Title: This Way Is Easier Dad
Author: Harimohan Paruvu
Publisher: Jaico
Pages: 266; Price: Rs 350
It’s true as they say about children — they speak their mind easily and clearly without any hesitation, no diplomacy and as honestly as they perceive life around them. Harimohan Paruvu’s banter with this daughter, Anjali through her formative years, is filled with beautiful nuggets of such innocent wisdom. The kind that is, more often than not, lost on adults thanks to years of conscious and unconscious programming of family, society, work and ideology.
Anjali, like any children her age is privy to the luxury of direct absorption of life, taking it as it comes, living in the moment. The anecdotes about her philosophies urge us break off the shackles and return to living life with simplicity and honest earnest. This Way Is Easier Dad, is a great book to have in your shelf to pick up and browse through an episode of Anjali and Harimohan’s life and reflect on the rather big ideas of this rather little girl. That said, I wouldn’t recommend you read the book in one sitting, as the true value of each revelation will be diluted. Too much of a good thing, is never good, and you might end up feeling borderline ‘schooled’. Which no one enjoys, but of course would never admit to.
Endearing as it is with the carefully thought-out sections and the cute illustrations for every story, there were times when it felt like lessons were a bit of a stretch and probably the result of trying to find a worthy tale in every interaction with Anjali. I would chalk this up to the overenthusiasm and sweet indulgence of a father for his baby girl, and smile anyway.
