Thank you for supporting The Atlantic. Such a Long Journey. writer and his works mostly deal with the pathos and culture of the Parsis in Since then the word metaphysical has been used for Donne and his followers. His fiction is well-known, but little is known about how the man himself thinks. Rohinton Mistry is an excellent story teller who, to paraphrase Labov's (1997) words about . Determined that this interview, which had undoubtedly gotten off to a less than sterling start, be a good one, I finally began and, though Mistry is a shy and initially quiet subject, he warmed up quickly and dazzled me frequently with his brilliance and quiet wit. from the University of Toronto in 1984. His first book, Swimming Lessons and Other Stories From Firozsha Baag (1987), was a wryly humorous series of interlocking tales rather in the manner of his countryman R. K. Narayan, or at least identifiable as part of the same gentle fictional tradition. . When you buy a book using a link on this page, we receive a commission. [8], His second book, the novel Such a Long Journey, was published in 1991. nature of communal and personal identity from a Parsi perspective. Rohinton Mistry is the author of three novels that were all shortlisted for the Booker Prize, and a collection of short stories, Tales from Firozsha Baag. Omissions? The number reached fifty-eight in the final issue of 1625. As the miniscule, unrelenting rigours of daily life are narrated, the prose allows the characters thoughts and motives to come through. the young student Maneck Kohlah, come together. But it was his debut novel, 1991's Such a Long Journey, that established Mistry as an international literary force: that book won Canada's Governor General's Award for fiction, the Commonwealth Writer's Award for Best Book of the Year, and the WH Smith Books in Canada First Novel Award, and it was nominated for the UK-based Booker Prize -- now known as the Man Booker -- and the Trillium Award. These stories Canadian author Mistry's novel "Such a Long Journey" was also adapted for the screen, with the 1998 movie starring veteran British-Indian actor Roshan Seth. 2002 Family Matters published. But his books just three novels and one collection of short stories, besides the odd single story here and there have sold hundreds of thousands of copies. He is originally from India, but currently resides in Brampton, Ontario, Canada. also won. used to describe the growing number of Indian-born authors who write about Like many metropolitan, middle-class children of the time, he grew up reading Enid Blyton. His brother is the playwright and author Cyrus Mistry.He earned a BA in Mathematics and Economics from St. Xavier's College, Bombay.. His collection of short stories, Tales from Firozsha Baag (1987; also published as Swimming Lessons and Other Stories from Firozsha Baag), was warmly greeted by critics and general readers alike for its insights into the complex lives of the Parsi inhabitants of Firozsha Baag, an apartment building in Mumbai. It was later published in the United States as Swimming Lessons and Other Stories from Firozsha Baag. In 2010 the book made headlines when it was withdrawn from the University of Mumbai 's English syllabus after complaints from the Maharashtrian politician Aditya Thackeray. Tehmul, a seemingly unimportant and mentally disabled character, is essential in Gustad's life, as he brings out his tender side and represents the innocence of life. Rohinton Mistry was born in 1952 and grew up in Bombay, India, where he also attended university. universal lies in the ordinary. A. in English and Philosophy. Their homes have been burnt by the His first novel, Such a Long Journey, won the Governor General's Award, the Commonwealth Writers Prize for Best Book, and the SmithBooks/Books in Canada First Novel Award. We can only reflect, with the author, that "where humans were concerned, the only emotion that made sense was wonder, at their ability to endure," and notice that those of Mistry's characters who retain this ability are those who have also retained their sense of humor. It won the Governor General's Award, the Commonwealth Writers Prize for Best Book, and the W.H. . Immaterial possessions are just as evanescent; memory itself fragments and fades. . They were usually actors as well as dramatists. in 1947 influenced another Parsi Diaspora, this time to the West. Sohrab and Darius are his sons. But one should not forget that nature needs the help of art to control its wild impulses. Mistrys debut novel, Such a Long Journey (1991; film version, 1998), is an intricate tale of the triumphs and disasters of a kindhearted bank clerks friends and family set in India in 1971, a time of domestic turbulence and war with Pakistan. Nandini Bhautoo- Dewnarain observes: Most of the stories in this volume are marked by the use of [5] The Chief Minister of Maharashtra Ashok Chavan (Member of Congress Party) stated that the book was "highly abusive and objectionable". He stood upon the chair and pulled at the The romantic city images are finally lost. What makes the final pages of A Fine Balance heartbreaking is not that we see the protagonists' lives so hideously diminished but that in spite of it all they are still laughing. John Lyly: As a dramatist Lyly occupies a p, John Milton is one of the greatest poets of England. He was awarded the Neustadt International Prize for Literature in 2012. Rohinton Mistry is the author of three novels, all of which have been shortlisted for the Booker Prize, and a collection of short stories, Tales from Firo disappearance of his bosom friend, Major Jimmy Bilimoria from Khodadad Rohinton Mistry was born in 1952 and grew up in Bombay, India, where he also attended university. Mrs. Shroff knew that her son, Nusswan, could be of no help in this enterprise. In the meantime, Roxanna and her family look poverty in the face full on as a result of the financial burden Nariman's arrival has meant. Politics form an important subtext to the main action of all three novels of Rohinton Mistry. Gustad's wife must sell some gold bracelets to buy medicine . Others were Lyly, Peele, Greene, Lodge, Nashe and Kyd. Mistrys avatar as a musician made a comeback at an award ceremony for a lifetime achievement award where he surprised his audience by singing during his speech. Her fifth novel, Death Was in the Picture, is published by St. Martin's Minotaur/Thomas Dunne Books. Corrections? they develop their relationships. of Firozsha Baag, an apartment building in Mumbai. story of the protagonist, Gustad, who is a bank employee. Such a Long Journey is the first novel from Canada-based Indian writer Rohinton Mistry. Its sense is 'what is beyond physical'. "No happiness is more lasting than the happiness that you get from fulfilling your parents' wishes," a family friend tells him, and he allows himself to believe this lie. He just walked out of the village, and walked on and on till h, INTRODUCTION: Longinus is one of the greatest Greek critics. Gustads happiness does not last Assistant Professor. It is loosely based upon a series of real It was made into an acclaimed feature film in 1998. Activity. Rushdies magic realism is Realism with a capital R in, to present a fresh perspective on his native He obtained a British-style education at the University of Bombay . He is a socio-political novelist who has emerged as a formidable writer on world literary scene.' 2 Mistry, a great novelist and short-storywriter, was born into a Parsi family on July 3, 1952 in Bombay (now Mumbai), India's biggest city and heavily populated place in the world. [10], His third book, and second novel, A Fine Balance (1995), won the second annual Giller Prize in 1995, and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Fiction in 1996. He acquired immortal recognition as an essayist. At U of T, Mistry won the Hart House literary award for his short stories and remains . confront hardships in life, he has some dreams about the future prosperity of 30. Mistry's work illustrates the comment only too effectively; and yet this essence, seen through his eyes, is still beautiful. Rohinton Mistry rflects the reality of India's post colonial greedy politics of corruption, oppression, exploitation . the political corruption are the major themes of this novel. He advises how to overcome the vices of sublime. While working at a bank, he continued studying and earned a B.A. Read More About: A Fine Balance, Swimming Lessons and Such a Long Journey were the work of a miniaturist, tightly contained within one claustrophobic community. Why did Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata build the Taj Mahal Hotel in Bombay? His first book was a widely praised collection of stories, "Swimming Lessons and Other Stories From . Among them fable, theme, characters, machinery, episodes, integrity, sentiment and grand style are significant. He was awarded the Neustadt International Prize for Literature in 2012. While it is certainly a fascinating read and tries hard to show that there is humanity in the world, it is also rather unpleasant with vicious cruelty abounding, from men having their genitals burned off by hot coals to forcible and botched . It won the 1996 Commonwealth Writers Prize and was shortlisted for the 1996 Booker prize. In 1975 he emigrated to Canada, where he began a course in English and Philosophy at the University of Toronto.He is the author of three novels and one collection of short stories. According to him, Shakespeare is, par excellence, the poet of nature. . 1 /0 Family Matters, by Rohinton Mistry . An extra 750,000 copies of the novel are printed, 500,000 of which are sold. Here Longinus discusses the meaning, the nature and the sources of sublime. "A Fine Balance", p.758, Vintage. Rohinton Mistry is the author of three novels, all of which have been shortlisted for the Booker Prize, and a collection of short stories. . He kept the last seed in his mouth for some time, rolling it, Charles Lamb is a shining star in the sky of English essay. The book was prescribed for the second year Bachelor of Arts (English) in 200708 as an optional text, according to University sources. Family Matters, Mistry's new novel, charts the effects of religious bigotry and rigid traditionalism as they work their insidious way through generations of a family. of view on the intractable complexities of life in India. Though it could change direction, I have at least a vague idea of where it might go." WHAT IS METAPHYSICAL POETRY: The term metaphysics means something supernatural and transcendental. The novel not only follows Gustad's life, but also India's political turmoil under the leadership of Indira Gandhi. The Literary Review, with some justice, called A Fine Balance "the India novel, the novel readers have been waiting for since E. M. In fact, both nature and art contribute to sublimity in literature. Rohinton Mistry's A Fine Balance, is set in 1975 in an unnamed city, which can easily be identified as Bombay. Savita Yadav, now 18 years old, displaying a copy of the book "A Fine Balance", by Rohinton Mistry with her picture on the cover. Here the poet has maintained the classical tradition of epic writing. The citizen world. In fact, absurd drama presents human life and human situation as absurd. Rohinton Mistry is arguably Canada's most beloved and popular writer. narrative modes enable multiple perspectives within each of the stories, thus His books have won multiple awards, and he has accepted honorary . INTRODUCTION: John Donne is the leader and founder of the Metaphysical school of poetry. He holds up to his readers a faithful mirror of manners and of life. hilarious. It was also an Oprah Book Club selection and a finalist for the Booker. His realism and transparent style are always Despite In other words, A fine Balance, can teach us a lot about life in the postcolonial world within the current regime . Mistry eventually returned to university . In Nelson, Emmanuel Sampath (Ed. Rohinton Mistry CM (born 1952) is an Indian-born Canadian writer. This high praise is not exaggerated. His fiction has won prestigious prizes in Canada and around the world. Things are not explained but they are merely hinted at. When Coomy successfully offloads her stepfather onto her half-sister, schemes are set in motion that have far-reaching consequences. They understood the requirements of the stage and felt the pulse of the audience. BACON AND MONTAIGNE: Bacon borrowed, The drama before Shakespeare found its full flowering with the dramatists called the University Wits . He grew up as a member of middle class Parsi He still Asian America has produced numerous short-story writers in the 20th century. His writings give a glimpse into the life of the people of his community It grew to thirty-eight in the edition of 1612. He worked in a bank for a while, before returning to academia at the . How our familial connections can bring out the very best in us. A foreigner drew a magic line on a map and called it a new border; it became a . He has shattered conventions and pioneered a new kind of drama. Mistry's best-known novel is a big novel in both senses of the word. Based on a complaint, the Board of Studies (English), which had recommended the book earlier, resolved that it must be withdrawn with effect from September 15. When smartphones have great cameras, why are Gen Z-ers buying old point-and-shoot models? Building, Sohrabs refusal to enroll himself as an IIT student, upset him. from the University of Bombay. Rohinton Mistry was born in 1952 in Mumbai and is of Parsi descent. It took him about half an hour to walk home, and by the time he reached the cottage there were only three cherries left. In the Paradise Lost Milton has, Grab this Headline Animator Samuel Beckett is a revolutionary playwright. More from A Fine Balance. The revelation of this fact, and the striking, even emblematic, manner of the two men's deaths, are unforgettable. There is no question Rohinton Mistry is the most famous & most loved celebrity of all the time. Rohinton Mistry has emerged as a formidable writer on the world literary scene. Mistry's first novel, Such a Long Journey (1991), brought him national and international recognition. After all, Dina, at twelve, was Daddy's darling. google_ad_height = 90; Whatever else he is or will be as an author - bestseller, Governor General's Award winner, Booker Prize nominee - let him be known, now and forever, as having been Oprahed. Nariman Vakeel is an aging patriarch whose advancing Parkinson's disease and its related complications threaten to destroy his large Parsi family. David took himself cheerfully back to the bar. One is that Mistry proved to be an astonishingly good photo subject. There is nothing significant in the play. Dialogues are very short and crisp. . [2] His brother is the playwright and author Cyrus Mistry. "Losing, and losing again," one of Mistry's characters insists, "is the very basis of the life process, till all we are left with is the bare essence of human existence." The soil was stony, and the dry cold winds stunted the growth of most plants. Within the limited space of the home, the individual has certain control over its functioning. Such a Long Journey takes place in Bombay (present-day Mumbai) in the year 1971. After a few years in Canada, he began to write stories . "Rustomji and his wife Mehroo are not stock comic Parsis; they are real human beings who at the end of the story almost become tragic characters" (Bharucha 74). Mistry has a keenly developed feeling for the absurd: there is hardly a page in all of his fiction that isn't funny on one level or another. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The book is set in 1975. Rohinton Mistry is the author of three novels that were all shortlisted for the Booker Prize, and a collection of short stories, Tales from Firozsha Baag. Rohinton Mistry is not a household name, but it should be. According to Nandini Bhautoo- Dewnarain: Rohinton Mistry is a writer with great honesty of imagination. Rohinton Mistry was born in Bombay, India, to a Parsi family. Later, Dr. Rajan Welukar, University of Mumbai's Vice-Chancellor (V-C) used emergency powers in the Maharashtra Universities Act, 1994, to withdraw the book from the syllabus. In 1975, at the age of 23, he immigrated to Canada where he studied at the University of Toronto and received a B. From 1820 to 1833, essay writing was his main occupation. PERS. | March 2003. his family, He has three children. She allows two tailors, , to share her apartment. Mistry attempts at giving details about the lifestyles and culture of the Parsis wherever he gets an opportunity in his fiction. In October 2011, he was awarded the 2012 Neustadt International A Fine Balance won the Giller Prize, the Los Angeles Times' award for fiction and the Royal Society of Literature's Winifred Holtby Prize. [3], He emigrated to Canada with his wife-to-be Freny Elavia in 1975 and they married shortly afterwards. It didn't take long for others to notice. looting and burning the poor and the innocent people. at home and abroad. His brother, Cyrus, went on to become a playwright and award-winning novelist, whose novel Chronicle of a Corpse Bearer , which won the DSC Prize for South Asian literature in 2014, is an interesting companion to his brothers books as it brings to light a marginalised community that carries and cleans dead bodies for the Parsis. What does that mean?". [6] Former Vice-Chancellor of Mumbai University and Member of the Planning Commission of India Bhalchandra Mungekar stated: "I'm fully convinced, even giving the benefit of the doubt to the book being a piece of fiction, that some sentences are certainly objectionablethere is a difference between dissenting with the political and social philosophy of an individual or organisation, and abusing the individual by name". Mistry was a finalist for Lamb's readers appreciate him for his wisdom, for his humanity, for his genial humour, for his profound pathos, for his sweet temperament and for his style. It manages to be warm and familiar, while -- for North American readers, at any rate -- fragrantly exotic. These dramatists were well-educated scholars. He paid fifty paisa for the bunch. His first novel, Such a Long Journey was made into an acclaimed feature film in 1998. He obtained a degree in mathematics and economics from the University of Bombay (now the University of Mumbai) before moving to Canada in 1975. In Nelson, Emmanuel Sampath (Ed. Critics have praised Mistry's ability to present a fresh perspective on his Browse 28 rohinton mistry stock photos and images available or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. At this everybody gathered round young Velan and made fun of him. A three-storeyed house for Velan indeed! When it was published in 1991, it won the Governor General's Award, the Commonwealth Writers Prize for Best Book, and the W.H. literature reflects his position as a member of a twice-displaced people. His father had mortgaged every bit of property he had, and worked, with his whole family, on other peoples lands in return for a few annas a week . He is a very popular member of Indian diaspora. It's no longer a conversation if I have an audience." Evaluate, Prototype, Architect, Design, Lead and Develop Projects involving Custom software. Rohinton Mistry. Rohinton Mistry was born on the 3rd of July, 1952. workers. The story plumbs its protagonist's struggle with aging and long. His second, Such a Long Journey (1991), remained anchored in the world of his earlier stories, that of petit bourgeois Parsi families who struggle, sometimes desperately, to hold on to precarious livelihoods and dwindling status in decaying Bombay apartment blocks, and who dream of emigrating to Canada"not just the land of milk and honey," as one of Mistry's characters, fed up with Bombay's foul aromas, puts it, but "also the land of deodorant and toiletry.". Will he write another one? characters in the contemporary India., Mistry narrates a pathetic and rather gloomy The story is centred around an old man, Nariman, who is known by the neighbourhood children of A Block as a slightly unpredictable, albeit entertaining storyteller. His dreams are shattered. remembering.. In a plot twist that only Mistryor Dickenscould have come up with, Beggarmaster and Shankar turn out to be half brothers. This volume contains the oft-anthologized story, "Swimming Lessons". There was very little there. similarities and differences in the writings of Mistry and. discontent on the high-class people. Smith/Books in Canada First Novel Award. Mistry says that writing is an organic process for him. the 2011 Man Booker International Prize, which recognizes an author's entire 9 talking about this. Nariman's wife and his lover, for instance, are perversely joined in death as they were, much against their wills, during their lives. Each of his first three novels were shortlisted for the Booker Prize. It was also confirmed that Dr. Rajan Welukar, University of Mumbai's Vice-Chancellor (V-C) used the emergency powers under Section 14 (7) of the Maharashtra Universities Act, 1994, to withdraw the book from the syllabus. The same prestigious award he also won the His first completed short story, "One Sunday," won the Hart House literary prize. In Hussain's own utterance: The police were . The first reference of its kind, this volume includes alphabetically arranged entries for 49 nationally and internationally acclaimed Asian American writers of short fiction. related to Mistry. He also He wrote under the pseudonym of Elia. Rohinton Mistry (2008). In November Mistry cancels the second half of his US promotional tour, citing the 'unbearable humiliation' of the racial . By portraying a cross section of Indian society especially those who called rubbish, the writers draw the real picture of India. It was made into an acclaimed feature film in 1998. India. Noble struggles on various fronts: with the threat of war, his youngest daughter's persistent illness, his wife's superstitious beliefs . Genre. and their experiences as a minority in a highly diverse society. This paper dealt with 20th century gender inconsistencies of feminism and their privileges between men and women social life in Indian society narrated by Rohinton Mistry's Novel, "A . isolation. FIDELITY TO FACTS OF NATURE: 'The Preface to Shakespeare' deals with Johnson's judgment of Shakespeare as a dramatist. his status as a relative novice, his literary stature continued to rise when he The Canadian writer Rohinton Mistry is well known for his unique and intricate style of writing that's immediately arresting to the reader. His last novel, Family Matters, was published in 2002. His first novel, Such a Long Journey, won the Governor General's Award, the Commonwealth Writers Prize for Best Book, and the SmithBooks/Books in Canada First Novel Award. What could be worse? He earned a B. [7], Three years later, Penguin Books Canada published his collection of 11 short stories, Tales from Firozsha Baag. He belongs to the minority Parsi . Or a bank clerk drawn into fraudulent activities by the government. The fifty-year-old Toronto resident, originally from Bombay, has long been recognized as one of the best Indian writers; he ought to be considered simply one of the best writers, Indian or otherwise, now alive. According to L, INTRODUCTION: Bacon, the father of English essay, is the first great English essayist who enjoys a glorious reputation. Laughingly she said, "It's a Canadian book about India. t the end of May 1997, 50 years after India's independence, 11 Indian writers were brought together in London by the New Yorker magazine for a group photograph celebrating the world-wide success of contemporary Indian writing. It remains my focus and makes it all worthwhile . google_ad_width = 728; Lack of action is one of the major characteristics of an absurd play. These multi-voiced and dialogic Chronicle Of a Corpse Bearer (2012) won him DSC Prize for South Asian Literature at the Jaipur Literature Festival, making him second Indian after Jeet Thayil to be entitled with DSC prize. Sink or Swim: An Analysis of Rohinton Mistry's "Swimming Lessons" The second date is today's date the date you are citing the material. Department of English, . He is the only He is called the prince among English essayists. Back in Bombay. presents the events and details of the characters' struggles to find their He began writing short stories and won the universitys literary competition two years in a row. Also find out how he got rich at the age of 69. //-->, 1975: Immigrates to Canada at the age of 23, 1987: Publication of first book, 11 connected short stories entitled Swimming Lessons and Other Stories from the Firozsha Bag, 1991: Publication of first novel, Such a Long Journey. He Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. So is the case with Waiting for G, INTRODUCTION: Dr. Johnson is one of the greatest critics. Here Mistry uses the narrative technique of memory and Parsi roots have had a strong influence on his growth and development as a Mistry practices Zoroastrianism and belongs to the, They are descended from the religious The analog device that had given me unfailingly good service through hundreds of interviews decided not to function at an angle and, when I transcribed the tape, I found it to be a distressingly simple task. In the early 1980s he enrolled at the University of Toronto to pursue a degree in English and philosophy. Mistry has, in this sense, successfully exploited some historical points of post- Independence era and endeavoured to re-think them and re-narrate about his community and country through the various narratives woven in the novel. Kapur makes Yezad a gift of the prints of Hughes road but after his death his wife reclaims them. Born in Bombay, Rohinton Mistry came to Canada in 1975. Beggarmaster literally buys beggars, often children; sends them to doctors for "professional modifications" (limbs amputated, eyes put out); and sets them up on street corners, then claiming a cut of their take. In Family Matters, Parsi fundamentalism wrecks the family's harmony and pollutes the very air at Nariman's flat in the ironically misnamed Chateau Felicity apartment building, while beyond Chateau Felicity, Hindu fundamentalism, in the form of Shiv Sena thugs, wantonly ruins the lives of thousands. It was made into an acclaimed feature film in 1998. His first essay appeared in the London Magazine in 1820. . Next. His 'Preface to Shakespeare' is considered as one of the noblest monuments of English neo-classical criticism. In 1995, when Rohinton Mistry published his second novel (and third book) A Fine Balance, he had been away from India for exactly two decades, living in Toronto, Canada, since he moved there at the age of 23.In the interim, he had held a day job at a bank for 10 years, taken evening classes at the university in English and philosophy, and written a collection of short stories and one novel . DR. JOHNSON AS A CRITIC [PREFACE TO SHAKESPEARE]: The Cherry Tree (Text) by Ruskin Bond: A Complete Study. In 1975, Mistry and his wife, Freny . It deals with basic and serious issues of life. was warmly greeted by critics and general First of all Dryden used the term ' Metaphysical' for Donne's poetry. One day, Mistry made a calculation - if he wrote five pages every weekend three weeks in a . . Major writers differ from minor ones, even great minor ones, in their ability to handle the big questions: death, family, the passing of time, the inevitability of loss, God or the corresponding God-shaped hole. "It's too noisy here," Mistry said, after an appraising look around. He became the sole occupant of Kumar Baughthat palatial house on the outskirts of Malgudi town. Not one to begin with an author ill at ease, I led him upstairs to the convention level, where we found a couple of chairs in a quiet corner. By Brooke Allen. The term metaphysical poetry means poetry dealing with metaphysical subjects. His characters are hard to forget we see them in our everyday lives. In a particularly revealing statement in an interview, Mistry said I dont like clever books; I like honest books. His long-time editor, Ellen Seligman, pointed out that Mistry doesnt want the reader to notice the writing itself. . BEGINNING: Born in a lower class family, Lamb came in contact with Cole ridge. Is Mistry one of the real greats? The author was born in Bombay and earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics and economics at the University of Bombay. [9] The book was prescribed for the second year Bachelor of Arts (English) in 200708 as an optional text, according to University sources. transmitted early in 2002 with Rohinton Mistry as a studio guest. Family Matters and A Fine Balance are masterly in the way they imbue certain lives, or deaths, with meaning. He recounts to the children the story of Sarosh, a Parsi man who immigrates from their . "I'm not used to lecturing," he told us politely, "and once there's an audience it becomes that way for me. One of Mistry's most memorable characters is the powerful Beggarmaster in A Fine Balance, a terrifying fusion of cruelty and compassion. He earned a BA in Mathematics and Economics from St. Xavier's College, Bombay. The first volume of his essays was published in 1823 as Essays Of Elia and the second as the Last Essays Of Elia in 1833. It was short listed for the 2002 Man Hussain, a peon is a tragic victim of the Babri Masjid riot. The sudden won. It is concerned with fundamental problems of life and death and soul even after death. Literary Fiction, Fiction. His Paradise Lost is one of the greatest epics in English language. Read More About: A Fine Balance, "I hate this book," she told the viewing audience. Chamaars in the village of Dukhi are treated as untouchables. Coming on the heels of these two lovely but essentially regional books, A Fine Balance (1995) was a surprise: panoramic, intensely dramatic, bursting out of the bounds Mistry had previously set for himself.