'It wasn't uncommon in my childhood for roti to be off the menu, because the rolling pin was broken again.'Ernest van der Kwast's childhood is peopled by an array of colourful characters: from his strait-laced Dutch father, to Bollywood star Uncle Sharma, and talented heptathlete Aunt Jasleen. But it is his overbearing yet loving Indian mother who is at the centre of this big-hearted, hilarious family saga. Veena van der Kwast is a woman with an iron will, hilarious directness, and a talent for haggling. Armed with her trusty rolling pin, every man she meets is eventually beaten to submission - especially her husband and three sons. Intriguing, surprising, and moving in equal measure, this novel inspired by a very unusual family will make you smile from beginning to end.