Coming from a small town in North india, I have been badly disappointed by this book. Pankaj Mishra supposedly is writing about his travels and travails as he trips thru the country. Yet the glasses he puts on are that of a foreigner who finds fault with everything Indian. This is funny too, for Mishra tries to poke fun at the way Indians speak English. This presumes that Mishras own prose is exemplery. In fact it is not. At times it does get tiresome,repitative and dated. Another thing strange is that Mishra rarely finds anything positive in the tremendous development taking place in all these small towns. Hailing from Ludhiana, the town after this book is titled, I can swear that our town is booming. So if we cannot speak great English, should we feel inferior? Anyway all Indians in the book have been made out to be inadequate characters. Maybe Mishra wanted a good foreign review. Still as a travel book this is a failure. In fact Lonely Planet's India Guide gives you more insight in far witter form. So my advice-- avoid reading this one. Unless you want to be bored.

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.

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