BOOK REVIEW
-Anita Nair
An anthology of short stories that deal with the complexities of human relations.
Part time parent , part time copywriter and full time epicure is how Bangalore-based Anita Nair describes herself . In Nair's maiden anthology, the complexities that underscore human relationships come to fore.
Formulating an overall opinion on her work is a tough task .Her stories being situated in India and America the settings never really chart the course of her protagonists . For Nair, people are the row material , the catalysts of her creative peregrinations .
Satyar of the Subway , the first story in the book begins brilliantly.Basil Bay leaf , a lone middle-aged artist , yearns for the perfect navel that will lead him to his perfect maiden . He eyes " the waves of Waists " that appear and disappear in the New York Subway .Finally , Basil spots the navel ,fantasies about her ,woos the girl and secures her - so he thinks .The artist invites her over. Eventually after plundering the drugged nymph , the Satyr pours himself into her navel , as if desecrating the " ultimate orifice ". Yet again, he seeks his muse in the subterranean would .
Heart of a Gerund is a portrayal of Norah , who lives in an old -age home . A young photographer adds zest to her life by periodically giving her company . The writer rises above the mundane by delicately bringing out the old lady's feelings ."I like the feel of my palm in his . His stubby fingers exude a certain warmth . Suddenly , the crinkled , dry , papery skin of my hands feels like a young girl's .Delicate, Soft,And Smooth . I would like this moment to last forever ".In due course , Norah's world of joy crumbles .She comes across the photographer's prize-winning pictures :in unflattering detail they capture the story of a destitute woman -herself .
A Thanksgiving Tale begins with an evocative description of food on the table . The story revolves around a lonely, old-fashioned lady named Sarah .She believes that her one-time neighbours will always be friends and invites herself to Mike's thanksgiving dinner .Sarah reduces herself to a spectacle by over-doing everything , including talking .Insulted and sensing her inadequacies , she return home weeping . She puts her gnarled hands in the swirling waters of her bath.She slices her wrist with an 'old ' razor blade to escape the 'black-petal led tentacles ".Chilling .
