Good for Nothing - Debaprasad Mukherjee

Book: Good for Nothing
Author: Debaprasad Mukherjee
Publisher: Readomania

I was provided a media copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Do you believe in planning out your life, or would you rather each day as it comes?

Have you ever met a good-for-nothing person? Say hello to Krishna, a Brahmin by birth, who leaves his home Madai, a quaint hamlet in Chhattisgarh plateau, at the age of 32 with no goal to pursue. Pure hearted, his scant-educated mind is muddled with the invisible walls of religion, caste, and creed. Jobless and ambitionless, everyone thinks he is good for nothing. In come his eventful associations with Jamil—a fellow vendor, Shivani—a widow, Ankur—a young entrepreneur, and Shambhu—a tribal youth and social reformer. Barriers are broken, things are learned and unlearned, and a transformation begins. Does Krishna become any good? And, does the world change its opinion?

The concept of the book is quite interesting as the author tells the story about India and its hinterlands through the eyes of a common citizen. The book is told like a flashback into the life of Krishna Mishra, and how he journeys from Madai to Shahdol and back to Madai, but not before travelling in the inner areas of Chhattisgarh. The book is told in a wonderful manner where the author, through Krishna, comments on the social fabric of a changing country. Debaprasad talks about the religious divide, the caste equations and the politics of it all as Krishna goes through life. Through a person considered as a “good-for-nothing” by all, the way he builds up his life is wonderfully captured in the book. Another good aspect of the book is the fact that the book works on a positive note and sends out a message that anything can be achieved in life, as long as you can take it on a positive note. The storytelling keeps you engaged, and until the climax you are continuously turning the pages. The climax brings the story a full circle, and has been executed beautifully.

The characters in the story have been crafted wonderfully and each of the primary ones are perfect for the story being told. The Mishra family has been created with each of the brothers having a unique character and how they react to situations. Krishna Mishra’s character is quite nuanced, and the simplicity that has been built in into his character comes out in his actions at each point in his life. Shivani’s character is a wonderful support to Krishna’s and how she becomes a critical person in his life’s journey. Jamil is another character worth mentioning, and how his friendship became a bed rock for Krishna’s life.

Overall, a wonderful book on life that is recommended for sure. The book scores a 4.44/5 for me.

Get a copy of the book from your nearest bookstore or Amazon India.