Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Behind The Beautiful Forevers - Katherine Boo


Definitely one of the best non-fiction books i read about Indian slum life.The author had done so much research on the slum dwellers everyday life.The language is beautiful, the moment you start reading  you will be in the slum with Abduls,Asha and others.

Previously i enjoyed reading Dominique Lapierre's  India related books.Now Katherine Boo brings the real India with its intricate 'economic' equality and lower middle class struggle.The author had spend considerable amount of time in researching and recording the lives of people in a slum in Mumbai called Annawadi. As i guessed the slum got its name from Tamilians who migrated to Mumbai to do work and occupied the land near the airport.

The author did not romanticize or exploits the life of these people, she just narrates in a beautiful manner.The story revolves mainly around Abdul and his family.Abdul is a garbage trader and he is good at sorting the garbage. His business is growing until the family got into trouble with neighbor Fatima's death.So many characters popups throughout the narratives and many death occurs but life goes on at Annawadi.

Whenever they move upwards economically, these people compares themselves with the less fortunate people at Annawadi and feel happy about it. They believe that they are competing with each other and jealous of one another's growth.One typical example is Asha ,sort of leader of the slum who is ready to do anything to have better lives for themselves. We can find many such Asha's everywhere in India, who use others problems to their benefit.

This is the India which government do not want to show to the world. But this is the real India with its wonderful people. The delusion of "shining India" or "Growing India" do not apply to its own people, it may applies to politicians.The author's followup of the case against Abdul and his fathers was told beautifully.The Indian Judicial System was explained rather opened up wonderfully by the author.

Read and enjoy the real India!

More about the book

3 comments:

Senthil Prabu said...

Thanks for sharing..i will buy oneday.

Unknown said...

fabulous book one of the best I have ever read, great review

Unknown said...

fabulous book and great review