A Feast for Vultures is a difficult read to digest, mostly because it reveals to us the depths of corruption, casteism, and apathy that exists in India. Written by award winning investigative journalist Josy Joseph, the book takes us right from the small villages of the country to the big movers and shakers in Delhi. 

Joseph's meticulous research rewards the readers with a rich and detailed look into the general apathy of the people of this country, from Bolero Sarpanchs in villages, their purses being bolstered by their sudden government job and power, to middle men in towns that control everything, from who gets what crop to grow, to facilitate weddings, set up bribes, to the elites of Delhi and Mumbai, a particular airliner being named (and they've been fighting a court war with Joseph over this now, whether this lends credence to what he wrote or not, you decide), he names all and cuts into their secrets, often open and talked about over chai and samosa, but never confirmed. His award winning style of investigative journalism is a bonus here, with enough references for you to corroborate the story for yourself. 

While the name of the book can confuse you with its similarity to A Song of Ice and Fire series, rest assured that the politics in this book is darker than the what you'll find in a G.R.R. Martin book. In an age when journalists hired by media houses in big cities are actively discouraged from venturing outside urban decay, Joseph travels to towns around Delhi, and states hundreds of kilometers away to gather his stories, speak about atrocities against Mahadalits and manages to maintain the pace while talking about the high end gyms of Delhi where the rich and elite go to let off steam and workout, and where their lawyers and those who want to rub shoulders with the country's elite have to pay through their nose, all for a chance to be a vulture in hopes of being invited to a feast. 

A Feast for Vultures is India you've always heard about, but never actually had any proof or any place to confirm your suspicions. This is a book full of open secrets, backed with solid investigative journalism that give these secrets a solid ground to stand on. If you are interested in what goes on behind the scenes in India, this book is a must read, Joseph's journalism is proof that governments may change but its the people that have to change first. You can buy the book by clicking here.