Slumdog Millionaire (a.k.a. Q&A)

By: Vikas Swarup

Narrated by: Kerry Shale

Length: 6 hrs and 7 mins

Publisher's summary

A small prison cell in India holds an 18-year-old penniless waiter from a Mumbai slum. But Ram Mohammad Thomas isn't a criminal. He is under arrest for correctly answering 12 tricky trivia questions on the show Who Will Win a Billion? Reluctant to part with the jackpot of one billion rupees, the show directors bribe the police to arrest Ram, accusing him of cheating. For how else could a poor, uneducated orphan know so much: the name of the smallest planet, global capitals, and diplomatic policy? Ram is rescued by a lawyer who draws from him the always compelling, touching, and sometimes comic story of his life, explaining the source of his knowledge. An inspired performance by reader Kerry Shale captures the spirit of this off-beat novel, a blend of high comedy and touching melancholy.

This novel was originally published with the title Q&A and is the basis for the movie Slumdog Millionaire.

©2005 Vikas Swarup (P)2005 HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.

Critic reviews

• 2005 Audie Award Winner, Fiction (Abridged)

"Shale's performance is brilliant." (USA Today)
"Reader Kerry Shale captures every nuance and distinction of the many personalities involved." (Boston Globe)
"This production gains much from Shale's excellent and lively performance....Shale makes it sincere, hilarious, heartbreaking, and delightful....His gifted reading, full of emphasis, inflection, and excitement, is a joy to listen to." (Publishers Weekly)

Highly Recommended

I have listened to many audiobooks and this one is definitely in the top 5. The story was entertaining, different and very interesting. The story line is rather unusual, not your average thriller, romance or fantasy book. it's in a category all its own.
Ram Mohammad Thomas, the main character in the book lived a difficult and at the same time very full life. Although he is only 18, he has been through so much and his journey all ties in to the Q&A quiz show he won. Clever and entertaining.
Kerry Shale the narrator, is without a doubt a gifted actor. His reading added so much to the book. I am sure people who actually read, instead of listen to the book do not get the same enjoyment. The only regret I have is that the book was not offered in the unabridged version. I could have listened for hours on end. Don't think twice about using a credit on this one.

Delightful storytelling

Delightful storytelling. It's about a simple Indian man who explains by a series of amazing true life stories how he won the jackpot prize on a TV quiz show. The narration in this audiobook was superb with the reader's wide range of different voices and accents that added immensely to the enjoyment of this novel. I listened to this a long time before I knew it was coming out as a movie and after hearing this version the pictures in my mind are so vivid that I don't think I need to go see the film version. If you enjoy a good audiobook no less than a movie then I advise you to try this first - you won't be disappointed!

A classic

I had this book since 2006, before Slum Dog Millionaire. My family listened to it over and over again.

A mature themed, yet tender hearted view of Life

A wonderful book, that while mature themed is centered around a tender hearted view of the orphan Ramm Mohammad Thomas. His story, his journey and the friendships and love he builds across the slums of India.

Well crafted, brilliantly read, spend the credit - you'll be glad you did.

Abridged but Great!

I was hesitant to buy this abridged audiobook; however, I was quite pleased. The speaker is wonderful -- he really brings the characters to life. This is a great read.

Charming

This story drew me in even though I expected not to like it. If you dislike narrators with accents, you will not appreciate this narrators voice. Each simple plot twist leading to an amazing quiz show answer had a story. I felt myself learning some Indian culture.

Great story

This was the first audiobook I have ever purchased and all I can say is wow. I heard the sample and thought the audio quality was a little rough, but the story and narration were put together so well, I couldn't help but marathon through the entire book in about four sessions. It's a great story that just makes you feel good in the end. A definite must have, and worthy of a credit.

Good but Not Great

I haven't seen the movie yet, so I can't say how the book compares. (It will be showing on campus in two weeks.) A good but not great novel about an uneducated young man who is accused of cheating to win the Indian equivalent of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" because no one can believe that he would know so many answers otherwise. Swarup uses an interesting structure: as Ram Mohammed Thomas reviews the show's tapes with his lawyer, he relates the events in his life that led to his knowing the correct answer for each. Although his story is one of cruelty and hardship, his optimism and good nature persist. The ending is full of happy coincidences and a few surprises. The reader for this version is excellent.

Thoroughly enjoyable.

This book starts a little slow, but quickly becomes engrossing. The plot is fresh and involving, the writing is crisp and witty, and the reading is outstanding.

Fantastic book and reader

This was a really good book--made even more enjoyable by the wonderful job of reading by the narrator. I was very pleasantly surprised by this choice, since I hadn't heard anything about it before. Highly recommended.