Mrs Funnybones by Twinkle Khanna

"Mrs Funnybones" by Twinkle Khanna. This book is published by Penguin books India in August 2015 and has 240 pages.

Twinkle Khanna is known as an actress, daughter of Dimple / Rakesh Khanna and wife of Akshay Kumar but not many know about Twinkle, the writer. She writes column in TOI and DNA. Those who know her personally are aware about her habit of cracking jokes.

This book is a collection of twenty six articles. These articles are small things that happen in the life of Mrs Funnybones aka Twinkle. Be it messy children, pesky neighbours, embarrassing mom, arrogant aunt, indifferent husband, unreliable employees, unpredictable mother in law, weird friends, well wishers, domestic help, girlfriend of her son, pets, sisters, brothers and cousins of husband and of mother in law etc. Author has also written about occasions like Valentine's day, annual vacation, Karwa chauth, rakshabandhan, picnics etc. In short people and events that occur in everyone's life.

Twinkle refers herself as Mrs Funnybones, Akshay Kumar is called Man of the house, her son is referred as Prodigal son and their daughter is The baby. She confesses that the characters are based on the real ones but she has added fiction and spice to it. So it's not autobiographical and can be enjoyed without reading between the lines.

Twinkle writes about simple things that give you joy, familial contentment, feeling of being loved, irritate you, upset you or make you insecure. In short things that make a house a home. Each article has random thoughts on a particular subject. Most of them are are written with a timeline like a diary entry of a particular day.

Twinkle has a easy writing style. She writes simplistically, without complicating things. Her writing is witty and hilarious. She has hilariously criticized everyone in her life including herself. Her power of observation is commendable. Her self deprecating jokes are also good. While delivering a hilarious article she also touches base with life's reality, the joys & sorrows that make you stop and think and make you sombre. She has a peculiar self amusing way of looking at life.

The articles are not very old or written long time ago. It has references to Iphone 6, Akshay's role in film Boxer, WhatsApp etc... confirming that they are contemporary and ensuring that the relevance is not lost.

Between the articles she has given snippets of her valuable thoughts on random matters like 'Getting ready for an event', 'Why do women have longer lifespans', 'Neighbours', 'Three things women talk about constantly', 'Three magical Indian things', 'Four people you bump into at Indian funerals' etc.

These are writings of a modern woman about our daily lives. So some of the references are bold for the traditionalists but are reality in today's life.

Chapters are alphabetical (A, B, C etc) and each title starts with that alphabet. Interesting way to title the articles. I learned a new word while reading the book. It's Illeist. I won't tell the meaning, refer dictionary or internet.

It's a simple, light, likable book that connects to your heart. Twinkle has come out with flying colors.

A very good book. Must read.