Title: Can I Have a Chocolate Milkshake?

Author: Rajat Mishra

Genre: Autobiography, Adventure

Can I Have a Chocolate Milkshake? is an inspirational autobiographical tale by Rajat Mishra. Siddhant suffers a devastating accident but remains calm and composed when told that his right hand has been amputated. With a never-say-die attitude, he bounces back full of life, gives up his Olive Greens and overcomes all odds to become a success in the corporate world. Rajat Mishra delves into his personal experience and brings out an unforgettable novel of dreams, aspirations and success in the face of a terrible tragedy.

Excerpt:

Ten days had passed since the accident, and I had still not gained full consciousness. Finally, I woke up for good. I opened my eyes to a blurry vision of a flurry of tube-lights. There was a commotion with nurses moving around. I was lying on a hospital bed, and in a corner, I saw Mom and Vanshika. What day was this? Where was I? What had happened?

“Siddhant, how are you?” one of my other maternal uncles came up and asked with a smile, “where are you?”

“I’m totally fine,” I said puzzled, barely able to speak and unsure of my response, “I’m in a hospital, maybe in Jabalpur. I must be having fever or something.” I then saw some YOs, and got confused.

“Can you please remove this mosquito or something that’s biting me on my right hand?” I requested him. I wasn’t still fully conscious enough to think, why I couldn’t do it myself.

“Siddhant, you had a bike accident on Dec 22nd,” a doctor came up and said to me. “It was a serious accident and to save your life we had to amputate your right arm.”

“Whoops…,” I said, and looked down at the rest of me for a quick status check.

My legs were in plaster but I could feel them. The rest of me was in bandages and the doctors had wired up my jaw (with plenty of missing teeth). However, I could smile, hear and see everyone. I thought to myself—“all in, all intact,” and realized that everyone around was looking at me attentively. I was thirsty, and said the first thing that came to my mind.

“Hmm… can I have a chocolate milkshake?”

Why we love it:

True life stories are an amazing source of inspiration. While fiction and fantasy are a joy to delve into as well, true life stories have a unique charm in that they actually happened. The author’s own trials and tribulations have been transformed into a source of wisdom and encouragement for everyone. His unbeatable sense of humour and positivity shines bright through his character in the novel. On waking up to an amputated right arm, with everyone looking at him anxiously, Siddhant quips, “Can I have a chocolate milkshake?” Braving the worst of adversities, he goes on to become a success, albeit in a way he had not anticipated. From the rich descriptions of life at the NDA and IIM-A to the heart-rending tale of love lost and won, the novel pulls you in completely and keeps you hooked to the end.

You will love it if:

If you enjoy movies like Hacksaw Ridge, Taare Zameen Par, Pursuit of Happyness or Top Gun, you will love this book. Readers who enjoy autobiographies like Jarhead will find this amazing.