The White Tiger: A Novel (Man Booker Prize)

Balram Halwai is a complicated man. Servant. Philosopher. Entrepreneur. Murderer. Over the course of seven nights, by the scattered light of a preposterous chandelier, Balram tells us the terrible and transfixing story of how he came to be a success in life -- having nothing but his own wits to help him along.

Born in the dark heart of India, Balram gets a break when he is hired as a driver for his village's wealthiest man, two house Pomeranians (Puddles and Cuddles), and the rich man's (very unlucky) son. From behind the wheel of their Honda City car, Balram's new world is a revelation. While his peers flip through the pages of Murder Weekly ("Love -- Rape -- Revenge!"), barter for girls, drink liquor (Thunderbolt), and perpetuate the Great Rooster Coop of Indian society, Balram watches his employers bribe foreign ministers for tax breaks, barter for girls, drink liquor (single-malt whiskey), and play their own role in the Rooster Coop. Balram learns how to siphon gas, deal with corrupt mechanics, and refill and resell Johnnie Walker Black Label bottles (all but one). He also finds a way out of the Coop that no one else inside it can perceive.

Balram's eyes penetrate India as few outsiders can: the cockroaches and the call centers; the prostitutes and the worshippers; the ancient and Internet cultures; the water buffalo and, trapped in so many kinds of cages that escape is (almost) impossible, the white tiger. And with a charisma as undeniable as it is unexpected, Balram teaches us that religion doesn't create virtue, and money doesn't solve every problem -- but decency can still be found in a corrupt world, and you can get what you want out of life if you eavesdrop on the right conversations.

Sold in sixteen countries around the world, The White Tiger recalls The Death of Vishnu and Bangkok 8 in ambition, scope, and narrative genius, with a mischief and personality all its own. Amoral, irreverent, deeply endearing, and utterly contemporary, this novel is an international publishing sensation -- and a startling, provocative debut.

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All Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review:
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

the real story on India, 2009-01-09
The events related illustrate and teach much about India that needs to be known by those who do not come from the area. I can see whay many Indians are so upset by the work. They do not claim that what it written is false, mind you, just that Mr. Adiga (a journalist and Native son) should not have told such truths to the world.
Much of what is told is truly heart breaking. This is not going to make you feel good about the country--but is does give some insights that may be useful in evaluating some of the pressures and views of the people of the nation that will be the most populous in the world and one of the two world leaders (along with China) sometime in the 21st century.



0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

WHITE TIGER, 2009-01-08
I would suggest that if one is even faintly familiar with Indian culture, one's understanding and enjoyment of White Tiger is enhanced. Were I unfamiliar with the culture, I would have enjoyed the book, but with less comprehension of the circumstances of it. Similar to the movie Slumdog Millionaire. A great story, but much better if one has experienced big-city India.


0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

Overdose of reality, 2009-01-08
My credentials in reviewing this book are that I grew up in middle class India. The graphic narrative by Balram aka the White Tiger is poignant and provocative and makes it a very lively read. The reason the book is 'unputdownable' is because of the unexpected twists in Balram's life and his unpredictable, almost eccentric behavior. In spite of finishing this book in record time, I was left with a bad after-taste because of the overdose of squalor and scandals that surround the protagonist. It is hard to label this book as a 'pleasant escape'. It in fact takes you on a journey, gripping you by the lapels, to a world that is painted in blood and debauchery.


0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

90% good, 10% bad, 2009-01-07
This book is hilarious. It is witty, with the narrator using contemporay language to make fun of rich people, politics, urban life and even Muslims (who I hope will take no offense). The book is a quick read because it is easier to understand than other Booker award-winning books. The book has no plot as such, with no twists in the story that will surprise you. The only unsatisfying element of the book is the murder of Mr Ashok (don't worry, this is not a spoiler as the author reveals it right at the start of the book) because he is such a likeable character who is polite, and treats the narrator so well inspite of him being the servant.


0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

Biting satire, 2009-01-07
White Tiger is a powerful book masked in the form of amusing satire. The novel consists of a series of letters written by the unnamed author of the letters to a powerful minister from China who is about to visit India. He wishes to inform the dignitary about the real India rather than the carefully scripted tour Indian officials will provide. As he reveals the truth about his country he tells the story of his own life and his mecurial rise from a very poor boy to a powerful entrepreneur who has used criminal means to reach his success. The book is funny, honest and a brutal description of what life in Indian--a democracy--is like compared to China where no democracy exists. I read White Tiger in two days. It was hard to put the book down.

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