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Comments (66)

Behind the Beautiful Forevers

[Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity]
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1 to 25 of 66 items
Jan 15, 2024
Beautiful and haunting book about slums in India.
Mar 03, 2023Edisto rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
It's difficult to think people exist under these situations (hunger, 14 hr work days, constant bribery/corruption, illness). The ultra poor Annawadi slum dwellers in India are resilient.
Jul 23, 2022jg03 rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
There are works of literature that tell you a story and others which invite you for a seat inside - and this book is just that. so well written that at times i felt as though i was "there", witnessing the daily lives of the slum dwellers,…
Nov 20, 2021RamspeckSloan rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
Well written, very informative, and oh, so sad. Based on actual cases, it is "Millionaire Slumlord" without the million.
Apr 04, 2020dirtbag rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Can't say anything bad about this book....well--researched and well-written.
enwatl
Jan 20, 2020
Recommended by Suzy Harrel
Dec 13, 2019LovesBooksAndRedWine rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
This is a nicely written book. I enjoyed the stories and subject matter and was surprised by the authors note at the end saying it was based on real life experiences (with real names). Highly recommend.
Sep 17, 2019Aimee M Trudel rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Jan Reynolds' recommendation - HIGHLY RECOMMENDS IT
May 06, 2019jackhwolf rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
Excellent book. It goes through the daily lives of poor scavengers in Mumbai slum without sentimentality or exploitation but captures the daily insights and challenges of the participants in a way that humanizes them. It highlights the…
Aug 14, 2018
This book begins with the opening sentence: "Midnight was closing in, the one-legged woman was grievously burned, and the Mumbai police were coming for Abdul and his father." For a solid month, I would open the book, read that sentence,…
hrogness
Jul 15, 2018hrogness rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
Amazing story of survival or not in a Mumbai ghetto
Mar 17, 2018rogebc_0 rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
I read this entire book believing that it was a novel and found at the end that it was a piece of journalism. The author visited the slums of Annawadi daily for four years and writes of the lives of the people. Their lives do not…
Mar 26, 2017sgcf rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
I read this book immediately after a 3-week visit to Mumbai which included a private walking tour of the Dharavi slum which was a fascinating look at the ‘hustle’ work ethic and highly organized routines around garbage and recycle…
Feb 24, 2017
This is the best examination I’ve come across about poor people and how they interact with each other; how they manage their poverty in order to survive; and how they relate with government officials when the opportunity arises. Having…
Nov 17, 2016lindab1111 rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Mumbai India is the setting for this beautiful and heartbreaking story. It was striking how corruption completely infiltrated the entire culture in this impoverished setting. Even getting to see a doctor required a payment on the side.…
Nov 02, 2016Riddlereads rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
This is an extremely up-close and intimate look into slum life in Mumbai. There's no sugar-coating here, just the harsh realities of poverty in India. Boo's research is extensive and impressive--very well-written.
Oct 14, 2016mcpk0422 rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Wonderful book that reveals the culture, lives and ethics of the poorest people in Mumbai. The lives revealed are contrasted in brief flashes to the entitled world beyond. Fascinating look at life and struggles of the very poor. …
d10786694p
Sep 17, 2016d10786694p rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
This was a challenging book to read. A few times I nearly gave up. But I persisted and right at the end of the book when it explained how this book came to be written I really appreciated the story much more. Thank you for opening my eyes.
Sep 12, 2016sshuck rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
didn't finish it before it was due
Jul 30, 2016rusty_13 rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
This account of life in a Mumbai slum reads like a novel. I recommend reading the afterward first to understand how the author was able to infiltrate into these people's lives to such an extent she was able to tell their stories in their…
Jul 25, 2016bethwpr rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
I'm going to admit upfront that my star rating for this book is based more on my subjective affinity for it rather than on its overall quality. In terms of quality, I'd give it 4 stars. In terms of things I like to read, I'd give it a 3.…
Jul 12, 2016krae21 rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Difficult but important reading. Eye opening that moved me outside my comfort zone.
Venetia_Kvalic
Jun 23, 2016
For year 12 English
Jun 21, 2016DominiqueKing rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Excellent, eye-opening book. I did not realize these characters are based on actual people!
May 24, 2016starrpwr rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
Well written, meticulously researched and documented, I did not believe I was reading a book of non-fiction at first. Amazing stories that are sad, tragic and hopeful; a 'beautiful' book.