Book Review: 101 Twisted Tales by Dinesh Singh

"101 Twisted Tales," a collection of micro stories by Dinesh Singh, presents a contemplative and introspective journey through the intricacies of human emotions and experiences.

The collection is marked by its evocative language, vivid imagery, and a profound sense of time's transient nature.The blurb of the book seems to be relevant to critique these naive tales : "101 Twisted Tales" by Dinesh Singh is a unique collection of 101 micro-stories, each crafted as a "prosaic version of the haiku" that fits within a single tweet and concludes with a twist. The book captivates readers through its brevity, wit, and insightful commentary on the human condition.

The stories provoke reflection, amusement, and sometimes a slightly uncomfortable recognition of life's ironies.

Singh's writing style is clean and sharp, avoiding moralizing or embellishments, instead delivering punchlines with quiet precision.The tales cover varied aspects of life and emotions, touching chords in the palette of human experiences. "As the readers wade through these micro stories they are carried to a world of vagaries, amusement and stark realities through a gallery of multiple characters presented with a sharp punch of humour, wit and wisdom.

It is a mesmerizing collection that weaves together vivid imagery and deep emotion. Each story flows like a river, carrying readers through landscapes of introspection and wonder. The author’s mastery of language and rhythm creates an immersive experience, drawing on life's beauty and life's profound moments.

It's a pleasant read for anyone who appreciates story's ability to capture the essence of the human experience.Each story has been curated with utmost care, passion and appropriate words.

Some stories, like "Confession" and "Reunion," mix humor and sentimentality, while others like "Big Bangs" leave a lingering impact by encouraging readers to pause and reconsider. Visually, the book complements its style with minimalistic line illustrations and a crisp design, matching the concise narrative format. The striking end of the story that keeps the reader amused, shocked and pensive are visible in " Bare Truth", " Reunion" and "Proposing".

All such stories are twisted at the end taking readers to surprise and shock. Here Dinesh Singh reminds me of O.Henery who says, " A good short story has a good beginning, suspenseful middle and a striking end".While not every tale is equally impactful, the overall collection maintains intrigue and offers readers quick, smart doses of perspective.

The tone of these stories varies from humour ,irony to sarcasm balancing the words with deep shades of emotion highly curated with caution.

It is a perfect read for those who enjoy sharp, subtle storytelling that combines brevity with depth, making it compelling for reflection and emotion alike. Dinesh Singh, a distinguished mathematician , academic leader, and educationist, brings his multifaceted intellect to this literary work, broadening his contributions beyond academia. What started as a Twitter post garnered huge follow up and inspired the GenZ to write their own stories.

Prof. Singh presents the common place vignettes of life with extraordinary wit, humour and irony capsuled in his micro stories what Sashi Throor says in the Foreword "twitter stories".

The famous dance maestero Sonal Man Singh sees the innovative application of her own' natyakatha' in these stories. Professor Singh is precisely innovative, precise and experimental. His expretial recordings compel the readers, teases and instigate the readers to muse and reflect on the larger realities of life.

Prof. Singh like O .Henery surprises the readers at the end of each tales. In summary, "101 Twisted Tales" is short, sharp, and satisfying—delivering espresso shots of insight into life's unpredictable and often ironic nature, making it a clever and engaging companion for readers who appreciate wit without garnish .Last but not the least O.Henery's definition of short story " A short story is a short story and never a long story' fits in the overall design of this innovative masterpiece.

I highly recommend this collection of micro stories to readers of all reasons and seasons. Take time to read and reflect on these micro stories and pleasure is yours.This book review has been written by Chandra Shekhar Dubey, professor at the University of Delhi.