The most succinct summary of this Bharati Mukherjee story I’ve seen came from a Goodreads review: An Iraqi Jew unwittingly aids a Central American revolution. There is obviously a lot more to it, including lust, arms smuggling, treachery and murder. Moreover, rather than being a revolutionary hero, the protagonist is an unscrupulous American criminal on the run from the law. Although he calls himself a “middleman”, we don’t see him act as such. Being new to the country, he is hoping to make a living from things that fall. And something certainly does! Themes: lust, corruption, exploitation, betrayal, violence.
Original Text / PDF (6,400 words)