Maximum City

By Suketu Mehta,

Book cover of Maximum City: Bombay Lost and Found

Book description

A native of Bombay, Suketu Mehta gives us an insider’s view of this stunning metropolis. He approaches the city from unexpected angles, taking us into the criminal underworld of rival Muslim and Hindu gangs, following the life of a bar dancer raised amid poverty and abuse, opening the door into…

Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Why read it?

1 author picked Maximum City as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Mehta’s propulsive, strangely entertaining nonfiction book takes us into subterranean Bombay—into the underworld gangs, the bar dancers, the pavement dwellers. Despite its oft-times grim subject matter, the book exudes an energy and excitement that is reflective of the maximum city itself. As someone who grew up in a genteel, middle-class household in Bombay and was not familiar with the world described by Mehta, this eye-opening book served as a guide to places I have never been and roads I have never traveled.

From Thrity's list on set in Bombay.

Want books like Maximum City?

Our community of 11,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like Maximum City.

Browse books like Maximum City

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in Mumbai, India, and Toronto?

Mumbai 37 books
India 468 books
Toronto 64 books