I love that this was a true story, and enjoyed the descriptions of the various countries PK travelled through on his journey to Sweden. It could have been better structured, with more about the actual journey but instead it only begins about 3/4 way through the book. Also, being a bit picky here, but only part of it was by bicycle, as he also used trains and planes. Nevertheless an inspiring story and all the better for being real.
Thanks to the publisher for a review copy.

This was a great book and I really enjoyed reading about. This would make a great film.

Well written, enjoyable read. I see this as a future movie - or maybe the way it is written creates a movie in your mind.

This interesting memoir about the life and love story of an Indian 'untouchable' which left behind everything to cycle for her beloved Lotta as far as Sweden. There is a little bit of everything in this book: sad stories of a situation that seems so overwhelming that only suicide looks like the only solution out; hope and delivery as he sees how the work of his hands brings him comfort and fame, one drawing at a time; hilarious situations as when he realized, a couple of days already into his biking adventure, that his final destination is Sweden, not Switzerland; resilience and courage to start a new life despite the obvious dramatic cultural, linguistic and personal challenges.
This book can offer motivation and some travel writing insights and also an interesting historical background. Strongly recommended to anyone longing for far away 'exotic' destinations - warning: things in the mind mirror might be exagerately magnified - or trying to start over a new life in a new country.

It was a good read,i enjoyed the writing about India,good book

This was a very informative and interesting read. I really enjoyed the story, which is a true one. It is about a young Indian boy Pradyumna Kumar, known as PK, who was born into a poor, untouchable family in a small village in eastern India. An astrologer's prophecy stated that, he PK would marry a girl who is not from the village, not from the district, not even from our country; she will be musical, own a jungle and be born under the sign of the ox. He always had this information in the back of his mind.
PK grew up with a lot of prejudice surrounding him and his family because of their caste (untouchables, also called Dalit, who are a member of the lowest social class in India ) It was amazing to learn about all of the different caste systems and all of the sub divisions of them at well. PK, grew up with this prejudice and when young did not really understand why people treated him and his family the way they did. This did not stop PK from going forth in his life and making something of himself. He found he was good at art and wanted to study that rather than what his father would have chosen for him. He goes to a couple of different schools but eventually settles into an art school in New Delhi and here his life begins to turn around. When not in school, he draws peoples portrait in a local park, where he got quite a reputation and even did portraits for well known people. One day he met a Swedish woman named Lotta, who was traveling around India with some friends, and after spending time with her and remembering his prophecy, he knew she was the one he was to end up with. We don't really get to connect with her or her story, like we do with PK, so for me I did not really feel that love, although I know it is there.
Lotta, ends up having to go back to Sweden and the two make plans to reunite, but PK not having the money to just fly to Sweden, decides that he must get there any way that he can, saving up money from his portraits and doing more of them en route, PK buys an old bicycle and decides to ride all of the way to Sweden to reunite with his love. He follows, (The hippie trail, which is the name given to the overland journey taken by members of the hippie subculture and others from the mid-1950s to the late 1970s between Europe and South Asia, mainly Pakistan, India and Nepal ) He had many hippy friends that he had met when he did his art in the park, and he knew this route would take him in the direction he needed.
His journey to be reunited with his love has many adventures and once there a life of learning how to adapt, and how to assimilate into a new culture.
This book was well written and was a great read, I would like to thank:
NetGalley and Oneworld Publications for an advanced reader copy .

This book is generally well-written but the cover, title and description led me to expect a whimsical travel tale of a man falling in love and pursuing his love across several countries. I read more than a third of the (very short) book before giving up on the idea of a whimsical story. Much of the beginning of the book focuses on Indian history, the caste system and unconnected stories of PK's childhood. Lotta is barely mentioned and they had not even crossed paths by the time I gave up on the story. I had been looking forward to a unique travel memoir about PK's adventures across the route depicted in the front of the book but clearly this comprises very little of the book. I think this book has an audience in those looking for a more serious non-fiction book about India.

A beautiful, touching, coming of age real life story of love and determination to rise from the India's lowest caste to having a respectful decent life. PK has been bullied and discriminated in his childhood so much that it left psychological scars on him. His determination to succeed and be free from India's ingrained rituals and beliefs, led him on a difficult yet rewarding trip across continents to meet his one true love according to the prophecy. This book is precious and kind, written in a calm and philosophical style at times, sprinkled with bouts of joy and sadness at the same time. I recommend it from the heart, it makes one ponder over the meaning of life and love, what we are most eager to do to change and give direction to ourselves for the better.
Thanks to Netgalley and Oneworld Publishing House for this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.