Something Happened on the Way to Heaven : 20 Inspiring Real - Life Stories

by Sudha Murty (Editor), Bhaswar Mukherjee

The inspiring true stories of the interesting people who inhabit the pages of Sudha Murtys books leave an indelible impression on us. But the books are able to chronicle the stories of only the men and women Mrs. Murty has actually come across herself in the course of her social work. There must be so many more wonderful stories that many others have to share. Something Happened on the Way to Heaven is a collection of twenty such memorable true life stories. Handpicked by Sudha Murty from a contest run by Penguin, they capture the hope, faith, kindness and joy that life is full of, even as we make our way through the daily grind. Moving and uplifting, this is an anthology that will engross and delight every reader who believes in the goodness of the human heart.

Genres: Nonfiction, Short Stories, Indian Literature, Personal Development

224 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2014

About the author

Sudha Murty was born in 1950 in Shiggaon in north Karnataka. She did her MTech in computer science, and is now the chairperson of the Infosys Foundation. A prolific writer in English and Kannada, she has written nine novels, four technical books, three travelogues, one collection of short stories, three collections of non-fiction pieces and two books for children.

Her books have been translated into all the major Indian languages and have sold over three lakh copies around the country. She was the recipient of the R.K. Narayan's Award for Literature and the Padma Shri in 2006.

Reviews

[Khyati Gulati Tewari · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first book I read by the author was Wise and Otherwise and I was instantly hooked to her books and her writing. I definitely cannot claim that I have read all her works, indeed I have read only a few. But I do love reading her every chance I get. So as soon as I knew, her new book was in the market, I knew I had to buy this one.

Though on further reading about the book, I came to know that it wasn't a book truly authored by her. She just happened to select the stories that came her way through a competition organized by Penguin Books, edited them and compiled them into this book.

Reading this book was a pure pleasure - you read one story and you felt this is the best inspiring story you could ever come across but that feeling only lasted till you finished reading the next one. Each story has been completely different from others in the collection, truly inspiring and it would either leave you heart filled with gladness, love, gratitude or it could leave you with goosebumps all over. Or maybe with a feeling, that cannot be described in words.

We have all felt disappointment at some stage of our lives or other, but these stories will help you restore your faith in yourself, in God and all things that happen - for you come out only stronger after having lived through each dark phase of your life.

This book is a must read for all. I hope you pick up the book and find inspiration in its pages that makes you stronger, restores your faith in all things possible and help you move forward.

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 4 out of 5]

☕ Beginners recommendation!

✴️Genre:Non-fiction

☑️Contains 20 stories:

1)Acceptance by Bhaskar Mukherjee

(how society judges transgenders,what one man does to accept them as equals) 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟


2)A Red Rose by Saurabh Kumar

(talks about old age dementia, how families cope with it, the problems faced by the elderly) 🌟🌟🌟🌟


3)The Dhaka Girl by Dhrishti Dasgupta

(how trust & humanity encompass all barriers of man-made religious divide & rule concept)

4)Agni Pareeksha by Supriya Unni Nair
(celebration of life through life & death struggles)🌟🌟🌟

5)Elixir by Satyarth Nayak
(acceptance of the people in our lives)🌟🌟🌟🌟

6)The Right to Refuse by Jimmy Mathew
(why we should put ourselves in other's shoes first before we judge them for what they do)🌟🌟🌟

7)Father's Reading Glasses by Vibha Lohani
(relationship between parents & the kids)🌟🌟🌟🌟

8)Aagneya by Rajesh Pooppotte
(punishment Vs understanding kids)🌟🌟🌟🌟

9)A New Beginning by Swaha Bhattacharya
(breaking social norms, adoption)🌟🌟🌟🌟

10)The Mysterious Couple by Rishi Bohra
(not only blood relationships are family) 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

11)How Jhannu Mankdia Made It Possible by Neelamani Sutar (triumph through grit, female education & upliftment)🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

12)Savita's Story by Subhobrata
(a parent's undying love of his/her child, importance of education)🌟🌟🌟🌟

13)Acid by Pushkar Pande
(acid attack, acceptance of life)🌟🌟🌟

14)Grandparents' Day by Nalini Chandran
(how men see a possible victim in a single woman/mother; how such a man is taught a lifelong lesson)🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

15)The Udayan Effect by Praveen P. Gopinath
(never judge a person by his/her appearance)🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

16)Time to Pack Up. Not. By Neha Garg
(acceptance of life after being a disaster victim)

17)Train to 'Goonda'ville by Ila Gautam (not everyone out there is there to cause harm)🌟🌟🌟🌟

18)What Goes Around Comes Around by Tulika Dubey (good deed begets good deed!)🌟🌟🌟

19)It Fell in a Storm by Santanu Bhowmik (poverty; gratefulness)🌟🌟🌟🌟

20)An Encounter of a Special Kind by Tapan Mukherjee (trust,compassion)🌟🌟🌟

[Niharika Dergasi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heart touching book which definitely leaves a impact with every page you flip. Every story is an inspiration, motivation and it intrigues you to think. Stories are real life experiences which enlightens us with a thought that world is still a beautiful place to live in and simple acts of kindness do leave a profound impact in life. I was glued to the book till end. Its a nice read and does help us learn a lot.

[Surya · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝑺𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒏

True to the title the book had many touching stories by various authors. The stories re-assured the positive outlook that I already had on life. All of these were real life stories and I was moved to tears for at least 5 to 6 short stories in this collection.

The unexpected twist in this book was the author of the story "It fell in a storm", Santanu Bhowmik is no more. He was stabbed to death during his life as a journalist.

Journalist risk their lives to bring us truth and make us think and be more responsible as citizens.
So let not their risks and lives go in vain.
Let us resolve to be responsible human beings and be kind to one another.
Let us in the littlest possible ways we can, bring in some teeny tiny positive change to this world before we are gone.
I repeat, let us resolve to be responsible human beings and be kind to one another.

https://suryapandian.wordpress.com/20...

[Udit Nair · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a time where there is so much hatred, division and negativity out there in the world, this book has provided me with so much comfort. I firmly believe that there are indeed so many kind hearted people out there who outweigh the evil. This book is just a collection of those great stories which gives us hope. It makes you think about all the identities one holds and it also questions many of our norms in the society. It has stories ranging from partition woes to acceptance of elders to inter species connection. As a whole it can really help one to tide over the negativity and hopelessness in life.

[Kunal Thakkar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Being a beginner myself, i would recommend this to anyone who's thinking to start with reading books, although it's of a juvenile nonfiction category.

The stories are cute to read and light in nature. Easy and understandable language makes it a fun read. Some of the stories are hard hitting to be a true story, but they safely end with a motivating end.

Sometimes i felt in between that the main concept or the nature of all the stories are same where it felt a bit weird, but just a point i observed. Otherwise, it's a good light read book.

[Siddharth Jain · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book has got a decent collection of short stories. Some of them were a little too naive. Nonetheless, some of the stories have been written heart-fully, beautifully looking into the lives of people, into aspects we usually tend to ignore in our day-to-day lives. They made me ponder upon the small things in life, about how we start taking things for granted and how we can find instant gratification, no matter what the present circumstances be.

[Shekhar Ruparelia · Rating 2 out of 5]

A book that I bought and persisted with since one of the twenty real-life short stories here features a friend of mine. Although she had warned me that the publishers had dumbed down the language in the book, I was taken aback with what I read. Some of the tales are really naive too, which doesn’t help either.

Avoid.

Please do have a look at my other book reviews which feature on my blog: www.adventuresofatraveller.wordpress.com

[Lavanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first sudha murty book..I have heard a lot about her works but this is the first time I am reading her work..coming to the book
The book was good overall..in the beginning few stories are naive.. some are predictable.. but some stories touch your heart such as "it fell in a storm".innocence of kids is something everything forgets as we grow older.. this is definitely a one time read book..

[Aishwarya · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️5 STARS
As usual Mrs.Sudha Murthy delivers.Her one book will make you feel all the emotions.Even though technically she only edited the book,I was not disappointed in the quality at all.I would recommend this to anyone who wishes to realise that yes,the world is a kind place with little acts of love that affect all of us at one point or another in this journey called "LIFE".

[Monalisa Padhee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a spontaneous buy and I immediately fell in love with this book. I simply loved the way this book will inspire you from stories of common people like you and I.

[Aruna Kumar Gadepalli · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the subtitle refers there are 20 real life stories that are written by various people. Shows various emotions and certain stories are really feel good stories.

[Priya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some books just make you believe there is still hope and the world is a better place than we believe from what we see and experience everyday. We need these especially in the times we are living in and any positivity is welcome to counter the past two years in particular. This book, simple and easy to read, does this admirably.

It's a collection of real stories selected from the ones people sent in response to a contest asking for them. Sudha Murty has recounted stories from her encounters whether in her professional life or during the course of her charity work in Three thousand stitches. Realising that there must be so many other people who have similar tales to share, this book is the result of her endeavour to bring those to the world.

Many times we read or hear something that encourages us or makes us feel that the problems in our own lives are nothing compared to the difficulties faced by so many others In these true tales, an acid attack survivor rallies back,a woman stands up to a rogue,a mother realizes that her stereotyped view of the world may not be correct all the time, a grandson understands the various ways in which love can be shown by seeing his grandparents and so much more.

These are from all walks of life and from various time periods ranging from the partition in 1947 to the modern age and they are all the kind that are extremely relatable.
My favorites were The right to refuse about an ethical plastic surgeon and It fell in a storm about three children wanting to do something nice for their mother on her birthday but each of the stories has its own significance and leaves behind a mark.

A very feel good book that was perfect reading for me at the present time.

[Theredheaded_Bibliomaniac · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best thing is that all are real stories.
Some are sad and some with the happy endings. Sad and happy stories both are important as life is filled with both sad chapters and happy chapters. From sad stories we learn and show us how to live. The happy ones will not always be feel good stories. They will also make you shed tear once in a while.

Each story gives us a message. We learn from all these ppl who have contributed in making this book.

I really liked this book. It makes us realise that there is so much in this world that we miss by going behind fiction.
A must read book.
This book will make you realize that there are few good people out there hidden behind the bad one.

Old ppl bash young generation and think that don't have any values and ethics but this book will show that new generation is something that you can be proud off.

[Manisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Name of the book: Something happened on the way to heaven (20 inspiring real life stories)
Edited by : Sudha Murty
Publisher: Penguin books India
No of pages: 201
Price: 250 (2014 edition)
About the book:
I had actually purchased this book from Flipkart looking at Sudha Murthy’s name in bold letters on the cover. Only after I got the book, I realised that “edited by” was just above Sudha Murthy’s name in not so bold letters, but still I have no regrets about the purchase! We all know what a great writer Sudha Murthy is, and this time as an editor too, she has done a fabulous job!
The introduction by Sudha Murthy is a gist of all that the book has. There are twenty short stories by various authors which cover various issues of the society. In “Acceptance” by Bhaswar Mukherjee, the lead lady shows the courage to go against the society and employ a eunuch as her domestic help. “The Dhaka Girl” by Dhrishti Dasgupta is another poignant tale of less talked partition of Bengal and its impact on the family captured in the story. “The right to refuse” by Jimmy Mathew is a tale about the doctor, more precisely, a plastic surgeon, who refuses to do corrective surgeries just for the sake of money. “Train to ‘Goonda’ville” by Ila Gautam is about a pretty young girl who’s travelling alone by train which is halted at a point for some reason and a bunch of goondas are protecting the girl during that tough rainy night. In “An encounter of a special kind” Tapan Mukherjee tells about the rescue operation of a baby langur.
These are some of the stories that I liked. Some of them, though, I felt are not up to the mark. The cover of the book is pretty interesting The printing and the font used in the book is pretty good, very comfortable to read and soothing for eyes. The authors are all unknown so it would have been appreciable, if a section on all the 20 authors’ information was included, just like it is in every edition of “Chicken soup for the soul”, so that the readers at least know a bit about the authors. Apart from that, I found the book interesting. A good, light read!

[Love Among the Bookshelves · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you heard of a concept in which an author asks her readers to send in their life-affirming experiences which the author edits and compiles together to form an anthology ? Something Happened on the way to Heaven is exactly that.

20 inspiring real life stories that range from a plastic surgeon refusing an unreasonable demand from a client , a grandfather who doesn't seem to remember where he had kept his glasses , a mysterious couple who are adopted by a young girl , a family hiring a eunuch as a housemaid and a young woman braving an acid attack . The stories subtly touch upon the hope , love and compassion of human beings , most of them leave you with a horripilation .

It is every bit moving and stirring inspite of being short and simple . Besides it has a Pan Indian representation with stories from Mumbai , Calcutta , Odisha , Trivandrum , Pune , Bihar and Bangalore . All of the stories have something to say . You need to introspect to find out their meaning . Every bit recommended !

[Cheena Chopra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Before purchasing this book, little did I realize that Sudha Murty has only edited this book. While I found a lot of stories really beautiful, others failed to leave an impact. Overall, a really average read which you might as well overlook if you've got something worthier on your plate.

Here's a detailed review of the book:
https://cheenachopra.wordpress.com/20...

[Trupti · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first read from the collection of Books Sudhaa Murthy has written. I had always heard that she has this simple and commoner touch to her writings and I felt it myself today. In the world of complex writings, decorating with sophisticated words where one would want to lookup for the meaning, Sudhaa Murthy's book spoke to me in the conversational language that I might have with one enthusiastic next door human.
Looking forward to read more of her books.

[Manjunath S · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read almost all the books by Sudha Murthy. This one is another on those lines and the initial few stories were not up to the mark. But, the subsequent chapters brings out the kindness, service to people. It is definitely inspiring to be humble and give something to people without expecting anything in return.

[Sharath · Rating 5 out of 5]

The stories are beautiful, heartfelt and easy to relate to. The stories have been well selected covering a wide range of themes. If you happen to come across the book and are wondering whether to read it, just read the Introduction by the author as it gives a glimpse of what to expect!

[Anushuka Rathour · Rating 3 out of 5]

A delectable potluck of human experiences, experiments, emotions and life! Easy, breezy read.

[Mamta Basha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Utterly naive... Would have given up on page 70; however read till the end, hoping there would be interesting reads in the following stories, but in vain...

[Akshay Joshi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great true stories on the lives of others

[Anagha Mahishi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! Especially "Father's reading glass". Very adorable and cute story..I loved the way it has been written.Once again a good book from sudha murty ma'am!

[Shivani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very nice and inspirational short stories!

[Rashmi Duggal · Rating 4 out of 5]

A heart touching collection of real life incidents

[Swati Zawar · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's an anthology created by Sudha Murty by selecting a few choice short stories from a competition run by Penguin books. So, the authors are from various corners of the nation, telling their real-life experiences which are joyful and kind, full of wisdom and love. It gives us a peep into the different lifestyles and daily lives of the people, recalling the heart touching moments.

At first I was skeptical because I assumed the stories would be just about some traumatic incidents, which some of them are. But they are told beautifully, giving off some really strong positive vibes. The remaining most of the stories are basic recounting of everyday incidences, which still left me with a lot to ponder over and made me realize quite a lot of things with a new eye. Some even made me shed a few tears because it was so accurately relatable. I completed the book in a day cause the stories are very easy and interesting too. I couldn't stop reading one after the other !

[Wendell D'Costa · Rating 4 out of 5]

'What is the value of money anyway but the paper it is printed on? What really gives money it's value is the need someone has for it.'

Something happened on the way to heaven, is an  anthology of non fiction stories. These stories exhibit real experiences, and the importance of what one can learn and absorb from them.

I have read plenty of Sudha Murty books in the past, and I have learnt and inculcated a lot from her real life experiences. But, as an ardent reader and fan of her work, this book was slightly different. These stories are not from Sudha Murty herself, but are entries sent by her readers from across the country. Despite being stories from her readers, these stories do not lack the Morals and values that Mrs Murty's books are known for. Sudha Murty has done a good job editing these stories, presenting them in a simple, elaborate and easy to read manner. The incidents mentioned in the book will restore your faith in humanity, and inspire you to be a better person.
A book that evokes feelings of hope and humility, a must read piece of non-fiction.

[Shaswat Kashyap · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspiring Stories from people's life !!

[Sruthi Srinivasan · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the middle of a tough week, a book like this is such a cheery change of perception! Sudha murty was right, it didn't just restore my faith in humanity but makes me want to be a better human. Every story was well picked and had a wonderful narrative!