The Final Cut

A fascinating insight into bygone times: Pradip Chanda's memoirs are so much more than simply autobiographical. Glimpses of a post Partition Bengal, a Calcutta dealing with PTSD, and a childhood shaped by events beyond its ken - his experiences and perspectives offer us insights into an unknown and now almost forgotten world.

They are a peep into the Bombay and Delhi of the '60s and '70s with clubs, chummeries, bars, dances and a sprinkling of nonchalance. Preeti and he seemingly light heartedly navigated through happier, more easy-going times. The corporate shenanigans are gripping, as are the miniature travelogues, and vignettes of a young family in England.

A life well lived, loved, spent, with engrossing anecdotes of journeys to lands both far off and close by, makes for a beguiling tale. The Final Cut is much more than the sum of its many parts. This is a great read from a citizen of the world.

- Sheela Narayan