Not nearly as enjoyable a read as Hemingway's Chair. It's a more serious story dealing with issues that largely have to do with midlife crises. It's hard to tell if Palin is being genuine with some of the serious issues or if there was more humor that I missed out on; regardless, the drama could be a tad bit...cliché at times. It's not terrible. Certainly well written and a reflection of Palin's own globe-trotting these past few decades (having watched his travel programs, I could point out moments when Palin was clearly writing from his own experience). This is a book about dignity and compromise. The sufferings of the hapless central character are quite Pyhonesque to begin with but this is gradually shed as the story reveals the grounding of self-identity. The book is broken up into three distinct acts. In the latter two, one gets the impression that Palin is writing about all the gritty stuff that he could never quite get into his travelogues. It feels as if he has really experienced some of the environmental stuff and that makes it all the more concerning to read about. The satirical style is reminiscent of Evelyn Waugh. The book is ultimately hopeful and genuinely heartwarming.
likable protagonist, writer, liberal angst, corporate and gov't corruption, India, some twists.
—xokawaii
Took a while to get going, but enjoyed it in the end. Expecting Mr Palin to be funnier though
—harmony
Well done! The right way to do these kinds of books!
—ChinWest
