The Company of Women

Meet Mohan Kumar. He is academically brilliant and quite a catch. Unfortunately though, his insane sex drive is the plague of his life. Of course, Mohan would disagree, but he enjoys every minute of satiating his libido.The Company of Women is the story of a man's sexual exploits, and how it defines his life. As a young academic, he is sent abroad to study, and thus begins his sexual experiments in the company of women. After losing his virginity to the seductive Jessica Browne, there is no stopping Mohan. His next tryst is with a Pakistani, Yasmeen Wanchoo, who teaches him the exhilaration of satisfying older women, who are known to be notorious for their heady lust for younger men.Coming back to India, he is forced to settle for a marriage and a woman he has absolutely no interest in. She is perpetually cranky, and it seems like she was born with a long face. Sure, the wife was ill-tempered, but Mohan wasn't exactly a loyal husband. From sexual relations with the maid Dhanno, to their baby's nurse, Mohan's carnal desires knows no bounds. Very soon, their marriage disintegrates.Thus, having found his single status again, he must overcome his loneliness, and thus begins a string of affairs.While this story may seem like the racy tale of a young man who just couldn't keep his hormones at bay, it does have a twist in the plot. Mohan's relationship with his father, and the change in his character after his death tweaks the image of the protagonist in the minds of the readers' as an otherwise immoral man.Coupled with humour and a compelling narration, Khushwant Singh takes us on a journey of what it means to succumb to the desires of the flesh. For anyone who is looking for some exceptional writing, without feeling offended at the sexual content, this book offers an interesting read.Published in the year 1999.