Review by Library Journal Review
New Yorker Prager spent 18 months working in Delhi from 2007 to 2009, and this book proves that he is a quick study in figuring out the megalopolis. Focusing on the author's own experiences of living and working in Delhi (rather than on the tourist sights and the history of the city), the narrative crackles with wit and wise observations. Prager has a keen eye that is both ironic and compassionate. He teaches the reader how to negotiate a fare on auto rickshaws and taxis, how to be a savvy shopper, the local food, the business culture, and describes workplace interactions. (His musings on getting around in the city may seem a little outdated now that the Delhi Metro is in full operation.) Verdict With its fresh insights, this book provides the western expatriate and visitor with an excellent introduction to what it means to live and work in Delhi. It nicely complements the information available in The Lonely Planet and other travel guides. Another book on this subject is Sam Miller's Delhi: Adventures in a Megacity.-Ravi Shenoy, Naperville, IL (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
The story of the author's move from New York to Delhi. After living in Brooklyn for years, Prager (co-author: Poop Culture: How America Is Shaped by Its Grossest National Product, 2007) and his wife took up his company's offer to move to India for 18 months. Leaving behind their Park Slope brownstone, Prager immediately fell in love with Delhi--at least for a while. "Five months later," he writes, "I hated it." The couple would "vacillate back and forth between the two extremes--love India, hate India, love India, hate India"--before finding a balance between the best and worst their new home had to offer. Prager structures the book as a guide for other expatriates, with chapters on food, shopping, workplace culture and transportation (especially Delhi's traffic, about which Prager seethes). More than just a how-to guide, the book is an appealing memoir, as the author recounts his social blunders and interactions with curious neighbors. There are a few unsatisfactory moments along the way--e.g., his snarky swipes at New Yorkers and living in New York City feel dated and out of place. Prager's wife never quite comes across as genuine, and readers learn more about her misadventures with India's health care system than her work for a rural school trying to lift girls out of poverty. Some of the author's "problems" may occasionally induce eye-rolling for some readers--in one chapter, he details how his need for "periodic respites fromdriving past beggars and slums and sidewalk-sleeping laborers" meant taking a room in a five-star hotel so he could indulge in sushi for brunch at "one of the few places [he] trusted the fish." These flaws aside, Prager is a solid storyteller, and the book is an enjoyable tour through an overwhelming and irresistible city. A cute memoir of living in India with some advice for expatriates as well.]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Review by Library Journal Review
Review by Kirkus Book Review
