209:, Anvar Alikhan said of the novel, "I don't know how much of this book is autobiographical, but I suspect a large part of it is: It's just too authentic, in its minutiae of mental illness, and its deliberately matter-of-fact narrative of pain, for it to be the fiction that it pretends to be. It's an emotionally daunting book and, frankly, I'm not sure everybody will have the strength, or even the compassion, to reap its richness."
183:, and his family's struggle with his own mother's bipolar disorder. An earlier version of the novel was written in the form of a memoir, but was rewritten as fiction after it began to take an emotional toll on Pinto. The original draft of the novel was around 750,000 words, three times the length of
269:
wrote, "This book is most successful when the characters are allowed to speak for themselves, and Pinto is quite a genius with dialogue. (...) This is an India that many people won't have seen, and while we don't spend enough time in that flat in Bombay, it is worth hanging around outside." Peter
159:
The foundation of the book is built on the unusual relationships within the Mendes family: Imelda, Augustine, their daughter Susan, and their unnamed son from whose perspective the book is narrated. The non-linear storyline chronicles the life of the family, from the early lives of Imelda and
31:
835:
256:
wrote in her review, "Pinto’s book is shocking in its impressive understatement (.....) There may not be such a thing as a perfect book, yet Jerry Pinto comes heartbreakingly close."
616:
847:
598:
828:
1568:
469:
821:
710:
377:
286:
153:
634:
776:
205:
said that the novel was "profoundly moving book" and that he could not remember when he had last read something as touching. In a review for
276:
reported, "It is written with genuine compassion and sincerity, while a sprinkling of black humour ensures it is never overly sentimental."
1563:
1558:
1348:
1300:
1573:
886:
547:
662:
1312:
120:
1169:
1431:
1110:
981:
292:
1553:
1467:
1229:
1217:
394:
1526:
688:
348:
Noted Tamil translator
Kannaiyan Daksnamurthy has translated this award winning novel into Tamil under the title
874:
306:
138:
1395:
1491:
957:
1531:
1064:
1010:
718:
1514:
1496:
1098:
160:
Augustine (known by their children as 'Em' and 'The Big Hoom') to the family's chaotic struggle with Em's
1276:
1028:
1436:
1419:
1360:
1288:
945:
844:
149:
1134:
1052:
521:
1336:
1157:
1407:
1353:
1193:
903:
299:
145:
1455:
1264:
1324:
1305:
1293:
1181:
1005:
235:
969:
572:
499:
217:
1383:
1040:
950:
898:
494:
74:
1479:
1069:
1033:
993:
910:
799:
772:
419:
115:
741:
1388:
1205:
1139:
1122:
1091:
962:
321:
253:
241:
161:
54:
1424:
1269:
1241:
1234:
915:
338:
272:
266:
249:
176:
172:
While generally categorised as fiction, the book draws heavily on Pinto's upbringing as a
201:, who called it "one of the very best books to come out of India in a long, long time."
1519:
1484:
1281:
1246:
1222:
1079:
1057:
938:
639:
599:"In conversation with Jerry Pinto: How mental health and illness is perceived in India"
349:
333:
198:
1547:
1317:
1210:
1103:
891:
867:
185:
78:
813:
1365:
1127:
1086:
974:
933:
261:
229:
202:
30:
1472:
1448:
1400:
1341:
1174:
1162:
1115:
986:
206:
134:
44:
548:"Em and the Big Hoom by Jerry Pinto – family life and mental turmoil in Bombay"
1460:
1412:
1329:
1198:
1186:
1045:
998:
803:
164:, her euphoric flamboyance, strange charm, and paranoid attempts at suicide.
862:
617:"Hope my book has served readers well: Jerry Pinto on Sahitya Akademi award"
223:
793:
379:
Em and the Big Hoom by Jerry Pinto - Reading Guide - PenguinRandomHouse.com
879:
221:
reported on reviews from several
British publications and out of five:
64:
180:
444:
173:
100:
817:
356:(Em'mum periya hūmum), and Sahitya Akademy has published it.
445:"'Em and The Big Hoom' by Jerry Pinto « Amitav Ghosh"
1506:
1375:
1256:
1149:
1020:
925:
854:
197:The book was praised by several writers, including
114:
106:
96:
86:
70:
60:
50:
40:
215:received international critical acclaim as well.
1349:Mahabharata: An Inquiry into the Human Condition
663:"The Hindu Literary Prize goes to Jerry Pinto"
470:"Review of Em And The Big Hoom by Jerry Pinto"
829:
8:
133:is a 2012 English-language novel written by
21:
836:
822:
814:
29:
20:
395:"A Conversation With: Author Jerry Pinto"
635:"'Popular choice' ruled at book awards"
573:"'Em and the Big Hoom', by Jerry Pinto"
366:
7:
495:"Em and the Big Hoom by Jerry Pinto"
420:"Em and the Big Hoom by Jerry Pinto"
372:
370:
1569:Sahitya Akademi Award-winning works
1301:The Mammaries of the Welfare State
767:Pinto, Jerry (14 September 2023).
740:Desquesnes, Naïké (1 March 2016).
14:
887:The Tribal World of Verrier Elwin
345:, translated by Myriam Bellehigue
293:2016 Kendra Sahitya Akademi award
287:Windham–Campbell Literature Prize
154:Windham–Campbell Literature Prize
1313:The Algebra of Infinite Justice
1218:Final Solutions and Other Plays
742:"Grandir près d'une mère folle"
546:Thomas, Scarlett (3 May 2014).
1:
1170:Our Trees Still Grow in Dehra
110:240 (first edition hardcover)
1527:All The Lives We Never Lived
1468:The Blind Lady's Descendants
1432:Chronicle of a Corpse Bearer
771:. Chengamalam Enterprises.
711:"The modest Shanta Gokhale"
709:Pinto, Jerry (8 May 2016).
1590:
1564:Nonlinear narrative novels
1559:Novels about mental health
353:
325:
28:
16:2012 novel by Jerry Pinto
1574:Aleph Book Company books
1396:These Errors are Correct
875:The Serpent and the Rope
1492:When God is a Traveller
1011:K. R. Srinivasa Iyengar
302:for fiction (co-winner)
289:for fiction (co-winner)
1515:Things to Leave Behind
1497:Arundhathi Subramaniam
1065:The Keeper of the Dead
689:"Delhi Public Library"
342:
168:Background and writing
1420:Trying to Say Goodbye
1289:The Perishable Empire
946:Scholar Extraordinary
845:Sahitya Akademi Award
792:Pinto, Jerry (2018).
746:Le Monde diplomatique
150:Sahitya Akademi Award
1408:Laburnum For My Head
1354:Chaturvedi Badrinath
1099:Trapfalls In the Sky
982:Fire on the Mountain
904:Bhabani Bhattacharya
795:எம்மும் பெரிய ஹூமும்
769:எம்மும் பெரிய ஹூமும்
605:. 11 September 2016.
393:Bearak, Max (2014).
354:எம்மும் பெரிய ஹூமும்
300:Crossword Book Award
146:Crossword Book Award
1444:Em and the Big Hoom
1306:Upamanyu Chatterjee
1294:Meenakshi Mukherjee
1230:The Collected Poems
623:. 22 December 2016.
522:"Cruel and unusual"
343:Nous l'appelions Em
239:gave it a four and
236:The Financial Times
213:Em and The Big Hoom
130:Em and the Big Hoom
25:
23:Em and the Big Hoom
1554:2012 Indian novels
1480:An Era of Darkness
1384:India after Gandhi
1361:The Book of Rachel
1041:The Last Labyrinth
951:Nirad C. Chaudhuri
899:Shadow From Ladakh
669:. 17 February 2013
193:Critical reception
75:Aleph Book Company
1541:
1540:
1135:That Long Silence
1070:Keki N. Daruwalla
1053:Latter-Day Psalms
1034:Jayanta Mahapatra
994:Inside the Haveli
911:An Artist in Life
778:978-93-87989-02-3
643:. 7 December 2013
424:www.penguin.co.uk
332:), translated by
245:gave it a three.
126:
125:
97:Publication place
1581:
1389:Ramachandra Guha
1337:Disorderly Women
1206:Memories of Rain
1158:The Trotter-Nama
1140:Shashi Deshpande
1123:The Shadow Lines
1092:Nayantara Sahgal
963:Sarvepalli Gopal
958:Jawaharlal Nehru
838:
831:
824:
815:
808:
807:
789:
783:
782:
764:
758:
757:
755:
753:
737:
731:
730:
728:
726:
717:. Archived from
706:
700:
699:
697:
695:
685:
679:
678:
676:
674:
659:
653:
652:
650:
648:
631:
625:
624:
613:
607:
606:
595:
589:
588:
586:
584:
569:
563:
562:
560:
558:
543:
537:
536:
534:
532:
518:
512:
511:
509:
507:
491:
485:
484:
482:
480:
466:
460:
459:
457:
455:
441:
435:
434:
432:
430:
416:
410:
409:
407:
405:
390:
384:
383:
374:
355:
327:
254:Eileen Battersby
242:The Sunday Times
227:gave it a five,
162:bipolar disorder
88:Publication date
82:Turtleback Books
33:
26:
1589:
1588:
1584:
1583:
1582:
1580:
1579:
1578:
1544:
1543:
1542:
1537:
1502:
1425:Adil Jussawalla
1371:
1270:Rajmohan Gandhi
1252:
1235:A. K. Ramanujan
1145:
1111:The Golden Gate
1076:Collected Poems
1016:
921:
916:Niharranjan Ray
850:
842:
812:
811:
791:
790:
786:
779:
766:
765:
761:
751:
749:
739:
738:
734:
724:
722:
708:
707:
703:
693:
691:
687:
686:
682:
672:
670:
661:
660:
656:
646:
644:
633:
632:
628:
621:Hindustan Times
615:
614:
610:
597:
596:
592:
582:
580:
577:Financial Times
571:
570:
566:
556:
554:
545:
544:
540:
530:
528:
526:The Irish Times
520:
519:
515:
505:
503:
493:
492:
488:
478:
476:
468:
467:
463:
453:
451:
449:amitavghosh.com
443:
442:
438:
428:
426:
418:
417:
413:
403:
401:
392:
391:
387:
376:
375:
368:
363:
318:
282:
273:Financial Times
267:Scarlett Thomas
250:The Irish Times
195:
170:
137:. The book won
89:
81:
77:
36:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1587:
1585:
1577:
1576:
1571:
1566:
1561:
1556:
1546:
1545:
1539:
1538:
1536:
1535:
1523:
1520:Namita Gokhale
1510:
1508:
1504:
1503:
1501:
1500:
1488:
1485:Shashi Tharoor
1476:
1464:
1456:The Black Hill
1452:
1440:
1428:
1416:
1404:
1392:
1379:
1377:
1373:
1372:
1370:
1369:
1357:
1345:
1333:
1321:
1309:
1297:
1285:
1282:Amit Chaudhuri
1273:
1265:Rajaji: A Life
1260:
1258:
1254:
1253:
1251:
1250:
1247:Kiran Nagarkar
1238:
1226:
1223:Mahesh Dattani
1214:
1202:
1190:
1178:
1166:
1153:
1151:
1147:
1146:
1144:
1143:
1131:
1119:
1107:
1095:
1083:
1073:
1061:
1058:Nissim Ezekiel
1049:
1037:
1024:
1022:
1018:
1017:
1015:
1014:
1002:
990:
978:
966:
954:
942:
939:Mulk Raj Anand
929:
927:
923:
922:
920:
919:
907:
895:
883:
871:
858:
856:
852:
851:
843:
841:
840:
833:
826:
818:
810:
809:
784:
777:
759:
732:
701:
680:
654:
640:Times of India
626:
608:
590:
564:
538:
513:
486:
461:
436:
411:
385:
365:
364:
362:
359:
358:
357:
346:
336:
334:Shanta Gokhale
330:Em ani Hoomrao
317:
314:
313:
312:
310:Literary Prize
303:
296:
290:
281:
278:
199:Salman Rushdie
194:
191:
169:
166:
142:Literary Prize
124:
123:
118:
112:
111:
108:
104:
103:
98:
94:
93:
90:
87:
84:
83:
72:
68:
67:
62:
58:
57:
52:
48:
47:
42:
38:
37:
34:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1586:
1575:
1572:
1570:
1567:
1565:
1562:
1560:
1557:
1555:
1552:
1551:
1549:
1533:
1529:
1528:
1524:
1521:
1517:
1516:
1512:
1511:
1509:
1505:
1498:
1494:
1493:
1489:
1486:
1482:
1481:
1477:
1474:
1470:
1469:
1465:
1462:
1458:
1457:
1453:
1450:
1446:
1445:
1441:
1438:
1434:
1433:
1429:
1426:
1422:
1421:
1417:
1414:
1410:
1409:
1405:
1402:
1398:
1397:
1393:
1390:
1386:
1385:
1381:
1380:
1378:
1374:
1367:
1363:
1362:
1358:
1355:
1351:
1350:
1346:
1343:
1339:
1338:
1334:
1331:
1327:
1326:
1325:The Sari Shop
1322:
1319:
1318:Arundhati Roy
1315:
1314:
1310:
1307:
1303:
1302:
1298:
1295:
1291:
1290:
1286:
1283:
1279:
1278:
1274:
1271:
1267:
1266:
1262:
1261:
1259:
1255:
1248:
1244:
1243:
1239:
1236:
1232:
1231:
1227:
1224:
1220:
1219:
1215:
1212:
1211:Sunetra Gupta
1208:
1207:
1203:
1200:
1196:
1195:
1191:
1188:
1184:
1183:
1182:After Amnesia
1179:
1176:
1172:
1171:
1167:
1164:
1160:
1159:
1155:
1154:
1152:
1148:
1141:
1137:
1136:
1132:
1129:
1125:
1124:
1120:
1117:
1113:
1112:
1108:
1105:
1104:Shiv K. Kumar
1101:
1100:
1096:
1093:
1089:
1088:
1084:
1081:
1077:
1074:
1071:
1067:
1066:
1062:
1059:
1055:
1054:
1050:
1047:
1043:
1042:
1038:
1035:
1031:
1030:
1026:
1025:
1023:
1019:
1012:
1008:
1007:
1006:On the Mother
1003:
1000:
996:
995:
991:
988:
984:
983:
979:
976:
972:
971:
967:
964:
960:
959:
955:
952:
948:
947:
943:
940:
936:
935:
931:
930:
928:
924:
917:
913:
912:
908:
905:
901:
900:
896:
893:
892:Verrier Elwin
889:
888:
884:
881:
877:
876:
872:
869:
868:R. K. Narayan
865:
864:
860:
859:
857:
853:
849:
846:
839:
834:
832:
827:
825:
820:
819:
816:
805:
801:
797:
796:
788:
785:
780:
774:
770:
763:
760:
747:
743:
736:
733:
721:on 6 May 2021
720:
716:
712:
705:
702:
690:
684:
681:
668:
664:
658:
655:
642:
641:
636:
630:
627:
622:
618:
612:
609:
604:
600:
594:
591:
578:
574:
568:
565:
553:
549:
542:
539:
527:
523:
517:
514:
502:
501:
496:
490:
487:
475:
471:
465:
462:
450:
446:
440:
437:
425:
421:
415:
412:
400:
396:
389:
386:
381:
380:
373:
371:
367:
360:
351:
347:
344:
340:
337:
335:
331:
326:एम आणि हूमराव
323:
320:
319:
315:
311:
309:
304:
301:
297:
294:
291:
288:
284:
283:
279:
277:
275:
274:
270:Yeung of The
268:
264:
263:
257:
255:
251:
246:
244:
243:
238:
237:
232:
231:
226:
225:
220:
219:
214:
210:
208:
204:
200:
192:
190:
188:
187:
186:War and Peace
182:
178:
175:
167:
165:
163:
157:
155:
151:
147:
143:
141:
136:
132:
131:
122:
119:
117:
113:
109:
105:
102:
99:
95:
91:
85:
80:
76:
73:
69:
66:
63:
59:
56:
53:
49:
46:
43:
39:
35:First edition
32:
27:
24:
19:
1532:Anuradha Roy
1525:
1513:
1507:2021–present
1490:
1478:
1466:
1454:
1443:
1442:
1437:Cyrus Mistry
1430:
1418:
1406:
1394:
1382:
1366:Esther David
1359:
1347:
1335:
1323:
1311:
1299:
1287:
1275:
1263:
1240:
1228:
1216:
1204:
1192:
1180:
1168:
1156:
1133:
1128:Amitav Ghosh
1121:
1109:
1097:
1087:Rich Like Us
1085:
1075:
1063:
1051:
1039:
1029:Relationship
1027:
1004:
992:
980:
975:Chaman Nahal
968:
956:
944:
934:Morning Face
932:
909:
897:
885:
873:
861:
794:
787:
768:
762:
750:. Retrieved
745:
735:
723:. Retrieved
719:the original
714:
704:
692:. Retrieved
683:
671:. Retrieved
666:
657:
645:. Retrieved
638:
629:
620:
611:
602:
593:
581:. Retrieved
579:. 9 May 2014
576:
567:
555:. Retrieved
552:the Guardian
551:
541:
529:. Retrieved
525:
516:
504:. Retrieved
500:The Omnivore
498:
489:
477:. Retrieved
473:
464:
452:. Retrieved
448:
439:
427:. Retrieved
423:
414:
402:. Retrieved
398:
388:
378:
329:
316:Translations
307:
271:
262:The Guardian
260:
258:
247:
240:
234:
230:The Guardian
228:
222:
218:The Omnivore
216:
212:
211:
203:Amitav Ghosh
196:
184:
171:
158:
139:
129:
128:
127:
92:1 April 2012
22:
18:
1473:Anees Salim
1449:Jerry Pinto
1401:Jeet Thayil
1342:Malathi Rao
1277:A New World
1175:Ruskin Bond
1163:Allan Sealy
1116:Vikram Seth
987:Anita Desai
848:for English
752:31 December
748:(in French)
725:31 December
694:31 December
673:31 December
506:17 February
474:India Today
207:India Today
135:Jerry Pinto
45:Jerry Pinto
1548:Categories
1461:Mamang Dai
1413:Temsula Ao
1330:Rupa Bajwa
1199:Dom Moraes
1187:G. N. Devy
1080:Kamala Das
1046:Arun Joshi
999:Rama Mehta
804:1201521693
715:theweek.in
647:7 December
361:References
152:, and the
121:8192328023
1376:2011–2020
1257:2001–2010
1150:1991–2000
1021:1981–1990
926:1971–1980
863:The Guide
855:1960–1970
667:The Hindu
603:Firstpost
399:India Ink
308:The Hindu
295:- English
224:The Times
140:The Hindu
71:Publisher
1194:Serendip
880:Raja Rao
583:29 April
557:29 April
531:29 April
479:29 April
454:29 April
429:29 April
404:29 April
177:Catholic
51:Language
1242:Cuckold
322:Marathi
79:Penguin
65:Fiction
55:English
1534:(2022)
1522:(2021)
1499:(2020)
1487:(2019)
1475:(2018)
1463:(2017)
1451:(2016)
1439:(2015)
1427:(2014)
1415:(2013)
1403:(2012)
1391:(2011)
1368:(2010)
1356:(2009)
1344:(2007)
1332:(2006)
1320:(2005)
1308:(2004)
1296:(2003)
1284:(2002)
1272:(2001)
1249:(2000)
1237:(1999)
1225:(1998)
1213:(1996)
1201:(1994)
1189:(1993)
1177:(1992)
1165:(1991)
1142:(1990)
1130:(1989)
1118:(1988)
1106:(1987)
1094:(1986)
1082:(1985)
1072:(1984)
1060:(1983)
1048:(1982)
1036:(1981)
1013:(1980)
1001:(1979)
989:(1978)
977:(1977)
965:(1976)
953:(1975)
941:(1971)
918:(1969)
906:(1967)
894:(1965)
882:(1964)
870:(1960)
802:
775:
339:French
280:Awards
181:Mumbai
148:, the
144:, the
41:Author
970:Azadi
350:Tamil
305:2012
298:2013
285:2016
107:Pages
101:India
61:Genre
800:OCLC
773:ISBN
754:2017
727:2017
696:2017
675:2017
649:2013
585:2018
559:2018
533:2018
508:2024
481:2018
456:2018
431:2018
406:2018
248:For
233:and
174:Goan
116:ISBN
1530:by
1518:by
1495:by
1483:by
1471:by
1459:by
1447:by
1435:by
1423:by
1411:by
1399:by
1387:by
1364:by
1352:by
1340:by
1328:by
1316:by
1304:by
1292:by
1280:by
1268:by
1245:by
1233:by
1221:by
1209:by
1197:by
1185:by
1173:by
1161:by
1138:by
1126:by
1114:by
1102:by
1090:by
1078:by
1068:by
1056:by
1044:by
1032:by
1009:by
997:by
985:by
973:by
961:by
949:by
937:by
914:by
902:by
890:by
878:by
866:by
259:In
179:in
1550::
798:.
744:.
713:.
665:.
637:.
619:.
601:.
575:.
550:.
524:.
497:.
472:.
447:.
422:.
397:.
369:^
352::
341::
324::
265:,
252:,
189:.
156:.
837:e
830:t
823:v
806:.
781:.
756:.
729:.
698:.
677:.
651:.
587:.
561:.
535:.
510:.
483:.
458:.
433:.
408:.
382:.
328:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
