Scoop-Wallah: Life on a Delhi Daily [Paperback]

Though born and educated in England, Justine Hardy spends more time thinking of India than of her home. "When I cannot sleep in London I have waking dreams peopled by the characters who inhabit my life in Delhi, and I get up and write about them". So when an Indian shopkeeper in a South Kensington greengrocer complains to Justine about the inaccurate and irresponsible coverage of India in the world's press, the journalist is inspired to go out there and write. Following a brief exchange of letters with a certain Mr Bhattacharyya, Justine heads for New Delhi to begin work for the Indian Express.

To Western eyes, Indian newspapers have an antique look about them. Text is printed in classical fonts packed tightly almost to the point of illegibility while hazy photographs show politicians in traditional dress. The features section, on the other hand, is an "explosion of Western fashion spreads, over-coloured recipe pictures, and those perennial lifestyle tales of what the rich and nearly famous eat for breakfast". Justine writes with a warm, gentle humour, focusing firmly on her subject while allowing the warmth of her own personality to shine through. --Daren King --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

'There is a vitality in the writing and a feeling for Indian life which Kipling would have loved... fine descriptive passages and plenty of humour...' ' --Daily Telegraph

'...she gained enough access to Indian society to fill every page with Dickensian detail and hilarious dialogue. No matter where you dive in - be it a slum school or a polo match, a disco or a tea garden - you'll quickly find yourself reading the entire book, just for the fun of it.' --The Guardian

`In this candid, lively memoir, Hardy unravels what it means to be an outsider... intriguing exposé of modern India.'

A chance conversation with her greengrocer about the media’s portrayal of India inspired journalist Justine Hardy to leave London and, following in the footsteps of Rudyard Kipling, spend a year working at The Indian Express in New Delhi. Her new life – with a quirky landlord who turns out to be a former Rajput prince – takes her all over India from polo matches and Assam tea gardens to city slums.

Justine Hardy writes regularly for the Financial Times, Conde Nast Traveller, The Times and various magazines. Since the success of Scoop-Wallah she has written several books set in the region, and lives in London and New Delhi.