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lizseabrook's review
adventurous
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
4.0
Based on the title, I thought this book was going to be a bit of a silly beach read, but it was actually really informative about the history of India and the caste system. Beautiful, evocative travel writing.
zsazsa_3's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
aorla's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
5.0
cariena's review against another edition
3.0
Super mooi boek over de reis van PK naar Zweden. Ik vond vooral het begin van het boek heel interessant, over de jonge PK en hoe het leven in India eruit zag. Later werd het verhaal wat langdradiger en had ik moeite om mijn aandacht erbij te houden. Zeker een aanrader om te lezen!
missmary98's review
4.0
I didn't love the way this was written, as it felt like the timeline often wasn't very clear and some things were skipped over a lot in favour of going into immense detail about other things. It was, however, a very interesting and eye-opening story, and I did enjoy reading it.
smitchy's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed this book, it was a truly fascinating story. PK's life in 1960-70's India is so totally foreign to my western view point.
Born a "Untouchable" - outside of the caste system - PK was the son of an untouchable man and a forest tribeswoman. PK's father worked for the railway and spent most of the week in a town far away. Although his mother never had any formal education she was the one who taught young PK to love art and drawing. Pk's early childhood was happy but when he started school it was made clear to him what being an untouchable meant: constantly told he was dirty and "unclean" PK had to sit outside the classroom during lessons; the other children were told not to play with him; if he touched anyone they immediately ran to the well to wash.
As school continued PK moved to a boarding school and his depression got worse - he had to sit outside the cafeteria and was served last. The school washerman refused to touch his clothes (later he agreed to as long as no-one knew or saw). Struggling with studies and isolation PK attempted to drown himself. The first of several suicide attempts.
Finally finishing school PK gets into university - but cannot manage to be the engineer his father wants him to be - dropping out, PK decides to study art and manages to win a scholarship to a good art school. There further struggles await as money gets tight and homelessness takes its toll on PK's health. With the help of friends PK gets back on his feet and starts earning money by drawing portraits of tourists on the street. India in the 70's was a cultural melting pot and, enhanced by the Beatles visiting, it became a mecca for young hippies. One such hippie was Lotta, she has been fascinated by India all her life and is finally getting to visit. Lotta is a Swedish tourist who has travelled to India along the hippie trail with some friends in a VW van. It is love at first sight but holidays come to an end and Lotta soon has to head home.
PK, missing Lotta desperately, decides that the only way he can afford to make the trip to Sweden is on a bike: Plane tickets cost more money than he has had in his life, the busses are almost as expensive but anyone can ride a bike. And so his trip beings.
In spite of the way this book is marketed I don't recommend it are a "romance" book. If you are reading this book expecting a big, dramatic love story you will be disappointed. Instead read this for India's culture and history. Read it for PK's travels through the middle east (Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, and Turkey) - places I cannot imagine travelling through today! Read it for the harm that prejudice and "tradition" of caste caused a talented young man. Read it for the culture shock PK experiences upon getting to the west. Read it for the happy ending.
Born a "Untouchable" - outside of the caste system - PK was the son of an untouchable man and a forest tribeswoman. PK's father worked for the railway and spent most of the week in a town far away. Although his mother never had any formal education she was the one who taught young PK to love art and drawing. Pk's early childhood was happy but when he started school it was made clear to him what being an untouchable meant: constantly told he was dirty and "unclean" PK had to sit outside the classroom during lessons; the other children were told not to play with him; if he touched anyone they immediately ran to the well to wash.
As school continued PK moved to a boarding school and his depression got worse - he had to sit outside the cafeteria and was served last. The school washerman refused to touch his clothes (later he agreed to as long as no-one knew or saw). Struggling with studies and isolation PK attempted to drown himself. The first of several suicide attempts.
Finally finishing school PK gets into university - but cannot manage to be the engineer his father wants him to be - dropping out, PK decides to study art and manages to win a scholarship to a good art school. There further struggles await as money gets tight and homelessness takes its toll on PK's health. With the help of friends PK gets back on his feet and starts earning money by drawing portraits of tourists on the street. India in the 70's was a cultural melting pot and, enhanced by the Beatles visiting, it became a mecca for young hippies. One such hippie was Lotta, she has been fascinated by India all her life and is finally getting to visit. Lotta is a Swedish tourist who has travelled to India along the hippie trail with some friends in a VW van. It is love at first sight but holidays come to an end and Lotta soon has to head home.
PK, missing Lotta desperately, decides that the only way he can afford to make the trip to Sweden is on a bike: Plane tickets cost more money than he has had in his life, the busses are almost as expensive but anyone can ride a bike. And so his trip beings.
In spite of the way this book is marketed I don't recommend it are a "romance" book. If you are reading this book expecting a big, dramatic love story you will be disappointed. Instead read this for India's culture and history. Read it for PK's travels through the middle east (Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, and Turkey) - places I cannot imagine travelling through today! Read it for the harm that prejudice and "tradition" of caste caused a talented young man. Read it for the culture shock PK experiences upon getting to the west. Read it for the happy ending.
kathyblais's review
3.0
3.5 stars. I would have given it 4, but I found it a little repetitive. It was a very eye-opening look at the caste system in India, and PK's story was very inspiring.