Once in a while you need a detox, right? You give your body some fruit infused water, you give your skin a fragrant, cleansing wash, but what do you give your mind to rinse it off all the toxic things that it has imbibed? You give it a read of Daddykins.

It isn't fiction, and neither is it a biographical piece of work that usually takes the top shelves in the non-fiction section. It is a simple, rather extraordinarily simple story of a man, and this man once happened to be a living, breathing and speaking man who lived in Chennai.

Recently, having lived in Chennai for quite a while, I had the opportunity to closely observe the lives of Tamilian people. They have a routine which they like to stick to. They believe in simplicity of things. And if you try to shift them from their way of working, they will definitely revolt. They like their lives to work like a well oiled old machine. Same was the habit with Kalpana Mohan's father, Daddykins.

There weren't any massive peaks in his life or some major dramatic turning points, thereby fueling the desire in his youngest journalist daughter to pen a book on him. I think it was the way this man led his simple life with slight humour, that she wanted to share with the world after his demise. He is a very tangible man, a person with whom we can relate to. Parts of him can be found in every household, which is why he as a person becomes so endearing to us.

Kalpana Mohan writes the book in such a tone that it almost feels like she is meeting a friend on a weekend morning, and regaling all her memories of her father over a cup of unadulterated filter coffee, in one of the quaint yet beautiful cafes of Chennai.

While Daddykins and his stories of travel, career, care and concern form the crux of this book, there is another man who is absolutely detrimental to the survival of Daddykins, so much so that he almost slips in to becoming a part of Daddykins' character. This person is what Kalpana Mohan fondly calls her Daddykins' 'Man Friday', that is Vinayakam. He personifies what loyalty, love and respect could possibly mean in today's world. This chauffeur cum caretaker of Daddykins, spent every minute of his waking hours looking after Daddykins and engaging in light, funny camaraderie.

Just because she is writing about her father doesn't mean that she sugar coated her words for him. She showed his conservative side, his reservations against those who came from a non-Brahminical background to work for him, and showed his ability to take things in his stride as well, and accepting the fact that one of his offsprings actually had a lover right across the street. Overall it feels like a wonderfully honest read about a man and his life seen through the eyes of his daughter.

Note: I received this book from Bloomsbury in exchange of an honest review.