The Middle of Everything by Vivek Atray
The humour of PG Wodehouse, the wit of RK Narayan, the sensitivity of Somerset Maugham and brevity of O Henry – Vivek Atray in his latest creation weaves a beautiful mosaic which will hold you in thrall. The Middle of Everything is a delightful collection of literary gems from an amazing wordsmith.
The book ‘epitomises a larger, hopefully more meaningful, perspective of life with a sense of aboveness, a quantum of hope, and an air of loving positivity,’ says the blurb. I couldn’t agree more.
Vivek, a former Indian Administrative Service officer, is an author, motivational speaker, mentor, columnist, and visiting professor. Having worked as an Indian civil servant for 25 years, he took voluntary retirement to pursue his passion for speaking and writing as a full-time profession. He has 14 TEDx talks and 5 highly popular Josh talks. More than 10 million people have tuned into his videos on YouTube and podcasts. The author brings all his varied experience and diverse flair to his creativity and the result is an engrossing page turner.
Vivek doesn’t write on weighty subjects, serious concerns, or controversial themes. He takes simple, everyday incidents and characters and, by the sheer sleight of his brilliance, makes us chuckle, chortle, ponder, and sometimes just smile.
For instance, when writing about the sunset years, he says, “The evening of life has the potential to be as joyful as any other phase of life. What is needed is a resolute smile on the lips and a lilting song in the heart.” Touche!
The book touches upon fitness freaks, hair trouble, issues of weather and whether, maid problems, stage fright, occupational hazards, changing times, shopping blues et al.
The normal, the ordinary, and the simple, embellished by Vivek’s dexterity, take on an avatar that entertains and enlightens. In the piece on passwords, he goes on to dissect various kinds—the uncomplicated, the adventurous, the innovative, and the creative—to hilarious effect.
The author’s razor-sharp power of observation stands out in almost every piece. Commenting on the lamp lighting ceremony, which sometimes can cause embarrassment, he says, “The cotton wicks simply refuse to light up, you see. They are either too thin, or too thick, or too dry or too oily, depending on the ‘school of lamp lighting’ to which the supervisor in charge belongs.”
Vivek’s gentle sarcasm spares no one – his sometimes ‘bitter half’, the supercilious boss, the sycophant subordinate, the officious bureaucrat, the blustering braggadocio, and the writer himself.
The book is peppered with metaphors, similes and delectable turns of phrase – “…her hair looks as if it’s just been cropped by a lawn mower which is in need of serious repair.”
The cover, by the talented Kavya Atray, is attractive and complements the contents perfectly.
The collection, endorsed by Kapil Dev and General VP Mallik, is an absolute humdinger of a book.
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Ramendra Kumar (Ramen) is an award-winning author, performance storyteller, and TEDx speaker whose 54 books span fiction for all ages, satire, biographies, and inspirational non-fiction. Translated into 33 languages and recipient of 41 All-India awards for children’s literature, his works — known for their wit, warmth, and emotional resonance — have touched readers across India and beyond. His titles with the National Book Trust (NBT), India alone have sold over 1.5 million copies.
Ramen has participated in international literary festivals and marquee Indian events, including the Jaipur Literature Festival. He has served as a jury member for The Times of India’s Women “AutHer” Awards, a mentor for the Scholastic Writers Academy, and was named “Author and Storyteller of the Year” on Talking Stories, London.
His arduous battle with cancer was featured on Humans of Bombay, one of India’s largest storytelling platforms, where his story garnered over four million views. In October 2025, he won the ‘Mr. India Cancer Warrior’ crown at a unique competition for cancer survivors held in New Delhi!
An alumnus of the prestigious Hyderabad Public School, Begumpet, Ramen is an engineer and an MBA who left his role as General Manager (Corporate Communications), SAIL, to pursue his true calling — writing, storytelling, and inspiring lives.
Ramen’s website is www.ramendra.in and he has a page devoted to him on Wikipedia.
All Posts of Ramendra Kumar
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