Book Journey: The Amazing Racist

Genre:	Family Drama, Humor
Book Name:	The Amazing Racist
Author:	Chhimi Tenduf-La
Pages:	232
Publication Year:	2015
Publisher:	Hachette India

The debut novel by Chhimi Tenduf-La is highly recommended for all those who are looking for a good laugh and smiles at the banter from each character and intended for a light reading. Don’t go by the title of the book to think it’s going to derive sadistic pleasure out of anyone’s sufferings!

I started reading the book hardly expecting to like it. Mid-way through the book, it felt like I had heard the story multiple times, though the language was lucid, the flow well-balanced and the story an amusing one. And that’s when the Part 2 of book started. The author perfectly captures the essence of an unusual family and the eccentric but embarrassing bickering over nothing. He takes on the take of sasur – damad (father-in-law – son-in-law) relationship instead of multiple books on saas – bahu (mother -in-law – daughter-in-law) relationship.

There are moments when you cannot help but smile at the slangs thrown with ample mix of emotions. The characters delve deep and you see evolvement as people interact with each other and the love grows; not just the romantic love but familial one too. There are relationships that outgrow over time and there are others which are like just made in heaven where one cannot help loosening the ties even after day after day struggle. The characteristics, the musings, and even the bitter battle of emotions is refreshing. And it definitely makes you want to visit Sri Lanka for all its beautifulness and culture.

Excerpt from the back cover of the book:
Eddie Trusted, an English school teacher in Colombo, wants to spend his life with Menaka Rupasinghe, a vibrant Sri Lankan beauty, but as with all matters of the heart, there’s an obstacle. If Eddie wants to wed Menaka, it is Thilak Rupasinghe, her orthodox terror of a father, whom he must woo and whose farts he must kiss – Thilak wants his daughter to marry someone of the same race, religion and caste, and if possible from the same locality.

In a desperate bid to make his dream a reality, Eddie tries to connect with Thilak in other ways – eating curries that make him bleed spice and breathe fire, driving drunk through red lights, threatening co-workers with violence, and sleeping with snakes. But will Eddie ever be good enough for a man who hates the colour of his skin?

Sparkling with wit and featuring an endearing cast of characters, The Amazing Racist is the story of a man who finds a home among strangers, of a father-in-law whose bark is worse than his bite, and of bonds that grow to be stronger than family ties.

About the author:
Half English, half Tibetan, Chhimi Tenduf-La grew up in Hong Kong, London, Delhi and Colombo, where he now lives with his wife, Samantha, and daughter, Tara. The Amazing Racist is his first novel. His second novel, Panther, will be released by HarperCollins India in July 2015.

With an average reading time of 3 hours, you are sure to love this book.

Rating: 9/10

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