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Absolute Khushwant: The Low-Down on Life, Death and Most Things In-Between
I would like to be remembered as someone who made people smile. One of the great icons of our time, Khushwant Singh, 95, is a man of contradictions. An agnostic who s well-versed in the holy scriptures; a vocal champion of free speech who supported the Emergency; a dirty old man who sees the world in a grain of sand and beauty in a wild flower . Born in 1915 in pre-Partition Punjab, Khushwant Singh has been witness to almost all the major events in modern Indian history and has known most of the figures who have shaped it. In a career spanning over six decades as writer, editor and journalist, his views have been provocative and controversial, but they have also been profound, deeply perceptive and always compelling. Khushwant Singh has never been less than honest. In Absolute Khushwant, India s grand old man of letters tells us about his life, his loves and his work. He writes on happiness, faith and honesty. And, for the first time, about his successes and failures, his strengths and weaknesses, his highs and lows. He tells us what makes him tick and the secret of his longevity; he confesses his deepest fears and what he holds dear. He writes about sex, marriage, worship and death; the people he s admired and detested. With personal anecdotes and rare photographs, Absolute Khushwant is uncompromising, moving, and straight from the heart. Book Reviews User Reviews
212 pages, Paperback
First published August 17, 2010
38 people are currently reading
730 people want to read
About the author
Khushwant Singh
298 books1,429 followersKhushwant Singh, (Punjabi: ਖ਼ੁਸ਼ਵੰਤ ਸਿੰਘ, Hindi: खुशवंत सिंह) born on 2 February 1915 in Hadali, Undivided India, (now a part of Pakistan), was a prominent Indian novelist and journalist. Singh's weekly column, "With Malice towards One and All", carried by several Indian newspapers, was among the most widely-read columns in the country.
An important post-colonial novelist writing in English, Singh is best known for his trenchant secularism, his humor, and an abiding love of poetry. His comparisons of social and behavioral characteristics of Westerners and Indians are laced with acid wit.
An important post-colonial novelist writing in English, Singh is best known for his trenchant secularism, his humor, and an abiding love of poetry. His comparisons of social and behavioral characteristics of Westerners and Indians are laced with acid wit.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
January 16, 2017
A collection of essays, extracted from conversation of old man with Humra Quraishi.
While I didn't agree with most of the ideas, still it was a pleasure read since it felt like an honest conversation.
Singh saab didn't shy away (as usual) from touching sensitive topics. Like:
- The person highly responsible for communalism in India is L.K.Advani
- Modi is a murderer
- India's future is safe with the trio Manmohan-Sonia-Rahul
- Romance is a waste of time. Having sex is all that matters!
There were quite a few contradictions as well:
- On his marriage not working out: He pointed fingers at his wife that she was very possessive and narrow minded and always accused me of having relations outside of marriage and in close company with other women.
A couple of pages down, he praised his wife who never minded on his getting close to women in parties, hugging and kissing them on their cheeks.
On sex - In intial pages, he boasted like having physical relations with women of many diffrent nationalities. Towards the end, he admits all the sex part in his books and talks were cooked up from a dirty old mind.
Had some heart warming essays on Time, Happiness, Religion etc.
Overall an okayish read. Should be skipped if you're not a fan of him. Skeptical even if you like his writings (Considering it was written by a 95 year old man).
While I didn't agree with most of the ideas, still it was a pleasure read since it felt like an honest conversation.
Singh saab didn't shy away (as usual) from touching sensitive topics. Like:
- The person highly responsible for communalism in India is L.K.Advani
- Modi is a murderer
- India's future is safe with the trio Manmohan-Sonia-Rahul
- Romance is a waste of time. Having sex is all that matters!
There were quite a few contradictions as well:
- On his marriage not working out: He pointed fingers at his wife that she was very possessive and narrow minded and always accused me of having relations outside of marriage and in close company with other women.
A couple of pages down, he praised his wife who never minded on his getting close to women in parties, hugging and kissing them on their cheeks.
On sex - In intial pages, he boasted like having physical relations with women of many diffrent nationalities. Towards the end, he admits all the sex part in his books and talks were cooked up from a dirty old mind.
Had some heart warming essays on Time, Happiness, Religion etc.
Overall an okayish read. Should be skipped if you're not a fan of him. Skeptical even if you like his writings (Considering it was written by a 95 year old man).
December 22, 2019
"Hindus didn’t have to prove their nationality; only Muslims, Christians and Sikhs are required to give evidence of their patriotism." - Khushwant Singh
'ডার্টি ওল্ড ম্যান' খুশবন্ত সিংয়ের ছোট্ট ছোট্ট কলাম, স্মৃতিচারণা, আত্মসমালোচনা নিয়েই 'Absolute Khushwant' এই বইয়ের লেখাগুলো বেশিরভাগই লেখা খুশবন্ত সিংয়ের বয়স যখন ৯৪-৯৫ তখন।
দীর্ঘ জীবন পেয়েছিলেন খুশবন্ত সিং। কিন্তু সবসময় সময় তো সঙ্গী হয়নি তার। ভালোর পাশাপাশি জীবন নিয়ে মন্দ অভিজ্ঞতাও কম হয়নি। যখনই জীবনপথে একা হয়েছেন, একলা চলো নীতিকে আপ্তবাক্যের মতো অনুসরণ করেছেন। নিজেই লিখেছেন,
" I get inspiration from Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore’s ‘Ekla Chalo’ (Walk Alone) when I feel abandoned. I continue to tread the lonely path."
নিন্দুকেরা তাকে 'ডার্টি ওল্ড ম্যান' বলে অভিহিত করতেন। তাতে কখনোই গা মাখতেন না তিনি। বরং আনন্দ পেতেন। তিনি লিখেছেন,
"I fantasize. When I fantasize, I’m very happy. Those are my most precious moments. Earlier, when I fantasized in my younger days, I used to go and act out my fantasies, put them to practice. Now, of course, I can’t. But there’s no censorship on thoughts. Who do I fantasize about? About all those who come to see me? You can keep guessing. It is easy to be honest in one’s old age. But an old man is entitled to his secrets, fantasies, scotch, good company. At ninety-five, this is worth taking the pills for."
পয়সার জন্য লিখতেন। একথা একবারও অস্বীকার করেননি। যারা লিখতে চান, তাদের উদ্দেশ বলেছেন,
"you write fearlessly and candidly you have to be prepared to pay the price. And there’s no point writing if you’re not honest."
নেহেরুর আমলে লন্ডনে ভারতীয় হাইকমিশনে জনসংযোগ কর্মকর্তা ছিলেন। তখনকার এক ঘটনা,
" He arrived in London past midnight. I asked Nehru whether he would like me to accompany him to his hotel. ‘Don’t be silly,’ he said. ‘Go home and sleep.’ The next morning one of the papers had a photo of him with Lady Mountbatten opening the door in her negligee. The huge caption read: Lady Mountbatten’s Midnight Visitor. Nehru was furious. On another occasion, he’d taken Lady Mountbatten for a quiet dinner at a Greek restaurant. Once again the following morning’s papers carried photographs of them sitting close to each other. When I was summoned, Nehru asked, ‘Who are you?’ ‘I’m your PRO in London, Sir,’ I replied. ‘You have a strange notion of publicity,’ Nehru said curtly.
I thought it best to remain silent."
নিঃসঙ্গতা ভালোবাসতেন, আজীবন সংগ্রাম করেছেন ধর্মীয় মৌলবাদের বিরুদ্ধে। রাজনীতি আর ধর্ম একসাথে চলে না জানিয়ে লিখেছেন,
" The saffron tide was rising and I was very afraid that it would destroy the nation. For the first time, I was seriously concerned for the country’s future. Modi is a murderer."
"Absolute Khushwant" কলেবরে ছোট্ট একটি বই। অথচ বিষয়বস্তুর বৈচিত্র্যে এবং লেখনীর গুণে দারুণ সুখপাঠ্য।
'ডার্টি ওল্ড ম্যান' খুশবন্ত সিংয়ের ছোট্ট ছোট্ট কলাম, স্মৃতিচারণা, আত্মসমালোচনা নিয়েই 'Absolute Khushwant' এই বইয়ের লেখাগুলো বেশিরভাগই লেখা খুশবন্ত সিংয়ের বয়স যখন ৯৪-৯৫ তখন।
দীর্ঘ জীবন পেয়েছিলেন খুশবন্ত সিং। কিন্তু সবসময় সময় তো সঙ্গী হয়নি তার। ভালোর পাশাপাশি জীবন নিয়ে মন্দ অভিজ্ঞতাও কম হয়নি। যখনই জীবনপথে একা হয়েছেন, একলা চলো নীতিকে আপ্তবাক্যের মতো অনুসরণ করেছেন। নিজেই লিখেছেন,
" I get inspiration from Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore’s ‘Ekla Chalo’ (Walk Alone) when I feel abandoned. I continue to tread the lonely path."
নিন্দুকেরা তাকে 'ডার্টি ওল্ড ম্যান' বলে অভিহিত করতেন। তাতে কখনোই গা মাখতেন না তিনি। বরং আনন্দ পেতেন। তিনি লিখেছেন,
"I fantasize. When I fantasize, I’m very happy. Those are my most precious moments. Earlier, when I fantasized in my younger days, I used to go and act out my fantasies, put them to practice. Now, of course, I can’t. But there’s no censorship on thoughts. Who do I fantasize about? About all those who come to see me? You can keep guessing. It is easy to be honest in one’s old age. But an old man is entitled to his secrets, fantasies, scotch, good company. At ninety-five, this is worth taking the pills for."
পয়সার জন্য লিখতেন। একথা একবারও অস্বীকার করেননি। যারা লিখতে চান, তাদের উদ্দেশ বলেছেন,
"you write fearlessly and candidly you have to be prepared to pay the price. And there’s no point writing if you’re not honest."
নেহেরুর আমলে লন্ডনে ভারতীয় হাইকমিশনে জনসংযোগ কর্মকর্তা ছিলেন। তখনকার এক ঘটনা,
" He arrived in London past midnight. I asked Nehru whether he would like me to accompany him to his hotel. ‘Don’t be silly,’ he said. ‘Go home and sleep.’ The next morning one of the papers had a photo of him with Lady Mountbatten opening the door in her negligee. The huge caption read: Lady Mountbatten’s Midnight Visitor. Nehru was furious. On another occasion, he’d taken Lady Mountbatten for a quiet dinner at a Greek restaurant. Once again the following morning’s papers carried photographs of them sitting close to each other. When I was summoned, Nehru asked, ‘Who are you?’ ‘I’m your PRO in London, Sir,’ I replied. ‘You have a strange notion of publicity,’ Nehru said curtly.
I thought it best to remain silent."
নিঃসঙ্গতা ভালোবাসতেন, আজীবন সংগ্রাম করেছেন ধর্মীয় মৌলবাদের বিরুদ্ধে। রাজনীতি আর ধর্ম একসাথে চলে না জানিয়ে লিখেছেন,
" The saffron tide was rising and I was very afraid that it would destroy the nation. For the first time, I was seriously concerned for the country’s future. Modi is a murderer."
"Absolute Khushwant" কলেবরে ছোট্ট একটি বই। অথচ বিষয়বস্তুর বৈচিত্র্যে এবং লেখনীর গুণে দারুণ সুখপাঠ্য।
February 25, 2014
At 90 years of age not many people are too eloquent or articulate. Personally, I think that is a huge loss for we miss out on a great deal of experiences that these people have been through. This sardar though is a different kettle of fish for even at 90 years of age his mind is sharp as a tack. This book is a series of conversations between Khushwant Singh and Humra Quraishi on all things Khushwant.
This man makes an interesting career portrait for in these nine decades of his life, he has seen the history of India unfolding. He has seen the country attain independence and the riots that followed, he has seen the rise and fall of Indira Gandhi and the riots of 84, lived through the era of globalization and opening of private sector markets, the demolition of Babri Masjid, the Rajiv Gandhi assassination, Gujarat ,26/11 and so on. To a casual observer, it might appear that I am pointing out mostly the dastardly and violent acts as snippets of history here but truth remains that these have been some of the incidents that have built the foundations of India. Khushwant recounts all these through his eyes and he does not round off the edges of his words which are decisive and sharp enough to cut. He makes his displeasure for religious fundamentalists rather obvious and does not hesitate to call some national leaders rather blunt names. It is not just about politics that he writes though. There are also topics like nature, love, sex, the Sikh way of life and some digging into his personal life in here. His old age could also be another excuse that he beats his own drum loud in a lot of chapters. What really stands out is his introspection into the nature of religions and the reading of scriptures. An earlier work of his : The Freethinker’s Prayer Book was a detailed collection of such passages from the scriptures and contained some of the most thought provoking passages from the world religions. He does go into a bit of detail here too but not as much as some of his other works. There are couplets from Urdu poetry scattered among the pages and they are quite beautiful to behold. But all considered, this book is too small for such detailed topics with the end result being that it turns out to be superficial in its observations.
There aren’t a lot many people who like Khushwant Singh as a person or as an author but for me he has always been a slightly quirky old man with his own set of eccentricities and a truckload of anecdotes to share. He is also someone whose prose is simple and spartan while delivering its desired effect. If you are starting off with him, my recommendation would be to read Train To Pakistan first before any of his non-fiction works.
This man makes an interesting career portrait for in these nine decades of his life, he has seen the history of India unfolding. He has seen the country attain independence and the riots that followed, he has seen the rise and fall of Indira Gandhi and the riots of 84, lived through the era of globalization and opening of private sector markets, the demolition of Babri Masjid, the Rajiv Gandhi assassination, Gujarat ,26/11 and so on. To a casual observer, it might appear that I am pointing out mostly the dastardly and violent acts as snippets of history here but truth remains that these have been some of the incidents that have built the foundations of India. Khushwant recounts all these through his eyes and he does not round off the edges of his words which are decisive and sharp enough to cut. He makes his displeasure for religious fundamentalists rather obvious and does not hesitate to call some national leaders rather blunt names. It is not just about politics that he writes though. There are also topics like nature, love, sex, the Sikh way of life and some digging into his personal life in here. His old age could also be another excuse that he beats his own drum loud in a lot of chapters. What really stands out is his introspection into the nature of religions and the reading of scriptures. An earlier work of his : The Freethinker’s Prayer Book was a detailed collection of such passages from the scriptures and contained some of the most thought provoking passages from the world religions. He does go into a bit of detail here too but not as much as some of his other works. There are couplets from Urdu poetry scattered among the pages and they are quite beautiful to behold. But all considered, this book is too small for such detailed topics with the end result being that it turns out to be superficial in its observations.
There aren’t a lot many people who like Khushwant Singh as a person or as an author but for me he has always been a slightly quirky old man with his own set of eccentricities and a truckload of anecdotes to share. He is also someone whose prose is simple and spartan while delivering its desired effect. If you are starting off with him, my recommendation would be to read Train To Pakistan first before any of his non-fiction works.
March 28, 2013
His writing is so raw! Holy. This guy speaks the truth, uncut, uncensored. It seems like he just writes down his thoughts word to word. But I also guess, he can so freely do so due to his age! He is well into 90s! Cant wait to finish this book. Anyone looking for a fun read about Indian politics from a strong writers perspective should read this one.
July 24, 2015
Collection of little essays, a book which is an eye opener much needed for our subcontinental societies. Khushwant Singh never disappoints you. A book which can be finished in one sitting, yet is not boring full of life lessons, realities and wit. All of this coming from a 95 year old man who has seen it all. It's more of Morals from Khushwant's life views. A must read!
August 7, 2022
4.5 ⭐
I read this in an hour. That hour might have been 1 am.
It was intriguing to get a close-up on figures of great political, historical and literary importance, interposed with the author's life and thoughts on life. Rarely does one see casual personal references to the Nehru-Gandhi clan as side characters in a larger story of legacy, progress and the path forward. The fact that many of Khushwant Singh's views and fears vis a vis politics and religious fundamentalism are the living reality of today, makes this quite a fascinating yet grim reading experience. I disagree with some of the things he said, but admire the way he said them- anticipative and tolerant of dissent. It is the touches of light-heartedness, sanguinity and experience borne of 95 years of seeing the world, that elevate this short read to an enriching one.
I read this in an hour. That hour might have been 1 am.
It was intriguing to get a close-up on figures of great political, historical and literary importance, interposed with the author's life and thoughts on life. Rarely does one see casual personal references to the Nehru-Gandhi clan as side characters in a larger story of legacy, progress and the path forward. The fact that many of Khushwant Singh's views and fears vis a vis politics and religious fundamentalism are the living reality of today, makes this quite a fascinating yet grim reading experience. I disagree with some of the things he said, but admire the way he said them- anticipative and tolerant of dissent. It is the touches of light-heartedness, sanguinity and experience borne of 95 years of seeing the world, that elevate this short read to an enriching one.
November 30, 2018
Little snippets. Little tales mostly opinions. Absolute Khushwant is for Khushwant Singh fans. Unabashed and unhindered. This one is a breezy intriguing read.
April 12, 2023
love the man
October 5, 2024
Love the man!!
As a kid, I used to be really fond of his newspaper column for being shockingly unhinged. (I agree I may not have understood his satire completely, but I got his sense of humour). And there were times, he wrote about absolutely ridiculous stuff that would crack me up. If my Dad had not told me earlier that he is a renowned author and journalist, I would have been really confused on how he is being taken seriously.
Such authenticity has always been so rare.
The book is an easy breezy read where he is being his authentic self as is expected of him. He gives opinions on a lot of things from marriage to politics. His encounters with political big shots are especially interesting to read. He talks about the bliss of solitude - "What I enjoy is solitude" and admits his love for gossip - "I love to gossip and have an insatiable appetite for scandal"
It is fascinating when a 95 year old man is talking about India that was and India that is..And if you are reading it today, it is a little sad to realize that India continues to dabble in the same problems, that he expressed, 2 decades ago, in this book:
"Today they burn books they do not like; they beat up journalists who write against them; they attack cinema houses showing films they do not approve of; they vandalize the texts from history books to make them conform to their ideas; they foul mouth everyone who disagrees with them ."
While his political inclination has been quite obvious, his hope in Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Manmohan Singh to win 2014 elections and beyond, did not age well.
As a kid, I used to be really fond of his newspaper column for being shockingly unhinged. (I agree I may not have understood his satire completely, but I got his sense of humour). And there were times, he wrote about absolutely ridiculous stuff that would crack me up. If my Dad had not told me earlier that he is a renowned author and journalist, I would have been really confused on how he is being taken seriously.
Such authenticity has always been so rare.
The book is an easy breezy read where he is being his authentic self as is expected of him. He gives opinions on a lot of things from marriage to politics. His encounters with political big shots are especially interesting to read. He talks about the bliss of solitude - "What I enjoy is solitude" and admits his love for gossip - "I love to gossip and have an insatiable appetite for scandal"
It is fascinating when a 95 year old man is talking about India that was and India that is..And if you are reading it today, it is a little sad to realize that India continues to dabble in the same problems, that he expressed, 2 decades ago, in this book:
"Today they burn books they do not like; they beat up journalists who write against them; they attack cinema houses showing films they do not approve of; they vandalize the texts from history books to make them conform to their ideas; they foul mouth everyone who disagrees with them ."
While his political inclination has been quite obvious, his hope in Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Manmohan Singh to win 2014 elections and beyond, did not age well.
February 9, 2011
This was a wonderful book, and I'm thrilled to know a little more about Khushwant. Definitely ready to start reading "Delhi" again... the size of it intimidated me, but the joy of reading Absolute Khushwant has got me back on the bandwagon.
This is my metro book -- it's in my purse these days, and each chapter is a perfect read between a few stations. He's brutally honest about his thoughts after 95 years of living and some 65 years of writing -- he writes about politicians, about sex, about India, and about life itself. It's great, hilarious, with some gems of real wisdom in it!
This is my metro book -- it's in my purse these days, and each chapter is a perfect read between a few stations. He's brutally honest about his thoughts after 95 years of living and some 65 years of writing -- he writes about politicians, about sex, about India, and about life itself. It's great, hilarious, with some gems of real wisdom in it!
October 25, 2012
I really enjoyed reading this book. It gave me a quick glimpse of many historic events and well-known people who have been responsible for making today's India. What makes it so interesting is that Khushwant Singh was very much there when it all happened and that kept me turning the pages at a faster rate. His brutally honest take on politics and other topics like marriage, sex, himself and death was very straightforward and inspiring in many ways.
May 1, 2011
Singh's criticism at its best. He talks of several topics with great skill and elan. My first book by Singh. Definitely more to come! The Urdu couplets are awesome!
April 6, 2012
You will not be able to put it down until the last point. Like the trademark of Khushwant, he was honest about the topics that he covered. Total respect.
June 9, 2013
What a writer, what a man!!!
November 13, 2021
Most of the ideas presented by him may not be agreeable but quite like the involvement of the speaker with several emotions.
June 25, 2025
Khushwant Singh was a prolific author. I had never had the opportunity to read his work. Neither his columns, nor his books. At one level, it was my fault. I dismissed him as a ‘dirty old man’ who wrote prurient trash. It was only recently when I read a quote of his about fascism that I amended my opinion about him.
In this book, he expounds on his life in a no-holds-barred kind of way. The book contains short reflections on a range of topics such as:
On Being a Very Old Man: The man was known for being extremely honest, even to the extent if revealing the help he needs “to get my bowels moving.”
On Happiness: His recipe for happiness requires simple ingredients such as good health, a good bank balance, one’s own home, an understanding companion, whether spouse or friend, not envying others, not gossiping, a hobby or two, spending 15 minutes every morning and evening for introspection and not losing one’s temper.
Solitude: the secret of longevity, according to Singh.
Singh also lets us in on his marriage, some aspects of his work, his regrets, worries, weaknesses and insecurities.
A lot of the topics were au courant in the India of the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s. Singh writes about the Gandhi family from Jawaharlal Nehru to Rahul Gandhi, about the British, the Partition, the 1984 riots, Sikhs, communalism, the 26 November 2008 terror attacks, religion, Urdu etc. He also writes about the two people he most admired: Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Teresa.
Some quotable quotes from the book:
Lawyers live off other people’s quarrels.
There’s no point writing if you’re not honest.
In this book, he expounds on his life in a no-holds-barred kind of way. The book contains short reflections on a range of topics such as:
On Being a Very Old Man: The man was known for being extremely honest, even to the extent if revealing the help he needs “to get my bowels moving.”
On Happiness: His recipe for happiness requires simple ingredients such as good health, a good bank balance, one’s own home, an understanding companion, whether spouse or friend, not envying others, not gossiping, a hobby or two, spending 15 minutes every morning and evening for introspection and not losing one’s temper.
Solitude: the secret of longevity, according to Singh.
Singh also lets us in on his marriage, some aspects of his work, his regrets, worries, weaknesses and insecurities.
A lot of the topics were au courant in the India of the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s. Singh writes about the Gandhi family from Jawaharlal Nehru to Rahul Gandhi, about the British, the Partition, the 1984 riots, Sikhs, communalism, the 26 November 2008 terror attacks, religion, Urdu etc. He also writes about the two people he most admired: Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Teresa.
Some quotable quotes from the book:
Lawyers live off other people’s quarrels.
There’s no point writing if you’re not honest.
September 23, 2023
Have you ever sat beside an old-experienced person and listened to their life story? This book feels the same. I was literally imagining the journey with him, experiencing the whole juggled path in his ways.
“Absolute Khushwant” is not exactly a memoir, but tribute to his own thoughts throughout his life. You can totally feel the real Khushwant Singh, explaining his ideologies, memories, emotions, work ethics and a lot more masala. He started with very subtle topics about his first love, sex, marriage and regrets. And then continued with broader topics like politics, writing career, partition, communism, his native land Pakistan, religions, and his love for Urdu language. He patiently explained about the taboo topic of death too.
I am not saying I agreed with everything he told or believed, but I felt like I was listening to someone's perception of living a grand life. I have not even lived half of what he survived. But I am looking forward to doing so many experiments and adventures.
I recommend everyone to read this book, not to change any of your perception towards life but to embrace what you believe and carry on your legacy the way you like it.
“Absolute Khushwant” is not exactly a memoir, but tribute to his own thoughts throughout his life. You can totally feel the real Khushwant Singh, explaining his ideologies, memories, emotions, work ethics and a lot more masala. He started with very subtle topics about his first love, sex, marriage and regrets. And then continued with broader topics like politics, writing career, partition, communism, his native land Pakistan, religions, and his love for Urdu language. He patiently explained about the taboo topic of death too.
I am not saying I agreed with everything he told or believed, but I felt like I was listening to someone's perception of living a grand life. I have not even lived half of what he survived. But I am looking forward to doing so many experiments and adventures.
I recommend everyone to read this book, not to change any of your perception towards life but to embrace what you believe and carry on your legacy the way you like it.
July 8, 2021
I have heard so much about Kushwant Singh and his books, especially Train to Pakistan, that has been in my TBR for the longest time, but somehow this book of his found me first. Oh! what a prolific writer. His clarity of thought is so evident in the writing style. What I liked most is that he hasn't tried once to be fancy with his writing. Everything has been conveyed in a simple straightforward language and yet it oozes sophistication which portrays how good of a writer he was.
Now coming to the book, it was a light read where Khuswant Singh has talked about almost all aspects of his life from family, love, work to politics, communalism, etc. It is a good book to know about the writer's life. As a writer, I am inspired and awed by him but as a reader of this book, there are so many of his viewpoints that I do not agree with. I would still encourage you to read this book because it captures historical events (though briefly) that have changed the face of India as a country.
I am now looking forward to reading more of his work and if possible finding out his newspaper columns which he has mentioned several times in this book.
Now coming to the book, it was a light read where Khuswant Singh has talked about almost all aspects of his life from family, love, work to politics, communalism, etc. It is a good book to know about the writer's life. As a writer, I am inspired and awed by him but as a reader of this book, there are so many of his viewpoints that I do not agree with. I would still encourage you to read this book because it captures historical events (though briefly) that have changed the face of India as a country.
I am now looking forward to reading more of his work and if possible finding out his newspaper columns which he has mentioned several times in this book.
August 29, 2017
This is my first book by Khushwant Singh. I have not read any of his works, not even his weekly columns which used to get published in some Indian newspapers. But the rawness with which he pens his thoughts just holds you till the last word. This simplicity and frankness always touch your heart even if you disagree with his views.
Overall a good read. I liked his style, the rawness of thoughts, no sugar coating and being straightforward. Now I am looking forward to reading more of his work. I would rate it 3.5/5. I would recommend you this book if you are interested in non-fiction short writings.
Overall a good read. I liked his style, the rawness of thoughts, no sugar coating and being straightforward. Now I am looking forward to reading more of his work. I would rate it 3.5/5. I would recommend you this book if you are interested in non-fiction short writings.
July 16, 2019
This is one straight on honest, no-nonsense journal like book from author Khushwant singh where he described in his typical 'devil may care' attitude, his take on life, love friendship, sex, politics and such things in brief few pages each. I liked his tagline particularly 'It doesn't matter, I don't give a damn' to keep calm over mundane irksome matters trying to disturb the mind. Why, it's right as we live only once & we have to make it count to our soul. 3 or 3.5 stars for its sweet simplicity.
February 20, 2023
The book comprises of commentary dictated to Mumra Quraishi credited on the cover, so they are not really articles as such by Khuswant Singh. But they are his views alright and he has said this before in as many words in articles elsewhere. But always fun to read, no less. It wasn't a waste of time, but considering there was so little of it it is a really thin volume, if volume is the word I am looking for, I'll give it just 3 stars. And also, it is a bit of a rehash. Nothing new here to speak of.
February 20, 2023
The book comprises of commentary dictated to Mumra Quraishi credited on the cover, so they are not really articles as such by Khuswant Singh. But they are his views alright and he has said this before in as many words in articles elsewhere. But always fun to read, no less. It wasn't a waste of time, but considering there was so little of it it is a really thin volume, if volume is the word I am looking for, I'll give it just 3 stars. And also, it is a bit of a rehash. Nothing new here to speak of.
April 24, 2022
Khushwant Singh is and probably will be one of the best India has ever seen.
The only reason behind that is because he is truthful - he doesn’t even spare himself when he’s writing the truth (well, let’s say only a little bit).
I couldn’t agree to his political inclination and I feel his views were biased in that regard but apart from that, the book is really good to look at from the author’s perspective.
As always, he baree it all for his readers.
The only reason behind that is because he is truthful - he doesn’t even spare himself when he’s writing the truth (well, let’s say only a little bit).
I couldn’t agree to his political inclination and I feel his views were biased in that regard but apart from that, the book is really good to look at from the author’s perspective.
As always, he baree it all for his readers.
August 10, 2019
The book is okay, The book is all about the experience of khushwant from the starting.
Even he has left his job because to become the author and he actually did it. Few last pages are felt bored because the history things has written in the book.
He has written everything true, neither he molds the sentences, just shared his experience.
Even he has left his job because to become the author and he actually did it. Few last pages are felt bored because the history things has written in the book.
He has written everything true, neither he molds the sentences, just shared his experience.
June 7, 2024
One of my favourite authors whose books I thoroughly relish for the way he describes life during the early years of independence & through the formative years of India.
One thing I have observed about Khushwant is by being against so much of religious fundamentalism, he became a Fundoo (his own words for fundamentalist) for fighting against them.
One thing I have observed about Khushwant is by being against so much of religious fundamentalism, he became a Fundoo (his own words for fundamentalist) for fighting against them.
February 13, 2025
Light, fun and short read about a man who saw it all from close quarters. Khushwant Singh has a lot to share but this book seems almost like a prologue to reading some of his actual works since the chapters almost read like musings and not full fledged arguments or descriptions, almost stopping short of revealing more.
Or perhaps that’s just my reading of it.
Or perhaps that’s just my reading of it.
August 29, 2021
This was my first book by Khushwant Singh and I liked it. A small book of short essays, it allows you a peek into his writing style, his ideas and thoughts on diverse subjects, making it a good 'first book' for a reader wanting to explore Singh's work.
I am surely reading more of Khushwant Singh.
I am surely reading more of Khushwant Singh.
November 6, 2018
It’s a lite read. I wanted to order his autobiography but instead picked this one. It summarises all about Kushwant in his own words.
March 14, 2020
I love his writings.
December 22, 2020
A very honest take on his life, love and politics.
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