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The Mirror Knows the Truth and Other Stories
People feel that the position I have acquired, after transcending painful memories, is full of happiness. I am happy, married to a rich and successful doctor. I have two adorable children and servants. Status, dignity, prestige - I lack nothing. But my heart is not in my surroundings and I don't seem to know why. An eclectic collection, the mirror knows the truth and other stories offers a kaleidoscopic range of human emotions, from love, longing and loneliness, to the discrimination faced by the minorities with in society. It was my day poignantly describes the marriage anniversary of a middle-aged woman, spent aching for a gesture of affection from her ever-busy husband, the pigeon story chronicles the various discrimination's and the general lack of empathy among people, as perceived by the birds and, in the title story, a mirror faithfully records the goings-on in an affluent, upper-caste family which adopts Kalyani, a girl from a lower caste and raises as a daughter. Evocative, sensitive and nuanced, the mirror knows the truth and other stories is a compelling exploration of the myriad complexities of the human psyche. Interesting facts An evocative, sensitive and nuanced collection of stories that compellingly explore the myriad complexities of the human psyche. Fleshed out and rounded characters from different strata of society whom the readers would have encountered at some point in real life. The mirror knows the truth and other stories is a powerful collection that deals with important themes of love, identity, relationships and self-discovery. About the Author A prolific writer, Kusum Ansals repertoire comprises novels, poems, short stories and travelogues. Her books have been translated into English, Punjabi, Bengali, Urdu, Greek, Russian and French. Her novel Ek Aur Panchvatiwas adapted into the film, Panchvati, by Basu Bhattacharya, for which she wrote the screenplay and dialogues. She has also contributed to television, the all India radio and the Indian progression writers theatre association. An avid nature lover and a qualified Ikebana teacher, she enjoys flowers as a subject and has written several articles on it. She has a masters degree in psychology from Aligarh Muslim university and a PhD in Hindi literature from Punjab university. She organises a monthly literary meet, Samvad, for creative writers of all languages and has been actively involved with organisations working in the field of education and social services. She is the director of Chiranjiv Bharti school and has been the recipient of several awards, including the international women entrepreneurial challenge award.