What do you think?
Rate this book
A Nation of Idiots
DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK IF YOU ARE EASILY OFFENDED
Inspired by true stories, Daksh Tyagi's witty and hugely entertaining book 'An Indian citizen's guide on how to avoid A Nation of Idiots' takes on the uncomfortable, the unsettling, and the often misunderstood modern Indian life.
WE INDIANS ARE AN INTERESTING BUNCH.
Intolerant to the debate on intolerance, but tolerant of religious intolerance. We cling onto age-old traditions, but a holiday can alter our accent. To us, caste and community is a badge of trust, religion is a line of control and a godman is an anti-depressant.
We won’t stop at a zebra crossing, but we will damn well stop on it. We build things to prove our worth and break things to prove a point. We love the concept of independence, but we need our parents to help raise our kids. And we scripted the Kamasutra. Easy to forget, since we also ruined sex.
So how do we tell the real from the farcical? The farcical from the nutty? And the nutty from the downright ridiculous?
Easy. We just go along.
Daksh Tyagi's funny and insightful 'A Nation of Idiots' is the ideal guide to surviving the modern Indian life with your scruples intact.
Inspired by true stories, Daksh Tyagi's witty and hugely entertaining book 'An Indian citizen's guide on how to avoid A Nation of Idiots' takes on the uncomfortable, the unsettling, and the often misunderstood modern Indian life.
WE INDIANS ARE AN INTERESTING BUNCH.
Intolerant to the debate on intolerance, but tolerant of religious intolerance. We cling onto age-old traditions, but a holiday can alter our accent. To us, caste and community is a badge of trust, religion is a line of control and a godman is an anti-depressant.
We won’t stop at a zebra crossing, but we will damn well stop on it. We build things to prove our worth and break things to prove a point. We love the concept of independence, but we need our parents to help raise our kids. And we scripted the Kamasutra. Easy to forget, since we also ruined sex.
So how do we tell the real from the farcical? The farcical from the nutty? And the nutty from the downright ridiculous?
Easy. We just go along.
Daksh Tyagi's funny and insightful 'A Nation of Idiots' is the ideal guide to surviving the modern Indian life with your scruples intact.
215 pages, Paperback
Published September 19, 2019
59 people are currently reading
1290 people want to read
About the author
Daksh Tyagi
6 books48 followersDaksh Tyagi is the bestselling author of A Nation of Idiots, Tripping Abroad, A Nuclear Family, Signs of Life, Nonsense, and his upcoming book 'The Radicalist'. One of the most original voices to come out of India in recent times, Daksh’s readers know him for his hilariously dry social commentary, ruthless judgements, and an ability to fence with terribly tricky issues. He has a knack for breaking down complex cultural conundrums with what can only be described as a cool wit.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
March 27, 2025
Daksh Tyagi is so lucky that he lives abroad. Otherwise, he would've gotten Kunal Kamra'd years ago.
November 14, 2019
'Woke.'Originally this word meant being conscious of racial discrimination in society. With time its meaning evolved and it now includes a broader scope of other forms of prevalent oppression, injustice and social problems. Let's say this book was written by a woke Indian. But what actually makes a person woke?
Two words-"Question Everything". It was something the author's father told him as a kid and I was told by my 6th grade History subject teacher. The power these two words hold is immense. It transforms someone's perception towards everything around him and makes his thinking more rational.
In the first chapter the author questions our collective conscience. He shows how the disaster of demonetisation could have been used for a greater good but a lack of conscience didnot make it happen. A collective conscience is something we badly need to unite against social oppression and upliftment of the downtrodden.
He questions our mindless clinging to absurd traditional norms.
He tells us how traditions and customs get created over time and why they should be done with if they become inhibiting rather than contributing to the growth of oneself or the society at large.
He tells examples of certain events from his life illustrating how being literate is completely different from being educated. In a way he emphasizes on the need of proper education that teaches not just facts and concepts but also how they are relevant in real life. A proper education inculcates a habit of critical thinking too.
My favourite part of the book was where the author made a low-key snide remark towards a currently public listed company while showing the true nature of Indian politics since time immemorial. It was hilarious to read it written like that. He also shows how propaganda is created to influence our emotions and opinions inorder to gain votes, a fact that we should be aware of because it always ends up sidelining our major causes of concern. He talks on many other topics like chauvinism, fanaticism, feminism and LGBTQ, which is not possible for me to cover in a short review.
About three decades ago Nobel Laureate VS Naipaul had finished writing his 'India trilogy'. He was a British of Indian origin who had travelled to India on three pivotal occassions in modern history to observe our nation and to understand what made India as it is. He conducted an extensive psychoanalysis and made sociological observations. This book is a work on similar lines.
Written in simple language, filled with humour, it is unputdownable and a perfectly comprehensive book that all Indians need to read RIGHT NOW to understand what goes into shaping our society and its norms, which also indirectly affects how you think, how you live and drives this country's future towards a particular direction. Underlying the obscuring humor of author is the angst of every concerned citizen. This book is a set of introspective realisations that we Indians need to realise high time.
Two words-"Question Everything". It was something the author's father told him as a kid and I was told by my 6th grade History subject teacher. The power these two words hold is immense. It transforms someone's perception towards everything around him and makes his thinking more rational.
In the first chapter the author questions our collective conscience. He shows how the disaster of demonetisation could have been used for a greater good but a lack of conscience didnot make it happen. A collective conscience is something we badly need to unite against social oppression and upliftment of the downtrodden.
He questions our mindless clinging to absurd traditional norms.
He tells us how traditions and customs get created over time and why they should be done with if they become inhibiting rather than contributing to the growth of oneself or the society at large.
He tells examples of certain events from his life illustrating how being literate is completely different from being educated. In a way he emphasizes on the need of proper education that teaches not just facts and concepts but also how they are relevant in real life. A proper education inculcates a habit of critical thinking too.
My favourite part of the book was where the author made a low-key snide remark towards a currently public listed company while showing the true nature of Indian politics since time immemorial. It was hilarious to read it written like that. He also shows how propaganda is created to influence our emotions and opinions inorder to gain votes, a fact that we should be aware of because it always ends up sidelining our major causes of concern. He talks on many other topics like chauvinism, fanaticism, feminism and LGBTQ, which is not possible for me to cover in a short review.
About three decades ago Nobel Laureate VS Naipaul had finished writing his 'India trilogy'. He was a British of Indian origin who had travelled to India on three pivotal occassions in modern history to observe our nation and to understand what made India as it is. He conducted an extensive psychoanalysis and made sociological observations. This book is a work on similar lines.
Written in simple language, filled with humour, it is unputdownable and a perfectly comprehensive book that all Indians need to read RIGHT NOW to understand what goes into shaping our society and its norms, which also indirectly affects how you think, how you live and drives this country's future towards a particular direction. Underlying the obscuring humor of author is the angst of every concerned citizen. This book is a set of introspective realisations that we Indians need to realise high time.
December 6, 2019
| Book Review | A Nation of Idiots.
•
One word. Delightful. It's not often that I get this intense feeling of letting out a laugh while reading but this book did it for me. I can't remember the last time I read something that's refreshing and brutally honest so this book is already a winner in my eyes. The author has done a terrific job in writing his heart out and it's quite visible that he enjoyed doing so. You can almost picture him writting down an instance with a smirk playing on his lips. In spite of being candid and extremely at ease, this book in no sense insults or even hurts anybody's sentiments. And for this reason, Daksh deserves an ovation.
•
It's hard to sum up such a brilliant book due to word constraint but I'll try to do my best. The author narrates true incidents along with few examples in trying to put forth his point of how our country / society works. He begins with the drama that demonetisation brought to our country and the way in which people reacted to this sudden change. The long queues in front of banks and ATM, the plight of men who tried their luck in cheating the government but got the taste of their own medicine, all this was hilarious to read. And mind you, quite relatable too. I loved the fact that he tried to touch most of the topics that Indians seem to be obsessed with. Though it's hard to choose which one I liked the best, I'd probably vote for the chapter 'Indian Man' in which he addresses how people blindly follow the words of various Godmen. Considering how inquisitive he was as a kid, I can only imagine the scene unfurling in my mind, all the while trying to choke back giggles.
•
It's not easy to pen down a book in which serious issues are addressed with a tinge of humour. Take for example, his chapter on State of Women in which he sees and understands how the roles of men and women are often kept separate even in this century. Or one can even consider the chapter of Homosexuality where he goes to show how families and society feels about sex and LGBTQ. This book is important and I don't say this casually, but with conviction. It's important for young adults and children to question their elders about why they have to follow certain rules without any reason to support their ideas. His take on raising children the right away or addressing even the smallest issues wittily is truly commendable. I finished this book in one sitting and I did not realise how fast time went by. I'd urge you to read this and let me know what you think about it. A book as raw as this deserves the good kind of attention and more often than not, you might find agreeing with points that he manages to present. A breezy read which ticks all the boxes for being worthy and reliable.
•
Rating - 4.5/5
•
One word. Delightful. It's not often that I get this intense feeling of letting out a laugh while reading but this book did it for me. I can't remember the last time I read something that's refreshing and brutally honest so this book is already a winner in my eyes. The author has done a terrific job in writing his heart out and it's quite visible that he enjoyed doing so. You can almost picture him writting down an instance with a smirk playing on his lips. In spite of being candid and extremely at ease, this book in no sense insults or even hurts anybody's sentiments. And for this reason, Daksh deserves an ovation.
•
It's hard to sum up such a brilliant book due to word constraint but I'll try to do my best. The author narrates true incidents along with few examples in trying to put forth his point of how our country / society works. He begins with the drama that demonetisation brought to our country and the way in which people reacted to this sudden change. The long queues in front of banks and ATM, the plight of men who tried their luck in cheating the government but got the taste of their own medicine, all this was hilarious to read. And mind you, quite relatable too. I loved the fact that he tried to touch most of the topics that Indians seem to be obsessed with. Though it's hard to choose which one I liked the best, I'd probably vote for the chapter 'Indian Man' in which he addresses how people blindly follow the words of various Godmen. Considering how inquisitive he was as a kid, I can only imagine the scene unfurling in my mind, all the while trying to choke back giggles.
•
It's not easy to pen down a book in which serious issues are addressed with a tinge of humour. Take for example, his chapter on State of Women in which he sees and understands how the roles of men and women are often kept separate even in this century. Or one can even consider the chapter of Homosexuality where he goes to show how families and society feels about sex and LGBTQ. This book is important and I don't say this casually, but with conviction. It's important for young adults and children to question their elders about why they have to follow certain rules without any reason to support their ideas. His take on raising children the right away or addressing even the smallest issues wittily is truly commendable. I finished this book in one sitting and I did not realise how fast time went by. I'd urge you to read this and let me know what you think about it. A book as raw as this deserves the good kind of attention and more often than not, you might find agreeing with points that he manages to present. A breezy read which ticks all the boxes for being worthy and reliable.
•
Rating - 4.5/5
December 16, 2019
I knew I would like this book which was why i requested for a copy! but had no idea that i would end up absolutely LOVING IT!
It speaks to each of us on what we call tradition, what we call culture, what we call superstition and what we are doing wrong.
It's hard hitting to read how the smallest of our actions such as expecting a bride's family to pay for the entire wedding expenses can go till the extent of female infanticide.
Yes these are things we experience everyday which is beautifully written. It's clear and to the point. Every chapter ends with us agreeing with the writer on a lot of points.
It's a nonfiction book which is of a rare nonpreachy kind. It says it doesn't look to change our attitude, but it does. That's the best kind of non fiction there is
I absolutely recommend this book to every single person looking to read a book that's relatable and that can alter our mindsets for the better.
It speaks to each of us on what we call tradition, what we call culture, what we call superstition and what we are doing wrong.
It's hard hitting to read how the smallest of our actions such as expecting a bride's family to pay for the entire wedding expenses can go till the extent of female infanticide.
Yes these are things we experience everyday which is beautifully written. It's clear and to the point. Every chapter ends with us agreeing with the writer on a lot of points.
It's a nonfiction book which is of a rare nonpreachy kind. It says it doesn't look to change our attitude, but it does. That's the best kind of non fiction there is
I absolutely recommend this book to every single person looking to read a book that's relatable and that can alter our mindsets for the better.
March 27, 2020
I couldn’t have read this book at a more appropriate time! Especially when we are surrounded not only by your typical garden variety idiots but we are also witnessing the genesis and evolution of the new species of Covidiots!
I came across this book while listening to an episode of Cyrus Says and loved the concept and the obviously provocative name. However, I was a little worried that the book might be either too cynical or too preachy. Surprisingly, it is none of them both. It is a very hilarious, candid and accurate mirror to the society we live in.
Daksh Tyagi is like Buddha! Now, now, hear me out! I am not saying that he’s an enlightened being already, but, just like Buddha, he narrates his experiences not to “teach” you anything. He just describes all that he has seen and all that he has been through and perhaps by following his journey you might get a different perspective to your own life and an insight into your own prejudices.
ANOI is written in a very conversational style and you would enjoy reading this book as it feels as if you are talking to a friend. Which basically means that it has no “big” words and can be understood even by someone like me!
To make it even simpler, the book is divided into ten short chapters covering topics like the Indian Man, State of Women, Raising Kids, Sexuality, Politics & Religion and a very helpful final chapter about “How to defuse an idiot”.
Mr. Tyagi’s sense of humour is zordaar and I found myself laughing out loud in many places, which is quite rare for me while reading a book. But more than the humour, I loved his metaphors. They are brilliant! Simply brilliant! He explains very difficult and serious issues with such simple yet striking metaphors that it reaches straight to your heart and in the middle of the chuckle you’ll go WOW with your eyes wide open!
One particular analogy that I really liked *scratch* LOVED appears in the chapter about “State of Women” where Mr. Tyagi narrates a story from his childhood when he along with his siblings took his Grandfather’s car for a drive and he gets stuck midway on a slope unwilling to let go while his sister and his cousin searched for a brick. I know this doesn’t make sense without context but I implore you to read this book, if only for this particular chapter. I literally read that part thrice and I don’t want to spoil it for you!
Another reason why one would enjoy reading this book is because the references are quite contemporary and we all have been through the things mentioned in this book together and very recently. Remember, demonetization?
I recommend this book to every single person who is reading this. I will definitely shove it down the throat of all the people that I know because I feel that we all need to read this, if nothing else, just to laugh at ourselves!
It is a great first book by Mr. Tyagi and I am eagerly looking forward to read his next book whenever he writes one. Because, his mind is indeed a wonderfully chaotic place and I would love to have another tour of it!
I don’t know about you, but I definitely met my idiot within while reading this delightful book and I am going to be more mindful next time he tries to take over me.
I came across this book while listening to an episode of Cyrus Says and loved the concept and the obviously provocative name. However, I was a little worried that the book might be either too cynical or too preachy. Surprisingly, it is none of them both. It is a very hilarious, candid and accurate mirror to the society we live in.
Daksh Tyagi is like Buddha! Now, now, hear me out! I am not saying that he’s an enlightened being already, but, just like Buddha, he narrates his experiences not to “teach” you anything. He just describes all that he has seen and all that he has been through and perhaps by following his journey you might get a different perspective to your own life and an insight into your own prejudices.
ANOI is written in a very conversational style and you would enjoy reading this book as it feels as if you are talking to a friend. Which basically means that it has no “big” words and can be understood even by someone like me!
To make it even simpler, the book is divided into ten short chapters covering topics like the Indian Man, State of Women, Raising Kids, Sexuality, Politics & Religion and a very helpful final chapter about “How to defuse an idiot”.
Mr. Tyagi’s sense of humour is zordaar and I found myself laughing out loud in many places, which is quite rare for me while reading a book. But more than the humour, I loved his metaphors. They are brilliant! Simply brilliant! He explains very difficult and serious issues with such simple yet striking metaphors that it reaches straight to your heart and in the middle of the chuckle you’ll go WOW with your eyes wide open!
One particular analogy that I really liked *scratch* LOVED appears in the chapter about “State of Women” where Mr. Tyagi narrates a story from his childhood when he along with his siblings took his Grandfather’s car for a drive and he gets stuck midway on a slope unwilling to let go while his sister and his cousin searched for a brick. I know this doesn’t make sense without context but I implore you to read this book, if only for this particular chapter. I literally read that part thrice and I don’t want to spoil it for you!
Another reason why one would enjoy reading this book is because the references are quite contemporary and we all have been through the things mentioned in this book together and very recently. Remember, demonetization?
I recommend this book to every single person who is reading this. I will definitely shove it down the throat of all the people that I know because I feel that we all need to read this, if nothing else, just to laugh at ourselves!
It is a great first book by Mr. Tyagi and I am eagerly looking forward to read his next book whenever he writes one. Because, his mind is indeed a wonderfully chaotic place and I would love to have another tour of it!
I don’t know about you, but I definitely met my idiot within while reading this delightful book and I am going to be more mindful next time he tries to take over me.
December 5, 2023
If someone would make me pen my thoughts about everything that is happening all around us - this book is what I would pen down. The exact thought process, exact rants and the things that irritate me on a daily basis. Alas, I have no capacity to pen down such words, so that there are writers like Daksh Tyagi-who voices our thoughts. And such a fab manual it is to avoid idiots, found everywhere nowadays. From your office loo to the virtual loo - that is Whatsapp and facebook. (what irony is-as we Indians hate it-none of the idiots carry toilet paper, but that is a different tale though).
With help of charts and definitions and anecdotes; Tyagi pens his memoir with commentary that makes you smirk every now and then. And feel pity for the breed with incurable symptoms, and are omnipresent - Idiots.
A must read in these depressing times.
With help of charts and definitions and anecdotes; Tyagi pens his memoir with commentary that makes you smirk every now and then. And feel pity for the breed with incurable symptoms, and are omnipresent - Idiots.
A must read in these depressing times.
June 18, 2025
How can someone's head be so up their own ass to write this?
(This isn't comment on the topic but the writing)
(This isn't comment on the topic but the writing)
January 9, 2020
Daksh Tyagi has done a great work in explaining the day to day problems of Indians and also socio-economic setup of the country. This book is a complete package of humour, stories of Indian households, economy, social setup and a bit of Indian history. He has very well explained the problems with and of Indian citizens, the small things that we see around us but choose to ignore like gender equality, news media, politics and religion. He tells us why doing certain things in a certain way is wrong, for example following news channels without doing our own research about the news and incidents shown in media. He also tells why it is okay to question authority and certain practices, religious or otherwise. Because it is better to do the right thing than following something which doesn’t make any sense. I liked how the book has explained and made me think about the authors experiences which even I’ve witnessed. Daksh has done a splendid job in explaining stories and experiences of his life and most of them are very relatable to anyone who’s lived in India.
This was an easy and fun filled read for me and I enjoyed all the ten chapters. I’m sure whoever has been in India for sometime can relate to each of these chapters, which enhances the reading experience. The book was easy to understand as it had many stories within each of the chapters. I would recommend it to all who wish to have a unique reading experience.
This was an easy and fun filled read for me and I enjoyed all the ten chapters. I’m sure whoever has been in India for sometime can relate to each of these chapters, which enhances the reading experience. The book was easy to understand as it had many stories within each of the chapters. I would recommend it to all who wish to have a unique reading experience.
July 26, 2020
If you are a self-aware overthinking person like I am, there is very little novelty in the book. Yes, it all makes sense but what about it?
There is no nugget of wisdom that you should look for here. Light read. Finished in 4-5 hours.
There is no nugget of wisdom that you should look for here. Light read. Finished in 4-5 hours.
September 29, 2025
An extreme patriot is how I describe myself. Nation first has always been my motto in life.
However, unquestioning and uncritical devotion is not the way I describe my patriotism to be. I am open to debates and discuss all unreasonable and irrelevant events, policies, etc.
Then comes the book “A Nation of Idiots” by Daksh Tyagi as a gift. The title evokes conflicting feelings of anger and curiosity.
What a ride it has been!!
A hilarious way to self-introspection and realization based on true events. As the citizens of India, the adult generation of today has witnessed these events. We developed our own take and opinions on each. We discussed these at length with our family and friends. We had firsthand experiences of these, but never did we place ourselves in the category of IDIOTS!!!
This book brings in the awareness that we all have been unaware idiots many times in our lives.
Not giving out much in this review, I will recommend this to every conscious Indian. It is a fast and easy read, make it a part of your travel or Sunday. Every story will bring a smile to your face and force you to introspect.
Let this journey be your own…unravel it at the earliest, so that you come out of the idiot zone soon.
Happy Reading!!
However, unquestioning and uncritical devotion is not the way I describe my patriotism to be. I am open to debates and discuss all unreasonable and irrelevant events, policies, etc.
Then comes the book “A Nation of Idiots” by Daksh Tyagi as a gift. The title evokes conflicting feelings of anger and curiosity.
What a ride it has been!!
A hilarious way to self-introspection and realization based on true events. As the citizens of India, the adult generation of today has witnessed these events. We developed our own take and opinions on each. We discussed these at length with our family and friends. We had firsthand experiences of these, but never did we place ourselves in the category of IDIOTS!!!
This book brings in the awareness that we all have been unaware idiots many times in our lives.
Not giving out much in this review, I will recommend this to every conscious Indian. It is a fast and easy read, make it a part of your travel or Sunday. Every story will bring a smile to your face and force you to introspect.
Let this journey be your own…unravel it at the earliest, so that you come out of the idiot zone soon.
Happy Reading!!
March 9, 2024
“Question Everything” everyone knows the importance of these two words..the author beautifully, hilariously yet simply narrates their significance in a contemporary Indian context by showing the harm that is being inflicted on our society because of our ignoring those two words..unputdownable..
October 21, 2019
Are you ever satisfied with the answers you get when you ask a controversial question?
I'm not. Most of the time I find the logic behind the answer is dumber than what prompted me to ask a question in the first place. Any argument beyond this would prove to be utterly pointless. I was a very inquisitive kid. But being rebuked everytime I asked a question led to me growing up into a person who would find the answer himself than ask someone. This might be my case but it wasn't Daksh's.
A Nation of Idiots by Daksh Tyagi could be described as a sum of answers that lead to more questions and finally comprehension. Think back to a time when you questioned everything, from religion to politics. You want to get them answered? Read this book.
The beautiful narration kept me captivated till its last word. Daksh's use of real life incidents and interviews bring out humour and knowledge that are amusing and informative. When I read this book, a million thoughts I had had and shrugged off came rushing back to me and at every turn these 'morsel thoughts' returned stronger than before. After every chapter, I ended up thinking about what I learnt by putting it in my life and analysing it. This book made me think. The analysis gave way to epiphanies and this is when I realised that I'm an idiot too.
I used to be like Daksh but somewhere along the line, I started following certain things blindly and shunning away things that I didn't want to think about and thankfully A Nation of Idiots has changed my perception now. I really urge you to pick up this book. You may find certain things that you were not aware of in the past and maybe even relearn a couple of things.
I'm not. Most of the time I find the logic behind the answer is dumber than what prompted me to ask a question in the first place. Any argument beyond this would prove to be utterly pointless. I was a very inquisitive kid. But being rebuked everytime I asked a question led to me growing up into a person who would find the answer himself than ask someone. This might be my case but it wasn't Daksh's.
A Nation of Idiots by Daksh Tyagi could be described as a sum of answers that lead to more questions and finally comprehension. Think back to a time when you questioned everything, from religion to politics. You want to get them answered? Read this book.
The beautiful narration kept me captivated till its last word. Daksh's use of real life incidents and interviews bring out humour and knowledge that are amusing and informative. When I read this book, a million thoughts I had had and shrugged off came rushing back to me and at every turn these 'morsel thoughts' returned stronger than before. After every chapter, I ended up thinking about what I learnt by putting it in my life and analysing it. This book made me think. The analysis gave way to epiphanies and this is when I realised that I'm an idiot too.
I used to be like Daksh but somewhere along the line, I started following certain things blindly and shunning away things that I didn't want to think about and thankfully A Nation of Idiots has changed my perception now. I really urge you to pick up this book. You may find certain things that you were not aware of in the past and maybe even relearn a couple of things.
November 2, 2019
How often has a non fiction read urged you to flip the pages vigorously and let you sink in it? Not very often right? 🌊If there's a book that would jerk you awake and hand you a mirror to show you, how in today's world, we still cling on to our age old traditions and culture, how we value community more than humanity, how we judge before we get to know someone or how we feel entitled to tell someone whom they should love and marry, then this is the one. 🌊This book wraps you around reality (the feeling you get when you're baptized, your head is just jammed for a second inside the water) and takes you through a series of chapters from sexuality to the deplorable state of women and finally ends with a bang of how to defuse an idiot (personal favourite) 🌊The way author lays out the truth with sheer sarcasm, witt and humour has caught me off guard. He slides you into a bubble of interviews, life experiences which add the ultimate flavour to this book, might I even say, this was that wonderful light intellectual read I was longing to read for a long time. 🌊My most favourite chapters have to be sex and sensibility, the state of women and how to defuse an idiot.
Let me share a witty line which I found extremely hilarious
"a fart is a proof that we're connected. Air out of someone's arse is inside your nose"
I can go on and on about the excerpts I loved, but I want you to give it a try and enjoy it for yourself before I spoil all the fun 😇
I thank @nationofidiots for the early reader's review copy, I thoroughly enjoyed it
Is there any book that jerked you awake and flawlessly pointed out the truth to you ?
Let me share a witty line which I found extremely hilarious
"a fart is a proof that we're connected. Air out of someone's arse is inside your nose"
I can go on and on about the excerpts I loved, but I want you to give it a try and enjoy it for yourself before I spoil all the fun 😇
I thank @nationofidiots for the early reader's review copy, I thoroughly enjoyed it
Is there any book that jerked you awake and flawlessly pointed out the truth to you ?
December 23, 2019
If you're like me, and you look for popular non-fiction titles on Reddit or Goodreads, you'll typically skip books like this because they lack the numbers. But if you're an Indian, please do not!
I heard Daksh Tyagi speak on Cyrus Broacha's podcast and that made me want to to get a copy. This is a great book that talks about so about our society, our history and the ways we do things, things we can all relate to. At a time where so many of us feel flustered by the chaos around, this book breaks it down. It reminds you that it's not you who has lost their mind.
It's one of the lightest, nicest, entertaining reads. You ought to read it, and gift it to people who typically would avoid discussion on difficult subjects. Verbal mockery and online conversations are intimidating but reading this book can change minds.
I heard Daksh Tyagi speak on Cyrus Broacha's podcast and that made me want to to get a copy. This is a great book that talks about so about our society, our history and the ways we do things, things we can all relate to. At a time where so many of us feel flustered by the chaos around, this book breaks it down. It reminds you that it's not you who has lost their mind.
It's one of the lightest, nicest, entertaining reads. You ought to read it, and gift it to people who typically would avoid discussion on difficult subjects. Verbal mockery and online conversations are intimidating but reading this book can change minds.
June 3, 2021
Some points and opinions are very valid and logical. Rest all the book is usually leftist logic.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 2, 2025
i just finished this book, and was coming to rate it,
then suddenly our town electricity got off and our neighbours children started making "wohhhhhhh" sound, and by hearing this my own home children and the other part of neighbours children contributed to it and in just few seconds whole towns children were making "wohhhhh" sound and it was sooo amazing every elders were happy to see this, it was like a victory over something,
but it was not a victory for me, i also wanted to be part of that loud noise cause it was soo amazing and wholesome, but i couldn't.
i thought if i joined the group, then they(elders) would call me stupid,
but does this also mean the children are stupid,
or there is a age number of being a stupid,
or the elders are stupid.
These words are very hard to define, so let's say we are all stupid or the idiots,
we feel that we the readers are not like the ones in the story,we say " no-no-no we are better than those idiots", we are mature.
let's laugh together hahahahahhaha.
yes, you, I and everyone even the top businessman, lawyers, the one who is going to become future prime minister or chief minister, everyone is idiot in some other way, and mature at other things.
I didn't get the point of the author, what he was trying to really say, are Indian audience idiots, yes we are, no doubt, just go to a nearby tea stalls and listen to our elders,
on what things they talk about and how easily they agree on each other.
Was the author trying to say that we are the religiously idiots, i would say even more of that, we are idiots in more things, just see how we fight over players and teams in IPL, yes we don't beat the other one, but whenever someone say they support this team or that player, we went crazy and started saying bad things, like he doesn't even know how to play game, who made him captain, he is the problem the team is lossing, and blah blah, but wait who asked for his opinions.
we are that much of idiot that we fight over sim cards which on is better, jio or airtel, and if due to some reasons any sim network goes off, we say this-"see, this sim is not good, that's why i don't use it", and the same thing happens to other one in some other day, and the same sentence he or she uses.
----------------------------------------
just as India is a diverse country and the people's idiotiness is also diverse,
to illustrate that diverseness we need alot of pages and data, and some elderly seriousness,
but let's become a child again and don't be and lets start laughing at the people's foolishness,
or be the youngsters and be in the middle.
i feel the auther didn't do the work properly, neither he become the elder, younger nor the child.
then suddenly our town electricity got off and our neighbours children started making "wohhhhhhh" sound, and by hearing this my own home children and the other part of neighbours children contributed to it and in just few seconds whole towns children were making "wohhhhh" sound and it was sooo amazing every elders were happy to see this, it was like a victory over something,
but it was not a victory for me, i also wanted to be part of that loud noise cause it was soo amazing and wholesome, but i couldn't.
i thought if i joined the group, then they(elders) would call me stupid,
but does this also mean the children are stupid,
or there is a age number of being a stupid,
or the elders are stupid.
These words are very hard to define, so let's say we are all stupid or the idiots,
we feel that we the readers are not like the ones in the story,we say " no-no-no we are better than those idiots", we are mature.
let's laugh together hahahahahhaha.
yes, you, I and everyone even the top businessman, lawyers, the one who is going to become future prime minister or chief minister, everyone is idiot in some other way, and mature at other things.
I didn't get the point of the author, what he was trying to really say, are Indian audience idiots, yes we are, no doubt, just go to a nearby tea stalls and listen to our elders,
on what things they talk about and how easily they agree on each other.
Was the author trying to say that we are the religiously idiots, i would say even more of that, we are idiots in more things, just see how we fight over players and teams in IPL, yes we don't beat the other one, but whenever someone say they support this team or that player, we went crazy and started saying bad things, like he doesn't even know how to play game, who made him captain, he is the problem the team is lossing, and blah blah, but wait who asked for his opinions.
we are that much of idiot that we fight over sim cards which on is better, jio or airtel, and if due to some reasons any sim network goes off, we say this-"see, this sim is not good, that's why i don't use it", and the same thing happens to other one in some other day, and the same sentence he or she uses.
----------------------------------------
just as India is a diverse country and the people's idiotiness is also diverse,
to illustrate that diverseness we need alot of pages and data, and some elderly seriousness,
but let's become a child again and don't be and lets start laughing at the people's foolishness,
or be the youngsters and be in the middle.
i feel the auther didn't do the work properly, neither he become the elder, younger nor the child.
November 25, 2024
What if I told you there’s a book that will make you laugh so hard you’ll cry, only to realize those tears are from facing the absurd truths of modern Indian life? That’s exactly what "A Nation of Idiots" by Daksh Tyagi does.
Imagine sitting down with a friend who has no filter—a friend who takes the quirks of our society and turns them into punchlines that hit way too close to home. From our obsession with traditions (and breaking them for convenience) to our love for chaos (zebra crossings, anyone?), this book pulls no punches. You’ll laugh, you’ll cringe, and you’ll find yourself nodding along to every metaphor, every observation, and every hard-hitting truth.
The chapters are short, sharp, and loaded with humor that’s so “zordaar,” you might just snort out loud. But the best part? While you’re laughing, you’re also learning. Daksh’s take on topics like gender roles, religion, parenting, and even politics is brutally honest yet oddly comforting. And the final chapter, “How to Defuse an Idiot,” is a masterstroke—it’s the survival guide we all need!
What makes this book unmissable is how relatable it is. Remember demonetization? The cultural chaos? The unspoken absurdities of daily life? Daksh dives into all of it with wit and insight that feel tailor-made for every Indian.
This isn’t just a book you’ll read once and forget. It’s the book you’ll gift to friends, discuss over chai, and secretly wish you had written yourself. "A Nation of Idiots" doesn’t just entertain—it holds up a mirror to our society, making you laugh at its quirks and question your own.
So, grab a copy. Trust me, you won’t just enjoy it—you’ll want everyone around you to read it too. Who knows? By the end of it, you might even stop at a zebra crossing.
Imagine sitting down with a friend who has no filter—a friend who takes the quirks of our society and turns them into punchlines that hit way too close to home. From our obsession with traditions (and breaking them for convenience) to our love for chaos (zebra crossings, anyone?), this book pulls no punches. You’ll laugh, you’ll cringe, and you’ll find yourself nodding along to every metaphor, every observation, and every hard-hitting truth.
The chapters are short, sharp, and loaded with humor that’s so “zordaar,” you might just snort out loud. But the best part? While you’re laughing, you’re also learning. Daksh’s take on topics like gender roles, religion, parenting, and even politics is brutally honest yet oddly comforting. And the final chapter, “How to Defuse an Idiot,” is a masterstroke—it’s the survival guide we all need!
What makes this book unmissable is how relatable it is. Remember demonetization? The cultural chaos? The unspoken absurdities of daily life? Daksh dives into all of it with wit and insight that feel tailor-made for every Indian.
This isn’t just a book you’ll read once and forget. It’s the book you’ll gift to friends, discuss over chai, and secretly wish you had written yourself. "A Nation of Idiots" doesn’t just entertain—it holds up a mirror to our society, making you laugh at its quirks and question your own.
So, grab a copy. Trust me, you won’t just enjoy it—you’ll want everyone around you to read it too. Who knows? By the end of it, you might even stop at a zebra crossing.
May 12, 2025
Everyone's a writer because they have a laptop and basic intermediate education. But what makes a writer differentiate himself from a whiner? This book exactly tells how you can miserably fail to be the former.
Daksh Tyagi's A Nation of Idiots wants to sound like biting satire but ends up as a long-winded, holier-than-thou monologue soaked in smuggish snark overdosed on recycling his alleged self-righteous farts for air. It’s the kind of book where the author thinks pointing out obvious societal flaws makes him some intellectual rebel—when in fact, he's just yelling clichés in a slightly more polished font.
Tyagi swings at everything—tradition, modernity, men, women, education, media—but hits nothing with substance. He substitutes generalization for insight and posturing for principle. The guy wants to play provocateur but never earns it—he’s punching down, sideways, and blindly without offering a single damn useful solution or even a coherent worldview.
From a libertarian perspective, he completely misses the root causes: the bloated state, the worship of authority, and the soul-crushing collectivism embedded in daily life. Instead, Tyagi wastes his energy mocking symptoms while ignoring the disease. His critiques sound like they're lifted straight from Twitter threads—angry, performative, and allergic to nuance.
Bottom line? It’s not revolutionary—it’s lazy cynicism dressed up as cultural critique. Tyagi plays the edgy outsider while craving mainstream applause. Skip the book. Watch paint dry instead—it’s more intellectually honest.
Daksh Tyagi's A Nation of Idiots wants to sound like biting satire but ends up as a long-winded, holier-than-thou monologue soaked in smuggish snark overdosed on recycling his alleged self-righteous farts for air. It’s the kind of book where the author thinks pointing out obvious societal flaws makes him some intellectual rebel—when in fact, he's just yelling clichés in a slightly more polished font.
Tyagi swings at everything—tradition, modernity, men, women, education, media—but hits nothing with substance. He substitutes generalization for insight and posturing for principle. The guy wants to play provocateur but never earns it—he’s punching down, sideways, and blindly without offering a single damn useful solution or even a coherent worldview.
From a libertarian perspective, he completely misses the root causes: the bloated state, the worship of authority, and the soul-crushing collectivism embedded in daily life. Instead, Tyagi wastes his energy mocking symptoms while ignoring the disease. His critiques sound like they're lifted straight from Twitter threads—angry, performative, and allergic to nuance.
Bottom line? It’s not revolutionary—it’s lazy cynicism dressed up as cultural critique. Tyagi plays the edgy outsider while craving mainstream applause. Skip the book. Watch paint dry instead—it’s more intellectually honest.
March 18, 2025
Overall, it's a Comic social commentary on Indians through the Author's experiences as stories. This book has a lot of stories
The commentary itself is ok, it's not some mindblowing work of thesis, or anything unique. The comic and satire works for me, in my opinion, it is good.
But, what makes this book a must-read in my opinion is its storytelling, it works, in my opinion humans think in stories, and in accord to those stories that he believe in, he interoperate this world. Does not matter how academic and data-based a discussion is, he will believe only in accord with his stories.
In my opinion, this book has the potential to change the stories(conservative and orthodox one) that you believes in with progressive stories. There are better works out there to learn about dowry, rape, state of women in India, but the story matters the most for social reform.
I myself come from a very orthodox background, i read it 4 years ago for the first time, and honestly, this book just opened my eyes, i remember i felt like i had learned something that I shouldn't have, haha
There are better works out there if one wants to learn about social issues, but this book, in my opinion, is a story, and the story succeeds in impacting, people like me.
Social reform starts by changing the stories a society believes in, and I think this book does this job pretty well.
The commentary itself is ok, it's not some mindblowing work of thesis, or anything unique. The comic and satire works for me, in my opinion, it is good.
But, what makes this book a must-read in my opinion is its storytelling, it works, in my opinion humans think in stories, and in accord to those stories that he believe in, he interoperate this world. Does not matter how academic and data-based a discussion is, he will believe only in accord with his stories.
In my opinion, this book has the potential to change the stories(conservative and orthodox one) that you believes in with progressive stories. There are better works out there to learn about dowry, rape, state of women in India, but the story matters the most for social reform.
I myself come from a very orthodox background, i read it 4 years ago for the first time, and honestly, this book just opened my eyes, i remember i felt like i had learned something that I shouldn't have, haha
There are better works out there if one wants to learn about social issues, but this book, in my opinion, is a story, and the story succeeds in impacting, people like me.
Social reform starts by changing the stories a society believes in, and I think this book does this job pretty well.
February 18, 2024
I think if you live outside of India and have the mentality pounded into you, then you grow up and leave religion and obligation, you become spiritual. And if you are lucky, you become a good person even. Maybe someone who has seen what you were and then an epiphany changes you into what you are. The sad thing is Indians suffer because of how they respect the dead more than the living and how they give more of themselves to others than themselves. Maybe this is true for all Asian cultures. In any case, growing and changing can kill you, but I could not have done it otherwise. I should thank, then, my overzealous mother and father and the ever watching, all seeing Indian community that I keep at a healthy distance. I was never accepted anyway, as being one of them. This book has some amazing points, I saw things in a new light. But it did get a bit boring because the writers style is to almost jot down his sentences, making for jolty reading. But I see his points and they are valid and we need to change a lot of these things in all 3rd world countries.
October 20, 2023
Tyagi makes some good points and the essence of most points is true (sometimes even eye opening) but I felt like he tries too hard at being abstract (with his metaphors) or at being funny at other times.
He makes caricatures of people, which can be a humorous way to get the point across (I love tongue-in-cheek humour as much as the next person), but he focuses so much on making a stereotype that it no longer remains relatable (much like watching Russel Peters talk about Bollywood movies or listening to Appu do an Indian Accent).
Also he completely fabricates situations about overhearing a new bride question her husband regarding why he wont let her pay her share for dinner when he can take dowry from her parents, or having an insane, unending argument with an Indian friend of his. The situations are so obviously unbelievable that him presenting them as true makes me believe that he takes his readers to be complete idiots!
A highly idiotic book in my opinion.
He makes caricatures of people, which can be a humorous way to get the point across (I love tongue-in-cheek humour as much as the next person), but he focuses so much on making a stereotype that it no longer remains relatable (much like watching Russel Peters talk about Bollywood movies or listening to Appu do an Indian Accent).
Also he completely fabricates situations about overhearing a new bride question her husband regarding why he wont let her pay her share for dinner when he can take dowry from her parents, or having an insane, unending argument with an Indian friend of his. The situations are so obviously unbelievable that him presenting them as true makes me believe that he takes his readers to be complete idiots!
A highly idiotic book in my opinion.
October 4, 2024
This book is one of the non-fiction books that doesn't make you feel bored. The writing style of the author is witty and keeps you hooked. The book consists of the complex situations explained with real life examples (ofcourse the names were changed 😂)
Author tried to shed light on complex topics like economic mindset of the people of our nation, religion, gender in(equality), history, parenting, mass media and it's effects on the mental engineering of people through media and many more interesting things. The best part about the book is it does not makes you feel bored while reading it even though it's a non-fiction. The complex topics are explained and questioned in a very light manner that can be understood by anyone.
This is one of the books that can be read and loved by any generation of the people in our country. It is one of the book that will leave you questioning the things you have been following mindlessly, and start doing things that doesn't make you an idiot 🤪
Author tried to shed light on complex topics like economic mindset of the people of our nation, religion, gender in(equality), history, parenting, mass media and it's effects on the mental engineering of people through media and many more interesting things. The best part about the book is it does not makes you feel bored while reading it even though it's a non-fiction. The complex topics are explained and questioned in a very light manner that can be understood by anyone.
This is one of the books that can be read and loved by any generation of the people in our country. It is one of the book that will leave you questioning the things you have been following mindlessly, and start doing things that doesn't make you an idiot 🤪
December 17, 2024
A Nation of Idiots by Daksh Tyagi is a thought-provoking and insightful book that delves into the various factors that shape our society and influence our collective mindset. It challenges readers to critically examine the traditions, cultural practices, and superstitions that permeate our daily life.
The author analyzes common actions and beliefs that many of us accept without question, often under the guise of "that's just how it is." He provides examples that illustrate how these ingrained habits can lead us astray, promoting a narrative that encourages introspection and self-awareness.
Each chapter is designed to provoke deep contemplation and reflection, prompting readers to rethink their own adherence to societal norms and traditions. By the end of the book, readers are likely to experience a shift in perspective, leading to a greater understanding of the societal constructs that influence their thoughts and actions.
The author analyzes common actions and beliefs that many of us accept without question, often under the guise of "that's just how it is." He provides examples that illustrate how these ingrained habits can lead us astray, promoting a narrative that encourages introspection and self-awareness.
Each chapter is designed to provoke deep contemplation and reflection, prompting readers to rethink their own adherence to societal norms and traditions. By the end of the book, readers are likely to experience a shift in perspective, leading to a greater understanding of the societal constructs that influence their thoughts and actions.
October 20, 2024
Reading Daksh Tyagi’s Nation of Idiots felt like having a blunt, eye-opening conversation with a friend who isn’t afraid to say what everyone’s thinking. Tyagi tears into the ridiculousness of modern society—whether it’s how we follow trends blindly or the way social media fuels stupidity—and he does it with sharp humor that kept me hooked.
There were times I found myself nodding along, thinking, “Yeah, ha! I hear you, my friend!! ” But I’ll admit, the constant criticism did get a bit heavy without offering much in terms of solutions. At times, the Daksh Tyagi risked at being idealistic than pragmatist. Still, it made me think deeply about my own role in all of it. Definitely a book that sticks with you!
.
There were times I found myself nodding along, thinking, “Yeah, ha! I hear you, my friend!! ” But I’ll admit, the constant criticism did get a bit heavy without offering much in terms of solutions. At times, the Daksh Tyagi risked at being idealistic than pragmatist. Still, it made me think deeply about my own role in all of it. Definitely a book that sticks with you!
.
September 27, 2024
I have two options either to believe Daksh Tyagi is a Genius or that I am a moron, Guess which one I am going with.
Author doesn't spit facts at your face he rolls them up around a stone and throws at your stomach, and boy do they hurt.
I hope he has a good lawyer and lives in a country far far away.
Rarely you read someone and realise they are just trying to make the world, in this case a country, a better place for their kids.
Author doesn't spit facts at your face he rolls them up around a stone and throws at your stomach, and boy do they hurt.
I hope he has a good lawyer and lives in a country far far away.
Rarely you read someone and realise they are just trying to make the world, in this case a country, a better place for their kids.
May 21, 2025
A thoroughly enjoyable read in plain English... laced with cynicism, woke-ism, and bold opinions, all cleverly wrapped in wit and passed off as wisdom. The author generalises liberally, and while not always right, he’s rarely entirely wrong either. A perfect book of, for, and by idiots. A must-read for anyone who suspects they might be one.
March 11, 2024
An eye opening read with plenty of anecdotes. The writing style is humorous, sarcastic and engaging. Can't put down once I have statrted and finished it all in one go. However, I would suggest to take your own sweet time reading this book, because the anecdoted call for introspection and thinking.
June 29, 2024
Brilliantly written. Sharp humour. The book has managed to age well!
Author brings out his keenly observant, sceptical & poignant views of contemporary India, thru a humour style which grows on you!
Highly Recommended.
Author brings out his keenly observant, sceptical & poignant views of contemporary India, thru a humour style which grows on you!
Highly Recommended.
August 11, 2024
The book starts on a great note. The homour in the first 40 odd pages is so good, I laughed at many occasions. Moving on, when the author moves away from personal experiences, the funny examples, the book takes a rant turn, the homour lessens. All in all, a great book, would recommend, will read it again in the future. A chapter on porn would have been an icing on the cake. Looking forward to reading the other books of this author.
November 26, 2025
This was an easy, quick and enjoyable read. I feel the topics talked about by the author needs to be conversed about more in any group. Even though the theme was serious, the childish take on it makes it seem superficial and half-handed. And only weakens the author's principles
Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews