#Friday56 & #BookBeginnings: The White Tiger


For Book Beginnings:
For the Desk of:
His Excellency Wen Jiabao,

The Premier's Office,
Beijing,
Capital of the Freedom-Loving Nation of China
- p. 1

For Friday 56:
The old driver asked, "What caste are you?"
"Halwai."

"Sweet-makers," the old driver said, shaking his head. "That's what your people do? You make sweets. How can you learn to drive?" He pointed his hookah at the live coals. "That's like getting coals to make ice for you. Mastering a car" -- he moved the stick of an invisible gearbox -- "it's like taming a wild stallion -- only a boy from the warrior castes can manage that. You need to have aggression in your blood. Muslims, Rajputs, Sikhs -- they're fighters, they can become drivers. You think sweet-makers can last long in fourth gear?" - p. 56

Synopsis of 
The White Tiger by Aravind AdigaThe white tiger of this novel is Balram Halwai, a poor Indian villager whose great ambition leads him to the zenith of Indian business culture, the world of the Bangalore entrepreneur. On the occasion of the president of China’s impending trip to Bangalore, Balram writes a letter to him describing his transformation and his experience as driver and servant to a wealthy Indian family, which he thinks exemplifies the contradictions and complications of Indian society. 



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Hi all. It's been a busy few weeks so my reviews are stuck. Or I'm stuck. Ish. My consolation is that the weather is looking better and I have the summer to look forward to.
My pick this week is an oldie but goody; this is such an old read but it really stuck with me. Someone recently commented on my review and it reminded me how good this book was.

What's going on with you, life and books-wise?

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© guiltless readingMaira Gall