Past & Curious: Forty Tales of Good Old Bangalore

by Stanley Carvalho

The author speaks of a Bangalore and a way of life which has disappeared before our eyes. How Bangalore has changed! This book threads together some forty stories, in two parts, that embodies an era that has seemingly gone forever. The stories are based on real experiences, personal nostalgia or memory, talking to people, old photographs and articles to make it an immersive experience for readers. The second part comprises some of ‘middles’ published over the years in the Deccan Herald by the author. They evoke nostalgia, bringing some vignettes of our city’s past alive. ‘Past & Curious’ gives readers a peek into the wistful, quaint charm and old world allure of the once beautiful Bangalore. What gives the book a unique cachet are the wonderfully vivid illustrations by the gifted cartoonist Paul Fernandes.

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2016

Reviews

[Raksha Bhat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Any book on Bangalore and I somehow manage to get my hands on it. I am glad I found this one. This is a humble tribute to a place which has strikingly survived the transition from a town to a metropolitan city over the last few decades. Nothing comes close to the pleasure of discovering about the place you live in and the people who make it. The anecdotes and vignettes by Stanley Carvalho in this collection took me back to the time when Bangalore was at it's habitable best. Also nostalgia turns out to be contagious especially when you read a book with illustrations by an artist like Paul Fernandes. Our present day circumstances have made us fast and furious; but it is good to stop by and dwell in the past with some curiosity, in my opinion books are of immense help in this regard. It often happens that I read something in a book and smile like I have had the best conversation with a friend, I do end up getting funny looks from fellow travelers, and this one was worth it all!

[Vinay Leo · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a Bangalorean, this book is pure nostalgia. Even if Stanley Carvalho talks about a time many years before the Bangalore I fondly remember, it feels, and probably is, very familiar. The wait for the postman, the good ol rainy days, the lakes of Bangalore, the eateries, the single screen movie theatres, even the occasional visit from monkeys... Stanley Carvalho's memories trigger some of my own, and it brings a smile, maybe an "oh, for those days again". The illustrations from Paul Fernandes also add to the charm of the book. A delightful read, and one I shall get back to in bits and pieces through the years to come.

[Anu · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a must have book for any Bangalorean - at least for the gorgeous illustrations if not the stories. This collection of short stories and snippets was charming and peppered with old school Bangalore-lingo. Reading it brought back wonderful memories of my childhood and oft times tears as I miss the bygone era so much.

[Smitha Murthy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Those who have grown up in the city of Bangalore would love this book - it made me think of a 101 things that lay glistening on the banks of my memory. It could have done with some tighter editing and that is the only reason I gave it 3 stars, but it is a precious collection of stories that any true-blue Bangalorean should be proud to read. Plus, it is not often that I get to converse with the author while reading his book!

[Anand Ganapathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice set of articles on Bangalore in the 70s and 80s when it was a pensioners paradise and famous for its green cover . The illustrations by Paul Fernandes are equally stunning

[Jules · Rating 4 out of 5]

I visited so many Bangalorean neighbourhoods thanks to this book. Rich stories about the past. Must-read for those who stay a while in this city and haven't yet explored it.

[Jajwalya Karajgikar · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is a time-travel device. It is also representative of the older generation’s prejudices against the new age tech, values, growth, and youth. I want to clutch the art to my heart and then hang all of it all over my house one day because this is my love for some of Bangalore shared. This is a book that kept me in awe. All those English songs here? All those discos and movies back then? Really?! It showed an alternative lifestyle impossible to grasp again. Thank you, Carvalho sir. Thank you, Fernandes sir!

https://jajwalyark.wordpress.com/2017...

[Aditi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely illustrations , though the book leans heavy on nostalgia from the 70's , there is still enough to relate for those who grew up in the 80's and 90's and visited Bangalore frequently. An easy and fun read