https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Man_on_Fire_Kelman_novelMan on Fire Kelman novel - Revision history2026-08-01T06:55:06ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=Man_on_Fire_Kelman_novel&diff=515623&oldid=prevDia at 04:37, 30 April 20262026-04-30T04:37:24Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{short description|2015 novel by Stephen Kelman}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}<br />
{{Infobox book<br />
|name = Man on Fire<br />
|author = [[Stephen Kelman]]<br />
|image = File:Man on Fire (Kelman novel).jpg<br />
|caption = First edition<br />
|language = [[English language|English]]<br />
|published = 2015 ([[Bloomsbury Publishing]])<br />
|country = [[United Kingdom]]<br />
|set_in = [[India]]<br />
|media_type = print<br />
|subject = [[Bibhuti Bhushan Nayak]]<br />
|pages = 296<br />
|isbn = 978-1408865460<br />
|oclc = 911550441<br />
|congress = PR6111.E524 M36<br />
|dewey = 823.92}}<br />
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'''''Man on Fire''''' is a 2015 novel by English author [[Stephen Kelman]] and his second novel. The work was published on 13 August 2015 through [[Bloomsbury Publishing|Bloomsbury]] and is set in India.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title = Man on Fire|url = http://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/man-on-fire-9781408843185/|website = Bloomsbury Publishing|accessdate = 2015-12-30}}</ref> It is a fictional biography of [[Bibhuti Bhushan Nayak]], a multiple [[Guinness World Records|Guinness]] and [[Limca Book of Records|Limca]] record holder from [[Mumbai]].<br />
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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.<ref>{{Cite web|title = How a kick in the groin sparked Stephen Kelman's new book|url = http://www.heraldscotland.com/arts_ents/13524590.How_a_kick_in_the_groin_sparked_Stephen_Kelman_s_new_book/|website = Herald Scotland|accessdate = 2015-12-30}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title = Hit me! Hit me below the belt! Owww!|url = http://www.hindustantimes.com/india/hit-me-hit-me-below-the-belt-owww/story-aU52ucu4ZKTty3hzSaMItJ.html|website = The Hindustan Times|access-date = 2016-02-04}}</ref><br />
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== Plot ==<br />
[[File:Bibhuti Bhushan Nayak.jpg|alt=A photo of Bibhuti Bhushan Nayak, the protagonist of the Book Man on Fire|thumb|245x245px|Bibhuti Bhushan Nayak, the protagonist of the Book ''Man on Fire'']]<br />
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=== Summary ===<br />
The novel follows Nayak and John Lock,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.newstalk.com/Is-it-all-just-a-matter-of-mind-over-matter|title=Is it all just a matter of mind over matter?|website=newstalk.com|access-date=2016-05-16}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://lithub.com/how-to-fictionalize-the-worlds-greatest-world-record-holder/|title=How to Fictionalize the World's Greatest World Record Holder|date=2016-02-19|website=Literary Hub|language=en-US|access-date=2016-05-16}}</ref><br />
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Ultimately, John's wife Ellen<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1246459|title=A cold fire|last=Javeri|first=Dr Sabyn|date=2016-03-20|website=www.dawn.com|access-date=2016-05-16}}</ref> tracks him down in India and there is a confrontation between the two.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.newstalk.com/Is-it-all-just-a-matter-of-mind-over-matter|title=Is it all just a matter of mind over matter?|website=newstalk.com|access-date=2016-05-16}}</ref><br />
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== Reception ==<br />
Critical reception has been positive and the ''[[Financial Times]]'' has called the book an "enthralling novel by a writer of considerable talent".<ref>{{Cite news|title = 'Man on Fire', by Stephen Kelman|url = http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/124e9360-3d23-11e5-bbd1-b37bc06f590c.html|newspaper = Financial Times|date = 2015-08-14|access-date = 2015-12-30|issn = 0307-1766|first = Malcolm|last = Forbes}}</ref> The novel has also received praise from multiple reviewers with ''The Guardian'', with both praising it for its humor.<ref>{{Cite news|title = Man on Fire by Stephen Kelman review – pain means nothing to BB Nayak|url = https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/aug/08/man-on-fire-stephen-kelman-review-bb-nayak-novel-biography|newspaper = The Guardian|date = 2015-08-08|access-date = 2016-02-04|issn = 0261-3077|language = en-GB|first = Erica|last = Wagner}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title = Man on Fire by Stephen Kelman review – India through the tale of Bibhuti|url = https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/aug/23/man-on-fire-stephen-kelman-review-india-through-tale-of-bibhuti-extreme-endurance|newspaper = The Guardian|date = 2015-08-23|access-date = 2016-02-04|issn = 0261-3077|language = en-GB|first = Justin|last = Cartwright}}</ref><br />
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''The Washington Post'' commends the book for being "smartly arranged".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/man-on-fire-review-salvation-through-extreme-record-breaking/2016/02/16/997e3cfa-d26a-11e5-88cd-753e80cd29ad_story.html|title='Man on Fire' review: Salvation through extreme record-breaking|last=Percy|first=Benjamin|date=2016-02-16|newspaper=The Washington Post|language=en-US|issn=0190-8286|access-date=2016-05-16}}</ref><br />
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==References==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:2015 British novels]]<br />
[[Category:Books about sportspeople]]<br />
[[Category:Bloomsbury Publishing books]]<br />
[[Category:Novels set in India]]</div>Dia