Writing humour is serious business – just how serious becomes apparent when one goes through this witty and entertaining book.
Because the breadth of issues covered range from the philosophical (the nature of liberalism) to the mundane (the daily sruggle for water, power and transportation). The government is a frequent target of his wit, as are business contractors, and members of his own profession. Jug Suraiya is at his best when he is
Writing about the foibles of the upper middle class – a class to which he belongs!
It would be churlish to point out favourites among this collection, when the field is generally good, but “Season’s gratings”, “Curry and vice”, “Khao PIO”, “Talking terms”, “Running on empty” and “Beauty of sarkar” were well worth
reading a second time.
Jug Suraiya takes the cutting edge of his satire by poking fun at himself. To hear him describe himself, he is a bumbling good-for-nothing fellow. More often than not, it is the
author himself who is at the receiving end of his barbs! The world, as seen through the eyes of Jug Suraiya, is a chaotic and unpredictable place. A
place where the unexpected is almost bound to happen.
This book is a compilation of the best of the author’s weekly column (Jugular Vein) appearing in the Sunday Times of India. For fans of his who have missed out, or do not subscribe to the paper, this is a wonderful opportunity to catch up with their reading. A book that should not be read at one sitting, this is a book that can be savoured at leisure. And this is a book that is guaranteed to make you smile…
India has produced a number of talented writers writing in the english medium; but there seems to be a distinctive lack of humorists. Described as India’s answer to Art Buchwald, Jug Suraiya admirably fills in the void. Jug Suraiya is a widely travelled person who has a definite world-view of his own – that he uses the
medium of humour to present it to his readers is a credit to him. One may or may not agree with all that he has to say, but one can definitely learn to laugh with him.
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