Wise and otherwise is a compilation 51 stories which are Mrs. Murthy’s real life experiences, gathered while traveling across the country.
Mrs. Murthy has dedicated this book to all the shirtless people of our country. Each story is of three to four pages, and it is not a piece of fiction but inspired from real life stories, which arose from personal encounters. As the author has traveled comprehensively, these stories are not confined to particular geographical region, though most of them are set in a village background. Some stories leave a huge impact on you while some are to be read and forgotten. The book is an average read, it is more sort of a personal Diary which a person might maintain and narrate his/her experiences.

One of the stories revolves around a man who leaves his father in an old age home. There are stories that just act as a witness to society, like the discussions between two marriage brokers regarding the impact the IT sector’s growth has had on their business, a beggar who moves into an area devastated by an earthquake to take advantage of the aid provided to victims. We get to see a true picture of Real India. Most of the stories emphasizes the importance of Moral values and about people’s behavior in different circumstances. The language of the Book is lucid yet striking.