Review: 1/7 Bondel Road by Gautam Benegal.

Book: 1/7 Bondel Road

Author: Gautam Benegal 

Pages: 123 

Read On: Paperback 

How Long It Took Me To Read: 2 days 

Plot Summary: A collection of short-stories all set in the same para (locality) of Calcutta. Stories of family, childhood adventures and growing-up in 1970s Calcutta. 

General Thoughts: I randomly came across this book when I was browsing on Amazon, and I got it primarily because it sounded cutesy and fun and nostalgic and it was for realllly, really cheap. I am so glad I did! 

Things I Liked: 

1. I read this book at an incredibly right time, right now I am in West Bengal, surrounded my family who constantly talk about their childhood and this book just was the perfect little read for me at this time. 

2. The stories also reminded me of my own childhood. Of having 'building friends', meaning friends who lived in the same apartment building as mine. It reminded me of the games we played and the little adventures we had. Anything that gets me all nostalgic is a good thing be. 

3. Though set in the same para, this book covers a whole lot. The range of these stories is rather remarkable. Some are funny, some poignant and others strangely tragic but I enjoyed them all equally. 

4. These stories are all told from the perspective of a child and when done well, I enjoy this way of story telling and it was done rather well in this book. 

5. This book also reminded me of childhood summers I spend in South Calcutta. So I had a particularly easy picturing the set up of this book. 

6. The characters in this book were all immensely likable and real. 

7. This was such a fun and nice read. I breezed through this book and wanted more from this world. 

Rating: 4/5