Rating: (4 out of 5)
Reviewer: ARITRA ROY from KOLKATA,WEST BENGAL,INDIA
I REALLY LOVED THE COLLECTION OF STORIES IN THE "BEST OF SATYAJIT RAY " COLLECTION. THE COLLECTION IS REALLY A WELL CHOSEN ONE WITH ELEMENTS OF HUMOUR,WIT,SUSPENSE AND THE SUPERNATURAL.

THE TRANSLATION FROM THE ORIGINAL HAS BEEN IMPECCABLE TO SAY THE LEAST,AND ONCE YOU TAKE UP THE BOOK,IT REALLY MAKES UP FOR SOME QUALITY TIME. RAY'S PORTRAYAL OF THE COMMON MAN IN HIS OWN LUCID STYLE ILLUSTRATING HIS HABITS, BELIEFS AND SIMPLE DESIRES IN LIFE GIVE US A THOUGHTFUL INSIGHT INTO THE MINDS OF PEOPLE. YOU WILL ALSO GET GOOSEBUMPS WHILE ENCOUNTERING THE UNEXPECTED AND BIZARRE OCCURINGS IN STORIES LIKE " ANATH BABU'S TERROR","INDIGO","BHUTO" AND SO ON. RAY'S FORTE ARE HIS SURPRISE ENDINGS WHICH REALLY MAKE FOR AN EXCELLENT ENDING IN MOST OF HIS STORIES.SUCH ENDINGS ARE AMPLY ILLUSTRATED IN STORIES LIKE "BARIN BHOWMICK'S AILMENT","THE PTERODACTYL'S EGG" AND SO ON.READERS ARE TAKEN ABACK IN SURPRISE AT THE UNEXPECTED ENDINGS.

THESE STORIES TELL US ABOUT RAY'S SUPERB LITERARY SENSE AND THE ABILITY TO GRASP THE MINDS OF THE READER.READERS WILL ALSO HAVE THEIR LAUGH AS RAY PROVIDES DOLLOPS OF HUMOUR IN BETWEEN HIS STORIES.SOME STORIES HAVE A RELATIVELY SIMPLE PLOT BUT EVENTUALLY THEY TRAIL AWAY TOUCHING A CHORD IN YOUR HEART.

SIMPLICITY,ORIGINALITY,SURPRISE ENDINGS,VARIETY,AND PLOTS CLOSE TO THE COMMON MAN'S HEART ARE THE HALLMARK OF HIS STORIES.

INDEED THIS COLLECTION OF THE "BEST" STORIES FROM ONE OF THE GREATEST STORYWRITERS OF MODERN INDIA HAS LIVED UP TO ITS NAME.THEY MAKE FOR SOME DELIGHTFUL READING,AND ARE FILLED WITH RICH LITERARY VALUE. FINALLY, THE CREDIT MUST GO TO PENGUIN AND THE TRANSLATOR FOR THEIR ATTEMPTS TO BREAK THE LANGUAGE BARRIER AND BRING OUT TO ALL RAY'S SUPERB COLLECTION OF SHORT STORIES.