A Fine Balance: A NovelThe time is 1975. The place is an unnamed Indian city by the sea. The government has just declared a State of Emergency. The days that follow bring new forms of degradation and misery to vie with resilience and stubborn hope in the daily lives of the people, four of whom are compelled by a housing shortage to share one cramped apartment. With no common background and only the most impersonal threads of common need, these four find their lives becoming unexpectedly but inextricably entwined, their growing trust, humor, and affectionate interdependence establishing a bulwark against the hardships and torturous machinations of daily life under the Emergency, holding them together, finally, for both better and worse. |
Contents
City by the Sea | 13 |
For Dreams to Grow | 71 |
In a Village by a River | 93 |
Copyright | |
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Ashraf Chacha asked Aunty Avinash beedi began Beggarmaster beggars Chamaar chapatis chappals clothes crowd customers Daddy Dalal Darab Dina's Dinabai Divali door Dubai Dukhi everything eyes face father felt fingers flat friends goondas hair hand head Ibrahim inside Ishvar Ishvar and Om Jeevan keep kitchen Kohlah landlord laughed listen live look Maneck Monkey-man morning mother Mummy Mumtaz Narayan Nawaz nephew never night nightwatchman nodded Nusswan Okay Om's Omprakash Papaji pariah dogs pavement platform police Rajaram returned Roopa Ruby rupees sahab Sergeant Kesar sewing Shankar shook shouted Shroff silent sleep smiled someone started stopped sure tailors talk tell Thakur Thank things thought told tomorrow took trying turned uncle vasectomy Vegetarian verandah village Vishram waiting walked watched What's whispered window wondered worry Xerxes Zenobia