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Down the Road
An exciting and eclectic collection of short stories that brings out all those memories – unforgettable, warm, thrilling, and at times embarrassing – of life in school and college campuses. From hesitant first crushes and relationships to the angst and heartache of wanting to fit in but trying to look like it doesn’t matter, and from the excited anticipation of midnight “Maggi parties” to campus ragging and the struggles and insecurities of a fresh graduate trying to find his calling in life – these stories cover situations and instances familiar to anyone from their school and college days.
Written by well known authors and bloggers as well as first time writers – some of whom are still living life on
campuses around the country – the characters are brought to life with a rich, vivid detail and sensitivity.
A first time teacher faced with a formidable task of teaching a group of teenage bullies; the soft beneath the
surface canteen owner; a roommate who self - destructs; pranks that go too far; bullies in class taking on a
dreaded professor; a spunky fresher out to live life on her own terms; interns realizing that learning from a book is a far cry from applying knowledge in the real world; a street-smart final year student who gets the placement decisions she wants by using “soft” skills; close friends separated by the conflict of caste and campus politics, and unorthodox teachers with a knack for seeing potential in the most unlikely places – all these plus a handful of stories about rare and unusual campus events and three invited essays on the influence of college life on urban culture round out this anthology from the publishers of the acclaimed Urban Shots and Another Chance.
Written by well known authors and bloggers as well as first time writers – some of whom are still living life on
campuses around the country – the characters are brought to life with a rich, vivid detail and sensitivity.
A first time teacher faced with a formidable task of teaching a group of teenage bullies; the soft beneath the
surface canteen owner; a roommate who self - destructs; pranks that go too far; bullies in class taking on a
dreaded professor; a spunky fresher out to live life on her own terms; interns realizing that learning from a book is a far cry from applying knowledge in the real world; a street-smart final year student who gets the placement decisions she wants by using “soft” skills; close friends separated by the conflict of caste and campus politics, and unorthodox teachers with a knack for seeing potential in the most unlikely places – all these plus a handful of stories about rare and unusual campus events and three invited essays on the influence of college life on urban culture round out this anthology from the publishers of the acclaimed Urban Shots and Another Chance.
- GenresShort Stories
Paperback
First published April 1, 2011
1 person is currently reading
37 people want to read
About the author
Ahmed Faiyaz
15 books60 followersAhmed Faiyaz grew up in Bangalore and now lives in Dubai.
He’s a strategist by profession, with a number of years in management consulting behind him. He’s a book and film addict, and a passionate writer. His first book, Love, Life & All That Jazz…, published in April 2010, remains a popular bestseller across major cities. His stories are also featured in the National Bestseller, Urban Shots
Grey Oak has recently released Another Chance, his second full-length novel, and is slated to release Down the Road, an anthology of 30 short stories he has co-edited, in April 2011. He is a founding member of Grey Oak Publishers and Grey Oak Foundation.
More on
www.ahmedfaiyaz.in and www.twitter.com/ahmedfaiyaz
He’s a strategist by profession, with a number of years in management consulting behind him. He’s a book and film addict, and a passionate writer. His first book, Love, Life & All That Jazz…, published in April 2010, remains a popular bestseller across major cities. His stories are also featured in the National Bestseller, Urban Shots
Grey Oak has recently released Another Chance, his second full-length novel, and is slated to release Down the Road, an anthology of 30 short stories he has co-edited, in April 2011. He is a founding member of Grey Oak Publishers and Grey Oak Foundation.
More on
www.ahmedfaiyaz.in and www.twitter.com/ahmedfaiyaz
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
December 3, 2020
Here’s the thing – I am yet to meet a person, girl or boy, young or old, who doesn’t like to reminisce about their school and college days. Even the fresh graduates seem to realize that the days that just passed by are never going to come back and the life they have just lived is going to be the best part of their entire existence. We love to think back over to the times we were so carefree, daring, fun-loving and a tad bit irresponsible.
This book, “Down the Road”, will help you remember those memories even more fondly. A collection of twenty eight short stories by sixteen authors, revolving around the student phase of a person’s life that takes you right back to those golden days. It was really impossible to read the stories and not relate to them. I kept on thinking back and realizing that there was a boy/girl my class at some point of time who was a direct reflection of the character I was reading about. Also, it would be a mistake not to comment on the number of topics touched by the authors in this book. Starting from first crush, to a teacher who brought out the best in a student, to the class bully, to the dreaded teacher, to reunions, to young love, to failures, to politics – this book has it all.
Read the full review on Bookish Indulgences with b00k r3vi3ws
This book, “Down the Road”, will help you remember those memories even more fondly. A collection of twenty eight short stories by sixteen authors, revolving around the student phase of a person’s life that takes you right back to those golden days. It was really impossible to read the stories and not relate to them. I kept on thinking back and realizing that there was a boy/girl my class at some point of time who was a direct reflection of the character I was reading about. Also, it would be a mistake not to comment on the number of topics touched by the authors in this book. Starting from first crush, to a teacher who brought out the best in a student, to the class bully, to the dreaded teacher, to reunions, to young love, to failures, to politics – this book has it all.
Read the full review on Bookish Indulgences with b00k r3vi3ws
May 19, 2012
Edited by: Ahmed Faiyaz and Rohini Kejriwal. Grade B+
Down the Road is Grey Oak’s second anthology after Urban Shots. This edition of Down the Road is a collaboration between Grey Oak and Westland. The collection is colorful and delightful. The book has been divided into five sub-parts which are pretty self explanatory:
Attendance is Compulsory
Festivals, Selections & Placements
Lights Out
Looking Back
Essays
An exciting and eclectic collection of short stories that brings out all those memories – unforgettable, warm, thrilling, and at times embarrassing – of life in school and college campuses.
From hesitant first crushes and relationships to the angst and heartache of wanting to fit in but trying to look like it doesn’t matter, and from the excited anticipation of midnight “Maggi parties” to campus ragging and the struggles and insecurities of a fresh graduate trying to find his calling in life – these stories cover situations and instances familiar to anyone from their school and college days.
Written by well known authors and bloggers as well as first time writers – some of whom are still living life on campuses around the country – the characters are brought to life with a rich, vivid detail and sensitivity. A first time teacher faced with a formidable task of teaching a group of teenage bullies; the soft beneath the surface canteen owner; a roommate who self – destructs; pranks that go too far; bullies in class taking on a dreaded professor; a spunky fresher out to live life on her own terms; interns realizing that learning from a book is a far cry from applying knowledge in the real world; a street-smart final year student who gets the placement decisions she wants by using “soft” skills; close friends separated by the conflict of caste and campus politics, and unorthodox teachers with a knack for seeing potential in the most unlikely places – all these plus a handful of stories about rare and unusual campus events and three invited essays on the influence of college life on urban culture round out this anthology from the publishers of the acclaimed Urban Shots and Another Chance.
Campus life is undoubtedly the best time of our life for most of us. A book revolving around that theme was an excellent idea and this one conveyed the nostalgia perfectly. We have the name, “Down the Road” which gives a clear insight into the book, and the cover too, is very apt. As I said, all stories revolve around the theme of campuses. The stories vary from first time crushes, full fledged romances, desperate apologies of a teenager, first-time-teacher facing school bullies, long lost friends, campus ragging and late night “Maggie” : all instances familiar to anyone from their school and college days.
I personally feel that writing a short story is more difficult than writing a novel. Not in terms of dedication or discipline, but in terms of talent. You can’t start off with a slow beginning even if your story requires it and hope your reader will stick with you. You need to grab attention immediately and create characters that make a memorable impression with very few words.
Some contributors here accomplished that nicely, while some couldn’t. Smells Like Home by Aashish Mehotra was perhaps my favourite. Another story that stood out for me was the story of a young Kashmiri boy who can’t resist a bet in Malathi Jaikumar’s Dare to Bare.
The best thing about this book that it endorsed no hero. They didn’t glorify teenagers, and perhaps saved the book from becoming a disaster in the process. For example, in one of Ira Trivedi’s story, “Rishi and Me: A Love Story”, Riya is shown as someone who lost her boyfriend (who was also her best friend) because she made out with another guy. Typical high school stuff, yes, but I liked the fact how the writers stayed true to their characters. The stories had flawed protagonists, which is what cinched the deal for me. The stories were also very personal and handled delicately, which kept me turning the pages as fast as I could read them.
Grey Oak here goes down a different road by ending the book with two essays: “Fiction on Campus” by Sonia Safri and “Bollywood of Campus” by Aseem Rastogi. While Sonia talks about the recent surge of books that are set on campuses and have been collectively dubbed as “campus romances”, Aseem discusses various popular Bollywood movies revolving around student life. The ideas to put essays into the book was unique and the essays too were really good. It must have taken Aseem some effort to classify Bollywood movies in a new campus style. I must say both of them have done a great job.
Overall, I’d say that anyone who is interested in going down the road of the most memorable part of their past should go for Down the Road.
Originally reviewed at: www.the-vault.co.cc
Down the Road is Grey Oak’s second anthology after Urban Shots. This edition of Down the Road is a collaboration between Grey Oak and Westland. The collection is colorful and delightful. The book has been divided into five sub-parts which are pretty self explanatory:
Attendance is Compulsory
Festivals, Selections & Placements
Lights Out
Looking Back
Essays
An exciting and eclectic collection of short stories that brings out all those memories – unforgettable, warm, thrilling, and at times embarrassing – of life in school and college campuses.
From hesitant first crushes and relationships to the angst and heartache of wanting to fit in but trying to look like it doesn’t matter, and from the excited anticipation of midnight “Maggi parties” to campus ragging and the struggles and insecurities of a fresh graduate trying to find his calling in life – these stories cover situations and instances familiar to anyone from their school and college days.
Written by well known authors and bloggers as well as first time writers – some of whom are still living life on campuses around the country – the characters are brought to life with a rich, vivid detail and sensitivity. A first time teacher faced with a formidable task of teaching a group of teenage bullies; the soft beneath the surface canteen owner; a roommate who self – destructs; pranks that go too far; bullies in class taking on a dreaded professor; a spunky fresher out to live life on her own terms; interns realizing that learning from a book is a far cry from applying knowledge in the real world; a street-smart final year student who gets the placement decisions she wants by using “soft” skills; close friends separated by the conflict of caste and campus politics, and unorthodox teachers with a knack for seeing potential in the most unlikely places – all these plus a handful of stories about rare and unusual campus events and three invited essays on the influence of college life on urban culture round out this anthology from the publishers of the acclaimed Urban Shots and Another Chance.
Campus life is undoubtedly the best time of our life for most of us. A book revolving around that theme was an excellent idea and this one conveyed the nostalgia perfectly. We have the name, “Down the Road” which gives a clear insight into the book, and the cover too, is very apt. As I said, all stories revolve around the theme of campuses. The stories vary from first time crushes, full fledged romances, desperate apologies of a teenager, first-time-teacher facing school bullies, long lost friends, campus ragging and late night “Maggie” : all instances familiar to anyone from their school and college days.
I personally feel that writing a short story is more difficult than writing a novel. Not in terms of dedication or discipline, but in terms of talent. You can’t start off with a slow beginning even if your story requires it and hope your reader will stick with you. You need to grab attention immediately and create characters that make a memorable impression with very few words.
Some contributors here accomplished that nicely, while some couldn’t. Smells Like Home by Aashish Mehotra was perhaps my favourite. Another story that stood out for me was the story of a young Kashmiri boy who can’t resist a bet in Malathi Jaikumar’s Dare to Bare.
The best thing about this book that it endorsed no hero. They didn’t glorify teenagers, and perhaps saved the book from becoming a disaster in the process. For example, in one of Ira Trivedi’s story, “Rishi and Me: A Love Story”, Riya is shown as someone who lost her boyfriend (who was also her best friend) because she made out with another guy. Typical high school stuff, yes, but I liked the fact how the writers stayed true to their characters. The stories had flawed protagonists, which is what cinched the deal for me. The stories were also very personal and handled delicately, which kept me turning the pages as fast as I could read them.
Grey Oak here goes down a different road by ending the book with two essays: “Fiction on Campus” by Sonia Safri and “Bollywood of Campus” by Aseem Rastogi. While Sonia talks about the recent surge of books that are set on campuses and have been collectively dubbed as “campus romances”, Aseem discusses various popular Bollywood movies revolving around student life. The ideas to put essays into the book was unique and the essays too were really good. It must have taken Aseem some effort to classify Bollywood movies in a new campus style. I must say both of them have done a great job.
Overall, I’d say that anyone who is interested in going down the road of the most memorable part of their past should go for Down the Road.
Originally reviewed at: www.the-vault.co.cc
June 16, 2015
The book is divided into four sections with 28 stories by 16 authors, which brings to a personal reservation - Why only 16 authors and 28 stories when 9 stories from 1 author (some of them below average) has clearly been squeezed in the anthology. Surely a publishing house wanting to give opportunities to young writers should have taken care of this. On top of this, one short story - 'Between friends' from Urban Shots has been repeated in this anthology and two short stories has been put in as a novel extract purely as a marketing gimmick. The two essays in the end are poorly researched, catering to the 'nepotism' masses instead of really getting into the details of social repercussion of the college romance in fiction books or cinema.
The individual authors have explored many different facets of campus life including elections, politics, ragging, teachers, passions, lessons, crushes, and placements. Most stories end up adopting gimmicks or by surrendering to clichés, boldly presuming that by adding college lingo, the characters would become representative of campus life. They merely touch upon themes which works well in short story format, but ultimately leaves you hanging with amateurish finish off style.
Some of the stories, however make a strong impression. Bellow Yellow by Chinmayi Bali has a dark, yet tender detailing about the well being of a student. The cafe with No Name by Sneh Thakur explores a heart warming relationship between its owner and one of the students from the college. An Accidental Start by Kunal Dhabalia bring alive a layered, beautiful relationship between student and teacher. Stranger in Strange Places by Abhijit Bhaduri could have been longer, but the makes an impact with its freshness during the stay. Rishi & Me by Ira Trivdei throws in a dark emotional punch while Sororicide by Paritosh Uttam once again shows the versatility of the writer.
Overall, you will feel disappointed with most of the stories and will give you a feel of been there, read that. Read if you are looking for a light read or desperately want to take that nostalgia trip down the memory lane.
The individual authors have explored many different facets of campus life including elections, politics, ragging, teachers, passions, lessons, crushes, and placements. Most stories end up adopting gimmicks or by surrendering to clichés, boldly presuming that by adding college lingo, the characters would become representative of campus life. They merely touch upon themes which works well in short story format, but ultimately leaves you hanging with amateurish finish off style.
Some of the stories, however make a strong impression. Bellow Yellow by Chinmayi Bali has a dark, yet tender detailing about the well being of a student. The cafe with No Name by Sneh Thakur explores a heart warming relationship between its owner and one of the students from the college. An Accidental Start by Kunal Dhabalia bring alive a layered, beautiful relationship between student and teacher. Stranger in Strange Places by Abhijit Bhaduri could have been longer, but the makes an impact with its freshness during the stay. Rishi & Me by Ira Trivdei throws in a dark emotional punch while Sororicide by Paritosh Uttam once again shows the versatility of the writer.
Overall, you will feel disappointed with most of the stories and will give you a feel of been there, read that. Read if you are looking for a light read or desperately want to take that nostalgia trip down the memory lane.
February 18, 2012
This book is a compilation of short stories. The cover says it all: 28 campus tales by 16 authors. Indian publishing has sprouted new shoots and how! There are many more new voices that can be heard, each of which provide a different perspective and a different flavour, the short stories contained in this book amplify this emerging trend in Indian publishing. The sheer diversity of topics dealt with in this book make for an interesting read. It is not just about a boy-meets-girl story, so typical of many stories set in campus settings, even though a few stories in this book do relate to relationships, heartbreaks and even happy endings. The book also deals with issues that are so important to collegians, such as trying to fit in, dealing with student politics, campus placements...Stories of reunions, of meeting former colleagues are also captured in this book and some of them have an interesting twist.
It is a light and interesting read and I am glad I was sent this book for review by BlogAdda. For more detailed views on this book, look up my blog post:
http://booksonmyshelves.blogspot.in/2...
It is a light and interesting read and I am glad I was sent this book for review by BlogAdda. For more detailed views on this book, look up my blog post:
http://booksonmyshelves.blogspot.in/2...
July 21, 2011
Fine stories which brings us back to all those years of our life.....
June 22, 2012
It earns in my capacity as a reviewer a 4 out of 5 rating.
This collection takes a trip down memory lane into the campus experiences both high school and college. Not just about 'a carefree life and fun times' as many parents believe but also a journey through the pains and trials of soon to be grown ups.
As the blurb says:
An exciting and eclectic collection of short stories that bring out all those memories - unforgettable, warm, thrilling and at times embarrassing - of life and the times in school and college campuses.
The stories are broadly dived into four sections. The first category “Attendance Is Compulsary” deals with antics both within and outside the high school classroom. Most of these deal with teenage crushes and romances, some in a breezy manner with a quirky ending that made me do a high five like ‘Down The Road’ by Ahmed Faiyaz. A couple like ‘Rishi And Me’ by Ira Trivedi and ‘Sororicide’ By Paritosh Uttam twisted and pulled at the heart strings.
The second grouping “Festivals, Elections And Placements” as the title suggests deal with other aspects of campus life. Some like the tale ending of ‘ Loves Me, Loves Me Not’ by Vibha Batra that made me laugh, ‘Between Friends’ By Paritosh Uttam which had me cringing. ‘The Cafe With No Name’ by Sneh Thakur, the endearing story that reminded me of the Irani cafes with their bun maska and chai that once dotted the Mumbai landscape. And the ‘Setting’ by Ahmed Faiyaz the brilliant, twisted ending of which, had me commiserating.
Further down the pages, “Lights Out” deal with the end of the golden days and career beginnings. Here ‘The Worm That Turned’ by Malathi Jaykumar was a inspiring read albeit the embarrassing beginning. Short and hard hitting ‘Bellow Yellow’ by Chinmayi Bali raised uncomfortable questions.
The final section “Looking Back” literally has, now well established protagonists turning back to individuals from the school, who made a difference in their lives.Of these, the thought provoking 'Strangers In Strange Places'by Abhijit Bhaduri struck a chord. I enjoyed the very different read ‘Accidental Start’ By Kunal Dhabalia as well as the cheeky 'Remember Me' by Ahmed Faiyaz.
I found interesting, the well researched, finale essays ‘Fiction On Campus’ by Sonia Safri and ‘Bollywood On Campus’ by Aseem Rastogi.
I loved the quirky, twisted endings which leaves room for possibilities an imaginative brain can explore.
I also loved the use of realistic settings and reactions which give many of the stories that personal touch.
Each of the author has a distinct writing style and some managed different writing voices effortlessly.
A major grouse I have with a few of the stories was the abrupt ending. A couple of them felt, with due respect, written by those who love to hoard their words rather than let them out. In some cases, I am sort of unhappy with the stories, for the simple reason 'I didn't want them to end'.
Since this not the first publication for many of the authors, they have seemingly honed their craft to capture the moments with candid humour, subtle sarcasm, often exploring painful emotions with raw honesty. The conversationalist styles of most of the works coupled with fast paced story lines makes for a quick, entertaining read.
I would recommend this collection for any one looking for good stories well told, who want a fictional rendition of their own personal experiences. Not a heavy duty anthology though a few of the stories would fall into that category.
This review is a part of the Book Reviews Program at BlogAdda.com.
This collection takes a trip down memory lane into the campus experiences both high school and college. Not just about 'a carefree life and fun times' as many parents believe but also a journey through the pains and trials of soon to be grown ups.
As the blurb says:
An exciting and eclectic collection of short stories that bring out all those memories - unforgettable, warm, thrilling and at times embarrassing - of life and the times in school and college campuses.
The stories are broadly dived into four sections. The first category “Attendance Is Compulsary” deals with antics both within and outside the high school classroom. Most of these deal with teenage crushes and romances, some in a breezy manner with a quirky ending that made me do a high five like ‘Down The Road’ by Ahmed Faiyaz. A couple like ‘Rishi And Me’ by Ira Trivedi and ‘Sororicide’ By Paritosh Uttam twisted and pulled at the heart strings.
The second grouping “Festivals, Elections And Placements” as the title suggests deal with other aspects of campus life. Some like the tale ending of ‘ Loves Me, Loves Me Not’ by Vibha Batra that made me laugh, ‘Between Friends’ By Paritosh Uttam which had me cringing. ‘The Cafe With No Name’ by Sneh Thakur, the endearing story that reminded me of the Irani cafes with their bun maska and chai that once dotted the Mumbai landscape. And the ‘Setting’ by Ahmed Faiyaz the brilliant, twisted ending of which, had me commiserating.
Further down the pages, “Lights Out” deal with the end of the golden days and career beginnings. Here ‘The Worm That Turned’ by Malathi Jaykumar was a inspiring read albeit the embarrassing beginning. Short and hard hitting ‘Bellow Yellow’ by Chinmayi Bali raised uncomfortable questions.
The final section “Looking Back” literally has, now well established protagonists turning back to individuals from the school, who made a difference in their lives.Of these, the thought provoking 'Strangers In Strange Places'by Abhijit Bhaduri struck a chord. I enjoyed the very different read ‘Accidental Start’ By Kunal Dhabalia as well as the cheeky 'Remember Me' by Ahmed Faiyaz.
I found interesting, the well researched, finale essays ‘Fiction On Campus’ by Sonia Safri and ‘Bollywood On Campus’ by Aseem Rastogi.
I loved the quirky, twisted endings which leaves room for possibilities an imaginative brain can explore.
I also loved the use of realistic settings and reactions which give many of the stories that personal touch.
Each of the author has a distinct writing style and some managed different writing voices effortlessly.
A major grouse I have with a few of the stories was the abrupt ending. A couple of them felt, with due respect, written by those who love to hoard their words rather than let them out. In some cases, I am sort of unhappy with the stories, for the simple reason 'I didn't want them to end'.
Since this not the first publication for many of the authors, they have seemingly honed their craft to capture the moments with candid humour, subtle sarcasm, often exploring painful emotions with raw honesty. The conversationalist styles of most of the works coupled with fast paced story lines makes for a quick, entertaining read.
I would recommend this collection for any one looking for good stories well told, who want a fictional rendition of their own personal experiences. Not a heavy duty anthology though a few of the stories would fall into that category.
This review is a part of the Book Reviews Program at BlogAdda.com.
June 10, 2011
short stories of college times, good ones some of them did take me back to those days/ Review coming up soon
September 29, 2012
Good read...!!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews