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In 2001 a group of authors including Andrew O'Hagan, Tony Hawks and Irvine Welsh were given the opportunity to visit Sudan, one of the world's most inaccessible countries. The resulting book: The Weekenders - Travels in the Heart of Africa was an award-winning triumph, combining fiction and non-fiction into a compelling travel narrative that was both entertaining and illuminating. Now the Weekenders are back, joined by some new faces and taking on one of the world's most fascinating and contradictory cities - Calcutta. It is a trip like nothing you've ever seen or heard of before.
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For somebody like me who is born and brought up in Calcutta and now settled in London I found the book an excellent source of information. It is written for a good cause (raising money For UNESCO projects) and is unique as each different authors brings in their own perspective onto it. It is quite true to reality of the life in that particular part of the subcontinent, which at times for people from the west very difficult to grasp. I got married recently and I find it hard to describe the city of my birth to my wife (she is from Ireland). Most of the information or pictures you come across only potray the city as a city full of extreme poverty and suffering. The city is trying to shake off its inertia and looking to the future. Theres a lot of work to be done but educating pleople is a good begining. Only thing I would say is I would have liked to see some pictures on it. I know that they took some still pictures, some of which were on show in Waterstones at Piccadilli. My wife is eagerly reading the book at the moment and we are preparing to visit Calcutta in October this year. We plan to set up a website on the city with practical information when we come back. For those of you who are thinking of visiting or even if you are not go out and buy the book. You will get a feel for it and might even imagine to be in the CITY OF JOY.
Calcutta is an incredibly difficult place to describe to anyone who hasn't visited; and rather difficult to get a handle on even when you have. However this book manages to capture Calcutta in all it's diversity. The combination of fiction and non fiction, alongside the diversity of the authors' styles mirrors the nature of life in Calcutta perfectly. Some of the pieces are desperately sad, revealing the shocking conditions that thousands of people live in. Some of the pieces draw attention to the positive and inspiring developments currently taking place in Calcutta. But all of the pieces reveal a real warmth for the city by the authors. I was particularly excited to see that Monica Ali's latest story is as good as her debut 'Brick Lane', this book also introduced me to the excellent Bella Bathurst who I have never read before. It is the kind of book that makes you want to pack your bags and experience Calcutta for yourself, but if you can't, read this book - it's the next best thing!
Most unusual book, written by ordinary people visiting and traveling in Calcutta. Everyone has had a very different experience and this is great for geting an overall feel about this fasinating city. Thank you
