Back to reading and updating again...
This book talks about nothing new that we Indians don't know, but does a good job reminding us of the other face of India. A corrupt India is what we choose to conveniently ignore/forget and this book brings it all back. A lot of people feel that this book shows India in a poor light, but I think it shows India exactly the way it is!
The story is in the first person, its a story of rags to riches of Balram Halwai. Born in his village (called Darkness), he moves from there to become a driver and later becomes at entrepreneur in the Bangalore (called Light). The corrupt journey he undertakes is the essence of this book.
A good read and a light one too! And for once an Indian book that does not talk about sarees, sindoor and spicy food, like its meant for Westerners.
Good Quotes :
See the muslims have one god. The christians have three gods. And we hindus has 56000000 gods.
Only three have never let themselves be ruled by foreigners: China, Afghanistan and Abyssinia. These are the only three nations I admire.
To break the law of his land-to turn bad news into good news- is the entrepreneur prerogative.
To sum up-in the old days there were one thousand castes and destinies in India. These days, there are just two castes: Men with big bellies, and men with small bellies. And only two destinies: eat or get eaten up.
These are three main diseases in this country: cholera, typhoid and election fever. The last one is the worst; it makes people talk and talk about things that they have no say in.
