When life takes a turn

The ordinary man stuck in extraordinary situations is the crux of author Anirban Bose's new book Mice in Men

The ordinary man stuck in extraordinary situations is the crux of author Anirban Bose's new book Mice in Men

Reading Anirban Bose's new book Mice in Men will almost make you feel that you are reading a film script. Every little detail comes alive as you read the book. A collection of ten short stories, the book is descriptive yet precise. Bose describes the daily struggles of human beings to nurture their strengths and overcome the weaknesses. The writing not only focuses on the body language of the characters but also peeps into their heart and soul. However, what he draws on most is his years of experience as a kidney specialist while looking for inspiration for his characters and the plot.

Mice in Men has characters who are simple but not shallow. Hailing from ordinary backgrounds, each tale starts with them having a predictable lifestyle but in the course of the story they touch you somewhere by doing something that brings out their qualities and strengths as human beings. Though there are parts where you see them faltering yet their effort to face life in an honest manner touches you. Though not a light read, Mice In Men is a sincere effort that chronicles human predicament.

In a conversation with The Guide, author Anirban Bose talks about mousy men, spirited mice and how his personal experiences as a doctor made it to this collection of short stories.

How and why did Mice In Men happen?
Mice in Men began as an effort to get over the writer's block I had run into while working on another novel after "Bombay Rains, Bombay Girls" was published. I had a short story in mind and began putting it down on paper. I really enjoyed the experience of writing a short story: it was so much more defined and disciplined with respect to where it began and ended. And so, before I knew it, I had penned down 10 stories and I sent them off to my editor in Harper Collins.u00a0

Why the name Mice in Men?
Mice in Men is a literal as well as metaphorical representation of our insecurities: our inability to deal with a lot of what we are afraid of, not because they are fearful, but because we think they are. It is the eponymous story and, in it, a man discovers his hidden strengths after he saves a mouse's life. As the injured mouse recovers and begins to thrive, the man draws inspiration from its fight to survive and it helps him overcome his own mousy nature. Initially I had titled it "Of Mice And Men" but then realised that there might be some issues with regard to John Steinbeck's book of the same name. Although Steinbeck himself had chosen the title from a Robert Burn poem and there are no similarities between my book and his, I thought it best to steer clear of any such potential problems.

How would you describe the book Mice in Men?
It is a collection of short stories... not really interconnected with each other. The stories range from a doctor's understanding of his prejudices at the time of his death to an old man discovering love while witnessing an extramarital affair. I suppose if there is one connection, it is the preponderance of "doctor" stories, or the fact that most of the protagonists have some sort of a medical issue or problem that they have to contend with. But most of the stories are about everyday happenings to ordinary people and yet there is something extraordinary about each of their experiences.u00a0

Mice in Men
Author: Anirban Bose
Publisher: Harper Collins
For: Rs 199 Pages 212

Excerpt, Mice In Men

>>On Monday morning when Basuri Lal opens the cupboard, he is surprised to discover that most of the batawada is gone and the water level in the container has dropped dramatically. He bends down to see that the mouse is staring back at him from one corner. It's crouching on its feet, its eyes twinkling as it stares at its saviour. It makes no attempt to move.
>>Basuri Lal reaches out gingerly. The mouse tries to scurry away but only manages to drag its stiff lower body a few inches with its limbs. Basuri Lal withdraws his hand. He spends a few minutes obsessing about his routine before running out to get some more batatawada.
>>He breaks them up and places them right next to the creature. The mouse sniffs at it uncertainly. Basuri Lal closes the cupboard door behind him carefully and returns to his seat. In the office, the events of Saturday and their fallout have reached higher levels.
>>Apparently the Post Office has been plagued by an infestation of vermin and has recruited the services of an exterminating company to rid themselves of the menace. Ms Sen is smarting from the experience and claiming post traumatic stress.
>>Predictably she finds a lot of sympathy amongst the young men in the office. Mr Mamunkar declares he has spent his Sunday on the internet, researching the most efficient ways to kill mice.
From Pages 43 and 44