Attention: Mervyn Maciel The book launch was scheduled for July in Mumbai and August in Goa, but the publisher had to postpone both due to some technical problems. The Mumbai launch is now expected to be some time in August and the Goa launch will probably coincide with the lit fest in December. In the meantime, here's something about the book:
“The House at 43 Hill Road” tells of the aristocratic Braz Rodrigues, who built his house in the mid-1800s, on the plot where it all happened, with family vignettes, and how his grand daughter-in-law Lydia made the address known worldwide for the exquisite wedding gowns she designed. It goes on to provide a meticulously documented account of how government authorities (Police, Bombay Municipal Corporation, Electricity Department, Fire Brigade, Cooperative Society officials) actively assisted land-grabbers who were out to take over that property in Bandra’s prime commercial area. For six years, the author, Brenda and her husband, Joe, great grandson of Braz, single-handedly fought over 70 court cases, faced assaults, threats to their lives, and even had to hide their children in a distant place. The book is a charming family saga and also a scathing indictment of an all-too-common social scenario in Mumbai. The tale ends with an unexpected twist.
