Suketu Mehta Knihy

Few subjects in American life prompt as much discussion and rancor as immigration. The renowned author Suketu Mehta offers a reality-based polemic that clarifies this debate. Drawing on his experience as an Indian-born teenager in New York City and years of global reporting, Mehta scrutinizes the worldwide anti-immigrant backlash. He argues that the West is not being destroyed by immigrants but by the fear of them. From Dubai to New York City, he contrasts the narratives of populist ideologues with the ordinary heroism of laborers and domestic workers. Mehta takes readers on a poignant journey to San Diego and Tijuana, where a border fence divides families and damages lives. He explains why more people are on the move today than ever before, as civil strife and climate change reshape the planet, leading to increasingly porous borders. Additionally, he highlights the destructive legacies of colonialism and global inequality, asserting that when today's immigrants are asked, "Why are you here?" they can respond, "We are here because you were there." Mehta contends that immigrants bring significant benefits, enabling communities to flourish. Impassioned and rigorous, this work is an urgent intervention and a literary argument of the highest order.

Immigration is a contentious topic in American life today. The renowned author Suketu Mehta presents a reality-based polemic that clarifies this debate. Drawing from his experiences as an Indian-born teenager in New York City and years of global reporting, Mehta scrutinizes the worldwide anti-immigrant backlash. He argues that the West is not being harmed by immigrants, but rather by the fear of them. Through narratives from places like Dubai, Morocco, and New York City, he contrasts the misleading tales of populist ideologues with the everyday heroism of laborers and domestic workers. Mehta takes readers on a poignant journey to San Diego and Tijuana, highlighting the painful realities created by a border fence that divides families. He explains the unprecedented movement of people today, driven by civil strife and climate change, which has made borders increasingly porous. Additionally, he addresses the destructive legacies of colonialism and global inequality, asserting that when immigrants are asked, "Why are you here?" they can respond, "We are here because you were there." Mehta emphasizes that immigrants contribute significantly to the flourishing of countries and communities. This impassioned and rigorous work is a necessary intervention and a compelling literary argument.

Winner of the 2005 Kiriyama Prize for Non-Fiction, Suketu Mehta left Bombay at 14 and returned 21 years later to rediscover the city. The result is a stunning portrait of the megalopolis and its diverse inhabitants—a book seven years in the making, rich in experience, incident, and sensation. Salman Rushdie calls it extraordinary and the best book yet written about the great, ruined metropolis. Like Bombay’s teeming chawls, this work is part nightmare and part millennial hallucination, filled with detail, drama, and a varied cast of characters. Mehta’s quest to explore the city’s depths and heights elevates travel writing to a new level. Amitav Ghosh describes it as a gripping, compelling account of a love affair with the city. India Today notes Mehta as Bombay’s Boswell, creating a chronicle as sprawling and enchanting as his subject. The Hindu praises it as a compassionate break-dance of a book, while the New York Times Book Review lauds it as narrative reporting at its finest, capturing the pulse of this riotous urban jungle. The Times likens Mehta’s tales to a modern Arabian Nights, blending memoir, journalism, and travelogue into a tour de force. Time Out Mumbai calls it the mother of all Mumbai books, stunningly written.