A native of bombay, suketu mehta gives us a true insiders view of this stunning city, bringing to his account a rare level of insight, detail, and intimacy. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 542 pages and is available in paperback format. Nearly halfway into maximum city, suketu mehta fetches up at. What dickens did for london, what joseph mitchell did for new york city, suketu mehta has done for bombay.
Bombay lost and found is a narrative nonfiction book by suketu mehta, published in 2004, about the indian city of mumbai also known as. The recent mumbai attacks had increased my thirst to know more about the city. He approaches the city from unexpected angles, taking us into the criminal underworld of rival muslim and hindu gangs, following the life of a bar dancer raised amid poverty and abuse, opening the door into the inner sanctums of bollywood, and delving into the stories of the countless villagers who come. In suketu mehtas maximum city, a book on the city of mumbai published in 2004, the author gives you vivid images of the city from different angles. He approaches the city from unexpected angles, taking us into the criminal underworld of rival muslim and hindu gangs, following the life of a bar dancer raised amid poverty and abuse, opening the door into the inner sanctums of bollywood, and delving into the stories. He writes fearlessly about the horror and wonder that is bombay. He approaches the city from unexpected angles, taking us. Maximum city bombay lost and found by suketu mehta. There will soon be more people living in the city of bombay than on the continent of australia.
Candid, impassioned, funny, and heartrending, maximum city is a revelation of an ancient and everchanging world. A native of bombay, suketu mehta gives us a true insiders view of this stunning. His first book, maximum city, was a vision of indias prime metropolis by someone who had lived there as a child but spent most of his life. Maximum city is a narrative nonfiction book by suketu mehta, published in 2004. Because of his zest to put every byway of the bombay underworld on the page, his highenergy evoking of characters high and low, and the way his gaze settles on the newcomers trying to make it. Suketu mehta a brilliantly illuminating portrait of bombay and its peoplea book as vast, diverse, and rich in experience, incident, and sensation as the city itselffrom an awardwinning indianamerican fiction writer and journalist.
Like this is the biggest difference between the worlds two largest democracies. Glimmers of hope for bombay in suketu mehtas maximum city. Henry prize, and a new york foundation for the arts fellowship for his fiction. Maximum city is new yorkbased writer suketu mehtas vast and occasionally riveting recounting of his return to the home of his youth, bombay. Nearly halfway into maximum city, suketu mehta fetches up at that inimitable bombay institution, the beer bar, where young. Suketu mehta is the new yorkbased author of maximum city. He has won a guggenheim fellowship, the whiting writers. Bombay lost and found, which was a finalist for the pulitzer prize, and won the kiriyama prize and the hutch crossword award. The main characters of this cultural, india story are.
The author, suketu mehta, who grew up in bombay, immigrated as a teenager to new york, and has been back and forth between his two countries ever since, has a wicked sense of humor, a blunt tongue, and a keen insight into why bombay deserves the name maximum city. The latest to enter the fray is the acclaimed writer and journalist suketu mehta, whose new book, this land is our land. Bombay lost and found, which won the kiriyama prize and the hutch crossword award, and was a finalist for the 2005 pulitzer prize, the lettre ulysses prize, the bbc4 samuel johnson prize, and the guardian first book award. It is also the urbs prima in mundis, at least in one area, the first test of the vitality of a city. Maximum city is a narrative nonfiction book by suketu mehta, published. Bombay lost and found english edition par suketu mehta. Acclaim for suketu mehtas maximum city an economist, seattle times, and san jose mercurynews best book of the year dazzling and absorbing. The first edition of the novel was published in 2004, and was written by suketu mehta. It is a story about the wonders, the challenges, and the promise of the highly populated city of bombay.
This is a book for anyone interested in bombay or india or the world. His work has been published in the new yorker, the new york times magazine, national geographic, granta, harpers magazine, time and newsweek, and has been featured on nprs. He approaches the city from unexpected angles, taking us into the criminal underworld of rival muslim and hindu gangs, following the life of a bar dancer raised amid poverty and abuse, opening the door into the inner sanctums of bollywood, and delving into the stories of the. Suketu mehta has undoubtedly spent much time researching the book. With 14 million people, bombay is the biggest city on the planet of a race of city dwellers. Suketu mehta, a journalism professor at new york university, is the author of maximum city. Books ordered may be returned for a full refund if they are not as described. I will update this post as i progress more into this book. Over 18 million inhabitants are crammed into its 169 square miles, and. In the mumbai kindergarten my son went to, the children never had to. About maximum city a native of bombay, suketu mehta gives us an insiders view of this stunning metropolis. His work has been published in the new yorker, the new york times magazine, national geographic, granta, harpers, time, and gq.
Urbs prima in indis reads the plaque outside the gateway of india. After reading sacred games, i was keen to read the above book. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. A brilliantly illuminating portrait of bombay and its peoplea book as vast, diverse, and rich in experience, incident, and sensation as the city itselffrom an awardwinning indianamerican fiction writer and journalist. Suketu mehta is a renowned author, hailing from kolkata, india. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of maximum city by suketu mehta. Bombay lost and found, which won the kiriyama prize and the hutch crossword award, and was a finalist for the 2005 pulitzer prize, the lettre ulysses prize, the bbc4 samuel johnson prize. A native of bombay, suketu mehta gives us an insiders view of this stunning metropolis. In maximum city, suketu mehta has given us a brilliant book. Bombay lost and found new ed by mehta, suketu isbn.
If suketu mehta were to publish just this one book, it would still be worth a lifetimes work. Immigration as reparation for colonialism, climate change. Bombay is the future of urban civilization on the planet. Bombayiteturnednew yorker mehta, a writer of fiction and film scripts, returned to his native city for a twoyear stint in 1998, and his experiences form the. A candid, extensive, and wholly entertaining portrait. Mehta grew up in india until he moved to new york with his parents at age fourteen. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Maximum city by mehta, suketu and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at.
More than a decade after its release, maximum city remains, arguably the definitive book on mumbai. Maximum city by suketu mehta and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Bombay lost and found, which won the kiriyama prize and the hutch crossword award, and was a finalist for the pulitzer prize, among other awards. He approaches the city from unexpected angles, taking us into the criminal underworld of rival muslim and hindu gangs. A native of bombay, suketu mehta gives us an insiders view of this s. Henry prize, and a new york foundation for the arts. Author suketu mehta brings human faces to stories of. A native of bombay, suketu mehta gives us a true insiders view of this stunning city, bringing to his.