![]() ![]() Those were the days when “He talks to girls” was an adjective seeped in either derision or jealousy, mostly both. The main story line revolves around Joshi’s first love and his attempts to catch her attention. ![]() Bokil has a lucid style and the book simply casts a spell that takes us straight back to our favourite bench in the classroom from where we can steal a glimpse of our first crush. It is a story of a bunch of friends around 14 years of age, just on the threshold of adolescence – a story of their school, friends, their “bhankas”, competitions, cricket matches, scout camps, those “butterflies in stomach” before exams, first love and their coming of age. Set in the 70s during the emergency period in India, the story is narrated by the protagonist “Joshi”. ![]() It is about a group of friends and the story spans one year of their life – 9th standard, the best year of our school life. ![]() Shala is a beautiful novel that took me on a nostalgic journey back to my school days. That school does not have classrooms, walls, black boards and teachers but the lessons it teaches me are really beautiful.” I am sitting in school, but I have a separate school of my own. I am free – like that white bird, sitting gaily on the back of a cow. There are subjects – maths, geography and even civics. There are classrooms, benches, students and teachers. “That day I realised the real fun of school. ![]()
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