Book Review of W. Bruce Cameron's 'A Dog's Purpose' by H. Laxmi Priyanka

BOOK REVIEW

A DOG’S PURPOSE BY W. BRUCE CAMERON

Review by H. Laxmi Priyanka

Touching and heartfelt in equal measure, W. Bruce Cameron’s “A Dog’s Purpose” is an ode to the love shown by our canine friends to their owners or to the ones who take care of them, all of it told through the canine’s point of view. The writer’s puppy protagonist takes the readers on a journey through its multiple lives. More than just another charming dog story, this touches on the universal quest for an answer to life’s most basic question — Why are we here?

The book starts with the pup being born as a stray that has his first interaction with humans in a dog hoarder’s yard. There he learns how to love people but his happiness is short-lived when Animal Control arrives and deems the stray puppies “unadoptable”.  After being euthanized, he is surprised to find himself reborn as a golden-retriever named Bailey, the beloved pet of eight-year-old Ethan. During their countless adventures together, Bailey not only risks his life to save Ethan but also learns the satisfaction of being a “good dog” and after years of devotion to this boy, he is sure of having fulfilled his purpose. But when he awakes again in a new female-canine body, she realizes that she still has a long way to go in her journey.

W. Bruce Cameron’s exploration of the world through the eyes of our canine friends is very beautiful and clever in its humorous touches – Bailey’s conclusions that cats cannot be trusted and horses are completely unreliable, etc., are hilarious in their own ways. This novel forces the readers to reflect on their past pets and the time spent with them, but its greater triumph may lie in changing the way readers think about their current pets.

Lastly, I would like to say that having read this amazing book reminds me of the times I spent with my last dog Locket, who died of cardiac arrest, only to be reborn and come back to me in the form of Maya, my current dog. What a gift!

A Dog’s Purpose is definitely a beautiful celebration of our four-legged friends with big hearts.

Pandemic Literature: "The Hunger Pandemic" - A Poem by Aishwarya Lakkakula

The Hunger Pandemic

The clock struck six,

Painting the sky in a blue-black mix.

The town shined so bright,

Bathing in the silent street light.

The blood-fleshed robots on the roads,

Were busy driving their costly Fords.

I sat lonely in the Gokul Chat,

Typing away in a WhatsApp chat.

On hearing a soft whine and a ‘bow-wow’

I made up my mind to look around.

Skimming across the cigarette smog,

My eyes encountered a grey stray dog.

It neither had chubby cheeks,

Nor food since the past few weeks.

The dog was looking thin and pale,

Reminding me of a poor man in a moral tale.

Its food was at the mercy of a daily customer,

Who was sure to save some leftovers.

The dog was hungry and eager,

To get his paws on the leftovers.

The day came to an end,

And I had a new, grey friend.

The clock strikes four,

Painting the sky in a blue-white pour.

The roads are quiet in a formerly busy town

That now, sleeps in lockdown.

I was alone on the roads,

Shocked to see no more Fords.

Lo! I see the grey face,

Lying down in the same place.

It's the dog!

My friend, my friend... I was frightened.

But the dog wasn’t eager to eat leftovers;

It was neither moving nor barking.

The dog died of hunger,

Having stuffed its mouth with a polythene cover.

I let my heart weep silently

And imagined it was just asleep.

This lock-down succeeded in tackling the pandemic

But failed to fight the Hunger Pandemic.

Novel Coronavirus is an extreme danger,

That eats away at the life of a pauper.

                                                                        - Aishwarya Lakkakula (BA 1^st year)

Pandemic Literature : "Aliens and Superheroes" - Flash Fiction by Meera Saheba & Tahreen Fatima

Alien Source 

The spaceship descended amongst the trees as a boy ran towards it. First contact wasn’t documented by scientists. A boy who knew no better and an alien child that didn’t understand: a simple handshake, to the hug the boy and his mother shared, to a business meeting she went to; sickness ran amok the people due to a virus of questionable source called the Corona Virus. The world was at home in a wretched Pandemic. The mother alien realized that it was her child’s fault. She used all her superpowers to kill the virus, her child never saw her again.

                                                                                      -   Shaik Meera Saheba (BSc BtCFs 2^nd year)

A Letter To Our 'Marvel'ous Heroes

Dear bravest heroes of Earth,

Our Avengers,

The world has changed since the COVID-19 pandemic. After we faced and mourned the heroic deaths of Iron Man and Black Widow, we've definitely become so strong, we can even face a deadly virus.

I hope and pray that all of you are in the best of your health.

Thank you to our friendly neighbourhood Spiderman, for keeping robberies at bay.

Dearest Cap, are you training Sam Wilson to be the new Captain? Because he already saved us from armed men… twice.

Dear Incredible Hulk, thank you for helping us create awareness among people to take necessary precautions.

Dear Hawkeye, thanks for taking down people who stole and bought an unnecessary amount of toilet paper.

And thank you Scarlet Witch, for helping the traffic inspectors maintain traffic and check on people.

Thank you Antman, for helping and carrying people to the hospital.

Incredible Hulk, I hope that you and the scientists succeed in your ventures, and find a possible cure for this deadly disease.

Finally, dear God of Thunder, this might sound crazy, but please take care and stay in shape so that you don't manipulate the weather to be this bad — some areas in my city are being flooded every time it rains.

Take Care.

We love you 3000.

                                                                                        ­- Tahreen Fatima (BSc BtCFs 2^nd year)

"The Formidable Fear" - A poem by Keertana Kuchipudi

She was filled with fear —

Fear of the haunting past,

Fear of the uncertain future;

Fear for her survival in this harsh world,

Fear of her acceptance in her own pristine form.

Her watery eyes couldn't take that fear away,

Her bruised back couldn't take that fear away.

Her weakened flesh couldn't take that fear away,

Her falling hair couldn't take that fear away.

She wondered what could set her free:

She couldn’t let go of the fear on her own,

But surprisingly, one day, that crippling fear

Became the light that lead her soul.

                                                 

                                                                 - Keertana Kuchipudi  (FsCCs 1^st year)