Gurgaon Diaries is a hilarious set of anecdotes from 19 years of author’s life which she has spent in Drona’s village, Gurugram. She muses about the changes this city has undergone over the years and how it’s inhabitants have morphed from simple Haryanvi minds to a phony accented tribe. I’ll not wait until the end to say this is one of my favorite reads and I highly recommend it.
Here are 10 reasons why you should read this book:
- If you’ve lived in Gurgaon, you’ll relate to every single story because you’ve experienced it yourself and sometimes you’ve been on the perpetrator side as well.
- From pothole-ridden roads to disastrous dog birthday party, from death ride in Gurgaon auto rickshaws to brats throwing tantrums, you’ll find everything in here. And you’ll be nodding your head along.
- The writing style is clear and conversational. I found it a quick read. This also helped with my reading targets. It is a perfect read for that summer day when you find yourself unable to move your lazy bum.
- It is a laugh riot. These are everyday experiences that Debeshi has captured but they are still hilarious. Almost like stand up comedy on paper, only cleaner. Every page is dripping with wit and satire, and as a reader, I wanted to lap it all up.
- I found in Debeshi my twin in thoughts and actions. She is as annoyed of kids as I am, is miles away from the health nuts(both living and eatable), hates wasting cake on birthdays, and has a fear of needles. Maybe you’ll find a kindred soul as well.
- You’ll learn some parenting tips on the way. I love how she maintains an open channel of communication with her daughter.
- And perhaps some lessons on treating maids and nannies better.
- And some on maintaining decorum at the gym.
- You’ll find some exciting gossip in there. I found myself giggling all the time while reading the juicy bits.
- Jokes apart, Debeshi has done an amazing job in removing the haze from this smog covered city and in capturing the contrast that is synonymous with Gurgaon. Swanky malls reachable only through flooded roads, the rich who shy away from spending 50 bucks on parking their expensive cars, and people who care better for their dogs than their kids. There are more in there. You’ve to read it to know what I am talking about.
Hope you’ll pick this up.
Cheers!
Neha
Book: Gurgaon Diaries: Life, Work, and Play in Drona's village Author: Debeshi Gooptu Publisher: Rupa Publications Publication: January 2018 No. of pages: 226 My rating: 4.5/5
The Reading Owl 