 The Alchemy of Desire
 The British Council will launch the novel 'The Alchemy of Desire' by Tarun J. Tejpal on Wednesday, 30 March, at Sansara, The Park, Chennai.
Sashi Kumar, chairman, Asian College of Journalism, will discuss the book with the author.
Set against the brilliantly drawn backdrop of India at the turn of the millennium, 'The Alchemy of Desire' tells the story of a young couple, who are penniless but gloriously in love. Obsessed with each other, they move from a small town to the big city, where the narrator who dreams of being a writer works feverishly on a novel, stopping only to feed his ceaseless desire for his beautiful wife.
Sensing that his writing is specious, the narrator is restless. Seeking refuge, his wife and he buy an abandoned house in a mist shrouded spur of the lower Himalayas. The house is to be a symbol of their love, but things begin to rapidly fall apart. During renovations a chance discovery triggers a strange energy, and the man finds himself irresistibly drawn away from his wife and thrust into another world and time.
Inventive, playful, heartbreaking, 'The Alchemy of Desire' is at once intimate and oracular, brimming with ideas and unforgettable characters.
Tarun Tejpal has been a journalist for 22 years. He is the editor of 'Tehelka', a national weekly paper. In 2002, Business Week declared him among the 50 leaders at the forefront of change in Asia. He lives in New Delhi with his wife and two daughters.
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