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A review by _askthebookbug
The Magic Drum And Other Favourite Stories by Sudha Murty
5.0
• r e c o m m e n d a t i o n •
I often turn to Sudha Murty's books when I'm in a reading slump or just to cheer myself up. And it always works. This particular collection of folktales took me back to the days when I was a child, spending my summer holidays with Panchatantra. This book consists of previously told popular folktales written by others and told for generations along with new ones penned by Sudha Murty, each unique in its own way. They revolve around morals, urging people to be and do good with an occasional one or two stories of mischief. You needn't be a kid to read these and that has always been the beauty of her books. The language is so simple yet leaves no room for complaints but in fact makes you go back for more. Her humbleness reflects in her writing, making it impossible not to like them. This one too was one such book.
The Magic Drum and Other Favourite Stories is a collection of 37 folktales, each different than the other. At the very beginning, Sudha Murty tells the readers how she chose not to include any stories of Gods and animals, removing the supernatural aspect that they carry but to bring those stories together in which people who are in trouble cleverly extricate themselves by wit. There are stories of how rich cheat the poor but end up with their plans backfired. Tales of good Samaritans stepping in to dictate justice, ministers of Kings chosen for their sharp minds, princesses finding their match in clever and ordinary men; these enjoyable narratives were wonderful to read. This book comes as a reminder that even though material wealth is volatile, knowledge is something that invariably stays.
I often turn to Sudha Murty's books when I'm in a reading slump or just to cheer myself up. And it always works. This particular collection of folktales took me back to the days when I was a child, spending my summer holidays with Panchatantra. This book consists of previously told popular folktales written by others and told for generations along with new ones penned by Sudha Murty, each unique in its own way. They revolve around morals, urging people to be and do good with an occasional one or two stories of mischief. You needn't be a kid to read these and that has always been the beauty of her books. The language is so simple yet leaves no room for complaints but in fact makes you go back for more. Her humbleness reflects in her writing, making it impossible not to like them. This one too was one such book.
The Magic Drum and Other Favourite Stories is a collection of 37 folktales, each different than the other. At the very beginning, Sudha Murty tells the readers how she chose not to include any stories of Gods and animals, removing the supernatural aspect that they carry but to bring those stories together in which people who are in trouble cleverly extricate themselves by wit. There are stories of how rich cheat the poor but end up with their plans backfired. Tales of good Samaritans stepping in to dictate justice, ministers of Kings chosen for their sharp minds, princesses finding their match in clever and ordinary men; these enjoyable narratives were wonderful to read. This book comes as a reminder that even though material wealth is volatile, knowledge is something that invariably stays.