If you have seen the movie, regardless of whether you enjoyed Slumdog Millionaire or not, there’s a book you should read.  Rohinton Mistry’s A Fine Balance charts the lives of a widow, a student and two village tailors striving for a better life in the city.  Their stories are told in sometimes bleakly honest detail, along with those of the other’s whose lives are linked to theirs – family and friends. This story is a fascinating panorama of life in India. From rural village to city slum, we share the journeys of characters who represent some of India’s most vulnerable social groups.  A seething underbelly of social and political decay is laid bare in a way which is starkly believable and at times horrifying yet consistently reminds us of the humanity of all involved.  We are given a picture of a complex society fighting to find a way forward in the face of appalling poverty and unfettered corruption.  A word of advice – persevere through a somewhat pedestrian mid patch and you will be richly rewarded.