Heat and Dust by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala

We return to India once more with the 1975 winner, for a short and sometimes sweet sojourn in the heat and dust.  I note that this book, like numerous other Booker prize winners, has been adapted into a film. In this particular case, Merchant and Ivory seized the rights and I look forward to watching it at some point…perhaps when I’ve read all the books, I’ll continue the blog by watching all the film adaptations!  Of course there’s always the debate about which way round to do it, book or film of the book first…in my opinion either have their place. 

As a child I watched the BBC adaptation of ‘Pride and Prejudice’ (along with most of the country!), which inspired me to read the book, and then consequently Austen’s other novels.  I tend to think that the film gives you a rough overview of the book, which keeps you going in some of the more hard-going passages in classics.  However, obviously you can’t be too precious about it, as what makes a good book doesn’t necessarily translate to the screen.  And sometimes it seems as though any resemblance between the original book and the film is coincidental!  The popularity of the “Harry Potter” series highlights how much some readers like the imaginary world of reading brought to life on the big screen, despite all the controversy that inevitably ensues.

Anyway, back to this book, which I enjoyed, although I’ve discovered a tendency to feel slightly short-changed with the more fleeting of the Bookers!  The story follows a contemporary (in 1975) protagonist, armed with letters and anecdotes, travelling to India to discover more about her great-step-aunt Olivia, who in the 1920s by leaving her husband to live with an Indian Prince, was surrounded by scandal and disrepute.  The way of life in 1970s India, which subsumed the protagonist, is interesting and expressively conveyed, contrasting with the separation constructed during British rule between the ‘masters’ and the ‘natives’.  Moreover, the separation that existed between the expectations of women and men in the 1920s was explored, particularly how the stultifying heat was mirrored in the part women were required to play in society.  There were also some intriguing insights into how anyone can thrive given the conditions of certain parts of India and the eloquent writing did convey the heat and the dust of the title, giving a slightly claustrophobic and soporific impression of the country.

The characters were fleshed out well especially given the short length of the novel, although I wasn’t completely convinced why Olivia, even given her naivety and the charm of the Prince, would make the decisions she did, or indeed the protagonist in the 1970s!  But perhaps this view is formed with the benefit of some additional years of women’s emancipation in both cases.  In fact, it is interesting that the Booker Prize spans such a length of time so that a contemporaneous view a few decades ago can give an additional insight compared to modern views.  This one is definitely a good one to read if you’re pushed for time or want a quick and easy introduction to what the Booker prize has to offer – a compact insight into a variety of experiences, well-written and thought-provoking.