Baumgartner's Bombay

Description: Hugo Baumgartner is a lifelong wandering Jew. From his agonising childhood in pre-war Berlin, through his spell in business first in Calcutta and then Bombay, he simply doesn't belong. Too dark for Hitler's Germany, too fair for India, he remains a foreigner wherever he goes.

Review: "Beautifully observed... Recovers a lost slice of history in its portrayal of a wounded survivor." - "Observer
"Hugo Baumgartner, the central character of Anita Desai's dazzling novel, is a wandering Jew all his life. From the agonizing scenes of his childhood in pre-war Berlin, through his spell in business in Calcutta and then Bombay, he simply does not belong. Too dark for Hitler's society, he is too fair for India; he remains a firanghi, a foreigner, wherever he goes." - "Daily Telegraph
"Cleverly constructed, and full of sharp perceptions about human nature under the skin, whatever the colour." - "The Times