Book Review: ‘Memes for Mummyji’ by Santosh Desai

Book Title: Memes for Mummyji: Making Sense of Post-Smartphone India
Author: Santosh Desai
Publisher: HarperCollins India
Number of Pages: 400
ISBN: 9373071092
Date Published: Nov. 27, 2025
Price: INR 461 / $25

Book Review

Santosh Desai’s “Memes for Mummyji” is the kind of book you almost want to read standing up at a bookstore, just to giggle and then immediately buy five copies for your entire extended family. It’s an absolutely genius, quirky collection that zeroes in on the bizarre, often hilarious intersection of traditional Indian family life and the relentless, sometimes confusing wave of modern digital culture. Santosh has a spectacular eye for spotting the absurdity in things—like the earnest, slightly-off-kilter “Good Morning” messages that flood our family WhatsApp groups, or the way our parents genuinely struggle to understand what makes a viral meme. He doesn’t just describe these things; he holds up a mirror to the gentle, often sweet, clash of generations. It captures the true spirit of trying to keep up with a world that’s moving way too fast.

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The brilliance of this book lies in its humble, observational humour. It’s not mean-spirited; it’s a loving, yet sharp, commentary on the universal experience of dealing with a parent or relative who has just discovered the internet. Santosh breaks down the sociology behind the forwarded “wisdom,” the endless stream of festival greetings, and the way ‘Mummyji’ (or anyone from that generation) weaponizes emojis. Each essay or observation feels instantly relatable, making you stop and think, “Wait, is he writing about ‘my’ auntie?” The writing style is light, smart, and quick, managing to be genuinely insightful about social changes without ever getting too heavy or academic. It perfectly balances the deep cultural context of Indian family structure with the fleeting, often silly nature of online trends.

Also Read: Book Excerpt: ‘Memes for Mummyji’ by Santosh Desai

To conclude, “Memes for Mummyji” is a fantastic, necessary little book that makes you laugh out loud while secretly nodding in recognition. It serves as a gentle, funny translator between two worlds: the strict, old-school decorum of the previous generation and the chaotic, free-for-all of the digital age. This is essential reading for anyone who has ever been added to a large family WhatsApp group and wondered, “What exactly is happening here?” Santosh Desai gives us the roadmap, proving that sometimes, the best way to understand cultural change is simply to laugh at the ridiculous, endearing ways we all try to navigate it.

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