Subcontinental Drift: Four Decades Adrift in India and beyond

by Murray Laurence

Nothing prepared Murray Laurence for India when he first travelled through the country in the 1970s. His first impressions were of its ‘surpassing weirdness’ but it soon cast a spell on him, and for the next forty years he kept returning to India over and over again.

His early journeys in the crowded third-class compartments of slow trains or in rickety buses to obscure towns and villages in the great Indian hinterland often led to strange encounters and travel disasters. Honey-tongued tricksters assailed him, bizarre locals and foreigners tried to explain the country to him, pompous officials waylaid him with impenetrable assertions and mystifying rules, and a myriad other picaresque entanglements with outrageous characters ensured that every trip he made was memorable. In all the chaos and quirkiness that surrounded him, the one thing he could always count on was the spontaneous warmth and generosity of Indians which often revealed itself in surprising circumstances.

Closely observed, stylishly written, and very very funny, Subcontinental Drift is an unforgettable tribute to India and its people.

Genres: Travelogue, Nonfiction

244 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 2016

Reviews

[Harshit Gupta · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best travelogues I have read about India in the recent times. The content as well as the language of the book were quite high quality. Though with the author moving spatially and temporally throughout, it may be difficult to follow when he was where at times in the book, you can take help from the end notes of the book where he has clarified a few things.

[Cristian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was I gift and it´s the 2nd paperback I have read this year. First and foremost, it was incredible to go back to paper. The smell and texture of an actual book is always nice to have.
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The story written in this book is incredible. It all starts during the 70´s in a India that seems to be years behind the world. Not even part of this world. The author tells funny and scary stories as a solo traveler discovering India, China, Nepal and India again. The progression is natural and fresh. You move along Murray in every page and the rhythm does not stop. The author´s job takes him on tours all over Asia and later on, he will be in different surroundings and positions but always ends up discovering a new face of this humongous piece of land.

Im currently living in karnataka, Bangalore and I do relate to several situations, people and moments told on this book. If you are coming to India, if you have been to India or if you live here, give it a go. Its a refreshing book, filled with good ol`adventures.

[Anandh Sundar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok read about India in the 1980s

A book on how it was to travel by trains and road to India. Quite witty but dated and only for those wanting to know history

[Rakhi · Rating 4 out of 5]

From Australia to India; Murray Laurence was apparently subjected to an unexpected, unprecedented experiments of patience. A new lesson of being unpunctual and unsystematic enlightened his brains. A different carefree world welcomed him. His trips to India in 1970s and 1980s were accentuated with the transformations he witnessed. He travelled in ramshackled buses, unreliable trains and unreasonable auto rickshaws. The first half is dedicated to his Indian trips in 1970s. The second half is his foray into the lives of the third world countries. China, Vietnam, Jakarta; author share his observations which were common in every third world country including India. Author put forth several geopolitical issues especially in Pakistan and Srilanka.The third half is his trip back to India in the 21st century. Author observes that other than the change in the mode of transport, the life in India was more or less the same.

Through the quirky rendition, author hooks the readers to the book. Author finds humour in everything that happens around him. Be it the fraudster who made him pay hotel bills, or meal ticket seller or delegates who accompanied him, everyone seems to exploit him but he tries to find humour in all these. A peculiar trait that I observed in the narration is that the author is critical about practically everything in the third world countries. The book is an account of overall experiences of the author during his travelling endeavours.
I received this book as a complimentary copy in exchange for a honest review from the publisher