Winning the Man Booker prize is something that most authors dream of, although -- ironically -- the reputation of the prize itself was under siege a few years ago. Books that won the award were acquiring a reputation of being difficult and inaccessible, but those days appear to be over -- and unarguable proof may be found in the 2008 winner, The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga. Apart from its considerable literary merit, the novel is the most compelling of pageturners (in the old-fashioned sense of that phrase) and offers a picture of modern India that is as evocative as it is unflattering. The protagonist, too, is drawn in the most masterly of fashion.Balram Halwai, the eponymous `white tiger , is a diminutive, overweight ex-teashop worker who now earns his living as a chauffeur. But this is only one side of his protean personality, he deals in confidence scams, over-ambitious business promotions (built on the shakiest of foundations) and enjoys approaching life with a philosophical turn...

#fab book (2008-12-03) recommended book. i loved it from start to finish. great author, i hope there will be more titles coming soon.

#Not a good book (2008-12-02) This is not a good book. I read quite a bit and feel like the book world is going mad if it believes that this book is a prize winner. It reads like a high school students attempt at a novel. . . . .

#A brilliant bitter dystopia that leaves a sweet-and-sour taste (2008-11-26) Well, it has now won the Man Booker prize for 2008. But how good is it?This is a book dowsed in cumin, the sour spice that provides the background to countless curries. The novel, as you probably know from other reviewers is about a young man from the Darkness , a metaphorical name for the ancient, rural, landlord-tyrannised, peasant India, who writes a series of letters to the premier of China in anticipation of his forthcoming visit to India. His aim is to tell the truth about an India bifurcated into dar...

#I Just Don t Get It (2008-11-26) I do not know the basis for this book winning the Booker. While it is not a bad read, there is nothing about the book that sticks to the mind once you ve dropped it. It certainly is NOT a compulsive page turner and the feeling one has is were the main character (Balram Halwai) to have been caught or even executed for his crimes, one would frankly not give a damn. Characters fail to elicit the passions and feelings a good book manages to evoke and I came away from this book feeling a little cheated. having just read Vikas Swarup s novel titled Q & ...

#WHAT WAS THE POINT? (2008-11-24) I felt cheated by this book - and by the judges who gave it the Booker. Yes, it was fleetingly funny - but no, it did not appear to have any original message other than the fact that India has a lot of problems. Oh really? I didn t empathise in any way with the narrator, whose sudden transformation from loyal servant was utterly unconvincing. By all means read this as a relaxing, if untaxing, diversion, but do not expect anything more.

Eric Carle s The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a perennial favourite with children and adults alike. Its imaginative illustration and clever cut-out detail charts the progress of a very hungry caterpillar as he eats his way through the week. This board book edition of what is surely a classic picture book is glossy, sturdy and ideal for curious little hands to get to grips with. (Ages 9 months to 2 years)--Susan Harrison

#Hungry for the Caterpillar! (2008-10-14) If you love reading to your child, do not miss this book. It is a delightful, humourous,dream-like surreal book, with a repetitive, poetic, chanting story. It is (deservedly) a children s classic. Many reviewers here have tried to break down the different elements of this book. What I would like to convey is the whole experience of reading the book which teaches a simple life experience to a child - which is highly spiritual, particularly the last pages where a riot of colour is the world through the eyes of a butterfly. The story has optimi...

#A Classic (2008-10-12) Not only is this book fun for young hands, as it s perfectly sized and sturdy, it is also educational. Neither the young boy I got this for or his older brother would put this down for days. It went in the car, to nursery and even to bed

#Yum! (2008-09-16) An infamous short tale of the caterpillar that munches its way through the edible obstacles on each page, until it becomes a butterfly. Arguably the most famous of the Eric Carle short stories, The Hungry Caterpillar symbolises the journeys things take in the world in order to accomplish something great. Themes in this book include the virtue of patience and the fact that things can sometimes take a surprising turn. `The Hungry Caterpillar shows all the great hallmarks of a young children s book, in that it easily lends itself to the curriculum and is as simple as...

#A true classic! (2008-09-14) I was so happy when a friend gave me this when my now 13 month old was born, it reminded me so much of my childhood. I was even happier once he was big enough to start turning it s pages and poking his fingers in the holes and listening intently (well, not always!!) as I counted each different bit of food. He plays with it all the time and it is so hardwearing and virtually indestructible (unlike some other books I have purchsed!). It s so amazing that a book I adored as a child, which I then read to my younger sister (well, more knowing it off by hea...

#Keeps them occupied (2008-08-15) The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a great little book. It keeps my daughter occupied for hours on end. Just a quick flick through it is enough to convince any adult that a small child will like it. Simplistic, enjoyable and charming. And actually quite funny. Well recommended for very small kids.