Ivory Tower
A Collection of Short Stories
by
Book Cover & Preview Text
Formats
Book Details
About the Book
This book represents my life long work. From my childhood I was interested in writing. Some of the stories were written a long time back, now adapted to suit this day and age.
There are 31 stories but no two stories are similar. Each has its own particular theme, plot and subject matter. It would be hard to find such diversity in one book. There are stories on ghosts, reincarnation, child prostitution, crime, social, cultural and religious theme and background.
As most stories have Asian or Indian background, I was at first some what apprehensive. But many, who read this book, including some critics, assured me that with such variety, diversity and easy to understand, pleasing on eyes writing style, it makes no difference.
If some one asks me, which one is my favourite, it would be difficult to answer but if pressed, I have to say Ivory Tower is my favourite. The plot is simple yet touching, bringing back memories of my childhood days spent in idealistic Africa, during colonial era, a favourite read among East Africans.
Then there is Midnight Mystery. Practically the whole story is telephone conversation between a young man and a woman who had never met, with a twist in the tale.
Kismat (destiny) is another of my favourites. It has a wonderful background of tea estate and unexpected ending. Some stories have poems, as part of the plot. I feel it gives a distinct flavour and individuality not so common in modern writings.
About the Author
Bhupendra was born and brought up in East Africa, during the romantic colonial era when Africa was still a dark continent. The periodic atmosphere is vividly captured in the story Heaven on Earth.
Every one brought up in East Africa, especially in Dar Es Salaam loves and appreciates this piece. It was a Jules Verne world, a lost continent, where the time stood still for centuries, an isolated impregnable fortress, Africa's own Shangri La of the Lost Horizon, Bhupendra's favourite book written by James Hilton.
Bhupendra came to Britain in 1968, just after Tanzania gained independence, knowing little what they were leaving behind. As author's name suggests, he is Asian of Indian origin. Although English is not their mother tongue, they had English as the medium of instruction from the secondary level, with many English teachers, specially recruited from England. So most East African Asians are more at ease with English than their mother tongue Gujarati.
By profession, Bhupendra was an accountant. In 1999 he had a terrible mishap in hospital when a two hour stay in a day ward for a minor biopsy turned into a twenty two night struggle to survive, vividly captured in short story To Hell and Back. Only Kumudini's (wife) nursing training saved the day. That mishap brought his accountancy career to an abrupt end.
This misfortune gave Bhupendra the opportunity to pursue his hobby, become a hobby journalist. Surprisingly Bhupendra took to writing like a duck to water. Now he has his own regular column and writes for various ethnic publications.