Memories Of My Melancholy Whores-Book Review

Yet another brilliant book by the Novel prize winner Gabriel Garcia Marquez. I finished this novella in two hours straight.

The protagonist of this novella is a 90 year old journalist who decides to celebrate his ninetieth birthday with a virgin prostitute. The book showcases what happens when he falls in love with the girl. It is no ordinary love-a surreal, dream like love expressed in the darkness of the night in a small dingy room rented out for the night with the object of his affection sleeping peacefully. Novels are read, poetry recited, paintings exhibited, gifts showered-all while the girl sleeps and he relishes those precious hours at night.

It is the magic of his writing that brings the entire novel alive. The old man's hopes, desperation, desire, jealousy and passionate love are all portrayed beautifully. I don't have much more to say except that this is yet another literary gem that lingers in the heart long after you've finished reading it. 

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency-Review

This book was recommended by my doctor during my latest India trip.  'The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency' is a popular series written by Alexander McCall Smith. Based in Botswana, it is a story of a detective agency started by the protagonist Mme Precious Ramotswe.

Mme Ramotwe is a wise woman, proud to be an Africa and loves her country for all its natural beauty, history and traditions. She often comments on how things have changed compared to life during her childhood. Her remarks in the most simple words reflect profound truths and observations about life, living and love which touched my heart and made me wonder what magic the writer has weaved without using any flowery language!

The novel is a collection of the different cases Mme encounters and solves using her sharp mind and common sense. The cases vary from the common place to the sinister-missing husbands, abducted children, cheating doctors, fraud employees etc. It gives the readers an insight into life in Africa, the traditions, social structure, modernization and lifestyle in Botswana.

The novel paints a vivid picture of Mme's personal life starting from her father's experiences as a mine worker in South Africa, her childhood filled with nurture and care by her father's cousin, the unhappy wedding and the setting up and operation of the detective agency. This helps the readers to feel more connected to Mme Ramotswe as opposed to focusing on one single crime until its resolution-the usual style of most detective novels.

My most favorite line in the book is: He looked at her in the darkness, at this woman who was everything to him-mother, Africa, wisdom, understanding, good things to cat, pumpkins, chicken, the smell of sweet cattle breath, the white sky across the endless, endless bush, and the giraffe that cried, giving its tears for women to daub on their baskets; O Botswana, my country, my place.

I have bought a couple more books in the series and I'm very excited to enjoy the adventures of Mme Ramotswe.