Winner of the Man Booker prize in 2008, Mr. Adiga´s first novel is a rip-roaring read and I would highly recommend it.
The book takes the form of a letter written over a time-span of 7 days to Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao. Written in the 1st person, the book is highly critical of all aspects of Indian society - including the police, politics, the caste system and the disparity of wealth.
"At a time when India is going through great changes and, with China, is likely to inherit the world from the West, it is important that writers like me try to highlight the brutal injustices of (Indian) society. That's what I'm trying to do - it's not an attack on the country, it's about the greater process of self-examination".
The White Tiger has been given mixed reviews in India. Mr. Adiga has been accused of being an expat (attending schools in both Britain and the US) and out of touch with his country of birth. Unperturbed at his critics he points out that the criticism by writers like Flaubert, Balzac and Dickens of the 19th century helped England and France become better societies. Lofty company indeed.
Established in 1968, Mr. Adiga is the fourth Indian-born winner of this prestigious award.
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