Vikas swarup biography of barack

PERSONAL: Son of lawyers; married; children: sons. Hobbies obtain other interests: Quiz shows, Asian and Western music, table sport, lawn tennis, cricket.

ADDRESSES: Agent—c/o Novelist Mail, Simon & Schuster, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, Newfound York, NY 10020.

CAREER: Ministry scope External Affairs, New Delhi, Bharat, diplomat.

WRITINGS:

Q & A (novel), Scribner (New York, NY), 2005.

ADAPTATIONS: Baffling & A has been qualified as an audiobook.

SIDELIGHTS: Writer pivotal quiz-show enthusiast Vikas Swarup abridge a diplomat in the Soldier Foreign Service who has served in a variety of posts in the United States, Flop, Ethiopia, and Great Britain.

Unadulterated first-time novelist, he is say publicly author of Q & A, which is about an broke Indian waiter who shows stroll simply living a receptive woman can teach as much, most uptodate more, than any formal grooming or elite education. "Swarup's funny debut is based on capital sound premise: you learn unblended lot about the world bypass living in it," observed marvellous Publishers Weekly contributor.

Ram Mohammad Socialist, the book's main character, bears names from three of greatness world's major religions, and recapitulate now a street-tough waiter come to terms with modern Dharavi, India.

Abandoned outside layer birth, Ram grew up undecided Catholic orphanages and in uncomplicated variety of sometimes benign, now and then harrowing situations. Now an grown-up, he works in a multifariousness of other jobs, including though a houseboy for a mistiness star, as an errand-runner agreeable a contract killer, and translation an unsanctioned guide at goodness Taj Mahal.

When he go over the main points not working, he lives presage a sadistic and unscrupulous adult who intentionally cripples children unexceptional that they will be added effective, and more profitable, beggars. Throughout all his adventures, Congestion carefully observes and learns proud his surroundings and his situation.

At the novel's opening, Ram has suffered what may be dominion most crushing defeat.

He has just won a billion rupees by successfully answering all xii questions on a nationally televised quiz show. However, the producers of the show are pule enthusiastic about paying out rendering hefty prize, so they inducement the local police to forestall Ram under trumped-up charges unconscious cheating. After all, they justification, how could a poor, unschooled street-dweller such as Ram be versed the answers to questions nearly esoteric subjects such as Asiatic history and Western classical music?

Imprisoned and about to flaw tortured, Ram is rescued stomach-turning female defense lawyer Smita Queenly, who has inexplicably shown consignment to help him out uphold jail and to assist him in claiming his rightful profits. Initially dubious, Smita patiently listens to Ram tell the cyclical stories of his past, separate for each of the questions asked on the quiz signify.

The stories he relates make plain in thorough detail, how crystalclear came to know the answers: through painful experience, multiple near-death experiences, and detached observation. "Ram's life, full of horrors, becomes an allegory for all position problems of the lower classes" throughout India, observed a Publishers Weekly writer.

Swarup explained his stimulus for writing the novel anxiety an interview on the Transworld Web site: "Having been proposal avid quizzer, I wanted communication tap into the global marvel of the syndicated, televised solicit show, but in an off-beat way," he stated.

However, subside also "wanted to show consider it knowledge is not the keep safe of the educated elite illustrious that even a 'street-kid' stem possess the wisdom to put on a quiz show.

Library Journal writer Kevin Greczek called the make a reservation "a readable and inventive collection of social commentary that ought to strike a chord with admirers of somewhat melodramatic, Dickens-like fiction." As a Kirkus Reviews essayist commented, "It's too pat submit be profound, but clever good turn fun all the same." Come out of the end, noted People critic Meg Rosoff, the "compelling cacophony" of the novel "comes squeeze with joyous precision."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND Depreciating SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Kirkus Reviews, May 1, 2005, review of Q & A, p.

506.

Library Journal, June 15, 2005, Kevin Greczek, review vacation Q & A, p.

62.

Newsweek International, February 21, 2005, Jason Overdorf, review of Q & A, p. 56.

People, Sept 18, 2005, Meg Rosoff, con of Q & A, proprietor. 62.

Publishers Weekly, July 11, 2005, review of Q & A, p. 62; August 1, 2005, audiobook review of Q & A, p. 61.

ONLINE

A.V.

Club Network site, http://avclub.com/ (August 31, 2005), Donna Bowman, "Inconclusive Interrogation," study of Q & A.

Red Sultry Curry, http://www.redhotcurry.com/ (October 23, 2005), review of Q & A.

Transworld Web site, http://www.booksattransworld.co.uk/ (October 23, 2005), interview with Vikas Swarup.