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half pants full pants
Half Pants Full Pants is a sort of childhood autobiography set in Shimoga of the 70s and 80s. Given the era and milieu that he grew up in, it carries a flavor similar to that of Malgudi Days. All the characters in the book are real and most of them are still in Shimoga, of course now in their mid-40s. Quite a few are from prominent families and are now active and important members of Shimoga. The book vividly captures the real childhood adventures of this generation of people in Shimoga. It’s a glorious reminiscence as well as a tribute to this wonderful town.
221 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2016
21 people are currently reading
149 people want to read
About the author
Anand Suspi
3 books13 followersAnand Suspi is an advertising writer who published his childhood memoirs in 2016, called Half Pants Full Pants. It has been widely compared to Malgudi Days.
In 2022, it released as a web series on Prime Video. It won the Jury Award for the Best Story on OTT at the Indian Television Awards 2023.
His second book, The Bookseller of Mogga has been published recently.
In 2022, it released as a web series on Prime Video. It won the Jury Award for the Best Story on OTT at the Indian Television Awards 2023.
His second book, The Bookseller of Mogga has been published recently.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
October 9, 2019
Half Pants Full Pants! What a treat it was to read this book. It is so refreshingly different. It makes you do the time travel and takes you down the memory lane when life was so simple and innocent.
Half Pants Full Pants is a debut collection of short stories based on real life incidents of a boy growing up on a small sleepy town in Karnataka.
Set against a backdrop of the 70s and 80s, this childhood autobiography is divided into two parts Half Pants and Full Pants. Half Pants is about the author’s life from Class KG to Class 7 while Full Pants is from Class 8 onwards.
The book captures not only the adventures and misadventures of childhood, but also the traditions, culture, social norms and mindsets of people in a small town.
What I liked the most about Half Pants Full Pants is that I could relate to it on so many levels. Being a child of the 70s and growing up in gadget free era, the kids then had only kids of their own age to fool around with. So when Anand shared about writing letters to pen pals or writing to celebrities or opening up a library or getting expert in banishing mosquitoes or sharing about the arrival of Sumeet Mixer and Solidaire TV at his home, I couldn’t help but nod and smile at the similarities with my own childhood. Reading about the other adventures of Anand with his friends viz having a cool name, the game of cops and robbers, practicing dolphin dives, hanging out of a running train in the middle of the night, being caught in a flood of sambar with his brother, becoming the “inventor” of capris or making magnets or eating blades, planning a borewell was fun and amusing.
What didn’t work for me in Half Pants Full Pants was that all the dialogues exchanged by the various characters were in Kannada which were translated in English. This format might work well for people proficient in Kannada, but for me it was distracting and later became an irritant.
The second dampener for me was the formatting of the book. There’s hardly any spacing between the paragraphs and the font size was a bit small for me. So, though the book held my interest from the very first chapter, I couldn’t continue reading the paperback and looked for the Kindle version on Amazon. Thankfully, it was available on Kindle Unlimited, and continued reading Anand’s childhood stories on the Kindle version.
Half Pants Full Pants is about childhood but it is for adults. It is a fun, breezy, innocent read which will make you laugh and smile as you keep turning the pages of the book and simultaneously travel down the memory lane and re-visit your childhood. Check out Half Pants Full Pants and go for that nostalgic trip. You will love it too.
https://shilpaagarg.com/2017/06/half-...
Half Pants Full Pants is a debut collection of short stories based on real life incidents of a boy growing up on a small sleepy town in Karnataka.
Set against a backdrop of the 70s and 80s, this childhood autobiography is divided into two parts Half Pants and Full Pants. Half Pants is about the author’s life from Class KG to Class 7 while Full Pants is from Class 8 onwards.
The book captures not only the adventures and misadventures of childhood, but also the traditions, culture, social norms and mindsets of people in a small town.
What I liked the most about Half Pants Full Pants is that I could relate to it on so many levels. Being a child of the 70s and growing up in gadget free era, the kids then had only kids of their own age to fool around with. So when Anand shared about writing letters to pen pals or writing to celebrities or opening up a library or getting expert in banishing mosquitoes or sharing about the arrival of Sumeet Mixer and Solidaire TV at his home, I couldn’t help but nod and smile at the similarities with my own childhood. Reading about the other adventures of Anand with his friends viz having a cool name, the game of cops and robbers, practicing dolphin dives, hanging out of a running train in the middle of the night, being caught in a flood of sambar with his brother, becoming the “inventor” of capris or making magnets or eating blades, planning a borewell was fun and amusing.
What didn’t work for me in Half Pants Full Pants was that all the dialogues exchanged by the various characters were in Kannada which were translated in English. This format might work well for people proficient in Kannada, but for me it was distracting and later became an irritant.
The second dampener for me was the formatting of the book. There’s hardly any spacing between the paragraphs and the font size was a bit small for me. So, though the book held my interest from the very first chapter, I couldn’t continue reading the paperback and looked for the Kindle version on Amazon. Thankfully, it was available on Kindle Unlimited, and continued reading Anand’s childhood stories on the Kindle version.
Half Pants Full Pants is about childhood but it is for adults. It is a fun, breezy, innocent read which will make you laugh and smile as you keep turning the pages of the book and simultaneously travel down the memory lane and re-visit your childhood. Check out Half Pants Full Pants and go for that nostalgic trip. You will love it too.
https://shilpaagarg.com/2017/06/half-...
January 3, 2021
The title. That’s what caught my attention first. No, not “Half Pants Full Pants” but the line that said “Real-Life Tales from Shimoga.” Who writes so specifically about Shimoga?!, I thought. I read the first 2 pages, and my mind was made up. I had just completed The Decagon House Murders by Yukito Ayatsuji but the review had to wait until I finished Anand Suspi’s utterly delightful memoir about his childhood shenanigans in rural Shimoga.
“‘Half Pants’ is from KG to Class 7, while ‘Full Pants’ is from Class 8 onwards – hence the title,” explains Suspi in an interview with AdGully. The book has several chapters and each one is not as much as a story as it is a recollection of a memory or an incident. They range from the excitement of eating Gud Bud ice-cream or getting a tv and blender for the first time to the seriousness of playing cops and robbers or hatching different schemes to earn some pocket money.
“Half Pants Full Pants” allowed me to escape into a time when there were no gadgets or mobiles to distract. Comparisons have been made to Malgudi Days and Swami and Friends and while it’s similar, Suspi’s book stands apart for having a child’s raw, unfiltered voice and perspective. You get a sense of the insouciant attitude that Anand and his friends had towards life and a childhood filled with very relatable instances of sibling rivalry, running away from home, playing pranks on friends etc. Throughout, stories like practising kung fu with mosquitoes, modifying a bicycle, coming up with cool names instead of their given names, all made me smile, giggle, and laugh-out-loud in some places.
The biggest connecting factor for me was all the conversations written in Kannada (in English words) with the translation right beneath. I loved that so much because it made the book so much more impactful. I would only read the Kannada lines and it felt like the conversation was happening right in front of me. Here’s a sample,
“Announcements yenu beda. Firstu barli, aamele helidre aaythu.
(No need for any announcements. Let it come first, we can break the news then.)”
“Appa, irli. Kalthana yenu maadilla.
Dad, let it be. We haven’t stolen it.)”
Suspi’s stories are a wistful reminder of how much childhoods have changed now. It’s more wired, indoors, screen-bound. Nobody even dreams of climbing guava trees or playing with marbles.
In the end, I was reminded of lines from a P.B. Sreenivas song that embodies the essence of the novel - Nagu nagutha nali nali, yene aagali (Keep smiling whatever happens).
“‘Half Pants’ is from KG to Class 7, while ‘Full Pants’ is from Class 8 onwards – hence the title,” explains Suspi in an interview with AdGully. The book has several chapters and each one is not as much as a story as it is a recollection of a memory or an incident. They range from the excitement of eating Gud Bud ice-cream or getting a tv and blender for the first time to the seriousness of playing cops and robbers or hatching different schemes to earn some pocket money.
“Half Pants Full Pants” allowed me to escape into a time when there were no gadgets or mobiles to distract. Comparisons have been made to Malgudi Days and Swami and Friends and while it’s similar, Suspi’s book stands apart for having a child’s raw, unfiltered voice and perspective. You get a sense of the insouciant attitude that Anand and his friends had towards life and a childhood filled with very relatable instances of sibling rivalry, running away from home, playing pranks on friends etc. Throughout, stories like practising kung fu with mosquitoes, modifying a bicycle, coming up with cool names instead of their given names, all made me smile, giggle, and laugh-out-loud in some places.
The biggest connecting factor for me was all the conversations written in Kannada (in English words) with the translation right beneath. I loved that so much because it made the book so much more impactful. I would only read the Kannada lines and it felt like the conversation was happening right in front of me. Here’s a sample,
“Announcements yenu beda. Firstu barli, aamele helidre aaythu.
(No need for any announcements. Let it come first, we can break the news then.)”
“Appa, irli. Kalthana yenu maadilla.
Dad, let it be. We haven’t stolen it.)”
Suspi’s stories are a wistful reminder of how much childhoods have changed now. It’s more wired, indoors, screen-bound. Nobody even dreams of climbing guava trees or playing with marbles.
In the end, I was reminded of lines from a P.B. Sreenivas song that embodies the essence of the novel - Nagu nagutha nali nali, yene aagali (Keep smiling whatever happens).
July 21, 2017
Written in a simple language, the easy narration gives a good pace to the book. I read the stories one at a time and savoured them all. There were a few incidents that happened with me too and I could relate with most of the stories and even went back to my childhood memories. Everyone who grew up in the seventies and eighties would enjoy the book most. This book is one which I would want my parents, my children and even my husband to read.
March 9, 2017
Paperboat always sends books and stuff, but what I look forward to are the cute little notes that come along! It adds a personal touch and is truly humbling. Thank you Paperboat for sending me this treasure of a book! I'll get to the review and you'll know what I'm talking about.
Half Pants Full Pants is a collection of childhood reminisces by Anand Suspi (the author), set in the town of Shimoga in Karnataka. The book begins with a short introduction of Shimoga before getting along with the stories. The author shares some unique experiences from his childhood such as inventing capris, making magnets, kung fu with mosquitoes and eating blades. I do not wish to indulge you in detail as it will take away the fun out of it. All I would like to mention is that it takes us back to our childhood days and people born in the 70s and early 80s will definitely relate and give out that nostalgic sigh!
The stories transport us back to the age when they were no attention seeking gadgets at our disposal. And yet, somehow, we never got bored. The era when a five paise had value, when TV was a luxury, when time was utilized, not ignored. Those were some precious times that made precious memories. Life back then, without any luxuries, was actually fun!
Coming to the technicalities, the narration is a heady mix of bluntness with a extra helping of humor. The author has nailed the narration! The book is divided into two parts. Part 1 is Half Pant Tales, which includes experiences as a child, and Part 2 is Full Pant Tales, where stories range from his teenage and onwards. The author has so accurately described the mentality of parents back then and the nitty gritty of our lifestyle, that it has touched a nerve. A nostalgic nerve that gives me the warm fuzzies!
Half Pants Full Pants is a book about childhood that is a must read for everyone, especially for children today. They may not relate but perhaps this book may help them gain a different perspective about innocence, being stupid and ridiculous, just being ourselves.
As for the mosquitoes, well, nothing has changed in that respect. We still have to kung fu the suckers despite the Good Knight Advanced and all! But it could surely make for some interesting stories for our grandchildren!
Thank you Anand Suspi for this idyllic peek-a-boo into our glorious past. A definite read!
Half Pants Full Pants is a collection of childhood reminisces by Anand Suspi (the author), set in the town of Shimoga in Karnataka. The book begins with a short introduction of Shimoga before getting along with the stories. The author shares some unique experiences from his childhood such as inventing capris, making magnets, kung fu with mosquitoes and eating blades. I do not wish to indulge you in detail as it will take away the fun out of it. All I would like to mention is that it takes us back to our childhood days and people born in the 70s and early 80s will definitely relate and give out that nostalgic sigh!
The stories transport us back to the age when they were no attention seeking gadgets at our disposal. And yet, somehow, we never got bored. The era when a five paise had value, when TV was a luxury, when time was utilized, not ignored. Those were some precious times that made precious memories. Life back then, without any luxuries, was actually fun!
Coming to the technicalities, the narration is a heady mix of bluntness with a extra helping of humor. The author has nailed the narration! The book is divided into two parts. Part 1 is Half Pant Tales, which includes experiences as a child, and Part 2 is Full Pant Tales, where stories range from his teenage and onwards. The author has so accurately described the mentality of parents back then and the nitty gritty of our lifestyle, that it has touched a nerve. A nostalgic nerve that gives me the warm fuzzies!
Half Pants Full Pants is a book about childhood that is a must read for everyone, especially for children today. They may not relate but perhaps this book may help them gain a different perspective about innocence, being stupid and ridiculous, just being ourselves.
As for the mosquitoes, well, nothing has changed in that respect. We still have to kung fu the suckers despite the Good Knight Advanced and all! But it could surely make for some interesting stories for our grandchildren!
Thank you Anand Suspi for this idyllic peek-a-boo into our glorious past. A definite read!
December 31, 2020
This was as close as a book can get to feeling like home. I have roots in Shimoga, like the author, Anand Suspi. My family typically echoes the same middle-class values as Anand’s family. Therefore, it’s with a fair bit of familiarity that I chuckled over Suspi’s antics, growing up as a child in Shimoga.
It made me think of just how many of my memories are in danger of being washed away as we close the lid on those phases of our life and call it aging. A delectable romp this book, though, peppered with local slang and Indianisms with no thought of a Western audience in mind. And that makes it truly authentic.
It made me think of just how many of my memories are in danger of being washed away as we close the lid on those phases of our life and call it aging. A delectable romp this book, though, peppered with local slang and Indianisms with no thought of a Western audience in mind. And that makes it truly authentic.
April 20, 2017
Childhood is a universal experience and we all have our share of memorable stories. ‘Half Pants Full Pants’ written by Anand Suspi is a collection of heart warming and rib tickling anecdotes from his childhood days in Shimoga, a major town in the Malnad region of Karnataka which stands out for its simplicity, and this reflects in Suspi’s writing. The connection is transcendental. Often life’s most beautiful memories are easier to remember but difficult to share with everyone and when someone writes a book about them it has to be unputdownable. Many people from different parts of India, especially those who grew up in the 70s & 80s may relate to these thirty seven tales in a way or the other. I must say that life was no different for kids of the 90s here. The Solidaire television set, the Gud Bud ice cream and the library story seemed like life in rewind. The Kannada dialogues were an added bonus, frankly on two occasions I did look at Appa, once when he was reading the newspaper and the next time when he was doing his daily tally of expenditures sitting in the living room. Reading the last chapter was literally a ‘rolling on the floor laughing’ moment for me and at the same time it also made me realize a very important thing. What we can call treasures are those glorious days of life, the rest is nothing close to a five paise chapati.
June 6, 2017
The New BeeChi In Town
(Book Review – Half Pants Full Pants by Anand Suspi)
I am a huge fan of fiction and read very less of non-fiction. So when I was to review a non-fiction book about real-life tales from Shimoga, I was not very sure what to expect. But nostalgia is my favourite genre and I love reminiscing about good old times, especially childhood times and that is what tipped the scales in favour of Anand Suspi’s Half Pants Full Pants for me.
And then I read this –
“After Malgudi Days, I could never imagine that somebody could create another childhood classic for adults to regain their innocence even for a few hours. Suspi’s tales would have made R K Narayan smile. Oh, that beautiful Kannadiga gene!” – R Balki, Filmmaker.
A huge fan of R K Narayan, this solid recommendation intrigued me! As someone who has grown up with Swami and His Friends, and has survived on a daily dose of “the common man’s” antics, I was also floored by the fact that the book is published by Paper Boat, which is all about memories, nostalgia and trying to go back to a time of innocence and simplicity – all about a childhood lost, much like sand slipping through the fingers.
And then I got to see the cover! This is the most understated cover I have seen so far and that finally, was what made me fall head over heels! The beautifully simple cover, with old 5 paise and 10 paise coins posing on a daring lime green background is a refreshing new take! The humble cover though, says nothing of the larger-than-life childhood tales that make this superbly penned book a delightful read for fiction and non-fiction lovers alike!
What’s it all about?
As I said, this is a book about real-life stories from a city with small-town charm. In this humble book, the author has woven thirty odd tales in a random order. These stories give us a more than generous glimpse of the author’s wondrous childhood in Shimoga; and believe me when I tell you, that each and every one of us, who has spent our childhood in a small town, in a middle class family, with parents trying their best to propel us children towards a better future, will relate to these amusing, arresting accounts!
These are tales of a young Anand and his friends who try to create magnets out of coins, try to stop a theft of molasses, play Kung Fu with mosquitoes, find a lost school bag going all the way back to the school looking for it, see movies and imagine other worldly creatures lurking in the gutters, hate vegetables, take part in dubious money saving schemes, dream of becoming secret agents, fight with their siblings, question religious beliefs and go about their adventurous childhood.
Beautiful stories, plain and simple!
The test of a good book is that it takes the reader to a totally different time and place. And the mark of a good writer is that the readers feel one with the characters the author has created. In this exquisite ensemble we find both. With Suspi’s Half Pants Full Pants we are transported back to our own childhood. We are taken on a nostalgic journey into the unassuming life of little Anand and his friends as they go about their escapades with nary a heed to risks involved or the scolding they invite upon themselves because of their actions.
The little Anand in these stories is you and me – we have been there, done that and lived to tell the tale! As we follow Anand’s journey from a naïve third standard student to a lanky teenager in (accidental) capris, we cannot help but take a wistful look into our own past. And just when we think that things can’t get better than this, Suspi gives us brilliant Bonus Material that takes us back to the main fabric of middle-class upbringing in its full glory!
A friend talking about his childhood…
Usually as we grow older, we leave our childhood feelings and experiences behind. The memories stay but we grow wiser, the naïveté is gone and we become more mature; and then when we take a look back in the past, we end up tainting our memories with our newfound wisdom. But Suspi’s accounts are different. In his stories, we find true characters we can all relate to – the middle class unassuming parents, the siblings ready to pick a fight for no reason, the friends ready to risk anything for a mere bet – and that is where Suspi, as an author wins. His experience as an adult doesn’t come to preach us when we are enjoying his exploits as a child. Reading Half Pants Full Pants is like listening to a friend telling us about his own childhood.
Emotions we can relate to and a culture we are all too familiar with!
In this arbitrary collection of memoirs, we not only see people we know, but also see them emote in a way we are familiar with. We find a diligent mother who saves up for the family and takes care of the home front, but we also see her modest, unassuming lifestyle and a glimpse, just a glimpse, of her vanity. We see a father who is strict, who insists that only studies can take you ahead in life and frowns on learning drums or Karate, but we also get a peek at his leniency and understanding, his sense of right and wrong and even his guilt at losing something that is dear to him. We see a brother who picks fights just because he can, but we also see his worry when searching for his younger brother far and wide into the dark night when the latter has run away from home. We meet the friend who is loyal but we also see his conflict when he has to reveal his friend’s secret to his parents. As Anand matures, we get to see the innocent and earnest zeal for social work, to do something for social good; and although the same backfires hilariously, it is the genuineness of the thought process that touches us.
Half Pants Full Pants is also rife with beautiful references to local culture, language, cuisine, beliefs, sentiments and most of all – Kannada language and the Kannadiga gene! The book overflows with grandiose schemes, wonderful ideas, great risks (that teenagers invariably are prone to), questioning of beliefs and what not; but the most important thing about this lovely memoir is that it is full of wit, humour and innocence all at the same time!
And now for the critique –
Usually, it is the editing that holds a book together when nothing else can, but Half Pants Full Pants is really good enough to stand on its own, irrespective; and that takes away the focus from the fact that editing could have been a little better. Also, it might have felt a tad bit more organised if the stories were put in a more logical arrangement, if not chronological. However, as they stand presently, the stories do not take away anything from the true essence of the book, and that’s a win-win.
My biggest takeaway
Every once in a while there comes a book that one is happy to own and happier to pass on to loved ones. Half Pants Full Pants is one such book. I am planning on gifting this gem of a book to my Dad (who is a big fan of BeeChi) soon, so he can read the stories and the dialogues (especially in Kannada) and chuckle away! A definite recommendation for book lovers of all genres and especially nostalgia fans of all ages, cultures and backgrounds! Because as Suspi himself reminds us, childhood is a thing of past, but the child (in us) refuses to grow up!
(Book Review – Half Pants Full Pants by Anand Suspi)
I am a huge fan of fiction and read very less of non-fiction. So when I was to review a non-fiction book about real-life tales from Shimoga, I was not very sure what to expect. But nostalgia is my favourite genre and I love reminiscing about good old times, especially childhood times and that is what tipped the scales in favour of Anand Suspi’s Half Pants Full Pants for me.
And then I read this –
“After Malgudi Days, I could never imagine that somebody could create another childhood classic for adults to regain their innocence even for a few hours. Suspi’s tales would have made R K Narayan smile. Oh, that beautiful Kannadiga gene!” – R Balki, Filmmaker.
A huge fan of R K Narayan, this solid recommendation intrigued me! As someone who has grown up with Swami and His Friends, and has survived on a daily dose of “the common man’s” antics, I was also floored by the fact that the book is published by Paper Boat, which is all about memories, nostalgia and trying to go back to a time of innocence and simplicity – all about a childhood lost, much like sand slipping through the fingers.
And then I got to see the cover! This is the most understated cover I have seen so far and that finally, was what made me fall head over heels! The beautifully simple cover, with old 5 paise and 10 paise coins posing on a daring lime green background is a refreshing new take! The humble cover though, says nothing of the larger-than-life childhood tales that make this superbly penned book a delightful read for fiction and non-fiction lovers alike!
What’s it all about?
As I said, this is a book about real-life stories from a city with small-town charm. In this humble book, the author has woven thirty odd tales in a random order. These stories give us a more than generous glimpse of the author’s wondrous childhood in Shimoga; and believe me when I tell you, that each and every one of us, who has spent our childhood in a small town, in a middle class family, with parents trying their best to propel us children towards a better future, will relate to these amusing, arresting accounts!
These are tales of a young Anand and his friends who try to create magnets out of coins, try to stop a theft of molasses, play Kung Fu with mosquitoes, find a lost school bag going all the way back to the school looking for it, see movies and imagine other worldly creatures lurking in the gutters, hate vegetables, take part in dubious money saving schemes, dream of becoming secret agents, fight with their siblings, question religious beliefs and go about their adventurous childhood.
Beautiful stories, plain and simple!
The test of a good book is that it takes the reader to a totally different time and place. And the mark of a good writer is that the readers feel one with the characters the author has created. In this exquisite ensemble we find both. With Suspi’s Half Pants Full Pants we are transported back to our own childhood. We are taken on a nostalgic journey into the unassuming life of little Anand and his friends as they go about their escapades with nary a heed to risks involved or the scolding they invite upon themselves because of their actions.
The little Anand in these stories is you and me – we have been there, done that and lived to tell the tale! As we follow Anand’s journey from a naïve third standard student to a lanky teenager in (accidental) capris, we cannot help but take a wistful look into our own past. And just when we think that things can’t get better than this, Suspi gives us brilliant Bonus Material that takes us back to the main fabric of middle-class upbringing in its full glory!
A friend talking about his childhood…
Usually as we grow older, we leave our childhood feelings and experiences behind. The memories stay but we grow wiser, the naïveté is gone and we become more mature; and then when we take a look back in the past, we end up tainting our memories with our newfound wisdom. But Suspi’s accounts are different. In his stories, we find true characters we can all relate to – the middle class unassuming parents, the siblings ready to pick a fight for no reason, the friends ready to risk anything for a mere bet – and that is where Suspi, as an author wins. His experience as an adult doesn’t come to preach us when we are enjoying his exploits as a child. Reading Half Pants Full Pants is like listening to a friend telling us about his own childhood.
Emotions we can relate to and a culture we are all too familiar with!
In this arbitrary collection of memoirs, we not only see people we know, but also see them emote in a way we are familiar with. We find a diligent mother who saves up for the family and takes care of the home front, but we also see her modest, unassuming lifestyle and a glimpse, just a glimpse, of her vanity. We see a father who is strict, who insists that only studies can take you ahead in life and frowns on learning drums or Karate, but we also get a peek at his leniency and understanding, his sense of right and wrong and even his guilt at losing something that is dear to him. We see a brother who picks fights just because he can, but we also see his worry when searching for his younger brother far and wide into the dark night when the latter has run away from home. We meet the friend who is loyal but we also see his conflict when he has to reveal his friend’s secret to his parents. As Anand matures, we get to see the innocent and earnest zeal for social work, to do something for social good; and although the same backfires hilariously, it is the genuineness of the thought process that touches us.
Half Pants Full Pants is also rife with beautiful references to local culture, language, cuisine, beliefs, sentiments and most of all – Kannada language and the Kannadiga gene! The book overflows with grandiose schemes, wonderful ideas, great risks (that teenagers invariably are prone to), questioning of beliefs and what not; but the most important thing about this lovely memoir is that it is full of wit, humour and innocence all at the same time!
And now for the critique –
Usually, it is the editing that holds a book together when nothing else can, but Half Pants Full Pants is really good enough to stand on its own, irrespective; and that takes away the focus from the fact that editing could have been a little better. Also, it might have felt a tad bit more organised if the stories were put in a more logical arrangement, if not chronological. However, as they stand presently, the stories do not take away anything from the true essence of the book, and that’s a win-win.
My biggest takeaway
Every once in a while there comes a book that one is happy to own and happier to pass on to loved ones. Half Pants Full Pants is one such book. I am planning on gifting this gem of a book to my Dad (who is a big fan of BeeChi) soon, so he can read the stories and the dialogues (especially in Kannada) and chuckle away! A definite recommendation for book lovers of all genres and especially nostalgia fans of all ages, cultures and backgrounds! Because as Suspi himself reminds us, childhood is a thing of past, but the child (in us) refuses to grow up!
July 21, 2017
School days, childhood, nostalgia.
These are the three words that describe half pants fully pants by Anand Suspi. Every chapter is an anecdote giving us a glimpse of his childhood. He claims in his introduction to the book that every character is still living and breathing in this world so one must say that he has taken up quite a feat in maintaining the authenticity in his words.
If you have never visited Shimoga you can get glimpses of the southern flavor in its pages.
"We were soon out of Basavanagudi, crossed Nehru Stadium and kept trotting towards the school. I kept peering towards the other side of the road."
The passages are studded with Kannada, but readers will understand everything since the translations follow right after. Many memories of those days flooded back. Especially when the movie Jaws was released. How it affected our young minds when we saw the larger than life sharks in those movie theaters we called 'talkies'. We didn't have multiplexes in those days. Frankly, I don't miss the talkies so much where we women had to walk with a shield in front of us. Multiplexes are much cooler places to watch movies nowadays. Though I do miss those chips packets. The multiplexes couldn't do justice to that small packet of potato chips in butter papers.
Another nostalgic moment for me was the white guavas and the red ones. The fights we cousins would have to see who got which and I don't know why we thought the white ones were superior to the red. I suppose my first lesson on racism started with these guavas.
Anand Suspi's style of writing very humorous. An unlined twang of humor is present throughout the story.
"Mom was a good cook but every now and then (more often than this suggests), she marred her reputation by preparing awful vegetables. I liked potatoes, ladies finger, cucumber, peas, carrots, cauliflower, drumsticks and brinjal. So we clearly had a choice of eight vegetables for seven days of the week. I never understood mom’s compulsion to stray beyond these."
Omg! I can so relate to this. Being a Bengali, who are known to be hardcore non-vegetarians, I never understood why we had to cut those precious veggies. Did they not teach us in school to save plants?
The author has divided this book into two sections. His childhood, half pants, and his teenage years - full pants. Those who have lived in the small towns of India would understand the importance of Lions Club in your area. Sort of like bosses of all activities. And then the stage comes when you create your own club. Especially readers of Enid Blyton have done it often. My grandfather even made me and my friends paint our servant quarters in the name of it becoming our 'find outer' club.
This book has many nostalgic moments and I thank the writer for writing such a book in such a simple and humorous way. It has taken me many steps back in my life. This book deserves every star it gets because of the sheer brilliance of visualization it will invoke in many readers.
These are the three words that describe half pants fully pants by Anand Suspi. Every chapter is an anecdote giving us a glimpse of his childhood. He claims in his introduction to the book that every character is still living and breathing in this world so one must say that he has taken up quite a feat in maintaining the authenticity in his words.
If you have never visited Shimoga you can get glimpses of the southern flavor in its pages.
"We were soon out of Basavanagudi, crossed Nehru Stadium and kept trotting towards the school. I kept peering towards the other side of the road."
The passages are studded with Kannada, but readers will understand everything since the translations follow right after. Many memories of those days flooded back. Especially when the movie Jaws was released. How it affected our young minds when we saw the larger than life sharks in those movie theaters we called 'talkies'. We didn't have multiplexes in those days. Frankly, I don't miss the talkies so much where we women had to walk with a shield in front of us. Multiplexes are much cooler places to watch movies nowadays. Though I do miss those chips packets. The multiplexes couldn't do justice to that small packet of potato chips in butter papers.
Another nostalgic moment for me was the white guavas and the red ones. The fights we cousins would have to see who got which and I don't know why we thought the white ones were superior to the red. I suppose my first lesson on racism started with these guavas.
Anand Suspi's style of writing very humorous. An unlined twang of humor is present throughout the story.
"Mom was a good cook but every now and then (more often than this suggests), she marred her reputation by preparing awful vegetables. I liked potatoes, ladies finger, cucumber, peas, carrots, cauliflower, drumsticks and brinjal. So we clearly had a choice of eight vegetables for seven days of the week. I never understood mom’s compulsion to stray beyond these."
Omg! I can so relate to this. Being a Bengali, who are known to be hardcore non-vegetarians, I never understood why we had to cut those precious veggies. Did they not teach us in school to save plants?
The author has divided this book into two sections. His childhood, half pants, and his teenage years - full pants. Those who have lived in the small towns of India would understand the importance of Lions Club in your area. Sort of like bosses of all activities. And then the stage comes when you create your own club. Especially readers of Enid Blyton have done it often. My grandfather even made me and my friends paint our servant quarters in the name of it becoming our 'find outer' club.
This book has many nostalgic moments and I thank the writer for writing such a book in such a simple and humorous way. It has taken me many steps back in my life. This book deserves every star it gets because of the sheer brilliance of visualization it will invoke in many readers.
June 20, 2017
I first heard the name Shimoga in Agneepath, in which Bachchan rattled off the names of a few small towns - Shimoga, Dhanbad, Jaisalmer, Kohima - where he had set up his underworld network. Never realised a childhood set in Shimoga would be so similar to mine or - for that matter - any boy growing up in 1980s India.
A collection of 38 short stories, each one of which is a slice of life from all our lives. If I - growing up in an Eastern metro city - found so much in common with 'Dabba' (the protagonist's nickname), it is safe to say that this book is about every half-panted Indian kid, naughty yet obedient, creatively channeling his boredom, grappling with annoying elder siblings and old-fashioned parents, living life on his definition of the 'edge'. Trying to be terribly cool but ending up eating shit vegetables.
Is there a TV series in this? Don't know if the railway quarters of 1980s Shimoga can be replicated on a film set, but I would certainly like a radio-play/podcast out of the stories, making me chuckle and sigh with their everyday-ness.
A collection of 38 short stories, each one of which is a slice of life from all our lives. If I - growing up in an Eastern metro city - found so much in common with 'Dabba' (the protagonist's nickname), it is safe to say that this book is about every half-panted Indian kid, naughty yet obedient, creatively channeling his boredom, grappling with annoying elder siblings and old-fashioned parents, living life on his definition of the 'edge'. Trying to be terribly cool but ending up eating shit vegetables.
Is there a TV series in this? Don't know if the railway quarters of 1980s Shimoga can be replicated on a film set, but I would certainly like a radio-play/podcast out of the stories, making me chuckle and sigh with their everyday-ness.
January 31, 2018
Anand Suspi does a RK Narayan!
Not a lot of authors write in a way where you become the character yourself, but Anand does it with ease. Thank you for making Shimogga my second home though I have never been there. A brilliant, brilliant book!
Not a lot of authors write in a way where you become the character yourself, but Anand does it with ease. Thank you for making Shimogga my second home though I have never been there. A brilliant, brilliant book!
September 17, 2017
Set in Shimoga, it's a delightful account of 'a God-fearing, middle-class Kannadiga brahmin' boy through his growing up years.Half pants stories are from the (mis)adventures of the author from class 3-8 and Full pant tales are during 9th to PUC.
It's endearing in terms of the use of Kannada, setting is beautiful- Shimoga, Sagara and Bhadravati and the events are relatable and interesting.
The narration gets jaded because of the monotonous description of these events and I feel there was so much more room for experimenting with exposition and writing style. It is delectable, but doesn't leave you with a memorable aftertaste.
It's endearing in terms of the use of Kannada, setting is beautiful- Shimoga, Sagara and Bhadravati and the events are relatable and interesting.
The narration gets jaded because of the monotonous description of these events and I feel there was so much more room for experimenting with exposition and writing style. It is delectable, but doesn't leave you with a memorable aftertaste.
January 10, 2021
What a lovely read! It was pure nostalgia! Though I am not from Shimoga, I have lived a similar childhood and it brought back all the khatti-meethi memories.
June 20, 2021
It's a sweet read
July 20, 2017
Half Pants Full Pants is an assortment of childhood memories that will take you back to the TV series classic Malgudi Days. The story is set in Shimoga, a small town in Karnataka where the Author, Anand Suspi, hails from. The little snippets of memories stitched together make a tale of innocence and the shedding of it as we grow up.
Everything from the title of the book to cover design of coins will take you back to the 70s & the 80s. The flair with which he has penned the tales is at once heady and simplistic, again taking us back to the childhood days when everything was uncomplicated and simplistic yet marvelously exciting. The narrative is laced with the Author’s native language, which makes the book believable and lovable.
The book reiterates and cements our belief (our generation growing up in the 70s and 80s) that we had the most magical childhood. Away from all the gadgets that hold kids captive between four walls, in these modern days, into the lap of nature, with friends, exploring around, building stories, making memories.
Reading the book took me back to my days when we did similar things if not the same. When we cycled around with friends, created our own little games up, when owning a TV was a luxury, having a phone was almost unheard of and once we hit our teens, we wanted to be as cool as our cousins in the city.
The last chapter emphatically brings out the message of ‘Cool Vs Fool’. How we outgrow our little towns, go to big cities and end up showing off a little bit, albeit with good intentions, only to be proven that our ways could be cool but definitely not wise. I hope that the book is read by many, its not just reliving childhood it also points out about how smart and worldly wise our parents really were.
The book is divided into two parts, Half Pants is about when the Author was a child and Full Pants is stories from his teens until his first job days. Interestingly the child part of the book is written in short chapters, short sentences, almost like he was reliving his days again. While Full Pants stories are more defined, bigger chapters, more flourish in writing and language.
It was a pleasure to read this piece of ‘back to the 70s’ era. It has an aura of the ‘Wonder Years’ with a very R.K. Narayanesque style.
Everything from the title of the book to cover design of coins will take you back to the 70s & the 80s. The flair with which he has penned the tales is at once heady and simplistic, again taking us back to the childhood days when everything was uncomplicated and simplistic yet marvelously exciting. The narrative is laced with the Author’s native language, which makes the book believable and lovable.
The book reiterates and cements our belief (our generation growing up in the 70s and 80s) that we had the most magical childhood. Away from all the gadgets that hold kids captive between four walls, in these modern days, into the lap of nature, with friends, exploring around, building stories, making memories.
Reading the book took me back to my days when we did similar things if not the same. When we cycled around with friends, created our own little games up, when owning a TV was a luxury, having a phone was almost unheard of and once we hit our teens, we wanted to be as cool as our cousins in the city.
The last chapter emphatically brings out the message of ‘Cool Vs Fool’. How we outgrow our little towns, go to big cities and end up showing off a little bit, albeit with good intentions, only to be proven that our ways could be cool but definitely not wise. I hope that the book is read by many, its not just reliving childhood it also points out about how smart and worldly wise our parents really were.
The book is divided into two parts, Half Pants is about when the Author was a child and Full Pants is stories from his teens until his first job days. Interestingly the child part of the book is written in short chapters, short sentences, almost like he was reliving his days again. While Full Pants stories are more defined, bigger chapters, more flourish in writing and language.
It was a pleasure to read this piece of ‘back to the 70s’ era. It has an aura of the ‘Wonder Years’ with a very R.K. Narayanesque style.
June 16, 2017
I was smiling most of the time I was reading this book. I read it at leisure coz of the nostalgia and memories it brought forth. I have been recommending this book to everyone I meet and talk about Books. There is something for everyone that will make them go, 'Ah, I did that too :D '
This book is a 220 pages collection of stories from Anand Suspi's childhood to adulthood in the small town of Shimoga.
Anand recounts incidents from being a child of 3 years to his first job days. It takes you down memory lane into the days of innocence, carefree play times, everlasting friendships, parents were role models, middle class living.
It takes you down memory lane into the days of innocence, carefree play times, everlasting friendships, parents were role models, middle class living.Its a lovely book. Clear, perfect English language. Flow smooth.
Many of the incidents are hilarious and makes us wonder what cartoons we were and antics we as kids did. Some incidents make us stop and think.
I loved the way Anand has written clearly each detail. It doesnt sound pompous or mirch-masala types but is packed with humour all the time. Kudos to your memory for remembering so many incidents.
Read more of review at: Book Review: Half Pants Full Pants by Anand Suspi
This book is a 220 pages collection of stories from Anand Suspi's childhood to adulthood in the small town of Shimoga.
Anand recounts incidents from being a child of 3 years to his first job days. It takes you down memory lane into the days of innocence, carefree play times, everlasting friendships, parents were role models, middle class living.
It takes you down memory lane into the days of innocence, carefree play times, everlasting friendships, parents were role models, middle class living.Its a lovely book. Clear, perfect English language. Flow smooth.
Many of the incidents are hilarious and makes us wonder what cartoons we were and antics we as kids did. Some incidents make us stop and think.
I loved the way Anand has written clearly each detail. It doesnt sound pompous or mirch-masala types but is packed with humour all the time. Kudos to your memory for remembering so many incidents.
Read more of review at: Book Review: Half Pants Full Pants by Anand Suspi
July 24, 2017
This book is like a box of chocolates. I started reading and then just couldn't put it down. I read it in a day. The beauty is its simplicity. Yes, Simplicity , which I think finding today is like finding a needle in a stack of hay. It will take you back to the times when life was still serene. When little things made us happy like Doordarshan, Black and White T.V, climbing trees, throwing rocks in the puddles after it rained, making paper boats, imagining yourself to be a spy, magnifying glass, Kismi bar, comics, climbing that guava and mango tree,plucking veggies from mom's little kitchen garden,novels, holi and a billion more precious gems like these. This book opens a window to all this and many more hilarious episodes.
I felt as if I was on the streets of Shimoga with them. All the characters became my friend and it was hard to say goodbye. I will read it again and again and relive all those joyous and silly moments. This book is not just a book, its a collection of memories. It is the heart of Anand Suspi. And because it is his heart it touches the reader's heart too. Remember how when your childhood friends get together or when your cousins stay over and for the whole night you just cannot stop giggling about and recalling all the mischief you all used to do, well this book is like meeting all those friends and cousins and laughing your lungs out!
It is a must read for everyone who wants to escape into the times which were sane and had contentment in little things.
I felt as if I was on the streets of Shimoga with them. All the characters became my friend and it was hard to say goodbye. I will read it again and again and relive all those joyous and silly moments. This book is not just a book, its a collection of memories. It is the heart of Anand Suspi. And because it is his heart it touches the reader's heart too. Remember how when your childhood friends get together or when your cousins stay over and for the whole night you just cannot stop giggling about and recalling all the mischief you all used to do, well this book is like meeting all those friends and cousins and laughing your lungs out!
It is a must read for everyone who wants to escape into the times which were sane and had contentment in little things.
May 8, 2018
I laughed. I reminisced. I remembered childhood friends. I went to the forgotten happy space we all have - those of us who've had a happy childhood. Thank you, Anand, for bringing back my memories.
The book relates stories from the Author’s childhood, when he was growing up in the 70’s and 80’s in a small town in Karnataka. Most of is that grew up at that time will relate to his escapades, we have all been there. Each story is a gem, it makes you laugh, it makes you yearn, it makes you remember a similar incident in your past. It makes you want to leave this modem, crazy, digital today behind and live that simple life again.
This is a book to savor. You read a chapter..you put it down and you revel in your memories. It is a humorous book and it is also a wise book, it is a book to keep and a book to gift. Read the book with your friends and you’ll share a chuckle, you’ll exchange stories, you’ll become a child again.
The book relates stories from the Author’s childhood, when he was growing up in the 70’s and 80’s in a small town in Karnataka. Most of is that grew up at that time will relate to his escapades, we have all been there. Each story is a gem, it makes you laugh, it makes you yearn, it makes you remember a similar incident in your past. It makes you want to leave this modem, crazy, digital today behind and live that simple life again.
This is a book to savor. You read a chapter..you put it down and you revel in your memories. It is a humorous book and it is also a wise book, it is a book to keep and a book to gift. Read the book with your friends and you’ll share a chuckle, you’ll exchange stories, you’ll become a child again.
June 11, 2017
When i first grabbed the book ‘Half Pants Full Pants’, i wanted to know what are the tales of shimoga which are so different compared to my up-bringing in nearby state of Goa. As i try to refresh my memory with author notes, some 90 days typical households memories have just got refreshed. I guess though we were not so connected socially (via internet/social websites) most 90 kids have common memories like Doordarshan, Indian household gimmicks, discussion on religious castes and frowning on visits, sumeet electrical grinder, the first television etc
The bonus read at the end, just reminded me of the generation which our parents were born in. Though we love them, it is difficult to understand their mindset which goes into so much minute details of each and every thing. Though it sound annoying/irritating at the end it is for our good but we cannot imagine what they are aiming for . Though they ridicule us sometimes, the bigger lesson behind those situations are clearer only in the longer term.
A good read and enjoyed the stories as they glimpsed through some old memories.
The bonus read at the end, just reminded me of the generation which our parents were born in. Though we love them, it is difficult to understand their mindset which goes into so much minute details of each and every thing. Though it sound annoying/irritating at the end it is for our good but we cannot imagine what they are aiming for . Though they ridicule us sometimes, the bigger lesson behind those situations are clearer only in the longer term.
A good read and enjoyed the stories as they glimpsed through some old memories.
June 2, 2017
The classic 5 paise and 10 paise coins on the cover page beckon you to take a trip down to childhood, one of the best times of your life.
Growing up in 70s and 80s was simple. And growing up in a small sleepy town like Shimoga was even simpler and devoid of anything overtly exciting. Things like internet, video games, cable TVs that complicate lives today weren’t yet invented in those times or at least weren’t omnipresent. So kids found ways to keep themselves busy. And the parents hadn’t learnt the art of “helicopter parenting”, so they left their kids to engage and entertain themselves. And this freedom of living created some wonderful memories. Anand Suspi does a magnificent job of revisiting those memories.
Anand and his elder brother Sriram spent their growing up years in railway quarters of Shimoga. Theirs was a typical middle class Kannada family with the just the right amount of discipline and pampering. Anand narrates quite a few interesting incidents while he was still in his half pants. And vividly remembers his ordeals as his graduated to full pants. And also the time when he took the town by storm by wearing a 3/4th pant, which was slightly more than a half pant but just a tad bit smaller than a full pant.
Right from the fights he had (he already had fight no. 540 when he was still in his half pants) with his elder brother over minute things (which however, seemed more important than the global warming issue then) to the rebelling against his disciplinarian father, Anand, it seems has written for the entire generation. There will be more than once when you find yourself saying “hey, that happened with me too”.
The chapters are small and keep you completely addicted. The writing is smart and crisp. The narration is intelligent and absolutely flawless. I can’t seem to find any single point to rate is lesser than 5 stars.
Growing up in 70s and 80s was simple. And growing up in a small sleepy town like Shimoga was even simpler and devoid of anything overtly exciting. Things like internet, video games, cable TVs that complicate lives today weren’t yet invented in those times or at least weren’t omnipresent. So kids found ways to keep themselves busy. And the parents hadn’t learnt the art of “helicopter parenting”, so they left their kids to engage and entertain themselves. And this freedom of living created some wonderful memories. Anand Suspi does a magnificent job of revisiting those memories.
Anand and his elder brother Sriram spent their growing up years in railway quarters of Shimoga. Theirs was a typical middle class Kannada family with the just the right amount of discipline and pampering. Anand narrates quite a few interesting incidents while he was still in his half pants. And vividly remembers his ordeals as his graduated to full pants. And also the time when he took the town by storm by wearing a 3/4th pant, which was slightly more than a half pant but just a tad bit smaller than a full pant.
Right from the fights he had (he already had fight no. 540 when he was still in his half pants) with his elder brother over minute things (which however, seemed more important than the global warming issue then) to the rebelling against his disciplinarian father, Anand, it seems has written for the entire generation. There will be more than once when you find yourself saying “hey, that happened with me too”.
The chapters are small and keep you completely addicted. The writing is smart and crisp. The narration is intelligent and absolutely flawless. I can’t seem to find any single point to rate is lesser than 5 stars.
July 17, 2017
An adorable book!
The book which takes you back into the past. The simplicity, the nostalgic moments and especially the colloquial usages eg, ‘without a paisa of doubt’, will win your heart. It sure takes you for a trip down the memory lane.
The Spielberg's pet’s influence on the young narrator is hilarious. I am curious as to know how the boy did the bus, glass wall, and the bottle while doing a break dance(I am assuming those are some moves in break dance). Every innocent and adventurous moment left a smile on my lips.
A must read for the readers who love a trip down the memory lane into the innocent adventures of childhood.
The book which takes you back into the past. The simplicity, the nostalgic moments and especially the colloquial usages eg, ‘without a paisa of doubt’, will win your heart. It sure takes you for a trip down the memory lane.
The Spielberg's pet’s influence on the young narrator is hilarious. I am curious as to know how the boy did the bus, glass wall, and the bottle while doing a break dance(I am assuming those are some moves in break dance). Every innocent and adventurous moment left a smile on my lips.
A must read for the readers who love a trip down the memory lane into the innocent adventures of childhood.
May 4, 2018
It is amazing to see that author remembers every small incident in vivid details.Incidents narrated are not as such extraordinary, all of us might have had similar experiences.Definitely book is really light and fun read. It refresh your mind after a long tiring day or will serve as a fun read on a Sunday afternoon!
I will like to recommend this book. Read full review on my blog post:http://www.myhappychance.com/2017/08/...
I will like to recommend this book. Read full review on my blog post:http://www.myhappychance.com/2017/08/...
April 23, 2017
Nostalgic and funny, in parts.
July 28, 2017
Love it to the core. He has a beautiful way of rendering childhood tales. It is a mix between Ruskin Bond's charm and R.K.Narayanan's simplicity.
May 30, 2017
A digital copy of this book was provided to me for an honest and candid review.
I am mighty glad I picked this up to read - it turned out to be a brilliant ode to childhood and fond musings of what yester years used to be for the kids from the 80s and 90s. Having been born and brought up in a metro myself, it initially took a while to get into the protagonist's shoes and visualize a place of such simplicity as Shimoga. But once I was drawn in, it was pretty hard to shake myself out of the setting - in fact the character names, the locales, the train stop names all continued to linger in the memory long after I finished the book.
What absolutely appealed to me were the tone and the tenor of the book. The author has, to my immense relief, chosen to do away with pompous sentence constructions and bombastic idioms, because well, the story is being narrated by an 8-year-old, right?! The narration is simple, endearing, and makes you smile at times with the way the world appears to an 8-year-old. Although there have been previous winners of the nostalgia genre, with India's all-time favourite Malgudi Days and The Wonder Years topping the list, that hasn't stopped the author from taking a dip into the genre with full gusto, and he has quite apparently done a great job.
If you relish reminiscences and relaxed retrospections, then this book is definitely for you!
I am mighty glad I picked this up to read - it turned out to be a brilliant ode to childhood and fond musings of what yester years used to be for the kids from the 80s and 90s. Having been born and brought up in a metro myself, it initially took a while to get into the protagonist's shoes and visualize a place of such simplicity as Shimoga. But once I was drawn in, it was pretty hard to shake myself out of the setting - in fact the character names, the locales, the train stop names all continued to linger in the memory long after I finished the book.
What absolutely appealed to me were the tone and the tenor of the book. The author has, to my immense relief, chosen to do away with pompous sentence constructions and bombastic idioms, because well, the story is being narrated by an 8-year-old, right?! The narration is simple, endearing, and makes you smile at times with the way the world appears to an 8-year-old. Although there have been previous winners of the nostalgia genre, with India's all-time favourite Malgudi Days and The Wonder Years topping the list, that hasn't stopped the author from taking a dip into the genre with full gusto, and he has quite apparently done a great job.
If you relish reminiscences and relaxed retrospections, then this book is definitely for you!
May 26, 2017
Paper Boat has always managed to surprise me with the ease with which they manage to take me back to my childhood whether it’s with their drinks or their advertisements, the little surprises they send across during festivals and now finally with a book – Half Pants, Full Pants by Anand Suspi.
Half Pant, Full Pant is a collection of short stories about a boy growing up on a small town in Karnataka. The book is divided into two parts, half pants talks about middle childhood and early adolescence of the author’s life and the full pant part all about his adventures when he was a teenager.
The book is based on the little adventures the author shared with his family and friends and each chapter talks about a new experience. I couldn’t help but relate to the stories talking about giving one self a cooler name ( I was pretty unhappy that my parents gave me such a complicated name for a good part of my childhood), fascination with learning something new because it...Read complete review here: http://www.coml13.com/book-review-hal...
Half Pant, Full Pant is a collection of short stories about a boy growing up on a small town in Karnataka. The book is divided into two parts, half pants talks about middle childhood and early adolescence of the author’s life and the full pant part all about his adventures when he was a teenager.
The book is based on the little adventures the author shared with his family and friends and each chapter talks about a new experience. I couldn’t help but relate to the stories talking about giving one self a cooler name ( I was pretty unhappy that my parents gave me such a complicated name for a good part of my childhood), fascination with learning something new because it...Read complete review here: http://www.coml13.com/book-review-hal...
November 12, 2017
Each line, each page, each story of this diminutive book speaks to you with so much character, so much love, so much quirkiness. You find yourself chortling when you realise that "Thondekaayi" and "Padavalkaayi" make for phenomenal insults.
One other thing to keenly note here is the rich context. Much like the writing of R.K.Narayan and K.P.Poornachandra Thejaswi, you find yourself immersed in the narrative, going swiftly through a chain of emotions that carry you along in each story.
There's also a certain affinity you gain to all the characters. Like Kivi, like Swami, Dabba, Giddi, Vishak and Narasimha will remain etched in my memory.
Anand, thank you so much for this walk down memory lane. I loved this. I would like to hear more from Shimoga.
P.S.: Very tempted to illustrate moments from all the stories
One other thing to keenly note here is the rich context. Much like the writing of R.K.Narayan and K.P.Poornachandra Thejaswi, you find yourself immersed in the narrative, going swiftly through a chain of emotions that carry you along in each story.
There's also a certain affinity you gain to all the characters. Like Kivi, like Swami, Dabba, Giddi, Vishak and Narasimha will remain etched in my memory.
Anand, thank you so much for this walk down memory lane. I loved this. I would like to hear more from Shimoga.
P.S.: Very tempted to illustrate moments from all the stories
April 7, 2023
I usually don't rate a book as 5 star, but this one was worth it, made me remember all the good things of Shivamogga, my home town, thanks Anand, it was a great read.
December 20, 2020
A book that reminds us of the fun, simple times. A nostalgic book.
The blurb is so interesting that you can’t stop yourself from reading the book. I had picked it a long time ago and it was half read but the stories remained in my mind and I picked it again during the lockdown and am glad I did.
Half Pants, Full Pants is easy to read, the humorous book is a sweet serenade to days gone past. It is a story of a young boy, the author of his time in the small town of Shimoga and his antics.
The stories are simple, typical of how a childhood was sans the 24 hours social media and binges. A common sense book about the silly yet fun childhood.
Half Pants, Full Pants is a book to be read at leisure, with a cup of tea and snacks reminding us of our childhood.
Each chapter is an excerpt from the author’s life with common-sense lessons of the old days. I enjoyed the book for it easy to read conversational tone coupled with the interesting yet humorous incidents.
A few of them were so similar to what I had done as a child that I felt part of his gang of friends.
Yes, Half Pants, Full Pants is reminiscent of Malgudi Days but Swami did have a shade on the antics of Anand.
Relishing in the taste of toffees, colas and ice-creams when they were actually a novelty. Train trips and bets with friends. Sleuthing and secrets, all add up to make a very relatable and light-hearted book.
Half Pants, Full Pants is a must read to visit the fun, simple, enterprising era of the childhood of the old times.
The blurb is so interesting that you can’t stop yourself from reading the book. I had picked it a long time ago and it was half read but the stories remained in my mind and I picked it again during the lockdown and am glad I did.
Half Pants, Full Pants is easy to read, the humorous book is a sweet serenade to days gone past. It is a story of a young boy, the author of his time in the small town of Shimoga and his antics.
The stories are simple, typical of how a childhood was sans the 24 hours social media and binges. A common sense book about the silly yet fun childhood.
Half Pants, Full Pants is a book to be read at leisure, with a cup of tea and snacks reminding us of our childhood.
Each chapter is an excerpt from the author’s life with common-sense lessons of the old days. I enjoyed the book for it easy to read conversational tone coupled with the interesting yet humorous incidents.
A few of them were so similar to what I had done as a child that I felt part of his gang of friends.
Yes, Half Pants, Full Pants is reminiscent of Malgudi Days but Swami did have a shade on the antics of Anand.
Relishing in the taste of toffees, colas and ice-creams when they were actually a novelty. Train trips and bets with friends. Sleuthing and secrets, all add up to make a very relatable and light-hearted book.
Half Pants, Full Pants is a must read to visit the fun, simple, enterprising era of the childhood of the old times.
August 28, 2019
#2019 #YearInBooks Book 72
I think most of us would have become nostalgic for childhood at one time or another. Sometimes it's triggered by photographs, at other times by items we treasured back then. In its essence, this book has that effect. It's like a time machine back to the innocent days of childhood, as well as the moments of mischief we might be able to relate to. The first part of the book has stories from childhood (half pant stories) while the second focused on teenage and after (full pant stories).
I smiled remembering the days of eating "boti" or being fascinated by Western names. I could even relate to many things being considered unnecessary and studying towards good grades being the only goal parents might have had for their children. There are also moments of rebelliousness that felt familiar. The author narrates in a simple manner but laced with humour. The stories are set in a time much before electronic gadgets came into the picture as well.
Given the author's family background is different from mine, I couldn't relate to some aspects but that's expected of course. Would I reread the book? I'd go to favourite tales directly and read those alone. Do I reco? Why not? It's worth a trip back in time.
I think most of us would have become nostalgic for childhood at one time or another. Sometimes it's triggered by photographs, at other times by items we treasured back then. In its essence, this book has that effect. It's like a time machine back to the innocent days of childhood, as well as the moments of mischief we might be able to relate to. The first part of the book has stories from childhood (half pant stories) while the second focused on teenage and after (full pant stories).
I smiled remembering the days of eating "boti" or being fascinated by Western names. I could even relate to many things being considered unnecessary and studying towards good grades being the only goal parents might have had for their children. There are also moments of rebelliousness that felt familiar. The author narrates in a simple manner but laced with humour. The stories are set in a time much before electronic gadgets came into the picture as well.
Given the author's family background is different from mine, I couldn't relate to some aspects but that's expected of course. Would I reread the book? I'd go to favourite tales directly and read those alone. Do I reco? Why not? It's worth a trip back in time.
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January 13, 2023Makes you feel Nostalgic
Anand Suspi recreates the magic of malgudi days in this classic autobiography. Each story will take you down the memory lane and make you crave for more and you will never be disappointed
Anand Suspi recreates the magic of malgudi days in this classic autobiography. Each story will take you down the memory lane and make you crave for more and you will never be disappointed
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