Prejudice takes place in a plethora of forms. It sprouts a rare growth when a clerk called Coinman can’t stop jingling the coins in his pocket. It’s a seemingly harmless addiction, but it’s one that comes to rule his life and begins to invite the wrath of virtually everyone around him. His work environment becomes increasingly hostile while his life at home begins to suffer as a result of his wife’s obsession with acting. When an attempt to remedy the situation goes horribly wrong, it spurs those involved onto unexpected paths. In this eccentric tale set in a small town in northern India, Pawan Mishra masterfully weaves ingenuity and sarcasm in a manner that’s simultaneously hilarious and tragic. Coinman is a modern-day parable laced with pithy wisdom and psychological insight into human nature–a clever parody of the dynamics of office politics and groupthink. At times, surreal, Mishra’s distinctive novel is an overflowing basin of linguistic humor. Eloquently written, this satirical story beautifully depicts how even mature, sensible adults can callously inflict emotional damage upon the most vulnerable. $4.99 on Kindle.
