Anthology of short stories portrays life's ephemerality
New Delhi: Author Kannan Menon, who has written several novels, anthologies and children's books in Malayalam, has come out with a collection of short stories in English heeding to requests by his readers.
He says "Beyond the Golden Shower", his anthology of 13 stories, depicts the dreams and sorrows of middle-class Indians.
"These stories touch upon how social issues and values pervade our lives," Menon told PTI.
Menon has been publishing short stories and novels in Malayalam for a long time now. His readers and well-wishers had been encouraging him to have his work translated into English so that it reaches a wider audience.
"That was my motivation. On a very selfish level, I want my grandchildren, who unfortunately cannot read and write Malayalam, to be able to enjoy reading my work," he says about his book, which has been translated into English by P N Venugopal.
Menon, who has been living in and outside the US for the past 25 years, features several NRI characters in the stories in his book.
"My experience had made me realise that our worries and issues, which might seem dissimilar from the outside, are a common thread and we are battling the same demons irrespective of where we are. Drawing from my own experiences, I decided to feature NRI characters in this anthology," he says.
Menon is the founding general secretary of the Kerala State General Insurance Employees Union and has written four novels, six anthologies of short stories, four children's books and one collected works.
To him, all of his books are distinct since they are a reflection of something he has experienced or seen at a juncture in his life.
"This particular anthology is, however, special to me as it covers an array of themes which mirror the reality of many among us. It is also different from my other works because it is in English," he says.
Menon also praises the translation work by Venugopal, saying "he has made sure that the soul of each story was preserved."
One day, life takes a turn and the familiar becomes an indelible memory. A Malayali leaves his land of golden shower trees and tries to find out what lies beyond. The official state flower of Kerala, its vibrant petals remind him of his home and the bonds he had forged. The characters' resilience makes them akin to this tree's sturdiness to withstand varying temperatures.
The commonality in each of the characters is that they all wait somewhere - to see a luminous shower of happiness they yearn for.
The stories in the book portray life's ephemerality like the nature of the golden shower tree - to shed its flowers and leaves.
