Sheppey and Sittingbourne Writers

A Dig at Indian Authors Writing in English  - a review of an interesting book. 

Bill Anthony offers this short essay on a book entitled  The Waffle of the Toffs: A Socio-cultural Critique of Indian Writing in English  by  M Prabha 

PB 2000/  ISBN 81 204 0000 0  price £19.99

Bill treats the book with respect and in his essay recommends it to the reader knowing that if the subject can tickle his fancy and wicked sense of humour then any reader, Indian or non-Indian will enjoy it.  Revelling in the author's attack on elites in the Indian literary world and giving us a potted history of how the use of the English language developed in India, Bill quotes Prabha as making scathing attacks on the privileged writing 'down' to their readers and becoming remote from Indian mainstream.  She says "that the more affluent the a writer, the less significant his writing." In the context of Bill's own education in an English school it is obvious that the book has struck a chord with him and he praises its sentiments highly suggesting it as a good read. To see Bill's article click HERE.

My Sister's Shoes and other stories and poems

Ruth Partis

Green Arrow Publishing

£6.00

Ruth's book is a follow up to The Incomplete Works of Ruth Partis but don't let that fool you into thinking the two books are a complete works.  Remember that Douglas Adams wrote a trilogy in at least five parts, Spike Milligan took six and both authors had many other books to offer.  Ruth has expanded her mixture of poems and short stories to include some of her quirky pieces as well as some very thought provoking tales that offer insights into the way life can be and often is. 

Ruth is well known for her pithy poems and her ability to read her works with great feeling for the enjoyment of her listeners and inside this book you will find some poems and stories you have heard before but there are plenty of new ones each showing how diverse Ruth can be.  This is a book with a definite female viewpoint, but told in such a way that both men and women can identify with the ideas and images.  Her approach to her subjects is not sentimental or soppy but skilfully made and each story or poem has Ruth's unique twist. 

If you are looking for a book filled with comic tales and amusing poems then although you will not be disappointed; be prepared to feel uncomfortable; be wary of the tale that suddenly hits a spot making you think more deeply about what the author is saying.  Read the title story, My Sister's Shoes and feel the frustration of the unregarded child, the dreadful emptiness of  The Last Knock and try to deal with Grandfather's House.  But take a little rest and read A Change of Face and A Bad Day at the Zoo and you will be treated to tales written in that familiar comic style Ruth is well known for. 

This new book is a mixture of tones that includes The Pand Shop and the contradictory poem Public Service Warning and the wry observation of If Only we'd Known that add contrast to what can be described as Ruth's dark side.  My favorite story is The Witch's Cat which is about ... but that would be letting the cat out of the bag wouldn't it?

James