Friendly means runny things here in Bombay...the laid back camaraderie of best buddies, the icky-sticky congress of fuck friends ...' Katie Menezes, an editor in a publishing firm, unexpectedly has one free day to spend in Bombay, so she decides to track down Arjun, a promising young writer who has sent some short stories to her for assessment. In the process, she meets the characters who people his stories, and through them, gets to know this idealistic yet cynical man she has never met, and is increasingly drawn into his world. Meanwhile, Arjun, unaware that Katie is looking for him, pursues his daily routine, marking time and meeting people as a real-estate agent. This is the story of one day in their lives--19 May 1999. Written with passion and zest, this is a witty celebration of life in Bombay, 'India's only real city', and of its people--Arjun's unlikely and unforgettable friends whose reflections on life, love and the pursuit of literature make Katie re-evaluate her own beliefs. The Beauty of These Present Things is a hilarious yet thought-provoking first novel from a stylish young writer, and a vivid depiction of life as a twenty-something in contemporary Bombay.
- ISBN10 0140298231
- ISBN13 9780140298239
- Publish Date 29 June 2000
- Publish Status Out of Print
- Out of Print 20 September 2006
- Publish Country GB
- Imprint Penguin Books Ltd
- Format Paperback
- Pages 248
- Language English