Manu Joseph, author of “Serious Men,” and “The Illicit Happiness of Other People.”
I have a great affection for certain authors such as C. S. Forester, George McDonald Fraser, Bernard Cornwell, Ken Follett and a few others who have written the books I love and read over and over. But when I look over the lists of new bestsellers, I don’t recognize any of the authors’ names. And so I went on a scouting expedition, looking for new authors that I really liked.
Manu Joseph, an Indian journalist and novelist who wrote “Serious Men.” and “The Illicit Happiness of Other People” is a real find in my opinion. I immediately loved his quirky descriptions of Indian culture and people, and his sense of humor. In this passage from “Illicit Happiness,” a father is looking through his son’s cartoons trying to figure out what makes his son tick.
“In Enlightenment, a sage in robes is meditating. He is sitting on a high snowy peak. Seasons change, storms pass, but nothing bothers him …The sage becomes very old, his beard turns white. Finally he becomes radiant. A halo appears behind him. He has achieved enlightenment. He opens his eyes, looking totally stunned. He screams: ‘Shit, I am a cartoon!'”
If you are looking for a fresh view of life and language, check out Manu Joseph.
