his death. In between, the house lay in utter neglect and ruins.” Chatterjee said.
    The Samiti also runs a Bengali language grammar school on Sundays, called Apur Pathshala, and a library called Bibhuti Smriti Sansthagar in Ghatshila.
    A cultural festival is hosted every year on September 12 to mark the writer’s birth anniversary.
    The story of how Bibhuti Babu came to live in Ghatsila is fascinating.
    According to Chatterjee, a contractor from Ghatsila called Ashok Gupta had taken a loan from the writer when the latter was working as a teacher in Calcutta. Unable to pay him back in cash, Gupta decided to register the house in Ghatsila in Bibhuti babu’s name.
    “Bibhuti Babu wanted his younger brother, Nutbihari Bandyopadhyay, who was a doctor, to settle in this town and had visited Ghatsila in 1938. He fell in love with this house and the town and never returned.” Chatterjee said.
    Since he was already an established name in Bengali literature, many other Calcutta writers, including Sahitya Akademi Awardee Gajendra Kumar Mitra (1908-1994), Pramatha Nath Bishi (1901-1985) and Subodh Ghosh (1909-1980), also built homes in Ghatsila. Bimal Roy’s ‘Sujata’ (1960) and Gulzar’s ‘Ijaazat’ (1989) were based on stories written by Ghosh.
    However, all left in due course. Except Bibhuti babu, who stayed on and wrote some of his most famous works in this town.
    As a writer, Bibhuti Babu shared a special bond with the quiet jungles on the town’s edge, the free-flowing river and forest dwellers. He had witnessed the exploitation of natural resources in the name of development when he went to Bhagalpur in Bihar as the assistant manager of a forest estate in January 1924. That assignment left a lasting impression on the writer and funds mentioned in works such as ‘Aranyak’ and the essay, ‘Hey Aranya Katha kao (Oh Forest, Speak)’.
    Ghatsila is full of such natural spots, like Burudi dam, Phuldungri Pahar and the banks of the Subarnarekha, where Bibhuti Babu would sit with a pen and notebook for hours.
    Situated 54 km from Jamshedpur and 240 km away from Kolkata, Ghatsila is a favourite of tourists from Bengal. Nearly 80% of the population here, including tribals, now speak the Bengali language. The locals, however, rue how some things are no longer the same. “Earlier, tourists came for longer durations, a month or, at times even longer. They would rent out homes and stay like locals. Since they came here for a change of air, we called them ‘changers’,” said Rohit Kumar, manager of a private lodge in Ghatsila’s Phuldungri.
    The new-age tourists come for a day or two. The neighbouring hill town of Belpahari in Jhargram district of West Bengal offers better amenities and takes away a major chunk of tourists.
    But appreciation of the legacy of Bibhuti Babu isn’t confined to visitors anymore. Supriti Murmu, wife of prominent Jharkhand state agitation leader Bablu Murmu, says, “I was drawn to this town because of Bibhuti Babu. As a student of Bangla literature, we were influenced by his writings and wanted to experience the rural life he portrayed in his books.
    Supriti Murmu used to be a prominent left-wing student leader and was pursuing her graduation in Bangla literature in neighbouring Jhargram when her activism and her love for the writer brought her to Ghatsila in 1987. “I have been here since then,” she said.
Bandyopadhyay’s works and his love for the forest dwellers resonate with the local tribal population as much as his books appeal to the Bengali intelligentsia.
At Gourikunj, his real legacy is the bond shared by everyone. An artist from Bengal recently painted scenes from Bandyopadhyay’s daily life in Ghatsila on the boundary walls of the house. On his birthday anniversary, girls from tribal communities decorated Apur Path, the lane leading to the house, with beautiful Santhal patterns in the form of rangolis. Everyone and everything is coming together to celebrate their one and only Bibhuti Babu.

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Dramatic Ends, Enduring Bonds: A Tale of Three Love Stories published in City Essence magazine

September 5, 2025article, Book review and excerpts, book synopsis, book talk, Uncategorizeda service of love, kamlesh tripathi, o henri, romeo & Juliet, short story, shravan charity mission, The gift of magi, william shakespeareshravancharitymission

Don’t miss my article that discusses and compares three love stories written by William Shakespeare and O Henri. Happy reading.

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BOOK CORNER: THE FINAL DIAGNOSIS by Arthur Hailey

August 25, 2025book corner, book launch, book review, Book review and excerpts, book review, book synopsis, book stall, book synopsis, book talk, book talk,, Uncategorizedamputation, art, arthur hailey, books, doctor, food, joseph pearson, kamlesh tripathi, medical, pathologist, pennysylvania, shravan charity mission, the final diagnosis, travelshravancharitymission

Illness … doctor … pathologist … investigation … diagnosis … treatment. Yes, I’m talking about THE FINAL DIAGNOSIS by Arthur Hailey.

At times, even an ace pathologist might have to send his findings in the form of slides to two experts who are contemporaries in the same discipline. Where one might say the tumour is malignant and the other non-malignant or benign.

So then, what does Chief Pathologist, Dr Joseph Pearson, finally script as his … final diagnosis? The basis on which the surgeon would have to decide whether the amputation of the leg is required or not. The pathologist is often known as the doctor the patient seldom sees.

In ‘THE FINAL DIAGNOSIS’, author Arthur Hailey unveils the tension-packed drama that is being played in the mammoth complexity of a great hospital. A world where one faulty diagnosis or one irrevocable error precipitates into appalling tragedies.

In the enthralling story, there is a continuous struggle between the Chief of Surgery, Kent O’ Donnel and Dr Joe (Joseph) Pearson, Chief Pathologist, who was once an ace pathologist, but with the passage of time, he has stagnated, which he realises towards the end of his career.

The book also describes the struggle of a young pathologist, David Coleman, who happens to be Dr Joe Pearson’s deputy, in terms of restoring the standards of a hospital laboratory. Controlled by the ageing but once brilliant doctor Joseph Pearson, Hailey takes us behind the reception areas, and into those emergency rooms and the bustling world of medicine, to reveal those hidden corridors of a world that the patient never gets to see.

The centre of action is the three-counties hospital in Burlington in Pennsylvania. The novel has a plethora of characters … the prime being:

Orden Brown—Chairman of Three Counties Hospital

Eustace Swayne—Board Member and a retail magnet of a departmental store empire.

Doctor Joseph Pearson—Chief Pathologist around whom the entire novel revolves.

Doctor Kent O’ Donnel—Chief of Surgery and Head of the Medical Board.

Doctor David Coleman—Deputy to Doctor Joseph Pearson

Doctor Charles Dornberger—The baby’s doctor … Paediatrician

Doctor Lucy Grainger—Orthopaedic Surgeon

Hilda Straugham—Chief Dietitian

Vivian Lobourton—Trainee nurse

Mike Seddons—Doctor

Alexander and his wife, Elizabeth.

The language is moving and precise, with tailor-made sentences that fit the bill. There is usage of high-toned vocabulary, but it doesn’t give that shade of verbosity. The intensity and tone of the sentences change as frequently as the change of scene. The flow of the book gives you a feel as if you’re seeing and not reading—something close to a movie. Most descriptions are vivid as if you are witnessing the scene. Especially, the ones that describe the happenings in autopsy, pathology and even surgery.

The novel makes an important point for doctors through the Chief Pathologist, Dr Pearson. One should never give up his or her pursuit as far as the latest inventions in the medical world are concerned, no matter how much pressure of work there is. For that was the sole cause of doctor Pearson’s failure. And that holds good for any career today.

And the scenes when Vivian is diagnosed with cancer and when Alexanders lose their newborn baby because of a faulty medical blood test report in the hospital are nail-biting and highly emotive.

I would give nine out of ten to this book. So, don’t just miss it.

One last point—I was amazed at the manner in which these doctors smoked in the hospital and drank at parties. And to their patients, they must be canvassing otherwise. It is said about authors that they try and paint the real picture of the times when the novel was written. I now believe in it ever more. This novel was written way back in 1959. Pick it up even if you have to find time.

Written and posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

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Book Review: Awadh Assam And Dalai Lama … The Kalachakra

August 19, 2025article, book launch, book review, book synopsis, book synopsis, Uncategorizedart, awadh assam and dalai lama ... the kala chakra, china, food, india, kamlesh tripathi, photography, shravan charity mission, tibet, travelshravancharitymission

‘Awadh Assam and Dalai Lama… The Kalachakra’ has been archived in several prestigious institutions, both in India and internationally. Here’s a summary of its archival presence:

📚 International Archives

Department of Information and International Relations (DIIR), Government of Tibet: The book is archived in the DIIR, which is responsible for the administration and dissemination of information related to the Tibetan Government-in-Exile.

Tibet Policy Institute (TPI): The TPI, an institution that focuses on research related to Tibet, has archived the book, highlighting its relevance to Tibetan studies.

Personal Library of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama: The book is included in the personal collection of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, reflecting its significance in Tibetan history and culture.

The Ohio Digital Library, USA: Your book is available in this digital library, making it accessible to a global audience interested in Tibetan and Indian history. (Holy Books)

Apple Digital Library: The book has been included in Apple’s digital library, broadening its reach to readers worldwide.

🇮🇳 Indian Archives

Friends of Tibet Library: This library, dedicated to preserving Tibetan culture and history, has archived the book.

Maharashtra Mitra Mandal Library, Bandra, Mumbai: A prominent library in Mumbai has included your book in its collection, making it available to local readers.

These archival placements underscore the importance of the work in documenting the historical and cultural narratives of the region.

Written and posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

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Book Review Video: Lajja by Taslima Nasrin

August 19, 2025book synopsis, book talk, Uncategorizedkamlesh tripathi, shravan charity missionshravancharitymission

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BOOK REVIEW: THE EPIC OF GILGAMESH

August 18, 2025book review, book review, book synopsis, book synopsis, book talk,, Uncategorizedassyrian mounds, austin henry layard, book-reviews, books, british museum, enkidu, flood, historical-fiction, iraq, ishtar, kamlesh tripathi, literature, mesopotamia, mesopotamiam, nimrud, nineveh, nk sandars, penguin, shravan charity mission, tablets, the epic of gilgamesh, uruk, utnapishtimshravancharitymission

The review refers to the Penguin Classics edition titled ‘The Epic of Gilgamesh’. The title is compact, about 125 pages, but accurately informative. The Epic poem is broadly narrated in prose. This English version with a lucid and accessible translation, and an introduction by N.K. Sandars is quite suitable for comprehending the gist of the work. The edition also offers practical tools like a glossary of names and a map of the ancient Orient. ‘The work of synthesis has been accomplished with a remarkable degree of tact and imagination,’ writes The Times Literary Supplement, a literary review platform. The spine of the book is divided into two broad parts: One is the ‘Long Introduction’ of 59 pages, followed by the text of ‘The Epic of Gilgamesh’.

The ‘Long Introduction’ is divided into multiple parts. It begins with the primitive history of the Epic and the discovery of the tablets on which the Epic is written. The tablets pertain to the heroic age of excavation in the mid-nineteenth century. In 1839, a young Englishman, Austin Henry Layard, set off with a friend on an overland journey to Ceylon, but in Mesopotamia, he was delayed by a reconnaissance of Assyrian mounds. The delay of weeks was stretched to years, but it was at a time when Nineveh and Nimrud (cities in Iraq) were excavated. It was from these excavations that Layard brought back to the British Museum a great part of the collection of Assyrian sculptures, along with thousands of broken tablets from the palace of Nineveh. When Layard began excavating at Nineveh, he hoped to find inscriptions, but in reality, what he found was a buried library and a lost literature.

The book gives a historical and literary perspective of the Epic. It recounts the protagonists of the Epic. It describes the principal Gods of the Epic in bits and tells the story.

The second part of the book opens with the introduction of Gilgamesh in Uruk. It is followed by the entry of Enkidu, their journey to the forest, followed by the appearance of brash and proud Ishtar (the goddess of fertility, love, sex, and beauty). Ishtar is enraged when Gilgamesh rejects her marriage proposal. This is followed by the death of Enkidu. Thereafter, Gilgamesh goes in search of everlasting life. He learns about the profound truth from Utnapishtim, who isthe king of Shuruppak, an ancient city in Mesopotamia. He learns from him that “Life, which you look for, you will never find. For when the gods created man, they let death be his share, and life withheld in their own hands.” The message is clear: immortality is beyond human reach. The narration then goes on to tell the story of the flood myth. ‘For six days and six nights the winds blew, torrent and tempest and flood overwhelmed the world, tempest and flood raged together like warring hosts. When the seventh day dawned, the storm from the south subsided, the sea grew calm, the flood was stilled; I looked at the face of the world and there was silence, all mankind was turned to clay.’ The message was: Death is inevitable. The narration further describes the return of Gilgamesh, and equally moving are the verses that conclude the epic, climaxing with Gilgamesh’s death.

“The king has laid himself down and will not rise again,

The Lord of Kullab will not rise again,

He overcame evil; he will not come again,

Though he was strong of arm, he will not rise again”.

These lines express the splendour of the work. It leaves the reader with a sense of decisiveness and reflects on the frailty of life. Though translated into prose, the text retains a sense of grandeur and weight. The language, while sometimes lacking the fluidity of modern English, conveys the heft and rhythm of an ancient oral tradition. Certain passages are especially striking, such as the description of the flood.

The Epic of Gilgamesh remains not only a foundational work of Mesopotamian literature. It is also one of humanity’s earliest explorations of universal themes, such as friendship, the inevitability of death, and the search for meaning in the face of mortality. This Penguin Classics edition, with Sandars’ insightful introduction and careful translation, makes the epic accessible to modern readers without losing its ancient depth.

Written & posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

Author, Poet, & Columnist

https://kamleshsujata.wordpress.com

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