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Autobiography of a Mad Nation
I was born in a mentally retarded country, Thus begins this provocative, stylish, and racy literary rant against India by a twenty-four-year-old awaiting capital punishment. When Dr M Vidyasagar (‘Sagar’), retired chief of CBI, gets an unusual request from his old friend and the President of India to privately investigate if Vikrant Vaidya—sentenced to death for motivelessly killing his teenage neighbour Iqbal—is innocent or not, little does he know how convoluted a conspiracy he is setting foot in. With a narrative that springs forth from and weaves its way through the Emergency, anti-Sikh riots post Indira Gandhi’s assassination, Ram Janmabhoomi Rath Yatra, anti-Mandal Commission protests, economic liberalisation, Babri Masjid demolition, and Godhra riots, readers will find themselves in the grips of a chimerical tale, asking and answering the question: Is India truly a mad nation?
- GenresFiction
392 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
March 4, 2017
The story begins with the protagonist, Vikrant Vaidya, writing to the President of India from prison. Convicted of murdering his neighbor, Vikrant, instead of the usual mercy letter that prisoners write, writes a letter that intrigues the President. As a result, the President requests his friend and former CBI head, Vidyasagar to look into Vikrant’s case. When Vidyasagar picks up the case, he has little knowledge, but soon he is ensnared in a loop of conspiracies that are much larger than one expected.
"I was born in a mentally retarded nation."
The first line of the book had me hooked to the book. The author is speaking about my country and I cannot deny but I have often thought in the same lines. As a result I immediately warmed up to the character of Vikrant. He was a voice that I loved hearing throughout. The author has done an expert job of narrating his story just right – without going overboard in any aspect. It would have been so easy to have turned preachy and have the author rant about some issue or the other for pages. But instead, everything was kept straightforward and to the point. The book covers everything that our nation stands for - cricket, books, caste system, religion, politics and even corruption. The book gives us an unbiased (at least I felt so) view at our nation and at us. And while most of it is not pretty one cannot but appreciate the author’s viewpoint. The plot has enough to offer to something to everyone and some twists did take me by surprise too. However, I do have issues with the ending and I am not sure if I agree with the author on it.
This is one of those books that might elicit extreme reactions from people because of the sensitive topics included. You may love it or you may hate it – but you certainly will not be able to ignore it.
January 29, 2016
I wrote the book. Readers are loving it.
October 3, 2021
Part literary novel and Part thriller and an enjoyable read in one sitting (mostly) today.
A murderer on death row claims he is innocent but yet writes an irreverent letter to the President of India. It sets off an investigation and as with good novels, the story keeps evolving. Commentary on India’s politics is interwoven beautifully. Unfortunately revealing more may play spoilsport.
The first sentence was “I was born in a mentally retarded nation…” and I wondered whether it would be full of fake and frustrated rants. It was (very) irreverent but equally passionate and insightful, sarcastic at times but honest always. Honesty in a political Indian fiction is usually either “Left” or “Right” but rarely both. And like the superb author Sujit Saraf, Sriram Karri too has been denied popularity and recognition for this reason.
Usually friends in the group or on Goodreads read undiscovered fiction gems b4 me, but this time I beat u to it.
A murderer on death row claims he is innocent but yet writes an irreverent letter to the President of India. It sets off an investigation and as with good novels, the story keeps evolving. Commentary on India’s politics is interwoven beautifully. Unfortunately revealing more may play spoilsport.
The first sentence was “I was born in a mentally retarded nation…” and I wondered whether it would be full of fake and frustrated rants. It was (very) irreverent but equally passionate and insightful, sarcastic at times but honest always. Honesty in a political Indian fiction is usually either “Left” or “Right” but rarely both. And like the superb author Sujit Saraf, Sriram Karri too has been denied popularity and recognition for this reason.
Usually friends in the group or on Goodreads read undiscovered fiction gems b4 me, but this time I beat u to it.
May 28, 2015
I had the opportunity of having a glance at the Autobiography of a Mad nation today. from the blurb and some reviews and also looking at the background of the writer from the back cover – I concluded that it will be another addition to the countless books on the pros and cons of the glorious democracy of India.
The impact was hard when I started it reading a bit reluctantly –at a cosy A.C coach of Kolkata Metro. It was a forty minute journey. I was so much absorbed at the book that if the voice of the announcer announcing the next destination was not unluckily heard by me- I was sure to miss my station. I was sad that it ended when I was in page 60. The story was running at a breath taking pace –the former CBI chief was interrogating a convicted murder and fascinating facts are about to be revealed, then the announcement marred it all. It should be at least two hours journey then I might have plunge deeper into the storyline- god do always plays spoilsport!
To me it was a thriller from the very beginning- the murder mystery started to grip me so quickly that I forgot the outside world almost instantly. To me there was only an innocent boy trapped in a shadowy world-who needs to be rescued……….
Full review at
https://jayasreesown.wordpress.com/20...
The impact was hard when I started it reading a bit reluctantly –at a cosy A.C coach of Kolkata Metro. It was a forty minute journey. I was so much absorbed at the book that if the voice of the announcer announcing the next destination was not unluckily heard by me- I was sure to miss my station. I was sad that it ended when I was in page 60. The story was running at a breath taking pace –the former CBI chief was interrogating a convicted murder and fascinating facts are about to be revealed, then the announcement marred it all. It should be at least two hours journey then I might have plunge deeper into the storyline- god do always plays spoilsport!
To me it was a thriller from the very beginning- the murder mystery started to grip me so quickly that I forgot the outside world almost instantly. To me there was only an innocent boy trapped in a shadowy world-who needs to be rescued……….
Full review at
https://jayasreesown.wordpress.com/20...
April 7, 2016
‘I was born in a mentally retarded country,’ says the first line of Sriram Karri’s ‘Mad Nation’. And while he comes across as a cool sort of a guy (I met him at a Lit Fest in Lucknow), his prose is anything but that. It is incisive, cutting and bitter (or rather rant-ish, if I may say so).
Karri makes no effort to hide his frustration as he profiles India as a perfect example of an oxymoronic nation “where genius is punished but madness gets condoned, angels of mercy and pity work overtime, while statues of justice sleep”.
When I started reading the book, I thought it was a light read; far from it, the narrative has layers within layers, and you would need to at least read this book twice to understand it. The story revolves around a twenty four year old Vikrant Vaidya who has axed a Muslim boy for “stealing his poem and making a paper boat out of it”. Vaidya has been awarded capital punishment and while he waits his end in an Indian prison, he writes a letter to the President which triggers a series of events which will finally reveal the real motive behind this murder (and many other murders).
Through Vaidya and many other youngsters like him, Karri makes scathing attacks at everything, our society, politics, religion, education, and the way these have evolved over the years. Just as the book blurb says, this book springs forth from and weaves its way through the Emergency, anti-Sikh riots post Indira Gandhi’s assassination, Ram Janmabhoomi Rath Yatra, anti-Mandal Commission protests, economic liberalisation, Babri Masjid demolition, and Godhra riots. I really enjoyed reading it and here are some of my favourite lines from the book:
*My father wanted me to be a brilliant chartered accountant, play chess for India in the world championship, and become an excellent Carnatic singer. Therefore I became a pathetic journalist who plays dirty politics at office and a hoary-voiced bathroom singer who specialises in forgotten raunchy Bollywood songs.
*But is it compulsory to be secular in a secular nation?
*History too, like very old wine, is for sissies.
*A nation should not have a sexy Prime Minister...(a reference has been made to Rajiv Gandhi).
Karri makes no effort to hide his frustration as he profiles India as a perfect example of an oxymoronic nation “where genius is punished but madness gets condoned, angels of mercy and pity work overtime, while statues of justice sleep”.
When I started reading the book, I thought it was a light read; far from it, the narrative has layers within layers, and you would need to at least read this book twice to understand it. The story revolves around a twenty four year old Vikrant Vaidya who has axed a Muslim boy for “stealing his poem and making a paper boat out of it”. Vaidya has been awarded capital punishment and while he waits his end in an Indian prison, he writes a letter to the President which triggers a series of events which will finally reveal the real motive behind this murder (and many other murders).
Through Vaidya and many other youngsters like him, Karri makes scathing attacks at everything, our society, politics, religion, education, and the way these have evolved over the years. Just as the book blurb says, this book springs forth from and weaves its way through the Emergency, anti-Sikh riots post Indira Gandhi’s assassination, Ram Janmabhoomi Rath Yatra, anti-Mandal Commission protests, economic liberalisation, Babri Masjid demolition, and Godhra riots. I really enjoyed reading it and here are some of my favourite lines from the book:
*My father wanted me to be a brilliant chartered accountant, play chess for India in the world championship, and become an excellent Carnatic singer. Therefore I became a pathetic journalist who plays dirty politics at office and a hoary-voiced bathroom singer who specialises in forgotten raunchy Bollywood songs.
*But is it compulsory to be secular in a secular nation?
*History too, like very old wine, is for sissies.
*A nation should not have a sexy Prime Minister...(a reference has been made to Rajiv Gandhi).
June 23, 2015
a brilliantly written book which covers the past 3 decades of indian political and society changes as well as the impacts on common man. a well layered thriller that keeps you intrigued and does what a good book does - makes you ready to read the facts and know more. must read. some very powerful paragraphs !
August 22, 2015
Terrible book. What's more, Karri seems to have used his journalistic connections to get positive plants in media!
A textual diarrhoea of Karri's anger & frustration
A textual diarrhoea of Karri's anger & frustration
July 23, 2015
First things first…I just don’t have to wait for about 100 pages to get into the story, that’s a big relief. The narrative is powerful … explosive… emotional ….bitter…agonizing…provocative…and thought provoking…what can you ask for more ….all in a single book…not to forget ……it’s an unusual treat for vocabulary freaks….it surely will strike a few raw nerves for readers as it did for me….
"Intelligence is not an unrecognized virtue, it is much a hated vice…"
The book starts with a letter written by Vikrant Vaidya waiting to be hanged, to the President of India. The letter in all ways is blunt, engaging, sarcastic, challenging and bold; and I must confess the most entertaining…though his language seems like a sarcastic outburst there is lot which makes sense…result…..rest of the story...
"Most troubles with our world are caused by people suffering from mega-reform obsession. They destroy the existing societies. The worst irony is they do this in the name of a better world."
Nothing inflames present better than past…the book covers a host of subjects’ right from history, politics, cricket, religion, art, journalism, Bollywood, media and above all true friendship. Sometimes there is too much on your plate that it gets difficult to handle all this heavy duty stuff or to put in author’s words “highbrow stuff” but its worth it…... the content might be offensive to some and some might disagree with lot of aspects ….as everyone is entitled to have an opinion… But let’s look at the bigger picture….
What appealed the most to me was the second part of the book….the bond of friendship between “The Batch”…all for one and one for all… each discovering their passions in life and pursuing them…and ready to give them up in a blink of an eye for the values they believed in and for the friends whom they love so dearly….
All in all definitely a must read.
"Intelligence is not an unrecognized virtue, it is much a hated vice…"
The book starts with a letter written by Vikrant Vaidya waiting to be hanged, to the President of India. The letter in all ways is blunt, engaging, sarcastic, challenging and bold; and I must confess the most entertaining…though his language seems like a sarcastic outburst there is lot which makes sense…result…..rest of the story...
"Most troubles with our world are caused by people suffering from mega-reform obsession. They destroy the existing societies. The worst irony is they do this in the name of a better world."
Nothing inflames present better than past…the book covers a host of subjects’ right from history, politics, cricket, religion, art, journalism, Bollywood, media and above all true friendship. Sometimes there is too much on your plate that it gets difficult to handle all this heavy duty stuff or to put in author’s words “highbrow stuff” but its worth it…... the content might be offensive to some and some might disagree with lot of aspects ….as everyone is entitled to have an opinion… But let’s look at the bigger picture….
What appealed the most to me was the second part of the book….the bond of friendship between “The Batch”…all for one and one for all… each discovering their passions in life and pursuing them…and ready to give them up in a blink of an eye for the values they believed in and for the friends whom they love so dearly….
All in all definitely a must read.
May 30, 2015
The book begins with the shocking murder of an mentally handicapped boy; the investigation of the murder is what really makes the reader feel like he(she) has hit the ground running already. Some characters are deliberately portrayed to resemble real-life political figures and the resemblance creates a wonderful reflection of the perceptions they have created in public life. The beginning has a quality that keeps you guessing about the next step in your dreams; were you to sleep off without being able to finish it.
Part 2 of the book: Introduction of some solid characters with enormous maturity here. Some characters do seem too good to be true. The careful spinning of the murder into the lives of these characters takes us through a slow churning of History, Politics, Religion, Authority, Non-conformity and Philosophy. I particularly liked how the author captured the (mis)conception of 'greatness' through a laid-back conversation between 2 friends. One friend's nonchalance and the other one's perturbance are both palpably real. That said, the book slows down immensely in Part 2; it almost feels as if sudden brakes have been applied on the super-hot pace of part 1.
Part-3: Picks up the loose ends and all the hints thrown in througout the book. The only disappointment was that there wasnt enough written on how the supersleuth fits it all together! All in all, this book serves as a great combination of mystery, suspense, religion, politics, history, secularism, the mafia and even a student's star-studded world in a kaleidoscopic read! The author deserves praise for weaving it all in so seamlessly!
Part 2 of the book: Introduction of some solid characters with enormous maturity here. Some characters do seem too good to be true. The careful spinning of the murder into the lives of these characters takes us through a slow churning of History, Politics, Religion, Authority, Non-conformity and Philosophy. I particularly liked how the author captured the (mis)conception of 'greatness' through a laid-back conversation between 2 friends. One friend's nonchalance and the other one's perturbance are both palpably real. That said, the book slows down immensely in Part 2; it almost feels as if sudden brakes have been applied on the super-hot pace of part 1.
Part-3: Picks up the loose ends and all the hints thrown in througout the book. The only disappointment was that there wasnt enough written on how the supersleuth fits it all together! All in all, this book serves as a great combination of mystery, suspense, religion, politics, history, secularism, the mafia and even a student's star-studded world in a kaleidoscopic read! The author deserves praise for weaving it all in so seamlessly!
May 18, 2015
I had agreed to accept a copy of this book because the blurb looked quite interesting to me. It promised to cover a lot of topics which are quite controversial/ sensational for the people of our country. The book started on an interesting note for me. The promise of a murder mystery & thriller made me quite excited for the ride ahead of me and to a great extent, I was satisfied too.
The highlight of the book for me was the fact that though the author has encompassed a huge number of topics to build in his plot, nowhere did he sound preachy about his thoughts and opinions. What he did was provide an insight into the things that has happened over the past few decades and make us think…
Read full review here - https://dreamzandclouds.wordpress.com...
The highlight of the book for me was the fact that though the author has encompassed a huge number of topics to build in his plot, nowhere did he sound preachy about his thoughts and opinions. What he did was provide an insight into the things that has happened over the past few decades and make us think…
Read full review here - https://dreamzandclouds.wordpress.com...
January 21, 2016
Autobiography of a Mad Nation is about India, about us, about the forest of our shared minds that’s a mishmash of intellectual shallowness, gargantuan brilliance & backslapping mediocrity.
Freewheeling through a non-linear narrative that’s addictive, comic and dark at the same time, strangely tangible in its sensibility too, Sriram has created characters so real that you can almost hear them chat up and near, laughing, jabbing at one another, altering what they do or think, as students first and professionals later.
The neglect, the divide, and the aloofness that being an Indian brings, this book deserves to be read by everyone who believes India will be the center of the world soon.
More here: http://openroadreview.com/sriram-karri/
Freewheeling through a non-linear narrative that’s addictive, comic and dark at the same time, strangely tangible in its sensibility too, Sriram has created characters so real that you can almost hear them chat up and near, laughing, jabbing at one another, altering what they do or think, as students first and professionals later.
The neglect, the divide, and the aloofness that being an Indian brings, this book deserves to be read by everyone who believes India will be the center of the world soon.
More here: http://openroadreview.com/sriram-karri/
July 23, 2015
I have read this novel and really liked it. It not only has a tremendous historical sweep, but also gives the reader a ring side seat to historic events that have shaped modern India. It even succeeds in making us feel that we were playing an active part in those cataclysmic events, a sense of participation, that is sometimes scary. Into this very real background is woven a tale of friendship, intrigue and suspense with extremely incisive observations about our society. A must read for everyone who wants to listen to a truly unique Indian voice.
October 30, 2017
Just ok
I think it lacked a flow. The characters were quite ideal which made the story seem untrue. He did say anything which is not known already. It doesn't hold your interest. Many of the moments appeared too dramatic more like a movie. Not that great. Just ok to read once.
I think it lacked a flow. The characters were quite ideal which made the story seem untrue. He did say anything which is not known already. It doesn't hold your interest. Many of the moments appeared too dramatic more like a movie. Not that great. Just ok to read once.
May 6, 2015
A book which over promises and under delivers to a large extent. It didn't quite work for me at various levels due to the filmy treatment of the subject matter.
June 2, 2015
MUST READ. Period.
June 21, 2021
"I was born in a mentally retarded nation."
The book opens with the angry tirade of the protagonist, Vikrant Vaidya, a twenty-four years old youth, waiting for his capital punishment in the charge of murdering a neighbor boy, Iqbal. He sent a letter to the president appealing his intervention in the case to prove his innocence.
“Justice! How much nobler this word, sir. How noble for those who understand this justice thing, more than mercy or forgiveness can ever be, in its fullest implication.”
The court was ready to send him to gallows quiet in unusual hurry. And that was suspicious. Anyway the proof that the convict sent to the President spurred him to probe the case personally and with a secret hand. He engaged Vidyasagar, retired head of CBI to investigate the matter within a very short period of time.
And as Vidyasagar headed through the case he realized, "larger mischief was afoot."
Plot and panorama:
Woven tactfully within a brief tapestry all the plots and subplots are active enough to highlight the intrigues and conspiracies hidden under the apparently crystal clear case.
The book entraps myriads of histories within a single frame, from Emergency to Anti-Sikh riot, Ram Janmabhoomi controversy, Mandal Commission, Brain Drain, Orthodox Political interest over humanity, butchery of girl child, Babri Masjid demolition Godhra Riot and what not. It is a cinemographic representation of fake and manipulated history. Chapter by chapter Vidyasagar goes on detangling the knots that ties the whole fabric of the story.
And in the course of his investigation he pulls in personalities from all the spheres of lives from cricket to politics to religion and even from the daily lives to pull out the snake out of the hole.
Narrative:
Multiple narratives are engaged in this book to draw out the corrupted social structure, bigotry of political paradigms. It is a blatant documentary of fake and fabricated democracy where every narrator keeps space with changing timelines.
Tone:
Though the book unfolds serious issues the narrative voice is not priggishly preaching.
The sarcastic tone with a brilliant touch of humor is wafting through the pages. The strong intellectual voice of the protagonist is so powerful that it strips the administration to sheer nakedness, exposing all its heinous socio political pits and the rotten body of politics.
Allusions:
There are many a books within this book. Yes, I just collected most of the allusions and references that are mentioned directly or obliquely.
a. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D.Salinger.
b. Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
c. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
d. 1984 by George Orwell
This proves that the author is not only a famed journalist but a savant.
Alvina's Verdict:
The things I don't like: Crowd of characters and drum roll of incidents sometimes make it a boring reading. Language turns a bit cryptic and verbose. Chapter after chapter the characters involved in rambling, making me confused and hopeless. The sensex of the novel cannot keep its bridle at same tautness till the end.
The thing I love most: I love the angry rant of Vikrant Vaidya the most. He is the Jimmy Porter of deceived democracy. His intellectuality, deep rooted loathing for the supine socio political system of the country is my own, perhaps of each victim of this corroded system. The tarnished brains of us fall in thousand pits with the sarcastic curse of Vikrant. It elicits extreme response and turmoil in my heart.
"Why did the greatest of religion split into denominations and classes and sub-groups? Why was Renaissance not forever? Why did the Age of Enlightenment wither? Why did the White Man persecute the Jew, the Black, and the Brown?"
“Why was Adolf Hitler not assassinated by his own countrymen who truly loved Germany?"
The book opens with the angry tirade of the protagonist, Vikrant Vaidya, a twenty-four years old youth, waiting for his capital punishment in the charge of murdering a neighbor boy, Iqbal. He sent a letter to the president appealing his intervention in the case to prove his innocence.
“Justice! How much nobler this word, sir. How noble for those who understand this justice thing, more than mercy or forgiveness can ever be, in its fullest implication.”
The court was ready to send him to gallows quiet in unusual hurry. And that was suspicious. Anyway the proof that the convict sent to the President spurred him to probe the case personally and with a secret hand. He engaged Vidyasagar, retired head of CBI to investigate the matter within a very short period of time.
And as Vidyasagar headed through the case he realized, "larger mischief was afoot."
Plot and panorama:
Woven tactfully within a brief tapestry all the plots and subplots are active enough to highlight the intrigues and conspiracies hidden under the apparently crystal clear case.
The book entraps myriads of histories within a single frame, from Emergency to Anti-Sikh riot, Ram Janmabhoomi controversy, Mandal Commission, Brain Drain, Orthodox Political interest over humanity, butchery of girl child, Babri Masjid demolition Godhra Riot and what not. It is a cinemographic representation of fake and manipulated history. Chapter by chapter Vidyasagar goes on detangling the knots that ties the whole fabric of the story.
And in the course of his investigation he pulls in personalities from all the spheres of lives from cricket to politics to religion and even from the daily lives to pull out the snake out of the hole.
Narrative:
Multiple narratives are engaged in this book to draw out the corrupted social structure, bigotry of political paradigms. It is a blatant documentary of fake and fabricated democracy where every narrator keeps space with changing timelines.
Tone:
Though the book unfolds serious issues the narrative voice is not priggishly preaching.
The sarcastic tone with a brilliant touch of humor is wafting through the pages. The strong intellectual voice of the protagonist is so powerful that it strips the administration to sheer nakedness, exposing all its heinous socio political pits and the rotten body of politics.
Allusions:
There are many a books within this book. Yes, I just collected most of the allusions and references that are mentioned directly or obliquely.
a. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D.Salinger.
b. Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
c. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
d. 1984 by George Orwell
This proves that the author is not only a famed journalist but a savant.
Alvina's Verdict:
The things I don't like: Crowd of characters and drum roll of incidents sometimes make it a boring reading. Language turns a bit cryptic and verbose. Chapter after chapter the characters involved in rambling, making me confused and hopeless. The sensex of the novel cannot keep its bridle at same tautness till the end.
The thing I love most: I love the angry rant of Vikrant Vaidya the most. He is the Jimmy Porter of deceived democracy. His intellectuality, deep rooted loathing for the supine socio political system of the country is my own, perhaps of each victim of this corroded system. The tarnished brains of us fall in thousand pits with the sarcastic curse of Vikrant. It elicits extreme response and turmoil in my heart.
"Why did the greatest of religion split into denominations and classes and sub-groups? Why was Renaissance not forever? Why did the Age of Enlightenment wither? Why did the White Man persecute the Jew, the Black, and the Brown?"
“Why was Adolf Hitler not assassinated by his own countrymen who truly loved Germany?"
November 29, 2020
The book is an excellent tale of the politics of post-colonial India and how it impacted the lives of the Batch that considered themselves to be revolutionaries. The best thing about this book is how tight the plot is. There isn't a dull moment. Every page is filled with rage and fast-moving storyline. There's a lot going on here and it informs a great deal about a range of political incidents and how it was from a contemporary perspective. For a large part, the writing is also good. Sriram doesn't indulge much in flowery language or in turning intriguing phrases but he does well while writing from the perspective of literarians. Sadly that's where the fun ends. The story is so fast paced and the characters so many that it's easy to get them all mixed up. The characters while planned to be so different from one another are easy to confuse because the author spends absolutely no time in developing their character, let alone trying to make the readers root for them. The only thing you find yourself rooting for is the political inclination which you already possess. There's also, for at least half the book, a very stingy approach towards description and imagery. It appears the author was in such a hurry to tell the brilliant tale he came up with that he didn't spend any time in using literature to make it an entertaining experience.
Recommended for the people who are interested in Indian politics but know absolutely nothing about the post-colonial incidents.
Recommended for the people who are interested in Indian politics but know absolutely nothing about the post-colonial incidents.
June 28, 2017
The book written by Sriram Karri is very good. it has a pace which keeps you spellbound and read till the end at one stroke as far as Book 1 is concerned. the relation between mad nation and the story keeps you thinking. speed of book 2 is slightly slow and makes you to end the book as soon as possible. on an average the book is worth reading. it is like a masala Bollywood movie directed by neeraj Pandey in which 1st half keeps you on the track and wait for the another half. but unfortunately 2nd part doesn't do the same.
September 6, 2020
I had absolutely no idea how this book would end. It's been a while since I read such a complex plot and it was done quite well.
March 7, 2017
Good novel. A political thriller! I too was born in a mentally retarded nation.
September 8, 2015
A good idea, badly executed. That about sums up this book for me.
Sriram Karri clearly has a lot of anger bottled up inside him. He's angry at the system - the politicians, the bureaucrats, the media, the corrupt, the greedy, the silent majority - and he has let all his anger spew out in this book. It reads less like a novel and more like a criticism of the functioning of the Indian democratic system.
But to begin at the beginning. The President of India has received a strange letter from a convicted murderer awaiting execution - a challenging letter, a letter that demands justice and not mercy in the form of a pardon. Intrigued by the letter, the President asks his old friend Vidyasagar, the retired former head of the CBI, to investigate. Did Vikrant actually commit the murder he has been convicted of? Vidyasagar digs into the crime, only to find that things are murkier than they appear. The trail of one crime leads to another, and yet another.
The book is divided into three parts. The first part flows quickly - Vidyasagar's investigations, combined with what appear to be Vikrant's diary entries. I was actually enjoying the book at this point, despite the sometimes amateurish writing and the irritatingly self-righteous diary entries.
Unfortunately, the book starts to fall apart in the second part. Ideology-filled monologues dot the text, especially in the latter half of this section. The author seems to be making the characters speak for him, expressing his anger at all the ills affecting the nation.
The third part does a good job of tying up the whole. The threads of the mystery are satisfactorily untangled, and what appeared to be an insoluble mystery does end up having a logical, clear and satisfactory ending.
Unfortunately, it isn't enough to save the book. What could have been a unique novel ends up being a trite obvious diatribe.
Sriram Karri clearly has a lot of anger bottled up inside him. He's angry at the system - the politicians, the bureaucrats, the media, the corrupt, the greedy, the silent majority - and he has let all his anger spew out in this book. It reads less like a novel and more like a criticism of the functioning of the Indian democratic system.
But to begin at the beginning. The President of India has received a strange letter from a convicted murderer awaiting execution - a challenging letter, a letter that demands justice and not mercy in the form of a pardon. Intrigued by the letter, the President asks his old friend Vidyasagar, the retired former head of the CBI, to investigate. Did Vikrant actually commit the murder he has been convicted of? Vidyasagar digs into the crime, only to find that things are murkier than they appear. The trail of one crime leads to another, and yet another.
The book is divided into three parts. The first part flows quickly - Vidyasagar's investigations, combined with what appear to be Vikrant's diary entries. I was actually enjoying the book at this point, despite the sometimes amateurish writing and the irritatingly self-righteous diary entries.
Unfortunately, the book starts to fall apart in the second part. Ideology-filled monologues dot the text, especially in the latter half of this section. The author seems to be making the characters speak for him, expressing his anger at all the ills affecting the nation.
The third part does a good job of tying up the whole. The threads of the mystery are satisfactorily untangled, and what appeared to be an insoluble mystery does end up having a logical, clear and satisfactory ending.
Unfortunately, it isn't enough to save the book. What could have been a unique novel ends up being a trite obvious diatribe.
September 10, 2015
I recently had a chance to read this book, and I must admit, like a true journalist, Sriram Karri had me hooked from the first line – I was born in a mentally retarded country.
In today’s world, where consumerism is holding sway, Karri’s narrative holds up a mirror to us and asks, no, beseeches us “How much are you willing to take before you fight back?” Topics such as political leanings, religion, regionalism, sensationalism that are normally touched upon very lightly, if at all, are tackled head on.
Coming to the story, the diary of a convict on death row is discovered by the highest office in India. The sentiments strike a chord, and a covert mission is sanctioned – to find out the reason for a normal person to suddenly kill his mentally retarded neighbour.
The premise of the story is very interesting, and it grabs you right from the start. This story goes beyond the regular fiction piece, as it drives you to think of where we are and where we are headed in terms of a society and a country.
Moving at a breakneck speed from partition to emergency, to nuclear tests to liberalization, to the Mandal commission to Babri masjid, to Godhra riots to Indira’s assassination to banning Satanic Verses to the Kargil war; the story makes all important milestones part of the narrative. A group, hidden in the shadows, controlling the strings of the story only serves the purpose of making you question “Who is pulling our strings? Do we have control?”
It is a brave book, and one that requires you to keep an open mind. Your beliefs will be tested, your opinions will be questioned, and you will feel enriched by the end of the story. This is a book that you must read. I would rate it 4.5 out of 5.
In today’s world, where consumerism is holding sway, Karri’s narrative holds up a mirror to us and asks, no, beseeches us “How much are you willing to take before you fight back?” Topics such as political leanings, religion, regionalism, sensationalism that are normally touched upon very lightly, if at all, are tackled head on.
Coming to the story, the diary of a convict on death row is discovered by the highest office in India. The sentiments strike a chord, and a covert mission is sanctioned – to find out the reason for a normal person to suddenly kill his mentally retarded neighbour.
The premise of the story is very interesting, and it grabs you right from the start. This story goes beyond the regular fiction piece, as it drives you to think of where we are and where we are headed in terms of a society and a country.
Moving at a breakneck speed from partition to emergency, to nuclear tests to liberalization, to the Mandal commission to Babri masjid, to Godhra riots to Indira’s assassination to banning Satanic Verses to the Kargil war; the story makes all important milestones part of the narrative. A group, hidden in the shadows, controlling the strings of the story only serves the purpose of making you question “Who is pulling our strings? Do we have control?”
It is a brave book, and one that requires you to keep an open mind. Your beliefs will be tested, your opinions will be questioned, and you will feel enriched by the end of the story. This is a book that you must read. I would rate it 4.5 out of 5.
August 31, 2015
Should I call it a Fiction or a Mystery/Thriller book, I'm really confused. Though the book says it is a pure work of fiction, the way Author has narrated the story you will fill as if you are a part of the story. Nothing seems to be fictional in the book. A reader can easily connect to the story and feel as if he/she is somewhere among the characters.
'I was born in a mentally retarded nation', the first line written in the book was enough to keep me hooked with the story till its end. The story starts with a mercy petition written by a murder convict, 'Vikrant Vaidya' to the President. Unlike other mercy petitions, in his letter, Vikrant, kind of challenged the President rather than asking for plea. Vikrant was innocent; that's what he claimed but he was ready to die for his country. He asked the President to find the truth before hanging him.
To read my complete review, click here: http://sp-fadinghues.blogspot.com/201...
'I was born in a mentally retarded nation', the first line written in the book was enough to keep me hooked with the story till its end. The story starts with a mercy petition written by a murder convict, 'Vikrant Vaidya' to the President. Unlike other mercy petitions, in his letter, Vikrant, kind of challenged the President rather than asking for plea. Vikrant was innocent; that's what he claimed but he was ready to die for his country. He asked the President to find the truth before hanging him.
To read my complete review, click here: http://sp-fadinghues.blogspot.com/201...
November 17, 2015
‘I was born in a mentally retarded country’
Thus begins the autobiography of a mad nation, the nation where ‘…intelligence was not an unrecognized virtue in the Sovereign, Socialist, Democratic, Republican Morondom of India, it was a much hated vice.’
Written in seething anger, Autobiography of a Mad Nation is a part chronicle of the nation’s momentous events post independence, a part conspiracy, a part murder mystery and a part literary rant of sorts.
For the complete review, please visit:
http://rainingreviews.com/2015/11/17/...
Thus begins the autobiography of a mad nation, the nation where ‘…intelligence was not an unrecognized virtue in the Sovereign, Socialist, Democratic, Republican Morondom of India, it was a much hated vice.’
Written in seething anger, Autobiography of a Mad Nation is a part chronicle of the nation’s momentous events post independence, a part conspiracy, a part murder mystery and a part literary rant of sorts.
For the complete review, please visit:
http://rainingreviews.com/2015/11/17/...
September 1, 2015
A book for every thriller lover to read. It has many aspects with more twisted plots. More complex issues are detailed in this book. Especially riots and many socio economics problems .
A fiction with a fine pace of thriller dialect. A fine writing by the writer Sriram Karri. These days Indian writers are writing fatafati novels.
A fiction with a fine pace of thriller dialect. A fine writing by the writer Sriram Karri. These days Indian writers are writing fatafati novels.
December 16, 2016
Excellent, fantastic, full of entertainment and fun, page turner, superb, a helluva of political thriller and mystery. Best political thriller I have read after 'Icon' by Frederick Forsyth. An unputdownable suspense novel on the socio-politico milieu of India. I will be waiting for the next book from Mr. Sriram Karri. Must read if you are a fan of political thriller.
October 12, 2015
Link to the Book Review at ALOP
Nimue rates this book 4 stars and says that the author's experience as a journalist reflects in the writing. She says, all in all, it's a powerful and worthy read.
Nimue rates this book 4 stars and says that the author's experience as a journalist reflects in the writing. She says, all in all, it's a powerful and worthy read.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews