Nov 16, 1998

Dilip Bobb

There's a new trend emerging in the publishing business. Official reports being turned into instant bestsellers. The Starr Report and Clinton's testimony started the boom and publishers are licking their chops in anticipation of similar success in the Indian marketplace. Rumour has it that they have already made approaches to certain prominent people. Some possibilities.

How I Lost My Onions by Sushma Swaraj
Real tear-jerker this. The plot revolves around the travails of a woman fighting a lone battle against mounting odds. Undeterred, the heroine takes to the streets at night, television crews in tow, to document her crusade against the forces of evil. However, there's an intriguing twist in the tale. The cameras show her taking action against hoarders and blackmarketeers but in the end it turns out that it's all a conspiracy hatched by the Congress party to rub salt into her wounds. Headline-grabbing stuff but the ending is a bit weak.

Why I See Red by Mamata Banerjee
Female firebrand comes out throwing rights and lefts against the reigning heavyweight, Jyoti Basu. Emerges bruised and battered, claiming her opponents have bitten off more than they can chew and proving why she is such a thorn in the side of the West Bengal mafia. Makes Basu see Red instead. However, the somewhat hysterical prose and her habit of always seeing sheep in wolf's clothing, dilutes her credibility. Sales depend on whether the book is marketed under fiction or non-fiction.

Me and My Rickshaw by Laloo Prasad Yadav
Provides much fodder for thought, being the rollicking adventures of India's Robin Hood who takes from the rich to give to the poor, like he did with the rickshaw puller who doubled his life's savings. However, there all resemblance to the famous outlaw ends, since the CBI believes it's his in-laws who have also received similar gratuities. Earthy entertainment, including his prison diary which tries to prove that caste has no bars.

Me and My Helicopter by Romesh Sharma
Another book which should sell well since it involves the Don of a new age. Along with Shiv Khera, Deepak Chopra and other motivational gurus, another layman's guide on how to succeed in life using simple methods, the first being to join a political party. Offers advice on the right ingredients for success in today's competitive world; sex, the mafia, crooked cops and politicians, blackmail and sleaze. Moral of the story: crime pays, politics pays better.

Me and My Big Mouth by H.D. Deve Gowda
The sympathy wave he earned in the wake of his joining the swelling ranks of former prime ministers may have abated as quickly as his government fell, but Deve Gowda still believes his popularity remains undiminished. Unfortunately, it is a belief not shared by many, including his supporters in Karnataka. The humble farmer is humbled once again but continues to shoot from the lip. A cautionary tale with contemporary significance. Co-authored by Mayawati and Kanshi Ram.

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