AN INCREDIBLE TALE FROM THE BEAUTIFUL GAME

In the beautiful world of fiction writing, this work is the maiden venture by Dev Dutta Roy, an ex-officer of Indian Air Force, with the aim of narrating to his august audience - read ‘readers’ - an absorbing tale from, arguably, the most popular game of our time which entertains millions of people across the length and breadth of the globe, in simple yet smooth-flowing language of the storytellers of bygone era who once entertained men and women of all age groups in the walled township of Delhi and many other towns and villages of India, when the means of modern-day entertainment were not heard of. Woven around ‘the beautiful game’, football, the story begins in the football crazy Indian metropolis of Calcutta, or Kolkata, in early nineteen seventies, takes the audience to Delhi with the flow, changes the course to enter London and other cities of Britain where competitive football - at the apex of which ‘Premier League’ is ensconced firmly - of highest standard is played with great zeal and proficiency by the top of the drawer players from across the world, under the guidance of world renowned managers, in the physical presence of, probably, the most passionate of all the fan-groups of the world. The important characters of the story are many – the grandfather ‘Dadu’ of the narrator, narrator’s childhood friend Kakka who is now a well known businessman of London and owns a football club, star footballers from India making their mark on English soil, Mr. Gibbs, Monsieur Renard, Kakka’s wife Simran and retired Group Captain Ian Navigator of RAF and many more. But, the protagonist in the entire episode is, undoubtedly, football – the beautiful game.
Since the author has penned the story keeping in view both Indian and international booklovers, the readers, therefore, will have glimpses of Indian – particularly Bengali and Punjabi – culture and foods, as well as that of the people of London. And since Monsieur Thiery Renard, the master tactician manager of the club introduced into the scheme of the things at a later stage, is French, you will find a tinge of French way of life too.

The tale will be liked by you - the book lovers - even if you are not football buffs, a bit same way you liked Hemingway’s ‘The Old Man and The Sea’ when you were not necessarily angling enthusiasts.