3 Review(s)

This combo product is bundled in India but the publishing origin of this title may vary.Publication date of this bundle is the creation date of this bundle; the actual publication date of child items may vary.Sarojini-Saz-Campbell comes to India to search for her biological mother. Adopted and taken to England at an early age she has a degree from Cambridge and a mathematician's brain adept in solving puzzles. Handicapped by a missing shoebox that held her birth papers and the death of her English mother she has few leads to carry out her mission and scant knowledge of Calcutta her birthplace. Luckily she has Chiru Sen an Elvis lookalike as her guide. Together Saz and Chiru chase the mirage of a lost mother helped by Chiru's band members and his friend Suleiman master bookie of the racecourse. When luck leads them to a slum Jamuna a housemaid with a troubled past presents herself as the likely candidate. As Saz settles into the routine of slum life a second candidate Urvasi presents herself emerging from the very opposite end of the spectrum.With Saz split in half nothing is spared in the battle between the mothers moving at a fast clip to the final throw of the dice as rivals await the result of DNA matching from their blood samples. But will the verdict of science settle the puzzle of motherhood for Sarojini? Or will it be left to the judgment of Suleiman the Wise King of the Racecourse the bearer of ancient wisdom to arrive at that supreme revelation?,Altaf Hussein a young Muslim student has been abducted from his college hostel. The authorities have washed their hands off the matter and the police are accused of a cover up. Rumours claim he has gone to fight the jihad in Iraq. More sinister rumours have him tortured and murdered for opposing the Nationalist students who are on a rampage to create a Hindu homeland in India driving out Liberal supporters like Altaf and their decadent ideals.The divide between Liberals and Nationalists invades the Sengupta household in Kolkata when Joy a bank manager and Rohini his schoolteacher wife-both compassionate humanists-learn the shocking news that their only son Bobby has become a leader of the Nationalist students and is implicated in Altaf's disappearance. Disbelief turns to anguish when they encounter his belligerent ideology and his not-too-convincing denial of his role in the Altaf affair.Out to solve the mystery of Altaf Joy and Rohini discover conspiracy and hate forbidden love and exceptional courage come face to face with a world caught between the real and the ideal. But will they succeed in absolving their son of the heinous crime? Will Altaf be found after all? Or will they and this fractured nation pay the ultimate price for harbouring a fractured heart? Review Kunal Basu holds a mirror to the nation and what he makes us see is deeply disconcerting -- Jai Ranjan Ram (Kolkata's leading mental health expert) ―My KolkataKunal Basu's 'In An Ideal World' tells the story of a liberal-minded family that finds an ugly truth in its own home. -- Indradeep Bhattacharyya ―The WireKunal Basu holds a mirror to the nation and what he makes us see is deeply disconcerting -- Jai Ranjan Ram (Kolkata's leading mental health expert) ―The Telegraph About the Author Kunal Basu is the author of several critically acclaimed novels including The Miniaturist and Kalkatta. The Japanese Wife from his collection of stories by the same name has been made into an award-winning film. He has also written novels in Bengali and for cinema. Born in Kolkata he was educated in India and the United States. He lives in Oxford and Kolkata.You can reach him at www.kunalbasu.com.