Pithy Perspectives: A Smorgasbord of Short, Short Stories, a new book by Raja Arasa Ratnam, has been released by RoseDog Books.
This book is for those who enjoy reading; but who may have a short attention span. It is also for those who are interested in a range of genres within a single book. Unlike the traditional short story ? which is not everyone?s cup of tea ? each of the stories in this book has an arresting opening; a clear flowing story line; and (perhaps in the style of author Jeffrey Archer) a dramatic ending. Each ending is intended to leave a thought in the reader?s mind.
It is no mean feat to achieve this within 500 to 3,500 words. The last story ? a parable for adults ? is longer; it needed 6,000 words to arrive at a delightful end. However, not all of the remaining 20 short, short stories offer such an end. The reader will, however, appreciate the quality of writing in each of these impactful narratives; colourful and thought-provoking phrases elicit a range of emotions or paint memorable mental pictures.
The intent of each of the stories is to interest and entertain. Yet, by carefully imagining the persons depicted, placing then in a variety of cultural situations, and infusing some of the scenes with a light touch of spirituality and other philosophies, additional conceptual depth is offered. Cross-cultural issues permeate some of the stories, reflecting the multicultural societies of modern Western nations.
The 21 short, short stories in this book reflect the whimsical mind of a widely-read, aged, speculative philosopher. Some of the stories are plainly ?wacky?, perhaps quaint. Some offer great hope for the human spirit. Some are horrifying. Some offer much depth in matters of human feelings. Some are weird. Some poke fun at human ambition and frailty. Some are beautiful. The longest story ? ?Of mice and morality? ? combines ?wacky?, beautiful, and thoughtfulness. As the last story in the book, it will leave the reader with a wonderful feeling. To say more would spoil the reader?s appetite.
The book is cleverly written, and guaranteed to hold the reader?s interest.
Raja Arasa Ratnam is a bicultural Asian-Australian, aged 82. Formed by Asian communitarian and spiritual values in colonial British Malaya (and for nearly four years under the Japanese military), he has had a highly interactive and contributory life, including holding a variety of leadership positions, during his residence of more than 60 years in Australia.
He has published 3 books on migrant settlement and the related policy issues of multiculturalism, citizenship, and refugee entry. These were based upon his work and personal settlement experiences, including surviving the racist ?White Australia? era.
His last book, ?The Dance of Destiny? is a memoir, with a focus on the determinants of individual human lives. A life of confusing complexity has led him to offer a possible explanation, drawn from the metaphysics of Hinduism. ?Pithy Perspectives? is his first foray into creative writing. He finds this enjoyable, as it allows the unrestrained mind of one born in the Chinese Year of the Dragon to soar in many dimensions, some real, others imagined.
Pithy Perspectives: A Smorgasbord of Short is a 110-page paperback with a retail price of $ 15.00. The ISBN is 978-1-4349-8203-2. It was published by RoseDog Books of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. For more information or to request a review copy, please visit our virtual pressroom at http://www.rosedog.com/pressroom or our online bookstore at http://www.rosedogbookstore.com.
###
No comments:
Post a Comment