# The Coucal Collaterals

- Link: https://writersworkshopindia.com/2015/07/20/the-coucal-collaterals/
- Published: 2015-07-20T23:32:49+00:00
- Author: admin

5/5 - (1 vote)

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**Author:** R. Krishna Rao
 **Pages:** 264 **Price:** HB Rs 350, FB Rs 300 **Year
of Publication:** 2008 ** ISBN:** HB 978-81-8157-759-7 (9788181577597) FB 978-81-
8157-760-3 (9788181577603)

_**About the Author**_
 Born in Ooty, South India, in 1953, Krishna Rao went to 
St Edmund’s School in Shillong and studied Medicine in Assam and Delhi. He obtained
his postgraduate training in surgery and urology, spending several years in Malaysia
and the United Kingdom. For the last 18 years he has practiced as a surgeon and 
urologist in the city of Mysore. He is married to Sona, a practising Child Specialist,
and they have two sons. An aborted sabbatical to the UK in 2004 coincided with the
media coverage regarding extraordinary rendition and prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib.
This provided the impetus for his maiden novel inspired by the thought that he himself
might be the victim of such an eventuality. He is currently on extended sabbatical
in Rockhampton, Australia.

_**Teaser**_
 ‘”Hello, Mr. Wan Zawawi,” he drawled. “We’ve been waiting for you 
for a long time indeed. “Mr. who?” Ram ejaculated, completely bewildered by this
unexpected new development. “C’mon man, quit the charade–we know who you are.” “
Look, I’m Ram Sharma, urologist from India, just as it says on the passport.” “These
passports are well forged. You even managed to get old ones complete with all the
stamps of previous travels, Mr. Zawawi. Your contacts in Beirut are good–I’m impressed.”
He was jeering now, obviously enjoying the occasion and thrilled at the catch.’

_**Contents**_
 Prologue / 9

I
 Heathrow / 13 The American / 17

II
 Beginnings / 23 Coucals / 29 13th June 2004 / 34

III
 Interrogation / 43 Rendition / 48 Abu Ghraib / 54 “Sanctuary” / 59 Accommodation/
62 Third Degree / 78 More Coucals / 82 Delirium / 85 Confrontation / 94 Shobhana/
98 Conversations / 108 Mikhail Nureyev / 130 Deepavali / 135 Convalescence / 140
Discharge / 145 Litigation / 152 Obstruction / 171 America / 178 Anniversary / 182
Bill / 192

IV
 The Trial / 203 Cross Examination / 218 State’s Witness / 226 Ram’s Statement/
231 The Ides of March / 239

V
 Homecoming / 249 Epilogue / 257 Shobhana’s Afterword / 260

## Comments

### By: VirtualOT

- Link: https://writersworkshopindia.com/2015/07/20/the-coucal-collaterals/#comment-24
- Published: 2019-06-05T15:02:12+00:00

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It was well written and the main character and his
wife were very relatable.