"I would like to be someone who made people smile."
Not many people cross 90 today and even if they do, they are not as articulate, clear in thought and expression as Khushwant Singh was when he wrote this book at 95.
This book gave me a thorough understanding of the major figures like the Gandhis of Indian Political history. I really loved one of the chapters 'On Happiness' which i read daily as a ritual these days. His frankness, brutal honesty about his relationships with other women is also one comes across in this book.
The language is simple and one can finish this book in a reading or two.
His references to Ghalib and Urdu poetry also make the articles interesting.
On love he quotes Ghalib,
"Ishq par zor nahin,
hai ye wo atish Ghalib
ke lagae na lagey, aur bhujaye na bane."
While criticizing the fundamentalists he says I will keep on writing about them even if there is no outcome and quotes an Urdu couplet,
"Kya poochho ho haal merey karobaar ka,
Aaeeney bechta hoon andhon ke sheher mein"
