A Beginner's Guide to Dying in India

by J.M. Donellan, Joshua Donellan

Part comedy, part tragedy, part henna-drawn thriller peppered with romance and intrigue, A Beginner’s Guide to Dying in India is a spiritual journey across the continents of the soul. Commencing in Australia and traversing toward the climactic scene in the snowy mountains of Northern India, this novel crosses exotic external and internal terrains with humour, sharp wit and a resonance that expands with each chapter. While confronted with mounting grief and loss in Australia, Levi is suddenly called to India by his brother and delves, though somewhat reluctantly, into the shifting sands of his own spirituality. In fulfilling his dying brother’s wishes, Levi embarks on a path intersecting with adventure, new found friends, a treasure trove of riches (and not just the material kind.

256 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2009

About the author

Also writes as Joshua Donellan.

Reviews

[Dymphna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book. Maybe because I'm a fundamentally unspiritual dag who's happy to hide in her apartment, and enjoyed the trip from the view of her couch.

I felt great empathy for our catastrophic, humour-filled protagonist.

[Jessica Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes tragic, sometimes comic, sometimes tragically comic. Really enjoyed this book which, thankfully, was not about "finding yourself". In fact, it's the complete opposite and quite unconventional. (My type of read!) And I identified with the main character despite him being male and a bit of a dag. I guess I identified with the dag bit :) Great read. Highly recommend it.

[Joshua Donellan · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's weird that goodreads lets you review your own books. I'm going to give it...five stars. Even though I hear the author is kind of a jerk.

[Guy Salvidge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting travel story/mystical thriller.

[Suzzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A spiritual journey to atone for his brother’s sin morphs into a physically life threatening journey. Sad and humorous, light and dark. Quite a juxtaposition.

[BamBam · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book that makes you remember how crazy and amazing and unpredictable life can be.

[Elizabeth]

abandoned this after a few pages. not interested.