Q & A

HOW COULD Ram Mohammed Thomas, an orphan from Asia’s biggest, most filthy slum, possibly win the jackpot on India’s version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Ram has never gone to school. He’s never read a newspaper. There’s no way a waiter from Jimmy’s Bar could win the one billion rupees! Or is there?

Ram startles even himself by answering all 12 of the show’s challenging questions correctly. But instead of taking home the biggest jackpot in history, he’s framed for cheating by the show’s unscrupulous producers. Conditioned to believe that his very existence is illegal, Ram ponders whether he has overstepped his position by using his brain, when society has authorized him to use only his hands and legs.

Q and Ais told in 12 chapters over a single night, as Ram pleads his case by revealing how a lifetime of experience led to his miraculous win. In each chapter, Ram relates the slice of his extraordinary life story that gave him the wisdom—or the luck—to answer each of the show’s 12 questions correctly.

Paying homage to Life of Pi’s fable-like narrative, but zapped with a witty twenty first-century sensibility, Q and Ais a darkly comic and charming novel that delves beneath its compelling premise to examine life’s profound dilemmas—good vs. evil, rich vs. poor and perception vs. reality. Brilliantly conceived and executed, Q and A paints an enthralling picture of humanity in all its guises.

VIKAS SWARUP was born in Allahabad, India, to an illustrious familythat includes several prominent lawyers. He attended Allahabad University, where he made his mark as a champion debater, winningnational-level competitions. After graduating, he joined the Indian Foreign Service and was posted to various countries, includingTurkey, the US, Ethiopia and the UK. Currently he works in the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi, where he is the directorin charge of India's relations with Pakistan. Q and A, Vikas Swarup's first novel, has been sold in 15 countries and optioned forfilm development.