Play Audiobook Sample
Last Man in Tower Audiobook
Play Audiobook Sample
(3.00) - 2,328 listener ratings
Quick Stats About this Audiobook
Total Audiobook Chapters:
Longest Chapter Length:
Shortest Chapter Length:
Average Chapter Length:
Audiobooks by this Author:
Publisher Description
Searing. Explosive. Lyrical. Compassionate. Here is the astonishing new novel by the Man Booker Prize–winning author of The White Tiger, a book that took rage and anger at injustice and turned it into a thrilling murder story. Now, with the same fearlessness and insight, Aravind Adiga broadens his canvas to give us a riveting story of money and power, luxury and deprivation, set in the booming city of Mumbai. At the heart of this novel are two equally compelling men, poised for a showdown. Real estate developer Dharmen Shah rose from nothing to create an empire and hopes to seal his legacy with a building named the Shanghai, which promises to be one of the city’s most elite addresses. Larger-than-life Shah is a dangerous man to refuse. But he meets his match in a retired schoolteacher called Masterji. Shah offers Masterji and his neighbors—the residents of Vishram Society’s Tower A, a once respectable, now crumbling apartment building on whose site Shah’s luxury high-rise would be built—a generous buyout. They can’t believe their good fortune. Except, that is, for Masterji, who refuses to abandon the building he has long called home. As the demolition deadline looms, desires mount; neighbors become enemies, and acquaintances turn into conspirators who risk losing their humanity to score their payday. Here is a richly told, suspense-fueled story of ordinary people pushed to their limits in a place that knows none: the new India as only Aravind Adiga could explore—and expose—it. Vivid, visceral, told with both humor and poignancy, Last Man in Tower is his most stunning work yet.
Download and start listening now!
"Adiga slowly dragged us into a micro cosmos of Indian Society and what happens when a Building Contractor shark decides this is the area of land where he has to build his next skyscraper. Money is offered to all inhabitants and, from a tight friendly community, the families begin to squabble, as they see and feel the disappearance of their dream, because of a retired school teacher who approaches the contractor's offer from a more moral, rigid, angle. The disintegration from friends to foes is developed around the central character of Yogesh Murthy or 'Masterji'. At the same time Adiga also allows the readers to get closer to the everyday lives and characters of the other inhabitants. Beautifully written, I almost felt I was there."
— Gillian (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
-
“Provocative and decadent…The kind of novel that’s so richly insightful…it’s hard to know where to begin singing its praises…Vain, shrewd, and stubborn, [Masterji] is one of the most delightfully contradictory characters to appear in recent fiction.”
— Washington Post -
“Masterful…With this gripping, amusing glimpse into the contradictions and perils of modern India, Adiga cements his reputation as the preeminent chronicler of his country’s messy present.”
— Newsweek -
“Adiga has written the story of a New India…This funny and poignant story is multidimensional, layered with many engaging stories and characters.”
— Seattle Times -
“A rare achievement…Adiga captures with heartbreaking authenticity the real struggle in Indian cities, which is for dignity. A funny yet deeply melancholic work, Last Man in Tower is a brilliant, and remarkably mature, second novel.”
— Economist -
“Brilliant…If you loved the movie Slumdog Millionaire, you will inhale the novel Last Man in Tower. Adiga’s second novel is even better than the superb White Tiger…First-rate…You simply do not realize how anemic most contemporary fiction is until you read Adiga’s muscular prose. His plots don’t unwind, they surge.”
— USA Today -
“With wit and observation, Adiga gives readers a well-rounded portrait of Mumbai in all of its teeming, bleating, inefficient glory…Like any good novelist, Adiga’s story lingers because it nestles in the heart and the head.”
— Christian Science Monitor -
“Last Man in Tower is a nuanced study of human nature in all of its complexity and mystery. (It is also humane and funny.) Nothing is quite as it seems in the novel, which makes for surprises both pleasant and disturbing.”
— Pittsburgh Post-Gazette -
“Adiga populates his fiction with characters from all parts of India’s contemporary social spectrum, and the intensity of his anger at aspects of modern India is modulated by his impish wit.”
— Wall Street Journal -
“Adiga maps out in luminous prose India’s ambivalence toward its accelerated growth, while creating an engaging protagonist…A man whose ambition and independence have been tempered with an understanding of the important, if almost imperceptible, difference between development and progress.”
— Entertainment Weekly -
“[An] adroit, ruthless, and sobering novel…Adiga peppers his universally relevant tour de force with brilliant touches, multiple ironies, and an indictment of our nature.”
— Star Ledger -
“Adiga is an exceptionally talented novelist, and the subtlety with which he presents the battle between India’s aspirants and its left-behind poor is exceptional.”
— Richmond Times-Dispatch -
“A brilliant examination of the power of money…Ultimately Last Man in Tower is about how greed affects compassion…Adiga skillfully unfolds a surprising conclusion that underscores what a great novel this is.”
— Minneapolis Star-Tribune -
“[Full of] acute observations and sharp imagery…Like all cautionary tales, it embodies more than a little truth about our times.”
— Financial Times -
“Dickensian…Well worth the time of any reader interested in the circumstances of life in a seemingly foreign place that turns out to be awfully familiar…Readers above all else will find pleasure and pain in the ups and downs of the human family itself.”
— San Francisco Chronicle
Awards
-
A 2011 Washington Post Notable Book for Fiction
-
One of the 2011 Kirkus Reviews’ Best Books for Fiction
-
A 2011 Boston Globe Book of the Year for Fiction
Last Man in Tower Listener Reviews
-
" I can’t understand such low reviews. Great flow and view of past and present Indian society. Aravind Adiga has a way to use tongue in cheek humour to keep his storytelling fresh and engaging! Aravind won the Booker for his rousing novel, White Tiger. "
— Eddy912 , 11/1/2020 -
" This author, Aravind Adiga grabbed me with White Tiger and this audiobook did not let down! I learned some much from these short stories. So refreshing in these trying times! Sam Dastor, with his various voice, breathes extraordinary life and vigor....his understatements bring the humour that, no doubt, Mr Adiga intended! Quite enjoyable and a fantastic 14 hours well-spent!1 "
— eddy912 , 10/24/2020 -
" A fictional story about one man standing up against the construction mafia and corruption in contemporary urban India. While the book makes for an easy read and an interesting story, the characters don't seem to be thoroughly developed and as a result the story doesn't come alive as much. Little disappointing as a follow up to White Tiger. "
— Arzan, 2/10/2014 -
" Very slow to get started but about half way through i couldn't put it down. It generated great book club discussion about honor and virtue vs pride and ego. "
— Sarah, 2/7/2014 -
" Dit is het verhaal van een an, die weigert zijn flat in een groter gebouw te verkopen ondanks,dat hij veel geld kan krijgen van de projectontwikkelaar. Dit wordt hem niet in dank afgenomen door zijn buren, die zich allemaal laten verleiden door het grote geld. Goed geschreven met veel humor. Je moet wel even door de eerste 2 hoofdstukken heenlezen om er in te komen, maar daarna lees je het in een ruk uit. Het einde is, op zijn zachtst gezegd, verrassend. "
— Riet, 2/2/2014 -
" A compelling portrait of life in a Mumbai neighborhood and its denizens. Mirrors the accession of India's in the world's infrastructure rat race. "
— Sidd, 1/18/2014 -
" Starts off slow but what a fantastic read it turned out to be! Wonderful character description and although the plot is thin, the writing draws the reader in. If you liked White Tiger, you will LOVE this one! "
— Anita, 1/10/2014 -
" I thought this book was a little long winded but I did feel like the author did a nice job of painting the desperation of the characters at certain points. "
— Jai, 12/9/2013 -
" i dont know it was boring to me "
— Anuj, 5/15/2013 -
" I still like Adiga's writing style but this book is less engaging than White Tiger, somehow less original hence bit boring. But he's a good writer nonetheless. "
— Elena, 3/31/2013 -
" Much, much better than White Tiger. Better because there is a character you can sympathize with-- not that there is one drop of sentimentality in this story. Reminds me of the best non-fiction writing on India. "
— Kirsten, 7/31/2012 -
" My main issue with this book was that Masterji's motives for his actions is not explained or developed enough. Or maybe I just didn't get it! "
— Shobalatha, 2/12/2012 -
" Beautiful description of life in his Mumbai; gorgeous metaphors. I could guess how it would end after mentioning the Agatha Christie book early on. "
— Andrea, 2/4/2012 -
" This was an interesting story but between the ending and the length not my favorite. It's no White Tiger but Adiga has a way of picking interesting topics and developing realistic characters. "
— Lindsey, 12/29/2011 -
" Pretty good but not as good as White Tiger. He creates a good sense of atmosphere, the juxtaposition of wealth and extreme poverty in India. Not that I have any experiences to compare it to, never having been to Mumbai. A decent read but not one to put on the top of any TBR pile. "
— Christian, 10/15/2011 -
" I don't know why this book ended up on my Kindle and I am not sure I am glad it ended up on my Kindle. However, it was a good experience to read it. I don't recommend it. Very little action and not sure what the point was.... "
— Kathy, 10/11/2011 -
" I did NOT like it. The first 100 pages were OK good description of the characters, but the remaining 280 pages boring, no plot no story. "
— Bruna, 9/29/2011 -
" Better than his first book. The book takes us through the everyday happenings in a co-op society and how lust for money can change the lives of normal human beings. Not mind-blowing, but worth a read maybe on a fliht journey (which is when I read most of this book). "
— Aravind, 9/25/2011 -
" ....so far half-way through and enjoying the book. Great characterisations. <br/> <br/>Finished the book now and thought it very good : ) Look forward to reading other books by Adiga. "
— Jane, 9/22/2011 -
" Interesting, scary, and something you don't read about everyday. I love the way Adiga writes. He is brilliant and really makes you feel for his characters in a society where anything can happen. His style of writing is unique and remains consistent with his other books. "
— Christina, 9/19/2011 -
" good read albeit a bit draggy. the satire he shows about the human nature is great. being an Indian one line that comes to my mind after reading this book is "paisa phek tamasha dekh"[throw money and watch the drama unfold]. "
— Kumail, 9/17/2011 -
" I have a crush on this author and the way he can tell a story. I also have a crush on Mumbai so maybe that's why I liked the book so much. It's a story of a hero (or crazy person) fighting for a nobel cause (or a losing idea) that anyone can relate to. "
— Mindy, 9/13/2011
About Aravind Adiga
Aravind Adiga is the author of Selection Day, the Booker Prize-winning novel The White Tiger, and the story collection Between the Assassinations. He was born in India and attended Columbia and Oxford universities. He is a former correspondent for Time magazine, and his work has also appeared in the New Yorker, Granta, London Sunday Times, and the Financial Times, among other publications.
About Sam Dastor
Sam Dastor studied English at
Cambridge and trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. His early theatrical experience includes a spell
at the National Theatre under Sir Laurence Olivier and time spent acting in the
West End. For the Royal Shakespeare Company, he has been seen in Timon of Athens, Tales from Ovid, and a world tour of A Servant to Two Masters. His many television appearances include I, Claudius; Yes, Minister; Mountbatten;
Julius Caesar; and Fortunes of War. He has also appeared in
the films Made, Jinnah, and Such a Long
Journey, recorded over a thousand broadcasts for the BBC, and narrated
numerous audio books.