Amazon Synopsis
The winner of the Whitbread Best First Novel 1990, this is the story of Karim Amir, "an Englishman born and bred - almost", who lives with his English mother and Indian father in the South London suburbs. It is written by the author of "My Beautiful Launderette" and "Sammy and Rosie Get Laid".

(signed copy)

Liked this very much, very witty.

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Released into my BookBox
http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/6561300

Removed from the bookbox. Thanks Cally-c!

EDIT: 5th May - This was selected as the Lass O'Gowrie book club choice for June, I therefore started reading it on my way home from work tonight. So far I'd say it's an interesting insight into the life of a young man from Indian descent growing up in the suburbs of London in the late sixties early seventies.

EDIT: 13th May - I'm really enjoying the story of Karim Amir. The interesting thing about this is that I'm picking up references throughout and finding myself wondering who these artist/writers/musicians are. Today I've had to look up Harold Robbins and Antonio Gramsci it's all very educational.

EDIT: 15th May - Should be finished with this shortly I've read most of the second part of the book and it's really good I'm finding Karim's relationships with the rest of the characters enthralling.

I've also learned about Barclay James Harvest, Paul Bowles, Cecil Beaton, Joseph Goebbels and Lytton Strachey.

EDIT: 16th May - I finished this today. The story of Karim Amir is wonderfully exciting and intriguing. I loved Karim's character and Hanik Kureshi's writing style kept me excited to return time and again. I'm also going look out for music by Lightnin Hopkins and Cole Porter and will definitely read some of Jack Kerouac's work after this. It's a very entertaining read and I also found it very educational.

I'll will most most definitley be seeking Hanik Kureshi's other novels and works after reading this novel and would also like to see if I can find a the BBC mini series.

I'm going to pass this onto KT-J to read before the book club meeting in a few weeks time.

Next Up: Ernest Hemingway - The Old Man and The Sea

Received from Stubee (almost as he's currently in London!). I'll be reading this shortly ready for the June bookclub meeting.

I enjoyed this, parts of it were really funny and the myriad of different characters kept the book interesting. I wasn't sure how much I liked any of the characters but it was a really interesting insight into the politics of the seventies and eighties, and the treatment of ethnic minorities, even if people were born and brought up in Britain.

A good read, although I'm not sure I'd have included it in the 1001 list! Thanks cally-c for including this in the bookbox. I'm not sure what Stubee has planned for this now but I'm sure it will be passed on again at some point.

Reserved for the 1001+ VBB at bookobsessed.com

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Off to arugh48187.... enjoy.

This one was waiting for me in my mailbox when I peered inside today. I will put in on my 1001 stack. The pile is kinda short, so it shouldn't take too long.