Workplace memories retold

When workplaces across the world have undergone drastic changes in the last ten months of this calendar year, J A Rama Moorty, 71, an ex- faculty of Journalism at Osmania University and a long time contributor to various publications in India, probably found it the right time to reflect on his long career. Undoubtedly, his work life was a typical, conventional, 'work from office' kind.

His book 'Straight from the Heart' (Xpress Publishing, 67 pp, Rs 85/00) is a crisp, racy read on the time he spent as he informs, in a New Delhi-based central government organisation, from where he took voluntary retirement in 2004.

Keeping his content rooted firmly on the 'humorous, creative, touching and witty aspects' of his career, Rama Moorty keeps his slim volume of anecdotes quite engaging for the average reader. His book also makes an earnest pitch for looking at bureaucracy differently which is usually associated with 'impersonal pushing of files'. To buttress his cause, he comes up with the ingenious methods his colleagues used to take up for furthering their plans and how it led to unintentional humour and light heartedness in day-to-day working.

The book is mercifully free of editing and proofreading mistakes, but one feels the layout could have been a little more eye-catching.