Blog Archives
Musings of Mannarkoil Professor: Now and then here and there
Musings of Mannarkoil Professor is a delightful collection of autobiographical essays by G. Srinivasan, a retired academic who traces his journey from a temple village in Tamil Nadu to a fulfilling professional life in Canada. The book skips across time and place with warmth, humor, and surprising insight, offering personal tales that touch on family, education, cultural identity, and the everyday absurdities of life. From playful musings on spelling and name pronunciation to deeply rooted reflections on migration and belonging, Srinivasan stitches together a life story that feels both intimate and quietly epic.
Reading this book felt like chatting with a wise, well-traveled friend who always has something interesting to say. The author’s recounting of being mistakenly addressed as everything from “Spinivasan” to “Scinivasan,” a result of bureaucratic misinterpretations of South Indian naming conventions, was both humorous and revealing. These anecdotes not only elicited genuine laughter but also prompted reflection on how names encapsulate identity, geography, personal history, and the enduring influence of colonial languages. Particularly memorable was his wry response to those inquiring about the pronunciation of his name: “Please don’t. I am alive.” It is uncommon to encounter a writer who so seamlessly blends self-deprecating wit with insightful commentary.
The childhood recollections are rendered with a poignant nostalgia that remains measured and never overly sentimental. The vividness of his descriptions evokes a tactile sense of the era; one can almost feel the cool surface of a slate or hear the distinctive tickticki of the itinerant barber’s clippers. His attention to detail, whether it is feeding pencil shavings to a peacock feather or applying ivy gourd leaves to a slate for their supposed medicinal properties, imbues everyday moments with remarkable vitality. These memories are layered with emotional nuance, effortlessly shifting the reader from quiet amusement to unexpected poignancy. His account of his mother calmly examining a cracked slate and pronouncing it fit for another year of use encapsulates both the affectionate pragmatism and quiet discipline that characterize life in a large, traditional Indian household.
What stood out most to me was how the author seamlessly connects the dots between the personal and the cultural, especially in the later chapters. His story about selling used notebooks to sweet vendors and then getting those same pages back as food wrappers was not just funny, it was such a vivid snapshot of frugality, circular economy, and childhood ingenuity in small-town India. An intimate knowledge of Tamil Nadu is by no means a prerequisite to appreciating his narrative. His storytelling possesses a rare generosity, inviting and inclusive, it resonates across cultural boundaries.
Musings of Mannarkoil Professor is a lovely, gently funny, and surprisingly profound read. It’s perfect for anyone who enjoys memoirs, especially those filled with culture, wit, and old-school charm. If you’ve ever migrated, struggled to explain your name, or just reminisced about the weird tools of your schooldays, this book is for you. I’d especially recommend it to diaspora readers and South Asians of all ages. Anyone with an appreciation for well-crafted narratives imbued with warmth and humor will find much to admire in this work. Though now retired, the professor’s storytelling remains as compelling and incisive as ever.
Pages: 161 | ASIN : B0F757C98J
Multilingual Connectors
Daisy Wu’s Multilingual Connectors is a heartfelt and eye-opening guide for non-native English speakers who want to thrive, not just survive, in multicultural settings. Blending personal experience with practical advice, Wu proposes a bold idea: that language proficiency is not the ultimate barrier to connection. Instead, mastering communication essentials, understanding human psychology, and developing self-awareness are far more crucial. Through her Multilingual Connectors (MLC) Framework, she lays out 12 game-changing principles to help others bridge cultural divides and build authentic relationships without chasing the mirage of “perfect English.”
Reading this book felt like sitting down for an honest, late-night talk with a friend who’s been through it all and figured some stuff out. Wu doesn’t sugarcoat anything. She talks openly about the insecurity, self-doubt, and exhaustion of constantly trying to sound native. She writes, “Life didn’t become better even when my English was better,” a statement that struck me with particular force. It is this level of vulnerability that lends the book its depth and emotional resonance. She describes rehearsing English lines alone in the shower and still feeling excluded in meetings despite her fluency. It made me reflect on the emotional cost of fitting in and the invisible weight of trying to sound like someone you’re not.
What stood out most was how Wu reframes language itself. Instead of idolizing flawless grammar, she zooms in on connection, making people feel seen, heard, and understood. The idea that “connection is a function of value” felt like a lightbulb moment. She reminds us that being relatable, warm, and real matters more than sounding polished. In fact, some of the most influential people she met didn’t speak perfect English, but they knew how to connect on a human level. Her emphasis on likeability, friendliness, relevance, empathy, and realness makes communication feel attainable rather than intimidating.
I found the book’s emphasis on inner development particularly compelling. Wu persuasively argues that “your connections are only as good as you,” positioning self-awareness, confidence, and emotional resilience as more critical than linguistic accuracy alone. Her assertion that “you don’t need to be 100% to give 100%” was especially impactful, prompting reflection on the many moments I hesitated to engage, waiting to feel more fluent or prepared. Rather than merely offering communication strategies, this book fosters a profound shift in perspective, encouraging readers to confront fear, embrace authenticity, and recognize their cultural identity as a strength rather than a hindrance.
Multilingual Connectors is a must-read for international students, immigrants, or really anyone navigating life in a second language. It’s uplifting, honest, and filled with practical takeaways. Wu isn’t just offering a framework; she’s offering hope and a much-needed reminder that connection doesn’t require perfection. If you’ve ever felt not good enough because of your accent or fluency, this book will feel like a warm, encouraging hand on your shoulder. It certainly did for me.
Pages: 268 | ISBN : 0645569186
There’s No Filter
Nirvana Express: Journal of a Very Brief Monkhood shares your exsperances of deciding at almost 50 years old to visit Thailand and enter a Buddhist monastery. Why was this an important book for you to write?
I am most well-known as a novelist, and my stories are set in disparate planets, or distant periods in history. I try to create or reimagine these worlds as clearly as possible, yet there are those who try to understand my work through the “biographical approach” — difficult because I’ve never been an alien, or a gender-transition slave in ancient Rome, or a civil war zombie. I still have to pull out these characters from the deepest parts of my own psyche.
I thought, for a change, I’d tell some of my own story. I’ve selected five or six things I’ve done that could be interesting to my readers. My time as a Buddhist monk was one of those things. To my surprise, Nirvana Express has been a popular book though I am not sure that its audience has much crossover with the fans of my science fiction and horror novels.
But, it’s rare for someone to undergo this experience, yet be articulate enough in any western language to be able to explain what it’s really like to people in western cultures. It’s also rare to do this while already having passed through many of life’s adventures, because becoming a monk in Thai culture is usually something that happens on the brink of adulthood, not when one is already mature. That’s why I decided to do the book.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
As a bicultural person, I spend a lot of time explaining people’s viewpoints to each other. But in this book I’m talking about a time in which I learned many things that people who have grown up in Thailand take for granted. I never experienced these things first hand and to me many commonplace things evoked a sense of wonder. I wanted to share this.
I appreciated the candid nature with which you told your story. What was the hardest thing for you to write about?
In novels, one also writes about oneself in a way — but not directly. You’re digging things out of hidden corners of your psyche and bringing them into the foreground. You’re saying “what if” a lot, because you know that you are not your characters. In a memoir like this, there’s no filter, and readers always know if you’re not telling the truth. So yes, it’s always hard. In real life, you try to hide the blemishes, but a book like this is about the blemishes in a sense.
What is one thing you hope readers take away from your story?
Perspectives. Even in late middle age, I was seeing the world from a viewpoint I hadn’t really thought about. I wanted to share not just how different and alien this inner world seems, but also how universal the truths that I learned were and how they applied even in a life far removed from meditation and contemplation. Buddhism isn’t a “religion” if you define a religion as an organized system of relationships with a supreme being or beings, because there’s nothing being “worshipped” as such. Sometimes its view of reality is closer to that of, say, quantum physicists. At the same time, Buddhism doesn’t reject the idea of religion. What I learned most is that sometimes taking a break from the real world can help you embrace the real world with deeper tolerance, understanding and enthusiasm.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
Novelist, composer and conductor Somtow Sucharitkul (who writes books under the name S.P. Somtow) had an extraordinary epiphany while driving downthe California coast.
At almost 50 years of age, having spent very little time in his native Thailand, Somtow was seized by an overwhelming desire to enter a Buddhist monastery.
This is the story of that journey, full of surprises, culture shock, discoveries, humor and spirituality!
Visions, dreams, comedy, philosophy, wisdom and superstition mingle in an unforgettable fusion.
Join the journey and discover your inner spirituality, by ordering your copy of Nirvana Express, today!
Nirvana Express
In Nirvana Express, author S.P. Somtow embarks on a highly personal journey, recounting his transformational experience of becoming a monk in Thailand. This special edition is poignantly dedicated to his father’s memory, who passed away in May 2023 and had himself been a monk at Wat Somanas.
Unlike his father, who was steeped in the traditions of Buddhism and the Pali language, Somtow was relatively unfamiliar with both the spiritual philosophy and the Thai culture when he made the seemingly impulsive decision to follow in his father’s footsteps. What emerges from this backdrop is a rich narrative detailing his daily life and duties in the monastery. From the solemnity of an Ordination Ritual to the humble act of carrying a begging bowl, from learning the art of detachment to the discipline of meditation, Nirvana Express provides a vivid glimpse into monastic life.
I approached Nirvana Express with both eagerness and anticipation, driven by my own fascination with spirituality and philosophy that has developed over the past few years. The idea of becoming a monk had long intrigued me, and I found in Somtow’s work a kindred spirit. Far from disappointing, this book is a comprehensive and enlightening guide to the physical environment, practices, and contemplative depths of monastic existence.
Somtow’s prose is both poetic and evocative, weaving sensational descriptions that stimulate the senses and the mind. Sentences like “Coruscating, scintillant rainbow rivers spiral and twist and whirl” left me enraptured, feeling almost as though I was floating through a dreamlike landscape.
Beyond the aesthetic beauty of his writing, Somtow’s intellectual depth shines through. His insightful perspectives on the contrasts between Buddhism and what he identifies as “the world’s great religions” mark him as both a deep thinker and a well-read individual. His contemplations on the synergy between Buddhism and modern scientific principles, such as the Third Law of Thermodynamics, added further intrigue.
The author’s voice resonates clearly throughout the text, creating an intimate connection with the reader. As Somtow explores one monastic practice after another, he candidly shares his emotions and reflections, allowing us to accompany him on this profound spiritual journey.
Nirvana Express is more than a detailed account of one man’s quest to become a monk. It is an engaging discourse on Buddhism, emphasizing the universal values of compassion and acceptance. Whether you’re a seeker on the spiritual path or simply curious about the monastic life, this book offers a memorable, engrossing, and thought-provoking read that promises to stay with you long after you turn the last page.
Pages: 245 | ASIN : B07GC889CG
The Dance Towards Death
The Dance Towards Death, by Tejas Desai, is the third volume of The Brotherhood Chronicle. It narrates the story of some of the survivors in a criminal world. Among them, there’s the former private investigator Niral that is involved in drug affairs, and policeman Nat who’s looking for his son after having abandoned him and trying to understand what’s behind his parents’ death. Even being the third book in the series, it stands alone, and readers are given enough background in the opening chapters to not feel lost in this action-packed conclusion to the series.
Desai writes in a descriptive manner, taking readers to Thailand, India, Chiang Mai, and Queens, New York. Readers will experience the dramatically different cultures and ways of life from the images that Desai creates with his words. While experiencing the diverse cultures of the world, readers are given plot twists and suspense as the characters go through their thrilling adventures seeking to solve their own mysteries that have caused their lives to intertwine.
I really appreciated the insight into different cultures and religions, primarily focusing on different characters and their backgrounds from chapter to chapter. There are different stories that take place in different parts of the world, but they’re all interconnected. The respectful nature that Desai treated the different cultures and religions that he writes about is commendable.
The character’s backgrounds, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islamism, are integrated into the storyline rather than just thrown out as information that may otherwise feel out of place. This is important to show a clash of cultures. We also get to see significant social problems such as racism and homophobia. In addition to that, many Indian, Thai, Australian and American terms are frequently used, making it feel more authentic. Still, readers won’t be lost in translation as at the end of the book, there’s a glossary with all the necessary terms.
This action-filled novel will take some time to experience all the characters’ journeys and follow them on their search for freedom or for relatives. However, in my opinion, the most meaningful point of this novel is the focus on what the characters find along their path, not necessarily what they’re looking for.
The Dance Towards Death is a riveting novel that will have readers in suspense as the characters navigate the thrilling adventures around the world. Readers looking for an authentic experience with different religions and cultures will find this crime thriller the perfect escape.
Pages: 417 | ASIN : B08BBGKHJX
Ninety-Nine Fire Hoops: A Memoir
![Ninety-Nine Fire Hoops: A Memoir by [Allison Hong Merrill]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41UneJfY3JL.jpg)
Ninety-Nine Fire Hoops: A Memoir by Allison Hong Merrill is a brutally honest, self-deprecating, and intimate account of the events in the narrator’s life. Allison is a young bride who is deceitfully abandoned by her husband of 16 months, Cameron Chastain. Without family members or friends to depend on for help, she is alone without much knowledge of the local language. Allison is a lonely mess, betrayed and cold. Will she be able to find peace or solace? Will she make it in the ruthless world?
Merrill writes with intensity and simplicity; you cannot remain untouched. She expresses her deepest pain in candid words. Her memoir is raw and ruthlessly sincere. As a little girl, she is unbroken even after multiple torments; she fights with an invincible spirit and has incredible internal strength. You cannot help but admire the lost, fragile but hopeful girl who is desperate to find love and acceptance.
This memoir is not a fairy tale or feel-good type, but I found it to still be empowering and ultimately uplifting. Due to her Toxic childhood and self-sabotaging behavior, Allison is not entirely flawless, as she points out, and she is not only abused by others but also by herself. While this is a memoir, I felt that Allison goes through a character arc, of the sort one would find in a contemporary coming of age story, but this one is much more emotional and vivid.
Another charming aspect of the book is the beautiful representation of Taiwanese culture and Chinese history. Extensive details of rituals and traditions feel exotic, and the patriotism feels relatable despite the lousy childhood. Facts are well placed and give historical and cultural depth to an otherwise character driven memoir. This book is a prime example of the quote by mark twain, “Truth is stranger than fiction, but it is because fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities; truth isn’t.”
Spirituality overshadows most of the writing, with preachy discourse and moralism filling most of the space, and in these parts the author attempts to justify her beliefs in sections that feel like sermons. This was an awe-inspiring story that falls just shy of being a tell all type memoir, but is still riveting nonetheless.
Ninety-Nine Fire Hoops: A Memoir is an enthralling and thought-provoking memoir that showcases the trials and triumphs of a fiercely strong and charismatic women in the face of adversity. This book is a strong example that speaks to women’s empowerment. Following an extraordinary life journey, this memoir will provide a glimpse at one Asian-American’s life and will appeal to anyone looking for an emotionally charged and meaningful true story.
Pages: 256 | ASIN: B08QZGQQMG
Forging Ahead and Letting Go
Love and Other Moods follows a young woman who has to start life over in a foreign country where she learns a lot more about life than she expected. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
Much like Naomi, I left the U.S. in my early twenties and moved to China, a country I had never stepped foot in. The move was initiated by a job, but later was motivated by romance. Both would go up in smoke after a short while. Although the novel is very much fictional, there are some elements that are inspired by real-life events.
Naomi is an intriguing and well-developed character. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
We meet Naomi when she is in her early twenties, having just left New York and is embarking on a new chapter of her life in an entirely foreign country. But the adventure is off to a rocky start when things don’t pan out as planned.
I think personal growth happens most often when we’re thrown out of our comfort zones and into unchartered waters. That’s what happens to Naomi. At the same time she’s adapting to her new environment, issues from her past continue to confront and haunt her. She struggles with juggling the balance between forging ahead and letting go of regrets. I think that’s something most of us can relate to.
The story explores the city of Shanghai as well as the different people and relationships Naomi has. Was there anything you pulled from your own life and put into the story?
Yes. This is very much an “own voices” story. After I moved to Shanghai, my grandfather revealed that his father had once lived in Shanghai as well, during the World War Two era. I myself had lived in China for nearly a decade, and had worked on projects for the 2007 Special Olympics in Shanghai, the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and the 2010 Shanghai World Expo.
Shanghai is one of the most fascinating cities I’ve ever been to, and I’ve traveled to over thirty countries. There are contrasts abound in every corner—east and west, old versus new, modern meets tradition. Every day I was meeting somebody interesting, from all walks of life, all corners of the globe. There was endless inspiration from the streets of Shanghai, from its inhabitants, architecture, cuisine, history, etc.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
My next book is a children’s book, and will be published sometime in 2021. My kids are very excited about this!
Author Links: GoodReads | Instagram | Amazon
Naomi Kita-Fan uproots her life from New York to China when her fiancé’s company transfers him to Shanghai. After a disastrous turn of events, Naomi finds herself with no job, no boyfriend, and nowhere to live in a foreign country.
Amidst the backdrop of Shanghai welcoming millions of workers and visitors to the 2010 World Expo, we meet a tapestry of characters through Naomi: Joss Kong, a Shanghai socialite who leads an enviable life, but must harbor the secrets of her husband, Tay Kai Tang. Logan Hayden, a womanizing restaurateur looking for love in all the wrong places. Pan Jinsung and Ouyang Zhangjie, a silver-aged couple struggling with adapting to the ever-changing faces of their city. Dante Ouyang, who had just returned to China after spending years overseas, must choose between being filial and being in love. All their dreams and aspirations interweave within the sprawling web of Shanghai.
This multilayered novel explores a kaleidoscope of shifting relationships——familial friction, amorous entanglements, volatile friendships——in one of the most dynamic metropolises of the twenty-first century.
A Rift That Lies Between Us
![A Rift That Lies Between Us: A Novel by [Nasiha Muna]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41c1fIy37wL.jpg)
A Rift That Lies Between Us is a coming of age story about love, tradition, race, and the impact of unlikely friendships. Farisa is an art-major, who escaped the pressures of her highly traditional Muslim family, by going to college out of state. This is where Farisa meets Caiden, a charming, but sometimes overly dramatic classmate who Farisa forms an unexpected friendship with. Despite their drastically different backgrounds often getting in the way, Farisa’s relationship with Caiden shifts something inside her that proves to be the exact push she needs to start living her life, for her and not just everyone else.
Following a coming of age story that starts in college and goes through early adulthood was refreshing in and of itself, but the fact that this novel also tackled the difficulties of first-generation kids growing up with the conflict of traditional family pressures, and more modern beliefs face was a delightful departure from the norm. Muna was able to bring us into the conflict and pressures of Farisa’s Muslim Bangladeshi-American family in a way that is accessible and eye-opening.
While Muna was able to give us a well-rounded view of Farisa’s family life and what that demanded of her, some of the attempts at representation seemed a bit forced. I’m all for more representation for minorities in books and media, but some of the lesser storylines about LGBTQ+ issues and mental health didn’t get the focus and the detail that it deserved and as a result didn’t feel as meaningful as it should have.
I was invested in Farisa’s life and her relationship with Caiden but the book could have used a bit more time to develop some of the other storylines that were brought in to have the impact they deserved to have on Farisa’s life, self-discovery, and beliefs.
Farisa and Caiden’s relationship and all the forms it took over the 8 years this novel covered provided a refreshing look at the evolution of how cultural differences can inform relationships, for better or worse, and the importance of finding your own voice before it’s too late.
I haven’t read a book in a long time that I couldn’t put down in the way that I couldn’t put A Rift That Lies Between Us down, I found myself giddy with excitement, devastatingly sad and completely engrossed in Farisa and Caiden’s story.
Pages: 278 | ASIN: B07T324W4L
LITERARY TITAN 