So it turns out Tagore is really all he's cracked out to be! This is a wonderful work of fiction (and philosophy). It was like a breath of fresh air for me, because when I read enough petty books and start wondering if maybe reading just got boring or maybe I can't quite feel like books are so grand anymore, or maybe I'm just not as impressionable, I stumble upon something like this and realise that everything is still fine with the world of books, and all I've been longing for is simply just a really good, deep read. This is precisely that kind of book, and it really impressed me how Tagore transported me into the whirlwind of thoughts and ideas that shaped the 19-20th centuries in India. It was also extremely well timed for me, as the previous book I read was Gissing's Odd women which also addressed a lot of the problems that this book did.
What will you find in this book? Discussions about the love for your nation, your community and family, spirituality and religion, as well as religious freedom and freedom to act as an individual, as opposed to the restrictions society puts on you and the prejudice free thinkers have to face, but that's not all. This book also talks about coming of age, finding yourself, a young person's place in the world and in the spiritual realm, also about what it truly means to be a highly evolved human being, not just by intelligence but through your deeds and understanding. If you are someone who often ponders these questions, you will greatly enjoy this book.