Butter Chicken in Ludhiana: Travels in Small Town India [Paperback]

Pankaj Mishra (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 31, 1995

Based on the author's recent travel experiences in some small towns in India.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Pankaj Mishra was born in North India, in 1969. He is the author of a novel, The Romantics, which won the LA Times Art Seidenbaum award for first fiction; and a highly acclaimed book about the Buddha, An End to Suffering: The Buddha in the World. Mishra writes for several publications, including the New York Review of Books, the New Statesman, Granta, the Times Literary Supplement and the Guardian. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 276 pages
• Publisher: Penguin Books Australia (December 31, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140250670
• ISBN-13: 978-0140250671
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,407,177 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just Stunning, August 15, 2002

By 

vvp (India) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Butter Chicken in Ludhiana: Travels in Small Town India (Paperback)

I started this book one night just before going to bed,fairly certain that it will be some heavy stuff whose arcane language and endless descriptions will surely put me to sleep quickly. I ended up without getting a wink, even though the next day was a working day. I simply could not resist turning page after page. Midway, I started slowing down, savouring each sentence because I didn't want it to end.

Frequently, I was just stunned. By the author's sharp insight into the minds of the people he met, especially in the first half, when he is in the north. The people he describes are not unusual or quirky. They are just everyday people. The kind Indians meet all the time in markets, bus stations and of course while in the train.(I can bet no one has described Indian train travel conversations as accurately as Pankaj Mishra has.)

What Mishra does is point out with amazing sharpness, their quirks, their petty concerns, the conditioning of their minds, what's touching about their lives,and why these typical Indians are so so funny, when you step back and look at them,as if you were meeting them the first time.

There is definitely something happening in Indian society. A huge undercurrent of social and economic change which in turn is changing the quality of people's values, customs, hopes and dreams.There's a lot of talk about the big city part of it, but no one's looking at the small towns. Mishra's focus on them is therefore topical, relevant and important.

I have gone back several times to Butter Chicken in Ludhiana. Just to read my favourite portions, chuckle to myself and marvel at how real it is.

That's the kind of book it is.

10 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding, December 17, 2000

By 

Siraj Irani (Mumbai, India) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Butter Chicken in Ludhiana: Travels in Small Town India (Paperback)

I personally think this book is amazing. I have travelled all over India myself and his description fits best to every little place he talks about. Extremely humourous and very informative. I would recommend this book to any person who wants to read about the true taste of India, its flavour and have a great laugh. I think Pankaj Mishra is a brilliant writer. I know I have read this book a number of times and will surely read it over and over again. Well Done. Kind regards, Siraj

5.0 out of 5 stars I'm satisfied., January 27, 2012

By 

Eunyoung - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Butter Chicken in Ludhiana: Travels in Small Town India (Paperback)

i ordered it from s.korea.
and i received it quite faster than i expected.
so in that point iam very content about it.
also book is also in good condition.
i should start it tonight. :)