6 reviews for Wise And Otherwise
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Wise And Otherwise
by Sudha Murty
Description:
A man dumps his aged father in an old-age home after declaring him to be a homeless stranger, a tribal chief in the Sahyadri hills teaches the author that there is humility in receiving too, and a sick woman remembers to thank her benefactor even from her deathbed. These are just some of the poignant and eye opening stories about people from all over the country that Sudha Murty recounts in this book. From incredible examples of generosity to the meanest acts one can expect from men and women, she records everything with wry humour and a directness that touches the heart. First published in 2002, Wise and Otherwise has sold over 30,000 copies in English and has been translated into all the major Indian languages. This revised new edition is sure to charm many more readers and encourage them to explore their inner selves and the world around us with new eyes.
About The Author
Sudha Murthy (also spelled Murty; on 19 August 1950) is an Indian social worker and writer in Kannada and English.
Murthy began her professional career as a computer scientist and engineer. She is the chairperson of the Infosys Foundation and a member of public health care initiatives of the Gates Foundation. She has founded several orphanages, participated in rural development efforts, supported the movement to provide all Karnataka government schools with computer and library facilities, and established the ‘The Murty Classical Library of India’ at Harvard University. Murthy initiated a bold move to introduce computer and library facilities in all schools in Karnataka & taught computer science. She got best teacher award in 1995 from Rotary Club at Banglore. Murthy is best known for her social work and her plethora of stories. Dollar Sose (English: Dollar Daughter-in-Law), a novel originally authored by her in Kannada and later translated into English as Dollar Bahu, was adapted as a televised dramatic series by Zee TV in 2001] Murthy .has also acted in Marathi film Pitruroon and Kannada film Prarthana.
Skryf Review
“Excellent Reading”
Sejal
I read this book when I was going through yet another mental crisis. And needless to say, so many knots in my head opened up so quickly once I finished it. The sheer passion with which Sudha Murty has composed each story is remarkable. Moreover, she does not want to show herself as a saint or yet another achiever out to help people. She talks to you, me and so many of us – to never stop introspecting and interacting with life. The stories in this book could be anyone’s, for that matter. But reading them made me realise a lot, and feel humbler. At the risk of sounding cliched, I’m truly grateful to the author for that.
Naman
I picked this book thinking what might it reveal and in the end I was awed that I chose this one to read. Kudos to the author for giving such a script to the readers. The most I liked about is the elegance and simpleness in writing. A book of 50 odd short stories of real life experiences of the author which has enough power to tease one’s heart and at least one fable will have close resemblance to our own character. A must read one to all
Abbas
I agree with each word, experience shared by Ms. Sudha Murthy. This was the first time I read her book. It is truly amazing. Each story will touch the chords of your heart. Along with that It will motivate you to help those needy people. It will teach you that there is still innocence, love and sympathy left in us. Looking forward to her books!!
Tisha
Wise and Otherwise: A Salute to Life is a collection of fifty one short stories baed on the real life experiences of Mrs Sudha Murthy. As the Chairperson of the Infosys Foundation, she has come across many types of people in her office as well as while travelling during the course of her work. Each story covers a facet of human nature and has something to tell. Her dedication states “For the ‘shirtless people of India’ who have taught me so much about my country”. She writes about the misuse of the telephone by the kids, about the biased nature of a lady when it concerns her daughter and daughter in law, about how people took advantage of an earthquake to set up house, about how a poor fisher boy contributes whatever he can for his family. She talks about how money can change the relationship between a husband and wife and about the different ways in which people look at life. In the last story she has mentioned about how different people express their gratitude; some say thank you and some do not even acknowledge you.
Pooja
Hats off to Mrs. Sudha Murthy for her philanthropic deeds. It requires special mention even before reviewing the book!Frankly speaking the book was a change from the stereotype books of fiction and its ante! Gracefully written, the book is about Mrs. Murthy’s experiences while doing her work as a social worker. Most of the stories are reflective, and many contain comparative studies. Both are excellent.Though written by a female author and containing details of outlook according to a feminine mindset (example: color of saree, bangles! even girly gossip at places), the book contains “it” to engross even the macho-est of men! Witty, truthful and vibrant.A 5 out of 5 for perfect content for a book in the “lifestyle” shelf.