''Man on Fire'' is a 2015 novel by English author

Stephen Kelman Stephen Kelman (born 1976) is an English novelist, who grew up on Marsh Farm council estate in Luton. He studied marketing at the University of Bedfordshire,Bloomsbury Bloomsbury is a district in the West End of London. It is considered a fashionable residential area, and is the location of numerous cultural, intellectual, and educational institutions. Bloomsbury is home of the British Museum, the largest mus ...

and is set in India. It is a fictional biography of

Bibhuti Bhushan Nayak Bibhuti Bhushan Nayak (born 1965) is an Indian journalist, who holds seven Guinness World Records and 12 Limca Book Records in physical strength to his name. He aims to have 72 records to his name. He currently manages his ancestral business, wo ...

, a multiple

Guinness Guinness () is an Irish dry stout that originated in the brewery of Arthur Guinness at St. James's Gate, Dublin, Ireland, in 1759. It is one of the most successful alcohol brands worldwide, brewed in almost 50 countries, and available in ove ...

and

Limca Limca is an Indian multinational brand of lemon- and lime-flavoured carbonated soft drink made primarily in India and certain parts of the U.S. It contains 60 calories per 150ml can. The formula does not include fruit, relying instead on arti ...

record holder from

Mumbai Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second- ...

. Kelman was inspired to write the book after watching a documentary about India where the English comedian Paul Merton kicked Nayak in the groin in an attempt to set a Limca World Record for the number of times being kicked in the groin.

Plot

Summary

The novel follows Nayak and John Lock, an Englishman that has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. He has left his life and spouse behind in order to elope to India under the pretense of committing suicide. Once in India he meets Nayak and decides to help the man break the world record for breaking the most baseball bats on his shin bone. Ultimately, John's wife Ellen tracks him down in India and there is a confrontation between the two.

Reception

Critical reception has been positive and the ''

Financial Times The ''Financial Times'' (''FT'') is a British daily newspaper printed in broadsheet and published digitally that focuses on business and economic current affairs. Based in London, England, the paper is owned by a Japanese holding company, Nik ...

'' has called the book an "enthralling novel by a writer of considerable talent". The novel has also received praise from multiple reviewers with ''The Guardian'', with both praising it for its humor. ''The Washington Post'' commends the book for being "smartly arranged".

References

{{reflist 2015 British novels Books about sportspeople Bloomsbury Publishing books Novels set in India