Mar 12, 2003 01:16 PM
9829 Views
(Updated Mar 12, 2003 09:33 PM)
I wrote this review to honor both Mouthshut and the People of India.
THE CITY OF JOY was written by Dominique Lapierre in 1988. He first wrote it in French and then it was translated into English, (1992).
I have the paperback Book that has 544 pages.
MY REVIEW:
This Book is about the lives of an Indian Man who works as a Rickshaw Driver, (pulling the Rickshaw), a Doctor from the United States and a Polish Priest. It takes place in one of the Slums of Calcutta, India.
Max is a Doctor from the U.S.A. who is disillusioned by his luxurious lifestyle in the ''States. This guilt he is experiencing will not go away.
While he is working in the Western part of the United States he decides he needs to fulfill him self in another way.
He decides to go to Calcutta, India to ''find some enlightenment''.
In Calcutta he meets Stephen Kovalski, (a Polish Priest), who has made it his ''Mission'' to help the People of Anand Nagar, (one of the Slums in Calcutta).
It is an area that the poorest People live. Inside this area is a large Leper Colony, (and they are shunned by the poor as well as the rich).
Despite the shocking condition of this place Max comes face to face, (the first time in life), with the People who really need his help and care.
While he is helping them he sees that humanity and compassion can bloom in the most devastating of places.
The life of Hazari Pal, (a poor Farmer), changes when he and his Family move to Calcutta. They are looking for a better life. He gets a job pulling a Rickshaw.
This part of the Story has no bearing on the main theme of the Novel because I never tell the ending of a Book.
WHAT I WAS THINKING WHILE I WAS READING THE BOOK:
I remembered Mother Theresa when she worked in the Slums and helped everyone who needed help.
I rembered donating to her Organization so she could get the medical supplies that were desperately needed.
I know that not all of the People who live in India are not poor. But I think that this is the Story of every poor Indian.
Their lives are in a vicious cycle of problems where each Family Membeber must work at many jobs to have some shelter and food. Also everyone who lives in India must have enough money to pay for each Dauthers Wedding.
Most often they don't see any way of getting out of this terrible situation.
THE AUTHOR:
''Dominique Lapierre was born in Paris, France. He immigrated to the United States when her was 17 years old. The Books that I have read that have been written by Him are ''A Dollar For A Thousand Miles'', ''A Thousand Suns'', ''Five Past Midnight In Bhopal and this Book.''
THE MOVIE:
''The City of Joy'' was made into a Movie in 1992. It starred:
Patrick Swayze as Max Lowe
Pauline Collins as Joan Bethal
Om Puri as Hasari Pal
Shabana as Azmi Kamla Pal
Art Malik as Ashoka
Ayesha Dharker as Amrita Pal
Santu Chowdhury as Shambu Pal
Imran Badsah Khan as Manooj Pal
If you can't read the Book you might want to rent the Film. It will take you about 1 1/2 hours to watch it. It is rated in Canada PG13
MY FINAL THOUGHTS:
This is epic saga of survival and working in the most terrible circumstances.
I thought that Dominique Lapierre did a wonderful job in researching the material for the Book. He shows the reader the problems faced by the poor in India.
There seems to be no way for the poor to climb out of their ghastly conditions.
The very rich Ruling Class, (Caste System), has been there for Centuries.
Dominique Lapierre has shown us the squalid conditions in the Leper Colony and the Slums of Calcutta.
I highly recommend this Book to you. If you don't like to read then please rent the Video, (it was made into a Movie).
I paid $10.00 CAD. ISBN # 0446355569
Comments are always welcome. The rating you give this review doesn't matter to me.
©LL2003
