Submit your Article

I had heard a lot about British author and screenwriter Dolly Alderton. She is a columnist for The Sunday Times and the author of the hugely popular memoir ‘Everything I know About Love’ which won a National Book Awards (United Kingdom) in 2018. Everyone I know seems to have read Everything I Know About Love and they have great things to say about it. I, for some reason, hadn’t picked up her work despite having come across the memoir and her debut fiction novel ‘Ghosts’. I often took them down from the shelves at the bookstore I frequent, randomly read a page, and put them back.

However, when I came across ‘Good Material’ and read the blurb, I wanted to buy and read it straight away. A story about a breakup while trying to come to terms with the fact that life is passing him by, Good Material seemed like a fun and insightful read. I have to say I enjoyed the book (though not as much as I thought I would when I read the blurb). I think Alderton is a good writer. Her writing is easy to read and immersive. But Good Material didn’t make it to my growing list of favorite books and I don’t find myself recommending it to people either.

Good Material is the story of Andy and Jen, or rather the story of their breakup. When Jen leaves Andy, he is devastated. He doesn’t understand why she wanted to end things when they didn’t have any major issues. At 35, Andy goes back to temporarily living with his parents and his friends before finding an affordable place to rent as a single man as he gets his affairs in order. But things aren’t easy and he feels out of place, adrift without a purpose in life. His friends are married and having babies, and he’s struggling with his career and has no idea where his life is headed. Andy wants to figure out why the relationship fizzled out as he thinks solving that will mean Jen finding her way back to him.

The first 200 or so pages of the book is Andy’s side of the story. He comes across as a good guy, with his heart in the right place. But as with most people, he doesn’t seem to be able to put aside his wants and needs for someone else. As he wallows and whines, you feel bad for him while also understanding why Jen would leave him. In the last 100 pages, you get to hear from Jen and that is when things fall into place. Andy’s version of the story makes Jen sound callous, even though he never portrays her in a bad light. But when Jen narrates her story, you realize breakups are never simple. Every relationship is messy and complicated and it takes a lot of work and sacrifice to make it work.

One of the main (and perhaps only) reason why I’m not raving about the book is because I felt Andy’s portion dragged on. Jen’s bit was enthralling and I breezed through the pages. The story felt complete and real. It was a love story without being a cliché love story. The side characters felt like people I knew. They had a real feel to them even though there’s not much character development. I think I would have loved the book had it been slightly shorter. At its current length, the story tends to bog you down.

Good Material

Dolly Alderton

Published: 2023

Publisher: Penguin Random House UK

Pages: 345, Paperback

Jivesh Jha’s ‘Beneath The Sun: Equality for Everyone The Spirit of Chhath Festival’ offers a compelling exploration of the Chhath festival, delving beyond its religious significance to examine its profound social, cultural, and environmental implications. 

To establish its importance, Jha illuminates the festival's historical roots, intricate rituals, and the values it embodies, providing a comprehensive understanding of its multifaceted nature. The book successfully interweaves personal anecdotes, scholarly insights, and references to Hindu scriptures to present a holistic view of Chhath. Jha's own experiences as a devotee add a layer of authenticity to the narrative, allowing readers to connect with the festival on a personal level.

Jha effectively introduces Chhath as a unique Hindu Vedic festival celebrated with great zeal and festivity in Nepal and India. He emphasizes its dedication to the Sun God, Surya, and his consort, Chhathi Maiya, highlighting the belief that proximity to water fosters a connection with the divine. The author traces the festival’s origins, explaining its evolution from Suryashashthi in ancient times to its current form as Chhath, a distinctive and revered sacred ritual.

The book provides a detailed account of the festival's rituals, outlining the four-day observance that includes rigorous fasting, ceremonial bathing, and prayers to the setting and rising sun. Jha meticulously describes the preparations involved, from cleaning water bodies to crafting winnowing baskets and pottery. The rituals include Machh-Maruwa Barnai (The Vow of Purity), Nahay-Khay (Bathing and Eating), Kharna (The Fast Begins), Sandhya Arghya (Evening Offerings) and Usha Arghya (Morning Offerings), which Jha describes with devotional passion. This attention to ritual details allows readers to visualize the festival’s vibrant atmosphere and the meticulous efforts undertaken by devotees.

One of the book’s strengths lies in its exploration of Chhath’s significance beyond mere religious observance. Jha argues that the festival serves as a powerful symbol of social cohesion, bringing together people from diverse backgrounds, irrespective of caste, creed, or social status. He cites examples of Muslim women participating in the festival, further highlighting its inclusive nature. This inclusivity is also reflected in the absence of male priests or the necessity of reciting Sanskrit mantras, empowering women to take on a decisive role.

The author also sheds light on the festival's economic implications, particularly for artisans and farmers. He notes the significance of using locally sourced agricultural produce in the offerings, promoting agricultural productivity and boosting local economies. The book skilfully demonstrates how Chhath intertwines religious devotion with social and economic well-being, creating a sense of shared prosperity and community.

Jha advocates for the festival's inherent message of environmental consciousness. He meticulously describes rituals such as bathing in natural water bodies and cleaning Ghats, symbolizing purification and reinforcing the importance of maintaining clean water sources. He highlights the use of biodegradable materials like bamboo and clay, emphasizing the festival’s eco-friendly approach.

The author connects these practices to broader themes of sustainable development, aligning Chhath’s rituals with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He argues that the festival’s emphasis on clean water, soil conservation, and the use of organic produce contributes to achieving goals related to poverty reduction, good health, and environmental sustainability. This connection to global development initiatives elevates the festival’s relevance in contemporary society.

Jha eloquently captures the vibrant cultural tapestry woven into the Chhath festival. He describes the traditional art form of Mithila painting, often used to depict the festival's rituals and significance. Additionally, he dedicates a section to the devotional folk songs sung during the festival, emphasizing their role in narrating its significance and conveying messages of equality, social harmony, and environmental conservation.

The author’s inclusion of these cultural elements enriches the book’s narrative, providing a glimpse into the artistic expressions that accompany the festival’s religious observances. The vivid descriptions of the songs, along with their translations, allow readers to appreciate the depth of emotion and cultural significance embedded within them.

While ‘Beneath The Sun’ offers a comprehensive overview of the Chhath festival, there are a few areas where further exploration could enhance its depth. The book provides compelling examples of Muslim participation in Chhath; however, it would benefit from a more nuanced discussion of how different communities within Hinduism experience the festival. The source mentions that Dalit communities may celebrate Chhath separately. A deeper exploration of these dynamics could provide a more complete picture of the festival’s inclusivity.

Jha passionately advocates for the festival's commitment to environmental conservation. However, the book could benefit from acknowledging the challenges to maintaining clean water bodies and promoting sustainable practices, especially in the face of urbanization and pollution. Addressing these challenges would strengthen the book’s call for environmental stewardship.

While the book mentions the use of social media and digital platforms in celebrating Chhath, it could benefit from further examining the impact of globalization and modernisation on the festival’s traditions and practices. Exploring how these forces shape the festival’s future would add a valuable layer to the analysis.

There are minor grammatical errors in the book. The following sentence stands out as an example: “Its the festival which promotes socialism, equality and fraternity among the community members” (Page 25). The correct usage would be “It’s the festival…”. Instead of the ideologically loaded word ‘socialism’, the author could have used the word ‘social harmony’. 

Despite these potential areas for expansion and grammatical glitches, ‘Beneath The Sun’ stands as a valuable contribution to understanding the Chhath festival’s significance. Jha’s meticulous research, coupled with his personal insights, provides a captivating account of a festival that celebrates faith, family, community, and nature. The book effectively highlights the festival’s ability to transcend religious boundaries and promote values of equality, environmental consciousness, and social cohesion.

By illuminating the richness and depth of the Chhath festival, Jha encourages readers to appreciate its enduring relevance in contemporary society. His work serves as a testament to the power of cultural traditions to inspire social harmony and environmental stewardship, offering a hopeful message for a world increasingly seeking sustainable and inclusive ways of living.

Have you ever had a chicken dish at a restaurant and wished you could have it every single day? I have a couple of dishes that I wish I could have for lunch or dinner on a regular basis. But it’s neither healthy nor financially feasible to order your favorite meal like that. So, wouldn’t it be great if you could replicate them at home instead? This way you can ensure the food is fresh and the spice/oil quotient is exactly right.

I often turn to YouTube recipes, especially Ranveer Brar’s channel, to make some dishes that isn’t our usual thing. But trying to cook while watching someone instruct is a harrowing experience. I can never keep up and it always takes longer than the stipulated time. And that is one of the reasons why I like cookbooks. They are easier to work with. Over the last few years, I’ve amassed quite a few cookbooks. I recently got Dan Toombs ‘The Curry Guy’ and it’s become my favorite one so far.

It’s a bright pink book filled with spicy chicken recipes. There’s everything from the classic butter chicken to elaborate kebabs and grilled delicacies. As with most cookbooks I have, this one also has full page photos of the dishes accompanying the recipes. Looking at the photos in cookbooks is one of the best parts of owning so many. I must admit that when buying a cookbook, the layout and presentation of the photos is a deciding factor.

The Curry Guy is divided into seven sections. There’s ‘Starters and Snacks’, ‘Karahi Cooking’, ‘Chicken Curry, Stews and Sauce-based Dishes’, ‘Frying and Stir-fries’, ‘Wraps and Sandwiches’, ‘Barbecue’ and ‘Basics, Accompaniments, and Sides’. Each section has interesting tips and recipes that you, until now, have only had at restaurants. Now, with Toombs help you can make them at home. The best part is that the dishes taste absolutely delicious—the recipes have been perfected in Toombs’ kitchen. You will also come to know about many other cooking styles and restaurant style gravies and curries.

You will learn how to make Dragon Chicken, Punjabi Chicken Samosa, Goan-Style Chicken Vindaloo, Szechuan Chicken, Chicken Rogan Josh, Kolkata Chicken Chaap, Chicken Shami Kebabs, and much more. If you follow the recipe to a t, the dish will taste like a restaurant cooked meal. I also loved the language which is quite conversational and gentle. This book of recipes from South and Southeast Asia will be an essential guide that you won’t be able to do without once you have a copy.

The Curry Guy (Chicken)

Dan Toombs

Published: 2024

Publisher: Quadrille Publishing Limited

Pages: 175, Hardcover

Good fiction overwhelms you with a mixed soup of emotions, some of which you can relate as almost happening to yourself, and others that you can empathize with. The Lincoln Highway brings together ordinary-seeming characters in a real setting, which revolves around the places in and around the titular highway, and creates out of it a grand narrative within which small stories of its character interact beautifully.

Main protagonists are two brothers: the elder, Emmet, who has just finished his sentence at juvenile prison, and the younger, Billy, who is full of curiosity and possesses an intellect honed by his insatiable love for reading and sharp observation. Their father had died of cancer, leaving behind huge debt owing to his failure in an agriculture venture, which led to the foreclosure of their property. With only his car, his loving brother and a mixture of ambition, courage and self-confidence, Emmet plans to ride with Billy Westward along the highway for a fresh start in California. But, if everything goes according to plan in fiction, there would not be a book of more than 100,000 words and if there was one, it would probably be very boring.

Two of the closest friends of Emmet while he was in the prison, Duchess and Wolly, break out of the prison and come to meet him. They join along for the ride, with their own grand plan and purposes. Along the ride, besides the beautiful outer landscape of the surrounding, complex inner world of these diverse characters opens up before the reader. Other than these main characters, there are other supporting ones, who have been portrayed with such richness that one cannot help but hunger for more details about their life and thoughts. Two female characters, who showcase deep inner strength and wisdom, provide variation and diversity of perspective. As we come to know these companions, they are likely to feel, at least partly, like ourselves or some family members or friends we know.

The book starts at the middle of the story, and as the plot moves forward and backward along the timeline, the differing childhood of characters reveals itself. Beyond their diversity of class, geography, and circumstance of their upbringing, there are some commonalities like a sense of loss and lack of belongingness. Readers can enjoy trying to understand the values, thoughts and actions of the characters in the light of their early years, including parenting or lack thereof and family circumstances. Then it would not be surprising to find someone, who never knew his mother and was raised by an absent father, turns out to be shortsighted and self-centered despite good intentions. Or that a sensitive, timid child, growing up in a rich household full of highly ambitious people, with expectation burdened upon him, grows up to be anxious. Also, little Billy’s character reminds us that children are full of wonder, curiosity and optimism that many seem to grow out of as they age. Actions that these characters take, shaped by the coincidence of their birth and childhood, determine how their journey moves forward and where they end up at the climax. In the journey of these characters, conflict of whether fate decides everything or free will is in charge is also palpable.

Different chapters of the book are written from the perspectives of different characters, allowing us to observe the unfolding of some major events from various points of view. When a character commits an act that seems irrational and irritating, gaining the actor’s inner perspective on the same not only makes the act appear more reasonable but also helps the reader develop general compassion—something fiction reading has been shown to foster. Even actions that seem selfish and cause disproportionate difficulty to others become understandable, if not entirely forgivable. 

Hero’s journey is a major theme that the book embraces. Billy immerses himself in a book titled “Compendium of Heroes, Adventurer’s and other intrepid travelers”, a fictional book within the fiction about the journey of heroes through the ages. It traces the lines of a self-sufficient hero going into the world to face the external demons and in the process of struggling to vanquish it, coming to know oneself better, meeting and beating the demons within, thus returning from the journey as a transformed person. This is a journey we can all relate to, be it in the stories we have read, movies we have watched or the life we have lived. 

Billy has a dream of being part of a similar adventure and writing about it himself. The journey he is making becomes an important part of his story, which incorporates the life of his brother, father and other side characters besides himself. And this is not unique in that regard. One of the messages that the book tries to impart is that each of our lives is a journey with so many ups and downs, unexpected twists and turns, love and loss worthy of great story.

At times, it may appear that the story has been stretched too long, going into avoidable tangents but that can be forgiven, given the writer’s willingness to touch many different themes and viewpoints. It even tackles deep moral and philosophical questions of life. The book is likely to take willing readers into a wide ranging emotional roller-coaster. Unable to contain, one may laugh out loud or moist their eyes with an outflow of feelings, whether for the characters or for someone that the lifelike characters remind. Reputed literary critics have said that fiction is best read by making yourself vulnerable, allowing the story to do whatever it wants with you. And for anyone wanting to make oneself vulnerable with the noble pursuit of reading, ‘The Lincoln Highway’ is a worthy choice.