Contemporary authors´extracts and notes

CONTEMPORARY AUTHORS

• E.L.Konigsburg

Judy Blume

• Lois Lowry

·         FARAH GHUZNAVI

·         STEPHENIE MEYER

•  ARAVIND ADIGA´

E. L. Konigsburg

Elaine Lobl Konigsburg (February 10, 1930 – April 19, 2013) was an American writer and illustrator of children's books and young adult fiction. She is one of five writers to win two Newbery Medals.

·        Books

She wrote these novels:

-          Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley, and Me, Elizabeth (1967), illus. ELK — 1968 UK title, Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, and Me

-          From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (1967), illus. ELK

-          About the B'nai Bagels (1969), illus. ELK

-          George (1970), illus. ELK — 1974 UK title, Benjamin Dickenson Carr and His (George)

-          Altogether, One at a Time (1971), short story collection^[8]

-          A Proud Taste for Scarlet and Miniver (1973), illus. ELK, historical novel featuring Eleanor of Aquitaine^[8]

-          The Dragon in the Ghetto Caper (1974), illus. ELK

-          The Second Mrs. Giaconda (1975), historical novel featuring Leonardo da Vinci — also published as The Second Mrs. Gioconda

-          Father's Arcane Daughter (1976) — later published as My Father's Daughter^{[citation needed]}

-          Throwing Shadows (1979), short story collection

-          Journey to an 800 Number (1982) — 1983 UK title, Journey by First Class Camel

-          Up from Jericho Tel (1986)

-          Samuel Todd's Book of Great Colors (1990), picture book, illus. ELK

-          Samuel Todd's Book of Great Inventions (1991), picture book, illus. ELK

-          Amy Elizabeth Explores Bloomingdale's (1992), picture book, illus. ELK

-          T-Backs, T-Shirts, COAT, and Suit (1993)

-          TalkTalk: A Children's Book Author Speaks to Grown-ups (1998), nine lectures and speeches^[6]

-          The View from Saturday (1996)

-          Silent to the Bone (2000)

-          The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place (2004)

-          The Mysterious Edge of the Heroic World (2007)

The View from Saturday

The View from Saturday is a children's novel by E. L. Konigsburg, published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers in 1996. It won the 1997 Newbery Medal for excellence in American children's literature, the author's second Medal.

·         Books summary:

Eva Marie Olinski returned after her accident left her paraplegic. She chooses four of her sixth-grade students(Ethan, Noah, Nadia,&Julian), who form a group they call "The Souls," to represent her class in The academic bowl competition. They defeat the other sixth-grade teams, then the seventh- and eighth-grade champions at Epiphany, and so on until they become New York state middle school champions. The children help the teacher live a happier life after her win. A child named Ham makes fun and makes life harder for her. Later the Souls stick out their arms and legs when Mrs. Olinski Stands up for herself when Ham and his follower Jared Lord harass the class. They stick out their limbs to show that she can stand up for herself.

Between chapters that feature the progress of the competition, each of the four students narrates one chapter related both to the development of The Souls and to a question in the state championship final. Noah Gershom recounts learning calligraphy and being best man for his grandfather's friend at Century Village in Florida. Nadia Diamondstein describes working to conserve sea turtles and meeting Ethan, also at Century Village. Ethan Potter tells of meeting Julian, a new boy in town, and attending his tea parties, where the four Souls became friends. Julian Singh explains being new at school and tells of handling a chance for revenge against one of the bullies — remarkably grounded in the part played by Nadia's dog in the school musical "Annie".

·         Extract summary:

The extract talk about when the teacher was asked how she had selected the team for the competition. Main reason until the Bowl Day.

The students for the competition would call themselves ‘The Souls’.

·         Conclusion:

I would recommend book because it talks about education. I must say, I love this topic.

On the other hand, I wouldn’t recommend it for Primary School students because the vocabulary is difficult to understand. I would prefer an adaption version. 

JUDY BLUME

BIOGRAPHY

Judy Blume was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, in 1938. She spent her childhood there, making up stories inside her head. She has spent her adult years in many places doing the same thing, only now she writes her stories down on paper. She has received many prizes and recognitions for her books.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

            She is famous for her children’s books although she has wrote novel for adults too.

Her novels for adults are:

-          “Summer sisters”

-          “Smart women”

-          “Wifey”

Her children’s books are:

-          “The pain and the great one”

-          “The one on the middle is the green kangaroo”

-          “Freckle juice”

-          “Bubbler”

-          “Iggie’s house!

-          “Starring Sally J. Freedman as herself”

-          “Are you there God? It’s me, Margaret”

-          “It’s not the end of the world”

-          “Deenie”

-          “Just as long as we’re together”

-          “Here’s to you, Rachel Robinson”

-          “Tiger eyes”

ABOUT THE BOOK

“Are you there God? It’s me, Margaret” was published in 1970.

The summary of this book could be:

“No one ever told Margaret Simon that eleven-going-on- twelve would be such a hard age.  When her family moves to New Jersey, she has to adjust to life in the suburbs, a different school, and a whole new group of friends.  Margaret knows she needs someone to talk to about growing up-and it's not long before she's found a solution.

Are you there God?  It's me, Margaret. I can't wait until two o'clock God.  That's when our dance starts.  Do you think I'll get Philip Leroy for a partner?  It's not so much that I like him as a person God, but as a boy he's very handsome.  And I'd love to dance with him... just once or twice. Thank you God.”

            The book tells the story about Margaret; she is going to be a teenager and she is going to experience changes on herself, physical and psychological changes. She pretends to meet and start in a new religion.

Margaret, the main character of the book, has many feelings and concerns Judy Blume had when she was in sixth grade.

ABOUT THE EXTRACT

            This extract is the first pages of the book. We can read the doubt that has Margaret about his new life. She doesn’t know why this change has appeared in her life. She thinks that it happens because of his grandmother, Sylvia Simon. She loves Margaret and she cares of her a lot. Margaret describes her life and her family.

JUDY BLUME

“ARE YOU THERE GOD? IT’S ME, MARGARET”

A

re you there God? It’s me, Margaret. We’re moving today. I’m so scared God. I’ve never lived anywhere but here. Suppose I hate my new school? Suppose everybody there hates me? Please help me God. Don’t let New Jersey be too horrible. Thank you.

We moved on the Tuesday before Labor Day. I knew what the weather was like the second I got up. I knew because I caught my mother sniffing under her arms. She always does that when it’s hot and humid, to make sure her deodorant’s working. I don’t use deodorant yet. I don’t think people start to smell bad until they’re at least twelve. So I’ve still got a few months to go.

I was really surprised when I came home from camp and found out our New York apartment had been rented to another family and that we owned a house in Farbrook, New Jersey. First of all I never even heard of Farbrook. And second of all, I’m not usually left out of important family decisions.

But when I groaned, “Why New Jersey?” I was told, “Long Island is too social-Westchester is too expensive-and Connecticut is too inconvenient.”

So Farbrook, New Jersey it was, where my father could commute to his job in Manhattan, where I could go to public school, and where my mother could have all the grass, trees and flowers she ever wanted. Except I never knew she wanted that stuff in the first place.

The new house is on Morningbird Lane. It isn’t bad. It’s part brick, part wood. Also, there is a very nice brass knocker. Every house on our new street looks a lot the same. They are all seven years old. So are the trees.

I think we left the city because of my grandmother, Sylvia Simon. I can’t figure out any other reason for the move. Especially since my mother says Grandma is too much of an influence on me. It’s no big secret in our family that Grandma sends me to summer camp in New Hampshire. And that she enjoys paying my private school tuition (which she won’t be able to do anymore because now I’ll be going to public school). She even knits me sweaters that have labels sewed inside saying MADE EXPRESSLY FOR YOU…BY GRANDMA.

And she doesn’t do all that because we’re poor. I know for a fact that we’re not. I mean, we aren’t rich but we certainly have enough. Especially since I’m an only child. That cuts way down on food and clothes. I know this family that has seven kids and every time they go to the shoe store it costs a bundle. My mother and father didn’t plan for me to be an only child, but that’s the way it worked out, which is fine with me because this way I don’t have anybody around to fight.

Anyhow, I figure this house-in-New-Jersey business is my parents’ way of getting me away from Grandma. She doesn’t have a car, she hates buses and she thinks all trains are dirty. So unless Grandma plans to walk, which is unlikely, I won’t be seeing much of her. Now some kids might think who cares about seeing a grandmother? But Sylvia Simon is a lot of fun, considering her age, which I happen to know is sixty. The only problem is she’s always asking me if I have boyfriends and if they’re Jewish. Now that is ridiculous because number one I don’t have boyfriends. And number two what would I care if they’re Jewish or not?

Lois Lowry

Biography

Lois Lowry (born Lois Ann Hammersberg; March 20, 1937) is an American writer credited with more than thirty children's books and an autobiography. As an author, Lowry is known for writing about difficult subject matters within her works for children. She has explored such complex issues as racism, terminal illness, murder, and the Holocaust among other challenging topics. She has also explored very controversial issues of questioning authority such as in The Giver quartet. Her writing on such matters has brought her both praise and criticism. In particular, her work The Giver has been met with a diversity of reactions from schools in America, some of which have adopted her book as a part of the mandatory curriculum, while others have prohibited the book's inclusion in classroom studies.

Bibliography

Series

·         The Giver Quartet (1993-2012)

·         The Anastasia Series (1979-1995)

·         The Sam Series (1988-1999)

·         The Tates Series (1983-1990)

·         The Gooney Bird Series (2002-2009)

·         Others:  - A Summer to die (1977)  

               - Number the stars (1989)

Awards

·         Newbery Medal: 1989 by Number the starts and in 1993 by The giver (1993)

·         Children's Book Award: 2002 by Gooney Bird Greene. (2002)

·         Margaret Edwards Award: 2007 by The giver (1993)

Extract

It was almost December, and Jonas was beginning to be frightened. No. Wrong word, Jonas thought. Frightened meant that deep, sickening feeling of something terrible about to happen. Frightened was the way he had felt a year ago when an unidentified aircraft had overflown the community twice. He had seen it both times. Squinting toward the sky, he had seen the sleek jet, almost a blur at its high speed, go past, and a second later heard the blast of sound that followed. Then one more time, a moment later, from the opposite direction, the same plane.

At first, he had been only fascinated. He had never seen aircraft so close, for it was against the rules for Pilots to fly over the community. Occasionally, when supplies were delivered by cargo planes to the landing field across the river, the children rode their bicycles to the river bank and watched, intrigued, the unloading and then the takeoff directed to the west, always away from the community.

But the aircraft a year ago had been different. It was not a squat, fat-bellied cargo plane but a needle-nosed single-pilot jet. Jonas, looking around anxiously, had seen others — adults as well as children — stop what they were doing and wait, confused, for an explanation of the frightening event.

Then all of the citizens had been ordered to go into the nearest building and stay there. IMMEDIATELY, the rasping voice through the speakers had said. LEAVE YOUR BICYCLES WHERE THEY ARE.

Instantly, obediently, Jonas had dropped his bike on its side on the path behind his family’s dwelling. He had run indoors and stayed there, alone. His parents were both at work, and his little sister,Lily, was at the Childcare Center where she spent her after-school hours.

Looking through the front window, he had seen no people: none of the busy afternoon crew of Street Cleaners, Landscape Workers, and Food Delivery people who usually populate the community at that time of day. He saw only the abandoned bikes here and there on their sides; an upturned wheel on one was still revolving slowly.

He had been frightened then. The sense of his own community silent, waiting, had made his stomach churn. He had trembled.

But it had been nothing. Within minutes the speakers had crackled again, and the voice, reassuring now and less urgent, had explained that a Pilot-in-Training had misread his navigational instructions and made a wrong turn. Desperately the Pilot had been trying to make his way back before his error was notice.

      Farah Ghuznavi´s extract, “The lost Child”

It started out like any other evening at home. When we sat down at the table, I was excited to see the red spinach and shrimp dish tha
t had been served with dinner. Although I was nearly nine years old, I hadn’t yet got over the childish sense of pleasure to be had by mixing my rice with the spinach, and watching the rice magically transform to a bright shade of red.
”They should make some of this for Niva’s lunch tomorrow,” I said to my mother. “I bet she likes it when her rice starts turning red!”
The baby playing on the bed in my parents’ room looked up at the sound of her name, and gave me a big smile. The ayah was vigilantly watching her while my parents, my brother and I had dinner. Ever since she’d started walking, you had to keep an eye on the little monkey all the time. The speed with which she managed to get around was pretty impressive.
”Yes, you’re right. I’ll tell the cook to make sure it’s prepared for her meal tomorrow…” my mother said, a shade distractedly. Something in her tone made me look at her more closely – was something wrong? I didn’t have to wait long for an answer. In a voice that shook slightly, she said, “I’ve been meaning to tell you. Niva is leaving next Saturday.”
I stared at her in disbelief. “What do you mean? Where is she going?” I asked stupidly, even though I knew already what the answer would be.

“You know where she’s going! She’s going to Switzerland,” came the response, just as I’d feared. My mother’s voice softened as she continued, perhaps realising the extent of my shock, “We always knew she was heading there, Farah. We’ve just been lucky to have her with us for a little while.”
”But you said….” My voice trailed away, as I realised that I couldn’t finish the sentence. Had anyone ever actually said that Niva would be staying? Perhaps not, but I’d been so sure that things would somehow work out. Niva had been living with us for nearly a year – how could they take her to Switzerland now?
“Her family are waiting for her, Farah. We have to let her go.” My mother’s voice was gentle, but firm.
I knew there was no arguing with that tone. Perhaps if I’d been older, I would have realised how tightly she was holding her own feelings in check, noticed the tremor in her hand as she helped herself to more rice. But I was in no position to consider anyone else’s feelings; I was reeling from the bombshell that had just been dropped.
Suddenly, the lump in my throat made it hard to swallow the brightly-coloured balls of spinach and rice that I had so carefully mixed together just a few short minutes ago.

FARAH GHUZNAVI´S NOTES

AUTHOR ; Farah Ghuznavi

BORN ; August 1966

COUNTRY; Bangladesh

OTHER DETAILS;  She holds 3 University degrees in the London School of Economics.

                                She worked in the NGO sector and the UN

NOVELS; “Judgement Day” “Getting there” “The storm is coming”

STYLE;

·          Fiction

·         Satirical plays

·         Poems

·         Creative non-fiction

·         Flash fiction

BOOK ; “ The Lost Child “

BOOK SUMMARY; Difficult experiences  that Farah and her mother go through, Farah´s  works for NGO, that´s why their house was full of infants in north Bengal; they ran a house for abandoned and orphan children who would, later, be adopted by Swiss families.

CHARACTERS;  Jobeda, Rajani, Alaja, Sandhya, Najma, kuruni,, Niva and Farah´s family.

EXTRACT These Swiss couples didn´t show any tendency to discriminate against these who were less than perfect “adoption laws”, Niva was leaving the next day, Farah felt really sad ´cause Niva was like a sister for her. Farah was upset, she didn´t want her to be adopted; she starts remembering her true social duty.

CHARACTERS; Niva, Farah, Farah´s mother, the ayah.

CONCLUSION; I would recommend this book because it´s a moving book which touches people´s hearts. To conclude, I should say that these short stories are accessible to people with different backgrounds. While culture and environment play a huge part in making us who we are, most of us have more in common than we think.

      Stephenie Meyer´s extract “The twilight”

The next day was better… and worse.

It was better because it wasn't raining yet, though the clouds were dense and opaque. It was easier because I knew what to expect of my day. Mike came to sit by me in English, and walked me to my next class, with Chess Club Eric glaring at him all the while; that was nattering. People didn't look at me quite as much as they had yesterday. I sat with a big group at lunch that included Mike, Eric, Jessica, and several other people whose names and faces I now remembered. I began to feel like I was treading water, instead of drowning in it.

It was worse because I was tired; I still couldn't sleep with the wind echoing around the house. It was worse because Mr. Varner called on me in Trig when my hand wasn't raised and I had the wrong answer. It was miserable because I had to play volleyball, and the one time I didn't cringe out of the way of the ball, I hit my teammate in the head with it. And it was worse because Edward Cullen wasn't in school at all.

All morning I was dreading lunch, fearing his bizarre glares. Part of me wanted to confront him and demand to know what his problem was. While I was lying sleepless in my bed, I even imagined what I would say. But I knew myself too well to think I would really have the guts to do it. I made the Cowardly Lion look like the terminator.

But when I walked into the cafeteria with Jessica — trying to keep my eyes from sweeping the place for him, and failing entirely — I saw that his four siblings of sorts were sitting together at the same table, and he was not with them.

Mike intercepted us and steered us to his table. Jessica seemed elated by the attention, and her friends quickly joined us. But as I tried to listen to their easy chatter, I was terribly uncomfortable, waiting nervously for the moment he would arrive. I hoped that he would simply ignore me when he came, and prove my suspicions false.

He didn't come, and as time passed I grew more and more tense.

I walked to Biology with more confidence when, by the end of lunch, he still hadn't showed. Mike, who was taking on the qualities of a golden retriever, walked faithfully by my side to class. I held my breath at the door, but Edward Cullen wasn't there, either. I exhaled and went to my seat. Mike followed, talking about an upcoming trip to the beach. He lingered by my desk till the bell rang. Then he smiled at me wistfully and went to sit by a girl with braces and a bad perm. It looked like I was going to have to do something about Mike, and it wouldn't be easy. In a town like this, where everyone lived on top of everyone else, diplomacy was essential. I had never been enormously tactful; I had no practice dealing with overly friendly boys.

I was relieved that I had the desk to myself, that Edward was absent. I told myself that repeatedly. But I couldn't get rid of the nagging suspicion that I was the reason he wasn't there. It was ridiculous, and egotistical, to think that I could affect anyone that strongly. It was impossible. And yet I couldn't stop worrying that it was true.

When the school day was finally done, and the blush was fading out of my cheeks from the volleyball incident, I changed quickly back into my jeans and navy blue sweater. I hurried from the girls' locker room, pleased to find that I had successfully evaded my retriever friend for the moment. I walked swiftly out to the parking lot. It was crowded now with fleeing students. I got in my truck and dug through my bag to make sure I had what I needed.

Last night I'd discovered that Charlie couldn't cook much besides fried eggs and bacon. So I requested

Stephenie Meyer´s notes

AUTHOR; Stephenie Meyer

BORN; December 1973

COUNTRY; Connecticut (USA)

BOOKS; “The Twilight Sage”

·         Twilight (2005)

·         New Moon (2006)

·         Eclipse (2004)

·         Breaking Dawn (2008)

           

STYLISTIC TAILS;

·         Description

·         Mastering of dialogues

·         Beliefs and faith

GENRE;

·         Fiction

·         Juvenile literature

·         Pink novel

·         Horror movies

SUMMARY; “The twilight book”; it´s about a girl who goes to school and meets a boy who is a vampire; they fall in love and she asks him to turn her into a vampire but he rejects doing it.

      ARAVIND ADIGA´s extract

AravindAdiga

THE WHITE TIGER ( 2008)

FIRST NIGHT

for the Desk of: His Excellency Wen Jiabao

The Premier's Office Beijing

Capital of the Freedom-loving Nation of China

From the Desk of:

"The White Tiger"

A Thinking Man

 And an Entrepreneur Living in the world's center of Technology and Outsourcing Electronics City Phase 1 (just off Hosur Main Road)

 Bangalore, India Mr. Premier,

Sir. Neither you nor I speak English, but there are some things that can be said only in English. My ex-employer the late Mr. Ashok's ex-wife, Pinky Madam, taught me one of these things; and at 11:32 p.m. today, which was about ten minutes ago, when the lady on All India Radio announced, "Premier Jiabao is coming to Bangalore next week," I said that thing at once.

         In fact, each time when great men like you visit our country I say it. Not that I have anything against great men. In my way, sir, I consider myself one of your kind. But whenever I see our prime minister and his distinguished sidekicks drive to the airport in black cars and get out and do namastesbefore you in front of a TV camera and tell you about how moral and saintly India is, I have to say that thing in English.

 Now, you are visiting us this week, Your Excellency, aren't you? All India Radio is usually reliable in these matters.

 That was a joke, sir.

Ha!

That's why I want to ask you directly if you really are coming to Bangalore. Because if you are, I have something important to tell you. See, the lady on the radio said, "Mr. Jiabao is on a mission: he wants to know the truth about Bangalore."

My blood froze. If anyone knows the truth about Bangalore, it's me.

Next, the lady announcer said, "Mr. Jiabao wants to meet some Indian entrepreneurs and hear the story of their success from their own lips."

She explained a little. Apparently, sir, you Chinese are far ahead of us in every respect, except that you don't have entrepreneurs. And our nation, though it has no drinking water, electricity, sewage system, public transportation, sense of hygiene, discipline, courtesy, or punctuality, does have entrepreneurs. Thousands and thousands of them.Especially in the field of technology. And these entrepreneurs—we entrepreneurs—have set up all these outsourcing companies that virtually run America now.

 You hope to learn how to make a few Chinese entrepreneurs, that's why you're visiting. That made me feel good. But then it hit me that in keeping with international protocol, the prime minister and foreign minister of my country will meet you at the airport with garlands, small take-home sandalwood statues of Gandhi, and a booklet full of information about India's past, present, and future.

That's when I had to say that thing in English, sir. Out loud. That was at 11:37 p.m. Five minutes ago. I don't just swear and curse. I'm a man of action and change. I decided right there and then to start dictating a letter to you.

 To begin with, let me tell you of my great admiration for the ancient nation of China. I read about your history in a book, Exciting Tales of the Exotic East, that I found on the pavement, back in the days when I was trying to get some enlightenment by going through the Sunday secondhand book market in Old Delhi. This book was mostly about pirates and gold in Hong Kong, but it did have some useful background information too: it said that you Chinese are great lovers of freedom and individual liberty. The British tried to make you their servants, but you never let them do it. I admire that, Mr. Premier.

I was a servant once, you see.

Only three nations have never let themselves be ruled by foreigners: China, Afghanistan, and Abyssinia. These are the only three nations I admire.

Out of respect for the love of liberty shown by the Chinese people, and also in the belief that the future of the world lies with the yellow man and the brown man now that our erstwhile master, the white-skinned man, has wasted himself through buggery, cell phone usage, and drug abuse, I offer to tell you, free of charge, the truth about Bangalore.

Aravind Adiga´s notes

AravindAdiga was born in Madras (now Chennai)  (born 23 October 1974^[1][2]) is an Indian writer and journalist. His debut novel, The White Tiger, won the 2008 Man Booker Prize

BIOGRAPHY

paternal grandfather was the late K. SuryanarayanaAdiga, former chairman of Karnataka bank^[4][5] while his maternal great-grandfather, U. Rama Rao, was a popular medical practitioner and Congress politician from Madras.

 emigrating to Sydney, Australia, with his family. He later by himself moved to Nywere  studied English literature  Simon Schama (Knight of the Order of the British Empire)

CAREER

Adiga began his journalistic career as a financial journalist, interning at the Financial Times,

 

BookerPrize

 He is the fourth Indian-born author to win the prize. he novel studies the contrast between India's rise as a modern global economy and the lead character, Balram, who comes from crushing rural poverty

Novels

·         The White Tiger: A Novel: Atlantic Books, Ltd (UK), Free Press (US), 2008

·         Between the Assassinations: Picador (IND), 2008

·         LastMan in Tower: 

·          

Short stories[edit]

·         "The Sultan's Battery" (The Guardian, 18 October 2008, online text)

·         "Smack" (The Sunday Times, 16 November 2008, online text)

·         "Last Christmas in Bandra" (The Times, 19 December 2008, online text)

·         "The Elephant" (The New Yorker, 26 January 2009, online text)

Characters

Mr. Ashok's ex-wife, Pinky Madam

Wen Jiabao

The White Tiger takes place in India. The protagonist BalramHalwai is born in Laxmangarh, a rural village in "the Darkness". Balram narrates his life in a letter, which he wrote in seven consecutive nights and addressed to the Chinese Premier, Wen Jiabao. In his letter, Balram explains how he, the son of a rickshaw puller, escaped a life of servitude to become a successful businessman, describing himself as a successful entrepreneur. Balram begins the novel by describing his life in Laxmangarh. There he lived with his grandmother, parents and brother and extended family. He is a smart child; however, he is forced to quit school in order to help pay for his cousin sister's dowry. He begins to work in a teashop with his brother inDhanbad. While working in the teashop he begins to learn about India's government and economy from the customers' conversations. Balram describes himself as a bad servant and decides that he wants to become a driver.

Balram learns how to drive and gets a job driving Ashok, the son of the Stork, one of Laxmangarh's landlords. During a trip back to his village, Balram disrespects his grandmother and tells the reader and the Chinese Premier that in the next few months he intends to kill his boss. Balram moves to New Delhi with Ashok and his wife Ms Pinky. Throughout their time in New Delhi, Balram is exposed to the extensive corruption of India's society, including the government. In New Delhi the separation between poor and wealthy becomes even more evident by the juxtaposition of the wealthy with poor city dwellers.

One night Pinky decides to drive the car by herself and hits something. She is worried that it was a child in the hit and run. Ashok becomes increasingly involved with the corrupt government itself. Balram then decides that the only way that he will be able to escape India's "Rooster Coop" will be by killing and robbing Ashok. One raining day he murders Ashok by bludgeoning him with a bottle. He then manages to move to Bangalore. There he bribes the police in order to help start his own business. When one of his drivers kills a bike messenger Balram pays off the family. Balram explains that his family was almost certainly killed by the Stork as retribution for Ashok's murder. At the end of the novel Balramrationalizes his actions by saying that his freedom is worth the lives of his family and Ashok.

Summary excert.

Balram writes an email to the Chinese Prime-minster Mr. Jiabao who wants to visit Bangalore to get to know the truth about living in it. He tells about his life and describes his village Laxmangarh which is in the district of the rural Gaya. It's famous for the national history because some people say Buddha walked through it and close by it he got his enlightenment.

Balram calls himself half-baked because he never completed school and is half-educated. Therefore his ideas are half formed, half digested and half correct and he even gets his name by his teacher due to the fact that his parents just named him “munna”, which means boy. The teacher backs him up and calls him “The white tiger” considering that the white tiger is the rarest animal in the jungle and appeares only once in a generation.

His home hasn't got electricity or a water tap but a buffalo which is better fed by the women than the men. Balram talks about his dad who is a hard working rickshaw-puller and his mum who died and was set on fire by a priest on Mother Ganges. Later on his brother Kishan fetches him to go to the tea shop and since this day schooling is finished for him and he has to work in the shop.

Topics

 Globalization

Individualism

 He is referred to as the "white tiger"^[10] (which also happens to be the title of the book). A white tiger symbolizes power in East Asian culture

Freedom

Immoral corruption

Social class/caste