Harper Collins Canada has a new book it’s pushing, Gautam Malkani’s electrifying debut, Londonstani.
Funny, crude, disturbing, written in the vibrant language of its protagonists—a mix of slang, texting, Panjabi and bastardized gangsta rap—Londonstani is about many things: tribalism, aggressive masculinity, integration, cross- cultural chirpsing techniques, the urban scene seeping into the mainstream, bling-bling economics and “complicated family-related shit.” It is one of the most surprising novels of recent years.
Compelling copy, for sure, but Harper Collins is not stopping there. They’ve launched an internet-based trailer program for their hottest releases. While purists may quibble with the move, Blink author, Malcolm Gladwell, told the Guardian, “I think I speak for all writers, when I say that I am delighted by marketing efforts of any sort.”