The White TigerThe White Tiger
Score Modern
What it's about
Balram Halwai is a servant, philosopher, entrepreneur and murderer. Over seven nights, writing letters to the visiting Chinese premier, he tells the terrible and transfixing story of how he rose from a poor village to success in India, with nothing but his wits to help him.
Why it's worth reading
It won the Booker Prize and spent 57 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It's a darkly funny portrait of class in modern India.
You'll love it if you liked
A Fine Balance
The God of Small Things
The SympathizerGood to know
It's short, sharp and satirical. It was adapted into a Netflix film.
By the numbers
- Readers17 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics67 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller60 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #238 of the 555 mysteries and thrillers we rank
- #828 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1538 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving, Gripping, Thought-provoking
If you like this, read next
We Need to Talk About Kevin
The Secret History
Bel Canto
Fight Club
Arthur & George
DeliveranceExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is The White Tiger worth reading?
Yes. It won the Booker Prize and spent 57 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It ranks #1,538 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 67.9 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The White Tiger about?
Balram Halwai is a servant, philosopher, entrepreneur and murderer. Over seven nights, writing letters to the visiting Chinese premier, he tells the terrible and transfixing story of how he rose from a poor village to success in India, with nothing but his wits to help him.
How long does it take to read The White Tiger?
About 7 hours (292 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has The White Tiger won?
Booker Prize winner (2008).
What should I read after The White Tiger?
If you liked it, try A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry, The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy or The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen.