The Nowhere Man

Book excerpt: The Nowhere Man is an intricate, perceptive tragedy of alienation centered around the violent racism sparked by Britain's post-war immigration drive. Srinivas, an elderly Brahmin, has been living in south London suburb for 30 years. After the death of his son, and later his wife, this lonely man is befriended by an Englishwoman in her sixties, whom he takes into his home. The two form a deep and abiding relationship. But the haven they have created for themselves proves to be a fragile one. Racist violence enters their world and Srinivas's life changes irrevocably--as does his dream of England as a country of tolerance and equality. First published in 1972, The Nowhere Man depicts a London convulsed by fear and bitterness. Truly shocking, The Nowhere Man is as relevant today as when it was first published almost 50 years ago.