Title: Half Pants Full Pants
Author: Anand Suspi
No: of Pages: 221
Genre: Non-Fiction
Publisher: Hector Beverages India Pvt Ltd.
I had been toying with the idea of reading this book and somehow I couldn’t. Maybe because I believed that non-fiction was not my cup of tea. And then, this book happened.
Review:
Half Pants Full Pants is a collection of 38 childhood anecdotes from the life of the author, Anand Suspi. Set in the town of Shimoga in the Indian state of Karnataka, you get to read heartwarming reminisces of his life from childhood to adulthood – ie. half pants to full pants. The book begins with an introduction to the town of Shimoga and as you read through the stories, it takes you down the memory lane – of 5 paise and 10 paise, chewing gums, Raleigh cycles, train journeys, and entry of television sets in the Indian market. Yes! It was a big deal back then!
As the prologue says, ““After Malgudi Days, I could never imagine that somebody could create another childhood classic for adults to regain their innocence even for a few hours. Suspi’s tales would have made R K Narayan smile. Oh, that beautiful Kannadiga gene!” – R Balki, Filmmaker. With no idea of what to expect from a non-fiction book, this two cents’ worth pushed me to pick it up.
What I loved the most in this book is the happy and fun vibe it gives! Each story took me to a nostalgic journey of childhood innocence and eternal, immortal friendships. It was like hearing the same childhood stories which Mom and Dad used to tell us. These are plain, simple ordinary stories which have been put together and presented in an extraordinary manner. You can relate to all of them, the emotions and each and every character. While some brought a smile on my face, some made me think and appreciate the little joys in life. The book not only talks about the author’s childhood adventures but also on the culture, tradition, and values of the small town.
The language is simple, crisp and lucid; the narration is great as well. The chapters are small and you can choose to read in random order. And this was precisely what didn’t work for me. I would’ve loved to see the stories connected somehow.
My Favorite Line:
It has to be this!
“I cringed and was shouting No, when the friends stole books from the library. Guess, that was more horrific than swallowing blade pieces to me”.
Do I Recommend?
Half Pants Full Pants is definitely a refreshing read! The author has meticulously put up the stories and the book will be loved by all, irrespective of age.
Rating:
4 on 5
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book in return for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for the same.
Well written review I might just pick up this book
This does sound interesting. And that’s quite the prologue. 🙂
Shantala recently posted…Reading Goals 2017 – Mid-Year Update | #ChattyBlogs July Linky
I have this book. Your review only makes me want to read it sooner, Shalini.
This sounds like a great book. Your review urges me to pick it up 🙂