Book Review: The Patna Manual of Style by Siddharth Chowdhury

                               PC: sakshinanda.com
Name: The Patna Manual of Style
Author: Siddharth Chowdhury

Published by Aleph, The Patna Manual of Style, is a great attempt at capturing the ethos of Biharis. An oft quoted line from the book sums up the underlying emotion, "Go to any party, in any country, on any moonlit terrace of the world, the best dressed man is always the one from Patna."

Well, am not sure, if the above line is true. I have known only one person who was from Bihar. I am not even sure if he was from Patna. He was certainly a Bihari and spoke excellent English. He was also my mentor.   

I read the book in the bus, during my commute to and from work. I do have my moments of freedom (like in the bus) when I can let loose my imagination and indulge in some grey matter cultivation.

So, in two days flat, I finished this book. It is engrossing, funny, and full of quotes. I picked it up purely on an instinct. I was right. I was delighted to read the stories. Umm, while we are at it, if you have a thing against crassness and Hindi expletives, stay away, lest your sensitive self gets destroyed or maligned (horror of horrors!).  

One might have the urge to ask, "So, dear reader, which story did you like the most?" Umm, I would reply, after clearing my throat, "I kind of liked all the stories, but I think "The death of a proofreader" is the best."

I quite liked "Importer of Blondes" also.

I particularly loved the brattish way Siddharth has written the stories. Though it seems like a single story, it is not so, it is a connected novel, with a single thought. It is very normal, very natural. This is why it connects so easily with the reader. Hriday Thakur, the protagonist, is like you and me. He has his ups and downs, lusts after women, gets fired, gets drunk, and just behaves normally. 

A fine piece of literature, after many placid books, which fail to stir any emotion. If you have ever lived in the North, do pick it up. And, yes, it is a must read for all Biharis.  

Recommended Reading: Oh, yeah! 

The Author: Siddharth Chowdhury
















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