The Pleasure Seekers
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'This is a captivating, delightful novel. I was totally engaged by Tishani Doshi's people and by their world, and the language often rises - when speaking of the great matters, life, death, and above all love - to powerful metaphorical heights' Salman Rushdie 'I read this book almost in one sitting, and became completely engaged by the characters. I suffered those horrible familiar pangs of literary envy' Louis de Bernieres
Product Description
It all started in August 1968 when Babo, with curly hair and jhill mill teeth, became the first member of the Patel family to leave Madras and fly on a plane all the way to London to further his education. His father should have known there would be trouble: on the morning of the departure he had his first and only dream, in which strange ghosts threw poison-tipped arrows and all his family was lost...But off Babo went, and now here he is, in a flat off the Finchley Road, untraditionally making love to a cream-skinned girl from Wales, Sian Jones, who he fell head over heels for as soon as he saw the twirl of red ribbon in her hair. Ba-ba-boom, ba-ba-boom, ba-ba-boom-boom-boom. Theirs is a mixed-up love in a topsy-turvy world, and their two families will never be the same again. Meet the Patel-Joneses: Babo, Sian, Mayuri and Bean, in their little house with orange and black gates next-door to the Punjab Women's Association. As the twentieth century creaks and croaks its way along - somewhere out there Charles and Diana get hitched; Indira Gandhi is assassinated by her own bodyguards; cable TV arrives in India - these four navigate their way through the uncharted territory of a 'hybrid' family: the hustle and bustle of Babo's relatives, the faraway phone-line crackle of Sian's, the eternal wisdom and soft bosom of great-grandmother Ba, the perils of first love, lost innocence and old age, and the big question: what do you do with the space your loved ones leave behind? In this tender, lyrical and uplifting debut, Tishani Doshi, a prizewinning poet, effortlessly captures the quirks and calamities of one unusual clan in a story of identity, family, belonging and all-transcending love.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Seamless writing, memorable novel,
By
This review is from: The Pleasure Seekers (Hardcover)
This is a book to be savoured unhurriedly. It has, in my opinion, an inner quality that comes to light from the beginning, with some graceful poetic "whisper" seeping through the pages, sprinkled here and there (the author's background is poetry). The richness of language is a balm to the eyes and the deriving overall prose is stylish and intense. Never pretentious nor ostentatious though. The narrative flows beautifully, lyrically. The use of certain expressions -i.e. sha-bing, sha-bang, ba-ba-boom, ba-ba-boom, ba-ba-boom-boom-boom- renders some descriptions more vivid, providing even more texture to some circumstances and feelings.We meet the Patel family, based in Madras, India, in 1968. Babo, the first member of the Patel family to fly out to London for education/business purposes, falls head over heels in love with Sian, a Welsh girl (this is an association/reference to the author's own parents). The love is mutual, but as soon as Babo's parents hear of it, they are distressed and dismayed; with a tricky excuse, Babo is asked to return to India. It is soon clear to all that Babo and Sian cannot bear to be apart and, as soon as this fact is "digested" by both the Indian & Welsh families, love prevails and the two can get married. The story unfolds covering roughly three generations, through different continents, cultures and historical events. The love uniting Babo and Sian is the narrative path upon which the books is based, placing them as main characters, along with Babo's parents, his brother Chotu and his sweet grandmother Ba and later, their daughters join the picture: Mayuri and Bean. Other characters are more marginal (such as Babo's sisters or Sian's family) but they still find their niche complementing the background as seen fit for a family saga. Ba especially, is a remarkable character, a favourite of mine: a widow living in Anjar, she has an eternal wisdom aura, lives surrounded by the village women and an eunuch whom she is very fond of. She also has the power of "smelling" the future and is the central figure for the entire Patel family: everybody turns to her for any kind of problem. Ba's powers provide the book with what I would define as a touch of magic realism, which blends suitably as events unfold throughout the years. Many themes are explored through the lives of the Patels: love, above all. And racial issues, social acceptance, lost innocence, death. The adjustments we have to face when a loved one takes another direction, unexpectedly, leaving an unbearable emptiness. And patience. This book makes you think at how difficult it is sometimes to master this art without getting overwhelmed, or crushed, by intricate circumstances. However this is not a depressing read; it is a book about life and it has several amusing touches throughout. As it progresses and we get acquainted with all the characters and what shapes their life, the elegance and power of the language levitate through the love, joy, pain, tears, and love again. Life, as it is. Seeking pleasure? Ba-ba-boom-boom-boom. You shall find it by reading this book. Very well done to Tishani Doshi, 10 Amazon stars! I am looking forward to read more of her work.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the best books I have ever read,
This review is from: The Pleasure Seekers (Paperback)
This is a fantastic book. Tashani Doshi uses language incredibly skilfully to conjur up the essence of her characters so that, like them or not, you can understand their motivations and get into the guts of this cross-cultural tale. There is such a delicate and clever use of language which instantly conjured up a world of texture, depth and nuance of feeling that I found intriguing. I felt I was in the heart of all the characters.I found it compelling and unpredictable. I did not want to leave this family behind when I finished the book!
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Delightful read,
By
This review is from: The Pleasure Seekers (Paperback)
I borrowed this book from the library on a whim - having never heard of Tishani Doshi before and I was captivated it. I felt involved in the lives of all the characters - sometimes moved to to tears - although this is by no means a sad book so don't let that put you off. Its an uplifting book and it spoke to me about the tides and times in all our lives, I can certainly relate to it. I was moved by the poetic language used throughout the book- Tishani is an award winning poet in India- and that added to the richness of the text. It beautifully portrayed two different cultures and how magical life affirming green shoots can develop from the blending of them both. I cannot believe Tishani is so young an author- she speaks with the wisdom of an old soul.
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