Sunday 6 April 2014

Sorting Out Sid - Book Review

Top post on IndiBlogger.in, the community of Indian Bloggers

Sorting Out SID is about Sid or Siddharth Agarwal, who is an interesting person to know.

HarperCollins Publishers India Ltd.


Do you have a name for your beanbag? Sid does.
Are you your company's youngest VP at age 36? Sid is.
Is your personal life & marriage on the rocks? Sid's is.
Do you think of someone else before thinking of your partner? Sid does.

Sid does so many things like- forgetting, mistaking dates and then blaming! Goof-ups and cover-up jobs are Sid's forte. In the initial few pages,one wonders how easily Sid lands into troubles! We learn that Sid had dreamt to be a champion-boxer as he got "beaten up in school for having made one crack too many." He seems to be great at putting his foot in his mouth. 

"Being right about this gave him no satisfaction and he still wished he could take back his words."

But, Sid can feel his ears going red. At least he knows he has goofed up!

"Sid decided to break away from her before he messed things up any further."

Then, there are so many facets of his personality- Sid suits all the roles- Public, Arty, Host, Family Reunion, Performer, Party, Casual Party, Happy, Work, Witty-Office, Social & Conversational, Funny-At-Work... there's a Sid for all the occasions!

"Sid had his practised fake smile pasted on his face again."

All this and more makes Sorting Out SID an interesting read.

I felt the characters & incidents spring to life with all the attention-to-details & easy story-telling.

"She looked as if she might... throw her glass of water, regular not bottled, on his head..."

The author has presented the facts as they are viz. captured the reactions of various people right from the vegetable-seller to the office-junior.

"'Your mother's very upset', was his father's code for 'I am very upset.'"

The author has used her experience as a marketing professional well as we get to read in the details of Sid's office- presentations, meetings, strategies, opinions...

"The biggest perk, I must tell you...is the executive washroom, posh & clean. That's why they call it vee-pee!"

I could relate to some of the thoughts & ideas expressed.

Like Sid, even I have wondered- "Happy-Couple-Act to be put on."
Like Sid, even I think- "Why couldn't life be like an excel sheet? Orderly and manageable."

So, how does Sid manage his life?
Does he patch up with his wife?
Does he cut off ties with his old friends?
Does he succeed in steering out of dead-ends?
Does he make new mates & not be blue?
Does the Psychic's prophecy come true?

Sorting Out SID is a story about Sid's life that is a "work in progress". 
As the end rightly states, "We're all still figuring it out."

There is much more to life than being a VP at a young age... Success & happiness is measured by a lot more...

Sorting Out SID has been my wake-up call too and I learnt some lessons from it just like I did from the Hindi-movie- WAKE UP SID.

I feel there is a bit of Sid in all of us & we all need sorting & figuring...

Do read Sorting Out SID to figure out how the lead characters figure it out...

My Rating- 4/5


Note:




I applied to review this book through IndiBlogger thanks to the author's post in the Forum:
Author Yashodhara Lal sent me a copy of Sorting Out SID.

This was her reply to my email application for book review:

"You got it :) 
Shall send it via Amazon. Much faster than my publisher. That means it won't be a signed copy, but we shall correct that one day when we meet!
Cheers, hope you enjoy it, look forward to seeing your review!
Yash"
Thank you so much for considering me!

21 comments:

  1. The nice t review whets my desire to grab the book and read.I think the author has brought out the flaws and traits in many of us in a humorous way

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    Replies
    1. You are right Sir. The author has dealt with the human flaws & traits nicely.

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  2. Even I applied for the book, but I guess I was late ! Have read a lot of good reviews book. Hope to pick it soon :)

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    1. Jyotsna, even I had applied through Indiblogger, but I wasn't amongst the first 25. Then, I got lucky when I saw the author's post in the IndiBlogger Forum & applied to review by sending her an email :)

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  3. Replies
    1. Yes Jyotsna. A lot of nice reviews for this book. Do read it :)

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  4. Thank you. This seems like an interesting read.

    Reminds me of a book in similar lines - How I braved Anu Aunty....

    Nice review :)

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Vinay :)
      Yes, it is an interesting book. I have not read 'How I braved Anu Aunty'. But, it must be nice & humorous like this one!

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  5. Interesting, yes, the novel is just that. Lots of fun. But a bit too much, I thought. I must also say that the last part redeems the novel, however.

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    1. Sir, So you have read it! :)
      I agree with you about the last part. That was a total surprise. I wanted to present some more points about the book, but didn't want to give away the story :)

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  6. Ok. Then it's a must read for the young generation. I guess, one way or the other we are all into sorting out things on our lives. And received the book right through the author of the book. That's awesome. :)

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    1. True Namrata. It's an easy new-age book that talks of contemporary relationships. Yes, we are all trying to sort out things in our lives!
      Truly awesome :)

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  7. Reading some fine reviews of this one! Guess should check it out. :)

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    1. Do read Ragini. Looking forward to your review :)

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  8. Fine review... These issues which Sid faces are overlapping with what we all sometimes have gone through..!!!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Lancelot! Yes, life makes us face many issues :)

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  9. Nice to see the review coming from you Anita... I enjoyed the SOS too.. :-)

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    Replies
    1. Thanks a lot, Maniparna :)
      Wow! Just realized thanks to you that the acronym is SOS- Save Our Souls! :)

      Delete
  10. Anita, A nicely done review with details thrown in. Looks to be interesting... Thanks for sharing this.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Jayanta :) Delighted that you liked my review :)

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  11. It is a nice book and you have written a brilliant review. Keep it up.

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Your words mean a lot to me.

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