You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion

So loved the dinner scene with Varun dropping in to the very sophisticated civilized evening tipsy and with fortified bravado - so unlike his normal character. On a more serious note, Seth now focuses on how the other half lives -- the evenings filled with nightclubbing, the heart of Calcutta's (and back then - India's) trade and commerce conducted by firms like Bentsen Pryce, the racetrack betting, arts and cultures and Meenakshi's dalliance. For those not familiar with India's huge gap between the rich and the poor - and more so back then, this portrayal is absolutely accurate. Which is why the increasing rise of India's middle class over the past couple of decades is fueling India's economic growth and is so critical to continuing that trajectory. On a related note, there's references to Rabindranath Tagore - if you haven't heard of him - I'd highly encourage checking him out. He was the first non-Westerner to win the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913. I love his works.

Thanks for your comments Lilisa. Always nice to have confirmation of what I'm reading. I've read the dinner party scene, but I'm a bit behind this week's full selection. Need to catch up. I read a little bit of Tagore many years ago while in college. Do you have any specific recommendation(s)?

Judy wrote: "The dinner scene was great, Lilisa. What did you think of the Chatterji breakfasts? Kuku's "mushrooms"? The rhyming, ie...

What is Krishnan in the end?
Just a mushroom, just a friend.

and Tapan's..."

Yes, rather hilarious! And you're right on the idli and here's the dosa http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dosa - hope this link works. Oh, and loved the glamdip! Re: Patricia - I'm surprised she wasn't more vocal - after all culturally, I don't expect her to take a backseat to the opposite sex.

Sue wrote: "Thanks for your comments Lilisa. Always nice to have confirmation of what I'm reading. I've read the dinner party scene, but I'm a bit behind this week's full selection. Need to catch up. I read a ..."

Sue - Glimpses of Bengal, Gitanjali and Short Stories From Rabindranath Tagore are some of my favorites.

Lilisa wrote: "Sue wrote: "Thanks for your comments Lilisa. Always nice to have confirmation of what I'm reading. I've read the dinner party scene, but I'm a bit behind this week's full selection. Need to catch u..."

Thanks Lilisa. I downloaded Gitanjali and a couple of others that were available free through Amazon for kindle earlier today and hope to give them a try before very long.

Sue wrote: "Lilisa wrote: "Sue wrote: "Thanks for your comments Lilisa. Always nice to have confirmation of what I'm reading. I've read the dinner party scene, but I'm a bit behind this week's full selection. ..."

Great Sue. Would be interested to hear what you think of Tagore's writings when you're done with them.

I just started reading the section with the party---it's a hoot!

I like Lata though I feel I need to know her more. Right now she is more of a mirror for what happens around her. I like the Chatterji family. They are so... fun, the children are so intelligent but provocative. I wasn't expecting that. I also like The Minister Mehra whoo is caught between friends and change. And I think it's Arun's sister who had to save the house? I'm not sure. So many people.

I agree. So many people. I've finished this section now much belatedly. I'm sucked back in to all of the intersecting stories and looking forward to continuing.