Maximum City by Mehta Suketu

The book is an award-winning work of non-fiction that explores the enigma of writer’s native city, Mumbai.

Summary Of The Book

In Maximum City, Mehta returns to Mumbai, the city where he grew up as a child, only to find himself mystified by its ever-increasing chaos and volatility. He sets out to piece together the puzzle of the city, covering everything from its ubiquitous slums to the ever-so-glamorous Bollywood to its burgeoning underworld.

He tells Mumbai’s story in a passionate, first-hand narrative that puts forth the perspectives of both a native and an outcast. He presents personal interviews with some of the most powerful figures of the city, including the right-wing leader Bal Thackeray, who has always been deeply associated with the city’s politics.

Widely lauded for its realistic depiction of Mumbai, Maximum City won numerous honours, including the 2005 Kiriyama Prize and the Hutch Crossword Award. It was selected by The Economist for its books of the year list in 2004. It was also a finalist for the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for Non-Fiction.

About Suketu Mehta

Suketu Mehta is a prominent Indian writer living in New York City.

He is best known for his 2004 book Maximum City. He has also written the screenplay for movies The Goddess and Mission Kashmir. His writings have been published in a number of leading publications, including New York Times Magazine, Harper’s Magazine, and National Geographic.

Mehta was born in 1963 in Kolkata and spent his formative years in Mumbai. He went on to study at New York University and also attended the University of Iowa Writers' Workshop. He is presently an Associate Professor of Journalism at New York University. He received the O. Henry Prize in 1997 for his short story published inHarper's Magazine. He won the Kiriyama Prize in 2005 for Maximum City.