The Elephanta Suite by Paul Theroux ***1/2

Paul Theroux writes about unique characters and unusual circumstances. “The Elephanta Suite” is no exception. Three novellas are included in the book. Each story has a different set of characters and they are only connected in the most simple, tangential fashion.
Audie and Beth Blunden, a rich couple from the United States, are staying at the Elephanta Suite at a spa in India. They are seeking a peaceful vacation and spiritual understanding combined with a glimpse of life in India. They discover the incredible difference between the devastating poverty in the neighbouring villages and the luxury of the spa. Both of them discover dimensions of themselves and their relationship that are unveiled through their interaction with the mysteries of a culture so foreign to their own.

Dwight Huntsinger, a US Lawyer and money man, is in India negotiating contracts for offshore production. He arrives with such an aversion to the country that he eats all his meals in his hotel room only eats canned tuna. He subsequently and accidently has some dramatic experiences that began with an encounter with a young street prostitute and eventually results with him living and supporting two other young women. His conversion is so extraordinary that he ultimately forgoes all material things and initiates a pursuit of poverty and spiritual tranquility.

Alice and her friend Stella are vacationing from college. Stella decides not to continue the journey which leaves Alice alone to pursue her own interests. She travels to an “ashram” where she participates in all the rituals and life style. Her accidental encounter with a domesticated elephant becomes a significant symbol in her story. To help pay for her accommodation at the ashram she gets a job teaching slang/American English to employees of an offshore company that give technical advice about products to customers in the US. She does such a good job that she is repulsed by her own success. While attempting to escape from the confinements of her making she is assaulted by one of the students. With no support from legal system the conclusion of the story is a startling metaphor.

All three stories illuminate the Indian culture in multiple ways. Simultaneously the contrast to life in North America is defined in a profound but understated fashion. This is an entertaining read.