The City of Joy

I spent five years in India, the first two in Calcutta. I was appalled the first day to see fragile two wheel-rickshaws parked near my apartment corner. They were 'taxis' pulled by bare-chested, barefoot men. It took months before I climbed into one and only after my British date explained the favor we would be doing the man who pulled it. We would tip him a month's pay for our ride. He then gave me advice for future rides. Never climb into a rickshaw if you have doubts about the driver and/or he won't give you a fair price. Not many white folk used rickshaws. I was young and more in love with India with every breath. I visited many parts of Calcutta, a sprawling city of 12,000,000 people. Eventually I had a car but liked riding the rickshaws too much to give them up. I could go anywhere in the city at any hour and find a safe ride home. They took care of me. I have never felt so safe. And I have lived many places. I know some of them have to be in the pages of "The City of Joy.""The City of Joy" is epic. I love it. It is a great book. Beautifully written. It is hard to describe its totality. So I'm not going to review it. Instead I quote from the author's " Afterward": "That very first monsoon morning I walked into it. I knew that this wretched inhuman slum of Calcutta called the City of Joy was one of the most extraordinary places on our planet. When I left it two years later with some twenty pads full of notes and hundreds of hours of tape, I knew I had the material for the greatest book of my career, an epic of heroism, love, and faith, glorious tribute to the human capacity to beat adversity and survive every possible tragedy.""This certainly was one of the most extraordinary experiences that a writer could. It changed my life. Living with the heroic inhabitants of the City of Joy completely transformed my sense of priorities and my assessment of the true values of life.".In his Author's Note Dominique Lapierre says that we should not extend his impressions gathered in "The City of Joy" to the whole of India, that they are based on "one small corner of it--a small area of Calcutta called the City of Joy.The City of Joy is not seen by tourists. Much better that they read Lapierre's fantastically rich empathetic description of Calcutta's sub city. and some of her poorest and most heroic. If you think you understand poverty and hardship, if you have travelled to or want to understand India better read this book.

Read 15 or more yrs ago & never forgot. A REAL view of Calcutta & life ; death on the teeming sidewalks. Caste system. Eye Opener

'The City of Joy' was a little worn, but just fine for an excellent read! Thanks, Gail P.

This book told the story of a city, its inhabitants and their coping strategy. The "city of joy" is at the bottom of the list of wealthy places to live. A priest goes to live among the poorest of the poor and this is the tale of how he adapted and what he learned. The book was totally mesmerizing. You really become involved in the lives of everyone. It was an emotionally exhausting journey but well worth it.

LaPierre helped to write O Jerusalem and Is Paris Burning--both great books that are documented by facts. In the City of Joy, LaPierre tells the stories of families and priests and others (haven't finished it yet) and gives a truthful feel for Calcutta with its sadness, its greatness, its smells and feels. Our church has a mission there in the city. I am enjoying "seeing and feeling" the city even though I cannot physically go there. I will share it with my pastor, on the board of the mission and his daughter who is there as a missionary.

Not my favorite Dominique Lapierre book. Try Freedom at Midnight a great book on the division of India in 1947 at the end of British rule. This is one of my very favourite books.

The story is great. It keeps you interested in so many characters and each chapter brings a new challenge to each one. The really interesting thing though is the “study” the complete poverty has on the people of the City of Joy and how, because of it and I spite of it, the truly care for each other. We are talking about Christians, Muslims, Hindus, all living, carding and supporting each other. I would have loved to had it on my Kindle because the print in the paperback is so small but well worth the strain.

a great read for all it doesn't matter your faith