As an Indian, I know first-hand that India never ceases to surprise and shock, but when I read this book, I discovered I was surprised and shocked to new levels! This book contains 10 chapters, each a revelatory political or social piece ranging in setting from contemporary to the Indira Gandhi era. In order, the chapters cover 1) the Hindutva movement, 2) child workers in the carpet industry, 3) the Tehelka defence corruption scandal, 4) The Indianization of Christianity in Goa, 5) Cyberabad and Chandrababu Naidu, 6) Sufism in India, 7) Globalization, economic reform and the Indian farmer, 8) VP Singh and his lesser known but equally interesting brother Sant Bux, 9) A Gujarat village that has implemented a successful water harvesting scheme and treats its Dalits well (!), and 10) Kashmir. Tully handles even the potentially depressing issues like militant Hindutva and Globalization extremely well, humanizing them with personal encounters and the relationships that he has built with the protagonists (and antagonists), and avoiding the strident or moralizing tone that could quickly grow onerous, while leaving no doubt where his sympathies lie - with the underdog. Arundhati Roy could learn a thing or two from this man. Those interested in contemporary India have much to glean from this book - the pervasive corruption and governmental malaise that cripples India (believe me, it is worse than you ever imagined), the ordinary and not-so-ordinary citizens who, against overwhelming odds, accomplish amazing things in this environment, and the odd idealist who still thrives, admist pervasive cynicism.