Dangling Gandhi is a series of 12 short stories written by Jayanthi Sankar about people living in Singapore, India, and Asia. Each character has a different goal or belief. Many of these stories take place during colonial times. Struggling for independence during a time where not many women had a voice. Told from several different points of view, Dangling Gandhi gives readers a look at how different people live their unique lives. The title story has the metaphor both in the title and the story.

Each of the stories has a different tone and theme. This book of short stories is an inspiring read that, although some stories are more engaging than others, they all taught me more about how people live their lives in countries in Asian, such as India and Singapore.

I like the way in which Jayanthi writes passages with deep prolific language that immediately hooks readers into the story. One of the themes that were prominent was perseverance. My advice to readers while reading Dangling Gandhi is to read it slowly and with an open mind. The story left a deep impression on me most especially the chapter ‘Did Churchill Know?’ How we react in tough situations says a lot about who we are. I have not stopped to think about my own reactions in situations for a while now and this section opened up my mind.

The title immediately attracted my attention before I started reading. The whole message behind the title of the book is that life won’t always go the way that you expected it to. You have to look at life upside down which is what happens most of the time.

I would recommend this story to those who have started studying culture in school. Dangling Gandhi by Jayanthi Sanker is a stirring read that will educate and inspire you.

Pages: 317 | ISBN: 9388860039