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Parting of the Strangers
A collection of short stories about people, their realisations and the games their minds play. Primarily set against the backdrop of urban India, each of the stories attempts to highlight unique circumstances and their impact on peoples’ lives, thoughts and actions. The objective is to explore the working of the minds of those involved in off-beat situations; scenarios that bring out the best or the worst in people or bring forth facets of a person hitherto unknown even to themselves. They cover wide-ranging moments, from relationships, romance, intrigue, mystery, suspense, action and even the supernatural. Each unravelling to the reader the subtle to the severe paths that the protagonists take in the maze of their minds
146 pages, Paperback
Published September 17, 2018
About the author
Sattam Dasgupta
1 book5 followersSattam Dasgupta is an engineer and an entrepreneur whose career spans across chip design and software. To date, he has been awarded five patents for his ideas. Sattam’s unwavering passion is people – the most complex of all problems and most fascinating of all opportunities. Growing up in Kolkata in one of the most turbulent and violent periods of the city’s history; witnessing the best and worst in people, played a compelling role in shaping his interest in human dynamics – especially, the changing ethos with time and circumstances.
Sattam loves curiosity, wit, debates, technology and Tibetan mastiffs.
Sattam loves curiosity, wit, debates, technology and Tibetan mastiffs.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
December 2, 2018
Why do people change…for what? Human relationships have the tendency to change because of worldly reasons. Once looking a confident partner, averts their face upon a slight change of circumstances. Indeed intricacies of human heart and mind are beyond understanding. Often people are backstabbed, betrayed, ignored, mentally tortured, and made unlove…all because of selfishness.
Nowadays, in human relationships, it’s become a thing of a rarity to find unconditional love. The propositions which I just expressed are prevalent in our worlds, in our societies, and almost everywhere. Many seek answers to these and rest move on taking it as heartbreak. Sattam Dasgupta’s first book – The Parting of the Strangers and Other Stories – beautifully explores the unending deep abyss in the relationship.
When we are together, we feel like being in a string of camaraderie, a partner or a company; but when we separate we do it like it strangers. Why? Read this heartfelt collection if you are someone who waited for a long time but no one turned into your way, read it if you ever felt like a loser even after sacrificing the most treasured possession of your life; read it if you ever felt that the person whom you loved unconditionally moved on because he/she was on a hedonistic search. In this world, everything has been done or decided by the ken of so-called moral standards. Well, the question is, do they always work. I think it is the society that makes or breaks the relationship. Do we have control over our fates…certainly not…but we can at least be rational before getting into a change of heart and mind.
I personally liked the second story from the collection namely – Propriety. This story has unspeakable silence! A kind of gripping intensity that comes with the silence that asks you the question and makes you feel embarrassed for your life decisions. Such is the fate of Swaha and the narrator. They were together as friends in the same office. Moved the corporate ladders almost at the same time. They had a bunch of each other’s love…but still chose to marry different partners. In fact, when Swaha was searching a life partner through a matrimonial website, the narrator realized that she was delaying the process, however, he didn’t interfere. In fact, he should have intervened, but he didn’t, probably some societal parameters stopped him. Anyway the get married to different persons, and still, continue to be friends despite knowing that their hearts throb for each other. One day Swaha calls the narrator to share the news of her pregnancy that is the time when they plunged into unspeakable silence and wished in their minds that they should have been together. This could have been their future…but they seem to be late. Swaha probably held him responsible for this…she then walked out of the car without saying any words. That was terrific.
The collection has sixteen, from short to medium to long, stories. Except a few almost all stories delve deep into the mind games and change of heart situations, thus, the endings of all stories are unpredictable…you have that feeling as God knows what will happen.
All stories are likable and above all, I personally liked his writing style. Don’t take me wrong Bengali writers are good at literature…they seem to have it like an inheritance.
Nowadays, in human relationships, it’s become a thing of a rarity to find unconditional love. The propositions which I just expressed are prevalent in our worlds, in our societies, and almost everywhere. Many seek answers to these and rest move on taking it as heartbreak. Sattam Dasgupta’s first book – The Parting of the Strangers and Other Stories – beautifully explores the unending deep abyss in the relationship.
When we are together, we feel like being in a string of camaraderie, a partner or a company; but when we separate we do it like it strangers. Why? Read this heartfelt collection if you are someone who waited for a long time but no one turned into your way, read it if you ever felt like a loser even after sacrificing the most treasured possession of your life; read it if you ever felt that the person whom you loved unconditionally moved on because he/she was on a hedonistic search. In this world, everything has been done or decided by the ken of so-called moral standards. Well, the question is, do they always work. I think it is the society that makes or breaks the relationship. Do we have control over our fates…certainly not…but we can at least be rational before getting into a change of heart and mind.
I personally liked the second story from the collection namely – Propriety. This story has unspeakable silence! A kind of gripping intensity that comes with the silence that asks you the question and makes you feel embarrassed for your life decisions. Such is the fate of Swaha and the narrator. They were together as friends in the same office. Moved the corporate ladders almost at the same time. They had a bunch of each other’s love…but still chose to marry different partners. In fact, when Swaha was searching a life partner through a matrimonial website, the narrator realized that she was delaying the process, however, he didn’t interfere. In fact, he should have intervened, but he didn’t, probably some societal parameters stopped him. Anyway the get married to different persons, and still, continue to be friends despite knowing that their hearts throb for each other. One day Swaha calls the narrator to share the news of her pregnancy that is the time when they plunged into unspeakable silence and wished in their minds that they should have been together. This could have been their future…but they seem to be late. Swaha probably held him responsible for this…she then walked out of the car without saying any words. That was terrific.
The collection has sixteen, from short to medium to long, stories. Except a few almost all stories delve deep into the mind games and change of heart situations, thus, the endings of all stories are unpredictable…you have that feeling as God knows what will happen.
All stories are likable and above all, I personally liked his writing style. Don’t take me wrong Bengali writers are good at literature…they seem to have it like an inheritance.
December 11, 2018
'Parting of the Strangers’ is a debut novel from the author Sattam Dasgupta. It’s a collection of 16 short stories based on the experiences of the life of common people. The stories are based in contemporary urban settings like Kolkata and Bangalore.
The stories cover a wide range of themes ranging from marriage, family, cultural identity, social class, past, dreams, and hopes about the future, communication etc.
For a debut Author, Sattam Dasgupta does a very good job of penning a collection of short stories. Written in the most impressive way, most of the stories have the kind of ‘endings’ that throws a curveball at you., which makes stories as they are surreal, happening around you, to the world that you live by every day.
The Author engages the readers with beautiful narration and simple yet subtle language. The emotions are not directly expressed but they are meant to be felt and interpreted from the writing itself. What I loved about this book is that the characters are flawed and their emotions and experiences are portrayed very realistically. Each story is unique and revolves around the life of ordinary people.
The stories are vivid sometimes melancholic. They left a huge impact on me and in some, I had tears in my eyes. Words were like colors on canvas which formed a painting to relish human emotions, they appear so sharp and transparent and fragility of characteristics is realistic and not overdone. While it is so difficult to pick your favorite story, there was something just that bit cutting-edge about like ‘Fifty feet of nothing’, ‘Receding Shoreline’, ‘Parting of the strangers’, ‘The Last Hurrah’, ‘The Teacher Never Retires’ and many more such stories left me speechless.
I wouldn’t recommend that you read it in snatches. Won’t take you more than a few hours, but what it will leave you with will be immense. This book is for all who love reading.
I enjoyed reading all of them and it sure finds a place on my book-shelf.
The stories cover a wide range of themes ranging from marriage, family, cultural identity, social class, past, dreams, and hopes about the future, communication etc.
For a debut Author, Sattam Dasgupta does a very good job of penning a collection of short stories. Written in the most impressive way, most of the stories have the kind of ‘endings’ that throws a curveball at you., which makes stories as they are surreal, happening around you, to the world that you live by every day.
The Author engages the readers with beautiful narration and simple yet subtle language. The emotions are not directly expressed but they are meant to be felt and interpreted from the writing itself. What I loved about this book is that the characters are flawed and their emotions and experiences are portrayed very realistically. Each story is unique and revolves around the life of ordinary people.
The stories are vivid sometimes melancholic. They left a huge impact on me and in some, I had tears in my eyes. Words were like colors on canvas which formed a painting to relish human emotions, they appear so sharp and transparent and fragility of characteristics is realistic and not overdone. While it is so difficult to pick your favorite story, there was something just that bit cutting-edge about like ‘Fifty feet of nothing’, ‘Receding Shoreline’, ‘Parting of the strangers’, ‘The Last Hurrah’, ‘The Teacher Never Retires’ and many more such stories left me speechless.
I wouldn’t recommend that you read it in snatches. Won’t take you more than a few hours, but what it will leave you with will be immense. This book is for all who love reading.
I enjoyed reading all of them and it sure finds a place on my book-shelf.
October 6, 2018
As a first time short story book, I think its quite an engaging read. This book by Sattam Dasgupta oozes familiarity, characters you can relate to - commoners like me who have challenges and life situations that are not alien. In these "slice of life" stories, Sattam tackles a lot of diverse subjects - love, fidelity, romance, compromises, family, parenthood, loss, ambition, ethics, patriotism and death. Set across his two beloved cities of Bangalore and Kolkata, these stories are a testament to his acute sense of observation of human behavior. The stories are told in a simple, linear fashion that soaks in the reader with their narration. They make for an easy read with a tumbler of cold coffee and some cookies to munch.
My favorite stories from the lot are the ones where Sattam explores the conflicts within - for instance the one titled "The Last Hurrah" and "The Teacher Never Retires", or even "Green Tea in Bone China". The tussle of emotions that some of the characters experience through these stories is quite touching, and I commend the writing for making me feel something within me, a churn of emotions quite strong.
There are some recurring themes across the stories. For instance the "parameters of loving someone", "the importance of family" and "the honesty with oneself". And then there is the theme of death and life afterwards, which particularly intrigued me. Wondering what makes that appear time and again in this book! Another curiosity I have is about the names of female protagonists, which almost always begin with the letter "A"... Maybe there is a romantic story hidden there somewhere :-)
While most stories in the book are akin to beautiful solitary islands, there are some that are written as a "set", such as the stories of Rahul and Aditi. That is a refreshing and an interesting variation in style. I think Sattam should explore writing a full-fledged novel, because it is in these stories that I feel he is truly in his element as an author.
I have known Sattam as a guide and mentor for many years. Just seeing this book from him was a great thrill. He has wielded the words with aplomb and I am very happy to have read this book, experienced the way he sees and perceives things around him. I am looking forward to the next book. I have always believed that art mimics life, especially for a writer. And I am eager to talk to him about the life experiences that led to this short story book.
My favorite stories from the lot are the ones where Sattam explores the conflicts within - for instance the one titled "The Last Hurrah" and "The Teacher Never Retires", or even "Green Tea in Bone China". The tussle of emotions that some of the characters experience through these stories is quite touching, and I commend the writing for making me feel something within me, a churn of emotions quite strong.
There are some recurring themes across the stories. For instance the "parameters of loving someone", "the importance of family" and "the honesty with oneself". And then there is the theme of death and life afterwards, which particularly intrigued me. Wondering what makes that appear time and again in this book! Another curiosity I have is about the names of female protagonists, which almost always begin with the letter "A"... Maybe there is a romantic story hidden there somewhere :-)
While most stories in the book are akin to beautiful solitary islands, there are some that are written as a "set", such as the stories of Rahul and Aditi. That is a refreshing and an interesting variation in style. I think Sattam should explore writing a full-fledged novel, because it is in these stories that I feel he is truly in his element as an author.
I have known Sattam as a guide and mentor for many years. Just seeing this book from him was a great thrill. He has wielded the words with aplomb and I am very happy to have read this book, experienced the way he sees and perceives things around him. I am looking forward to the next book. I have always believed that art mimics life, especially for a writer. And I am eager to talk to him about the life experiences that led to this short story book.
December 29, 2018
The parting of the Strangers and Other Stories by Sattam Dasgupta is a collection of short stories about people, their realizations, and the games their minds play that invite all of us to discover the hidden angels and demons within.
Each and every story has its own importance, a different message. The author beautifully narrated each and every story. Each story had a different plot and is amazing in its own.
It has 16 different stories and each of them is wonderful. I liked all of them. Porcelain Fingers, Green tea in bone china, A teacher never retires and receding shoreline are my favourite stories.
Each story has a unique plot and will keep the reader hooked. I wish the stories could have been a little long. The narration of each story is gripping and engaging. The author has used different themes for each story which makes the stories apt and interesting.
Love, friendship, relationship, loss, and many other themes are used by the author. The author has wonderfully expressed each and every emotion which connects the reader to the book. There are drama and dialogues which makes the stories fascinating.
The language used by the author is simple and easy. the writing style of the author is apt and Lucid.
It’s a quick read with lots of emotions and interesting stories.
Each and every story has its own importance, a different message. The author beautifully narrated each and every story. Each story had a different plot and is amazing in its own.
It has 16 different stories and each of them is wonderful. I liked all of them. Porcelain Fingers, Green tea in bone china, A teacher never retires and receding shoreline are my favourite stories.
Each story has a unique plot and will keep the reader hooked. I wish the stories could have been a little long. The narration of each story is gripping and engaging. The author has used different themes for each story which makes the stories apt and interesting.
Love, friendship, relationship, loss, and many other themes are used by the author. The author has wonderfully expressed each and every emotion which connects the reader to the book. There are drama and dialogues which makes the stories fascinating.
The language used by the author is simple and easy. the writing style of the author is apt and Lucid.
It’s a quick read with lots of emotions and interesting stories.
December 6, 2018
Parting of the Strangers and Other Stories by Sattam Dasgupta is a collection of sixteen well-written short stories. The author attempts to look inside the psyche of human relationships and possibly what inside angels and demons affect them. He tries to bring out the various propositions and consequences that surface up when the slightest change in heart and mind takes place. Invariably, you will find the stories quite real as the author has used first-person narration technique to place the stories with perfect backdrop.
This is my first deliberate foray into reading a collection of short stories based and build majorly around human relationship psyche,and for me it comes as a compelling read. I just know one thing that after seeing the cover page and reading a couple of stories you will not be able to stop yourself until you finished the book in one sitting. It just happened with me.
In first three stories, Sattam has focused on 'parting and separation'. When the characters with sudden realisation and bursting of emotions, move on for different routes, it is done with illumination. To my opinion, the collection is divided into single stories and connected stories. For connected stories there are two sets, in first we have Rahul - how his life changes from to be salt-of-the-earth couple to time-tested brother for his sister Ria.
In second set, we see machinations of corporate world, Dev suffers worst may be he was expecting people nice and rational in his office. Was it humility and respect for his mentors that forced him into cold and deep waters?
With thematic importance for strong human relations and their allied complexities, I gathered mixed feelings for this book and felt assured that no matter what the time or situation is, convulsion of human aspirations is inevitable. And descriptions of urban cities like Bangalore and Kolkata occur regularly in most of the stories. In fact, the urban culture and way of life is presented as a nudge that helps us in understanding characters and their desires, at the center of narrative. Sattam does not shy away from presenting the instability of the characters that arise owing to the change in their behaviour and attitude.
With an aura of surprise and suspense and the meticulous depictions of urban Indian life mixed with amazing level of linguistic skill that often enters the poetic realm, it will leave you with a sense of cathartic experience. Overall, it makes for a delightful read with near-to-perfect writing style of Sattam.
This is my first deliberate foray into reading a collection of short stories based and build majorly around human relationship psyche,and for me it comes as a compelling read. I just know one thing that after seeing the cover page and reading a couple of stories you will not be able to stop yourself until you finished the book in one sitting. It just happened with me.
In first three stories, Sattam has focused on 'parting and separation'. When the characters with sudden realisation and bursting of emotions, move on for different routes, it is done with illumination. To my opinion, the collection is divided into single stories and connected stories. For connected stories there are two sets, in first we have Rahul - how his life changes from to be salt-of-the-earth couple to time-tested brother for his sister Ria.
In second set, we see machinations of corporate world, Dev suffers worst may be he was expecting people nice and rational in his office. Was it humility and respect for his mentors that forced him into cold and deep waters?
With thematic importance for strong human relations and their allied complexities, I gathered mixed feelings for this book and felt assured that no matter what the time or situation is, convulsion of human aspirations is inevitable. And descriptions of urban cities like Bangalore and Kolkata occur regularly in most of the stories. In fact, the urban culture and way of life is presented as a nudge that helps us in understanding characters and their desires, at the center of narrative. Sattam does not shy away from presenting the instability of the characters that arise owing to the change in their behaviour and attitude.
With an aura of surprise and suspense and the meticulous depictions of urban Indian life mixed with amazing level of linguistic skill that often enters the poetic realm, it will leave you with a sense of cathartic experience. Overall, it makes for a delightful read with near-to-perfect writing style of Sattam.
November 30, 2018
For me it is a contemporary collection, staged against the culture of cosmopolitans. The kind of stories I see in the book either reminds me of movies or somewhere I heard these tales while growing up in a city like Pune. I loved all the stories in general; however, the stories with ghostly/paranormal twists (based on after-death theme) did capture my attention.
I did not feel scared but even in those stories I found something relatable and inspiring, for example I see a sense of devotion for duty towards his faithful customer. I am talking about Ratan (from the stories No Time for Joke), the poor orphaned taxi driver who comes to Kolkata from Bihar. Things are normal between them until they reach the scene of accident. It was an unexpected twist in the end.
The second ghost story is 'Everyone Needs a Closure'. This is also good. First, the child is separated from the love of his grandparents just because of his nagging mother. It was his grandparents, to see them he goes back to the village...sadly things have been changed there. He gets murdered...and do you know who’s his killer? None other than his childhood friend. But why? The way author presented the climax of betrayal in this story is worth praise.
Almost all stories are about human relationship intricacies. Sattam has expertly brought out the nuances that break and make the foundation of relationship. Is it possible to test the loyalty of your lover for future...yes, you can, Sattam has given this experiment called Gedanken. I mean even as a reader, you can explore the rudimentary foundation of relationships.
The book is not so long, so you can finish it reading in one go. What else I say, I hope next time, the author graces us with a full-length novel.
I did not feel scared but even in those stories I found something relatable and inspiring, for example I see a sense of devotion for duty towards his faithful customer. I am talking about Ratan (from the stories No Time for Joke), the poor orphaned taxi driver who comes to Kolkata from Bihar. Things are normal between them until they reach the scene of accident. It was an unexpected twist in the end.
The second ghost story is 'Everyone Needs a Closure'. This is also good. First, the child is separated from the love of his grandparents just because of his nagging mother. It was his grandparents, to see them he goes back to the village...sadly things have been changed there. He gets murdered...and do you know who’s his killer? None other than his childhood friend. But why? The way author presented the climax of betrayal in this story is worth praise.
Almost all stories are about human relationship intricacies. Sattam has expertly brought out the nuances that break and make the foundation of relationship. Is it possible to test the loyalty of your lover for future...yes, you can, Sattam has given this experiment called Gedanken. I mean even as a reader, you can explore the rudimentary foundation of relationships.
The book is not so long, so you can finish it reading in one go. What else I say, I hope next time, the author graces us with a full-length novel.
October 15, 2018
I worked with the Author for 10+ years and do know his attention to details so it was not surprise for me that all the stories were crafted carefully with contemporary urban settings. Positives of the book are stories have excellent pace, contemporary issues of urban dwellers and few of them cerebral. Titles are well chosen. Knowing the Author’s attention to details, I am least surprised with the time spent on selection of titles or cover design. Readers need to take adequate time to appreciate all the nuances. Being an Avid Reader, I can say surely that I would have found the book compelling one even if I had not known the author. I have to admit my attention span is not different from Gen Z and it takes effort to keep me engaged. Author does that very effectively with his ability to narrate stories with ease. Detailed Review below.
Book starts with story titled “Receding Shoreline” which surely tempts the reader to complete all stories at one stretch. There are three stories that made an impact on me.
First is “Parting of Strangers”. I was intrigued with the title. Author takes us along in much talked about Bangalore Traffic.Can there be experiences in Traffic that can be interesting? Will you look forward to driving in Bangalore Traffic? Is there a possibility that we can look forward to experience which need not be conventional ones? The story touches on above questions. Author narrates the story with ease and brings the emotions in subtle way.
Second story which made a profound impact is “Porcelain Fingers”. People who started their career in late eighties and nineties could really feel a part of this story. I was surprised, My son aged 19, found this story impactful even today. It talks about the environment in nineties where settling in USA was the only aspiration for many youngsters. This story took me back thirty years on challenges during that time.
Third story which I thought Author very cleverly crafted is “Flat liners”. Author cleverly includes several hints in the story and makes you to read it once more to grasp all the clues he has planted for you to understand it well. George Polya in “How to solve it” says purpose of the teacher ( author) is to make the student to solve the puzzle and derive happiness. Author has done a Polya with this story.
I would recommend the Author to make each story in a different situation or environment to bring freshness in every story. 1 or 2 stories seemed repetitive in theme in this collection. One may not sense it but I feel the Author could avoid it in future as I expect more out of him in future.
I am certainly looking forward to his next one.
Book starts with story titled “Receding Shoreline” which surely tempts the reader to complete all stories at one stretch. There are three stories that made an impact on me.
First is “Parting of Strangers”. I was intrigued with the title. Author takes us along in much talked about Bangalore Traffic.Can there be experiences in Traffic that can be interesting? Will you look forward to driving in Bangalore Traffic? Is there a possibility that we can look forward to experience which need not be conventional ones? The story touches on above questions. Author narrates the story with ease and brings the emotions in subtle way.
Second story which made a profound impact is “Porcelain Fingers”. People who started their career in late eighties and nineties could really feel a part of this story. I was surprised, My son aged 19, found this story impactful even today. It talks about the environment in nineties where settling in USA was the only aspiration for many youngsters. This story took me back thirty years on challenges during that time.
Third story which I thought Author very cleverly crafted is “Flat liners”. Author cleverly includes several hints in the story and makes you to read it once more to grasp all the clues he has planted for you to understand it well. George Polya in “How to solve it” says purpose of the teacher ( author) is to make the student to solve the puzzle and derive happiness. Author has done a Polya with this story.
I would recommend the Author to make each story in a different situation or environment to bring freshness in every story. 1 or 2 stories seemed repetitive in theme in this collection. One may not sense it but I feel the Author could avoid it in future as I expect more out of him in future.
I am certainly looking forward to his next one.
September 29, 2018
After a long time, I came across a well written set of short stories set in modern times. Once I read the first story, like a thriller, I couldn't put the book down. The author's style of writing is smooth and easy, and the reader gets immersed in the flow.
The author's description of everyday things and weaving it into the story brought it to life. It made reading more enjoyable.
In one of the stories the author says ..
"He delicately placed mango mousse and a coffee with diaphanous heart of cream floating on it." ... " Aditi noticed the artwork on the coffee ... on other days, she added sugar for Rahul .. Today, however, Aditi hesitated .... did not want to break the heart "
.....
"I had tears in my eyes. ... . With each drop, I felt lighter and lighter until I decided to live and not jump to a wrong conclusion five floors below"
Some of the stories have a twist ending, requiring a second read. Some other stories are elegantly connected to each other creating a curiosity about what comes next . Few of the stories are left open to interpretation by the reader.
I enjoyed reading all of them and it sure finds a place on my book-shelf.
The author's description of everyday things and weaving it into the story brought it to life. It made reading more enjoyable.
In one of the stories the author says ..
"He delicately placed mango mousse and a coffee with diaphanous heart of cream floating on it." ... " Aditi noticed the artwork on the coffee ... on other days, she added sugar for Rahul .. Today, however, Aditi hesitated .... did not want to break the heart "
.....
"I had tears in my eyes. ... . With each drop, I felt lighter and lighter until I decided to live and not jump to a wrong conclusion five floors below"
Some of the stories have a twist ending, requiring a second read. Some other stories are elegantly connected to each other creating a curiosity about what comes next . Few of the stories are left open to interpretation by the reader.
I enjoyed reading all of them and it sure finds a place on my book-shelf.
September 28, 2018
This collection of 16 short stories will touch a chord with all urban dwellers. Some stories I enjoyed as I could associate it with some past incident, some others in close friends lives. The rest I just enjoyed as the author brings out the scenario in vivid details. Really unstoppable reading. Read all the 16 stories in one sitting.
The author brings out the interactions between the characters, the emotions involved , the settings very well. I could imagine myself being right in the midst of the story, observing the story evolve.
The twist at the end of the stories makes them even more enjoyable. ( though reading all the 16 in one sitting, kind of start predicting the end).
The one thing I noticed is that the stories are narrated by a male character. Not that it removes anything from the stories, just an observation.
The author brings out the interactions between the characters, the emotions involved , the settings very well. I could imagine myself being right in the midst of the story, observing the story evolve.
The twist at the end of the stories makes them even more enjoyable. ( though reading all the 16 in one sitting, kind of start predicting the end).
The one thing I noticed is that the stories are narrated by a male character. Not that it removes anything from the stories, just an observation.
October 7, 2018
As a first time short story book, I think its quite an engaging read. This book by Sattam Dasgupta oozes familiarity, characters you can relate to - commoners like me who have challenges and life situations that are not alien. In these "slice of life" stories, Sattam tackles a lot of diverse subjects - love, fidelity, romance, compromises, family, parenthood, loss, ambition, ethics, patriotism and death. Set across his two beloved cities of Bangalore and Kolkata, these stories are a testament to his acute sense of observation of human behavior. The stories are told in a simple, linear fashion that soaks in the reader with their narration. They make for an easy read with a tumbler of cold coffee and some cookies to munch.
My favorite stories from the lot are the ones where Sattam explores the conflicts within - for instance the one titled "The Last Hurrah" and "The Teacher Never Retires", or even "Green Tea in Bone China". The tussle of emotions that some of the characters experience through these stories is quite touching, and I commend the writing for making me feel something within me, a churn of emotions quite strong.
There are some recurring themes across the stories. For instance the "parameters of loving someone", "the importance of family" and "the honesty with oneself". And then there is the theme of death and life afterwards, which particularly intrigued me. Wondering what makes that appear time and again in this book! Another curiosity I have is about the names of female protagonists, which almost always begin with the letter "A"... Maybe there is a romantic story hidden there somewhere :-)
While most stories in the book are akin to beautiful solitary islands, there are some that are written as a "set", such as the stories of Rahul and Aditi. That is a refreshing and an interesting variation in style. I think Sattam should explore writing a full-fledged novel, because it is in these stories that I feel he is truly in his element as an author.
I have known Sattam as a guide and mentor for many years. Just seeing this book from him was a great thrill. He has wielded the words with aplomb and I am very happy to have read this book, experienced the way he sees and perceives things around him. I am looking forward to the next book. I have always believed that art mimics life, especially for a writer. And I am eager to talk to him about the life experiences that led to this short story book.
My favorite stories from the lot are the ones where Sattam explores the conflicts within - for instance the one titled "The Last Hurrah" and "The Teacher Never Retires", or even "Green Tea in Bone China". The tussle of emotions that some of the characters experience through these stories is quite touching, and I commend the writing for making me feel something within me, a churn of emotions quite strong.
There are some recurring themes across the stories. For instance the "parameters of loving someone", "the importance of family" and "the honesty with oneself". And then there is the theme of death and life afterwards, which particularly intrigued me. Wondering what makes that appear time and again in this book! Another curiosity I have is about the names of female protagonists, which almost always begin with the letter "A"... Maybe there is a romantic story hidden there somewhere :-)
While most stories in the book are akin to beautiful solitary islands, there are some that are written as a "set", such as the stories of Rahul and Aditi. That is a refreshing and an interesting variation in style. I think Sattam should explore writing a full-fledged novel, because it is in these stories that I feel he is truly in his element as an author.
I have known Sattam as a guide and mentor for many years. Just seeing this book from him was a great thrill. He has wielded the words with aplomb and I am very happy to have read this book, experienced the way he sees and perceives things around him. I am looking forward to the next book. I have always believed that art mimics life, especially for a writer. And I am eager to talk to him about the life experiences that led to this short story book.
September 29, 2018
Brilliant writing!!! So many intriguing stories, beautiful characters and full of emotions, imaginations and such vivid descriptions!! Loved it Sattam. It proves you are a born romantic. My favorite is parting of the strangers and green tea in bone china. Love all the stories. Please keep up your writing ... we love it ..... need it.
September 24, 2018
A very readable set of short stories. Mr. Dasgupta looks at the world around us with a sense of innocent wonder, makes us see what we so often overlook, and takes us with him on his journeys of speculations and dreams. It is always a pleasure to come across a promising new author, and I am waiting for more from him.
December 4, 2018
Parting of the Strangers and other Stories by Sattam Dasgupta is a collection of sixteen riveting reads about people living in urban India and the tricks their hearts and minds play. While reading I felt that relationship is like gambling…either you win or lose…you hardly land up in a win-win situation.
Throughout the stories, themes like ‘unpredictability’ and ‘uncertainty’ are prevalent, at times headstrong and sometimes seeped in subtly. For example in Porcelain Fingers, the woman destroys the family chord and challenges the head-on betrayal when she becomes obsessed for her American lifestyle. Another great aspect of the book is paranormal stories. The kind of ‘endings’ are there to throw you into loops. Highly recommended to all people who amuse at the show of life’s vagaries.
Written in the most impressive way, most of stories have that ‘I’ narration, which makes stories as they are surreal, happening around you, to the world that you live by every day.
Throughout the stories, themes like ‘unpredictability’ and ‘uncertainty’ are prevalent, at times headstrong and sometimes seeped in subtly. For example in Porcelain Fingers, the woman destroys the family chord and challenges the head-on betrayal when she becomes obsessed for her American lifestyle. Another great aspect of the book is paranormal stories. The kind of ‘endings’ are there to throw you into loops. Highly recommended to all people who amuse at the show of life’s vagaries.
Written in the most impressive way, most of stories have that ‘I’ narration, which makes stories as they are surreal, happening around you, to the world that you live by every day.
December 6, 2018
Parting of the Strangers and Other Stories is my first happenstance with Sattam Dasgupta’s writing. After reading first three stories, to be honest, I felt being shaken emotionally. On the other hand, I also found it surprising this is Sattam’s first book; otherwise I became serious to find out more about his books. Anyway coming to the collection, there are sixteen stories, and the author has done a good job by placing some of his best stories in the beginning. I liked first three stories over other ones, though I like others as well. In person, I liked his lyrical style of writing, brilliant language, coalescing descriptions of urban places to create an impressive world, bustling with unstable and befuddling human emotions.
I got into the book with high hopes. The first story, ‘Receding Shoreline’ kept me guessing until the last few lines. In the story there were three characters with equal space and worth, however, I found Sinjan that smart city chap who can ask for anything by smelling the ambiance and he knows that he won’t fail. Second story was good, but not that great like the first or third one. Indeed the title story, ‘Parting of the Strangers’ is a wonderful story in all senses. Yes, it is true that we get acquainted with strangers on roads, journey or even on flights and metro rides, but do we look forward to meeting with them every day on same time. If you ask your heart, yes we do. Having liked first three stories which were more or less build around ‘parting or parting-like strangers’ theme. Here, I found one of the themes of the book highlighted.
But, that’s not the stopping, as it goes: to find rarer gems, one must dive deeper. Similarly, to find out more unputdownable stories from the collection, one needs to read the book for a totally delightful experience. I would like to bring it again into limelight that the title story (Parting of the Strangers) sets an ideal and the following stories just take the graph of Sattam’s writing higher and upper, with his masterly strokes in ‘A Teacher Never Retires, Porcelain Fingers’, Everyone Needs Closure’ and ‘Fifty Feet of Nothing’. For me, along with the tittle story, collectively these four stories conjecture up the higher realms of literature in his work. However, at the same time, I would like to pinpoint that I didn’t understand ‘Gridlock’ story – maybe I need to read it over and again.
It will be injustice to say that the collection dealt merely with the dynamics of human relationships, in fact the book has also delivered well on suspense part with stories involving after-death revelations. Parting and separation are other two relevant themes in the book. The writer could have divided the book into three parts, such as paranormal stories, inter-connected stories and individual ones. I must say that Sattam Dasgupta’s capability to delve deep into human inner self and understand its intrinsic response has been marvelously reflected in the book. I found this anthology satiating to my reading soul. I liked this collection and I am not going to compare it with any writer or collection of stories.
Find more such reviews on https://www.haloofbooks.com/
I got into the book with high hopes. The first story, ‘Receding Shoreline’ kept me guessing until the last few lines. In the story there were three characters with equal space and worth, however, I found Sinjan that smart city chap who can ask for anything by smelling the ambiance and he knows that he won’t fail. Second story was good, but not that great like the first or third one. Indeed the title story, ‘Parting of the Strangers’ is a wonderful story in all senses. Yes, it is true that we get acquainted with strangers on roads, journey or even on flights and metro rides, but do we look forward to meeting with them every day on same time. If you ask your heart, yes we do. Having liked first three stories which were more or less build around ‘parting or parting-like strangers’ theme. Here, I found one of the themes of the book highlighted.
But, that’s not the stopping, as it goes: to find rarer gems, one must dive deeper. Similarly, to find out more unputdownable stories from the collection, one needs to read the book for a totally delightful experience. I would like to bring it again into limelight that the title story (Parting of the Strangers) sets an ideal and the following stories just take the graph of Sattam’s writing higher and upper, with his masterly strokes in ‘A Teacher Never Retires, Porcelain Fingers’, Everyone Needs Closure’ and ‘Fifty Feet of Nothing’. For me, along with the tittle story, collectively these four stories conjecture up the higher realms of literature in his work. However, at the same time, I would like to pinpoint that I didn’t understand ‘Gridlock’ story – maybe I need to read it over and again.
It will be injustice to say that the collection dealt merely with the dynamics of human relationships, in fact the book has also delivered well on suspense part with stories involving after-death revelations. Parting and separation are other two relevant themes in the book. The writer could have divided the book into three parts, such as paranormal stories, inter-connected stories and individual ones. I must say that Sattam Dasgupta’s capability to delve deep into human inner self and understand its intrinsic response has been marvelously reflected in the book. I found this anthology satiating to my reading soul. I liked this collection and I am not going to compare it with any writer or collection of stories.
Find more such reviews on https://www.haloofbooks.com/
December 27, 2018
The book offers 16 short stories, set up in metro cities and based on one or the other life situations, that we all have been in, making them highly relatable. There are a lot of subjects here – family, love, death, fidelity, parenting, loss, ethics and more. The stories are titled well making them intriguing enough right at the start. Sample this – ‘Green Tea in Bone China’, ‘Speakerphone’ or even ‘Porcelain Fingers’.
I’m often at the edge while reading short stories. Of course I expect them to be short or just the right length, but more importantly they have to be engaging, substantial or even worthwhile. This book made me quite happy on this front. Most stories got me very curious and retained my otherwise flickering attention span, and often ended with an ‘aha’ or ‘wow’. The author strikes a good balance between attention to detail and just enough to not-make-it- boring. This helps a lot in understanding the characters and relate to their situations as well.
I enjoy reading about human emotions and that is nuanced a lot in these stories… affection and tacit understanding of siblings, love and frustration of a married couple, trust and mentoring of colleagues or even unsaid long lost love between friends. A common thread that runs through most of the stories is that there is often someone in your life that you think you know very well, but often surprises you with an eerie strangeness. And this, at times, can be deeply hurtful.
Overall a good read. Read it to reflect on some of your relationships and if there is strangeness in them.
I’m often at the edge while reading short stories. Of course I expect them to be short or just the right length, but more importantly they have to be engaging, substantial or even worthwhile. This book made me quite happy on this front. Most stories got me very curious and retained my otherwise flickering attention span, and often ended with an ‘aha’ or ‘wow’. The author strikes a good balance between attention to detail and just enough to not-make-it- boring. This helps a lot in understanding the characters and relate to their situations as well.
I enjoy reading about human emotions and that is nuanced a lot in these stories… affection and tacit understanding of siblings, love and frustration of a married couple, trust and mentoring of colleagues or even unsaid long lost love between friends. A common thread that runs through most of the stories is that there is often someone in your life that you think you know very well, but often surprises you with an eerie strangeness. And this, at times, can be deeply hurtful.
Overall a good read. Read it to reflect on some of your relationships and if there is strangeness in them.
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