Inhaltsangabe
Joshua King has more reasons than most young writers to produce that Great First Novel-and they're sitting in his father's bank account. Before dying of a tragic Viagra overdose, Josh's father put a stipulation in his will: Josh cannot claim his fortune unless he writes a bestselling novel in the next five years. The last thing Josh wants is a purpose in life: he's far too busy traveling, taking drugs, and growing his hair. He's very uncomfortably ensconced in a dirty Delhi flophouse, but it's the perfect place to meet drifters and druggies, users and seekers-the kind of people who know how to find Baba.
Yes, the Baba...the man, the myth, the mystery...and, maybe, the inspiration for a major bestseller.
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Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor
Every writer dreams of producing a literary work that defines his or her generation. For J.D. Salinger, it was The Catcher in the Rye; for Alex Garland, The Beach. But for Will Rhode, it's, well, something like The Beach-but different. Born in London, Rhode has worked for Reuters in India, made films in Thailand, and wrote financial journalism in Hong Kong. Moving to New York City with his wife and son, he worked as the editor of Risk, a financial magazine, until he worked up the courage to quit and write a paperback original.
Rezensionen
Josh King is a British expat who ostensibly works as a journalist for Hindu Week but actually just sits in a Delhi guest house smoking hash. Not a bad life--until Josh's dad commits suicide, leaving behind a letter promising Josh 5 million but only if he writes a best-selling novel. Low on money and vaguely tired of his nihilistic lifestyle, Josh sets out in search of adventure (which, he hopes, will double as novel fodder). He mixes it up with the Indian Mafia, falls for an enigmatic Dutch beauty, and teaches English to Mumbai street kids (and also sells them heroin), all the while searching for the big money, the big drug lords, and the big story. Readers may tire of Josh's lengthy inner monologues, but Rhode's exploration of all the ways that writing (and reading) means being "in love with an illusion" makes for a smart and funny read. With all the plot twists of your average paperback original plus all the witty angst of a twentysomething's memoirs, this is one illusion that's easy to love. John Green
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
This uneven first novel about the misadventures of British 20-something slacker Joshua King has a delightfully offbeat premise: before he commits suicide with an overdose of Viagra, Josh's father, worried that Josh is wasting his life, stipulates in his will that in order to inherit some of his millions, Josh must write a bestselling novel with "a significant part" for the elder King-and he's got five years to do it. The trouble is, Josh is not a novelist. Ostensibly a freelance journalist for a Delhi paper, Josh is mostly loafing his way through India after earning a certificate in word processing. He has little interesting life experience to draw on, so he engineers a scheme that will furnish the raw materials for his novel. His plan is to find mysterious drug dealer Baba-supposedly the head of an international drug ring with ties to Bollywood-earn his trust, steal his money, write the tale of derring-do (incorporating his father, of course) and cash in on his inheritance. Far-fetched? Completely. Engaging? Fitfully. Rhode doesn't always hit the right note in describing Josh's unscrupulous antics; the character's na‹ve recklessness and immorality often seem merely silly and unpleasant rather than humorously over-the-top. There are also strained attempts to explore the connection between fiction, reality and the creative process. Rhode's prose is brisk and clean, however, and his dialogue snappy and believable. The sheer originality of the plot keeps the pages turning.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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