Damage & Other Stories  (English, Paperback, Manco Poornima)

Are damaged people destined to inflict damage? A young boy sidelined for being different, an artist unable to distance herself from her past, a famed actress past her prime, a Casanova who plays women but is acutely aware of his loneliness. These are some, amongst the various tales of damaged people seeking escape, fulfilment or acceptance. Some long, some short, these sixteen stories have common themes of unhappy marriages; of secrets and lies, pleasure and guilt; of children letting down parents and vice versa; of women of a certain age, and whether or not they’ve still ‘got it’; of entitled and misogynistic men; and of the hypocrisy and double standards within Indian society. With original and unexpected angles, these tales explore the darkness that underpins the often ordinary lives of people. Thought-provoking, intense and evocative, these stories will transport you into the heart of India where tradition and modernity collide, often with devastating results.