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Praise for Professor Chandra Follows His Bliss
“Vastly amusing, ultimately moving…”
—Katharine A. Powers,Washington Post
“Balasubramanyam knows how to flex irony as if it were another bendable body part….. Professor Chandra is a wonderful character — stodgy, flawed, contentious, contemptuous — yet vulnerable, insecure, lonely, repentent, and ridiculous enough to win our sympathy. Balasubramanyan’s novel is a sort of Christmas Carol for a new age — in which uplifting sentiment comes drenched not in treacle but in potfuls of soothing organic herbal tea.”
—Heller McAlpin, NPR
“…an entertaining but moving career allegory for the go-getter to glimpse that there is more to life than a successful career.”
—Caroline Ceniza-Levine,Forbes
“This brilliant and eloquent novel, which puts into words so many unutterable annoyances, is a sort of Zen satire in which tolerance and understanding mingle with hilarious criticism of contemporary mores. It’s a wonderful read.”
—Wendy Holden, Daily Mail
“Uplifting literature, or up-lit as it’s called by publishers, is dominating the bestseller charts… One of the funniest is Professor Chandra Follows His Bliss by Rajeev Balasubramanyam… Beneath the comedy lie serious concerns. Wellness, capitalism, mollycoddled minds intolerant of political difference: Balasubramanyam’s issues are current.”
—Francesca Angelini, Sunday Times
“By turns charming and witty, this is an effortless, uplifting read that has many pertinent observations to make about family relationships.”
—Simon Humphreys, Mail on Sunday
“Rajeev Balasubramanyam gently pokes fun at the modern fondness for positivity, but tells a disarmingly positive story… The writing is elegant and witty and the comedy is always underpinned with humanity; a life without bliss is no life, and the gradual dawning of Chandra’s self-awareness is genuinely uplifting.”
—Kate Saunders, The Times
“Chandra is a delightful creation: peevish, intolerant, intellectually exacting, unwittingly eccentric, nerdy, needy yet loveable. The book, like its picaresque hero, is a one-off.”
—Patricia Nicol, Sunday Times
“One of the funniest novels to be released in some time.”
—Sunday Times
“Impressively, Balasubramanyam – something of a Zen exponent himself – balances satire and self-enlightenment in his first novel in nearly 20 years – a surprisingly soulful family tale that echoes Jonathan Franzen’s Corrections in its witty exploration of three children trying to free themselves from the influence of their parents.”
—Ben Evans, The Guardian
“A gentle ride of a book that tackles all of life’s big questions and also manages to be very, very funny.”
—Red
“Witty and uplifting – this is a must read.”
—Women’s Weekly
“In this delightful novel, by turns witty and wise, we follow Professor Chandra as he follows his bliss… This character, at times almost Wodehouse- like as he stumbles through an alien world, gives this blissful novel so much of its charm and power.
—Donal O’Donaghue, RTE Guide
“His journey provides a genuine look at what happiness is or might be, as well as being properly, heart warningly funny. A joyful take on grasping second chances.”
—Grazia
“Very amusing but also deeply moving. Warm and witty – well worth a read.”
—Heat
“Never less than charming: Balasubramanyam is a writer of wit and wisdom.”
—The Seattle Times
“A comic delight”
—Minneapolis Star Tribune
“The charming story of a cynical mid-lifer… reconnecting with his children, moving to California, meditating in a yurt. A warm and funny account of one man’s attempt to be more chill.”
—Francesca Carington, Tatler
“There’s a beauty that comes from this kind of writing – honest and intelligent, life-affirming with courage to revel in the absurdities of life. The perfect pick-me-up!”
—The Asian Writer
“For all the novel’s heavy questions, it’s far from weighty, wearing its considerable knowledge like a summer jacket. It is funny from start to finish. Spending time with Professor Chandra feels like you’ve been in therapy, in a good way.”
—Ruth McKee, the Irish Times
“I simply loved this book as it is funny, well written, and I imagine there’s little bit of Professor Chandra in us all.”
—Sunday Independent (Ireland)
“A charming funny story about finding out what really makes us happy.”
—PopSugar
“Rajeev Balasubramanyam wields considerable humor, the perfect antidote to our polarized and exhausting present, while crafting a tender and thoughtful tale. This is an absolute gem of a book.”
—Shelf Awareness
“The language of spiritual healing comes naturally to Balasubramanyam, and he deploys it to great effect in this superbly relevant story for our times…Balasubramanyam weaves weighty topics such as familial estrangement and teenage drug use into his tender, enchanting novel with a nimble but substantial touch. The end result is strong on optimism with a vital message for mankind: one must be willing to change and look inward if one wants to improve personal relationships and help those we love.”
—Shahina Piyarali, Shelf Awareness
“Recovering fuddy-duddy Chandra is a droll creation, and his journey of self-realization feels like the real thing.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“Balasubramanyam sets Chandra on a journey through his hardest feelings, working through the anger and emotional ineptitude that too often conceal his infinite love for his family. At first, Chandra’s children take even his self-blame for selfishness, but subtle changes in his introspection make for a big outward shift. With humor and emotional agility, Balasubramanyam writes a feel-good story that leaves room for feeling bad.”
—Booklist
“Balasubramanyam makes a winning case for how meditation, restraint, self-reflection and owning one’s character flaws can bring joy and satisfaction to life.”
—Publishers Weekly