Billed as a philosophical thriller, "The Romance of Death" by a veteran Kerala journalist is all set to hit the stands Saturday.
Author Pearl K. Surendran says the underlying theme is a man's right to plan his old age and death. Brought out by Paico Publishers, the book is priced at Rs 100.
"Yes, a planned death, much like birth, marriage or retirement. Death is another name of birth and there is nothing to be afraid of. The world will shortly accept this right (to euthanasia) as the Netherlands has done," the author told IANS.
Forming the backdrop of the book are some judicial cases that the Kerala High Court had examined in the recent past.
The central character of the story, a college teacher, learns the facts of life the hard way. Finally, when he wants to die a peaceful death after promising to donate his organs, he finds he doesn't have a choice.
There begins his quest for a 'right'. He loses the legal battle but in the course of the fight he realises how reactionary the religious citadel is and how trapped society is in its laws.
"It is simple, highly readable fiction though the story is based on actual happenings in Kerala. Thematically, the book has two distinct advantages, it is a book written for the sake of a philosophy, and it's set in the pre-independence era that covers the pre-freedom days as well as modern days," said Surendran.
{{/usCountry}}"It is simple, highly readable fiction though the story is based on actual happenings in Kerala. Thematically, the book has two distinct advantages, it is a book written for the sake of a philosophy, and it's set in the pre-independence era that covers the pre-freedom days as well as modern days," said Surendran.
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