Aravind Adiga

Balram Halwai is the White Tiger—the smartest boy in his village. His family is too poor for him to finish school, and he has to work in a teashop, breaking coals and wiping tables. But Balram gets his break when a rich man hires him as a chauffeur and takes him to live in Delhi. The city is a revelation....

21st Century Mumbai is a city of new money and soaring real estate, and property kingpin Dharmen Shah has grand plans for its future. His offer to buy and tear down a weathered tower block, making way for luxury apartments, will make each of its residents rich - if all agree to sell. But not everyone wants to leave; many...