blearywitch's review against another edition
5.0
"Life was becoming a bore. Boredom was written all over my face. Life should be interesting and exciting otherwise what is the point in going on?...All trapped in the meaningless quest for money, creature comforts and hankering for social respectability. We frittered away the best years of our lives in banalities. The world had so much more to offer than we were taking from it: beautiful places, beautiful people. Beautiful paintings and sculptures for the eys to behold. Beautiful music and songs. The fragrance of flowers; the aroma of the parched earth when the first drops of rain fall on it. Tasty food and wines to tickle the palate; roasted nuts with premium Scotch; avocado pears with chilled Pouille Fusse; wild rice with creamed mushroom sauce and juicy steaks with rich Barolo or Burgundy; trifle followed by sips of Drambuie, Cointreau, orange Curacao, Grand Marniere or Cognac. And after a good meal, a Havana cigar."
This book is not at all what some of the negative reviews made it out to be. In fact, the above excerpt proves that there is a lot to reflect on and that this novel is about life, and sex just happens to be a part of life. Mohan Kumar led a pretty normal life but the storytelling made it riveting. I thought his sexual adventures would be obscene but it was very factual and relatable. India, the people, the culture, the taboos, is all incredibly interesting so I enjoyed his attempts at skirting societal norms to achieve his goals. If you love India, want to get inside one man's head, as well as beautiful and clever penmanship, this will do it for you. Khushwant was eighty-three when he started writing this and he finished it when he was eighty-five.
On Mohan Kumar: Apart from being so full of himself, there are so many other similarities to my husband - purchase a house without consulting me, name the children what he wants, leaves for a trip without any notice, does not apologize for the sake of peace, drinks alcohol too often, does not like to talk very much, usually cold and distant; warmth and closeness only when he has been away for a few days. - I suppose most men seem like this to their wives.
"The message of the Gita - Nish kama karma: Do your duty without expectation of reward. When you engage in the battle of life, do so regardless of whether you win or lose, whether it gives you pleasure or pain."
It would serve me well to remember this.
This book is not at all what some of the negative reviews made it out to be. In fact, the above excerpt proves that there is a lot to reflect on and that this novel is about life, and sex just happens to be a part of life. Mohan Kumar led a pretty normal life but the storytelling made it riveting. I thought his sexual adventures would be obscene but it was very factual and relatable. India, the people, the culture, the taboos, is all incredibly interesting so I enjoyed his attempts at skirting societal norms to achieve his goals. If you love India, want to get inside one man's head, as well as beautiful and clever penmanship, this will do it for you. Khushwant was eighty-three when he started writing this and he finished it when he was eighty-five.
On Mohan Kumar: Apart from being so full of himself, there are so many other similarities to my husband - purchase a house without consulting me, name the children what he wants, leaves for a trip without any notice, does not apologize for the sake of peace, drinks alcohol too often, does not like to talk very much, usually cold and distant; warmth and closeness only when he has been away for a few days. - I suppose most men seem like this to their wives.
"The message of the Gita - Nish kama karma: Do your duty without expectation of reward. When you engage in the battle of life, do so regardless of whether you win or lose, whether it gives you pleasure or pain."
It would serve me well to remember this.
shivam01anand's review against another edition
3.0
Started as an interesting journey about relations, inevitably betrayed by authors laughable lust seeping through. Should be "company of me"
surjavo_21's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
abhijeetgaiha's review
4.0
I had to knock off a star for the contrived ending but it's still a solid book. The story a mix of biting satire on Indian hypocrisies and the search for a meaningful relationship by the protagonist amongst this ocean of hypocrisy. It might be disguised as erotica but the book, like others by the author, often reveals unexpected depths and insights.
tejaswini30's review
1.0
A self-made man, educated from a Western University, where he also has sex with multiple women comes back to India, starts a business, gets married (if he was so educated he could have taken a stand and not get married to a desi woman), has kids with wife, complains about how marriage kills sexual life while not giving a damn about his kids or wife. He doesn't actively participate in domestic life, again complains about his kids not attached to him, blames everything on wife who leaves him with their kids. Also cheats on her, sleeps with many women objectifying them continuously and justifying all his sexual advances and urges with loneliness and a need for companionship. Also washes his sins in Ganga, while observing a female companion bathe in Ganga, still thinking about her breasts and body. All the women in this book, who apparently are supposed to be taken as sexually liberated, never stop him if he denies using a condom, every woman is in awe with his big dick and are always willing to put this man's pleasure first than the risk of contracting a sexual disease (okay then).
In all the years, there is no attempt by the protagonist to make things good with his children but he always finds a way to blame everything on his wife.
This book claims to be an 'uninhibited, erotic and endless entertaining celebration of Love, Sex and passion' but is actually a story of an entitled man with zero control over his sexual urges living his life on his own terms while destroying the lives of two children.
Note to everyone - Never read books that say 'erotica' and are written by men.
In all the years, there is no attempt by the protagonist to make things good with his children but he always finds a way to blame everything on his wife.
This book claims to be an 'uninhibited, erotic and endless entertaining celebration of Love, Sex and passion' but is actually a story of an entitled man with zero control over his sexual urges living his life on his own terms while destroying the lives of two children.
Note to everyone - Never read books that say 'erotica' and are written by men.
jahangeer's review
3.0
Its hard to review on these kinds of things , really hard to find anything worth praising. Never knew that this is going to be like that, just bought it casually one day, so i have had nothing but to read, so its only for too broader people. I m afraid , i m not one of those.
em_beddedinbooks's review
2.0
Well, the company of women wasn't that enjoyable.
I read this book pushing aside all better reads just to satisfy my morbid curiosity.
Story of Mohan , a recently separated man, with a more than healthy sexual drive who is in a constant quest to prey upon (wrong word, as the women too wee equally guilty here) different women.
Part one is his escapades after separation, and part 2 in the form of his diary regarding his conquests starting at an early age.
On the whole it was insipid. The women involved were psychological replicas (though physically came in all sizes and shapes, which our Mohan hasn't failed to describe with gusto)
This book makes me pity humankind as it seems that all men and most women are basically polygamous and are just waiting for opportunities .
Left a bad taste behind, that slightly nauseating feel that descends upon one who reads late into the night, that too mediocre stuff.
The story had potentials, if his failing marriage would have been stressed upon, and the various escapades kept to a basic minimum.
I read this book pushing aside all better reads just to satisfy my morbid curiosity.
Story of Mohan , a recently separated man, with a more than healthy sexual drive who is in a constant quest to prey upon (wrong word, as the women too wee equally guilty here) different women.
Part one is his escapades after separation, and part 2 in the form of his diary regarding his conquests starting at an early age.
On the whole it was insipid. The women involved were psychological replicas (though physically came in all sizes and shapes, which our Mohan hasn't failed to describe with gusto)
This book makes me pity humankind as it seems that all men and most women are basically polygamous and are just waiting for opportunities .
Left a bad taste behind, that slightly nauseating feel that descends upon one who reads late into the night, that too mediocre stuff.
The story had potentials, if his failing marriage would have been stressed upon, and the various escapades kept to a basic minimum.
ayereads's review
2.0
This is the first book that had me thoroughly disappointed from the end to start. For starters Khushwant Singh is a rich writer, his characters are complex. But in this book it felt as if all of the characters (especially the women) were very two dimensional, they only existed to be sexually attractive to our protagonist and the readers ofc.
Also Mohan Kumar is one of the worst written characters ever. His constant judgement of the society he lived in and at the end of the day doing the same thing was truly exasperating.
Also as a bonus if anyone else would have mentioned about the considerable length of Mohan's 'lingum' , i would have puked.
Also Mohan Kumar is one of the worst written characters ever. His constant judgement of the society he lived in and at the end of the day doing the same thing was truly exasperating.
Also as a bonus if anyone else would have mentioned about the considerable length of Mohan's 'lingum' , i would have puked.
tavleen_words's review
3.0
2.5 stars
The only piece of work by Khushwant Singh that I had read before was his short story The Portrait of a Lady. I absolutely loved that story and I especially loved his powerful writing. After reading the synopsis, I wasn't expecting much from this book and didn't get much either.
I honestly don't know what to make of this book. It is the life story of a man with an insatiable sex drive and who seeks the company of different women. I'm trying to understand if there is a purpose behind this book. What is it trying to tell us? I liked how it portrayed the reality of Indian society but what I can't decipher is Mohan Kumar and his story. I certainly hope I like his other works more.
The only piece of work by Khushwant Singh that I had read before was his short story The Portrait of a Lady. I absolutely loved that story and I especially loved his powerful writing. After reading the synopsis, I wasn't expecting much from this book and didn't get much either.
I honestly don't know what to make of this book. It is the life story of a man with an insatiable sex drive and who seeks the company of different women. I'm trying to understand if there is a purpose behind this book. What is it trying to tell us? I liked how it portrayed the reality of Indian society but what I can't decipher is Mohan Kumar and his story. I certainly hope I like his other works more.
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