Product Description

A collection of 11 stories, each one complete in itself, which chronicle the hopes and fears of Indian-born women living in America.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #244543 in Books
• Published on: 1997-02-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 307 pages

Review
" A remarkably strong debut . . . The all-too-imperfect lives of Divakaruni's heroines, like precious gems, are unrecognized treasures, worthy of being praised, protected and held dear." -- "San Jose Mercury News"
" Both universal and unique." -- "Kirkus Reviews"
" Beautifully told stories of transformed lives . . . Both liberated and trapped by cultural changes on both sides of the ocean, these women struggle fiercely to carve out an identity of their own." --"San Francisco Chronicle"
" These are ravishingly beautiful stories, some profoundly sad, others full of revelation, all unforgettable." --"Booklist"

From the Publisher
By the author of The Mistress of Spices

From the Back Cover
The possibility of change, of starting anew, in this stunningly beautiful and poignant collection of short stories, is at once terrifying and filled with promise. For those Indian-born women living new lives in America, independence is a mixed blessing. It means walking the tightrope between old treasured beliefs and surprising newfound desires, and understanding the emotions which that conflict brings. Together these stories create a tapestry of existence as colourful, as delicate and as enduring as the finest silk sari.

Customer Reviews

Very beautiful
I have just finished reading this book and highly recommend it. Each story will have you fixed and yes I have stayed up till late to finish reading some of the chapters. On the down side some stories leave you to reach your own conclusion and a couple are quite sad, however it's a must read.

Feelings of thousands conveyed ...
Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni manages to convey the feelings of thousands of Indian women who have faced similiar situations in this collection of short stories. All the women face the daunting task of leaving behind their family and friends and starting their lives with their husbands in a land they have only seen in the movies. It illustrates the struggles and passions of the women as they try to merge their cultural upbringing into the western world. Each of the stories will leave you wanting more. My favourite of the old grandma who comes to join her son and his wife, and finds they are not the same people they were in India but are totally submerged into the American life-style. All who read this novel will be fascinated by the dept of feeling and emotions Chitra has portrayed in each of the characters of the book. I look forward to reading may more of her novels.

Simply beautiful
This book is a collection of 11 short stories. Each story tells the tale of the life of an Indian woman in America and surprise surprise, most are about their marriages. I didn't find it repetitive as each story was distinct in it's own right. I found this book very memorable and engaging. The author has a great talent for totally engrossing the reader within a short time which is a difficult talent especially when writing short stories. This is one of the few books I have read that will remain truly memorable and that I would gladly read again cover to cover.