TALE OF A WRITER
It would have been more
appropriate if it was called “Truth Love and a Heap of Malice”. The
autobiography of the most celebrated and profane w
riter, Khushwant Singh is
definitely worth a read.
As is the norm with Khushwant, this
book is full of wit, humour, sex, malice and courage. Courage to speak and
present his views. The book spans right from the pre-Independence era to the 21st
century. It gives us a visual treat of the changing demographics of the Indian
sub-continent especially the North and West of India and a major portion of
present-day Pakistan.
Extensive travel throughout the
globe and the myriad of diverse profession brought him closer to many of the
subjects of his novels. His exploits with women of many nationalities and fearless
recounting of the stories are endearing. The vivid and colourful description of
the private life of many famous personalities who helped shape today’s India
makes the book all the more intriguing. His take on various contemporary issues
indeed makes it informative.
Though not much of a poet
himself, but he liked quoting many Urdu couplets of Ghalib and others in his
books which made the books more pleasant. He considered himself an agonist and
also prepared an epitaph for himself;
“Here lies one who spared
neither man nor God;
Waste not your tears on him,
he was a sod;
Writing nasty things he regarded
as fun;
Thank the Lord he is dead, this
son of a gun.”
His genre and style of writing
has indeed been an inspiration to a nation of aspiring English writers. He died
at the ripe old age of ninety-nine. His can be said to be a life well lived.
His autobiography is more than a story of an individual. It can well be
considered the jovial biography of an infant nation trying to come to terms
with reality of the big bad world.
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