AN ENDEARING COLLECTION OF SHORT STORIES

Book Review: "A Tea-Stall By The Side Of The Road" by Murad Jawed

Short stories, of different genres and forms, are increasingly been read nowadays, as more and more readers take onto this genre, due to paucity of time and more interest in their narrative form. The author Murad Jawed comes with one such short-story collection titled “A Tea-Stall By The Side Of The Road”, which is based on anecdotes, folklore and urban legends from across India.

There are 8 short stories in this book. A tea-stall, popularly called a ‘tapri’ in India, is a place where people gather to gossip, share news and views as well as tell tales and anecdotes. A tea-stall is also the favoured place for inspiration to the author and has been his preferred spot for writing the book. Thus, the book is titled “A Tea-Stall By The Side Of The Road”, such goes the blurb. The short stories in this book are of different genres, which include Romance, Drama, Humour, Mystery, Thriller, and Horror.

The stories in the book include ‘A Train Journey to Pune’, ‘The Closure’, ‘The Shadow Man’, and ‘The Haunted Diaries’. One of the stories is about the love story of two young lovers in mofussil lands and their innocent, genuine feelings; while another story forays into gothic mysteries. Train journeys, eerie ghost stories, the relationship between plants and humans, and loving and caring cousins saving the lives of their siblings also feature in different stories.

The book stays true to its essence of being a light-hearted read, and not much adorned words have been used in the narrative. The best thing about this book is its unpretentiousness and honest writing. Many of the stories are based on anecdotes, and many sparkling characters inhabit the different narratives.

The stories are nuanced and insightful, and many of them traverse the nostalgia lane, wherein the readers will root and feel for the characters. The stories are imaginative, funny and compelling. However, more detailing could have been added into the stories to make the narrative better.

As the blurb goes, there is something in this book for every mood and taste. This is rightly so, given that its stories delve into different genres, and the narratives, apart from being eclectic, are also touching. So readers, pick up this light-hearted and relaxing book, and revel in its simplicity, honest ingenuity, and impressive stories.