Floating Logs : A Historical Romance Author of "Rano and Phulo"

by Shukla Lal

The floating logs move on and thus moving reach their destination, in singles or pairs, in their own time, at their own pace, to their own destiny, in their own way.

He was Meher, beneficence, to his kin, himself, to society at large, rising from his tiny idyllic world, designed by his destiny.

And ringing in the hours, the sentinel of time, is the Clock Tower, in the New Market of Calcutta (now Kolkata), the noble city. The twentieth century has dropped away. He has rung the gong of the twenty first century. The present is irrevocably being wrapped up as past, in the folds of time.

304 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 4, 2018

About the author

Shukla spent her childhood in the folds of a close knit Punjabi family from Amritsar. Her father’s transferable job, took her family to Lahore. After a fortuitous escape from the troubles of Partition, her father’s postings gave her a Bharat Darshan, before eventually reaching Calcutta (now Kolkata) during its neo Independence heydays.

After a schooling in Amritsar, Madras (now Chennai) and Ooty, Shukla completed her BA, BT (now B. Ed) from Loreto College, Calcutta and then promptly found the love of her life and got busy with raising a family. Her life’s mission is teaching and care giving for children with special needs.

Joyful wit and multilingual expressiveness is a family trait Shukla (now 81) inherited from her parents and shares with her accomplished siblings.

Her choice of stories and writing style could best be understood from her own words “I am a romantic and an idealist by nature and find true romance scattered everywhere irrespective of class, creed, religion, nationality or age”

Reviews

[Neerja · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good historical romance which will keep you entertained till last. It's a story about the generation of an Indian family post-partition. It reflects on the life of Meher, the protagonist as he is a kid to the life of when he grows old. The story is set in Calcutta (now Kolkata) and throws light on the high class society. I liked the story because the characters were quite likeable to me. It is a clean romantic story with not just romance but also a story that revolves around the characters. For me it's a thumbs up.

[Roshni · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book because I heard that the author was a debutante author at 80. I wasn't sure what to expect but I am very happy to say that I made a good purchase.

The story is set in Calcutta India and in Amsterdam and in London. It's about Meher, a man who follows his heart and falls in love and grows as he learns what it means to love and be loved. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a good romance to curl up in.

What is beautiful about this book is that it's not just about a person or two people but about life and the many faces of love. It is also about Calcutta a lovely city in India.

[Trina Mukherjee · Rating 4 out of 5]

For those who are still hoping and dreaming and thinking of penning their stories one day, the sprightly 80-year-old author's work can provide the much needed push. For those who live or have lived in Kolkata at some point of time, the book paints a pretty picture of the city in the 50s and 60s..

[Mayuri Kapoor]

I read the other book 'Rano & Phulo' by the author. The story has the backdrop of the India at the time of partition. It is soul rendering to read the awful situation which women had to face at the time. Very beautifully written .
The cover page, font - everything is just apt.
Now I will read floating Logs .