Me, my (almost) girlfriend and her guru

For anyone with even the slightest curiosity about travel, or even for those who have been to India, ME, MY (ALMOST) GIRLFRIEND, AND HER GURU proves to be a hilarious tale of the typical backpacking-style student trip. The novel became a worldwide bestseller thanks to William Sutcliffe's acerbic writing, with books published in over 20 countries. The protagonist is Dave, a 19-year-old London student who decides to take a gap year before starting college. He had no intention of venturing beyond Europe until his best friend, James, boyfriend of the stunning Liz, challenges him: "Do you want to do something really practical for your resume?" he teases when Dave says he was planning a job as a waiter at a Swiss ski resort. To travel and "have a great experience," the ideal destination would be an Asian country, something distinctly different from the imperialist routine he lived in England—but for Dave, that kind of experience amounted to nothing more than traveling to a dirty place with nothing interesting to do and where you'd probably get very sick... So James, unafraid of a challenge, decides his destination for the next eight months: the Himalayas. And, to Dave's surprise, the stunning Liz encourages him to embark on a trip to India with her, instead of accompanying her boyfriend. He doesn't think twice: already feeling pressured to have one of these trips in his bag, Dave is excited by the sexual tension that arises between them and accepts the proposal. But the much-dreamed-of romantic getaway, fueled by lots of sex, quickly turns into hell. The charming Liz reveals herself to be a temperamental and extremely selfish girl. Suffering from the intense heat, the poor accommodations, the strange food, and, of course, Liz's tyranny, Dave begins to wonder what he was doing there. Having no other option but to travel through India, he ends up distracted by the amusing company he meets and embarks on a journey of self-discovery that, despite his prejudices, will change his life forever. "In this social satire, Sutcliffe creates characters with great style." The Times