Beautiful Thing Inside the Secret World of Bombay's Dance Bars

by Faleiro, Sonia

• ISBN13: 9780802170927
• ISBN10: 0802170927
• Edition: Reprint
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2012-02-28
• Publisher: Black Cat

Summary

Already published in India to great acclaim and named a Time Out Subcontinental Book of the Year and an Observer Book of the Year, Beautiful Thing is a stunning piece of reportage that offers a rare firsthand glimpse into Bombay’s notorious sex industry. Sonia Faleiro was a reporter in search of a story when she met nineteen-year-old Leela, a charismatic exotic dancer with a story to tell. Leela introduced Sonia to the underworld of Bombay’s dance bars: a world of glamorous women; of fierce love, sex, and violence; of gangsters, police, prostitutes, and pimps. When an ambitious politician cashed in on a tide of false morality and had Bombay’s dance bars wiped out, Leela’s proud independence faced its greatest test. In a city where almost everyone is certain that someone, somewhere, is worse off than them, she fights to survive—and to win. Sonia Faleiro has crafted one of the most original works of nonfiction about India in years. Unforgettable for its artistry and intimacy, Beautiful Thing is a vivid portrait of one reporter’s journey into the dark, damaged soul of Bombay.

Author Biography

Sonia Faleiro is the author of the novel, The Girl (Viking, 2006), and is a contributing editor at Vogue. She was born in Goa, studied in Edinburgh, and lives in San Francisco. Visit her website at soniafaleiro.com