"The aging patriarch and matriarch of the Ghosh family preside over their large household, unaware that beneath the barely ruffled surface of their lives the sands are shifting. Poisonous rivalries between sisters-in-law, destructive secrets, and the implosion of the family business threaten to unravel bonds of kinship as social unrest brews in greater Indian society. The eldest grandchild, Supratik, compelled by his idealism, becomes dangerously involved in extremist political activism. Ambitious, rich, and compassionate, The Lives of Others anatomizes the soul of a nation as it unfolds a family history."--Back cover.

"Shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize"--Cover. "First American Edition 2014"--Title page verso.