A Free Man tells the story of their friendship. Ashraf worked long hours, then spent his money on drink and smokes. He had lost touch with all of his family, even forgetting his mother’s phone number, and was eventually diagnosed with tuberculosis. In Sethi’s hands, Ashraf becomes more than simply a labourer with his array of troubles—he is charming, colourful, humorous, full of eccentric homilies, wild, maddening, and ultimately tragic. A Free Man was hugely acclaimed in India and will be published in the U.K. and North America this year.