Review -of the book Guy On The Sidewalk

Just finished reading "Guy On the Side walk " by Bharath   Krishna .

There is something about the book which goaded me to write a review.What I mean to say is that there was something about the book which I liked so much that I wished that the book  be read by more people .

The book deals with the feelings of a NRI in America and his feelings about his own country . If I had a choice I would have called this book "Patriotism Redefined" ---because that is what this book is all about a 'mature comparison between India and the US of A.' I repeat a ""Mature Comparison "

This book  "A Guy On The Sidewalk " means exactly what the title says  it shows the  indecisiveness of a guy on the side walk whether he should remain  there or whether he should jump onto the main road . The debate in his mind to come back to India leaving the luxuries of America or to stay behind and enjoy the benefits all the time aware that he did not belong to this country.

There are  a few lines which show his feelings and prove his patriotism like when he says that no one present in their group could be called a patriot because all that they had been thinking was about their career , their family , their problems and never about the problems of their city , their neighbourhood or for that matter their country . and then he goes on to say " ... But what have literates like me done  for our motherland other than living in America and earning dollars "

I wouldn't want to go on citing lines and paras from the book in fact I would want that people read  for themselves because as a patriotic  Indian the protagonist does not dwell on heavy literary words and comparisons instead he has made reading interesting by mentioning trendy American food , ( which we Indians know about more than our own traditional dishes ) , he has been witty enough to compare our Indian bathrooms with the American restrooms . All in all it is a book about Patriotism redefined
And of course there is romance and friendship thrown in to make things more plausible and interesting --it has dwelt on the camaraderie among fellow Indians how helpful they are to each other there is romance and real feeling of love which are  the lifeline and strength of a person's life even if they have to go their own ways in the course of life ---but the LOVE remains .

I would recommend this book for the sheer pleasure of reading ---no heavy philosophy, no heavy words , nothing frivolous but everything serious  and thought provoking .




 .