First impressions

This being first notice of a book picked up recently at the Raynes Park platform library. A book which came in the form of a Faber proof, a paperback which was 99% finished, described as an 'uncorrected proof not for sale or quotation'. But plain yellow covers aside, a normal paperback of something over 200 pages. As per reference 1.

The story of a drug and grief fuelled weekend in Bombay, narrated by a chap who has just lost his wife and who is very keen on drugs of one sort of another, including alcohol, cocaine and heroin. Probably tobacco. Who seems to take the same sort of interest in taking drugs as a foodie might take in taking food. Who seems to be a member of the chattering classes and for whom money does not seem to be a problem. Who seems to be comfortable mixing with all kinds of people. One supposes all very autobiographical.

To judge by Bing's response, the author is highly regarded among the chattering classes here. A funny business when we are have both a war on drugs and chattering classes who can celebrate a book which celebrates them. But an entertaining read for all that, both informative and funny, very funny in parts. And maybe one day we will work ourselves through to a better place on drugs, second postscript to reference 2 notwithstanding.

Odds and ends

I learn that Bombay, like San Francisco, has a huge natural harbour behind, in addition to what I take to be the old harbour on the western coast. I also take 'Navi Mumbai' to be New Bombay, a city which has overflowed from its peninsular origins. Some of the action revolves around getting from old to new in a small ferry - a ferry which reads to be of much the same size at the one that operates at Shaldon here in the UK. For which see reference 5. Not a big city ferry at all.

That rich people in India can be just as unpleasant as rich people in the UK. Are the people who just inherit their money, get it for free as it were, necessarily worse than the ones who make it - or perhaps steal it - in the first place?

I read of the tension between anglophone Indians who look to the west and the ones who prefer one of their own languages, preferably Hindi. The unfinished business of all those Indians who do not speak Hindi, or at least do not speak it very well, or who, worse still, are not even practising Hindus.

Of the rather squalid activities that a heavy user of drugs is drawn into. 

Will I get myself a copy of the author's previous best seller, 'Narcopolis'. Perhaps a copy will turn up at Raynes Park.

PS: I wonder who this book, possibly a review copy, started out with? In the past we have had, for example, a batch of botany books, a batch of religious books and now we have someone who regularly drops off copies of 'drinks business' (of reference 3). Perhaps we now have a Guardian reader too?

References

Reference 1: Low - Jeet Thayil - 2020.

Reference 2: https://psmv5.blogspot.com/2024/04/machine-and-other-intelligence.html.

Reference 3: https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/.

Reference 4: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeet_Thayil.

Reference 5: https://psmv5.blogspot.com/2022/10/shaldon.html.