Fantastic Feathers: July 2022

Book Details:

Title: Within: Short Stories for the Evolving Multicultural Woman
Author: Aditi Wardhan Singh
Genre: Fiction, Short Stories
Publisher: Raising World Children LLC
Print Length: 277 pages
Purchase Link: Amazon

Blurb:

"Life is all about the moments. A moment occurs when you are awakened from the slumber of everyday life by a feeling of significance in a snapshot of time, caused by a profound connection with people or nature, which evokes great emotion, nourishes the soul, and makes one think that this is what life is all about."
--- Craig Stampler

Told from the Indo-American perspective, multi-award-winning, best-selling author Aditi Wardhan Singh takes a bold step into telling stories that we often tell to each other over coffee or chai to our closest friends. These 30 stories provide you with a unique opportunity for self-reflection at your unconscious biases. our closest friends.

Told from the Desi perspective these 30 stories provide you with a unique reflection on your unconscious biases.

My Review:

This is a collection of short stories which are relatable incidents in everyday life. A few stories are very small and actually like conversations. A few are informative and provide moral in a subtle way. I loved the writing style and narrative which is like having a conversation with a friend.

I loved most of the stories as they are relatable to our day-to-day lives. I felt that a few stories are too short to register in my mind. For a few stories, I felt the title is not apt. The title of the book is justifiable as all stories seem to have come from within the author's heart based on her experiences. All stories touch on different human emotions and a few also talk about sensitive topics/ taboos.

Here are some of my favorite stories:

Grievances

Such a cute and short love story. A simple story, yet every couple can relate to it. I loved it.

Worth

It's a nice story that tells in a subtle way how society sees a housewife.

Acceptance

Though it's sad to read, I loved the way the emotions touch the reader. Love is like a beautiful rainbow in the rain.

Kindness

I loved this story for the message. It might come as a surprise when our kids teach us something important.

Rebirth

Many women can relate to it. While marriage comes with lots of problems, women are conditioned to ignore and forgive their partners even when they physically abuse them. This story shows that circumstances can trigger a change.

Magic

A wonderful way of teaching kids about Christmas. I really like this story as a bedtime read to my kids.

Soul mate

The story is practical and good. I loved the talk between the mother and her daughter about marriage, and dating .

Loved these lines :

" You have to be your own soulmate first. Job, husband, kids. All this doesn’t matter if you are not happy with yourself. If you are happy with yourself, then everything can become good. Don’t look for happiness in another person."

Perfection

A small story but enjoyed reading it. Nothing is ever perfect really.

Disgust

This story is a sad reality. Well written about the sensitive topic.

Compassion

This is not actually a story but a conversation between the parents of a child. Many households can relate to this type of conversation comparing one child's capabilities with others.

Belief

I loved the story because of the way the mother talks about periods, traditions, and their relevance in today's world. If I had to rate stories in this book, this would be my favorite.

Respect

This is a simple story about self-respect and is well written.

My Rating: 4/5

About the Author:

Aditi Wardhan Singh is a multi-award-winning, best-selling author. She is an authoritative voice on cultural sensitivity and empowerment, featured on numerous global publications and broadcast networks like NBC, CBS, Huffpost, Thrive, Richmond Family Magazine, Reading with Your Kids podcast etc. Her passion for diversifying dialogue within multicultural families led her to founding the collaborative RaisingWorldChildren.com platform.

Today, she aims to help parents diversify their libraries by lifting other multicultural authors like herself. In her spare time, she enjoys choreographing dance recitals, volunteering, and having impromptu dance parties with her two charming kids.

Her upcoming works include a multicultural children’s book about belonging and a unique bilingual Hindi-English resource for children.

Until next time,

I haven't read a lot of books this year but this book stands out from all the books that I completed so far this year.

Inner Trek - A Reluctant Pilgrim in the Himalayas by Mohan Ranga Rao

What's the book about?

The book is a travel memoir of a businessman to Mt.Kailash. Mt.Kailash is considered holy and the utmost spiritual journey for Hindus. But, Ranga Rao is a reluctant pilgrim as he takes this trip with his wife seeking an adventure.

An adventurous trip indeed! Trekking for 3 days reaching an elevation of 18,000 ft above sea level with fewer oxygen levels is not a hike for an un-fit person. But, more than this adventure and danger, the author observes the magnificence of Mt.Kailash. This parikrama/trek around Mt.Kailash changes him forever.

The author mentions that he feels insignificant and small before the majestic mountains. The experience is once in a lifetime for him. This trip makes him experience spiritual elevation within.

Why do I like it?

I am not usually up for non-fiction books. Either they become too preachy or become tedious if the author doesn't show genuine feelings. I have read many such books before.

But, this one is different. The book is not preachy. Though the author writes about his knowledge and research about Mt. Kailash, he doesn't boast about his knowledge or fitness, or talent. I like that more than anything else in this book. The narration is like a conversation with a person we know and is easy to follow.

I loved reading about Mt. Kailash and why it is revered in many other religions. I am happy to learn about trekking in the Himalayas, problems one might face, the fitness level required, and the mental balance that one needs to participate in such trips.

My Rating is 5/5

You can read my complete review here.

Here is the link from Amazon if you wish to purchase the book.

Amazon