What do you think?
Rate this book
Smörgåsbord of Musings
Smörgåsbord of Musings is a collection of poems, anecdotes and random thoughts expressed from the points of view of different people - men, women, non-binary persons, kids, teenagers, adults - all going through different things in life. People living happy lives, some not-so-happy lives, people in love, hopeless romantics, people dealing with heartbreak, the ones who believe life is better with a bit of whimsy, this book, hopefully, has a little something that resonates with everybody, lets the reader find the silver lining when needed and discover the joie de vivre even when times are hard.
233 pages, Paperback
Published October 27, 2020
3 people are currently reading
23 people want to read
About the author
Rathnakumar Raghunath
11 books20 followersRathnakumar Raghunath was born in 1988, in Chennai, India. While he was more inclined toward music as a child, as he grew older, he developed a passion for languages. In school, he wrote a couple of short stories and won the Camlin Young Author award for his work, "It Happened One Night: And It Changed My Life."
He claims that his life changed the moment he saw the French-Canadian singer, Céline Dion, perform on a show on TV back in 2003. He fell in love with her pure talent and her down-to-Earth personality, and he was inspired to pursue courses in the French language in order to understand her French repertoire. He has done C1 in French at Alliance Française de Madras and A2 in Spanish at Instituto Hispania.
During college, he wrote and directed a couple of short films, one of which also won the Bimbam Award for Best Concept. He has, since, gone on to bag acting roles in various musicals and plays such as "Archie: The Musical,” "Oscar,” "Stay by My Side,” "Skipping Christmas,” "Star of Wonder,” "Moulin Rouge,” and has performed in Concerts such as, "Magic of Musicals 2,” "September Symphony,” "Magic of Music 3,” where he opened the show with Michael Jackson’s "Earth Song." He was also a part of a tribute to Simon and Garfunkel and performed with the Philharmonic Society of Selangor Choir from Malaysia. He also features in a Gospel album by Jere Franklin titled "Jeeva Raagangal." He was one of the singers in the single, "Kindle the Fire" that was an official entry in an international competition in 2013. He was the "Artist of the Week" on 104.8 Chennai Live FM in 2015.
He is currently following a career involving the French language. He also is a budding entrepreneur and has an online handmade jewelry and gift shop called Something Different. During the COVID-19 Lockdown of 2020, he created an IGTV comedy series called "Rawrange Series." Through everything that he has been doing, his passion for writing has always stayed with him. It is that which has pushed him toward writing more short stories and modern poetry.
His first published work is "Elevator," a flash fiction that has won the Literally Story prize. It was published in 2019. His first book of modern poetry is “Smörgåsbord of Musings.” It has sold over 2500 copies and has won The Author Pages 2021 award for Best Debut. He has also written a small collection of poetry in French called “Les Cicatrices,” which was a #1 bestseller on Amazon. He has a series of e-books called Digital Pride. It is a series of LGBTQIA+ short stories that will be published every year in time for Pride Month. “Catch Me ’Cause I’m Falling” is the first story in that series. It became the official selection for NE8x Litfest 2021. “Comeuppance” is his 5th publication and first thriller/horror novelette. It has won The Author Pages 2022 award for Best Thriller, placed 2nd in the Indie Author Championship 2022, and won the Cinemura Award 2022 for best book to be adapted into a film or web series.
His highly anticipated new poetry book "Charcuterie of Thoughts" is out in the month of June, 2023.
He also has plans of translating his work into French and Spanish. Audio book versions of his works are also under production.
He claims that his life changed the moment he saw the French-Canadian singer, Céline Dion, perform on a show on TV back in 2003. He fell in love with her pure talent and her down-to-Earth personality, and he was inspired to pursue courses in the French language in order to understand her French repertoire. He has done C1 in French at Alliance Française de Madras and A2 in Spanish at Instituto Hispania.
During college, he wrote and directed a couple of short films, one of which also won the Bimbam Award for Best Concept. He has, since, gone on to bag acting roles in various musicals and plays such as "Archie: The Musical,” "Oscar,” "Stay by My Side,” "Skipping Christmas,” "Star of Wonder,” "Moulin Rouge,” and has performed in Concerts such as, "Magic of Musicals 2,” "September Symphony,” "Magic of Music 3,” where he opened the show with Michael Jackson’s "Earth Song." He was also a part of a tribute to Simon and Garfunkel and performed with the Philharmonic Society of Selangor Choir from Malaysia. He also features in a Gospel album by Jere Franklin titled "Jeeva Raagangal." He was one of the singers in the single, "Kindle the Fire" that was an official entry in an international competition in 2013. He was the "Artist of the Week" on 104.8 Chennai Live FM in 2015.
He is currently following a career involving the French language. He also is a budding entrepreneur and has an online handmade jewelry and gift shop called Something Different. During the COVID-19 Lockdown of 2020, he created an IGTV comedy series called "Rawrange Series." Through everything that he has been doing, his passion for writing has always stayed with him. It is that which has pushed him toward writing more short stories and modern poetry.
His first published work is "Elevator," a flash fiction that has won the Literally Story prize. It was published in 2019. His first book of modern poetry is “Smörgåsbord of Musings.” It has sold over 2500 copies and has won The Author Pages 2021 award for Best Debut. He has also written a small collection of poetry in French called “Les Cicatrices,” which was a #1 bestseller on Amazon. He has a series of e-books called Digital Pride. It is a series of LGBTQIA+ short stories that will be published every year in time for Pride Month. “Catch Me ’Cause I’m Falling” is the first story in that series. It became the official selection for NE8x Litfest 2021. “Comeuppance” is his 5th publication and first thriller/horror novelette. It has won The Author Pages 2022 award for Best Thriller, placed 2nd in the Indie Author Championship 2022, and won the Cinemura Award 2022 for best book to be adapted into a film or web series.
His highly anticipated new poetry book "Charcuterie of Thoughts" is out in the month of June, 2023.
He also has plans of translating his work into French and Spanish. Audio book versions of his works are also under production.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
January 8, 2021
"Here you are Surviving
Thriving
Living
Despite everything that you have been through
Do you know a stronger person than yourself?"
Smörgåsbord means a wide range or a variety of something and that is what this book offers in the form of Musings about life, love, pets, movies, series, family and what not! It was a pleasant surprise for me as this book is filled with random thoughts that come straight from the heart.
"Is it not enough that I know? Should I tell the world? Or should I disguise myself in order to resemble others?"
My favorites from this collection are 'L’empathie' which talks about empathy towards beings we can't relate to and 'Une ode à maman et papa' which talks about the author's gratitude and love for his parents. Both these musings struck a chord with me and I can't thank the author enough for writing them.
"What a wonderful world
This would be
If the best thing a woman can be
Isn’t beautiful!"
Some musings made me feel warm, some made my eyes brim with tears and some left me inspired. Everything about this book is very wholesome and heartfelt. I loved reading every bit of it, even the ones in French I didn't totally understand.
Go and read this book asap as it offers everything from witty one-liners, elegant poetry and articulate essays! It's available on Amazon.
Thriving
Living
Despite everything that you have been through
Do you know a stronger person than yourself?"
Smörgåsbord means a wide range or a variety of something and that is what this book offers in the form of Musings about life, love, pets, movies, series, family and what not! It was a pleasant surprise for me as this book is filled with random thoughts that come straight from the heart.
"Is it not enough that I know? Should I tell the world? Or should I disguise myself in order to resemble others?"
My favorites from this collection are 'L’empathie' which talks about empathy towards beings we can't relate to and 'Une ode à maman et papa' which talks about the author's gratitude and love for his parents. Both these musings struck a chord with me and I can't thank the author enough for writing them.
"What a wonderful world
This would be
If the best thing a woman can be
Isn’t beautiful!"
Some musings made me feel warm, some made my eyes brim with tears and some left me inspired. Everything about this book is very wholesome and heartfelt. I loved reading every bit of it, even the ones in French I didn't totally understand.
Go and read this book asap as it offers everything from witty one-liners, elegant poetry and articulate essays! It's available on Amazon.
January 4, 2021
Genre: Free verse poetry.
"Smorgasbord of Musings" is a collection of poems beautifully written by Rathnakumar Raghunath and published by Notion press.
The book will make you travel through so many emotions in least words. It mostly covers the topics like Love, romance, heartbreak and some random ones too.
I must say this book is a page turner as it the brings so many emotions out of us and the one or two liners poems were so minimal yet amazing.
The author has named the title of the poems in French which is very unfamiliar to me,I had to Google every title's meaning.
Personally, I found the yellowish cover cute and attractive. Although it's an underrated book but I loved it so much.
The book is perfect to read anytime.
Highly recommended!!
So grab some snacks and pick up this book.
"Smorgasbord of Musings" is a collection of poems beautifully written by Rathnakumar Raghunath and published by Notion press.
The book will make you travel through so many emotions in least words. It mostly covers the topics like Love, romance, heartbreak and some random ones too.
I must say this book is a page turner as it the brings so many emotions out of us and the one or two liners poems were so minimal yet amazing.
The author has named the title of the poems in French which is very unfamiliar to me,I had to Google every title's meaning.
Personally, I found the yellowish cover cute and attractive. Although it's an underrated book but I loved it so much.
The book is perfect to read anytime.
Highly recommended!!
So grab some snacks and pick up this book.
November 26, 2020
When I started the book, my plan was to keep away emotionally as I do when I read a collection of anecdotal writing. But almost after just a few pages in, I realised that I have had to put down the book each time, to allow the indulgence of a thought or a revelation through my mind or to simply let the mind wander and relive a moment that you have experienced once too far away in life. I started to, subconsciously, pick favourites that I wanted the family to read through, so that they could see how mere words such carefully penned down, too close to a reality that we have already known, can come so close to our hearts. Simply because these words had the power and beauty to transcend time and take us back to some points and distance in our lives where we have felt all of these and more. Soon I realised that, try as I might, I am unable to keep my emotions away - the book is purely heart wrenching and overwhelming at so many places.
There were some pages that I read and reread, even as tears rolled down my cheeks. The experience of reading something like that, reliving some lovely moments from an earlier life altogether or the pain of having to relive some memories which you hold so close to your heart for the fear of forgetting altogether - it was indescribably honest. Like coming up for fresh air amidst chaos.
And then there was love. Love oozing from each page, all kinds of it. Forgiving, yearning, forgetful, unabashed, unrelenting, unconditional, necessary, wrongfully prohibited, the entire universe of love possible. How can someone who has known so much pain (as much pain as you think only you may have known) also know and believe in so much love. And then I realised something so significant, making all the difference. It’s probably what Rathnakumar is. Only someone who has known so much loss or pain could also have brought out so many versions of extraordinary and out-of-this-world love. Please note - not romance but pure, unabated love.
Thank you for this, Rathnakumar. This book will stay in mind for a long time, and will remain in the often-reached-out-to section of my bookshelf for various reasons. But mostly because, this is the book I would want to turn to when my morale is low and I want something reaffirming yo believe in even when all the world seems hopeless. For that, I’m grateful.
There were some pages that I read and reread, even as tears rolled down my cheeks. The experience of reading something like that, reliving some lovely moments from an earlier life altogether or the pain of having to relive some memories which you hold so close to your heart for the fear of forgetting altogether - it was indescribably honest. Like coming up for fresh air amidst chaos.
And then there was love. Love oozing from each page, all kinds of it. Forgiving, yearning, forgetful, unabashed, unrelenting, unconditional, necessary, wrongfully prohibited, the entire universe of love possible. How can someone who has known so much pain (as much pain as you think only you may have known) also know and believe in so much love. And then I realised something so significant, making all the difference. It’s probably what Rathnakumar is. Only someone who has known so much loss or pain could also have brought out so many versions of extraordinary and out-of-this-world love. Please note - not romance but pure, unabated love.
Thank you for this, Rathnakumar. This book will stay in mind for a long time, and will remain in the often-reached-out-to section of my bookshelf for various reasons. But mostly because, this is the book I would want to turn to when my morale is low and I want something reaffirming yo believe in even when all the world seems hopeless. For that, I’m grateful.
December 29, 2020
A charming collection of quotes, poems, and writeups.
My ratings: 4.3/5
This is a book full of poems, ranging from one-liners to lengthy ones, some write-ups, and a short story. The book touches upon a myriad of subjects, right from love and relationships to entertainment references.
What I liked about the book:
--> My favorite part of the book was the short story titled 'Elevator' which is A MUST READ.
--> The ample references to popular and beloved characters from movies, books, cartoons, and shows. We get to read funny and some serious things about Sheldon Cooper (The Big Bang Theory), Popeye, How To Train Your Dragon, Thanos, Monica and Chandler (F.R.I.E.N.D.S.), and 13 Reasons Why.
--> A handwritten poem/note makes its way into the collection which was so heartwarming and personal.
--> The range of emotions that the poems depict and compel the reader to feel as well, right from sadness, anger, loss, grief, pride, guilt, and fear, to nervousness, shame, joy, surprise, and of course LOVE.
--> The writeups, photographs from the author's childhood or past experiences were very nostalgic for me as well as they made me rethink of my own childhood.
--> Though it can easily be finished in a single reading (or just a couple of days) the writing stays with us for a long time and might even tempt most readers to reread.
What I did not like about the book:
--> The poems about heartbreak and love seemed repetitive after a while.
--> The titles were in French and for readers who aren't familiar with the language (like myself) it could be a bit of a letdown. Maybe providing their English translation alongside might have helped.
Quotable Quotes:
—> Troubles usually get worse before they go away for good
Just like mehndi gets darker before it disappears.
—> It is too much strain to put on one relationship
Too much burden for one person to carry.
—> You don’t have the chutzpah to stand up to the one who hurt you
Instead you choose to hurt an entirely different person to feel
superior about yourself
Satisfy your delusions of grandeur
—> I love you like Sheldon Cooper loves his spot!
More here: https://wp.me/p6XQyB-2i4
My ratings: 4.3/5
This is a book full of poems, ranging from one-liners to lengthy ones, some write-ups, and a short story. The book touches upon a myriad of subjects, right from love and relationships to entertainment references.
What I liked about the book:
--> My favorite part of the book was the short story titled 'Elevator' which is A MUST READ.
--> The ample references to popular and beloved characters from movies, books, cartoons, and shows. We get to read funny and some serious things about Sheldon Cooper (The Big Bang Theory), Popeye, How To Train Your Dragon, Thanos, Monica and Chandler (F.R.I.E.N.D.S.), and 13 Reasons Why.
--> A handwritten poem/note makes its way into the collection which was so heartwarming and personal.
--> The range of emotions that the poems depict and compel the reader to feel as well, right from sadness, anger, loss, grief, pride, guilt, and fear, to nervousness, shame, joy, surprise, and of course LOVE.
--> The writeups, photographs from the author's childhood or past experiences were very nostalgic for me as well as they made me rethink of my own childhood.
--> Though it can easily be finished in a single reading (or just a couple of days) the writing stays with us for a long time and might even tempt most readers to reread.
What I did not like about the book:
--> The poems about heartbreak and love seemed repetitive after a while.
--> The titles were in French and for readers who aren't familiar with the language (like myself) it could be a bit of a letdown. Maybe providing their English translation alongside might have helped.
Quotable Quotes:
—> Troubles usually get worse before they go away for good
Just like mehndi gets darker before it disappears.
—> It is too much strain to put on one relationship
Too much burden for one person to carry.
—> You don’t have the chutzpah to stand up to the one who hurt you
Instead you choose to hurt an entirely different person to feel
superior about yourself
Satisfy your delusions of grandeur
—> I love you like Sheldon Cooper loves his spot!
More here: https://wp.me/p6XQyB-2i4
December 31, 2020
This books is like revisiting your past, experiencing it all again, but from a clearer head and a steady heart. It reminded me of summer vacations, getting up early to run to play with friends then coming home at 11, all happy and flushed from the running around and then waiting to go out to play in the evening again. Pure bliss, no cares of the world.
It is a plethora of musings, poems, anecdotes and random thoughts; retold from the point of view of– men, women, non-binary people, kids, teenagers, adults.
Les êtres humains
Sometimes, we tend to expect way too much from the ones we love
As much as they seem to look like gods and goddesses to us
The truth is that we fell in love with humans
And what are we if not fallible?
It is not fair to hold it against them when things don't go away
For all we know, we probably aren't behaving the way they'd expect us to, either
Love is absolutely beautiful
You are lucky if you have it in your life
Forgive and forget, and give people second chances when they truly deserve them
Most importantly, understand them
Who will, if you don't?!
Empathy is where it will begins
All readers have go-to books, and this one has become mine. We all have moments, when we look back, maybe reminiscing about the past, happy memories, sad ones as well. The first time you fell in love, the heartbreaks, the anger. This might be the best anecdote for that. You will be kinder to yourself.
PS: I love the French titles, I don't know a lot of French but it surely must be awesome enacting plays and dramas in French!!
It is a plethora of musings, poems, anecdotes and random thoughts; retold from the point of view of– men, women, non-binary people, kids, teenagers, adults.
Les êtres humains
Sometimes, we tend to expect way too much from the ones we love
As much as they seem to look like gods and goddesses to us
The truth is that we fell in love with humans
And what are we if not fallible?
It is not fair to hold it against them when things don't go away
For all we know, we probably aren't behaving the way they'd expect us to, either
Love is absolutely beautiful
You are lucky if you have it in your life
Forgive and forget, and give people second chances when they truly deserve them
Most importantly, understand them
Who will, if you don't?!
Empathy is where it will begins
All readers have go-to books, and this one has become mine. We all have moments, when we look back, maybe reminiscing about the past, happy memories, sad ones as well. The first time you fell in love, the heartbreaks, the anger. This might be the best anecdote for that. You will be kinder to yourself.
PS: I love the French titles, I don't know a lot of French but it surely must be awesome enacting plays and dramas in French!!
January 1, 2021
First good read of the year
My first read of the year, I knew it had to be this as for its name.
The author loves french plus he has a career which involves the French language hence the title of all the poems or short writting s are in French.
The book is of 235 pages. It's has many mamy poems in it. Some are short like about just two lines and some are long. However everyone of them is beautiful with some being about love, some are nostalgic some are sad, some are happy.
The author has penned his thoughts and also he has tried his views as different people, an eighty year old lady to a teenager, to a woman, so every poem is very different and refreshing from the other.
I will pen down 2 of my favourite ones ( I have taken 2 short ones)
Toi + Moi
Though we are not where we deserve to be
Though we are apart
You are in me
I am in you
Le Promesse
You promised me sweet- Your kisses
All I got is salty- My tears.
These are such short poems or anecdotes but how powerful is it.
Some poems also have a few graphics or diagrams....The Toi + Moi has one....I immediately connected with the poem after seeing you he graphic.
I didn't read the book in a day...I took about a week to complete them and I am also going to re read them while I travel.
I am so glad to have read this simple yet powerful book.
Any beginner also can read it. This book is definitely for all age groups.
Highly recommend it to all.
My first read of the year, I knew it had to be this as for its name.
The author loves french plus he has a career which involves the French language hence the title of all the poems or short writting s are in French.
The book is of 235 pages. It's has many mamy poems in it. Some are short like about just two lines and some are long. However everyone of them is beautiful with some being about love, some are nostalgic some are sad, some are happy.
The author has penned his thoughts and also he has tried his views as different people, an eighty year old lady to a teenager, to a woman, so every poem is very different and refreshing from the other.
I will pen down 2 of my favourite ones ( I have taken 2 short ones)
Toi + Moi
Though we are not where we deserve to be
Though we are apart
You are in me
I am in you
Le Promesse
You promised me sweet- Your kisses
All I got is salty- My tears.
These are such short poems or anecdotes but how powerful is it.
Some poems also have a few graphics or diagrams....The Toi + Moi has one....I immediately connected with the poem after seeing you he graphic.
I didn't read the book in a day...I took about a week to complete them and I am also going to re read them while I travel.
I am so glad to have read this simple yet powerful book.
Any beginner also can read it. This book is definitely for all age groups.
Highly recommend it to all.
December 25, 2020
It is a collection of poems, ranging from one-liners to the ones leisurely running over pages.
The book touches upon myriad of subjects, mostly being about love, eternal romance, relationships, loneliness, deep-felt emotions and some random observations.
You get to read about Sheldon Cooper references, popeye jokes, 'How to train your dragon' two liners, a romantic Thanos, Monica- Chandler couple goals and even an homage to 13 reasons why!
When the night is dark and full of terrors, all you need is a good book like this to keep you company ( #Gameofthronesfam😁😁)
🌼My views:🌼
This is one of the books you should keep on your bedside table-
a) because yellow is a happy color and
b) it is going to make you feel so many emotions in the minimum word count possible.
A few poems run cheeky but in a good kind of way.. for instance, this one-
The best places on earth: Chennai, Paris, Hogwarts and Your Arms (😄!)
My only concern is that the author has named the poems in French and for common folks like myself who aren't familiar with the language, I would have appreciated if the english meanings were mentioned in brackets.
Finally, I will recommend this as a feel-good snack- easy to grab, delicious and leaves you craving for more!
The book touches upon myriad of subjects, mostly being about love, eternal romance, relationships, loneliness, deep-felt emotions and some random observations.
You get to read about Sheldon Cooper references, popeye jokes, 'How to train your dragon' two liners, a romantic Thanos, Monica- Chandler couple goals and even an homage to 13 reasons why!
When the night is dark and full of terrors, all you need is a good book like this to keep you company ( #Gameofthronesfam😁😁)
🌼My views:🌼
This is one of the books you should keep on your bedside table-
a) because yellow is a happy color and
b) it is going to make you feel so many emotions in the minimum word count possible.
A few poems run cheeky but in a good kind of way.. for instance, this one-
The best places on earth: Chennai, Paris, Hogwarts and Your Arms (😄!)
My only concern is that the author has named the poems in French and for common folks like myself who aren't familiar with the language, I would have appreciated if the english meanings were mentioned in brackets.
Finally, I will recommend this as a feel-good snack- easy to grab, delicious and leaves you craving for more!
January 6, 2021
One time good read
The chennai born author started writing short stories from his school days. But his life took a turn when he influenced by Céline Dion & learnt french. He directed many plays in his college days. He has great interest in music too.
This book contains poems , short stories & small right ups. It covers up many a topics from love to devotee from divorce to separation & many more different aspects of life which is penned down with beautiful emotions.
.
My favourite picks of the book are ,
Lâche moi :- is a poem which expressed the feelings of a person who going through a break up .
.
Elle
Maybe she’s born with it Maybe it’s make believe
.
Non, merci
- Let’s be friends.
- I have got enough and more friends, thanks!
You will grab the book & read other beautiful writes up to enjoy it.
👉 The cover of the book is of solo colour with green & red colour bold fonts makes it classy & attractive.
👉 A mixed kind of plot with different types of poems write ups & short stories.
👉 Writing style of the book is something different which make the book stand out unique from other ones.
👉 Language is the support system of the book.
👉The images used in the book is attractive to look with hands on notes.
👉 Great narration to keep you hooked up till the end.
The chennai born author started writing short stories from his school days. But his life took a turn when he influenced by Céline Dion & learnt french. He directed many plays in his college days. He has great interest in music too.
This book contains poems , short stories & small right ups. It covers up many a topics from love to devotee from divorce to separation & many more different aspects of life which is penned down with beautiful emotions.
.
My favourite picks of the book are ,
Lâche moi :- is a poem which expressed the feelings of a person who going through a break up .
.
Elle
Maybe she’s born with it Maybe it’s make believe
.
Non, merci
- Let’s be friends.
- I have got enough and more friends, thanks!
You will grab the book & read other beautiful writes up to enjoy it.
👉 The cover of the book is of solo colour with green & red colour bold fonts makes it classy & attractive.
👉 A mixed kind of plot with different types of poems write ups & short stories.
👉 Writing style of the book is something different which make the book stand out unique from other ones.
👉 Language is the support system of the book.
👉The images used in the book is attractive to look with hands on notes.
👉 Great narration to keep you hooked up till the end.
December 26, 2020
Le livre est génial.
This is a beautiful book with lots of poems and write ups. This is simple but enchanting. The titles are given in French, I really loved three chapters in this works 'le homme et le chien' [the man and the dog], 'le nuit' [the night],' elle ' [she].
The author has called himself as a child who starts writing. I didn't felt that when I read the work. That is so beautiful. The poem 'Toi' [you] is also beautiful to read, it really sounds like the poet is telling to you.
The poet has also included some photographs. The poem called 'les photos de mon enfance' [my childhood photographs] is also pretty as it brings some nostalgia in me.
Le livre est très génial. J'aime de livre.
This is a beautiful book with lots of poems and write ups. This is simple but enchanting. The titles are given in French, I really loved three chapters in this works 'le homme et le chien' [the man and the dog], 'le nuit' [the night],' elle ' [she].
The author has called himself as a child who starts writing. I didn't felt that when I read the work. That is so beautiful. The poem 'Toi' [you] is also beautiful to read, it really sounds like the poet is telling to you.
The poet has also included some photographs. The poem called 'les photos de mon enfance' [my childhood photographs] is also pretty as it brings some nostalgia in me.
Le livre est très génial. J'aime de livre.
January 28, 2021
As I am a poetry writer myself so this book for me was like a bliss as it's filled with beautiful collections of poems that are well written with beautiful thoughts behind the creation.
This book is a collection of poems,musing that are truely relatable to our daily life.
Writing style of the book is so easy that I found myself connecting with it once I read it.
I really like the idea that all the poems title were in French for which I need to check my google and learn some french words though in the process.
All in all a beautiful read filled with heart touching and hustle filled writings that touch the heart as if it meant for it.
This book is a collection of poems,musing that are truely relatable to our daily life.
Writing style of the book is so easy that I found myself connecting with it once I read it.
I really like the idea that all the poems title were in French for which I need to check my google and learn some french words though in the process.
All in all a beautiful read filled with heart touching and hustle filled writings that touch the heart as if it meant for it.
Read
January 23, 2021Smorgasbord of musings
The author is very well described this book.
The book is totally related to our real life.
This is a collection of poems,musings,and various thought that pop ups in our lives at different situations.
One situtaion i m describing here-
The book describes when you fall in love with someone and later on the other person not love you back.... The emotional tramas you gone through the heart breaking situation everything is very well described in this book.
When you read this book i m dam sure you will easily and totally indulge in this .
The writing style is casual and lucid. It’s not your soulful poetry book. Some are random musings, proses.
Most of the titles of the poems were in French that needed translations. Some poems were amateur like that, a bit disappointed. It’s a book for everyone for all types of people. Some love reading love poems and some find peace with random thought projections. This book has it all.
Overall its a good book i really enjoyed reading this book.
The author is very well described this book.
The book is totally related to our real life.
This is a collection of poems,musings,and various thought that pop ups in our lives at different situations.
One situtaion i m describing here-
The book describes when you fall in love with someone and later on the other person not love you back.... The emotional tramas you gone through the heart breaking situation everything is very well described in this book.
When you read this book i m dam sure you will easily and totally indulge in this .
The writing style is casual and lucid. It’s not your soulful poetry book. Some are random musings, proses.
Most of the titles of the poems were in French that needed translations. Some poems were amateur like that, a bit disappointed. It’s a book for everyone for all types of people. Some love reading love poems and some find peace with random thought projections. This book has it all.
Overall its a good book i really enjoyed reading this book.
March 9, 2021
Often poetry is an expression of one's own self. The words reflect the author's underlying emotions. Every piece of writing is done for personal satisfaction. They only reach to reader's hands when the author is ready to let it go from his personal space. We tend to enjoy them because we also resonate the same feelings. Basically, every life on earth tells the same story. But have you ever read any books which is written just for you? The feeling when someone whispers your story very closely? Smorgasbord of Musings gives the exact same feeling.
It offers something for everyone regardless of their gender, age and social status. These words will strike at the memories of happiness as well as pain. Life is a blend of emotions. These poems reflects that rollercoaster ride of life. These free verses and narrative poetry tells us the story of human life.
One exceptional feature of this book is the title of every poem. The author has an excellent interest in the French language and he immersed that in these English poems. This way it become an amalgamation of languages but sings the same song. In short, I loved the poems and the style of writing.
It offers something for everyone regardless of their gender, age and social status. These words will strike at the memories of happiness as well as pain. Life is a blend of emotions. These poems reflects that rollercoaster ride of life. These free verses and narrative poetry tells us the story of human life.
One exceptional feature of this book is the title of every poem. The author has an excellent interest in the French language and he immersed that in these English poems. This way it become an amalgamation of languages but sings the same song. In short, I loved the poems and the style of writing.
October 28, 2020
I have only started reading poetry and Smörgåsbord of Musings is a book that did not disappoint. It's sweet, real, and at times raw. I could feel the emotions of the poems as if I lived through it. Looking forward to reading more of the author's work.
November 9, 2020
The book might look like just an hour’s read but the musings definitely are deep. They would definitely connect or relate with you if you have known what true love is. Kudos to the author!
January 17, 2021
After reading 'Smorgasbord of musings' I'm damn sure that author Rathnakumar Raghunath has a way of telling a story. Everything he writes is very real and raw and inspirational. He touches your heart with his words and builds you at the same time.
This is the collection of poems, anecdotes and random thoughts about different things in life. From falling in love with someone who can't or won't love you back, to learning to live in your own body, to the unconditional love of mother for her child, author has created a collection so relatable you won't be able to put it down.
The poems are direct, simple, easy to grasp and full of passion. There are underlying layers and raw thoughts and emotions beneath those words that have me wanting to savour it. Reread it. Annotate the whole book and find my peace within it. Author writing has the power to heal and transform. He pulls you into his words until you're at the edge of your seat, emphatically rooting for his subject. My favorite among all poem is ' Le mere' it tells us about the beautiful relation of mother and her child. The emotional weight of this poem has shift something inside me.
I can't wait to see what else author has in his store! I know I can read his work over and ever again.
This is the collection of poems, anecdotes and random thoughts about different things in life. From falling in love with someone who can't or won't love you back, to learning to live in your own body, to the unconditional love of mother for her child, author has created a collection so relatable you won't be able to put it down.
The poems are direct, simple, easy to grasp and full of passion. There are underlying layers and raw thoughts and emotions beneath those words that have me wanting to savour it. Reread it. Annotate the whole book and find my peace within it. Author writing has the power to heal and transform. He pulls you into his words until you're at the edge of your seat, emphatically rooting for his subject. My favorite among all poem is ' Le mere' it tells us about the beautiful relation of mother and her child. The emotional weight of this poem has shift something inside me.
I can't wait to see what else author has in his store! I know I can read his work over and ever again.
January 3, 2021
Smörgåsbord of musings is a book written by Rathnakumar Raghunath. This book contains poems, short stories, writeup, anecdotes etc. It is from the viewpoint of different people having different feelings and issues. Now, different emotions are expressed through different poems, quotes etc.
The cover page of the book is simple and the title is suitable for the book. There are many references in the book which depicts the use of French language in this book. But it would have been better if the meaning of the words is written aside.
The book contains many popular reference of characters which are portrayed in different shows, books and movies. I loved reading this book, it was a fast pace read and one can read it in few hours. The book was gripping and the reader will enjoy reading this book.
Overall, I love reading this book and it will remain in one of my favourites short read. The collection is so natural and emotionally resourceful that one will feel the emotion behind it. I'll recommend it to all the beginners.
The cover page of the book is simple and the title is suitable for the book. There are many references in the book which depicts the use of French language in this book. But it would have been better if the meaning of the words is written aside.
The book contains many popular reference of characters which are portrayed in different shows, books and movies. I loved reading this book, it was a fast pace read and one can read it in few hours. The book was gripping and the reader will enjoy reading this book.
Overall, I love reading this book and it will remain in one of my favourites short read. The collection is so natural and emotionally resourceful that one will feel the emotion behind it. I'll recommend it to all the beginners.
March 16, 2021
Smörgåsbord of Musings as the title suggests is a collection of different musings. I like book who cover wide range of topics that are relatable for many and so I went on to pick this book.
There are different emotions, experiences, views, stories, quotes, proses from different perspective. Every different content has been given a French title.
They are short, simple and uniquely expressed. I'll recommend this book to those who like to read about random stuff.
There are different emotions, experiences, views, stories, quotes, proses from different perspective. Every different content has been given a French title.
They are short, simple and uniquely expressed. I'll recommend this book to those who like to read about random stuff.
January 3, 2021
Smörgåsbord of Musings is a collection of prose and poetry written from the perspectives of different persons i.e. the author himself and other persons like a heartbroken girl, someone whose loved one has passed away, someone who got bullied, etc.
The poetry is written in free verse and is easy to read. Some of them have elements of storytelling for e.g. L'homme et le chien while others are emotional to read. Some poems are inspired by other poets like Rupi Kaur, one in particular (La coquille vide) was almost similar to a poem I read in Milk and Honey.
By now you would have deciphered that the titles are in French which has surely added novelty to the book. The author's fascination with languages has come out through some poems in the book as well.
It's a lovely collection of beautiful poetry and contains many themes such as love, heartbreaks, gratitude, parenting, and of course French. I liked the humour too as in La cardamome.
The poetry is written in free verse and is easy to read. Some of them have elements of storytelling for e.g. L'homme et le chien while others are emotional to read. Some poems are inspired by other poets like Rupi Kaur, one in particular (La coquille vide) was almost similar to a poem I read in Milk and Honey.
By now you would have deciphered that the titles are in French which has surely added novelty to the book. The author's fascination with languages has come out through some poems in the book as well.
It's a lovely collection of beautiful poetry and contains many themes such as love, heartbreaks, gratitude, parenting, and of course French. I liked the humour too as in La cardamome.
January 3, 2021
Book : Smörgåsbord of Musings
Version : Kindle
Author : Ratnakumar Raghunath
Well, it was the title of the book that grabbed my attention. I did try to figure it out. Smörgåsbord is a French word and it means variety. The title of the book justifies that this book has spread the variety of options for entertaining readers.
There are one-liners, two-liners, quotes, dialogues, long theme based poems, a short story, anecdotes. I really liked the experimentation of the words in this books. It has come out very well. We also get to read a glimpse of a few French words.
I am a big of rom coms and a few series. Sheldon Cooper being my most favourite. I was so glad to see a few of his quote/unquote. I could also connect to a few instances that are mentioned in the book from the series like F.R.I.E.N.D’s , Big Bang Theory , Popeye. A few emotional quotes from 13 reasons why ( my another fav drama)
Altogether this has been a fantastic journey of emotions through this book.
Version : Kindle
Author : Ratnakumar Raghunath
Well, it was the title of the book that grabbed my attention. I did try to figure it out. Smörgåsbord is a French word and it means variety. The title of the book justifies that this book has spread the variety of options for entertaining readers.
There are one-liners, two-liners, quotes, dialogues, long theme based poems, a short story, anecdotes. I really liked the experimentation of the words in this books. It has come out very well. We also get to read a glimpse of a few French words.
I am a big of rom coms and a few series. Sheldon Cooper being my most favourite. I was so glad to see a few of his quote/unquote. I could also connect to a few instances that are mentioned in the book from the series like F.R.I.E.N.D’s , Big Bang Theory , Popeye. A few emotional quotes from 13 reasons why ( my another fav drama)
Altogether this has been a fantastic journey of emotions through this book.
January 1, 2021
An impact full and unique collection of poems and anecdotes. The author has expressed these powerful messages and random heart touching thoughts from different people’s perspective.
The writing resonates at a deeper level and for all phases of life. Man or Female, single or couple, happy or sad, love or hate, hopeful or disheartened, young or old, so on and so forth. There is a poem for everyone in this book.
The title of this book and each poem is in French which I personally loved. Even though it’s a short read I really enjoyed taking up my own time and soak up all those words. A well written and engaging book. Highly recommend it to everyone.
Favourite quotes from the book:
Ça en vaut la peine
No one goes through life unfazed We all face hardships No one is safe We all have our hearts broken So why be afraid to take risks? Pain maybe inevitable But you’ll never know Luck may favor you Go forth Fall in love Break your heart or not At the end of the day It will all be worth it
The writing resonates at a deeper level and for all phases of life. Man or Female, single or couple, happy or sad, love or hate, hopeful or disheartened, young or old, so on and so forth. There is a poem for everyone in this book.
The title of this book and each poem is in French which I personally loved. Even though it’s a short read I really enjoyed taking up my own time and soak up all those words. A well written and engaging book. Highly recommend it to everyone.
Favourite quotes from the book:
Ça en vaut la peine
No one goes through life unfazed We all face hardships No one is safe We all have our hearts broken So why be afraid to take risks? Pain maybe inevitable But you’ll never know Luck may favor you Go forth Fall in love Break your heart or not At the end of the day It will all be worth it
December 31, 2020
The book is a compilation of various things and it addresses many things that is present under the sun. Talks about series, cartoon, sitcoms and many humorous references which gives a sense of nostalgia. The way these things are utilised to talk about love, self reliance, daily humour is where the author gains victory. Cute little write-ups, sonnets, paragraphs and comebacks that makes the book a complete read. Got way too excited when it spoke about "Mondler" (I am a die hard Friends fan❤️) and about Popeye -Olive, spinach reference. The way these references are inserted to emphasis a point shows the creative aspect of the writer. The style is simply modernized and is like a regular speech. This gives a sense of comfort like having a one to one conversation with a friend. Liked the few illustration/images used. Usage of French statements and words reminds me of the poem written during the Renaissance period...
March 24, 2021
Smörgåsbord of Musings by Rathnakumar Raghunath 📚
QUITTER
"If you ever leave me
You will still not leave me
Like swimming or cycling will always be a part of my muscle memory
You will always be in me
You will forever reside in every cell of my body"
This book talks about varied emotions from heartbreak, to acceptance to self-realizations. Smörgåsbord is a Swedish word which means a mixture of many different hot and cold dishes that are arranged so that you can serve yourself. This book is exactly that, a mixture of so many thoughts, you can pick and choose what works for you. Not every poem will resonate with everyone. But you will feel the ones that are meant for YOU.
" Good grammar is sexy "
The writing style is simple and lucid. It's not a flowery like most poetry books. Not all pages are poems, it had prose and random musings as the title says. Many poems had a French title, I thought that was quite unique. But I wished there a translation for that.
MOONPIE
"I love you like Sheldon Cooper loves his spot."
The book also talks about the emotions and the havoc a break up leaves on person. There are pieces about important issues such as bullying, BLM, Feminism and so much more. There are a lot of special tidbits in it for you, if you are a dog lovers. The truly heavy pieces had a light-hearted piece right after it, so it cheered you up before you moved on to the next one. Harry Potter, Marvel, Scandal, Friends, Big Bang Theory, Dexter references were pretty cool as well. There were some pieces that didn't go with the book and seemed a bit juvenile. Some of the jokes were a tad cringe too.
PLEURER
"Ever wished crying made one lose weight? There would be no obese person on Earth"
Overall, it's a great debut book and it definitely takes you on a journey of whirlwind emotions. If you want to experience that, read the book!
-Afreen
QUITTER
"If you ever leave me
You will still not leave me
Like swimming or cycling will always be a part of my muscle memory
You will always be in me
You will forever reside in every cell of my body"
This book talks about varied emotions from heartbreak, to acceptance to self-realizations. Smörgåsbord is a Swedish word which means a mixture of many different hot and cold dishes that are arranged so that you can serve yourself. This book is exactly that, a mixture of so many thoughts, you can pick and choose what works for you. Not every poem will resonate with everyone. But you will feel the ones that are meant for YOU.
" Good grammar is sexy "
The writing style is simple and lucid. It's not a flowery like most poetry books. Not all pages are poems, it had prose and random musings as the title says. Many poems had a French title, I thought that was quite unique. But I wished there a translation for that.
MOONPIE
"I love you like Sheldon Cooper loves his spot."
The book also talks about the emotions and the havoc a break up leaves on person. There are pieces about important issues such as bullying, BLM, Feminism and so much more. There are a lot of special tidbits in it for you, if you are a dog lovers. The truly heavy pieces had a light-hearted piece right after it, so it cheered you up before you moved on to the next one. Harry Potter, Marvel, Scandal, Friends, Big Bang Theory, Dexter references were pretty cool as well. There were some pieces that didn't go with the book and seemed a bit juvenile. Some of the jokes were a tad cringe too.
PLEURER
"Ever wished crying made one lose weight? There would be no obese person on Earth"
Overall, it's a great debut book and it definitely takes you on a journey of whirlwind emotions. If you want to experience that, read the book!
-Afreen
February 27, 2021
Smörgåsbord of Musings by Rathnakumar Raghunath
Kindle, Pages: 234, Price: Rs 99/-
Published by Goya Publishing
⭐ Rating: 4/5
"Ever wished, crying made one lose weight? There would be no obese person on Earth."
This book is a collection of poems, anecdotes and random thoughts expressed from the P.O.V. of different people - men, women, non-binary persons, kids, teenagers, adults - all going through different phases in their lives.
Smörgåsbord is a Swedish word which means variety and we'll musings mean reflection or thought. Hence, title is completely apt to the content of the book. The writing style is casual and easily comprehensible.
The book is filled with random musings and there are many I have thoroughly enjoyed, could connect with on a deeper level and some that made me felt warm and inspired. But still some improvements are in order.
This book is a delightful collection no doubt. I would recommend this to everyone. And it is a great read for beginners.❤️
#bookreviews #bookstagram #books #bookwbookreviewsorm #bookstagrammer #booklover #bookish #booksofinstagram #bookreviewer #reading #bookrecommendations #bookblogger #readersofinstagram #bookaddict #bookobsessed #igreads #bookshelf #read #booklovers #bookcommunity #goodreads
Kindle, Pages: 234, Price: Rs 99/-
Published by Goya Publishing
⭐ Rating: 4/5
"Ever wished, crying made one lose weight? There would be no obese person on Earth."
This book is a collection of poems, anecdotes and random thoughts expressed from the P.O.V. of different people - men, women, non-binary persons, kids, teenagers, adults - all going through different phases in their lives.
Smörgåsbord is a Swedish word which means variety and we'll musings mean reflection or thought. Hence, title is completely apt to the content of the book. The writing style is casual and easily comprehensible.
The book is filled with random musings and there are many I have thoroughly enjoyed, could connect with on a deeper level and some that made me felt warm and inspired. But still some improvements are in order.
This book is a delightful collection no doubt. I would recommend this to everyone. And it is a great read for beginners.❤️
#bookreviews #bookstagram #books #bookwbookreviewsorm #bookstagrammer #booklover #bookish #booksofinstagram #bookreviewer #reading #bookrecommendations #bookblogger #readersofinstagram #bookaddict #bookobsessed #igreads #bookshelf #read #booklovers #bookcommunity #goodreads
March 1, 2021
A good collection of poems which express different emotions of different people. The title of each poem is in French. There is no continuation or relation between each poem. It is random musings. Language is very simple. Most of them relate to lost love, heart breaks etc.
November 15, 2020
Actual rating- 4.5
*This review was initially published at The Readdicts Book Blog. For more reviews, go here .
To be honest, the reason I decided to read Smörgåsbord of Musings is because the author Rathnakumar Raghunath is a friend of one of my closest friend and favourite person, Aditi, so I was a 100% sure that the book and the person behind it would both be inspiring and incredible. While we started interacting with each other, I realised Rathna is a genuinely kind, supportive and just an overall splendid human, which made me extremely curious about his book. Reading a book written by someone you know is always a challenge because somewhere, there is that slight pressure of being truthful and nice. I knew I would like Rathna's book because I liked the person behind it, but I had no idea that reading the book would made me appreciate and look up to the person even more.
Smörgåsbord of Musings is a collection of a variety of stuff written by Rathna. Now I always say that I love books that make me feel- what it is that they make me feel, doesn't matter, as long as I feel something, you know? This collection had me go from ah to oh to aw to ugh to what not in a matter of some 200+ pages, and I love when a single book makes me experience the plethora of human emotions. Rathna's writing was simply awe-inspiring. He has presented the world with an exquisite collection of his writing that is so relatable, it will take the reader on a journey of their own life. Trust me, each and every part of the book made me feel belonged in the sense that it gave me a sense of comfort knowing that there is something that I have been through that is put down so terrifically in words by someone who has been through the same. It's just so magical, isn't it, how simple words connect us?
I had told Rathna that I wanted time to devour his book. I had actually meant to say savour because I wanted to feel each and every page. I got so hooked on to the author's writing though, that I ended up devouring it anyway, in less than 3 hours! This is one book I know I will keep going back to. With all my favourite parts marked with a post-it... that's the one sign for me that what I'm reading is not just going to stay with me, but that I will go back to it for that same sense of belonging, comfort and oneness that I felt while reading it. If your book makes me run to grab my sticky notes and makes my review seem endless, your writing just made me experience euphoria, so thank you, dear writer.
A book like Smörgåsbord of Musings is a rare masterpiece that encompasses the profuseness and richness of feelings and an assortment of themes- touching on literally each and every one of them. The one and only downside to this book was that I wish there were more handwritten works. There was one and it was enthralling to read something in the writing of the writer- there's always something very charming about it that makes the reader connect with the writer in a personal way. Another negative I have is that the adorable bookmark I got out for this book was of no use as the book was unputdownable.
I don't suppose I have done justice to the book with my words, but hey, I tried. As someone who has been following Rathna for quite some time now, I know it in my heart that he has written this with all his heart and it shows. His book is literally him in all his sincere, grand and simply majestic glory. I often get asked for book recommendations and I find myself getting confused as to what book to recommend to someone without really knowing what they like. There are books that make the reader happy, sad, anxious, depressed, angry, elated and just a basketful of emotions. But they have to pick different books to feel one or two of these. With Smörgåsbord of Musings, the reader will feel all of these and I know that henceforth, I will recommend it to everyone whether they ask me for recommendations or not. This book is like a one time investment for it explores the vastness of human emotions and experiences in one single read.
*Note: A copy of this book was provided by Rathnakumar Raghunath in exchange for an honest review. We thank them.
*This review was initially published at The Readdicts Book Blog. For more reviews, go here .
To be honest, the reason I decided to read Smörgåsbord of Musings is because the author Rathnakumar Raghunath is a friend of one of my closest friend and favourite person, Aditi, so I was a 100% sure that the book and the person behind it would both be inspiring and incredible. While we started interacting with each other, I realised Rathna is a genuinely kind, supportive and just an overall splendid human, which made me extremely curious about his book. Reading a book written by someone you know is always a challenge because somewhere, there is that slight pressure of being truthful and nice. I knew I would like Rathna's book because I liked the person behind it, but I had no idea that reading the book would made me appreciate and look up to the person even more.
Smörgåsbord of Musings is a collection of a variety of stuff written by Rathna. Now I always say that I love books that make me feel- what it is that they make me feel, doesn't matter, as long as I feel something, you know? This collection had me go from ah to oh to aw to ugh to what not in a matter of some 200+ pages, and I love when a single book makes me experience the plethora of human emotions. Rathna's writing was simply awe-inspiring. He has presented the world with an exquisite collection of his writing that is so relatable, it will take the reader on a journey of their own life. Trust me, each and every part of the book made me feel belonged in the sense that it gave me a sense of comfort knowing that there is something that I have been through that is put down so terrifically in words by someone who has been through the same. It's just so magical, isn't it, how simple words connect us?
I had told Rathna that I wanted time to devour his book. I had actually meant to say savour because I wanted to feel each and every page. I got so hooked on to the author's writing though, that I ended up devouring it anyway, in less than 3 hours! This is one book I know I will keep going back to. With all my favourite parts marked with a post-it... that's the one sign for me that what I'm reading is not just going to stay with me, but that I will go back to it for that same sense of belonging, comfort and oneness that I felt while reading it. If your book makes me run to grab my sticky notes and makes my review seem endless, your writing just made me experience euphoria, so thank you, dear writer.
A book like Smörgåsbord of Musings is a rare masterpiece that encompasses the profuseness and richness of feelings and an assortment of themes- touching on literally each and every one of them. The one and only downside to this book was that I wish there were more handwritten works. There was one and it was enthralling to read something in the writing of the writer- there's always something very charming about it that makes the reader connect with the writer in a personal way. Another negative I have is that the adorable bookmark I got out for this book was of no use as the book was unputdownable.
I don't suppose I have done justice to the book with my words, but hey, I tried. As someone who has been following Rathna for quite some time now, I know it in my heart that he has written this with all his heart and it shows. His book is literally him in all his sincere, grand and simply majestic glory. I often get asked for book recommendations and I find myself getting confused as to what book to recommend to someone without really knowing what they like. There are books that make the reader happy, sad, anxious, depressed, angry, elated and just a basketful of emotions. But they have to pick different books to feel one or two of these. With Smörgåsbord of Musings, the reader will feel all of these and I know that henceforth, I will recommend it to everyone whether they ask me for recommendations or not. This book is like a one time investment for it explores the vastness of human emotions and experiences in one single read.
*Note: A copy of this book was provided by Rathnakumar Raghunath in exchange for an honest review. We thank them.
November 11, 2020
What am I guilty of?
I'm guilty of reading this book in one sitting
Smörgåsbord of Musings is a book that has thoughts, poetries on various themes and from the point-of-view of various people, I really applaud the author for wearing the shoes of a mother, of women, of kids. He also shared some of his personal incidents.
I'll be honest even though I was skeptical about this book because it wasn't actually a "novel" and it was something different from my comfort zone. This is my first poetry/musings book. I usually shy away from this genre. But I thank the author for introducing me to this genre because I loved this book.
I usually have a habit of clicking pictures of the quotes of words that I really adore and so as usual I started clicking pictures of the quotes that I loved and then I realised that I was click pictures of almost each and every poetry because they were so beautiful and raw and they left me in awe and so I had to resort to writing the page numbers on post-its.
There were some that made my heart hurt, some that made me stare at the pages in awe, some that made me grin like a Cheshire cat and some that made me laugh out. Of course it's not like I could relate to each and everyone of the text but I could relate to most.
A few words for some of the poetries/verses to:
-'Popeye': this one was so adorable
-'Snowy': you were 10 years old and you wrote such a cute poem on a dog
-'La Mort': this one had me tearing up, there was raw pain in it, something that striked me so much because it was so beautiful.
(There are more I can't seem to choose between them)
All in all, this is a really beautiful book and is one of the first which has titles written in French, which made me feel proud of myself because I have learned french for a few years(dropping it later on) and I could understand it. The author has really done a great job because I kept me engaged in the book till the end.
I'm guilty of reading this book in one sitting
Smörgåsbord of Musings is a book that has thoughts, poetries on various themes and from the point-of-view of various people, I really applaud the author for wearing the shoes of a mother, of women, of kids. He also shared some of his personal incidents.
I'll be honest even though I was skeptical about this book because it wasn't actually a "novel" and it was something different from my comfort zone. This is my first poetry/musings book. I usually shy away from this genre. But I thank the author for introducing me to this genre because I loved this book.
I usually have a habit of clicking pictures of the quotes of words that I really adore and so as usual I started clicking pictures of the quotes that I loved and then I realised that I was click pictures of almost each and every poetry because they were so beautiful and raw and they left me in awe and so I had to resort to writing the page numbers on post-its.
There were some that made my heart hurt, some that made me stare at the pages in awe, some that made me grin like a Cheshire cat and some that made me laugh out. Of course it's not like I could relate to each and everyone of the text but I could relate to most.
A few words for some of the poetries/verses to:
-'Popeye': this one was so adorable
-'Snowy': you were 10 years old and you wrote such a cute poem on a dog
-'La Mort': this one had me tearing up, there was raw pain in it, something that striked me so much because it was so beautiful.
(There are more I can't seem to choose between them)
All in all, this is a really beautiful book and is one of the first which has titles written in French, which made me feel proud of myself because I have learned french for a few years(dropping it later on) and I could understand it. The author has really done a great job because I kept me engaged in the book till the end.
February 22, 2021
Simple and headtfelt
When I picked up this book, I had no idea of what the title meant and later with google, I learnt that Smorgasbord in French means a variety and musing Is deep thought. In this book, the author has portrayed his thoughts as poems and prose on a wide range of topics that include love, break up, pain, friendship, divorce and many more. But love dominates above everything else.
Poems range from one liner to a couple of pages. There are some prose forms in which the author shares his deepest love or respect towards certain topics. All the titles are in French, which shows his love for the language. These are heartfelt confessions of the author which we can relate instantly. There are references to books and series such as friends, harry potter, mocking jay in a few poems that give a modern twist to the musing.
Review
The writing is simple and lucid. His references to simple thoughts and feelings make a easy connect with the reader. There were some lines which were exact tamil translation which I loved and found it hilarious. The only negative was the title for poems. Everything was in French and for a person with zero knowledge of the language, I thought the essence of the poetry was lost in it. a translation in English in brackets could have made it perfect. But if you know French, then this might be a treat for you. This is a light read and I recommend this book if you are looking to take a break from those big books of fiction.
Having said all this, it’s a great debut book and the thoughts are expressed clearly for an amateur.
When I picked up this book, I had no idea of what the title meant and later with google, I learnt that Smorgasbord in French means a variety and musing Is deep thought. In this book, the author has portrayed his thoughts as poems and prose on a wide range of topics that include love, break up, pain, friendship, divorce and many more. But love dominates above everything else.
Poems range from one liner to a couple of pages. There are some prose forms in which the author shares his deepest love or respect towards certain topics. All the titles are in French, which shows his love for the language. These are heartfelt confessions of the author which we can relate instantly. There are references to books and series such as friends, harry potter, mocking jay in a few poems that give a modern twist to the musing.
Review
The writing is simple and lucid. His references to simple thoughts and feelings make a easy connect with the reader. There were some lines which were exact tamil translation which I loved and found it hilarious. The only negative was the title for poems. Everything was in French and for a person with zero knowledge of the language, I thought the essence of the poetry was lost in it. a translation in English in brackets could have made it perfect. But if you know French, then this might be a treat for you. This is a light read and I recommend this book if you are looking to take a break from those big books of fiction.
Having said all this, it’s a great debut book and the thoughts are expressed clearly for an amateur.
January 6, 2021
If you want a light read yet impactful & emotional than Smorgasbord of Musing is the book you need. This book is a collection of poems, musings and heartfelt confessions that we have felt in some or the other phase of our lives.
The book has a vast spectrum of subjects to discussions like love, being in love, loneliness, relationships, life observations and dedication. This book has a mix of thoughts that give you the experience of the incidents along with the flow of words. The book deals with love majorly and the emotional weakness that the breakup leaves behind the gone person.
The book is light that gives you references from movies and series like Friends, Harry Potter and so on which bring a new modern approach to the book. The book aptly describes conversations that might not resonate to everyone.
The writing style is casual and lucid. It’s not your soulful poetry book. Some are random musings, proses. Most of the titles of the poems were in French that needed translations. Some poems were amateur like that, a bit disappointed. It’s a book for everyone for all types of people. Some love reading love poems and some find peace with random thought projections. This book has it all.
Overall its good debut book with fine scopes of improvements. This book is an experience in totality. The book has a gripping capacity to be read and loved.
The book has a vast spectrum of subjects to discussions like love, being in love, loneliness, relationships, life observations and dedication. This book has a mix of thoughts that give you the experience of the incidents along with the flow of words. The book deals with love majorly and the emotional weakness that the breakup leaves behind the gone person.
The book is light that gives you references from movies and series like Friends, Harry Potter and so on which bring a new modern approach to the book. The book aptly describes conversations that might not resonate to everyone.
The writing style is casual and lucid. It’s not your soulful poetry book. Some are random musings, proses. Most of the titles of the poems were in French that needed translations. Some poems were amateur like that, a bit disappointed. It’s a book for everyone for all types of people. Some love reading love poems and some find peace with random thought projections. This book has it all.
Overall its good debut book with fine scopes of improvements. This book is an experience in totality. The book has a gripping capacity to be read and loved.
January 7, 2021
Smörgåsbord of Musings is a collection of beautiful poems and random thoughts. They deal with different themes like love, friendship, heartbreak, loneliness, family, etc etc. Even though I rarely read poetry, I really enjoyed reading this book and it's because the author has tried to explore something new by including some random thoughts and stories along with the beautiful poems. Some of my favourites are Merci, Le Sommeil, Le héros, Snowy, etc. Even though the poems were in English, the titles of all the chapters were in French language and I am so glad as I was able to learn a lot of so new French words because of this book.
The author has successfully managed to make this book interesting by portraying different kind of emotions and experiences and that too from the perspective of lovers, Children, Friends, Strangers, etc. Therefore, each poem seemed different from each other and that helps in enjoying the book even more. Some poems and thoughts like Dobby and La pluie, were really witty and I really enjoyed reading them.
All the poems and thoughts were simple and easy to understand. So if you are trying poetry for the time, you will be able to understand and enjoy this book without any difficulty. Also, as a gift to the readers, the author has provided his first published work at the end of the book.
The author has successfully managed to make this book interesting by portraying different kind of emotions and experiences and that too from the perspective of lovers, Children, Friends, Strangers, etc. Therefore, each poem seemed different from each other and that helps in enjoying the book even more. Some poems and thoughts like Dobby and La pluie, were really witty and I really enjoyed reading them.
All the poems and thoughts were simple and easy to understand. So if you are trying poetry for the time, you will be able to understand and enjoy this book without any difficulty. Also, as a gift to the readers, the author has provided his first published work at the end of the book.
January 7, 2021
Actual rating: ☆☆☆3/4 (3.75/5)
Richly observed and purely heartfelt, Rathnakumar's free verse poetry collection makes us believe that not all deep thoughts have to be rooted into complexity.
The book starts off in a very light note, exploring the romantic and affectionate musings of the poet as he puts to words, the rhythms of what he feels. As we go deeper, there is often an encounter with more uncommon viewpoints and fresh realizations, making way for maturity to seep in. The tone being highly personalised and empathetic, the poet goes on to write about many topics under the sun, without limiting himself to any prejudice, bias or priority.
The language flows smoothly without a show of glamour, but it impacts quite deeply sometimes. The thoughts are speedy, the feelings are fleeting and so the poetry is also very crisp, raw and directed. There isn't much space for metaphorical fuzziness or ambiguous viewpoints, and crystal clear expression seems to be what is underlined. A little more consolidation in the concepts could have been better, and some of the verses seemed to be suffering from negligence.
Overall, a fresh and moving account of life right out of a commoner's life.
This review is in lieu of a review copy.
Richly observed and purely heartfelt, Rathnakumar's free verse poetry collection makes us believe that not all deep thoughts have to be rooted into complexity.
The book starts off in a very light note, exploring the romantic and affectionate musings of the poet as he puts to words, the rhythms of what he feels. As we go deeper, there is often an encounter with more uncommon viewpoints and fresh realizations, making way for maturity to seep in. The tone being highly personalised and empathetic, the poet goes on to write about many topics under the sun, without limiting himself to any prejudice, bias or priority.
The language flows smoothly without a show of glamour, but it impacts quite deeply sometimes. The thoughts are speedy, the feelings are fleeting and so the poetry is also very crisp, raw and directed. There isn't much space for metaphorical fuzziness or ambiguous viewpoints, and crystal clear expression seems to be what is underlined. A little more consolidation in the concepts could have been better, and some of the verses seemed to be suffering from negligence.
Overall, a fresh and moving account of life right out of a commoner's life.
This review is in lieu of a review copy.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews