A Suitable Boy

Funny and tragic, with engaging, brilliantly observed characters, Vikram Seth's epic love story set in India is as close as you can get to Dickens for the 20th century. The story unfolds through four middle class families—the Mehras, Kappoors, Khans, and Chatterjis. Lata Mehra, a university student, is under pressure from her mother to get married. But not to just anyone she happens to fall in love with. There are standards to be met and finding a husband for Lata becomes a family affair in...