The Book:
An entralling and entertaining portrayal of a distinct part of India and its people. A very angry bus driver, abandoned by his wife and going nowhere in his career; a sanctimonious conductor; a hijra, or eunuch, a remnant of India's Muslim glory days; a nervous, half-Indian businessman clutching a briefcase full of cash; a right-wing Hindu matriarch; a young boy returning to his village after robbing his employer...They meet - and witness a tragic event - only because they are all travelling on the same bus, in the same direction, on the same day. With exceptional poise and beguiling simplicity, Khair introduces a range of voices, thoughts, ideas and identities, allowing each individual's story to unfold gradually.
The Author:
Tabish Khair was born in India in 1966. He currently lives in Denmark where he works for the Department of English at the University of Aarhus as an associate professor. He has written widely for papers and literary magazines in India, the UK, America, Denmark and South Africa, and has won numerous awards for his poetry.
