Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo

Pulitzer Prize-winner Katherine Boo spends three years in an Indian slum to write this narrative non-fiction about the life of poverty and the human condition that exists there

By Vanessa Milne

Updated April 8, 2013

Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo

Ever looked at the pictures of slums and wondered just what life is really like for the people who live there? Behind the Beautiful Forevers is as close as most will get. To write her narrative non-fiction, Pulitzer Prize winner Katherine Boo followed families in a slum near Mumbai for almost four years, as they used all their strength, intelligence and will to fight for a piece of India’s wealth through corruption and betrayal.

Behind the Beautiful Forevers, Katherine Boo, $33.

The very best of Chatelaine straight to your inbox.

FILED UNDER:

Copy link

The cover of Chatelaine magazine's spring 2025 issue, reading "weekend prep made easy"; "five delicious weeknight meals", "plus, why you'll never regret buying an air fryer"; "save money, stay stylish how to build a capsule wardrobe" and "home organization special" along with photos of burritos, chicken and rice and white bean soup, quick paella in a dutch oven, almost-instant Thai chicken curry and chicken broccoli casserole in an enamelled cast-iron skillet

Subscribe to Chatelaine!

Want to streamline your life? In our Spring 2025 issue, we’ll show you how—whether it’s paring down your wardrobe, decluttering your messiest spaces or spending way less time cooking thanks to an easy, mostly make-ahead meal plan for busy weeknights. Plus, our first annual Pantry Awards.