Autumn Leaves: Seasons of Life

by Gs. Subbu

The common thread that connects all the stories in the book is the Fall or the Autumn. Autumn symbolizes a time of self-reflection. It is also the transition from light to darkness like twilight when day slowly melts away into the darkness but not before revealing the resplendency of the setting sun. It is also a period of accepting the reality of the present and moving towards and preparing oneself for the future: a period of contemplation and accepting impermanence. Like the seasons, we also change within ourselves whether it is coping with impermanence, overcoming the ghosts of the past, or learning to make our lives more meaningful.

‘Autumn Leaves’ narrates the reality of being left alone as one ages due to the splintering of families and the slow drifting away of relationships. The story traces one family’s travel through four generations.

‘Amora’ is all about the failure to distinguish between love and infatuation before realizing that relationships are based on understanding and acceptance and that alone is permanent.

‘Enigma’, brings together two individuals who are diametrically opposite in nature but stay bonded till the end. The story is about friendship, love and that the meaning of our existence lies in how useful a life we have led.

266 pages, Paperback

First published June 14, 2018

About the author

An Engineer from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, by qualification and a Banker by profession, he retired from the State Bank of India in the year 2010 and settled down in Chennai. An avid blogger, he has been writing regularly for the last five years on his blog ‘Sublimation’. His writings range from the deeply philosophical meditations to depicting the inherent humor present in our daily lives, from appreciation of art to writing poetry and doing book reviews. His other interests include painting and music.

'Darkness and Beyond – A Medley of Many Lives' is GS.Subbu’s second book. While in the first book 'I am just An Ordinary Man' a fictional autobiography he dealt with the process of growing up and aging, addressing the questions and the existential angst which arise in the mind of any person during the process of living, 'Darkness and Beyond' is all about being part of a larger process of understanding through the lives of others that it is ‘Hope’ which takes us forward in living an authentic life.

Reviews

[Induchoodan Menon]

Autumn Leaves by G.S.Subbu is an eminently readable book. It comprises of three short stories. The first one covers four generations of a south Indian Brahmin family. Here the author nicely brings out the changes undergone on the concept of family over four generations and how each generation copes up with these changes maintaining its integrity and continuity. The story unfolds as the recollections of one of the characters as he looks back in the autumn of his life. The characters in the story are simple people who could be any of your neighbors. Through these characters, Subbu conveys the meaning of relationships and their centrality in one’s existence.
The second one is the story of Aparajit, a middle aged senior executive of a multinational company who is going through life aimlessly held back by his memories of a lost love affair. His chance encounter with a French woman, Amora on the beach at Mahabalipuram gives him a new understanding of life which enables him to let go of the painful memories and start life afresh. The author narrates the story with deep understanding as felt by Aparajit in his autumn of life.
The third story is that of Atulya Agarwal whose brilliant exuberant self-centered life takes a complete U turn making him turn his back on his love affair in search a deeper meaning of existence. The story unfolds touchingly through the narration by his close friend and confidant Amol Bhattacharya. Subbu has beautifully brought out the emotional turmoil and deep desire of Atulya to make sense out of his life. Although the story ends in the tragic death of Atulya, it is in a way is the culmination of his desire to rise above the chaotic duality of the existence.
Going through these stories, one admires the consummate craftsmanship of the author to convey the subtle emotions of the characters with rare brevity. He has used the technique of flash back to keep the reader absorbed in the story. All in all, this book is a real treat for those who don’t want confine themselves with light reading.

[Sriram Subramanian]

Really loved the book. Excellent plot interwoven thru past, present and future. Related to the various characters, their environment and their thought process. Deep and practical philosophical insights and dilemma faced by different individuals brought out very well. Introspective and Enjoyed thoroughly. Sriram