34 Bubblegums and Candies - Book Review

34 Bubblegums and Candies, written by the Indian author Preeti Shenoy, is a collection of 34 real life narratives and incidents based on the author’s life. Although a non-fiction book, this book is a really interesting read and because of this reason, 34 Bubblegums and Candies has gone on to become a national best-seller with hundreds of thousands of copies sold to date.

The author of 34 Bubblegums and Candies, Preeti Shenoy, was earlier a blogger who wrote regularly for some of the major newspapers. In 2007 she decided to take her hobby to the next level and thus was launched her debut book which soon climbed aboard all the major best-seller lists in India.

34 Bubblegums and Candies is essentially a collection of 34 anecdotes and experiences that the author has had throughout her life. Some of them are humorous while the others are a little sad but essentially each of these stories has an underlying message for the reader. It is through these short stories that the author has tried to capture a glimpse of the various facets of human life.

For example, the book starts off with the narration of events that lead to the death of the author’s father and how she manages to cope up with the tragedy. It is not a sad story or a dull one, rather it shows how everyone must encounter these tragic events and learn to live with them. The author beautifully captures each emotion with the beauty of her words.

The book reminded me of the movie Forest Gump. The author gets it spot on when she says that life is a little bit like candies and bubblegum. One must keep chewing to savor the taste that lies within. Sometimes the bubblegum may burst unexpectedly and one may be left with a sticky mess. These are the problems and unhappy times in one’s life.

At other times, life is like a candy stick. One must lick it slowly and relish what it has to offer. Sometimes we greedily bite off more than we can chew and this we must learn to avoid. Sometimes we encounter a rare moment when the balance seems right and a feeling of contentment reigns supreme in all of us. All in all, 34 Bubblegums and Candies is a must read book for everyone. It is available at all leading bookstores although online retailers offer a better discount on the same.

34 Bubblegums and Candies - Book Review