Title of the Book : A case of connections
Author : Sayan Bhattacharya
Year of Publication: 2016
I came across this book, while I was participating in AtoZ Blogging challenge 2018. Interestingly, Sayan and me were in the same DM group created by Blog chatter. His topic for AtoZ this year was Ancient cities of India and I was impressed by the painstaking research he had undertaken for each blog post.
As soon as I finished, with AtoZ including much of the editing, this was the book I picked up.
The book is actually a story picked up from his own family. The story revolves around Andy, a young boy who has been so named by one of his uncles, Satyen probably the first one to have steeped abroad. Andy even as a kid, loves listening to stories about him from his grandparents. However, when he is small, he hears the news of his passing away. Within a year or so, his own grandfather too breathes his last, and the legacy of letters exchanged between his grandfather and his Uncle is passed on as a legacy to him. Andy grows big, joins a job and gets a chance to go to London, where his Uncle had been. With a determination to unite the families, with just letters in his hand, he meets Atul and forms a friendship with him. Later he and Atul while going through Satyen’s belonging find his handwritten records of how life had been for this first generation migrant to UK during World War 2.
Through the three generations, Satyen, Atul and Andy, the author has very correctly described the emotions and feelings of people who move abroad, how at times they are left alone, and yearn to be with their loved ones. Through Andy, he describes the feelings and longings of the family left behind. Via Atul, the author conveys the struggles of a kid growing up in a different culture.
The story resonated with me, as I myself moved to a different country in search of greener pastures.
Jumping from Andy to Satyen to Andy, I had got confused over numerous people introduced, which could have been avoided.
The narrative is simple and enjoyable.
Recommended.
The Vagabond 
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