Review: Whoa...this memoir is true?
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 01 5, 2014
I initially read Rupee Millionaire because no one ever thinks of wanting to be such a thing. However, here author Frank Kusy writes in his own memoir of achieving the dream.The book begins in the throes of India where this man from the UK has come to find himself. Here he becomes a horrible self-proclaimed Buddhist, he eats meat after all, and begins to write travel guides.To become better self supported he begins to sell hippy clothing brought back from India to the markets of London.Here he meets an unlikely and bullish character by the name of Spud. Their partnership is forged when Spud takes over Frank's market stall and announces he needs a partner. This begins the dream of becoming rupee millionaires which is actually 20,000 British pounds.Frank's  partnership with Spud is ironically long lasting, a "marriage" of epic proportions which include, Spud's threats to customers, bombings, tax evasion and threats to Frank's personal health and well being. It seems almost odd that Frank would continue to forge this relationship as long as he did.This duo will achieve the rupee millionaire dream many times over but in the end at what cost.Along the way, in his many travels to India to buy stock, Frank meets other interesting characters all of whom are in  business of some sort but meet yearly as friends. They become known as the Pushkar Posse.These very people will also shape Frank into the person he will eventually become and help him achieve the one thing he has always wanted, the approval of his Hungarian mother.After years of travel that takes the author through personal loss, danger to self, travels through India, Thailand and other parts of Asia, mental breakdown, love and self-discovery, the author ends the book in a twist that even takes him off guard.-------------------Once I started reading this book, I absolutely could not put it down. Through Frank Kusy's travels and words, I learned of an India that makes me want to meet it. I also learned of the things I also do not want to meet.Certain chapters make you want to scream at the author, others make your mouth drop in disbelief and even others make you endeared to the author and some of its characters. All in all you wonder if the tale is really true or if this is just a good story written by a man who knows India and its people well.The fact is, I couldn't care less. This book was well written and entertaining. It deserves the 5 stars I am giving it.~Naila MoonDisclosure: I downloaded a free copy of this book to my Kindle. The opinions expressed here are 100% my own.