What a surprise. I loved The White Tiger. I could not put it down and it kept me awake every night since the day I bought it. I did not know this author (Aravind Adiga,) until Mothership (Motherhood:The Final Frontier) suggested it as the first book of the newly created book club of the British Mummy Bloggers. For its angry and provocative point of view, I’ve found this book a compulsory and very interesting reading, totally different from other novels by Indian authors that I have read so far. It is a kind of unveiling of several types of masks: the peaceful and spiritual India and the modern computer society in Bangalore. It’s a sort of educative novel, a crime without punishment and without repentance. The White Tiger" presents a raw and unromanticised India, both thrilling and shocking - from the desperate, almost lawless villages along the Ganges, to the booming Wild South of Bangalore and its technology and outsourcing centres.
The main character, Balram Halwai, is a poor low-caste Indian, the son of a rickshaw-puller who somehow manages to crawl his way up to be an entrepreneur in Bangalore. He tells his story via a series of letters written to the Chinese Premier who is about to visit Bangalore. The poor parts of India are referred to as the Darkness which is a world filled with hunger, servitude and life-long debt. Modern Delhi is referred to as the Light. This is a world where men and women grow fat, have air-conditioned cars, mobile phones and guarded apartments with large TVs and computer games. But the Light has some very murky aspects to it - bribery, corruption and murder. The story is told at a blazing pace. Balram is ambitious and astute. He does well to become a driver for a local landlord's family - but he wants more..... The dilemma for him is whether he can shake off his chains by honest means or whether some blood will have to flow.
I read The White Tiger in less than a week, so it is in pristine condition (no tea spilt over it, no tears either!) and I would like to pass it on to anybody of you who’s interested in reading it. Please leave a comment below and my usual assistant Lily the Hamster will help me choose the recipient of the book on Friday morning (if more than one of you is interested of course!).
The main character, Balram Halwai, is a poor low-caste Indian, the son of a rickshaw-puller who somehow manages to crawl his way up to be an entrepreneur in Bangalore. He tells his story via a series of letters written to the Chinese Premier who is about to visit Bangalore. The poor parts of India are referred to as the Darkness which is a world filled with hunger, servitude and life-long debt. Modern Delhi is referred to as the Light. This is a world where men and women grow fat, have air-conditioned cars, mobile phones and guarded apartments with large TVs and computer games. But the Light has some very murky aspects to it - bribery, corruption and murder. The story is told at a blazing pace. Balram is ambitious and astute. He does well to become a driver for a local landlord's family - but he wants more..... The dilemma for him is whether he can shake off his chains by honest means or whether some blood will have to flow.
I read The White Tiger in less than a week, so it is in pristine condition (no tea spilt over it, no tears either!) and I would like to pass it on to anybody of you who’s interested in reading it. Please leave a comment below and my usual assistant Lily the Hamster will help me choose the recipient of the book on Friday morning (if more than one of you is interested of course!).
10 comments:
That's very generous of you, but I'll pass and improve the odds for your other readers! I've got a bookcase full of books to read, and probably shouldn't add anymore. :)
I'll look this up Im reading the same book you have here on your blog, so thanks for introducing me to a new author and like Beth I'm so behind on my reading, I'm finding it hard to catch up.
Take care
Yasmin
xx
Sounds good. I notice you liked Shadow of the Wind in your profile - that was my favourite book of last year.
A book-giveaway, how cool! Great idea you had, Antonella! :) Have a happy day, it's finally sunny here and temps are warming up a bit. Ciao!
I'll just keep my eyes open for it here. I think mail to the Philippines might be more expensive than the book!
Sounds very interesting indeed. Sounds like the Philippines too!
Oh, me, me, ME! Can't you see my hand up and waving. I wouldn't give it to me based on the fact that was SO RUDE! But I do so want to read it.
My hand is up as well. Have just been to China and have been reading books both about China and Chinese charaters. Am intending to go to India at the end of the year with a friend for a 0 number birthday. I generally read lots of both fiction and non-fiction set in countries I visit.
I won't put up my hand, I have hardly any time to read. I've just started "Shadow of the Wind" for my book group - it's not grabbed me yet to be honest but I will persevere (I know lots of people absolutely love it, but I'm quite fussy with books!).
I'm not going to ask you to mail it to the US either but I'll look for it at the library. I've read a number of novels set in India. That seems to be the only way I'll ever get to "visit" there.
Darla
Thank you for this post. I look forward to reading it considering that you liked it so much. I too will ask you to not post it to Australia, but if you insist...;)
Mervat
xxoo
Post a Comment