Book Review- Beastly Tales From Here and There

ISBN

0753807742 (ISBN13: 9780753807743)

original title

Beastly Tales from Here and There

 

 

Synopsis-

 

From the impish to the brilliantly comic, Vikram Seth's animal fables in verse can (like Diwali sweets) be enjoyed by young and old alike. Familiar characters in a new and magical form, such as the greedy crocodile who was outwitted by the monkey or the steady tortoise who out-ran the hare, here take their place beside a newly minted gallery of characters and creatures who are quirky, comical and always fun. Of the ten tales told here, two come from India, two from China, two from Greece, two from Ukraine, and two, as the author puts it "came directly to me from the Land of Gup." This is a book that displays astonishing versatility of the poet who gave us The Golden Gate and All You Who Sleep Tonight. The flair and delight of Beastly Tales from Here and There is proof that Vikram Seth can try on most unusual clothes without in the least losing his unique poetic identity.

 

 

My Review-

 

My encounter with Seth happened way back in 2009 over the poem ‘The Frog and The Nightangle’ which is a part of this book. When I read the poem back then, I thought it was funny.But boy! How wrong I was! When I read it now, I understand how he exemplifies the brutal realities of the world with poetry. The book is essentially a children’s book. I’ll tell you why. He gives those little gems of advice with perfect innocence. When an adult reads the same, his mature mind sees the satire and the real message behind the story portrayed in the book.

The book is a compilation of ten long poems, where the protagonists are animals . Each poem is four to five pages long and has been written with sheer spontaenity. I think the fluidity comes from writing at a stretch, but of course one can’t give all the credit to that. This guy is a genius and has completely won my heart with his poetic abilities. His intelligence and wit outshines in every piece that is a part of the book.

About The Author-

Vikram Seth is the acclaimed author of three novels including The Golden Gate and A Suitable Boy, one of the most beloved and widely read books of recent times. He has also written five books of poetry, an opera libretto, a book of other libretti and two highly regarded works of non-fiction. He currently divides his time between the UK and India.

Book Review- All You Who Sleep Tonight.

Paperback, 61 pages

Published June 18th 1991 by Vintage (first published May 5th 1990)

more details...

ISBN- 0679730257 (ISBN13: 9780679730255)                

edition language- English

original title- All You Who Sleep Tonight: Poems

 

Synopsis-

 

"Certainly not since Byron has anyone been more elegantly and literally amusing in verse." -- Philadelphia DailyNewsVikram Seth's novel in verse, The Golden Gate, was hailed by Gore Vidal as "the Great California Novel" and by the New Republic as "a tour de force of the transcendence of the mere tour de force." Now he brings his romance with the English language, his effortless access to the deepest reservoirs of feeling, and his ability to light up the plain surfaces of everyday life to this stunning collection of poems.
In All You Who Sleep Tonight Seth delves into the varieties of love -- love lost, remembered, and deferred. He evokes the unspeakable ironies of Auschwitz and the light-blasted streets of Hiroshima. He conducts the reader through Lion Grove in Suzhou, China, and across the Golden Gate Bridge on its fiftieth anniversary. Throughout, he displays the lyricism and attentiveness that distinguish the best poets of every era.
"Clear as a glacial pool, often as deep, Vikram Seth's new poems shine with unfashionable virtues. Seth gives joy by writing brilliantly well, unafraid to feel and to start us feeling." -- X. J. Kennedy


My Review-

All Those Who Sleep Tonight

All You Who Sleep Tonight is a collection of love poems by Vikram Seth. He places himself in different situations and writes poems that goes with each and every situation. The whole book has been divided into five sections, namely, Romantic Resides, In Other Voices, In Other Places, Quatrains and Meditations Of The Heart. The title of the book, ‘All You Who Sleep Tonight’ has been derived from the poem of the fifth section, which is also the last poem of the book.

The language is simple and the plots used are nothing fancy, just normal day-to-day locations where one could be for obvious reasons. None of it is too hard to digest. My favorite section would be the Quatrains. Little is said and more is expressed there. All of the poems in this section are four lines long and yet their charisma is something you can’t ignore. The book has about 75 pages and doesn’t take time to read and assimilate, but the charm of the simplicity of this book bewilders you. Even while I write this, I think of that red little suitcase and how his heart breaks when an old man instead of whom he is expecting to picks it up.

A must have for in every poetry lover’s collection.

About the Author-

 

Vikram Seth is the acclaimed author of three novels including The Golden Gate and A Suitable Boy, one of the most beloved and widely read books of recent times. He has also written five books of poetry, an opera libretto, a book of other libretti and two highly regarded works of non-fiction. He currently divides his time between the UK and India.