I found the stories by Vikram Chandra readable but that's about it. They are not particularly gripping or engrossing or moving.

Most of the stories are same kind of stories that you would read about in any 'police story' vernacular magazine (for example, 'Dakshata' in Marathi) and about the same appeal.

Also, the selection of the first story (about the ghost) is really bad. It turned me off completely, but I plodded on. Fortunately, the stories get a little better as the book progresses and a couple of them I remember even after 2 weeks (!)

If you are looking for Bombay backdrop, I would any day recommend Rohinton Mistry.

A year ago, I read the Booker Prize-winning novelist Arundhati Roy's _The God of Small Things_ on a whim and - I'll admit it - on its wave of accolades. I enjoyed it thoroughly. It heralded for me a year of informal study of South Asian literature written in English. The next book I happened to pick up was Vikram Chandra's _Love and Longing in Bombay_, a collection of three short stories and two novellas that left me with an even stronger sentiment, one of being simply "blown away".

The five tales in this collection are, at several levels, linked to one another and though the title of the collective work might suggest otherwise, they deal with nearly every aspect of contemporary life in India. If there is any one theme that stands out, I would submit that it is that age-old topic of literature: loss. These are "slice of life" stories that reflect upon the dazzling complexities, conflicts and vicissitudes inherent to life and they - like life itself - do not arrive at neatly packaged conclusions.

I found the prose to be at once simple, yet elegant and sophisticated. The storytelling prowess of Mr. Chandra is obvious from the get go, and though it is undoubtedly true that he has been endowed with a gift from the gods, it is also equaly true that the young author is a well-studied stylist. There are passages in this collection that I have committed to memory, simply for the joy of hearing the language in my mind. Mr. Chandra is an incredibly observant, psychologically-minded and sensitive author and his supremely well-rounded characters have stayed with me - shall I dare say? - for an entire year, such is the impact of his prose.

With the exception of the final tale ("Shanti"), they are all set in Bombay, the mega-metropolis of modern-day India. Each one is begun with the enigmatic storyteller, a retired civil servant named Subramaniam, uttering the enticing, "Listen," and each one may be considered a genre piece. So, for example, there is a ghost story ("Dharma"), a high-brow soap opera ("Shakti"), and a murder mystery detective story ("Kama"). If - as people have correctly pointed out to me - each one is a gem, then the two novellas, "Kama" and "Artha", I would argue, are very close to being nearly perfectly-cut diamonds.

Having given this collection as a gift to a number of people, I can state unabashedly that not one has uttered anything short of superlative to describe his time spent with this book. I, for one, started each story with a piping hot cup of chai masala and could hardly wait to come back to them after a long day's work. This one is a must read for anyone who enjoys that sublime pleasure of succumbing to the powers of a truly gifted and immensely talented storyteller.

I am a teenager of Indian origin, and have just recently started reading books written by talented, young Indian authors. (Arundhati Roy, Ardashir Vakil, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni) What attracts me to these books is the way these authors have managed to steer away from the stereotypical "Indian lifestyle" and all the clichés that come along with being of Indian heritage. This books consists of several short stories; all of which take place in Bombay; the metropolis of India. Vikram Chandra focuses solely on the modern aspects of India, and this book is an excellent read.

This book was definitely the most unique novel I ever read. It's basically a story of a man who is reincarneted into a monkey(His name is Sanjay) and then must tell tales of his life. Additional to Sanjay's story, there is also Abhay's modern college stories. At times the book is a little confusing; your full attention must be on the book when reading. But all in all, Red Earth and Pouring Rain was an excellent bok.

Being a non-Indian American who has always taken particular interest in Indian culture, theology and history, I purchased this novel with a fair amount of anticipation. After reading the first chapter alone, I was most pleased to have realized that not only had I discovered a book that would add much to my understanding of India, but, more importantly, I knew that I had chanced upon an eminently talented, creative and gifted author. After reading the entire novel, I realized two important things: 1) Not only does the novel enhance one's comprehension of India, but, there is much to learn about America and the western hemisphere as well -- the universal applicability of the book can not be missed; and, 2) I would need to quickly re-arrange my personal top-ten book list! "Red Earth & Pouring Rain" is a novel worth much more than its cover price -- its stories resonate far beyond their pages. The book is therefore one that any serious lover of literature should read. Chandra gives us: characters to love -- we simply can not forget them; prose that is at once entirely accessible and powerfully compelling; symbol, irony, profundity, and all the rest. With surprising grace, skill and rhythm, the author transports readers across multiple centuries and continents through a series of perfectly interwoven stories -- never forgetting to bring us back home again. What results is a whole, cohesive narrative of love and lives, war and wonders -- one which prompts readers to consider important questions -- questions political, spiritual, philosophical, cultural, familial... and natural, such as his ending to Chapter 1, spoken by our primary protagonist, the primate we simply must love, Sanjay: "...surely this must be enough, to feel these things and to know that all this exists together, the earth and its seas, the sky and its suns." Don't read another book before reading this one.

I love this book! It pulled me in and wouldn't let go.
The main narrative follows the story of three "brothers" in their journeys of life, where magical --and mythical-- influences abound. It begins in ancient India, and ends in modern times. The sub-story captures the malaise of a modern young adult who isn't sure where he fits in the world.

In the first reading, I got a little lost in the story within a story, within a story, within a story ....you get the idea. Stick with it -- it isn't critical to enjoyment that you keep it all straight.

Good book for those who like a little magic in their stories, who want insight into the Indian culture and perspectives, who like a rousing tale of love, longing, battles, sacrifices, and consequences of personal choices, and the possibility to do better the next time around.

I read, and then re-read this book. Enjoyed it even more the second time!