Book Review: A Season in Delhi by Scott Alexander Hess

 

Reviewer: Alan Chin

 

Publisher: Rebel Satori Press (Nov, 2023)

Pages: 129

Rating:★★★★★

Coming Soon - November 12, 2023 from Rebel Satori Press

 

New Yorkers Brant and Lloyd settle into a posh neighborhood in Delhi to live while Lloyd works a new job that transplanted them to India. While Lloyd travels the country for his business, Brant is left alone much of the time with only a servant to keep him company. During his solitary time, Brant discovers the diary of a former diplomat’s wife, which chronicles her torrid affair with an Indian hoodlum. As Brant reads Carol’s scandalous tale of daring and woe, he can’t help bonding with this lady because of his own infidelity. The more Brant reads Carol’s diary, the greater the attachment he feels with this woman, and the greater his curiosity grows to find out what happened to her. They become kindred souls, sharing feelings and emotions across time. His journey thru Carol’s past beautifully creates a bond that transcends time and culture, empathy and absolution.

 

This is a tale of temptation, infidelity, loss, and redemption. But ultimately, it is a taut story of crushing loneliness and the fragility of human connections. It also delves into the desperate need we feel to cling to anything that lessens that loneliness. The characters are brutally authentic, and Hess handles them with sympathy and honesty. The reader so easily feels compassion, even becomes them as they face morally difficult choices. 

 

The author asks the reader to delve deeply into the human nature of illicit love affairs, those complex feelings of yearning, guilt, excitement, pleasure, fulfillment, wonder, and possibly even regret.

 

With sparse prose, Hess describes the sensual feel of Delhi and Agra. I have visited these fascinating destinations many times, and I can justly say the author took me back there, so rich and true were his descriptions. This is a quick read, but one that resonates in the heart. I treasured each page of this story.

Spain Vacation Day 37 0f 40 - Barcelona

Our last full day in Spain, and we saved one of the best sites for last—Sagrada Familia. 

Sagrada Familia was an amazing surprise. The outside is unique, but in my opinion, rather unattractive, like all Gaudi’s works. But inside is breathtaking—modern and light and perhaps one of the most beautiful man-made spaces I’ve ever seen. I was stunned by the stark beauty.

Spain Vacation Day 26 0f 40 - Cordoba

The Mosque is massive with incredible Moorish architecture and artwork that has been covered over by Christian garbage. In the center is a massive Christian cathedral, all very impressive. It only took just over an hour to visit and see it all. Quite remarkable. I would have loved to have seen it before the Christians raped it with their tacky, unimpressive art.

Spain Vacation Day 24 0f 40 - Granada

This was our last full day in Granada and we though it would be a boring day of just walking around the neighborhoods. Boy were we ever wrong.

There was some sort of festival going on. And like in Ronda, hundreds of women were dressed in 1800’s style dresses and many of the men were on horseback. The had a parade from near the Alhambra to a church across town. There must have been 50 men on horses, hundreds of women in costume, and several horse-drawn carts. All lovely and exciting to watch. They also had house-trailers, about 50 of them, that were pulled by trackers. We followed them all the way to the church.

Spain Vacation Day 23 0f 40 - Granada

I’ve been dreaming about the Alhambra for years. The day has finally arrived. We first went into the old fort, which I found disappointing. The only thing special were the great views of the city.

We next toured the extensive guardens. To be honest, I was not impressed. They were nice but nothing special. 

Last on the list was the palace, which I found remarkable. Fantastic ceilings. Lovely tilework. Breathtaking fountains and carvings. Only problem was there were a million tourists packed into every room. I hate crowds. The palace, however, was worth it. Stunning.

Spain Vacation Day 18 0f 40 - Malaga

A visit to the Picasso museum. Sorry, Picasso does nothing for me. I saw maybe three pieces I liked. The rest you and burn as far as I’m concerned.