Crackles and sparks with life like exploding Diwali fireworks. - William Dalrymple Monisha Rajesh turns to a map of the Indian Railways and takes a page out of Jules Verne's classic tale, embarking on an adventure around India in 80 trains.
'I love train trips and I love travelling around India. If you do too, then this book is a wonderful companion' Irvine Welsh
When she was a child, Monisha Rajesh's family uprooted to Madras in the hope of making India their home, but soon returned to England with a bitter taste in their mouths. Two decades on, Monisha turns to a map of the Indian Railways and takes a page out of Jules Verne's classic tale, embarking on an adventure around India in 80 trains, covering 40,000 km - the circumference of the Earth.
Her journey takes her on toy trains, luxury trains, Mumbai's infamous commuter trains and even a hospital on wheels. Along the way she meets a kaleidoscope of characters and discovers why the railways are considered the lifeline that keeps the country's heart beating. Most of all, she hopes that these 80 train journeys will lift the veil on a country that has become a stranger to her.
A great big lovely shambling train ride of a book' Giles Coren
'Beautifully written' The Sunday Telegraph
A rollicking account of Modern India at express pace: from the good sprawling temples and scrapping tigers to the bad groping passengers, churning stomachs and officious ticket inspectors. Rajesh's quick-fire writing is unflinchingly frank, with details packed in as tightly as passengers on Mumbai's commuter trains. A lively read.
