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Ghosts In Our Backyard - The Ramsays' real-life encounters with the supernatural
The Ramsays, India's first family of horror, are synonymous with the supernatural and gore. Through their films and series they introduced India to churails that floated across the screen, ghouls that woke up from eerie graveyards, and houses that buzzed with ghosts.
But few knew that behind the production drama, elaborate sets, and haunting showtunes, there was a more sinister story. For the Ramsays, the supernatural wasn't just stuck to the screens and camera - it creeped into their lives, too.
Alisha Kirpalani, the granddaughter of FU Ramsay, has grown up on stories that question reality and bring a chill to the bone. In time, she, too, followed her family's footsteps and saw through the veil that separates this world and the Other.
From the woman on the highway that Shyam Ramsay met to an eerie and persistent knocking that came from every house that Tanuja Ramsay lived in to Amit Ramsay's unwelcome dead visitor at Lamington House, the original home of the Ramsays, this book has the improbable, bizarre and spine-chilling all parading through its chapters.
But few knew that behind the production drama, elaborate sets, and haunting showtunes, there was a more sinister story. For the Ramsays, the supernatural wasn't just stuck to the screens and camera - it creeped into their lives, too.
Alisha Kirpalani, the granddaughter of FU Ramsay, has grown up on stories that question reality and bring a chill to the bone. In time, she, too, followed her family's footsteps and saw through the veil that separates this world and the Other.
From the woman on the highway that Shyam Ramsay met to an eerie and persistent knocking that came from every house that Tanuja Ramsay lived in to Amit Ramsay's unwelcome dead visitor at Lamington House, the original home of the Ramsays, this book has the improbable, bizarre and spine-chilling all parading through its chapters.
171 pages, Paperback
Published April 22, 2021
11 people are currently reading
139 people want to read
About the author
Alisha 'Priti' Kirpalani
3 books36 followersAlisha 'Priti' Kirpalani lives in Mumbai along with her husband, two daughters, one cat and over a hundred board games. From full length novels to blogging to micro-fiction, she is known for the elegant language and insightful nature of her emotionally - charged writing.
She is the author of :
"Ghosts In Our Backyard - The Ramsays' real-life encounters with the supernatural" published by HarperCollins
'Out With Lanterns' a genre breaking novel about the discovery of life, love and everything in between.
'A Smattering of Darkness' a collection of short and shorter twisted tales dealing with the human psyche.
She was acknowledged as a top writer in Feminism for her blog on Medium. https://medium.com/@alisha-k
Follow her on :
https://www.facebook.com/alishapritik...
https://www.instagram.com/alisha_prit...
https://twitter.com/alisha_k
She is the author of :
"Ghosts In Our Backyard - The Ramsays' real-life encounters with the supernatural" published by HarperCollins
'Out With Lanterns' a genre breaking novel about the discovery of life, love and everything in between.
'A Smattering of Darkness' a collection of short and shorter twisted tales dealing with the human psyche.
She was acknowledged as a top writer in Feminism for her blog on Medium. https://medium.com/@alisha-k
Follow her on :
https://www.facebook.com/alishapritik...
https://www.instagram.com/alisha_prit...
https://twitter.com/alisha_k
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
June 22, 2021
MY RATING: 3.5/5
The Ramsinghanis aka The Ramsay's, India's first family of horror. Their films introduced ghouls, devils and ghosts in Bollywood movies starring budding actors and actresses. But what happened behind the lights are known by very few. The supernatural creeped into their lives too giving each one of them blood curdling experience. Why did the Ramsay brothers choose horror as their speciality or was it horror that chose them?
Ghosts in Our Backyard is a collection of inexplicable events and Ramsay's real-life encounters with supernatural. The book consist of more than twenty short stories narrated by Alisha Kirpalani, the granddaughter of F.U. Ramsay who has grown up on ghost stories.
Stories about ghosts, paranormal and supernatural encounters always fascinates me. There's nothing so much exhilarating than a spine-chilling ghost story. In this book the author has narrated original yet bizarre stories of supernatural that surrounds the Ramsay's.
To be honest this book is not that spooky but the author has managed to create a perfect vibe and ambience in this book. Each story leaves a fleeting thought and answered questions behind. Though the stories are not hell scary, the rhymes are. Each story is accompanied by short rhymes and they can give goosebumps. But they failed to cast long lasting impression on me. Talking about the writing style, it's good and simple.
Overall it's an okay read, would recommend to beginner horror readers and short story lovers. And the eerie feeling in this book is perfect for reading under gray sky, apt read for monsoon.
The Ramsinghanis aka The Ramsay's, India's first family of horror. Their films introduced ghouls, devils and ghosts in Bollywood movies starring budding actors and actresses. But what happened behind the lights are known by very few. The supernatural creeped into their lives too giving each one of them blood curdling experience. Why did the Ramsay brothers choose horror as their speciality or was it horror that chose them?
Ghosts in Our Backyard is a collection of inexplicable events and Ramsay's real-life encounters with supernatural. The book consist of more than twenty short stories narrated by Alisha Kirpalani, the granddaughter of F.U. Ramsay who has grown up on ghost stories.
Stories about ghosts, paranormal and supernatural encounters always fascinates me. There's nothing so much exhilarating than a spine-chilling ghost story. In this book the author has narrated original yet bizarre stories of supernatural that surrounds the Ramsay's.
To be honest this book is not that spooky but the author has managed to create a perfect vibe and ambience in this book. Each story leaves a fleeting thought and answered questions behind. Though the stories are not hell scary, the rhymes are. Each story is accompanied by short rhymes and they can give goosebumps. But they failed to cast long lasting impression on me. Talking about the writing style, it's good and simple.
Overall it's an okay read, would recommend to beginner horror readers and short story lovers. And the eerie feeling in this book is perfect for reading under gray sky, apt read for monsoon.
June 3, 2021
In the book Ghosts in Our Backyard, author Alisha 'Priti' Kripalani recounts the past experiences of herself and her family. The Ramsays, pioneer of the horror cinema in India, a family engrossed in creating horror for entertainment. Who would have thought they themselves have experienced horror in their real life!
This is my first horror book that's based on true events and it makes it all the more spooky. The writing gives the vibe of you being transported to a bonfire sharing horror stories at night. My horror fanatic brain was thrilled. I read all the stories with a pinch of salt, of course, making this read a quick and entertaining one.
The author ends the book on a much deeper level. Describing her own life experiences with questions and wonderings that will be a treat for the believer of the supernatural. The author's quest to shine light on the bigger things is shown beautifully.
This is my first horror book that's based on true events and it makes it all the more spooky. The writing gives the vibe of you being transported to a bonfire sharing horror stories at night. My horror fanatic brain was thrilled. I read all the stories with a pinch of salt, of course, making this read a quick and entertaining one.
The author ends the book on a much deeper level. Describing her own life experiences with questions and wonderings that will be a treat for the believer of the supernatural. The author's quest to shine light on the bigger things is shown beautifully.
September 6, 2021
This is a collection of paranormal real-life stories experienced by the Ramsay family. This family is known for their paranormal movies and in this book the author collected their anecdotes about paranormal encounters.
So I started this book at 1 am one night and I was so sure someone was standing outside my window. I swear.
After that I only read the book at day time. I am such a chicken when it comes to paranormal books or movies.
However, this book did not quite work for me. Granted the stories were very interesting and some were spooky, but the stories were painfully stereotypical. These were the kind of stories we grew up listening, like a woman with long hair in white saree, knocks on the door, haunted house etc. I honestly don’t know whether the stories were real or not and I am not here to judge the authenticity of the encounters, but as a reader I think not enjoy this book. This could also be because I am not a fan of the paranormal.
But I would still recommend this book if you like spooky ghosts stories.
So I started this book at 1 am one night and I was so sure someone was standing outside my window. I swear.
After that I only read the book at day time. I am such a chicken when it comes to paranormal books or movies.
However, this book did not quite work for me. Granted the stories were very interesting and some were spooky, but the stories were painfully stereotypical. These were the kind of stories we grew up listening, like a woman with long hair in white saree, knocks on the door, haunted house etc. I honestly don’t know whether the stories were real or not and I am not here to judge the authenticity of the encounters, but as a reader I think not enjoy this book. This could also be because I am not a fan of the paranormal.
But I would still recommend this book if you like spooky ghosts stories.
June 2, 2021
The storytelling is engaging and makes for a wonderful read, and at the same time, gives us a unique insight into the lives of the Ramsay family from the eyes of an insider. One thing that makes the book interesting are the micro poems that signal the start of a new story, which are very apt and excellently written.
GIOB works because of the sheer simplicity in the way things pan out. There is no exaggeration of horror, or unnecessary sounds and visual cues. It is subtly communicated and that is what makes some of the stories terrifying. I was chilled to the bone reading “The Hitchhiker” and “The Jogger”. These 2 stories were specially quite vivid and almost made me relive the events. This is a highlight in the other 20 stories as well. The visual cues and the descriptions are enough to set the tone, making them light to read, yet with maximum impact.
GIOB works because of the sheer simplicity in the way things pan out. There is no exaggeration of horror, or unnecessary sounds and visual cues. It is subtly communicated and that is what makes some of the stories terrifying. I was chilled to the bone reading “The Hitchhiker” and “The Jogger”. These 2 stories were specially quite vivid and almost made me relive the events. This is a highlight in the other 20 stories as well. The visual cues and the descriptions are enough to set the tone, making them light to read, yet with maximum impact.
May 28, 2021
The first story/experience pretty much sealed the deal for me. I was literally scared with such vivid picturization of hauntings. It was a spine- tingling beginning to even more tantalizing and jaw-dropping paranormal experiences of The Ramsays. Discovering that are a few things which still remains unexplainable somewhat makes you lean in a little closer everytime you read about their supernatural incidents. Each story brings forth a sense of horror and dread in an extraordinary way. The thing about reading real life horror narration is you can visualise every small detail through the author's writing style and feel as though you are a part of that account, everything feels real the pounding of your heart, sudden jolt of unexpected scare accompanied with foreboding of the unknown as the time suspends are quite an experience.
Another factor that contributed to my appreciation for the this book was the dark elements of an actual paranormal activity that weren't simply glossed over just to confine the scare representation. Needless to say, The Ramsays, India's first family of horror, not only attributed to spooky tv series and films (a staple for Indian horror genre) but also encountered a series of alarming strange incidents with insidious atmosphere in their real lives as well. Being no stranger to bizzare experiences herself, the author compiles a 22 true and real life supernatural events.
I love the fact that the author quoted that this book is not meant to make others afraid of the supernatural rather it is an assurance that our departed loved ones are always watching over us, protecting us. That's a comforting thought when you have life long memories to cherish even though that person no longer with us.
Hence dive into this book knowing that these aren't fictionalized stories but the true experiences of The Ramsays.
Another factor that contributed to my appreciation for the this book was the dark elements of an actual paranormal activity that weren't simply glossed over just to confine the scare representation. Needless to say, The Ramsays, India's first family of horror, not only attributed to spooky tv series and films (a staple for Indian horror genre) but also encountered a series of alarming strange incidents with insidious atmosphere in their real lives as well. Being no stranger to bizzare experiences herself, the author compiles a 22 true and real life supernatural events.
I love the fact that the author quoted that this book is not meant to make others afraid of the supernatural rather it is an assurance that our departed loved ones are always watching over us, protecting us. That's a comforting thought when you have life long memories to cherish even though that person no longer with us.
Hence dive into this book knowing that these aren't fictionalized stories but the true experiences of The Ramsays.
June 9, 2021
For the Ramsays, the supernatural wasn't just stuck to the screens and camera - it creeped into their lives, too. The book includes stories which are told from different perspectives and I felt that each and every story is vividly portrayed and it was an amazing read. No doubt, I could not put it down. Ths was the first horror book I read which is based on true life events. The moment I read the blurb, I was sure that I would end up loving this book. The story was definitely bizarre and spine chilling and the fact that it was based on real life events, it made the stories even more spooky.
I really liked the wonderful concept behind the book and it gave us an insight about what happened with the members of The Ramsays, India's first family of horror. It took me just a couple of days to finish the book and ever since then I have been thinking about the stories.
I really liked the wonderful concept behind the book and it gave us an insight about what happened with the members of The Ramsays, India's first family of horror. It took me just a couple of days to finish the book and ever since then I have been thinking about the stories.
August 22, 2021
If you are looking for a spook , go for this book. The author comes from the family of India's first horror movie family. Horror means Ramsay. It looks like horror chose them. Each member of the family has had a brush with supernatural entities or spirits. It is a collection of all such experiences. I got to know a lot about the family. Do read.
May 25, 2021
I am an atheist, that means that I don’t believe in the existence of an omnipotent and omnipresent entity which looks over everything and is responsible for creating this world aka god. But then I am also a firm believer of the possibility of existence of the unknown, and that ‘unknown’ can be a range of things. This book is a non-fiction which talks about the supernatural experiences that the famous Ramsay family members experienced. As we all know, the Ramsays are synonymous with the Bollywood horror genre, the family which changed it all. The author also comes from that family and in this book she wrote about the personal supernatural experiences that the family experienced at some point of their lives.
A collection of 22 chapters, this book talks about what the OG Ramsay siblings experienced when they were young to the experiences of third generation as well. How Asha Ramsay had invisible hands groping her and forcing her towards a cemetery to how Kamala Katara (daughter of F. U. Ramsay) found her sibling Shyam Ramsay on top of a tomb in Ajmer. With no explainable reasons about how he had end up there, Shyam ultimately said that the King took him there and talked to him at length about different things and said that he would be a famous man some day. The book is packed with many more such stories which surely does intrigue your mind and makes you question things. I can’t emphasize it enough, how much I loved reading this book as it has been written in a way that the reader will immediately connect with it and hence the horror element develops deeply. Can’t recommend it enough!
A collection of 22 chapters, this book talks about what the OG Ramsay siblings experienced when they were young to the experiences of third generation as well. How Asha Ramsay had invisible hands groping her and forcing her towards a cemetery to how Kamala Katara (daughter of F. U. Ramsay) found her sibling Shyam Ramsay on top of a tomb in Ajmer. With no explainable reasons about how he had end up there, Shyam ultimately said that the King took him there and talked to him at length about different things and said that he would be a famous man some day. The book is packed with many more such stories which surely does intrigue your mind and makes you question things. I can’t emphasize it enough, how much I loved reading this book as it has been written in a way that the reader will immediately connect with it and hence the horror element develops deeply. Can’t recommend it enough!
September 27, 2021
▪︎Book : Ghosts In Our Backyard
▪︎Author : Alisha 'Priti' Kirpalani
▪︎Ratings : 3.8/5
▪︎Genre : Horror
▪︎Language : English
▪︎Publisher : Harper Collins India
▪︎Format : Paperback
🪦 BOOK REVIEW 🪦
☠This book is a gathering of all the supernatural occurrences encountered by the Ramsay Family. Now, who hasn't heard about them? They are indeed the first Indian generation who experienced such drastic paranormal activities through filmmaking.
☠Here in this book, the author had conveyed all the spine chilling episodes which while reading will certainly give you the spooky vibes or you might even call it goosebumps. I mean what else do you expect from a horror novel?
☠Honestly, it took a bit longer for me to get indulged in the story entirely. But I have to admit that it was absolutely worth the wait. The commencing part might bore you but as you get along, it will grab more and more of your attention leaving you behind awestruck.
☠I wonder how did they deal with all these incidents with so much courage and bravery. We never know how challenging it was for them until and unless we have similar understandings. Also, this is the very first horror novel that I adored flipping through.
☠Will definitely be recommending this book to each and every horror fan. Even the ones who want to start reading books of this genre, this will essentially be one of the best startup books for you. Enough of the blabbering, now I'd want you to know the rest of the story yourself.
(For that you gotta grab a copy of this book, later we will discuss more of it)
▪︎Author : Alisha 'Priti' Kirpalani
▪︎Ratings : 3.8/5
▪︎Genre : Horror
▪︎Language : English
▪︎Publisher : Harper Collins India
▪︎Format : Paperback
🪦 BOOK REVIEW 🪦
☠This book is a gathering of all the supernatural occurrences encountered by the Ramsay Family. Now, who hasn't heard about them? They are indeed the first Indian generation who experienced such drastic paranormal activities through filmmaking.
☠Here in this book, the author had conveyed all the spine chilling episodes which while reading will certainly give you the spooky vibes or you might even call it goosebumps. I mean what else do you expect from a horror novel?
☠Honestly, it took a bit longer for me to get indulged in the story entirely. But I have to admit that it was absolutely worth the wait. The commencing part might bore you but as you get along, it will grab more and more of your attention leaving you behind awestruck.
☠I wonder how did they deal with all these incidents with so much courage and bravery. We never know how challenging it was for them until and unless we have similar understandings. Also, this is the very first horror novel that I adored flipping through.
☠Will definitely be recommending this book to each and every horror fan. Even the ones who want to start reading books of this genre, this will essentially be one of the best startup books for you. Enough of the blabbering, now I'd want you to know the rest of the story yourself.
(For that you gotta grab a copy of this book, later we will discuss more of it)
June 25, 2021
The Ramsays family is India's first family of horror, popular in Bollywood, and the author is the grand-daughter of FU Ramsay, who has grown un experiencing the bone-chilling stories and the fact that this is a non-fiction book just blew my mind, however on reading the stories it felt obvious that the stories were fictionalized or fiction itself.
The incidents happening with the Ramsays' family members have also been the inspiration to famous bollywood movies back in time and the events happening with the uncoming generations indicate that spirits and eerie presences still are a part of their lives. The writing style is simple, and definitely interesting, but the stories seem too hard to believe. The small poems before each chapter are hauntingly beautiful!
I'm absolutely in love with horror films and stories, so this was a must read for me and this cover is spooky enough to give someone chills at night. I prefer to read at night and post-poned reading it for three nights just because of that cover! However the stories were not exactly what I had expected from the book. Perhaps it is better enjoyed if one takes them up as a collection of short stories from a family.
The incidents happening with the Ramsays' family members have also been the inspiration to famous bollywood movies back in time and the events happening with the uncoming generations indicate that spirits and eerie presences still are a part of their lives. The writing style is simple, and definitely interesting, but the stories seem too hard to believe. The small poems before each chapter are hauntingly beautiful!
I'm absolutely in love with horror films and stories, so this was a must read for me and this cover is spooky enough to give someone chills at night. I prefer to read at night and post-poned reading it for three nights just because of that cover! However the stories were not exactly what I had expected from the book. Perhaps it is better enjoyed if one takes them up as a collection of short stories from a family.
May 26, 2021
i have always been fascinated by horror stories, but never had the guts to read one ! So when I came across 'Ghosts in our backyard' by Alisha Kirpalani, granddaughter of FU Ramsay - India's first family of horrors, I just couldn't resist it. Cheers to my very first ghost story 🥂✨
This book is a collection of short stories/super natural incidents that the Ramsay family members experienced. Although this book is categorised under the 'Non-Fiction' genre, but I being an atheist and a firm one at that, would consider this one a good peice of horror fiction !
Talking about the narration, I really liked how the author maintained the element of surprise throughout...it really kept me hooked ! I would really recommend this book to anyone who wants to try out a good horror story.
This book is a collection of short stories/super natural incidents that the Ramsay family members experienced. Although this book is categorised under the 'Non-Fiction' genre, but I being an atheist and a firm one at that, would consider this one a good peice of horror fiction !
Talking about the narration, I really liked how the author maintained the element of surprise throughout...it really kept me hooked ! I would really recommend this book to anyone who wants to try out a good horror story.
June 27, 2021
Few stories are a bit of a cliche, but the writing is awesome !!! Worth reading
May 27, 2021
“Ghosts in Our Backyard” is an authentic exploration of spirits and spirituality. The ghosts of the past, of our loved ones, of lost dreams, the ghosts that haunt each one of us in one way or another. This book is a metaphysical journey through life, death and beyond: a journey that unknowingly began at my birth. Finally I had to accept my destiny, embrace my lineage and give a voice to the silence of the ghosts.
October 16, 2021
Whenever I happened to read ghost stories or watch movies hinged on ghosts and supernatural and paranormal stuffs, terror girdled me. I somewhat a go on a bundle the scrutiny of ghost stories, spesh during night hours; they tend to hang me on for days. It takes me weeks to convalesce a terror, and boom, I get into another. The book Ghost in our Backyard by Alisha is stemmed IRL that took place in author’s life and her family; as in the book, The Ramsays’ family, avowed for knocking together series and movies about ghouls and graveyards. The author has grown up to these spectral sphere, living them all throughout.
Well, I don’t surmise extramundane and phantom world for which this volume spine chilling for me. I’m not a spiritual human and my brain doesn’t allow me to ween spirits. I happened to read book. My stance yet remains constant but I ended up inclining to this book little more than what I expected I would. Flicking through the pages and reading about “someone” ain’t worthwhile until I am absorbed and fascinated with the person. Now that you might feel I’m pouring scorn. I’m not. Although I love psychical takes, my brain rules over. I am petrified of loadsa stuffs,but yet don’t swallow the existence of ghosts. I hope you get me? You must.
For this book would have been just a fiction, I would have carried a torch for it. To grasp that these are emanated from existing life... :( I was to the hilt moved by this family horror but I somehow couldn’t concatenate; not that there was you-name-it-whatever absent. Well, horror is idiosyncratic and bigoted. Not so colossal paranormal experience I had. Spooky but not. The stories are yet haunting me every now and then for them being “stories”.
Beyond anything and everything, it might be a good read for those beady-eyed to memoirs and autobiographies. I can’t to all intents and purpose say that people who love ghost stories and paranormal creatures would like it; not sure enough ugh. But then, why not give it a try? Not everyone would regret after all. Take it as an opinion and not criticism, please? HOW IF you love it? The pros and cons remains.
Well, I don’t surmise extramundane and phantom world for which this volume spine chilling for me. I’m not a spiritual human and my brain doesn’t allow me to ween spirits. I happened to read book. My stance yet remains constant but I ended up inclining to this book little more than what I expected I would. Flicking through the pages and reading about “someone” ain’t worthwhile until I am absorbed and fascinated with the person. Now that you might feel I’m pouring scorn. I’m not. Although I love psychical takes, my brain rules over. I am petrified of loadsa stuffs,but yet don’t swallow the existence of ghosts. I hope you get me? You must.
For this book would have been just a fiction, I would have carried a torch for it. To grasp that these are emanated from existing life... :( I was to the hilt moved by this family horror but I somehow couldn’t concatenate; not that there was you-name-it-whatever absent. Well, horror is idiosyncratic and bigoted. Not so colossal paranormal experience I had. Spooky but not. The stories are yet haunting me every now and then for them being “stories”.
Beyond anything and everything, it might be a good read for those beady-eyed to memoirs and autobiographies. I can’t to all intents and purpose say that people who love ghost stories and paranormal creatures would like it; not sure enough ugh. But then, why not give it a try? Not everyone would regret after all. Take it as an opinion and not criticism, please? HOW IF you love it? The pros and cons remains.
June 29, 2021
📑 : 166
🔖 : #horror
--
👻 Is it just me or do y'all too prefer spooky stories over romantic ones? The thrill of the unknown has always amused me! The term Bollywood is synonymous with love at first sight, stalking, glamour, vulgarity, and finally the happily ever after! But wait, did we forget about horror tales offered by the same Bollywood? As a typical 90's kid, I have watched my fair share of horror movies (not old ones), but after reading this book I found that 'Saamri' is available on Amazon Prime. Definitely gonna watch this sooner!
--
👻 This is a literary work that recounts real-life events that might well question our beliefs on the unknown world that dwells around us! The book starts with a staple account of the author's childhood days, growing up among the famous Ramsay family, spending vacations on spooky movie sets, watching how a movie is made from infant stages, and just priding about being able to run around the distinct office of the Ramsay brothers! The Ramsays, India's first family of horror are synonymous with the supernatural and gore. Through their now cult classic movies, they introduced the horror genre to India! But for the Ramsays, the supernatural wasn't limited to the screens, it crept into their Iives too!
--
👻 Alisha Kripalini, the granddaughter of F.U Ramsay, has decided to let the world know about their chilling encounters as a collection of twelve tales. She has included the experiences of her extended family, with each story getting spookier than the previous! Some eerie incidents have inspired their movie plots as well!
--
👻 I loved the way she has written each story, some are bloodcurdling, some nail-biting while others question our beliefs on death and beyond. The poems before each chapter are hauntingly beautiful!
--
👻 Some of us including me might be skeptical of the authenticity and occurrence of few stories, coz not all of us believe in the presence of omnipotent beings. Nevertheless, I'm sure you'll enjoy this book for the way it is presented!
🚫 DO NOT READ AT NIGHT 🚫
🔖 : #horror
--
👻 Is it just me or do y'all too prefer spooky stories over romantic ones? The thrill of the unknown has always amused me! The term Bollywood is synonymous with love at first sight, stalking, glamour, vulgarity, and finally the happily ever after! But wait, did we forget about horror tales offered by the same Bollywood? As a typical 90's kid, I have watched my fair share of horror movies (not old ones), but after reading this book I found that 'Saamri' is available on Amazon Prime. Definitely gonna watch this sooner!
--
👻 This is a literary work that recounts real-life events that might well question our beliefs on the unknown world that dwells around us! The book starts with a staple account of the author's childhood days, growing up among the famous Ramsay family, spending vacations on spooky movie sets, watching how a movie is made from infant stages, and just priding about being able to run around the distinct office of the Ramsay brothers! The Ramsays, India's first family of horror are synonymous with the supernatural and gore. Through their now cult classic movies, they introduced the horror genre to India! But for the Ramsays, the supernatural wasn't limited to the screens, it crept into their Iives too!
--
👻 Alisha Kripalini, the granddaughter of F.U Ramsay, has decided to let the world know about their chilling encounters as a collection of twelve tales. She has included the experiences of her extended family, with each story getting spookier than the previous! Some eerie incidents have inspired their movie plots as well!
--
👻 I loved the way she has written each story, some are bloodcurdling, some nail-biting while others question our beliefs on death and beyond. The poems before each chapter are hauntingly beautiful!
--
👻 Some of us including me might be skeptical of the authenticity and occurrence of few stories, coz not all of us believe in the presence of omnipotent beings. Nevertheless, I'm sure you'll enjoy this book for the way it is presented!
🚫 DO NOT READ AT NIGHT 🚫
Read
May 5, 2021"Our first breath
brings us one step closer to death
From that birth cry
to that final goodbye
the inevitable is undeniable to see
yet we desperately seek immortality"
Alisha 'Priti' Kirpalani.
Another marvellous work from @alisha_priti_kirpalani Ma'am. I'm amazed and filled with surprise to feel each of the gruesome encounters with the spirits, the legitimacy of their presence and the bizarre experiences that the Ramsay family has been facing and projecting on the screens. The rich ancestral lineage of F.U Ramsay has been beautifully depicted in each of the stories, the story of a family that's closely related to ghosts, apparition, spirits and someone from the land of the unknown will give you goosebumps surely.
🌸The element of suspense in her writing is a treat to read, each and every depiction, narration of incidents will bring a shiver down the spine!
🌸The usage of words, phrases and the context in which they're used is indeed appreciable. The beauty of the book lies in the fact that starting from the era of grandparents till this day, the stories follow the timeline. Crisp and clear, concise stories, maximum ones are of 4 pages is a must read for all horror lovers. "The quest for knowledge of the afterlife spans infinity". Remember! "Death is always the merciless victor in life's warfare."
🌸I was baffled and my jaw dropped, honestly couldn't believe that "they" do exist with us and want to make their presence felt, trying to communicate with us, some good ones protecting us, some evil ones ravaging storms, creating havoc in our life.
This is not a book on superstitions. It is totally based on her own life and experiences. Simplicity and fluidity in her words make this book fascinating.
🌸To all horror story/film lovers, do fetch your copies and start reading, I'm sure you won't regret.
Rating - 4.8/5
Available in Amazon and Flipkart
brings us one step closer to death
From that birth cry
to that final goodbye
the inevitable is undeniable to see
yet we desperately seek immortality"
Alisha 'Priti' Kirpalani.
Another marvellous work from @alisha_priti_kirpalani Ma'am. I'm amazed and filled with surprise to feel each of the gruesome encounters with the spirits, the legitimacy of their presence and the bizarre experiences that the Ramsay family has been facing and projecting on the screens. The rich ancestral lineage of F.U Ramsay has been beautifully depicted in each of the stories, the story of a family that's closely related to ghosts, apparition, spirits and someone from the land of the unknown will give you goosebumps surely.
🌸The element of suspense in her writing is a treat to read, each and every depiction, narration of incidents will bring a shiver down the spine!
🌸The usage of words, phrases and the context in which they're used is indeed appreciable. The beauty of the book lies in the fact that starting from the era of grandparents till this day, the stories follow the timeline. Crisp and clear, concise stories, maximum ones are of 4 pages is a must read for all horror lovers. "The quest for knowledge of the afterlife spans infinity". Remember! "Death is always the merciless victor in life's warfare."
🌸I was baffled and my jaw dropped, honestly couldn't believe that "they" do exist with us and want to make their presence felt, trying to communicate with us, some good ones protecting us, some evil ones ravaging storms, creating havoc in our life.
This is not a book on superstitions. It is totally based on her own life and experiences. Simplicity and fluidity in her words make this book fascinating.
🌸To all horror story/film lovers, do fetch your copies and start reading, I'm sure you won't regret.
Rating - 4.8/5
Available in Amazon and Flipkart
May 19, 2021
Let me say that it was my first dive into horror and non-fiction so it was a wonderful three hours of reading! Why? Read along to know more!
This book is a collection of incidents in individual chapters that members of the Ramsinghani i.e. the 'Ramsay' family, experienced throughout their lives and continue to live with...The author is the granddaughter of the legendary Ramsay brothers' sister,who are the pioneers of Bollywood horror films and shows that my mum recounted having watched with her siblings!
It's a multiple POV kind of a book because several members of the family have had bone chilling,piloerecting experiences that have led to the various movies that have come to be! Real inspired reel!
The language was beautiful and with little to no exaggeration,the author has narrated what one believes only if one lives to tell😨 The incidents occurred in some Indian & foreign places I've never been to while also in Mumbai which I left back in 2006 so it was really nice to read something that happened in my own country,to think that all these happened from when I wasn't born to as recent as I turned 18... because I usually think what I was doing when something happens in a book!
I quite enjoyed reading this and it was definitely unputdownable for me.The author was very brave to pen down some quite nerve-wracking and private accounts for which I appreciate her writing because it was on neutral territory as she's tried to say 'not to gain sympathy' but 'to sympathise with the plight of the spirits'
✨I loved the poems at the beginning of each chapter specially because they rhymed and the relevance the incidents had with the movies they inspired at the end of each.
✨The Bungalow was a chapter that reminded me of my own brush with the supernatural.
The above views are solely my own.
Thank you Harpercollinsin for the book! It was a wonderful read❤️
This book is a collection of incidents in individual chapters that members of the Ramsinghani i.e. the 'Ramsay' family, experienced throughout their lives and continue to live with...The author is the granddaughter of the legendary Ramsay brothers' sister,who are the pioneers of Bollywood horror films and shows that my mum recounted having watched with her siblings!
It's a multiple POV kind of a book because several members of the family have had bone chilling,piloerecting experiences that have led to the various movies that have come to be! Real inspired reel!
The language was beautiful and with little to no exaggeration,the author has narrated what one believes only if one lives to tell😨 The incidents occurred in some Indian & foreign places I've never been to while also in Mumbai which I left back in 2006 so it was really nice to read something that happened in my own country,to think that all these happened from when I wasn't born to as recent as I turned 18... because I usually think what I was doing when something happens in a book!
I quite enjoyed reading this and it was definitely unputdownable for me.The author was very brave to pen down some quite nerve-wracking and private accounts for which I appreciate her writing because it was on neutral territory as she's tried to say 'not to gain sympathy' but 'to sympathise with the plight of the spirits'
✨I loved the poems at the beginning of each chapter specially because they rhymed and the relevance the incidents had with the movies they inspired at the end of each.
✨The Bungalow was a chapter that reminded me of my own brush with the supernatural.
The above views are solely my own.
Thank you Harpercollinsin for the book! It was a wonderful read❤️
July 3, 2021
Born in late 80s I always looked forward to a Ramsay horror movie that played every Thursday night on "Zee cinema" channel, Purani haveli being 1st of Ramsay movies I saw. I still recall sleepless nights because of many scenes from their movies where actor is alone away from their friends in woods or dark side of haveli and unaware of ghost approaching. Ramsays did excellent job with horror. Though today many would say they laughed watching Ramsay movies, everyone of them shivered atleast once watching those scenes. Even today I often switch to youtube, search "Ramsay horror movies" and randomly watch anyone of them. Bandh darwaza, tehkhana, Veerana, Darwaza, Purana Mandir. Damn.
I ordered this book as soon as I read author was from the Ramsay's family and book narrated real life encounters of Ramsay brothers with horror. I recall convincing myself that it's just a movie and Ramsay bros would go on and have a party with ghost in the movie after every day shoot, but one story "The jogger" or "Hitchhiker" proved it wrong. If I knew back then Ramsay bros experienced ghosts even in their real life, I would have never watched any of their movie out of terror thought that their movie ghosts would be real too, waiting outside my house to kill me as soon as I step out.
Book is awesome, read it at night for extra thrill and chill. Some stories will really make you watch over your shoulders. Author definitely has Ramsay DNA the way stories are written, unique, gory and eerie. I would be thrilled to read more horror books from the author, me being die hard Ramsay movies fan, always hoping any of Ramsay descendants to remake Zee horror show again in exactly same gory style Shyam Ramsay made then, which begins with exact same Music which is signature horror theme of the Ramsays, if you know what I mean.
I ordered this book as soon as I read author was from the Ramsay's family and book narrated real life encounters of Ramsay brothers with horror. I recall convincing myself that it's just a movie and Ramsay bros would go on and have a party with ghost in the movie after every day shoot, but one story "The jogger" or "Hitchhiker" proved it wrong. If I knew back then Ramsay bros experienced ghosts even in their real life, I would have never watched any of their movie out of terror thought that their movie ghosts would be real too, waiting outside my house to kill me as soon as I step out.
Book is awesome, read it at night for extra thrill and chill. Some stories will really make you watch over your shoulders. Author definitely has Ramsay DNA the way stories are written, unique, gory and eerie. I would be thrilled to read more horror books from the author, me being die hard Ramsay movies fan, always hoping any of Ramsay descendants to remake Zee horror show again in exactly same gory style Shyam Ramsay made then, which begins with exact same Music which is signature horror theme of the Ramsays, if you know what I mean.
August 21, 2021
The dead outnumbered the living.
The night uniting both worlds.
The living in their beds,
the dead in their graves.
The cover of Ghosts in our backyard reminds me of the time a second cousin had come over to stay with us for the summer vacations. She was older than me and I thought she was the coolest person because I was a scaredy cat and would run to hide in my room after seeing a dead body in CID, and, she used to stay up till 11pm to watch Aahat and Fear Files, alone! I tried copying her bravery and had nightmares for a week.
Other than Kamal Amrohi's Mahal and a few other notable movies Indian cinema hadn't seen much of gory supernatural horror movies which sported churails, eerie graveyards and haunted houses. But this was only till the Ramsay brothers jumped into the film business, and their Zee Horror Show was a hit among the Indian audience. Alisha 'Priti' Kriplani is the granddaughter of FU Ramsay and is a master of her art. In Ghosts in our backyard she expertly narrates chilling stories and real life encounters that will have the reader questioning their knowledge of the Other world. The hitchhiker; the jogger; the cackling woman whom Shyam Ramsay met on the highway, and the persistently eerie knocking that came from every house that Tanuja Ramsay lived in– all the stories and poems in this book come together to create a stunning atmosphere that will surely send chills down your spine. I loved the writing style, it delivered the gothic vibes flawlessly! Alisha 'Priti' Kriplani is one of my favourite authors now on!!
Entombed
The houses, they speak.
Loud whispers, they leak.
Walls that plead.
Insides that bleed.
Most people cannot see
the spirits' angry plea.
The night uniting both worlds.
The living in their beds,
the dead in their graves.
The cover of Ghosts in our backyard reminds me of the time a second cousin had come over to stay with us for the summer vacations. She was older than me and I thought she was the coolest person because I was a scaredy cat and would run to hide in my room after seeing a dead body in CID, and, she used to stay up till 11pm to watch Aahat and Fear Files, alone! I tried copying her bravery and had nightmares for a week.
Other than Kamal Amrohi's Mahal and a few other notable movies Indian cinema hadn't seen much of gory supernatural horror movies which sported churails, eerie graveyards and haunted houses. But this was only till the Ramsay brothers jumped into the film business, and their Zee Horror Show was a hit among the Indian audience. Alisha 'Priti' Kriplani is the granddaughter of FU Ramsay and is a master of her art. In Ghosts in our backyard she expertly narrates chilling stories and real life encounters that will have the reader questioning their knowledge of the Other world. The hitchhiker; the jogger; the cackling woman whom Shyam Ramsay met on the highway, and the persistently eerie knocking that came from every house that Tanuja Ramsay lived in– all the stories and poems in this book come together to create a stunning atmosphere that will surely send chills down your spine. I loved the writing style, it delivered the gothic vibes flawlessly! Alisha 'Priti' Kriplani is one of my favourite authors now on!!
Entombed
The houses, they speak.
Loud whispers, they leak.
Walls that plead.
Insides that bleed.
Most people cannot see
the spirits' angry plea.
July 3, 2021
Alisha ‘Priti’ Kirpalani belongs to the very famous House of Horrors – the Ramsay Brothers who ruled over Indian cinema with their horror movies. Her latest book, Ghosts in Our Backyard is a candidly bare account of visitors from the spiritual world, that the family members including herself experienced from time to time, behind the reel world. A series of twenty – two short narratives, Kirpalani talks about presences, old mansions, apparitions, intuitions, desolate houses, lonely nights and much more. It is interesting that while some experiences are outright hostile, some are peaceful, suggesting the co-existence between the spiritual and mortal world.
Having grown up in a culture of storytelling, especially about the undead, many might question the validity of the experiences. One might ask where does one begin to differentiate between the fiction and the truth. This divide is stranger than one can envision. Sometimes it can be experienced and many live to tell the tale, at other times, many might not be lucky enough to give a first-hand narration. However, it is indeed a game of perception, faith and belief that takes one closer to the spiritual world, allows them to experience the undead, unknown and undefined; and also gives them the ability to defend themselves when needed.
Kirpalani’s book is a treat to read, complete with elements of the occult and supernatural, except these are real incidents and not fiction! Ghosts in Our Backyard is perfect company if you happen to spend a lonely rainy night with a flickering reading light ….and who knows you might have some otherworldly company enjoying the narrations too!
Rating: 4 / 5
Having grown up in a culture of storytelling, especially about the undead, many might question the validity of the experiences. One might ask where does one begin to differentiate between the fiction and the truth. This divide is stranger than one can envision. Sometimes it can be experienced and many live to tell the tale, at other times, many might not be lucky enough to give a first-hand narration. However, it is indeed a game of perception, faith and belief that takes one closer to the spiritual world, allows them to experience the undead, unknown and undefined; and also gives them the ability to defend themselves when needed.
Kirpalani’s book is a treat to read, complete with elements of the occult and supernatural, except these are real incidents and not fiction! Ghosts in Our Backyard is perfect company if you happen to spend a lonely rainy night with a flickering reading light ….and who knows you might have some otherworldly company enjoying the narrations too!
Rating: 4 / 5
July 22, 2021
Horror genre is not a cup of tea for every readers. This book is nothing different but here you can find real life stories instead of fictional stories.
.
The Ramseys are the first family to introduce everyone with ghosts & supernatural powers. The Ramsey's family are the push to the envelope in horror films series in India. They are the first ones who showed the faces of ghosts to audiences. Those scary faces , horrible laughter , haunted houses , churails , ghouls in a visualizing fashion.
.
Very less people know that what they are watching on screen are actually evident by Ramseys family personally. These are the true life incidents which they put forward in their movies & series.
.
Author tried to share those unknown incidents behind the scenes experiences through a book.
.
To know more about it grab the book and give it a try.
The cover of the book is gracefully designed with a dark theme complementing the storyline. Writting style is good connecting engaging. It's always a hard task to put forward other's life experience through your own words with giving justice to the emotions connected of the person with it. Author did a remarkable job here by keeping a good balance between the emotions to experience which seemed to be real in the book. Language is nicely blended with those stories along with some thrill some horror just to enhance the reading experience.Narration of the book is bang on. Author did a significant job by putting every story in a crisp manner to keep readers hooked up till the end. The quotes added before each chapter is make it more engaging to read. Book is nicely paced to keep readers interest intact.
.
The Ramseys are the first family to introduce everyone with ghosts & supernatural powers. The Ramsey's family are the push to the envelope in horror films series in India. They are the first ones who showed the faces of ghosts to audiences. Those scary faces , horrible laughter , haunted houses , churails , ghouls in a visualizing fashion.
.
Very less people know that what they are watching on screen are actually evident by Ramseys family personally. These are the true life incidents which they put forward in their movies & series.
.
Author tried to share those unknown incidents behind the scenes experiences through a book.
.
To know more about it grab the book and give it a try.
The cover of the book is gracefully designed with a dark theme complementing the storyline. Writting style is good connecting engaging. It's always a hard task to put forward other's life experience through your own words with giving justice to the emotions connected of the person with it. Author did a remarkable job here by keeping a good balance between the emotions to experience which seemed to be real in the book. Language is nicely blended with those stories along with some thrill some horror just to enhance the reading experience.Narration of the book is bang on. Author did a significant job by putting every story in a crisp manner to keep readers hooked up till the end. The quotes added before each chapter is make it more engaging to read. Book is nicely paced to keep readers interest intact.
June 16, 2021
Ghosts in our backyard is the real life terror of ghost or supernatural, Book is based on the Ramsay’s family. I have not seen any movie by Ramsay family or old time’s horror movie. Book comes in the category of non-fiction genre which makes it more spine-chilling element. Book contains incident happened with Ramsay’s family members in this mortal world. Every story is interesting but there is a fault in writing, author can make the stories more descriptive which will make it more interesting but without this element is still has the ability to hook the reader for hours of I can I say till the end. Every incident starts with a short poem or rhymes which make the body shiver in amazement as well as fear.
Book explores the depth of difference between the worlds of living and dead, how our dead loved ones are protecting us from negative energy, how in this modern there are some supernatural in the world which makes it mysteries and how can only chose one can see the ghosts? How Ramsay’s family made blockbuster films in horror genre, what are their inspirations to make such movies?
I don’t are these incident are real or not but they are faultlessly astonishing and this book is a page-turner of readers. Overall, the book was good enough to make the reader terrified and to make him not able to go alone in night, because book describes night time when dead came out of their graves and to haunt the dead. Book is short and it can be more descriptive but rest is marvelous. This book worth reader’s time.
Book explores the depth of difference between the worlds of living and dead, how our dead loved ones are protecting us from negative energy, how in this modern there are some supernatural in the world which makes it mysteries and how can only chose one can see the ghosts? How Ramsay’s family made blockbuster films in horror genre, what are their inspirations to make such movies?
I don’t are these incident are real or not but they are faultlessly astonishing and this book is a page-turner of readers. Overall, the book was good enough to make the reader terrified and to make him not able to go alone in night, because book describes night time when dead came out of their graves and to haunt the dead. Book is short and it can be more descriptive but rest is marvelous. This book worth reader’s time.
June 29, 2021
“Engaging spirits isn’t an elitist ability or industry, it’s being active in the connection with All Things. It’s innate to us all”. The line as stated here , reflects a lot about the aspect that despite its presence gets shrugged off as something non-existent and just a figment of mind of those who cannot differentiate between reality and fiction. If one agrees with the above stated proposition then the book at hand is one such that shall verily smite their illusions and make them believe that there is more to reality than what meets the eye
Delving further, the literary work proceeds with its splendor by tracing the historical roots of the author as she belongs to the “Ramsay” Family which has shaped the Indian Horror Genre as stated in the beginning section itself “In Hollywood, horror was Hitchcock and in India, horror was the Ramsays” and it is here where she has described that what was it like to grow in the Ramsay Family. Delving further, the book has been divided into 148 pages and 23 chapters. Proceeding further, the name of the chapters also don’t have any fancy element to them as can be witnessed from the titles such as:- The Lamp, The Hitchhiker, The Jogger, The Favorite, The King, The Collapse, The Hotel etc. The plot of the book progresses at a very good pace and builds the atmosphere as can be seen from the words in the first chapter:- “The deathly silence of the first floor was in stark contrast to the other floors”. As with regard to other chapters the ominous atmosphere with a pinch of reality makes adds many dimensions to it
Delving further, the literary work proceeds with its splendor by tracing the historical roots of the author as she belongs to the “Ramsay” Family which has shaped the Indian Horror Genre as stated in the beginning section itself “In Hollywood, horror was Hitchcock and in India, horror was the Ramsays” and it is here where she has described that what was it like to grow in the Ramsay Family. Delving further, the book has been divided into 148 pages and 23 chapters. Proceeding further, the name of the chapters also don’t have any fancy element to them as can be witnessed from the titles such as:- The Lamp, The Hitchhiker, The Jogger, The Favorite, The King, The Collapse, The Hotel etc. The plot of the book progresses at a very good pace and builds the atmosphere as can be seen from the words in the first chapter:- “The deathly silence of the first floor was in stark contrast to the other floors”. As with regard to other chapters the ominous atmosphere with a pinch of reality makes adds many dimensions to it
July 7, 2021
"A long breath, a deep sigh.
The presence of he who did not want to die.
He envies each breath you take.
While you respectfully sleep, he is agonizingly awake."
.
This book is a collection of some of the supernatural encounters of the famous Ramsays.
.
Ramsay brothers as famously known in the bollywood were the pioneers of the Indian horror movies and shows. But it's a lesser known fact that their reel and real life with the horrors ran parallely among the generations of Ramsays.
The author, grand-daughter of F.U. Ramsay has jotted down some of the memorable and scary experiences faced by most of the members of the family. Some of these events even gave birth to the idea of the unforgettable movies that Ramsays has gifted us with. The 22 different stories hold different battles with the unseen entities that left some deeper scar for them to heal and hope for.
Horror/ supernarural equally scars and excites me on the first go. Be it in the form of some fictions, urban legends or any other, it was never a thing to bore me. In this book, the author has done some really applaudable job in compiling the terrifying incidents. She has a way with her words, and thus, made it a compelling read. It's still impossible to digest the contents of the book and that they actually faced such unbelievable incidents. But we can't deny the aftermath. Apart from that, she also mentioned about the gut feeling and premonitions that shouldn't be disregarded. Although, not all the stories that were presented to us were spine chilling but definitely made us beleive the unseen and its power.
The presence of he who did not want to die.
He envies each breath you take.
While you respectfully sleep, he is agonizingly awake."
.
This book is a collection of some of the supernatural encounters of the famous Ramsays.
.
Ramsay brothers as famously known in the bollywood were the pioneers of the Indian horror movies and shows. But it's a lesser known fact that their reel and real life with the horrors ran parallely among the generations of Ramsays.
The author, grand-daughter of F.U. Ramsay has jotted down some of the memorable and scary experiences faced by most of the members of the family. Some of these events even gave birth to the idea of the unforgettable movies that Ramsays has gifted us with. The 22 different stories hold different battles with the unseen entities that left some deeper scar for them to heal and hope for.
Horror/ supernarural equally scars and excites me on the first go. Be it in the form of some fictions, urban legends or any other, it was never a thing to bore me. In this book, the author has done some really applaudable job in compiling the terrifying incidents. She has a way with her words, and thus, made it a compelling read. It's still impossible to digest the contents of the book and that they actually faced such unbelievable incidents. But we can't deny the aftermath. Apart from that, she also mentioned about the gut feeling and premonitions that shouldn't be disregarded. Although, not all the stories that were presented to us were spine chilling but definitely made us beleive the unseen and its power.
May 3, 2021
Way, way above expectations! What a journey!
The difference between fiction and non fiction ghost and spirits encounters is:
When reading fiction, you get scared and are afraid , but mostly you forget about it in a short time. In non fiction , you get chills down your spine and a feeling of dread that stays with you. (Exactly like a husband feels when the wife gives him ‘the stare’.) The knowledge that it actually happened makes you feel edgy and very vulnerable .
Ghosts In Our Backyard makes you feel exactly that in the first half of the book. Alisha manages to verbally transport the reader to the scenes and give them the experience like it were happening to them . One can’t help but ‘ feel’ the experience as if it were their own.
The second half takes you into the paranormal world and makes you introspect. You start to question life. How much control you really have over your own . Just knowing it’s true makes you relook at events in your own past and question that if you did things differently, would the outcome have really changed.
After reading the book, I feel a lot more humble, down to earth, and humane.
The short poems before each story just blow you away. Brings empathy , that proverbial lump, rushing to your throat.
I have not read any books in this genre, but if they are as good as this book, clearly I have missed out till now.
Surely, a recommended read.
The difference between fiction and non fiction ghost and spirits encounters is:
When reading fiction, you get scared and are afraid , but mostly you forget about it in a short time. In non fiction , you get chills down your spine and a feeling of dread that stays with you. (Exactly like a husband feels when the wife gives him ‘the stare’.) The knowledge that it actually happened makes you feel edgy and very vulnerable .
Ghosts In Our Backyard makes you feel exactly that in the first half of the book. Alisha manages to verbally transport the reader to the scenes and give them the experience like it were happening to them . One can’t help but ‘ feel’ the experience as if it were their own.
The second half takes you into the paranormal world and makes you introspect. You start to question life. How much control you really have over your own . Just knowing it’s true makes you relook at events in your own past and question that if you did things differently, would the outcome have really changed.
After reading the book, I feel a lot more humble, down to earth, and humane.
The short poems before each story just blow you away. Brings empathy , that proverbial lump, rushing to your throat.
I have not read any books in this genre, but if they are as good as this book, clearly I have missed out till now.
Surely, a recommended read.
Read
November 21, 2021Book : Ghosts in Our Backyard
Writer : Alisha 'Priti' Kirpalani
Publication : Harper Collins
I.S.B.N. : 9789390327607
Page count : 171
Printed price : ₹299
Reading period : 11th July, 2021 - 19th July, 2021
I truly believe that there are no ghosts. The only thing that creates the supernatural is our own internal and eternal fear of the unknown. We tend to seek out that old thrill of the apprehension of the strange and obscure through the ghost stories. But what happens when someone is relegated to seeking the causes of tremendous misfortunes plaguing her and her family, bereft of all types of sensible advice and any caring human touch? That can be truly tragic.
'Ghosts in Our Backyard' originally seems a family's desperate attempt to hold on to their bygone eerie glory, but in the end descends into the utter miseries the writer is facing in her personal life and in the absence of any human well wisher, is being pulled into the abyss of superstitious logic of her family's encounters with the supernatural entwining with her predicaments. The book presents sheer tragedy in the end instead of macabre.
It would be insensitive to give this book any rating. I only hope in the end that Alisha 'Priti' Kirpalani receive the required counselling that she truly deserves instead of falling down the meaningless way of superstitions and find the friendly human touch she misses which has led her to find solace in non-existent apparitions.
Writer : Alisha 'Priti' Kirpalani
Publication : Harper Collins
I.S.B.N. : 9789390327607
Page count : 171
Printed price : ₹299
Reading period : 11th July, 2021 - 19th July, 2021
I truly believe that there are no ghosts. The only thing that creates the supernatural is our own internal and eternal fear of the unknown. We tend to seek out that old thrill of the apprehension of the strange and obscure through the ghost stories. But what happens when someone is relegated to seeking the causes of tremendous misfortunes plaguing her and her family, bereft of all types of sensible advice and any caring human touch? That can be truly tragic.
'Ghosts in Our Backyard' originally seems a family's desperate attempt to hold on to their bygone eerie glory, but in the end descends into the utter miseries the writer is facing in her personal life and in the absence of any human well wisher, is being pulled into the abyss of superstitious logic of her family's encounters with the supernatural entwining with her predicaments. The book presents sheer tragedy in the end instead of macabre.
It would be insensitive to give this book any rating. I only hope in the end that Alisha 'Priti' Kirpalani receive the required counselling that she truly deserves instead of falling down the meaningless way of superstitions and find the friendly human touch she misses which has led her to find solace in non-existent apparitions.
June 23, 2021
We have not seen God, yet we believe in him. Why then do we scoff at the possibility of ghosts?
Genre - Non Fiction Paranormal
Published by harpercollins
Pages - 171
📍This book is a collection of stories of real life encounters with the supernatural by Ramsay family (Author's maternal family).
📍The author Alisha Kirpalani is the daughter of Asha who is daughter of Fatehchand Uttamchand Ramsay and sister to the Ramsay brothers.
📍The Ramsay name is synonymous with horror and the paranormal.The Ramsay's were into making horror movies.
📍The author knew of her maternal family's history with the supernatural and with this book she decided to document their memories and tales.
The stories in the book were nothing new ofcourse, I have seen such things in horror shows and movies but the fact that the author claims them to be true sends a chill down my spine. Some stories were engaging while some were okayish. At the start of every chapter there is a small poem.
Through these stories the author stresses on the thing that there are both good and evil spirits around us. We must keep faith and believe that for every evil spirit there is a good spirit guarding us.
If you love reading horror you can pick this up. Even beginners can read this as the language is simple.
Genre - Non Fiction Paranormal
Published by harpercollins
Pages - 171
📍This book is a collection of stories of real life encounters with the supernatural by Ramsay family (Author's maternal family).
📍The author Alisha Kirpalani is the daughter of Asha who is daughter of Fatehchand Uttamchand Ramsay and sister to the Ramsay brothers.
📍The Ramsay name is synonymous with horror and the paranormal.The Ramsay's were into making horror movies.
📍The author knew of her maternal family's history with the supernatural and with this book she decided to document their memories and tales.
The stories in the book were nothing new ofcourse, I have seen such things in horror shows and movies but the fact that the author claims them to be true sends a chill down my spine. Some stories were engaging while some were okayish. At the start of every chapter there is a small poem.
Through these stories the author stresses on the thing that there are both good and evil spirits around us. We must keep faith and believe that for every evil spirit there is a good spirit guarding us.
If you love reading horror you can pick this up. Even beginners can read this as the language is simple.
June 26, 2021
This is a non-fiction, horror book that's inspired by true events. You would think that I would have enough sense to not start it or read it in the middle of the night, right? Well, I started reading it around 8 and I was doing fine. The tales get spookier with each one and I honestly did get scared because I don't read horror. I thought I would be able to read this because it's non-fiction but it's really spooky. I really appreciate that the author kinda eased us into it by starting with less scary stories. So yeah, I did read and finished it but with breaks.
The cover is stunning and the blurb sounds promising. I loved the narrating/storytelling style. It makes you curious and holds your attention completely. The tales are like the ones which you would hear from your grandma/grandpa in the cold nights. The vibes and atmosphere are very intriguing. I actually enjoyed reading it, even though I kept pausing every time I was spooked. I understand that some would be skeptical about the authenticity, because not everyone believes in the existence of omnipotent entities and spirits. But I truly believe that you would enjoy it regardless of what you believe because it's written so well. So I would recommend it but if you get easily scared like me then don't read it in the night 🙈
The cover is stunning and the blurb sounds promising. I loved the narrating/storytelling style. It makes you curious and holds your attention completely. The tales are like the ones which you would hear from your grandma/grandpa in the cold nights. The vibes and atmosphere are very intriguing. I actually enjoyed reading it, even though I kept pausing every time I was spooked. I understand that some would be skeptical about the authenticity, because not everyone believes in the existence of omnipotent entities and spirits. But I truly believe that you would enjoy it regardless of what you believe because it's written so well. So I would recommend it but if you get easily scared like me then don't read it in the night 🙈
July 7, 2021
Ghosts In Our Backyard - The Ramsays' real-life encounters with the supernatural by Alisha 'Priti' Kirpalani
If you have been a horror movie person in India you would have heard about movies made by the Ramsays! Alisha Kirpalani, the grand daughter to the family that made so many supernatural movies have written this book about the real life events the family encountered that inspired all those movies! It gives us an insight to how the movies were made
It was an exhilarating read because I loved the supernatural elements the family encountered (only to read! I would have gone crazy if I have something like that happen to me 😂😂) This book is not too spooky and is written in simple language making it an engaging weekend read for me
Each short story is about a supernatural event the family encountered, which reminds us of how we discuss spooky with our friends late at night! Each story has a eerie short poem accompanying the scene and also leaves us with a question towards the end
It's a best choice to read for beginners of horror genre and also for people who are interested in supernatural elements happening in real life
Thank you @harpercollinsin @alisha_priti_kirpalani for my review copy
If you have been a horror movie person in India you would have heard about movies made by the Ramsays! Alisha Kirpalani, the grand daughter to the family that made so many supernatural movies have written this book about the real life events the family encountered that inspired all those movies! It gives us an insight to how the movies were made
It was an exhilarating read because I loved the supernatural elements the family encountered (only to read! I would have gone crazy if I have something like that happen to me 😂😂) This book is not too spooky and is written in simple language making it an engaging weekend read for me
Each short story is about a supernatural event the family encountered, which reminds us of how we discuss spooky with our friends late at night! Each story has a eerie short poem accompanying the scene and also leaves us with a question towards the end
It's a best choice to read for beginners of horror genre and also for people who are interested in supernatural elements happening in real life
Thank you @harpercollinsin @alisha_priti_kirpalani for my review copy
July 19, 2021
Ramsays - "Destined with Horror".
In Hollywood, horror was Hitchcock and in India, horror was the Ramsays.
The author Alisha 'Priti' Kirpalani is the granddaughter of F.U. Ramsay, she is the daughter of the Ramsays, the first family of Bollywood horror films. Her grandfather was drawn to the film industry and made movies. Ghosts were part of Ramsays family business of films.
Each of them have their own struggles but they eventually found a way to escape from it. The ensemble cast dealt with apparitions, spirits and more ghostly encounters. Someone who's been in this already for multiple generations and well acquainted with everything that's going on there. They have their moments multiple times, multiple ways. Seemingly only people being targeted by the ghosts. Having not only the adults but the children also involved in this. Not everyone in the family members but more of the Ramsay clan engulfed all the thrills and chills.
It's definitely a book more on the monumental waves of chills, themed towards horror but not very scary.
My curiosity to know and read about all the real experiences won. I am happy to read this hauntingly delicious read♥
The book is so well written. The narration kept my attention rapt throughout. Author Alisha has genuinely delivered her nostalgia.
Highly recommend this atmospheric, absorbing and memorable read👍♥
In Hollywood, horror was Hitchcock and in India, horror was the Ramsays.
The author Alisha 'Priti' Kirpalani is the granddaughter of F.U. Ramsay, she is the daughter of the Ramsays, the first family of Bollywood horror films. Her grandfather was drawn to the film industry and made movies. Ghosts were part of Ramsays family business of films.
Each of them have their own struggles but they eventually found a way to escape from it. The ensemble cast dealt with apparitions, spirits and more ghostly encounters. Someone who's been in this already for multiple generations and well acquainted with everything that's going on there. They have their moments multiple times, multiple ways. Seemingly only people being targeted by the ghosts. Having not only the adults but the children also involved in this. Not everyone in the family members but more of the Ramsay clan engulfed all the thrills and chills.
It's definitely a book more on the monumental waves of chills, themed towards horror but not very scary.
My curiosity to know and read about all the real experiences won. I am happy to read this hauntingly delicious read♥
The book is so well written. The narration kept my attention rapt throughout. Author Alisha has genuinely delivered her nostalgia.
Highly recommend this atmospheric, absorbing and memorable read👍♥
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