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Published Jun 2017
304 pages
Genre: Literary Fiction
Publication Information
A heartfelt comedy of manners, Diksha Basu's debut novel unfolds the story of a family discovering what it means to "make it" in modern India.
For the past thirty years, Mr. and Mrs. Jha's lives have been defined by cramped spaces, cut corners, gossipy neighbors, and the small dramas of stolen yoga pants and stale marriages. They thought they'd settled comfortably into their golden years, pleased with their son's acceptance into an American business school. But then Mr. Jha comes into an enormous and unexpected sum of money, and moves his wife from their housing complex in East Delhi to the super-rich side of town, where he becomes eager to fit in as a man of status: skinny ties, hired guards, shoe-polishing machines, and all.
The move sets off a chain of events that rock their neighbors, their marriage, and their son, who is struggling to keep a lid on his romantic dilemmas and slipping grades, and brings unintended consequences, ultimately forcing the Jha family to reckon with what really matters. Hilarious and wise, The Windfall illuminates with warmth and charm the precariousness of social status, the fragility of pride, and, above all, the human drive to build and share a home. Even the rich, it turns out, need to belong somewhere.
"Starred Review. Culture and capital clash in Basu's charming, funny debut...a modern and heartfelt comedy of haves and have-nots...The novel addresses a rapidly changing India from a plethora of perspectives, and the result leaves readers laughing and engrossed." - Publishers Weekly
"In her debut novel, Basu sprinkles her send-up of social mobility in modern India with gentle indulgence for her characters, presenting the foibles of the Jhas with humanity and humor." - Booklist
"This is a delightful comedy of manners with a lot of heart; the author seems to be genuinely fond of all her characters, foibles and all." - Library Journal
"The humor seems strained in this comedy of errors, manners, and money." - Kirkus
"A comedy of manners for the globalized 21st century, The Windfall is equal parts heart and humor by a writer who is a new star." - David Ebershoff, author of The Danish Girl and The 19th Wife
"The funniest novel to come out of India in years. Diksha Basu's The Windfall is a timely snapshot of Delhi families on their way up, down, and sideways." - Gary Shteyngart, author of Super Sad True Love Story
"I so loved this novel - laugh-out-loud funny and yet deeply touching." - Deborah Moggach, bestselling author of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
"Diksha Basu's The Windfall impressively evokes the world of a middle-class housing complex in Delhi. A master of the intimate detail, Basu can apparently enter any perspective at will. The novel has a gentleness that belies its furious subject: money." - Karan Mahajan, author of the National Book Award finalist The Association of Small Bombs
"With a knowing wink Diksha Basu updates the comedy of manners, giving us a Delhi backdrop and plenty of second acts in 21st century lives - a thoroughly enjoyable read!" - Jade Chang, author of The Wangs vs. the World
"I almost fell out of bed laughing as I read Diksha Basu's sharply observed satire. The Windfall is such a delicious, addictive treat, as I flipped to the last page I found myself already wanting much, much more." - Kevin Kwan, author of Crazy Rich Asians and China Rich Girlfriend
This information about The Windfall was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Diksha Basu is a writer and occasional actor. Originally from New Delhi, India, she holds a BA in Economics from Cornell University and an MFA in Creative Writing from Columbia University and now divides her time between New York City and Mumbai.
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