"These Tongues That Grow Roots" shows what empathy can do


One Lives on Hope...

History is omnipresent, even if we make it a habit of  "moving on with life." It seems easier to keep your head low, buried in sand, and avoid acknowledging conflicts and crisis situations. But history, the socio-political times that we live in, shape us knowingly or unknowingly. It has ways of creeping in, tip-toeing in the form of biases, prejudices that positions us in the social hierarchy and pushes us to take a stand.

How many of us are able to stand up for others, how many of us can change the course of river to what it rightfully was and how many of us can come to the aid of those who meant us no harm, and yet ended up paying a heavy price? Is it easier to rise above trauma and heal? It is; if we have empathy.

Sucharita Dutta-Asane's collection of short stories, These Tongues that Grow Roots, turns around the subjects of bleak headlines -- of war, naxalism, pandemic, lonely senior citizens, dying lakes, eve-teasing and feeling of being hunted -- with empathy. The 15 stories bring us face to face with all that's not perfect in our world. And, while we might flounder in accepting our role in the scheme of things, the author manages to show how we could set it right. These Tongues that Grow Roots knows its people well and that there could be hope, if we all hold on to a bit of warmth, love, compassion and courage.

Name: These Tongues that Grow Roots

Author: Sucharita Dutta-Asane

Publisher: Dhauli Books

Pages: 168

Price: Rs 395


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