Last Jet Engine Laugh [Paperback]

Ruchir Joshi (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 2, 2002

The most arresting Indian novel since Arundhati Roy's 'The God of Small Things'. Thirty years from now, old Paresh Bhatt settles down to drink an espresso (made, somewhat ostentatiously, with real water), and reflects on the key moments of his life. But even as Paresh recalls his parents' courtship during the freedom movement of the 1930s, his daughter, Para, is in the air -- a crack fighter pilot in the belligerent Indian airforce, mounting raids against the Pak-Saudi alliance! Sharp, modern, fluent and varied, this is a debut novel from India of an utterly original kind. Joshi has found a style and a form in which to say new things about the Indian experience in a new manner.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'The brand new experience after Rushdie: a megashow, Russian in size, Indian in soul.' India Today 'Written in the joyous tradition of Tristram Shandy, Joshi has Sterne's gift for digressions [and] the master's eye for his surroundings. This is surely a great moment for Indian literature. "The Last Jet-Engine Laugh" debates whether the story of a nation can be the story of a self.' Tom Payne, Daily Telegraph 'Exhilarating!Joshi's narrative jump-cuts with a surreal invention reminiscent of the work of Vonnegut.' The Times 'Proof positive that it's possible for Indian writers to be wickedly cynical, funny and bitter without the scathing edge blunting the Indianness or vice versa!Put simply, "The Last Jet-Engine Laugh" is a family saga across three generations. It's also (as most really good books are) a love story. But before you yawn and reach for the remote saying, "Yaar, saala, it's been done before," it ain't quite been done like this. Joshi is a most unsuitable boy, and if there were a glass palace about, he'd be the one throwing stones.' Anita Roy, Biblio 'Stylish, suggestive, musical!a great moment for Indian literature.' Daily Telegraph

About the Author

Ruchir Joshi is a trained and practising filmmaker in India. Born and raised in Calcutta, he now lives in Delhi.

Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Flamingo (April 2, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0006551874
• ISBN-13: 978-0006551874
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,790,171 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best reads I've ever had, September 20, 2008

By 

NP "NP" (Los Angeles, CA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Last Jet-Engine Laugh (Hardcover)

I read this book when it came out about 5 years back, and came across this entry when I wanted to get a new copy to read it again [its that good]. I was sure this would be an international best seller, and was very surprised at the kind of 'cool reception' it received. Ruchir Joshi tells the tale of three generations of an Indian family from the mid-20th century to present day to the near future with remarkable grip over the tale. A must read.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not Salman Rushdie or Vonnegut, February 2, 2003

By 

Ray Viray-Cox (Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The last jet-engine laugh (Hardcover)

Oh dear! What a pity that someone so brilliant, so witty, such a
literary prestidigitator should take umbrage with the very language in which he has written his book. Surely one capable of penning such an enjoyable book of life, as it was, is,and may be, should be proficient enough, to better describe this language that I hold so dear, than to call english A Bhenchod Language; Tranlation "A Sister F--ker Language"! I suspect that Roshi thought himself clever to be able to introduce the western world to this word and has only used it for "shock factor". ( A language Improperly intimate or interconnected) does not sound like The English Language of literary greats like Shakespeare, Chaucer, Milton, Keats and Benny HIll, sorry I think Ruchir made a big mistake on that one. Note, later in the book there appears to be a multitude of Bhenchods, Baanchods, Banchoders and Baanchoder Dal. Some Indians may be offended that this word would be made available to "all and sundry" :) some may laugh and be amused.
On with the book, I laughed, I smiled, i also grimaced at all the
Indian parenthesis. I laughed and laughed some more. Funny how this book should remind me of a movie, however I could not help
thinking back to the English/Indian movie Hanif Kureishi's "My
Beatiful Launderette". The older characters in the book remind me of the older Indian man in the movie who had obviously been influenced by his many years of being English and Indian at the same time. Stiff upper lip subjugated by the comedic self-abasement of an older Indian psyche.
Ah! shrikand/shrikhand I will never be able to look this delicious
dessert in the eye again. Now don't get me wrong I am in favour of such pleasures, but please dont mess with my food. Those Ghaati women have the same reputation as "Red-Heads". Sounds just like something they would get up to, "Ghaati women I mean" :) :)
In closing I should like to say that I enjoyed this book immensely, I loved the contrasts of the different stories even if it made it hard to follow sometimes. Perhaps three separate
stories might have more appropriate, certainly it would have helped to keep the names straight.
The book paints some interesting pictures of Indian life, Indian
values of the past and near present also touching the always volatile Indian political scene. I also found some of the
futuristic hypothesis interesting but improbable, none-the-less it did not detract from my enjoyment. A very good first novel, stick with it, it will surely grow on you.
The cover notes would have you believe this might be another Rushdie in the style of Vonnegut if you are looking for something along those lines, this is probably not it.