The Bus Stopped

A very angry bus driver, abandoned by his wife and going nowhere in his career; a sanctimonious conductor; a hijra, or eunuch, a remnant of Indias Muslim glory days; a nervous, half-Indian businessman clutching a briefcase-full of cash; a right-wing Hindu matriarch; a young boy returning to his village after robbing his employer....They meet-and witness a tragic event-only because they are all travelling on the same bus, in the same direction, on the same day. With exceptional poise and beguiling simplicity, Khair introduces a range of voices, thoughts, ideas and identities, allowing each individuals story to unfold gradually. One bus, one journey, several characters: The Bus Stopped offers glimpses into unconnected lives-and the experience of a death shared. Author is an established academic writer and published poet. The Bus Stopped, comparable to Short Cuts in its episodic structure, is his first novel. Next novel, also to be published by Picador, will be about the pre-Bollywood film industry.