Midnight's ChildrenBorn at the stroke of midnight on August 15 1947, at the precise moment of India's independence, the infant Saleem Sinai is celebrated in the press and welcomed by Prime Minister Nehru himself. But this coincidence of birth has consequences Saleem is not prepared for: telepathic powers that connect him with 1,000 other 'mightnight's children' - all born in the initial hour of India's independence - and an uncanny sense of smeill that allows him to sniff out dangers others cannot perceive. Inextricably linked to his nation, Saleem's biography of disasters and triumphs mirrors the course of modern India. |