Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Behind the Beautiful Forevers: a very short review

As I mentioned the other day, I had some time to read recently, so I caught up on a few books that had been sitting on my Kindle for a while.

One, in particular, was Katherine Boo's Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity.

Beautiful Forevers is simply an astonishing book.

I thought I knew a little bit about India. Though I've never been there, I've worked closely with Indian colleagues (both India-based and U.S.-based) on many occasions, I've known both family and co-workers who have traveled extensively in India, and I've read about India over many years.

But Beautiful Forevers is a shocking eye-opener.

It's non-fiction that reads like the latest crime thriller you pick up from the newsstand rack.

It's investigative journalism of the first order, digging down below the surface and helping you truly understand what is happening and why.

And it's the heart-breaking, emotional, compelling story of some of the most interesting people you'll never meet.

The story that Boo tells is horrible, tragic, and shattering.

But it is also important, and timely, and necessary.

If you get a chance, take the time to read Beautiful Forevers.

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