Genre : Non-fiction
Binding : Paperback (6″ x 9″)
Pages : 167 pages
Published : 2021
ISBN: 978-81-952978-3-2
Available on Amazon India | US | UK | Germany | France | Spain | Italy | Netherlands | Poland | Sweden | Japan | Canada | Australia
Reflections and Stray Thoughts is a recall of stories of the bygone era, especially of the period 1930-1980. It connects people from films, music and sports, whose outstanding work in their profession still gives the author, HQ Chowdhury, the ‘elixir of life’.
Anecdotes and narratives published earlier in the popular dailies of Bangladesh under the captions — ‘Of People and Ideas’, ‘Of Men, Music and Movies’, ‘Music Musings’ and in recent years, ‘At My Wits’ End’ in Facebook, have been bundled in the book.
The musings are based on the author’s personal experiences with celebrities, books of renowned authors and extracts of anecdotes and stories told by old timers who loved to engage in “adda” with young folks in coffee houses and restaurants.
A must for baby boomers from the author of the best seller Incomparable Sachin Dev Burman.
Cover Photograph Courtesy: TJ Natarajan
AUTHOR’S NOTE:
Most baby boomers of the sub-continent loved music, and cherished
movies and sports too. Today, there should be an opportunity for
revisiting the “Old Golds”. The powerful line by Alfred Tennyson, “The
old order changeth yielding place to new”, is for them a misnomer.
Reflections and Stray Thoughts is an anthology of articles on music,
movies and sports of the 1930-1980 time frame with sneak peeks at
events around the world. Growing restless with city life, I developed a
fascination for recalling good old days of entertainment to present a
treasure trove of what it was like in the past for the new generation and
also salute those who brought joy to a baby boomer like me.
Certainly “light reading”, the book is not for the “thinking readers”
but an attempt to ease away a boring afternoon or the uneasiness of
traveling alone.
Book Review of Reflections and Stray Thoughts by Raza Ali (Canada)
Suman –
A Mosaic CompositionMy dear HQ,
Only last night I finished reading your recent book titled ‘ Reflections and Stray Thoughts’. As usual the book is a very endearing read. I am so delighted with the book that I am airing my views pronto/immediately.
The book is a mosaic composition containing 40-odd diverse yet interesting adorable subjects ( as you have mentioned in the introduction). Most endearing to me were the pieces on the persons very close to my heart – Dev Anand, Suchitra Sen – Mrs. Sen, SD Burman, some composers like Sajjad Hussain, Madan Mohan et others, Bangladeshi composer, Robin Ghosh, Bengali singers in Bombay etc and last but not the least ‘ your guru- Kabir who was an awesome character.
You have very interestingly and eloquently narrated many amusing and also some nit bits about them which make the reading even more refreshing.
An unputdownable book with an well crafted and beautifully designed cover page, ‘Reflections and Stray Thoughts’ is a light read with subjects close to our hearts and will surely entertain and amuse readers immensely. We wish all success and wide circulation of the book. With best wishes and warm regards,
Dr. Syed Nasrullah, Dhaka