Family Planning (Ulverscroft) [Large Print] [Hardcover]

Karan Mahajan (Author)

Book Description

Series: Ulverscroft | Publication Date: December 2009

Mr Ahuja, a Government Minister in New Delhi, is beset by problems: thirteen children and another on the way, not to mention the daily struggles over whether to resign for the sixty-third time; his wife, Sangita, adrift on a sea of knitting and nappies, is mourning the loss of her favourite TV soap star; son Rishi drives everyone mad with his serial apologies; and, finally there's Arjun, the oldest and perhaps the wisest of the sprawling, noisy crew.For once, though, Arjun is lost for words: how can he tell his school friend Aarti that he loves her? Serenading her with cover versions of Bryan Adams' greatest hits perhaps isn't the answer. In a household pushed to the brink, Arjun's father also has secrets to spill, and must do so in the troubled landscape of modern-day Delhi that he himself has built. Following father and son as they blunder their way over and under the flyovers of the megalopolis, Karan Mahajan brilliantly juggles the cultural and political worlds of India's capital city to create a moving - and fast-moving - portrait of modern family life.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The patriarch of a chaotic family living in a hectic land must come to terms with himself and what he's wrought at home and at work in this excellent debut. Rakesh Ahuja battles the twin bedlams of his sprawling family and overcrowded home city of New Delhi while simultaneously trying to save his career as the minister of urban development. Rakesh attempts to manipulate and cajole his way through the corrupt and sometimes illogical Indian civil service, often finding himself embroiled in absurd intrigues. Home is no less fraught, where his 13 children battle each other for their often-absent father's love. The lone exception is Arjun, the eldest, whose adolescent rebellion and nascent romantic inclinations prompt him to form a rock band and pull away from his frenetic family. As Rakesh clumsily reaches out to his first-born son, the twists of fate that shaped both their lives are revealed, providing a portrait of a family that is both comical and heartbreaking. Mahajan's effortless blending of comedy and tragedy is irresistible and should help his book stand out. (Dec.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

How does one carve his niche—his life—while remaining a loving member of the greater family? Arjun, the eldest of 13 children, straddles that tricky line of playing third parent while struggling to distance himself from his family. A normal day sees him changing diapers, flirting with his crush, and entertaining dreams of rock stardom. Arjun’s father is one of Delhi’s star officials, his mother is addicted to soap operas, and his 12 siblings  remain in a constant battle for those finite emotional resources from each other and their parents. Arjun never shuns his family but does critique his home life, saying “it was a house as pressure cooker.” Arjun’s struggles are compounded when he learns that his mother is not his birth mother, but is that of his siblings. This discovery prompts Arjun to debate the definition of a mother: she who birthed him or raised him? Like any debut, Family Planning has its hiccups, but it is an entertaining exposé of a unique family. --Blair Parsons --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: Ulverscroft Large Print Books Ltd; Large type edition edition (December 2009)
• ISBN-10: 184782935X
• ISBN-13: 978-1847829351
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Dilly in Delhi, July 21, 2009

By 

Dick Johnson (Oklahoma USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Family Planning: A Novel (P.S.) (Paperback)

Our hero is a politician and father of thirteen - all still at home. I don't know which is scarier: a politician raising his own voter base; or raising thirteen kids. Thankfully, the terror stops there.

The fun, however, starts on page one and continues throughout the book. We have family follies and political pandemonium; coming-of-age and first-love; and lots of children.

I felt as if Mahajan was sitting next to me telling me the story; the writing was that real and 'friendly'. I am amazed that this is a first book. This being the P.S. edition, we also get the additional material from him in the back of the book.

Grab this one if you want to have fun and enjoy a satiric look at part of the life of India.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mature writing & insight from such a young author, January 6, 2009

By 

Pia Gschossmann (NYC, NY) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Family Planning: A Novel (P.S.) (Paperback)

Great new debut by such a young author with such insight into family situations. A must read for anyone interested in contemporary writing about India as well as the Indian culture. Looking forward to his next book!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great breakout novel, December 16, 2008

By 

Brittain Sexton "..." (Jackson, TN) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Family Planning: A Novel (P.S.) (Paperback)

Family Planning is a remarkable book from a young writer. I would recommend it for any fan of dark humor.