These Foolish Things

A whole bunch of improbable possibilities are brought together in the telling of this story, after all this is India, anything can happen! A commentary on life in the UK and India and an empathetic look at growing old, managing changing relationships and moving on. Serious and entertaining at the same time!

Here is a classic example of the book surpassing the movie. Character development is much deeper and complex. The journey through India so mimics my own fears of the populous, hot country. I was intrigued to find the characters meet the challenge in their own way.

The book was great. Then, I saw the movie. Could not believe it was from the same Book that I read. How can the movie writers change a story so greatly? Could barely recognize the characters. The movie was good (because of the actors) but not nearly as well developed as the book.

I heard this movie was amazing so thought the book would be great too. It was an ok story and I did not bail on it but I had trouble warming up to the characters and there were a few too many to keep track of. Not bad overall but not my fave.

Great read for those of us retirement age. Not very many book written about the struggles of growing old. Most authors sell better with young folks romance, mystery, and horror which seems strange with the growing number of vintage readers who have the time to read. The young are involved in their technical toys and don't read anyway? Those of us of "more mature" status are bored to death with boy gets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl back and those futuristic horror stories.

I enjoyed the characters in this book. It sensitively dealt with underlying difficulties when people get old and have to make adjustments to their lives, mostly because of financial issues. Nevertheless, in spite of age, life can still be an adventure.

I bought this book after seeing the film because the story was so wonderful I wanted to have it in writing. I know that books and films can vary and this is the case with this story. However I cannot say that I liked one better than the other. They are both fantastic. Obviously there is more detail in the book and I just loved getting to know each of the characters. Left me thinking about how I want to live in my advancing years. I also want to share this story with my "aged care" students.

The movie was outstanding. How they ever made such a great movie from such a mediocre book is dumbfounding. Not worth the time or the money to read this book. Language and descriptions crude and boring. Don't bother.

I was hoping for a more developed character study in what turned into a typical chick book. I appreciated the relationship between some of the characters but some were written about in a way that that were incomplete and silly. Too bad.Actually,the more I write, I'm thinking of a one star rating.

I liked this book because it is very interesting what these people in their late years of life have to leave what they know and get used to a new way of living. In the process they all have changes in the relationship with other people and their families. It is also shows you the background of each character so you can understand why they act in some way or other.

Quite frankly, I found this book really boring. Read it for a book club, so I had to finish it. Otherwise I would have put it down after the first chapter. The plot was uninteresting, the characters were crass. Pretty disappointed.

I liked this book but sometimes found it difficult to follow because it seemed to focus equally on all the charachters. When I happend to catch the movie on a recent flight east I was surpirsed how much better the movie was. Still, the book was a good read.

Very insightful and genuine words/writing by the author, regarding thoughts on aging. Sometimes difficult to read, as facing our own morality is not fun. Enjoyed the different perspectives on aging from different characters, and the hotel residents thoughts on communal living. Movie is good, but the book is much better.

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel: A Novel is the choice of our book club this last month. I enjoyed the characters as many of them are near my own age. Fortunately, I have a large group of friends who are still independent into their 80's.Thank goodness my relationship with my grown children is better than many of those in the book. Even though the book is a bit sadder than the movie, I enjoyed the more realistic treatment in the book.

If you think you're too 'old' for NEW EXPERIENCES, follow these 'troopers'>. Glad I saw the Movie first- it clarified each one's 'journey'; the book tends to weave one with another, becoming a big ball-of-yarn, hard to untaggle.

I read this book too soon after seeing the movie 'The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel' which is based on 'These Foolish Things'.
The movie characters were still fresh in my mind and those in the book are largely different in character.
Having said that, the book is definitely very enjoyable - bathed in India's colours - and the characters more believable than those in the movie.
The characters are well developed and you do end up getting quite attached to them.
Of course, the basis of the story is in the problems of old age, not being able to support the lifestyle to which one has become accustomed and the relationship between them and their offspring who perhaps do not really understand the plight of their elderly parents.
All in all, definitely worth a read .... and I still want to visit India ... and, yes, almost envy these intrepid older ones who just take off to another country and culture. I wonder if I will be that brave in my dotage!!

Memories of the film are refreshed and enhanced by the book. Many times I could picture Maggie Smith and Judi Dench in their roles. An interesting and sometimes tongue-in-cheek expose of life in the sub-continent.

I decided to purchase the book after watching the movie and to my surprise I was disappointed with the book - it is typically the other way around for me. The book is a good read but did not meet my expectations.

You can relate with each and every person in this book - and a preview of what alot of us will become. A very intense book that grabs all your emotions. It is sad, happy, silly and thought provoking.

This book was entertaining and light hearted. I enjoyed the author's style and the characters and descriptions of the locations in England and India. I'd like to see the movie now to compare the two.

Anyone who has seen the delightful film of the same name will have the opportunity to read a similar book with some very different characters, a similar story line and a different location.
But this does not detract from a well-told yarn about amazingly disparate people coming together in India a world away from their previous homes in the UK.
I thoroughly enjoyed it. And if you haven't seen the film, it is a must (and it won't spoil the book).

can't say enough good things about this book. saw the movie twice and of course much more detail in the book. you get lost amongst the characters, you feel you are one of the group. worth watching and worth reading in whichever order.

I purchased this book because they were advertising the film on TV. A great read true to its British and Indian roots.
I thoroughly enjoyed it subsequently I saw the film which was great as well. Reminds me of England.