English August: an Indian story,
by Upamanyu Chatterjee
This was originally published to much acclaim in India in 1988, and recently
made available on these shores by the fine folks at the New York Review of
Books. Despite its somewhat stuffy title, this is the ultimate slacker novel.
Agastya (August) Sen, the novel's hero (?) is a product of urban, westernized
India. Delhi, to be exact. He is aimless, cynical and comes from a privileged
family and is not in the least inclined to count his blessings. He has more than
a little in common with the hero of John Kennedy Toole's ''A Confederacy of
Dunces," in his egotistical alienation. After searching for a meaningful career
he decides to enlist in the Indian Administrative Service (the IAS) and is sent
to a small town called Madna. What follows is culture shock as August tries to
come to terms with the tedium of small town life and the ridiculousness of Civil
Service protocol. Not the least of these challenges is coming to terms with his
own lack of ambition. Chronic marijuana use, masturbation and insane bouts of
exercise help...for awhile.
The novel is rich in details of Indian life and culture; the oppressive heat in
Madna, the mosquitoes, the dubious quality of the water. My guess is that the
India of today is a bit different than 20 years ago (when this novel takes
place) but, this novel has aged gracefully.
-Stephen
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