White Tiger

Aravind Adiga

A brutally satirical look at the country of India, similar in feel to Shantaram and Holy Cow, yet unique in its own way.

This is the story of a man born in the dark (poor rural India) and reaching the light (Delhi). The book grabs you from the beginning and when you are done you feel that the author has created an almost perfect novel.

Written as a letter to the Chinese premier—the author explains and dissects India in a way that is hilariously funny and deeply poignant.

The main character finds his way out of the darkness of his rural corrupt village to the light of Delhi by becoming a driver for a wealthy Indian. But he finds that corruption does not begin and end in the small villages of rural India, but expands and grows in the rich suburbs of Delhi.

This is a classic book, dealing with the weight of materialism and the liberation of spirituality, and of one man’s breaking free of “the chicken coop”.

For those who have experienced India first hand this book will ring true… for those yet to go, this novel will peel away the illusions that one may have of this deeply spiritual yet also deeply corrupt country.

Review by Tony Kainauskas