The Romantics

Pankaj Mishra is one of the most promising talents of his generation and thisstunning universally praised novel of selfdiscovery heralds a remarkablecareer.The ... » 

Pankaj Mishra is one of the most promising talents of his generation and thisstunning universally praised novel of selfdiscovery heralds a remarkablecareer.The young Brahman Samar has come to the holy city of Benares tocomplete his education and take the civil service exam that will determine hisfuture. But in this city redolent of timeworn customs where pilgrims bathe inthe sacred Ganges and breathe in smoke from burning ghats along the shoreSamar is offered entirely different perspectives on his country. Miss West andher circle indifferent to the reality around them represent those drawn toIndia as a respite from the material world. And Rajesh a sometimes violentsometimes mystical leader of student malcontents presents a more jaundicedview. More than merely illustrating the clash of cultures Mishra presents theuniversal truth that our desire for the other is our most painful joy. «