Author: P G Bhaskar
Publisher: Harper Collins
ISBN: 978-93-5029-351-5
Number of Pages: 305
Price [INR] : 150
Genre: Fiction
Jack is Back in Corporate Carnival is a second novel by P. G. Bhaskar. The first one is Jack Patel’s Dubai Dreams. I have not read the first one, though I am keen to read it now.
This is what the blurb of the book reads like…. When a former colleague offers Jack Patel and his best friend Kitch a job with a conservative British bank in Dubai, Jack has no qualms about taking it up. Solidity and stability are just what he is looking for.
But changes are afoot at the bank. Power struggles within a complex and changing hierarchy ensures a series of problems for young Jack. And who would have thought that the Football World Cup would turn things topsy-turvy for the bank. Jack escapes all of this madness as he flies from Dubai to Africa to Chennai, hopping from one hilarious situation to the next. He rescues Kitch’s wife from a ghost, faces a football quiz that can make or break his career, masters the nuances of Zulu pronunciation, encounters pirates (well, almost) and is forced to choose between a client’s two wives–all in all, a rollicking roller-coaster ride. Who would have thought the corporate world could be such fun?
I got this book as a surprise ‘gift’ on 1st January. It came in an envelope from Harper Collins, Delhi with no covering letter or an email about it!
I took the book in my hands and the first 2 striking things that I observe are…
The cover page says, “Funniest Book of the Year”. This certainly brought a smile, a perfect way to start book reading in 2013.
I liked the way the book is printed. On the first page there is a man with a parachute and he gradually comes down as the book progresses. Finally, he lands on the ground on the last page. Remember in Taare Zameen Par, Ishaan has a flip book to demonstrate his feelings, each page in succession showing a drawing of his moving away from his family. Of course, the concept in TZP was very creative but this sort of printing in this book is equally fascinating!
I finished reading Jack is Back… in a few hours. Reasons… it is a fun read. The book has a lot of humorous moments and witty one liners which gave a lot of hearty laugh moments. Also the story is very contemporary and relevant to our times and lives. A serious subject of private banking business, has been dealt with a lot of fun, wit and humour. Of course, claiming it to be the “funniest book of the year” is a bit of exaggeration.
Jack is certainly back to entertain. Go for it!
The review is part of IndiBlogger / HarperCollins Book Review initiative.
20 Responses
interesting 🙂
Bikram’s
Yes, it is more than interesting! 🙂
That sounds like a fun read. Will add it to TBR list.
Great and do share your experience of reading this one! 🙂
Thanks for sharing.
I normally read while travelling.Here it goes in my list for next trip to Darbar Sahib soon
Great! And have a great time at the Darbar Sahib! 🙂
Your review makes me long for the book and yes Ishaan’s progressive drawings in his flip book where he fades way. The scene still plays in front me. Nicely correlated.
Do check it out, Asha! You will finish it in no time and will enjoy it too! It is funny and liked the wit!
Sounds interesting. And how nice to receive it as a surprise gift! 🙂
Yes, the surprise was a pleasant one and that too on 1st Jan! 😀
okay sounds like a book worth picking up.
You must, Rachna! 🙂
That sure sounds like a fun read. I so want to get it too, but have almost taken a resolution that I have get those unread books off the shelf 😛 😛
I can so relate to this, I have so many books to read too! 😀
Shilpa,
Let me see if I can lay my hands on this book.
Take care
Cool 🙂
Funny book is a rare genre. So, even if satisfies one to some extent, & as you said: you finished it in few hours; it seems to be read for sure. 🙂
True! Making someone laugh or smile is that not easy, so when these funny and witty books tickle that funny bone in you, it is commendable!
Yet to do my part, and yes the book was a surprise new year gift for me too. I don’t remember asking for it. 🙂
Happy New Year to you and yours!
Oh you got it as a gift too!! Did you get Yashodhara Lal’s Just Married, Please Excuse from Indiblogger?? I guess, that’s also from Harper Collins!
Though, there was no covering letter with the book and neither a mail, I thought, a review is the least I could do for the book that I got as a surprise gift!! 😀
HNY to you and your family too :))