The Distant Dreams: Elusive Hopes a Collection of Short Stories

The Distant Dreams is a collection of 28 short stories spanning over three decades of the author's long government career. His stories are based on the people and places he visited around the world. Most have Indian/Asian and African background, and the narration generally covers the rural lower middle class. Two stories are set in the former Soviet Republic of Georgia, where B S Thapliyal worked as an International Monetary Fund senior financial management advisor. The conditions in Georgia from 1994 to 1996 were appalling. The new economic order had shattered the life of the common man, leaving no jobs, no gas, and no power in bitter winter weather. "I was amazed by the strong willpower and determination of the Georgians to survive in such harsh conditions. I also observed the wretched refugees from northwestern Georgia driven out from their homes by the Abkhazians." Five stories reflect the effect economic globalization has had on poor countries like Malawi. Its main export of tobacco leaves was hedged and the potential of tourism never materialized. The British who left Malawi in 1964 created no infrastructure in this regard. Harsh and insulting behavior toward the local natives by Asians is the theme of one of the stories. About the Author: B S Thapliyal, after serving in the army for seven years, was selected for the Indian Civil Services by the Government of India, where he served for over three decades. During this period the author also worked as an IMF senior financial management advisor in Turkmenistan, Moldavia, Georgia, Malawi, and Lesotho. This is his third book. He lives in NOIDA, a satellite town of Delhi. Publisher's website: http://sbprabooks.com/BSThapliyal