Description
Book SynopsisA quirky and darkly comic take on domestic life in southern India.
Trade Review"Ingeniously constructed…[Joseph is] using his witty, incisive writing to explore the great philosophical questions of happiness and life." -- Manil Suri, author of The City of Devi
"Wonderful…
The Illicit Happiness of Other People…injects dark, rueful laughter into an immensely touching story of loss." -- Wall Street Journal
"
The Illicit Happiness of Other People is ambitious. It is the story of a family getting to know itself, of a socialist India that no longer exists and of a society obsessed with grades. It is a plot-driven yarn with themes of morality, sexuality, psychiatry and yet more science and philosophy…But it does not feel overburdened…Quite an achievement." -- The Economist
"Fusing ribald farce with poignant drama…Joseph deftly rotates narrative points of view…[and] embellishes each strand with vibrant dabs of local color…that help showcase India in all its sublime and absurd glory…Wild, irreverent and blackly comic." -- Malcolm Forbes - Star Tribune
"
The Illicit Happiness of Other People is both a terribly funny and deeply sad story…Beautifully written…Manu Joseph perfectly captures his characters in his precise, sharp prose." -- Ariel Balter - New York Journal of Books
"Joseph’s prose is exquisitely phrased without an excess of sentimentality…The confident, immersing voice of
Illicit Happiness promises readers this is not the last we’ve heard of Manu Joseph." -- Telegraph (UK)
"Joseph writes with extraordinary wit, cunning and sympathy about both family relationships and ultimate mysteries." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Joseph’s smart new novel is laced with black humor and keen observations on human nature…Joseph’s rich characters intersect in moments of tenderness." -- Publishers Weekly
"Sublime…Joseph’s witty narrative adds depth and vigor to the Chacko family’s tale and assuredly explores the complexity of self-perception amid present-day life." -- Leah Strauss - Booklist
