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. Over 18 million inhabitants are crammed into its 169 square miles, and. Maximum city is new yorkbased writer suketu mehtas vast and occasionally riveting recounting of his return to the home of his youth, bombay. 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.
Urbs prima in indis reads the plaque outside the gateway of india. What begins as a journey that mixes just the right amount of humor, anger and bewilderment at the state of our nation, ends up with a surprising doubleshot of hope. There have been some books similar to maximum city. When released in paperback, it was published by vintage, a subdivision of random house. 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. 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 heart of this excited report. I will update this post as i progress more into this book. Suketu mehta has written a burning indictment of antiimmigrant hypocrisy, and an affirmation of hope in the real americathe america where we treat each other as human beings with a common future, and not a faceless problem to be solved by walls and barbed wire. The recent mumbai attacks had increased my thirst to know more about the city. Maximum city is new yorkbased writer suketu mehta s vast and occasionally riveting recounting of his return to the home of his youth, bombay.
Henry prize, and a new york foundation for the arts. To be sure, i am not claiming that suketu mehta has looked only from the perspective of his community and that this has clouded his vision. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 542 pages and is available in paperback format. 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. An international bestseller upon publication, maximum city was a finalist for the pulitzer prize and remains a classic study. The main characters of this cultural, india story are. He approaches the city from unexpected angles, taking us. 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 mehtas tale of two cities lassi with lavina. Maximum city book chicago public library bibliocommons. 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. The impact of mehtas 2004 maximum city, the narrative nonfiction novel, has been so huge that the title itself has become a familiar synonym for the city. Yes, all the high drama, the tall tales of tall cities like bombay and new york started on a narrow balcony on a narrow street in bada bazaar in an old and densely packed part of calcutta. Nearly halfway into maximum city, suketu mehta fetches up at that inimitable bombay institution, the beer bar, where young girls wearing more.
A native of bombay, suketu mehta gives us an insiders view of this s. The book is a pretty compelling work of investigative journalism the interviews he gets, the topics he covers, the depth and richness of his analysis. About once a month, i get a request to write a blurb for a book that is the maximum city of johannesburg, or the maximum city about beijing. Maximum city is a narrative nonfiction book by suketu mehta, published in 2004. But its also true that its when you see real criticism of a book that you start to think seriously about it. Maximum city under pressure is a film by urbanthink tank utt created in the context of the 4th international. After reading sacred games, i was keen to read the above book. Author suketu mehta speaks on the many bombay characters that made the narrative riveting. Bombay lost and found new ed by mehta, suketu isbn. It was published in hardcover by random houses alfred a. 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.
Maximum city by mehta, suketu and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. He takes what might be called a literary census of. In maximum city, suketu mehta has given us a brilliant book. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of maximum city by suketu mehta. Glimmers of hope for bombay in suketu mehtas maximum city. Suketu mehta has undoubtedly spent much time researching the book. Bombay lost and found is a narrative nonfiction book by suketu mehta, published in 2004, about the indian city of mumbai also known as. Nearly halfway into maximum city, suketu mehta fetches up at that inimitable bombay institution, the beer bar, where young. He approaches the city from unexpected angles, taking us into the criminal.
Author suketu mehta brings human faces to stories of migration in new book. There will soon be more people living in the city of bombay than on the continent of australia. Mehta grew up in india until he moved to new york with his parents at age fourteen. I had posted something on mehtas maximum city earlier, but i dont think i gave the book as much credit as i should have. Henry prize, and a new york foundation for the arts fellowship for. Suketu mehta is a new yorkbased author and an associate professor of journalism at new york university. Sep 26, 2004 an ambitious portrait of the megalopolisone that, like its subject, contains worlds but is too big and too crowded for comfort. 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. What dickens did for london, what joseph mitchell did for new york city, suketu mehta has done for bombay. It is a story about the wonders, the challenges, and the promise of. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1, 2, or 3 months new customers receive 15% off your.
A brilliantly illuminating portrait of bombay and its peoplea book as vast, diverse. Okay, i admit, im on a bit of an indian tip of late. 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 fresh air and. His book maximum city 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. Nearly halfway into maximum city, suketu mehta fetches up at that inimitable bombay institution, the. Bombay lost and found, which was a finalist for the pulitzer prize, and won the kiriyama prize and the hutch crossword award. A candid, extensive, and wholly entertaining portrait. Candid, impassioned, funny, and heartrending, maximum city is a revelation of an ancient and everchanging world. Acclaim for suketu mehtas maximum city an economist, seattle times, and san jose mercurynews best book of the year dazzling and absorbing.
Pennathurs criticisms prompted me to read past the first 50 pages of suketu mehta s book maximum city, partly in the interest of finding out the exact quote. 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, time, and gq. 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. Bursting with colourful anecdotes and vignettes of everyone from gangsters to bar dancers, the book seems like it would be perfect for the screen. A little more on names and naming in suketu mehta pennathurs criticisms prompted me to read past the first 50 pages of suketu mehtas book maximum city, partly in the interest of finding out the exact quote. Aug 23, 2005 there will soon be more people living in the city of bombay than on the continent of australia. Author suketu mehta brings human faces to stories of. A native of bombay, suketu mehta gives us an insiders view of this stunning metropolis. Suketu mehta is one of our finest thinkers and writers on the subject of immigration. Bombay lost and found, which won the kiriyama prize, and was a finalist for the 2005 pulitzer prize, the lettre ulysses prize, the bbc4 samuel johnson prize, and the guardian first book award.
More than a decade after its release, maximum city remains, arguably the definitive book on mumbai. Suketu mehta is the new yorkbased author of maximum city. Maximum city by suketu mehta and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Publication date 2005 topics mehta, suketu travel india bombay, bombay. Suketu mehtas maximum bombay suketu mehtas book, maximum city. Suketu mehta speakers bureau and booking agent info. Part memoir, part journalism, part travelogue, and written with the relentless observation and patience of a novelist, maximum city is a brilliantly illuminating portrait of bombay and its people a book as vast, diverse, and rich in experience, incident, and sensation as the city itself. Bombay lost and found is a narrative nonfiction book by suketu mehta, published in 2004, about the indian city of mumbai also known as bombay. A native of bombay, suketu mehta gives us a true insiders view of this stunning city, bringing to his account a.
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