This is about a novel, in which God calls on a cell phone, a Maruthi 800 (with AC) beats a Lexus, the Microsoft Word easter-egg saves the world and which ends with a Bollywood style car chase and group photo scene. Could all that make a good novel? Well, it does my friend. It does!
“one night @ the call center” by Chetan Bhagat is a story revolving around six call centre workers. The story is about these people who are all finding it difficult to adjust to the problems they face in life and on one particular night find themselves attending a call… a call from God.
There are two things that made me like this novel. One is the racy humorous style used by Chetan. Two, the ease & swiftness with which I could identify with the protagonist Shyam. I have never worked in a call center, I already own a Maruthi 800 (has no AC) and I haven’t done a lot of things described in the novel (though I would love to 
) but I could find traces of him all over my life. Chetan claims to have written this book to portray the mind of the average Indian youth. I don’t know whether I am the average Indian youth, but if I am then he has definitely succeeded.
I wouldn’t say this a perfect novel… the plot does go on expected lines and there is some unnecessary melodrama at times… but these flaws are well compensated by the casual conversational style of writing. You never feel bored and wouldn’t feel like putting this down before finishing it. Definitely a must read, folks. And it comes rather cheap too, just around 100 bucks for this nice book. Don’t waste any time… get one, read it now!
About the author… “one night @ the call center” is Chetan Bhagat’s second novel. If the name doesn’t ring any bells, he is an IIT + IIM product who shot into fame with his best selling novel “5 point some one”. I haven’t read that yet but definitely my next book.
Links:
- Official Site » (chetanbhagat.com)
- Buy Online » (firstandsecond.com)
March 13th, 2006 at 7:07 pm
hmm u aroused my interest..especially coz of the average human part..Can i borrow ?
March 14th, 2006 at 8:12 pm
hmm .. let me see
. hehe just kidding.. sure. not my book though, right now with gayu.
March 15th, 2006 at 6:44 pm
thanx for the book anoop.it was ok,but i wud prefer the 1st one anytime of the day.hehe the end was too bollywoodish….too melodramatic…still it was gud time pass for most of the time:) thanx again
March 15th, 2006 at 8:00 pm
.. and thanks to you for keeping your promise
March 19th, 2006 at 1:55 am
Hey Anoop,
Well, I was wondering to know what this book is about. Thanku for educating me on that! I generally don’t read much Novels. … One question to ask? These days most of my friends@colej are insisting that i buy novels!! Is it really a bad thing that i don’t read novels?? It worries me at times!
Regards,
Marutham.
March 19th, 2006 at 5:46 am
hmm.. Difficult question. But I think u probably should go ahead and read a few books.. it really is worth it. I used to read plenty myself and at the very least it is cheap entertainment.
May 2nd, 2006 at 5:04 pm
Not as good as his first book 5 point some one. For outsourcing voice, chat, email or back-office support, visit the website of Aumenta Call Center, India.
http://www.aumenta.cc
May 22nd, 2006 at 8:05 pm
Chetan Bhagat is developing into one of Indias greatest writes. Loved his first 2 book and would love to see up there in the league of john grisham and rowling. For outsourcing voice, chat, email or back-office support, visit the website http://callcenter.ramshyam.com
August 4th, 2006 at 9:30 pm
I liked fivepointsomeone more than ‘one night,’ but both are well-written books. FPS, however, is in a class all its own. I have purchased over 10 copies of the book as gifts and loaned it out to over 40 different people (mostly Malayalees) but who themselves hail from all corners of the globe. Though they ranged from the ages of 17-50, every one of them absolutely loved the book, because it has a way of resonating with everyone–everyone can see themselves in that book, in the characters. I gave it to some people who never read any books but who read FPS in one sitting because they could not put it down. By all means, whoever you are, whatever you do, read FPS!
October 2nd, 2007 at 3:58 pm
Through this book Chetan Bhagat taught a big lesson..
that FAILURE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT INGREDIENT FOR SUCCESS
Is that a contradiction?
Read one night@the call centre… you’ll find out..
October 2nd, 2007 at 3:59 pm
Through this book Chetan Bhagat taught us a big lesson..
that FAILURE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT INGREDIENT FOR SUCCESS
Is that a contradiction?
Read one night@the call centre… you’ll find out..
September 3rd, 2008 at 11:46 pm
I would any day prefer 5 point someone to one night @ the call centre. I expected the first one to be made into a movie
September 3rd, 2008 at 11:51 pm
did anyone read his latest book _ 3 mistakes of my life?Trust me, the book sucks.
September 4th, 2008 at 6:52 pm
yeah.. even i felt so
waste of 100 bucks!
November 18th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
nice and interesting story
February 21st, 2010 at 3:37 am
I often read your blog, i think you are good writer, keep us posting