Customer Reviews

Last Jet Engine Laugh

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.