The Afternoon Girl

A delightful memoir that recounts the relationship between one of the most enigmatic and notorious authors in India and his mentee A brief encounter between a young gynaecologist and aspiring writer, and one of the most celebrated and enigmatic authors of her time sows the seeds for an unusual friendship which is fuelled as much by their meetings over a few dacades as the letters and ribald jokes they exchange. Afternoon Girl celebrates a friendship that swings between love and loathing, adoration and indifference, support and abandonment, but stood the test of time and circumstances. It looks back on a world where nurturing a friendship took much more effort than putting fingers to screen or keyboard, she shares with him her most intimate secrets, he writes to her about his preoccupation with growing old and possibly infirm. With disarming honesty, the book builds and busts a few myths, and offers unexpected insights into Khushwant Singh: good- and sometimes ill-humoured mentor, garrulous yet grumply friend and saintly but outspoken old man.