Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo



Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Katherine Boo spent 3 ½ years researching this book in a Mumbai slum, focusing on a handful of locals who represent, in different ways, how the inequalities in modern India force people to live.

Annawadi is a makeshift settlement near Mumbai’s airport, dwarfed by new luxury hotels. India is undergoing massive changes and those living in the slum hope, desperately, that some of the new found prosperity will come their way. Boo follows the daily struggles of Abdul as he scours rich people’s rubbish for lucrative scraps, Asha with her hopes for her beautiful and talented daughter, and 15 year old, Kalu, the scrap-metal thief.

Often, the tales are harrowing as the residents conduct their daily battle against their fate and the forces that keep them there, but there are positive moments, too. Unique, authentic, and brilliantly crafted, this book reads like fiction. Despite the heartbreaking stories, it is an enjoyable read and one of my favourite books, lately.

Posted by Katrina H

Catalogue Link: Behind the Beautiful Forevers

Behind the Beautiful Forevers website