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A Rude Life
Vir Sanghvi's has been an interesting life - one that took him to Oxford, movie and political journalism, television and magazines - and he depicts it with the silky polish his readers expect of him. In A Rude Life, he turns his dispassionate observer's gaze on himself, and in taut prose tells us about all that he's experienced, and nothing more for he's still a private man. He unhurriedly recounts memories from his childhood and college years, moving on to give us an understanding of how he wrote his biggest stories, while giving us an insider's view into the politics and glamour of that time. This is an explosively entertaining memoir that details one of the most eventful careers in Indian journalism. Studded with a cast of unforgettable characters like Morarji Desai, Giani Zail Singh, Amitabh Bachchan, Dhirubhai Ambani and a host of other prominent political and cultural figures, A Rude Life is a delicious read.
510 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 26, 2021
39 people are currently reading
202 people want to read
About the author
Vir Sanghvi
18 books24 followersVir Sanghvi is an Indian print and television journalist, author, columnist and talk show host. He has been a member of many professional, academic and government bodies including the National Integration Council.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
August 9, 2024
The pile of books on my side table that are waiting to be read continues to grow, as I grapple with day-to-day life in the world of medicine. In typical Indian fashion (in hospitals we call it the ‘VIP’ culture) every once in a while there is one book that climbs to the top and finds itself in my hands, while dozens wait patiently for their turn. The latest one to jump the queue is ‘A Rude Life’ by well-known journalist and food critic Vir Sanghvi.
It is rare that one reads a 400-page tome in 3 sittings – unless it’s a crime thriller. Vir’s description of his life and times is no less thrilling, so the book is simply unputdownable. You don’t have to agree with his views to remain riveted to the story. It begins with a description of his rather unusual but undoubtedly privileged childhood. His father was a communist who turned into a successful businessman later, and died when Vir was only 15; his mother was from a wealthy Gujarati business family. Vir was born in London and went to Mayo and Oxford. That he was always brilliant and well connected is evident from the book. He had an early start to his professional life. At the age of 20 he was already writing for India Today and became editor of “Bombay” a couple of years later. For the best part of his life, he has held important positions in leading newspapers and magazines, which enabled him to get an inside view of politicians who determine the fate of 1.3 billion Indians. Vir gives us a ringside view of these leaders, starting with the early eighties- Sanjay Gandhi’s death and the last years of Indira Gandhi, moving to Rajiv Gandhi, then the tumultuous early nineties with a string of fractious coalitions, the liberalization period of Rao and Manmohan Singh, the moderate, much-liked statesman Vajpayee, and ultimately the Sonia Gandhi/ Manmohan Singh team from 2004-2014.
Vir has much to tell- and he does it in his direct, informal, almost conversational style. His language is simple and even a person of no literary pretensions- like me- did not have to google word meanings. It is this style that distinguishes Vir from others, both in his writing and interviews. He is never aggressive or pompous but direct enough to say it the way it is. Vir does not make any pretense of political correctness.
He makes some startling revelations- the two that stick out are the Morarji PMO papers story, and President Zail Singh’s attempts to topple the Rajiv Gandhi government. Rajiv Gandhi comes across as a well-meaning leader, hampered by lack of experience and a manipulative set of advisors. Vir has little regard for V P Singh- he uses adjectives like shrewd, wily, stubborn, inept to describe the master of the Mandal. And while many of us, including me, have high regard for Narasimha Rao as a highly educated polyglot and the patron of economic reform in India, Vir describes him and shrewd and extremely canny, whose reputation was built solely on his choice of finance minister. Like most who knew Vajpayee, Vir was also admired and liked him, and was a regular feature at his residence when Vajpayee was the Prime Minister (the Vajpayee period coincided with, what was in my opinion, Vir’s most important assignment- Editor of the Hindustan Times). In Vir’s opinion, the reason why UPA 1 succeeded was that the politics was managed by Sonia Gandhi, and the government by Manmohan Singh. In UPA 2 this balance was upset and everything fell apart.
Who are his favorites? Although he doesn’t say it in so many words, his considerable respect for Sonia Gandhi is evident from the book. Vir states that his favorite was Chandrasekhar, but his description doesn’t provide any clue to the reason for this fondness.
The book is written in a breezy, light style, and snippets of humor pepper the pages, like when he talks about Zail Singh or Deve Gowda. It seems that the forever sleepy look of Deve Gowda was a result of insomnia and popping Calmpose tablets!
The book is not just about politicians. For those who ae interested there is plenty of material on the intrigues and intricacies in the world of newspapers. His long stint with the ABP in Kolkata makes for interesting, at times hilarious reading. And there are snatches of glamour thrown in including stories about the legends Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor, among others. We get insights into Amitabh Bachchan’s nature and personality, and the story of the superstar's disastrous foray into politics is covered in some detail.
All will be interested in the episode that had the biggest impact on Vir Sanghvi’s career-the Radia tapes controversy. How many of us know that several years later it was proven in court that the tapes were doctored?
Reading “A Rude Life” is like exchanging gossip about friends and family in the living room. Except that the people featured in the book are Presidents and Prime Ministers, media Moghuls, cinema superstars, and underworld dons. People who make or break our country. I do not agree with several of his opinions but that makes reading it even more interesting.
The ending of the book seemed a bit forced to me- as if the author had to end it because it was getting too long, or he was getting late. We reach 2021, but the period from 2014-2021 is totally missing. My guess is that we will see another book!
I could go on and on, and be a killjoy. But I will let you enjoy this ride on your own!
It is rare that one reads a 400-page tome in 3 sittings – unless it’s a crime thriller. Vir’s description of his life and times is no less thrilling, so the book is simply unputdownable. You don’t have to agree with his views to remain riveted to the story. It begins with a description of his rather unusual but undoubtedly privileged childhood. His father was a communist who turned into a successful businessman later, and died when Vir was only 15; his mother was from a wealthy Gujarati business family. Vir was born in London and went to Mayo and Oxford. That he was always brilliant and well connected is evident from the book. He had an early start to his professional life. At the age of 20 he was already writing for India Today and became editor of “Bombay” a couple of years later. For the best part of his life, he has held important positions in leading newspapers and magazines, which enabled him to get an inside view of politicians who determine the fate of 1.3 billion Indians. Vir gives us a ringside view of these leaders, starting with the early eighties- Sanjay Gandhi’s death and the last years of Indira Gandhi, moving to Rajiv Gandhi, then the tumultuous early nineties with a string of fractious coalitions, the liberalization period of Rao and Manmohan Singh, the moderate, much-liked statesman Vajpayee, and ultimately the Sonia Gandhi/ Manmohan Singh team from 2004-2014.
Vir has much to tell- and he does it in his direct, informal, almost conversational style. His language is simple and even a person of no literary pretensions- like me- did not have to google word meanings. It is this style that distinguishes Vir from others, both in his writing and interviews. He is never aggressive or pompous but direct enough to say it the way it is. Vir does not make any pretense of political correctness.
He makes some startling revelations- the two that stick out are the Morarji PMO papers story, and President Zail Singh’s attempts to topple the Rajiv Gandhi government. Rajiv Gandhi comes across as a well-meaning leader, hampered by lack of experience and a manipulative set of advisors. Vir has little regard for V P Singh- he uses adjectives like shrewd, wily, stubborn, inept to describe the master of the Mandal. And while many of us, including me, have high regard for Narasimha Rao as a highly educated polyglot and the patron of economic reform in India, Vir describes him and shrewd and extremely canny, whose reputation was built solely on his choice of finance minister. Like most who knew Vajpayee, Vir was also admired and liked him, and was a regular feature at his residence when Vajpayee was the Prime Minister (the Vajpayee period coincided with, what was in my opinion, Vir’s most important assignment- Editor of the Hindustan Times). In Vir’s opinion, the reason why UPA 1 succeeded was that the politics was managed by Sonia Gandhi, and the government by Manmohan Singh. In UPA 2 this balance was upset and everything fell apart.
Who are his favorites? Although he doesn’t say it in so many words, his considerable respect for Sonia Gandhi is evident from the book. Vir states that his favorite was Chandrasekhar, but his description doesn’t provide any clue to the reason for this fondness.
The book is written in a breezy, light style, and snippets of humor pepper the pages, like when he talks about Zail Singh or Deve Gowda. It seems that the forever sleepy look of Deve Gowda was a result of insomnia and popping Calmpose tablets!
The book is not just about politicians. For those who ae interested there is plenty of material on the intrigues and intricacies in the world of newspapers. His long stint with the ABP in Kolkata makes for interesting, at times hilarious reading. And there are snatches of glamour thrown in including stories about the legends Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor, among others. We get insights into Amitabh Bachchan’s nature and personality, and the story of the superstar's disastrous foray into politics is covered in some detail.
All will be interested in the episode that had the biggest impact on Vir Sanghvi’s career-the Radia tapes controversy. How many of us know that several years later it was proven in court that the tapes were doctored?
Reading “A Rude Life” is like exchanging gossip about friends and family in the living room. Except that the people featured in the book are Presidents and Prime Ministers, media Moghuls, cinema superstars, and underworld dons. People who make or break our country. I do not agree with several of his opinions but that makes reading it even more interesting.
The ending of the book seemed a bit forced to me- as if the author had to end it because it was getting too long, or he was getting late. We reach 2021, but the period from 2014-2021 is totally missing. My guess is that we will see another book!
I could go on and on, and be a killjoy. But I will let you enjoy this ride on your own!
October 10, 2021
Vir Sanghvi's memoir is a rollercoaster exhibition of "access journalism" as his anecdotes and experiences segue into a tapestry of name-dropping. His pedestrian writing is all forgotten as his ringside view of famous personalities/events is alluring enough to keep us engaged. From Amitabh Bachchan to Sonia Gandhi, Tony Blair to George Harrison - every page is a treasure of intriguing anecdotes. He is unduly soft on those who gave him access (Vajpayee, Sonia etc) while he makes a mincemeat out of leaders who did not grant him the same. (He lays the blame of Kashmir unrest at the door of VP Singh while conveniently skipping the Original Sin of Rajiv Gandhi's 1987 rigging of polls in J&K).
At the end of it all, what is the point of such Delhi-focused journalism which does not even acknowledge the issues faced by the Real India? With such access and such talent, Vir Sanghvi could have done some meaningful work but restricted himself to the high life and elite journalism. More than anything else in the 400 odd pages, it is this aspect which defines the title of the book to me.
At the end of it all, what is the point of such Delhi-focused journalism which does not even acknowledge the issues faced by the Real India? With such access and such talent, Vir Sanghvi could have done some meaningful work but restricted himself to the high life and elite journalism. More than anything else in the 400 odd pages, it is this aspect which defines the title of the book to me.
August 6, 2021
This book is a must read if you're a 90s kid. Vir's writing is to-the-point, vicious, sarcastic and gives you an insider's view on the prime ministers (both Modi and Manmohan Singh), how TV shows were made, and so much more. I loved it so much!
August 8, 2021
Less of a memoir and more of a political history of India interspersed with some personal anecdotes. Quite pompous in parts, but equally readable and engaging in others, especially the pre-1991 years of which I have no memory.
September 20, 2021
3.5 maybe .
If you want a trip down political, journalism and business history of India starting late 70s this is the one . A breezy read peppered with his personal stories, Vir Sanghvi offers you a perspective of all that was happening then from the vantage point he saw it from - editorial desk of various newspapers and magazines, and in the process charts out the landscape of the media too . The anecdotes are interesting and I was left with 2 thoughts -
1. Access is everything and
2. the corridors of power are indeed interesting
P.S- in some places he does come off as boastful and the most lol moment was when he speaks of Scindia junior going to Stanford as a highlight ..
If you want a trip down political, journalism and business history of India starting late 70s this is the one . A breezy read peppered with his personal stories, Vir Sanghvi offers you a perspective of all that was happening then from the vantage point he saw it from - editorial desk of various newspapers and magazines, and in the process charts out the landscape of the media too . The anecdotes are interesting and I was left with 2 thoughts -
1. Access is everything and
2. the corridors of power are indeed interesting
P.S- in some places he does come off as boastful and the most lol moment was when he speaks of Scindia junior going to Stanford as a highlight ..
January 10, 2022
Time is a devout spectator & an articulate commentator. As a young democracy, India has seen times of vibrant flourish as well as difficult ( though not necessarily unpredictable) challenges.
Vir Sanghvi’s memoir - A Rude Life goes a step further to give us a lucid, yet comprehensively satisfying walk through the past few decades. Reliving some of the significant stories that he covered as a journalist, this time he takes us with him to go beneath the surface.
The vein of the book is the journey of his personal life and the choices he made at pivotal moments. The vein carries two intermingled fluids: evolution of media in the country & few of the most vital stories in the political & social construct of India.
Personal Life : Vir transports you to his formative years. There is candid acknowledgement of his privilege that created opportunities for him to study & mingle with the finest in the world. He takes you as a co-traveller to a life that would beckon envy. But you realize with time, the smooth sailing sees high tides, which can unsettle you as well.
Through the book, he lets us pick his brains - be it the first job or shifting to Calcutta, foray into TV , his love for food leading to experimentations with the fork or his relationship with his parents . These parts provide a sensitive touch to the narrative.
Evolution of Media : Vir has been a veteran in Indian political journalism, with extensive time spent in Print media. His stints with ABP & Hindustan times have been marquee of his accomplishments. In this book, he takes us behind the curtains to the green rooms of commerce, strategy & operations of this business.
The standout part is his description of Editoritis : the privilege of power & access that comes with being the Editor in Chief of a powerful publication in Delhi. You mingle with the who’s who of India and can pull unfathomable strings to get things done. The addiction is real.
It's riveting to read about the emergence of TV in mainstream media, redefining influence, experimentation with different formats to dish out fresh content and losing the plot in the last few years ,giving away to digital media. The book is a comprehensive journal on Indian journalism in the last 4 decades.
The Stories : As expected, the protagonist of the book is the stories ( not necessarily scoops). You travel with Vir’s narrative to PMs aircraft, inner circle of the Govt as well as to the humble lives of the mega celebrities in India.
The book can be a light yet effective political narrative of India - a peak into different Prime Ministers, their thoughts, motivations and quirky whims. Indians love the idea of deification of its politicians, movie stars & cricketers. We put them on a pedestal like a demi-God ; one who is infallible & above mortal insecurities.
This book debunks it : one chapter at a time.
With stories like Giani Zail Singh & Rajiv Gandhi rift, Morarji Desai’s theatrics, Amitabh Bacchan’s tryst with politics, a surreptitious moment of collaboration between Govt & Opposition during Vajpayee’s leadership, Amitabh Bacchan’s political stint and many such anecdotes, the book has you glued.
The book is a delicious read and a definite recommendation.
Vir Sanghvi’s memoir - A Rude Life goes a step further to give us a lucid, yet comprehensively satisfying walk through the past few decades. Reliving some of the significant stories that he covered as a journalist, this time he takes us with him to go beneath the surface.
The vein of the book is the journey of his personal life and the choices he made at pivotal moments. The vein carries two intermingled fluids: evolution of media in the country & few of the most vital stories in the political & social construct of India.
Personal Life : Vir transports you to his formative years. There is candid acknowledgement of his privilege that created opportunities for him to study & mingle with the finest in the world. He takes you as a co-traveller to a life that would beckon envy. But you realize with time, the smooth sailing sees high tides, which can unsettle you as well.
Through the book, he lets us pick his brains - be it the first job or shifting to Calcutta, foray into TV , his love for food leading to experimentations with the fork or his relationship with his parents . These parts provide a sensitive touch to the narrative.
Evolution of Media : Vir has been a veteran in Indian political journalism, with extensive time spent in Print media. His stints with ABP & Hindustan times have been marquee of his accomplishments. In this book, he takes us behind the curtains to the green rooms of commerce, strategy & operations of this business.
The standout part is his description of Editoritis : the privilege of power & access that comes with being the Editor in Chief of a powerful publication in Delhi. You mingle with the who’s who of India and can pull unfathomable strings to get things done. The addiction is real.
It's riveting to read about the emergence of TV in mainstream media, redefining influence, experimentation with different formats to dish out fresh content and losing the plot in the last few years ,giving away to digital media. The book is a comprehensive journal on Indian journalism in the last 4 decades.
The Stories : As expected, the protagonist of the book is the stories ( not necessarily scoops). You travel with Vir’s narrative to PMs aircraft, inner circle of the Govt as well as to the humble lives of the mega celebrities in India.
The book can be a light yet effective political narrative of India - a peak into different Prime Ministers, their thoughts, motivations and quirky whims. Indians love the idea of deification of its politicians, movie stars & cricketers. We put them on a pedestal like a demi-God ; one who is infallible & above mortal insecurities.
This book debunks it : one chapter at a time.
With stories like Giani Zail Singh & Rajiv Gandhi rift, Morarji Desai’s theatrics, Amitabh Bacchan’s tryst with politics, a surreptitious moment of collaboration between Govt & Opposition during Vajpayee’s leadership, Amitabh Bacchan’s political stint and many such anecdotes, the book has you glued.
The book is a delicious read and a definite recommendation.
October 31, 2022
What learned from the book.
Vir Sanghvi is clairvoyant. He is able to foresee what is going to happen. As early as 2009-10, he foresaw that Modi will be the real challenger to Rahul Gandhi in 2014. Wow! Not just this. There are several instances when his foresight proved later to be true. Claims of foresight made after the event have to be taken with a pinch of salt. He has written the book well somuchso that you may forget about the salt.
He is an unabashed admirer of Sonia Gandhi. I have no problem with that. Just mentioning what I learnt from the book.
I have never been a follower of talkshows and news features; so I have to accept his claims about success of his shows.
Overall, it is a readable book with an apt title. Well, I don't mean to say that he is rude; I will temper it down to self appreciation.
Vir Sanghvi is clairvoyant. He is able to foresee what is going to happen. As early as 2009-10, he foresaw that Modi will be the real challenger to Rahul Gandhi in 2014. Wow! Not just this. There are several instances when his foresight proved later to be true. Claims of foresight made after the event have to be taken with a pinch of salt. He has written the book well somuchso that you may forget about the salt.
He is an unabashed admirer of Sonia Gandhi. I have no problem with that. Just mentioning what I learnt from the book.
I have never been a follower of talkshows and news features; so I have to accept his claims about success of his shows.
Overall, it is a readable book with an apt title. Well, I don't mean to say that he is rude; I will temper it down to self appreciation.
July 30, 2021
A Good life
Vir Sanghvi as a journalist did not hesitate to go against the party line of the elite left liberal crowd which controlled the print and TV media till the advent of social media. This coincided with the rise of Modi. Incidentally, one of his well known piece was on the Godhra incident where he gives a priscient warning on trivializing the death of Kar Sevaks.
The book is very engaging and carries quite a few nuggets about politicians and other celebrities from the 70's to the 90's as Vir traces his journey as an editor and TV personality. The narrative is very interesting and funny in lot of places.
There is no animosity towards anyone,not even Vinod Mehta, who published the 2G tapes which according to Sanghvi was doctored( Sanghvi's voice).
Sanghvi's description of editors in general leaves one with mixed feelings . On one hand there is this high level of ethics that they all seem to follow in maintaining the confidentiality of 'off the record' conversation. This seems ancient in a world where journalists look at celebrities as their prey and release anything and everything for a few thousand views. On the other, most of the newspaper crowd seem to owe their position in life to previlege and affluence. Attending Oxford for a bachelor's in political science is still not something that even an middle class Indian can dream of.
The last 10 years have been completely ignored in the book. Either the transcript was completed when UPA ll was in power or the once powerful journalists do not have access to inner circles in Delhi.
Probably because Political power is in the hands of the average small town guy who doesn't care for the oxford elite and the only Don that they know is the one in which Amitabh Bachan starred.
Vir Sanghvi as a journalist did not hesitate to go against the party line of the elite left liberal crowd which controlled the print and TV media till the advent of social media. This coincided with the rise of Modi. Incidentally, one of his well known piece was on the Godhra incident where he gives a priscient warning on trivializing the death of Kar Sevaks.
The book is very engaging and carries quite a few nuggets about politicians and other celebrities from the 70's to the 90's as Vir traces his journey as an editor and TV personality. The narrative is very interesting and funny in lot of places.
There is no animosity towards anyone,not even Vinod Mehta, who published the 2G tapes which according to Sanghvi was doctored( Sanghvi's voice).
Sanghvi's description of editors in general leaves one with mixed feelings . On one hand there is this high level of ethics that they all seem to follow in maintaining the confidentiality of 'off the record' conversation. This seems ancient in a world where journalists look at celebrities as their prey and release anything and everything for a few thousand views. On the other, most of the newspaper crowd seem to owe their position in life to previlege and affluence. Attending Oxford for a bachelor's in political science is still not something that even an middle class Indian can dream of.
The last 10 years have been completely ignored in the book. Either the transcript was completed when UPA ll was in power or the once powerful journalists do not have access to inner circles in Delhi.
Probably because Political power is in the hands of the average small town guy who doesn't care for the oxford elite and the only Don that they know is the one in which Amitabh Bachan starred.
August 8, 2021
It would be apt to use the old Telegraph tag line to define this book in one word: “Unputdownable “!
April 11, 2022
"Because even if we are the sum of our experiences, each of us is still his or her own person. And we try and choose where we want life to take us.
As I have tried to do."
If one is asked to recall one of the pioneers in Indian journalism, then the first name that pops up at the top of the head in the majority of the generation is Vir Sanghvi. This book, to me, is more than a memoir. For the eighties generation, the book is the encyclopedia of the political machinery and functioning in the early eighties and nineties. Within the book, one feels like looking at the bioscope of his personal and professional life, including the high-brow politicians and celebrities. Sanghvi was and still is the dignity personified. He has the art of presenting the most intimate and controversial questions with ease and elan that it becomes hard for the person interviewed to evade them, long before the journalist slapping their questions in your face and shouting their lungs out became a norm. Sanghvi doesn't talk too much about the Modi government or any present ministers in the book. He talks about his childhood and his early life. His mother outlived his father by 46. His marriage(s) and his son. Though he gives the insight, he is articulate not to give all out. He digs quite a few skeletons from the political happening in the country, The Morarji papers, Rajiv Gandhi and Gyani Zail Singh cold war. Sanghvi, in his book, calls Narsimha Rao ""was remarkably shrewd and extremely canny…the sort of chap who operated under cover of darkness than in the clear light of day". The mayhem country witnessed in the eleven months of V.P Singh's government. Russia's hand behind the fall of Indira Gandhi's government. Prime ministers ruled on the shaky grounds of a coalition government. His book also talks about his journey from one publication to another. He changed his mediums pretty swiftly. Overall, Sanghvi is a curious case of being at the right place at the right time. He is pretty ahead of his time. Transiting from print to camera, from being a journalist to being a tv host and food critic. He started his Youtube channel (apparently) too early. Though I feel with his kind of access and connection, Vir Sanghvi could have contributed and done meaningful for the country.
He is articulate and certainly knows how to keep the readers hooked. This is why a memoir that sounds more like digging into the country's political history is impossible to put down until you reach the last page.
"And things that seem rock solid can turn out to be full of holes."
The last chapter has my heart. There are a few lines that touched me deeply. Almost felt like a crux of a life lived fully.
"But life has taught me that nothing really lasts. Even sure, things can turn sour or go wrong very quickly. Close friendships can suddenly become mere acquaintanceships. Jobs rarely stay very sweet for very long."
" I have also learned that because life plays so many tricks on you, it is foolish to plan too much for the long term. Find happiness in small things."
The book is worth your time and energy. Vir Sanghvi is my connection with India's political and social past, and it is not a rude life by any measure.
As I have tried to do."
If one is asked to recall one of the pioneers in Indian journalism, then the first name that pops up at the top of the head in the majority of the generation is Vir Sanghvi. This book, to me, is more than a memoir. For the eighties generation, the book is the encyclopedia of the political machinery and functioning in the early eighties and nineties. Within the book, one feels like looking at the bioscope of his personal and professional life, including the high-brow politicians and celebrities. Sanghvi was and still is the dignity personified. He has the art of presenting the most intimate and controversial questions with ease and elan that it becomes hard for the person interviewed to evade them, long before the journalist slapping their questions in your face and shouting their lungs out became a norm. Sanghvi doesn't talk too much about the Modi government or any present ministers in the book. He talks about his childhood and his early life. His mother outlived his father by 46. His marriage(s) and his son. Though he gives the insight, he is articulate not to give all out. He digs quite a few skeletons from the political happening in the country, The Morarji papers, Rajiv Gandhi and Gyani Zail Singh cold war. Sanghvi, in his book, calls Narsimha Rao ""was remarkably shrewd and extremely canny…the sort of chap who operated under cover of darkness than in the clear light of day". The mayhem country witnessed in the eleven months of V.P Singh's government. Russia's hand behind the fall of Indira Gandhi's government. Prime ministers ruled on the shaky grounds of a coalition government. His book also talks about his journey from one publication to another. He changed his mediums pretty swiftly. Overall, Sanghvi is a curious case of being at the right place at the right time. He is pretty ahead of his time. Transiting from print to camera, from being a journalist to being a tv host and food critic. He started his Youtube channel (apparently) too early. Though I feel with his kind of access and connection, Vir Sanghvi could have contributed and done meaningful for the country.
He is articulate and certainly knows how to keep the readers hooked. This is why a memoir that sounds more like digging into the country's political history is impossible to put down until you reach the last page.
"And things that seem rock solid can turn out to be full of holes."
The last chapter has my heart. There are a few lines that touched me deeply. Almost felt like a crux of a life lived fully.
"But life has taught me that nothing really lasts. Even sure, things can turn sour or go wrong very quickly. Close friendships can suddenly become mere acquaintanceships. Jobs rarely stay very sweet for very long."
" I have also learned that because life plays so many tricks on you, it is foolish to plan too much for the long term. Find happiness in small things."
The book is worth your time and energy. Vir Sanghvi is my connection with India's political and social past, and it is not a rude life by any measure.
May 15, 2022
I have always admired Vir Sanghvi's writing style. Direct, chatty, unpretentious. Quick to cut through to the bone, laying bare the logic--or illogic--of the matter in question. Sharp observations, canny connections, and impressive predictions--though at times it sounded as if he's taken benefit of hindsight. But considering how he views things and tells them I'd rather believe him in full.
While I wouldn't call it a tome, A Rude Life isn't a slim volume, all of 416 pages and packed with history that readers of my generation and vintage have lived through. That was an exhilarating reliving, the incidents refreshed, the characters redrawn in sharper lines, and reexperiencing the innocent aches of the possibilities of a better future dreamt of in my 20s. This was the most poignant bit of the feeling evoked while reading it. That Sanghvi's secular-liberal beliefs sit well with me also helped tremendously.
Telling things as they were, pulling no punches, humour with panache, regaling with colourful sampling of the quirks or actions of people you have known/ know, giving an insider's view of momentous happenings in the country (and some outside of it as well), his own take on happenings, and insightful predictions--whether of politics, people, or the publishing world, especially the rapidly evolving world of news--work to keep the reader glued and wanting more.
A few characters you'd be familiar with come off with grace and ability in his opinion and some don't quite make the cut. There are perhaps just a couple that straddle both.. :-) A quick example is maybe the one he lets on about George W. Bush who most love to not love. After attending a not-so-interesting a session at the HT Summit, he left a courteous handwritten note of thanks for Vir and Shobhana Bhartiya (HT proprietor), the only world leader to do so among so many that he hosted at the Summit.
The period 2014-onward is bare, quite rushed, it seemed. Because the years have been momentous since then I hope Vir Sanghvi will write a volume 2 of his memoirs. I think most readers would love to know his thoughts. I certainly look forward!
While I wouldn't call it a tome, A Rude Life isn't a slim volume, all of 416 pages and packed with history that readers of my generation and vintage have lived through. That was an exhilarating reliving, the incidents refreshed, the characters redrawn in sharper lines, and reexperiencing the innocent aches of the possibilities of a better future dreamt of in my 20s. This was the most poignant bit of the feeling evoked while reading it. That Sanghvi's secular-liberal beliefs sit well with me also helped tremendously.
Telling things as they were, pulling no punches, humour with panache, regaling with colourful sampling of the quirks or actions of people you have known/ know, giving an insider's view of momentous happenings in the country (and some outside of it as well), his own take on happenings, and insightful predictions--whether of politics, people, or the publishing world, especially the rapidly evolving world of news--work to keep the reader glued and wanting more.
A few characters you'd be familiar with come off with grace and ability in his opinion and some don't quite make the cut. There are perhaps just a couple that straddle both.. :-) A quick example is maybe the one he lets on about George W. Bush who most love to not love. After attending a not-so-interesting a session at the HT Summit, he left a courteous handwritten note of thanks for Vir and Shobhana Bhartiya (HT proprietor), the only world leader to do so among so many that he hosted at the Summit.
The period 2014-onward is bare, quite rushed, it seemed. Because the years have been momentous since then I hope Vir Sanghvi will write a volume 2 of his memoirs. I think most readers would love to know his thoughts. I certainly look forward!
September 4, 2021
During the course of an interview, Vir Sanghvi was once asked, “What’s the title of your future memoir?” He had replied, “ I don’t actually have a memoir planned. I don’t think anyone would frankly be very interested in anything I have to say.... Every time I sit down to write something that is vaguely personal or like a memoir, I always think : Who cares. So I don’t think there will be a memoir and therefore, there will be no title.”
Well, fortunately for his vast audience of fans and followers, Vir Sanghvi was persuaded to change his mind and the result is “A Rude Life,” a brilliant account of a chequered career spanning over four decades as a print and television journalist, author, columnist, talk show host and a food and restaurant aficionado.
His privileged background, family connections and his reputation as a journalist allow him entry into the upper echelons of society, politics, business and entertainment. This favoured access provides Sanghvi a ring-side view and a behind-the-scenes assessment of issues and events and he fills us with incisive and penetrating insights into strategy and decision making. On the lighter side, his memoir is peppered with delightful and often amusing anecdotes of his interactions with famous personalities – presidents, prime ministers, party leaders, politicians and entertainment icons. His interviews with these prominent figures are recorded with a keen observer’s eye and recounted in an an engaging style that immediately engrosses and captivates the reader.
His engagement in various work related spheres such as newspaper, magazine and TV provides us with interesting nuggets of the inner workings, the trials and triumphs behind these industries, but more importantly since the memoir covers a period of well nigh half a century, it provides an invaluable chronicle of the changing face of India on the political, social and economic fields.
Being a private person, Sanghvi is characteristically reticent about his personal life. He breezes through details of his early life and gives us few inklings about his inner thoughts and feelings and the reasons behind his actions and motivations. It is only in the last chapter, a sort of epilogue to his book, that a much mellowed Sanghvi becomes introspective and philosophical and gives us a peek into the innermost stirrings of his soul.
At the age of 30 while his career is peaking and he has seen a high degree of recognition in the journalistic world, he is made an offer by Samir Jain of the Times of India. He ultimately turns down this offer and joins the ABP group in Calcutta. You begin to ask yourself why would Sanghvi give up a lucrative and prestigious offer to join India’s largest media organisation to join a lesser known newspaper group at a lower salary? Sanghvi keeps us guessing until he makes a startling revelation in the concluding chapter of the book. But to know the answer to that question you have to read the book, and read it to the very end.
Well, fortunately for his vast audience of fans and followers, Vir Sanghvi was persuaded to change his mind and the result is “A Rude Life,” a brilliant account of a chequered career spanning over four decades as a print and television journalist, author, columnist, talk show host and a food and restaurant aficionado.
His privileged background, family connections and his reputation as a journalist allow him entry into the upper echelons of society, politics, business and entertainment. This favoured access provides Sanghvi a ring-side view and a behind-the-scenes assessment of issues and events and he fills us with incisive and penetrating insights into strategy and decision making. On the lighter side, his memoir is peppered with delightful and often amusing anecdotes of his interactions with famous personalities – presidents, prime ministers, party leaders, politicians and entertainment icons. His interviews with these prominent figures are recorded with a keen observer’s eye and recounted in an an engaging style that immediately engrosses and captivates the reader.
His engagement in various work related spheres such as newspaper, magazine and TV provides us with interesting nuggets of the inner workings, the trials and triumphs behind these industries, but more importantly since the memoir covers a period of well nigh half a century, it provides an invaluable chronicle of the changing face of India on the political, social and economic fields.
Being a private person, Sanghvi is characteristically reticent about his personal life. He breezes through details of his early life and gives us few inklings about his inner thoughts and feelings and the reasons behind his actions and motivations. It is only in the last chapter, a sort of epilogue to his book, that a much mellowed Sanghvi becomes introspective and philosophical and gives us a peek into the innermost stirrings of his soul.
At the age of 30 while his career is peaking and he has seen a high degree of recognition in the journalistic world, he is made an offer by Samir Jain of the Times of India. He ultimately turns down this offer and joins the ABP group in Calcutta. You begin to ask yourself why would Sanghvi give up a lucrative and prestigious offer to join India’s largest media organisation to join a lesser known newspaper group at a lower salary? Sanghvi keeps us guessing until he makes a startling revelation in the concluding chapter of the book. But to know the answer to that question you have to read the book, and read it to the very end.
January 14, 2022
I had read Vir Sanghvi's Mandate earlier and, similarly, A Rude Life, his latest memoir, has lucid prose and is a breezy read. If you have a liking for modern political history of India, then you will find this book particularly insightful. Vir Sanghvi comes across as no non-sense journalist with a panache for reading political situations and for reading human behavior. I really like his style of interviewing where he puts a person at ease and then ask awkward and controversial questions straight to her face catching her off guard. There are many interesting stories like how he anticipated just before the election results that VP Singh would become PM , foresaw Priyanka Chopra to be a super-star, his perspective of different governments like Narasimha Rao's, Atalji's, why UPA 1 did well whereas UPA 2 failed, etc; also his access to politicians gave him behind the scene stories like relationship between Manmohan Singh & Sonia Gandhi in UPA term 1 & 2, relationship between Rajiv & Zail Singh, etc. Of course while reading the book, we need to be aware of his slight bias for Sonia & Gandhi family, Atalji and bias against BJP. Barring this, the book is thoroughly enjoyable sprinkled with wit & humor. Reading this book was enjoyable and also it gave a good sense of India's modern history. 5 stars.
August 2, 2021
416 pages is hardly enough to encapsulate anybody's life, let alone the life of an avid writer and thinker like Vir Sanghvi.
From the vivid descriptions of his family life when he was a child to the sudden loss of his father, he makes us understand how overwhelming such a loss can be at a tender age especially when it has financial ramifications.
I don't think any celebrity in India will ever tell you in person nor will they ever publish how every time they took a new project on or a job, they thought about the financial incentives that comes along with it. We all think about it but no one ever writes about it except for Vir which makes him human like the rest of us.
From betrayal by friends to overwhelming help my strangers, Vir reminds us how our own lives are intertwined with tragedy and comedy.
Reading this book will make you reflect, think, laugh and perhaps even a bit sad for a while but such is life for the most of us which makes us all human and Vir simply embodies all that is good in life to enjoy and the bits that need to be accepted and then to rise above them.
I just hope in the following years as new editions of this book are printed, new chapters are added by Vir in his continuing saga of life in India.
From the vivid descriptions of his family life when he was a child to the sudden loss of his father, he makes us understand how overwhelming such a loss can be at a tender age especially when it has financial ramifications.
I don't think any celebrity in India will ever tell you in person nor will they ever publish how every time they took a new project on or a job, they thought about the financial incentives that comes along with it. We all think about it but no one ever writes about it except for Vir which makes him human like the rest of us.
From betrayal by friends to overwhelming help my strangers, Vir reminds us how our own lives are intertwined with tragedy and comedy.
Reading this book will make you reflect, think, laugh and perhaps even a bit sad for a while but such is life for the most of us which makes us all human and Vir simply embodies all that is good in life to enjoy and the bits that need to be accepted and then to rise above them.
I just hope in the following years as new editions of this book are printed, new chapters are added by Vir in his continuing saga of life in India.
September 7, 2021
We were discussing A Rude Life at tea time.
Three readers, friends and colleagues.
2 were sceptical of his memoirs, the third was willing to accept his version at face value.
But we were all reading it !
That's the thing about A Rude Life. Vir Sanghavi may not be the most popular man. And ever since the Neera Radia tapes, he has come under a professional cloud as well.
But he has interesting stories to tell. This is a journalist who has spent years hob-nobbbing with ministers and other powerful people.
Vir Sanghvi's accounts of media, from ABP to HT newspapers to Star TV are fascinating. I particularly loved the newspaper consulting project he did pro bono for the Hindustan Times - an assignment that eventually got him the top job at HT.
But don't look for personal insights or soul searching in this account. The book reads like a cataloguing of events, with a few behind the scenes snippets thrown in. The writing is pedestrian, the treatment superficial.
A quick read, nonetheless.
December 12, 2021
If you want to read political gossip - read this book. This book is also about life of Vir, but does not offer much there. His life is covered, but its mostly about how great was his education, how great was his father, how easy it was for him to live abroad - but still chose India, How did he invent TV news etc. It looks curated - good read, but most likely not to be the whole truth. Radia tapes in which Vir was involved is completely brushed as untruth; come on Vir.
The book is much more about political gossip comes from an "Delhi - elite" point of view - and gives you a glimpse of the high class Delhi Politicians, Journalists. Vir has covered Congress leaders, LK Advani and a little of Vajapayee. Surprisingly, he makes no comment at all about Modi and his Govt (very little). Found that strange. He seems to be playing very safe by avoiding the topic.
In the end, I felt Vir is more about Bollywood, Celebrities and High life.
Overall, entertaining book from an armchair analyst - but if you are looking for depth, look elsewhere. I liked Barkha's This Unquiet land much more insightful, ground up and deep from a journalist who was on field and deeply connected and concerned for India.
The book is much more about political gossip comes from an "Delhi - elite" point of view - and gives you a glimpse of the high class Delhi Politicians, Journalists. Vir has covered Congress leaders, LK Advani and a little of Vajapayee. Surprisingly, he makes no comment at all about Modi and his Govt (very little). Found that strange. He seems to be playing very safe by avoiding the topic.
In the end, I felt Vir is more about Bollywood, Celebrities and High life.
Overall, entertaining book from an armchair analyst - but if you are looking for depth, look elsewhere. I liked Barkha's This Unquiet land much more insightful, ground up and deep from a journalist who was on field and deeply connected and concerned for India.
March 12, 2023
This was a disappointing book. The author was at Brasenose College, Oxford with me (he was a year ahead). I cannot say I knew him well but I and others heard stories of his recently-deceased father from him. He was not shy about regaling us with accounts of his late father's picaresque life, some of which he has has reprised in the book, some of which are at odds with what he has written here. But let's not hold that against him. Memories are fluid. Besides, he's writing what he hopes to be an entertaining book.
I do not know India or Indian politics or Indian society well at all, though I have travelled to that country several times in the last 40 years. Yet there is something shallow and insincere about Sanghvi's rendition of his life. The anecdotes that constitute his life add up to a life but not a particularly interesting or significant one. I fear that like so many Oxonians he has lived a life of unfulfilled promise and I can he is trying to make the best of what he has achieved. But unlike so many other Oxonians he is full of self-justification and self-rationalisation. In summary, a slick, glib autobiography of an inauthentic life.
I do not know India or Indian politics or Indian society well at all, though I have travelled to that country several times in the last 40 years. Yet there is something shallow and insincere about Sanghvi's rendition of his life. The anecdotes that constitute his life add up to a life but not a particularly interesting or significant one. I fear that like so many Oxonians he has lived a life of unfulfilled promise and I can he is trying to make the best of what he has achieved. But unlike so many other Oxonians he is full of self-justification and self-rationalisation. In summary, a slick, glib autobiography of an inauthentic life.
August 24, 2021
I remember first reading Vir Sanghvi's writing in Brunch, the Sunday magazine of the newly launched Calcutta edition of Hindustan Times. I always found his writing fluid and engaging. Over the years I would usually read if I find his name appear on an article. Its no surprise that his memoir would be so lucid and enjoyable to read. It took me barely two days to breeze through this book, and it has been a treat. His finest quality is to keep it short. No topic or character in the book seemed to have overstayed their welcome. As a reader you find yourself swiftly moving through the snapshots of his life. As with any memoir, there are personal choices to reveal or conceal information about the people who appear in the pages. Much of the discussion of the political landscape is a fun kaleidoscope of anecdotes. But typically the fun and controversial stories were mostly surrounding the people who are long dead. Overall, the book is an engaging and enjoyable read to get a moderated skim of Indian political and journalistic scene in the past 30-40 years.
September 4, 2024
The memoir by Mr. Sanghvi is very intriguing to say the least. It covers his journey from early childhood to his later successful stint as a news journalist as well as a popular TV show host.
His life is also a prime example of what privileges and their compounding can do to one's life and career. There is no denying that Mr. Selfie is a gifted writer, but at the same time, if you look at his trajectory, a lot of his success is attributed to where he was born and who was in his social circle.
Lots of names that you see around casually throughout the book are people that you always saw either in television or newspapers.
Right from casually hanging out with the Prime Minister at Seven Race Course Road to chit-chatting with celebrities across India, the book reeks of privileges and connections.
To the writer's credit, he keeps the book fast-paced and the interest interesting. I also love that you can pick up any part of the book and can read it. You don't have to chronologically read it from the start.
All in all, it's a book worth reading.
His life is also a prime example of what privileges and their compounding can do to one's life and career. There is no denying that Mr. Selfie is a gifted writer, but at the same time, if you look at his trajectory, a lot of his success is attributed to where he was born and who was in his social circle.
Lots of names that you see around casually throughout the book are people that you always saw either in television or newspapers.
Right from casually hanging out with the Prime Minister at Seven Race Course Road to chit-chatting with celebrities across India, the book reeks of privileges and connections.
To the writer's credit, he keeps the book fast-paced and the interest interesting. I also love that you can pick up any part of the book and can read it. You don't have to chronologically read it from the start.
All in all, it's a book worth reading.
September 2, 2021
A Rude Life by Vir Sanghvi.
After reading this book I'm not sure how to review it. The last chapter by far is the best. Shorn of all pretences he writes about himself and that is the Vir whose book I'd have loved to read
Rest of the book reads like Stardust, a racy gossip tabloid where the characters all inhabit the world of either politics or showbi. The chatty style and tone is used throughout, irrespective of the story he is narrating. For a journalist he repeats the popular gossip, he has no scoops, no inside information. Even his clarifications fall flat. Sadly, most of his book I'd describe as dodgy- a word I picked up from Vir Sanghvi himself.
For me the book scored high on style but low on content. Vir comes across as arrogant and self indulgent lacking in depth and insight. Here again, I was in a dilemma while rating the book.
After reading this book I'm not sure how to review it. The last chapter by far is the best. Shorn of all pretences he writes about himself and that is the Vir whose book I'd have loved to read
Rest of the book reads like Stardust, a racy gossip tabloid where the characters all inhabit the world of either politics or showbi. The chatty style and tone is used throughout, irrespective of the story he is narrating. For a journalist he repeats the popular gossip, he has no scoops, no inside information. Even his clarifications fall flat. Sadly, most of his book I'd describe as dodgy- a word I picked up from Vir Sanghvi himself.
For me the book scored high on style but low on content. Vir comes across as arrogant and self indulgent lacking in depth and insight. Here again, I was in a dilemma while rating the book.
November 10, 2022
This book is a highly recommended read!
I am a fan of Vir Sanghvi. So this review is as biased as it can get. I just love how clearly he sees the core issue through all the noise. He is probably one of the very few journalists left in India who don't take sides. I have always found his views grounded and well balanced.
This is exactly what you get from his memoir. Even though the title of the book is 'A Rude Life' I would say Mr. Sanghvi's life has been full of adventure. Even though he comes from a privileged background he does not flaunt that. He is so grounded. This is what I love about him.
This book is a page turner as Mr. Sanghvi always had the best seats in this potboiler called India. You just can't separate current affairs from him.
A humble request Mr Sanghvi. Please write more books. We need more balanced views out there. The world is too polarised right now.
I am a fan of Vir Sanghvi. So this review is as biased as it can get. I just love how clearly he sees the core issue through all the noise. He is probably one of the very few journalists left in India who don't take sides. I have always found his views grounded and well balanced.
This is exactly what you get from his memoir. Even though the title of the book is 'A Rude Life' I would say Mr. Sanghvi's life has been full of adventure. Even though he comes from a privileged background he does not flaunt that. He is so grounded. This is what I love about him.
This book is a page turner as Mr. Sanghvi always had the best seats in this potboiler called India. You just can't separate current affairs from him.
A humble request Mr Sanghvi. Please write more books. We need more balanced views out there. The world is too polarised right now.
August 31, 2021
Should be titled "The Dude life."
The book to read for all mass media buffs. A dashing journalist with the sharp writing skills born in privilege and then faced some calamities and take uphill. He got nothing for free, deserved it all, went to Oxbridge saw all pomp and Splendor , traveledl first class, dined in Oberoi and Taj .Well traveled on fancy jets, knew everyone on first name basis from Sting To Amitabh Bachchan, Statesmen to mafia dons.
Intellectuals and industrialists lined up for his g prime time TV a Congress favourite, liberal to the core.Candid about his shortcomings and his love for cookery shows. The book is an absolute delight from a man with the sense of humour .
A good long read over the weekend!
The book to read for all mass media buffs. A dashing journalist with the sharp writing skills born in privilege and then faced some calamities and take uphill. He got nothing for free, deserved it all, went to Oxbridge saw all pomp and Splendor , traveledl first class, dined in Oberoi and Taj .Well traveled on fancy jets, knew everyone on first name basis from Sting To Amitabh Bachchan, Statesmen to mafia dons.
Intellectuals and industrialists lined up for his g prime time TV a Congress favourite, liberal to the core.Candid about his shortcomings and his love for cookery shows. The book is an absolute delight from a man with the sense of humour .
A good long read over the weekend!
November 5, 2021
I had no idea Vir Sanghvi was such a big shot! And that he is a terrible journalist! He is also far too full of himself. Placing himself and his work in context, crediting his good fortune and enormous privilege for his success – don’t bother going there because he never does. Some stories sound embellished – you can imagine him recounting these episodes in similar vein over dinner and drinks – but hey it’s a good story. Vir never explains the secret to his success – which would have been of much interest, in fact there is no place in the book for people who are not rich or famous or powerful. Having said that, the book is readable and fun - a romp through elite India over the last many decades. Just don’t take it very seriously.
March 12, 2023
This was an excellent read. I picked this up just knowing it’s written by Vir Sanghvi and hence should be well written and informative. I didn’t realise his memoir will delve so deeply and deliciously into several critical events of the last 3-4 decades. There are intimate portrayals of the BJPs rise to power, the Kargil war, Rajiv Gandhi’s prime ministership, Amitabh Bachchan’s good and bad times, the Bofors scandal, Vir’s experience living and working in Calcutta and so much more. The book is written in a humorous, free flowing but structured style. Its a really good way to get a run through of the 1980 to early 2000 period in Indian politics and entertainment world, delivered to you in a light-weight humorous fashion.
July 31, 2021
Very readable
For a few years have had trouble completing a book..until this autobiography broke the jinx. As a part of that generation that recognizes some of the events and people and having lived through some of them, this book adds flavour. Where this book fails as an autobiography is that except for the beginning and the end it sets out more a record of a person's professional life. While immensely readable and intensely satisfying in the gossip in each one of us, its skips through the personal until the final chapter. Nonetheless a very fine book. Demonstrates the author's gift of writing.
For a few years have had trouble completing a book..until this autobiography broke the jinx. As a part of that generation that recognizes some of the events and people and having lived through some of them, this book adds flavour. Where this book fails as an autobiography is that except for the beginning and the end it sets out more a record of a person's professional life. While immensely readable and intensely satisfying in the gossip in each one of us, its skips through the personal until the final chapter. Nonetheless a very fine book. Demonstrates the author's gift of writing.
August 3, 2021
There are people who write and then there are people who write well. Vir Sanghvi belongs to the crème de la crème class of India and in his various avatars as a journalist, editor, food critic, and so on, has excelled in each of such endeavours.
His memoir takes the reader into the inside world of journalism, television and above all the Indian politics, from his personal perspective. Although the book has enough shades of the noted writer Tavleen Singh’s ‘Durbar’, the writing is more extensive and keeps the reader engaged all throughout.
Do look out for the chucklesome episodes within the book. You would not want to give this book a miss. 📚
His memoir takes the reader into the inside world of journalism, television and above all the Indian politics, from his personal perspective. Although the book has enough shades of the noted writer Tavleen Singh’s ‘Durbar’, the writing is more extensive and keeps the reader engaged all throughout.
Do look out for the chucklesome episodes within the book. You would not want to give this book a miss. 📚
November 29, 2021
A Memoir is always worth its collection of words, memories and events. It guides the reader through history, people and places by way of the writer's perspective. I used to read Vir Sanghvi's columns regularly in the HT when I was in Delhi. I lost touch after shofting to places where one could not get access to the HT. However, his columns on Cuisine used to pop up here and there. Finally, this book came along and has rekindled my interest in Vir Sanghvi's writing. Very frank, whether it is about people in his life or the people he met and interviewed. A good book for those who are interested in little side stories about people and events in post partition India.
August 7, 2022
The book is a memoir of the veteran journalist Vir Sanghvi that illuminates many things unknown, professional and personal. I enjoyed reading this book for its language and simplicity strewn with wittiness. I have liked the author from his 'rude food' column but never knew that he studied at Oxford and that he was a first rate political journalist with mostly all political key figures on his call including PM. Mostly I like the fact that the author is a fellow Gujarati. This book could've been rated 4 or 5 of 5 stars by the people in the field of politics or journalism. Since I dont like to read about politics much, its 3 ⭐ by me.
January 2, 2022
An excellent memoir, which makes you marvel at all the things that may have been left out by the writer! I liked the first half better - the author's journey and encounters are captured with more candor and wit. Some of the chapters, like that on Amitabh Bachchan are fantastic. Vir Sanghvi's access to people in high places is something one can only marvel at. In the second half, the narrative shifts towards modern politics and the state of journalism - which is interesting, but not as engaging. Still, that does not take away from a very good read!
July 31, 2021
As a long standing reader of Vir's columns, this one was eagerly awaited...very engaging...almost unputdownable book....always thought of Vir as upper middle class who received very good education, but as the book reveals he comes from a very wealthy family (the family lost the most of the money subsequently)...the book is littered with interesting anecdotes and Vir's sense of humor makes you chuckle and laugh as always....he was very upfront about his relationship with his mom, kudos to him for that...on the downside, he wrote this book in three months largely aided by memory...I am sure had he put more efforts and time, the book could have been even better (or maybe it is just greedy me wanting more)...
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