Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Publication
New York : Penguin Books, 2016.
Description
Fiction. Literature. The Association of Small Bombs is an expansive and deeply humane novel that is at once groundbreaking in empathy, dazzling in acuity, and ambitious in scope.When brothers Tushar and Nakul Khurana, two Delhi schoolboys, pick up their family's television at a repair shop with their friend Mansoor Ahmed one day in 1996, disaster strikes without warning. A bomb-one of the many "small" bombs that go off seemingly unheralded across the world-detonates in the Delhi marketplace, instantly claiming the lives of the Khurana boys, to the devastation of their parents. Mansoor survives, bearing the physical and psychological effects of the bomb. After a brief stint at a university in America, Mansoor returns to Delhi where his life becomes entangled with the mysterious and charismatic Ayub, a fearless young activist whose own allegiances and beliefs are more malleable than Mansoor could imagine. Woven into the story of the Khuranas and the Ahmeds is the gripping tale of Shockie, a Kashmiri bomb-maker who has forsaken his own life for the independence of his homeland.Karan Mahajan writes brilliantly about the effects of terrorism on victims and perpetrators, proving himself to be one of the most provocative and dynamic novelists of his generation.… (more)
Media reviews
Der US-indische Autor beschreibt in seinem prämierten Roman "In Gesellschaft kleiner Bomben" die Nachwirkungen eines Bombenattentats. Nicht nur im Persönlichen, sondern auch im Sozialen.
User reviews
LibraryThing member froxgirl
This novel of Muslim boys and men in India is touching and thoughtful. The Khurana family, Hindus, lose their two sons in a market bombing in Delhi pre-9/11. The boys' friend Mansoor, of an Islamic family, survives, but the two affected families' lives go completely off track as a result. There's
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much richness here, about marriage, religion, friendship, status, politics, and corruption. The circular pattern of poverty and violence is evident, and the reader must conclude that there is no such thing as a small bomb or a minor cataclysm. Show Less
LibraryThing member Carmenere
Sad and insightful story which begins with the detonation of a small bomb in a busy marketplace in India. Of the many killed or wounded the stories of two families are the main focus, that of the Khurana's and the Ahmed's. The author takes us into their homes and lives and reveals the effects the
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bombing had on them ten years on and how they deal with it. In vivid detail, Mahajan also takes the reader into the world of the Terrorist who planted the bomb, the one accused of committing the crime and the ones to come. Another good selection from the National Book Award Short List. Show Less
LibraryThing member thewanderingjew
The Association of Small Bombs’ By Karan Mahajan, author, Neil Shah, narrator
In 1996, two brothers were killed when a bomb exploded in an open air market in Delhi, India. So began a book that explores terrorism and the making of a terrorist, exposing the type of person that joins the cause and
Tushar and Nakul Khurana, were young boys, not yet teenagers, on what their father would later think of as a fool’s errand. They had gone to the market in Lajpat Nagar to pick up a television that had been repaired. Because they were poor, they could not purchase a new one. Vikas Khurana was ashamed that he had sent his boys to retrieve the TV, and instead, he pretended it was to retrieve a watch. Either way, they boys died. They had taken a friend, Mansour Ahmed, with them. Mansour was a Muslim. When the bomb exploded, Mansour ran away. He lived with the guilt of his escape for the rest of his life.
In the book, the author gives the impression that was commonplace in India, among the people portrayed in the book, the people of certain classes, to lie to save face. They simply lied to protect themselves, their image or their ultimate goals, and not all of their goals were noble. The bombers lied because they could, and they lied because it was acceptable to do so in order to destroy their enemies. They lied to accomplish their nefarious purposes. Their enemies meant nothing to them. They were very expendable. So they excused their own immorality and lack of ethics by thinking of their enemies as worthless.
In the aftermath of the explosion at the market, everyone had advice to give to the Khurana’s and the Ahmed’s. The Ahmed’s, Muslims in a country largely Hindu, felt out of place and were under a cloud of greater suspicion. Suspicions even arose about the injured Mansour. As a Muslim, could he have been the bomber?
To compensate for their loss, the Khurana’s decided to devote their lives to helping the victims of the many small bombings. Vikas wanted to make a documentary. Deepa wanted to help the victims and meet the bombers when they were caught. Almost hypocritically, they took pleasure in witnessing the torture of the damned in prison, even thought they objected to the violence inflicted upon themselves. They soon realized t hat often the wrong people were rounded up and incarcerated. They were beaten and tortured into submission and confession. The justice system was not just.
Throughout the early days of terrorism when small bombs continued to explode in various parts of the world and the world took little notice, terrorist groups began to grow in number in that vacuum. The would-be bombers seemed like insignificant and dispensable young men who were sucked into the rebellion because of boredom, friendship, unemployment, dissatisfaction or sometimes, even romance or other innocuous and meaningless reasons. They believed they were performing their righteous and religious duty, and although some questioned their ultimate actions, they rarely refused to carry out an assignment. Many never truly seemed to identify with the cause they were supporting, nor did they really seem to understand it. They simply followed and obeyed orders from leaders sometimes unqualified to lead.
There were many splinter groups that were not cohesive, but they created havoc, death and destruction in small ways for many years. The small bombings rarely attracted notice until 9/11, when so many Americans were murdered in a senseless terrorist act and Al Qaeda became a household name. From the little groups that were ignored and hardly thwarted, hate, anger and frustration grew until a monster was born capable of causing far more damage and fear throughout the world than previously believed possible in the modern world. The modern world forgot that they were being attacked by not so modern villains who had far less honorable values or respect for life and would therefore think nothing of committing wanton acts of murder.
The author points out, that more often than not, the wrong people were captured and imprisoned. The culprits seemed rather dull witted and backward, didn’t mind killing innocent people, and they justified their behavior because it was for Allah. They didn’t even fully understand what their cause was. They only knew that killing people meant garnering attention, and they wanted the attention to publicize their cause and make a statement. Many could not withstand the beatings and torment of prison. They simply confessed to crimes they did not commit. Violence begat violence as the bombings continued. In the book, the author writes that a devotee of Islam had to work to taste the blood of infidels 72 times, in order to qualify as worthy. It is assumed by me that they all wanted to be worthy.
The author captured the mindset of the terrorist and victim in India, perfectly. The narrator portrayed the characters very authentically, with perfect accents and expression. The Indian philosophy was straight forward, simple, basic and logical, although not always based in reality since they often jumped to conclusions, believed lies they were told, and were suspicious of innocent people, rather than the guilty. The radical side of Islam was portrayed as barbaric. The spiders kept escaping the net while the flies got caught in the web.
In 1996, two brothers were killed when a bomb exploded in an open air market in Delhi, India. So began a book that explores terrorism and the making of a terrorist, exposing the type of person that joins the cause and
Show More
the reactions of the victims to the havoc they wreak. In the early days of terrorism, using small bombs, disorganized splinter groups accomplished one important goal. They created fear and confusion even though only minor death and destruction occurred. This fear and confusion gave rise to the need for vengeance and retribution on the part of the victims and their families. They had to come to terms with the experience in a way that allowed them to go forward with their lives. Often these methods had disastrous consequences, at other times they succeed in gaining some closure for the victim’s families. Unfortunately, these little groups of radical Muslims, or Islamists, that were largely ignored in foreign lands, were able to spawn more plentiful militant groups, eventually giving birth to 9/11.Tushar and Nakul Khurana, were young boys, not yet teenagers, on what their father would later think of as a fool’s errand. They had gone to the market in Lajpat Nagar to pick up a television that had been repaired. Because they were poor, they could not purchase a new one. Vikas Khurana was ashamed that he had sent his boys to retrieve the TV, and instead, he pretended it was to retrieve a watch. Either way, they boys died. They had taken a friend, Mansour Ahmed, with them. Mansour was a Muslim. When the bomb exploded, Mansour ran away. He lived with the guilt of his escape for the rest of his life.
In the book, the author gives the impression that was commonplace in India, among the people portrayed in the book, the people of certain classes, to lie to save face. They simply lied to protect themselves, their image or their ultimate goals, and not all of their goals were noble. The bombers lied because they could, and they lied because it was acceptable to do so in order to destroy their enemies. They lied to accomplish their nefarious purposes. Their enemies meant nothing to them. They were very expendable. So they excused their own immorality and lack of ethics by thinking of their enemies as worthless.
In the aftermath of the explosion at the market, everyone had advice to give to the Khurana’s and the Ahmed’s. The Ahmed’s, Muslims in a country largely Hindu, felt out of place and were under a cloud of greater suspicion. Suspicions even arose about the injured Mansour. As a Muslim, could he have been the bomber?
To compensate for their loss, the Khurana’s decided to devote their lives to helping the victims of the many small bombings. Vikas wanted to make a documentary. Deepa wanted to help the victims and meet the bombers when they were caught. Almost hypocritically, they took pleasure in witnessing the torture of the damned in prison, even thought they objected to the violence inflicted upon themselves. They soon realized t hat often the wrong people were rounded up and incarcerated. They were beaten and tortured into submission and confession. The justice system was not just.
Throughout the early days of terrorism when small bombs continued to explode in various parts of the world and the world took little notice, terrorist groups began to grow in number in that vacuum. The would-be bombers seemed like insignificant and dispensable young men who were sucked into the rebellion because of boredom, friendship, unemployment, dissatisfaction or sometimes, even romance or other innocuous and meaningless reasons. They believed they were performing their righteous and religious duty, and although some questioned their ultimate actions, they rarely refused to carry out an assignment. Many never truly seemed to identify with the cause they were supporting, nor did they really seem to understand it. They simply followed and obeyed orders from leaders sometimes unqualified to lead.
There were many splinter groups that were not cohesive, but they created havoc, death and destruction in small ways for many years. The small bombings rarely attracted notice until 9/11, when so many Americans were murdered in a senseless terrorist act and Al Qaeda became a household name. From the little groups that were ignored and hardly thwarted, hate, anger and frustration grew until a monster was born capable of causing far more damage and fear throughout the world than previously believed possible in the modern world. The modern world forgot that they were being attacked by not so modern villains who had far less honorable values or respect for life and would therefore think nothing of committing wanton acts of murder.
The author points out, that more often than not, the wrong people were captured and imprisoned. The culprits seemed rather dull witted and backward, didn’t mind killing innocent people, and they justified their behavior because it was for Allah. They didn’t even fully understand what their cause was. They only knew that killing people meant garnering attention, and they wanted the attention to publicize their cause and make a statement. Many could not withstand the beatings and torment of prison. They simply confessed to crimes they did not commit. Violence begat violence as the bombings continued. In the book, the author writes that a devotee of Islam had to work to taste the blood of infidels 72 times, in order to qualify as worthy. It is assumed by me that they all wanted to be worthy.
The author captured the mindset of the terrorist and victim in India, perfectly. The narrator portrayed the characters very authentically, with perfect accents and expression. The Indian philosophy was straight forward, simple, basic and logical, although not always based in reality since they often jumped to conclusions, believed lies they were told, and were suspicious of innocent people, rather than the guilty. The radical side of Islam was portrayed as barbaric. The spiders kept escaping the net while the flies got caught in the web.
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LibraryThing member msf59
“And you know what happens when a bomb goes off? The truth about people comes out.”
“A bomb was a child. A tantrum directed at all things.”
Two Hindu brothers, of school age, are visiting a Dehli marketplace. A bomb goes off and both are killed. A Muslim friend of theirs, is injured but
How this random, “small” bomb, effects the lives of the people close to these boys, is the focus of this story.
Watching the parents grieve and attempt to put their shattered lives back together, is painful. The second part of the novel, is a look at the young terrorists who planted the bomb. How they became involved and how they deal with the aftermath.
This is a thoughtful, well-written novel. Not quite as powerful as I expected but still quietly effective.
“A bomb was a child. A tantrum directed at all things.”
Two Hindu brothers, of school age, are visiting a Dehli marketplace. A bomb goes off and both are killed. A Muslim friend of theirs, is injured but
Show More
survives. How this random, “small” bomb, effects the lives of the people close to these boys, is the focus of this story.
Watching the parents grieve and attempt to put their shattered lives back together, is painful. The second part of the novel, is a look at the young terrorists who planted the bomb. How they became involved and how they deal with the aftermath.
This is a thoughtful, well-written novel. Not quite as powerful as I expected but still quietly effective.
Show Less
LibraryThing member muddyboy
The central event in this book is a terrorist bombing in India in which two Hindu boys are killed and their Muslim friend is injured. From that point the primary focus is the Muslim young man and his circle of friends. The parents of the Hindu boys are followed to a lesser extent. The book is a
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fascinating look at the psychology involved when a traumatic event like a bombing occurs. This is an insightful and thought provoking novel that is well worth all the acclaim that it has received. Mr. Mahajan is a rising star in serious literature. Show Less
LibraryThing member Kristelh
I read this right after finishing A Fine Balance, also set in India. This book by author, Karan Mahajan is set in Delhi, starting in 1996 when a small bomb goes off in a shopping area, killing the two sons of a Hindu family and injuring the only son of a Muslim family. This story tells about how
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this event effects the victim, victims families and the terrorists. It also tells how one might become a terrorist. The book really is quite ambitious and I don't mean that negatively. I think the author did a good job of exploring grief and what that does to people as individuals and as married couples. He explored what it is like to be a survivor, the guilt of surviving, the anger that occurs with grief and or victimization. Then part way through the book, the perspective changes and now we get to learn about the terrorists, the art of the terrorist, the training of the terrorists and a little bit about the legal system in India (only somewhat improved from 1975). Show Less
LibraryThing member franoscar
Watch for Spoilers
I don't know. This book didn't work for me as well as it seems to have worked for the reviewers and top-10-list-makers. (Or maybe that's just the NYTimes.) I think it is a worthwhile book. And the often-successful attempt to bring the reader to understanding is important and rare
I don't know. This book didn't work for me as well as it seems to have worked for the reviewers and top-10-list-makers. (Or maybe that's just the NYTimes.) I think it is a worthwhile book. And the often-successful attempt to bring the reader to understanding is important and rare
Show More
and praiseworthy. I think he is trying to do several things, including a realistic picture of current/recent middle class life in India. (Or the specific life of some specific people.) I thought the book got less compelling when he started giving hints about the future..."Later, when his life was ruined, he...." (this is a paraphrase). And I know they are his characters, but I was a little disappointed that the activist group gave up on their activism so easily. One failed march? But there is also a lot of thought to give to the picture of the activists moving to the small bombs. Just a little one. Although it is also true that they want a big one & aren't capable of it.... Show Less
LibraryThing member Brainannex
I read this after it was shortlisted for the NBA. I didn't see the allure nor do I understand why it was nominated for such a prestigious award.
LibraryThing member mojomomma
A small bomb in a crowded marketplace in Delhi kills two brothers and injures a friend of theirs. The effects of the bomb, though it was small and didn't cause much damage, did greatly impact the lives of the parents and the victims left behind. Eventually, the boy survivor of the bombing becomes
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radicalized himself. Show Less
LibraryThing member brangwinn
Many Americans think that tragedy only happens to us. I was on a trip to India when a woman I was with was going on about how Americans have suffered because of terror. Luckily, the Indian man we were with let her know loud and clear that Americans have been lucky. Did I enjoy this book? No, but it
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sure made me think. I had no idea that the current Indian prime minister was connected with violence against Muslims. What captured my attention in this book was the way the author, not only looked at the Muslims who set of the small bombs, but gave the perspective of a person who was hurt in a bombing as well as parents who lost 2 middle school boys to a bombing. The ending of course reflects the sorrow spread throughout all the connecting stories in the book. Show Less
LibraryThing member wagner.sarah35
A timely book set in contemporary India and follows how lives are changed after a small bomb is detonated, killing some and injuring others. One families looses both of their sons and in another a twelve-year-old boy receives mild injures that nevertheless follow him into adulthood. Who commit
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these crimes and who pay for them also come into play, as the terrorist groups continue to operate even as others are convicted. A good, well-written novel and well worth the read in today's world. Show Less
LibraryThing member banjo123
This is going to be one of my favorite reads of the year.
This book tells the story of a bombing in Delhi, which kills two young brothers. A friend of theirs escapes the bombing, but had physical and mental after effects. The book follows the story of their families, and also the sotries of the
In this book we are tasked with looking at the effects of terrorism on non-western people, and also with looking at how small-scale terrorism can have large scale effects.
This book tells the story of a bombing in Delhi, which kills two young brothers. A friend of theirs escapes the bombing, but had physical and mental after effects. The book follows the story of their families, and also the sotries of the
Show More
bombers. Mahajan's story-telling is exquisite, winding around and back to show the differences between the internal and external lives of his characters. In this book we are tasked with looking at the effects of terrorism on non-western people, and also with looking at how small-scale terrorism can have large scale effects.
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LibraryThing member splinfo
A terribly difficult book to read but the premise is true and something to drive home. All players in this -- terrorists, victims, bystanders, farstanders -- are maimed by violence. The reverberations of killing, torture, hate are endemic. No one sees themselves in the wrong, all feel justified and
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vengence/retribution will always be in play. Again, a very difficult book. Loosely biographical. FABULOUS writing. Show Less
LibraryThing member fvg
The first part of the book tells the story of the bombs and bombers and shows interesting and unique perspectives of all the characters.
The second half is a muddle of personal disintegrations and events that are not that interesting, logical, or reasonable.
The second half is worse than the first
The second half is a muddle of personal disintegrations and events that are not that interesting, logical, or reasonable.
The second half is worse than the first
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half is good. Don't bother. Show Less
LibraryThing member mahsdad
At the opening a car bomb explodes in a crowded market in Delhi and kills 2 Hindi brothers and injures their Muslim friend. The rest of the book is an examination of the direct impact of terrorism. From the kid's parents, to the surviving friend to the bomb maker himself. A fascinating read.
LibraryThing member asxz
Harsh. A bomb goes off and lives are shattered. Not a fun read but good on the pervasiveness of tragedy and the collateral damage of terrorism. A different kind of India book than I've read before but not one I'd recommend. Everything's so miserable, unjust and futile.
LibraryThing member Eoin
3.5 - All the pieces are well made, though the total ends up only ok. The prose effectively drags and prods with a few scattered beautiful sentences. The shifting focus is the strength and weakness, allowing for Mahajan's world-building skill to expand past each character while leaving an
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unfinished (unfinishable?), unsatisfying feeling in this reader. Above average, but could have been great. Show Less
LibraryThing member bookishtexpat
Much like The Underground Railroad, The Association of Small Bombs is such an important book. Spanning almost 10 years, Mahajan takes the reader into the complicated, painful, heartbreaking world of bombing victims, their families, and the people who are behind them. There is not a single part of
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this book that I would describe as uplifting or happy, and yet it hooked me from the beginning. Mahajan has a way with words, and his writing holds so much depth. In this time of fear and Othering, I think The Association of Small Bombs is a must read. Show Less
LibraryThing member GabbyF
A minute by minute account of how ordinary people react to a bombing of a street market. This is a brutally honest, and gripping story, that I could not put down.
LibraryThing member Opinionated
Definitely one of the best books I have read this year and highly recommended. Mahajan takes the detonation of a small bomb - and the smallness, and in the general scheme of things, trivialness of the bomb is important - in a Delhi market to tell the stories of some of those affected by it. Two
The book explorers communal tensions, the allure of violence, sexual tension, police and judicial incompetence and corruption with a detailed and sceptical eye. And yet it is full of compassion towards all its subjects. It really is a very accomplished piece of work, minus half a star for some slightly heavy handed treatment of his characters at the end of the book, as though the author has sickened of them and wants to be rid of them. But this is a minor quibble; this really is well worth reading
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brothers are killed, and the lives of their parents begin to unravel but in unexpected ways. Their friend Mansoor, a Muslim, escapes with minor injuries, and yet for him and his family the long term effects are undoubtedly worse. Shockie, the Kashmiri bomber, has grievances but is himself trapped in a cycle of despair; he knows the organisation he is part of is at best corrupt and at worst pointless. He knows that bombers have a short life expectancy. His friend Malik, to police a dangerous theorist, is little more than a child seeking attentionThe book explorers communal tensions, the allure of violence, sexual tension, police and judicial incompetence and corruption with a detailed and sceptical eye. And yet it is full of compassion towards all its subjects. It really is a very accomplished piece of work, minus half a star for some slightly heavy handed treatment of his characters at the end of the book, as though the author has sickened of them and wants to be rid of them. But this is a minor quibble; this really is well worth reading
Show Less
LibraryThing member AnneliM
The death of two young boys from a bomb and the influence of their family and their friend
LibraryThing member steve02476
Really liked the writing. Good examination of different perspectives, and a nice mix of characters. Felt like it got kind of flat near the end though.
Subjects
Awards
National Book Award (Finalist — Fiction — 2016)
Anisfield-Wolf Book Award (Fiction — 2017)
Young Lions Fiction Award (Finalist — 2017)
The New York Times Notable Books of the Year (Fiction & Poetry — 2016)
The New York Times Best Books of the Year (Fiction — 2016)
Language
Original publication date
2016
Physical description
276 p.; 22 cm
ISBN
9780143109273