Londonstani

Author: Gautam Malkani

Format: Large Harcover

Condition: Very Good

Gautam Malkani's electrifying debut exposes a London where young Asians (desis) struggle with white boys (goras) to assert their power and identity. Desperate to avoid "spending the rest of their lives working at Heathrow airport", four middle-class young men cruise the streets in a souped-up Beemer, making fast money by changing the electronic fingerprints on stolen mobile phones, a scam that leads them into dangerous terrain when harsh reality supplants the fantasy of posh thug life.

Funny, crude, disturbing, written in the vibrant language of its protagonists - a mix of slang, texting, Panjabi and bastardised gangsta rap - Londonstani is about many things: tribalism, aggressive masculinity, integration, cross-cultural chirpsing techniques, the urban scene seeping into the mainstream, bling-bling economics and "complicated family-related shit". It is one of the most surprising and urgent novels of recent years, an emblem of a disenfranchised generation.

Description of book condition:

New  Brand new and unread book.

As New  A secondhand book that can easily pass for a new one.

Very Good  Book is in great condition with only a minor blemish here and there.

Good  Book shows visible reading wear but nothing serious.

Fair  Book shows clear and more significant wear, especially on the cover, but is still solid and intact.

Worn  Book shows severe wear and tear while still being intact (commonly known as a "reading copy"). Worn books are still good perfect for a good read, all pages will be intact with none threatening to fall out.