THE LITTLE PRINCE - the book that showed me who I was and where I belonged...

" I ask the indulgence of the children who may read this book for dedicating it to a grown-up. I have a serious reason : he is the best friend i have in the world . " - Antoine de Saint Exupey in the 'dedication' in The Little Prince.

From even before the start of the story, the novella has you . A simple narrative that talks you through the experiences of the Little Prince , a boy from an asteroid ( Asteroid B-612 ) , who has set out to explore other worlds and make friends , clutches the reader till the end . Through the innocent conversations that the Prince has with the myriad creatures he meets , Saint Exupery has given the child reader a better understanding of his childhood and the adult reader a fuller understanding of who they themselves are . With frank and childlike words of the Little Prince and the wise words of those whom he encounters , the reader is very freely and effortlessly , exposed to deep truths of life . For instance , when he says , " It is such a mysterious place , the land of tears . " or , " What makes the desert beautiful , is that somewhere it hides a well ..." . The Little Prince , I believe , has the power to charm the reader of every age , of any mindset , and therefore , I would say , take a bite off this book's share of humour , serious and sorrow . It is bound to be a journey like you've never experienced before . And if you do dare to read it again on another day in another year when you are the wiser , you will once more have embarked on a journey as you never before did ! 

In Custody by Anita Desai - A review

From the very first line one floats through the mind of Deven , the seemingly timid and introverted hero in the story . As the tale advances , one begins to discover the plight of Deven , alone in friendship , as he tries to find a place for himself in the society .  Deven , a teacher of Hindi in a college in a small town called Mirpore is called on by his supposed old pal , Murad to interview the poet of his dreams , perhaps India’s greatest living Urdu poet , Nur . The narrative shifts subtly between sarcasm , satire , comedy and tragedy . It flames sympathy , ridicule and deep thought as it carries the reader forward through Deven’s attempt to free himself of his dreary life in Mirpore and his quest for recognition as a keeper of Urdu . One clearly feels the excitement , anxiety and anguish in Deven’s heart every time he is subjected to various ordeals in an attempt to accomplish the tasks given him by Murad , a complete opposite in character to himself . The novel bases itself on the decline in culture , a change in the mindset of people towards modernity , how Urdu is then losing its significance and the passive war between Hindi and Urdu . At the same time it ponders upon the complexity of human relationships . Amidst all this stand pusillanimous Deven , ruffian Murad , beaten Nur and all the rest of their acquaintances .

A witty play of words , vivid descriptions and thought provoking issues put together , this novel is an indisputable masterpiece meant for both the quiet and disconcerted reader . With many a lesson to teach it places itself among the must reads . 

It was written and shortlisted for the Booker prize in 1984 . 

Angle

Each morning we look at the mirror . Then we walk away .

We fail to see the enormity of our existence . We focus on the spotlight . It is there , except the light comes from elsewhere . But we stare straight ahead . We are standing , but merely on a wooden stage covered with cloth . The spotlight casts the shadow of us and our image on an empty floor in a deserted room . But the shadow is weak and the room is empty . 

Look around I did . The light from the open windows blinded me . The closed doors I did not see . I climbed on to the polished stage . I turned my back on my reflection in the mirror . It walked away , as did I.