The Company of Women

The Company of Women is a 1999 novel by renowned Indian author Khushwant Singh, written when he was 84 years old. The narrative follows Mohan Kumar, a wealthy Indian businessman, through his numerous romantic and sexual relationships across multiple decades and continents. The story begins with Kumar's university years at Princeton on scholarship, tracking his experiences as a young Indian man in America during the 1960s. After returning to India, Kumar builds a successful business empire while navigating marriage, divorce, and shifting social dynamics in a rapidly modernizing India. The novel chronicles Kumar's pursuit of relationships through unconventional means, including paid arrangements, as he moves through different phases of his life. Through Kumar's interactions with women from varied backgrounds - American, Pakistani, and Indian - the book presents a cross-cultural exploration of intimacy and desire. The work stands as a frank examination of sexuality, wealth, and cultural change in post-independence India, depicting the intersection of traditional values with modernization and globalization.

Readers describe this as a character study of a man's relationships with various women, though many found the protagonist Mohan Kumar difficult to empathize with. The explicit sexual content and Kumar's attitudes toward women were frequent points of discussion in reviews. Readers appreciated: - Singh's direct writing style - Commentary on Indian social dynamics - Exploration of human loneliness - Historical context of Emergency-era India Common criticisms: - One-dimensional female characters - Repetitive plot structure - Gratuitous sexual content - Misogynistic undertones Ratings: Goodreads: 3.3/5 (300+ ratings) Amazon India: 3.5/5 (50+ ratings) Notable reader comments: "The writing holds your attention but the story makes you uncomfortable" - Goodreads reviewer "Characters lack depth beyond their sexual encounters" - Amazon reviewer "Honest portrayal of male desires but fails to develop the women's perspectives" - LibraryThing review

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🔸 Khushwant Singh wrote this novel at the age of 85, demonstrating that creative prowess can flourish at any age. 🔸 The protagonist's journey mirrors the real-life experiences of many Indian students who studied at American universities during the 1950s and 60s, a period that saw significant cultural exchange between the two nations. 🔸 The novel caused considerable controversy upon its release in 1999 due to its frank portrayal of sexuality, particularly notable as it came from one of India's most respected literary figures. 🔸 The book's themes of cultural displacement and identity crisis were influenced by Singh's own experiences as India's pre-eminent English-language journalist and his time as editor of major publications like The Illustrated Weekly of India. 🔸 Despite its controversial subject matter, the novel became a bestseller and was translated into several Indian languages, highlighting the changing attitudes toward taboo subjects in Indian literature.