Continuing from my earlier Essential readings list. This one is by authors of Indian origin who now live abroad
1. Vikram Seth’s The Golden Gate
2. Rohinton Mistry’s Such a Long Journey
3. V.S. Naipaul’s A Bend around the river

The 3 books earlier combined with these 3 books are both “literary” as well as great reads. A note of caution: I disagree with almost all of Naipaul’s non fiction.
None of these books won any Booker. So much for the Booker judges’ literary taste!

Reading is essentially a private source of joy. Read whatever you like but do not judge books by awards. That is a path of peril.

I had picked up “Inheritance of loss” with a lot of expectations, but it totally failed to live up to them -It is definitely not “the best, sweetest, most delightful” novel as some reviewer said it was. In my opinion the book did not deserve a Booker.

One of the finest books written by an Indian in recent years is Anjum Hasan’s Lunatic in my head. Loss, longing and sorrow are the recurring themes. So much better than Kirsn Desai’s The inheritance of loss.

Thanx for the support. The issue brings back the age old debate on art and patronage – who decides what is good for me as a common man ? I would prefer to decide for myself what is enjoyable and therefore worth patronising (in whatever minute way I can) rather than have someone else tell me what is good for me!!!

Absolutely spot on ! I read those two books back to back last month and was equally unimpressed with Adiga’s ‘masterpiece’. Of course, my expectations were sky high after the prize was announced but seriously … this looks to be one of those books written to please the goras who still think that Indians still live in the jungles and ride elephants to work.

The zoya factor on the other hand is a fun and easy read and makes no attempts at being a literary master piece. And it isn’t. But I still found ZF to be a much more enjoyable read than the white tiger.

Thanx for your comment.I have commented only on the four books I read during the month. As a career naval officer, I lay no claims to great literary understanding. But speaking from the gut, I still do feel that the Adiga was an over-hyped book. And I did enjoy Zoya.
Will definitely go through your essential reading list.

Surely you jest. Anyone who has witnessed the evolution of Indian writing over the last 25 years can tell the difference. Zoya factor compared with Ghosh! Clearly an essential reading list is in order:
1. Upamanyu Chatterjee’s English August
2. Amitav Ghosh’s The Shadow Lines
3. Allan Sealy’s The trotternama
And thats just for starters. Perhaps then you’ll rack up decent indian comparisons

Thanx