To understand the alluring nature of the beast

Talespin by Sanjay Chopra is an enthralling set of stories from a pilot with an international airline who has been flying for eighteen years! While the first tips at story telling were gleaned listening to his grandpa, a course at the London School of Journalism help him acquire the finesse.

He has also won quite a few awards for his short stories, in the UK and elsewhere.  The dedication is also to readers, ‘To my readers: Stories are an act of collaboration. Without you, these would be incomplete.’ How simple and sensitive, and also inviting.

Sample this from Turache? : ‘He’s coming…He’s coming!’ ‘Quiet!’ Darius thundered. The trembling messenger fell to the ground and Darius pulled himself back from the boundary of stark rage, uneasy at his loss of control.

It’s a trap for a king to not seem in control, his father used to say. ‘How far away is he?’ ‘A few miles, Majesty.’ ‘So the Greek comes…at last.’ The messenger’s wail had startled him. He felt his bladder constrict. The need to relieve himself was overpowering, although he had just been. It had embarrassingly so since the beginning of this campaign.

’We’re ready for him, My Lord. Let him see this place called Gaugamela. Let him see how we’ve leveled the fields for our chariots. Let him see what he must face tomorrow. Let him feel the fear.’ The commander of his chariots had a stooped grey beard. He spoke in the traditional haughty manner of the Persian upper class.: jutting his jaw to emphasize each syllable.’

This book has a certain magical quality to it with the stories transporting you to places away from the reading couch. Excellent.

Talespin
by Sanjay Chopra
HarperCollins Publishers
Rs.299