Serious Men

May 10, 2010
Joseph, an editor of magazines in India, sets up in his debut a subtly wicked satire of subterfuge and ambition that bounces between the Mumbai tenement where low-caste Ayyan Mani lives, and the esteemed research institute where he labors as the assistant of top researcher Arvind Acharya. Forever spiteful toward his privileged superiors, Ayyan is deviously mischievous and pulls off a stunt that ends with his half-deaf (but otherwise ordinary) son being proclaimed in the local news as a boy genius. Meanwhile, Arvind is obsessed with proving his theory that extraterrestrial microbes are raining down on Earth from the upper atmosphere. While his theory is promising, an affair with a seductive astrobiologist threatens to cost him his life's work. Naturally, the conniving Ayyan is involved there as well. While Ayyan's inspired smalltime villainy drives the narrative and provides more than its share of humor, it's occasionally undermined by overheated prose and uneven pacing that spirals into a panicked blitz near the end. Overall, though, this is a sharp, au courant satire, like a more mannered White Tiger.

July 1, 2010
In this first novel by Manu, deputy editor of the Indian magazine "Open" Ayyan Mani, a Dalit living with his family in a chawl housing unit in Mumbai, is limited by position and caste but not by ambition, wit, or nerve. Ayyan is personal assistant to the formidable director of the Institute, Arvind Acharya, one of many Brahmin scientists working to protect and promote their personal research interests. This humorous novel intertwines Ayyan's and Arvind's stories. Ayyan is constantly scheming, whether finding creative new ways to promote the idea that his son Adi is a genius or fabricating subversive quotations for the Institute's "Thought for the Day" board, while Arvind, well connected and respected as a brilliant scientific mind, becomes entangled with the only female scientist working at the institute. As the story unfolds, the reader is treated to a highly entertaining glimpse into both men's minds. VERDICTA smart and touching addition to the growing group of works by young, Indian-born authors writing in English, this novel would be a nice choice for readers trying an Indian author for the first time. Similar authors to consider include Kiran Desai and Thrity Umrigar.—Shaunna Hunter, Hampden-Sydney Coll. Lib., VA

Copyright 2010 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2010
This ambitious debut cleverly weaves diverging plots of love, knowledge, class, and ambition. Low-caste Ayyan Mani works as an assistant to the director of the Institute of Theory and Research, where he carefully observes the interactions of the institutes scientists. At night he returns to his small Mumbai tenement apartment, which he shares with his anxious wife and ten-year-old son Adi. Yearning for a better life for his family, Ayyan begins to spin a series of fabricated tales about his handicapped son, stories that slowly propel a series of life-changing events. Meanwhile, Ayyans hard-nosed genius boss, Arvind Acharya, is fixated on his theory of alien existence, and puts his professional reputation on the line. Arvinds credibility is further complicated by the arrival of the institutes first female researcher, a young woman who is attractive and manipulative. As Arvinds professional ambitions give way to personal desire, Ayyans carefully constructed fictions begin to arouse suspicion. Josephs finely portrayed characters exude wit and warmth in this engaging and introspective tale.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)