A romance memoir written by an ordinary hand and yet not so ordinary after all, 30 Years in the Searing Sun by Kalavathi Raj and Sanjida Smrity is a book that depicts life as it is, brutally and yet with an honesty that is both unsettling and heartbreaking. Despite being written in a novice’s hand, this memoir is as close to life as you can get, a true account shared by the person who lived it.

Real life experiences written by ordinary, everyday people are far more insightful than the window-dressed, phoney, band-wagoned ones that frequently adorn the shelves.

So, tell me something, you guys. Do you like reading memoirs and autobiographies? I personally feel they are one of the best windows one can get to not only another’s world but also a different perspective, a diverse ideology, and a completely separate mindset altogether from your own. Many times, they may not be completely enjoyable to read or painful enough to endure. And yet, I personally feel that they are the best kind of teachers since it truly is a fact that pain and suffering are the best teachers, and necessity and need, along with compelling challenges, are the drivers to creating and leading a better life.

I have become philosophical, haven’t I? All because of this book that I happened to read. 30 Years in the Searing Sun by Kalavathi Raj and Sanjida Smrity is a heart-wrenching, heartfelt memoir penned with a profound, poignant approach towards sharing life episodes experienced by the author, from her childhood traumas, along with her youth, right to the age when she finally manages to find her perfect partner. This candid narrative is divided into parts, with the first one highlighting her childhood period, which was marked by pain and trauma. Expounding on her painful trysts, she has outlined how her childhood was devoid of love, with no shard of support from any quarter. Turning into an isolated and withdrawn wreck, she further narrates how she became aloof and how it was difficult for her to cope at that point in time. 

On the next ones, she elucidates her corporate life, detailing how things transpire along the way as she meets different people, and tries to find a dream husband. Indeed, don’t we all try to do that when we are young? And yet, while we are so naive, innocent, and perhaps a little silly, trying to dream those rose-coloured dreams, she realises and faces such horrible realities in the form of her tryst with the kiosk manager, who tries to molest her. It was painful to read how, in spite of being bold enough to oppose him, she has to face shame. This one was a foray I felt into the face of the ugly monster known as society, which is selfish and full of malice like the manager.

And yet, not all is gross and gory in this one as there are pleasant escapades too, which have been shared which celebrate genuine love, enumerating her experiences with good people too. It was a unique kind of read, getting to delve into her romantic encounters in her pursuit of finding true love. 

I loved the authors’ never say die attitude. Her theory of creating one’s own path and finding the right life partner in the right manner at the right instance is perfect advice for all those who want to fight the faulty idiosyncrasies of a hostile society and live life their way.

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A brilliantly written memoir, I must say that this is a fine piece of writing because it takes a lot of effort to make such a work, and it also takes a lot of pure courage to come out into the open, spilling such beans, and yet wanting to do so so that others can take a leaf from their example and act accordingly. Honesty is a policy that I believe goes a long way toward establishing a sense of oneness with the readers, and Kalavathi has followed it to the letter. A fine and exemplary piece of writing, this one should be bookmarked in case you guys want to read something that is a true account of what life really looks and feels like. Written simply yet compellingly enough, here is a piece of life you will be awed by as well as rendered speechless by, warming up to its core at the end. A great read.

So, I hope you guys liked the book review of spending 30 Years in the Searing Sun by Kalavathi Raj and Sanjida Smrity.

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Adios Amigos!