The Elephanta Suite

Title: The Elephanta Suite
Author: Paul Theroux
Penguin, 2008 (2007)

This book contains three novellas about modern-day-India. The different protagonists are all looking and expecting something particular from India and getting something entirely different. The first two pieces were alright, but when I got to the third one I felt that Theroux was wasting my time. There are a lot of other things written about India that are more interesting.

Life Class

Title: Life Class
Author: Pat Barker
Penguin, 2008

Arty youth in the year of 1914 discover love and sex in the shadow of the Great War. It is mildly interesting for someone who is hung up on the era and the theme (i.e. me!) For anyone else, get Barker's Regeneration Trilogy about the war. It surpasses this watered down novel as well as most things written on about this interesting historical period.

Vernon God Little

Title: Vernon God Little
Author: DBC Pierre
faber and faber, 2003

I finally got around to reading the Man Booker Prize Winner of 2003, and it says 'Snap, Crackle and Pop' in a big way. Vernon Little is a weirdo whose only friend, Jesus, blows his own head of after murdering a bunch of his class mates. Now, Little gets the blame! The language is hilarious, bull's-eye Starburst-commerical fun, without the sugar but with all the bile!