My favourite book is ‘City of Joy’ written by Dominique Lappiere.

The book is a touching

description of the lives of the slum-dwellers of Kolkata. The street-urchins, cycle-rickshaw
pullers, city-vendors, coolies, pimps, ordinary men and women are the heroes and heroines of
this story.
Their lives, their joys and suffering and their pitiable existence are vividly painted by the author. It is
the story of the most unwanted people of the society. But the author finds joy, courage, excellence,
and fine qualities amidst this miserable existence. The story has touched me so much that I have
read this book several times during the last few years.

The most attractive feature of the book, which impressed me most, was the author’s mention
of minute details. The author does not give a picture of the slums of Kolkata from far but
rather presents a realistic picture with its congested dwellings, dirty drains, narrow footpaths,
people’s quarrels and fights, their feasts and festivals, etc.

The beauty of narration becomes all the more thrilling when it is realistic and true. No
wonder why the book has won so much international acclaim. Secondly, the superb
presentation of the scenes, characters and episodes whether important or unimportant in the
story, keeps the reader spellbound throughout.