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December 06, 2009.

White Tiger: Review.

Rating: 4
The novel was very well done, which is why it won a prize. The notion of enterprenuership in a country as disorganized as India is intriguing, and the lengths to which the narrator has to go to be successful are extreme. The characters are flat, but the message Adiga wants to convey is the rage of the common man in India. well done.

December 06, 2009.

white tiger: audiobook.

Rating: 4
This book is read by an Indian gentleman which gives true flavor to the narrative. Since we often speak with natives of Bangalore when getting tech support, it's interesting to gat a taste of life for what the people wo live there c=actually go through.

December 06, 2009.

loved it!.

Rating: 5
Loved loved loved this book. To deal with the obvious comparisons, I was a bit lukewarm but contemplative about The Life of Pi.

The book's conceit is wonderful. Up front, you know that the narrator Balram has done something bad to get to his current position of relative wealth and prosperity. Balram is sharing what he knows about being an Indian entrepeneur with the Premier of China in an open letter. The whole story (where he sometimes rambles off) is a series of entries in this letter.

We see the drastic differences between the social classes in supposedly modern India, question the difference between a kind master and a master nonetheless, and think about the value of freedom and the grand illusion of society.

The book is tragic, but it's hard not to like Balram. It's funny, at times gross, and often tragic, but rarely actually sad. Balram knows exactly who he is and how he got there, which makes for a good story. It's the kind of book I do think I could read again and still enjoy, which is a rare thing. I highly recommend it!

December 05, 2009.

how to be free? encourage creativity and a sense for beauty!.

Rating: 5
beautiful insight into the struggle of thecommon people. the story pulls yuo right in. uplifting main character.

December 04, 2009.

3.5 Stars (Good Booker Winner).

Rating: 4
Indian society and it's contrast between rich and poor is well documented in fiction. Books such as Midnight's Children and A Fine Balance portray it well.

Adiga refers to the contrast as the darkness and the light. He outlines the progression from the darkness to respectability of Balram. Where Adiga differs from others is that he balances humor and tragedy well.

Balram's perspective is both simple and profound. He tries to be a good man but is not above wickedness as he sees this behaviour from the elite. He portays the elite in a very clownish way.

I enjoyed the novel and especially enjoyed it's direct approach and humor. This is a very good first effort by Adiga.

This is definitely more accessible than most Booker fare and some have hypothesized that it won the Booker as a compromise choice. That may be so but I definitely recommend The White Tiger.