Books of Interest to MixTogether Members: Intro

[booktalker]

Dear Everyone

Glad to know you are all busy reading!

I just found this link which lists loads of books, this section is "Fiction by Women of Colour" - http://cappy2.ucdavis.edu/wrrc/library/docs/International_WOC_Fiction.pdf

Do let us know if you have read any of them and what you thought.

Also, this weekend I'm going to start putting together a list of films, videos and DVDs that are mainly relevant to users of this site, so all contributions welcome.

Best wishes

B

[Spidax]

I finished Immigrant and really enjoyed it. It was very different to how i expected it, but i thought it was told in an open and believable way, and quite quickly you could see where the characters were going and what might happen

It was a difficult story and had some key themes and feelings I think a lot of men and women on here would relate and appreciate. Even if it might be a bit painful to read.

Nina - the female lead was a relatable character, and she told a truthful story.
However Ananda - the male lead wasnt so likable but there was an honesty and truth about him that made him seem real, even if he had identity and parent issues.

Story about life in general - no great surprises or twists. however I did feel it ending quite abruptly and with only Ninas voice at the end.
I did feel I wanted to know a little more.

I would like to hear others opinions on this book once they have read - dont want to say too much and ruin the book for anyone though

[Bhavni]

Hello,
Yeah i have read shame and daughters of shame and couldnt put it down.
But this one im finding it hard but i will carry on and let you know how i found it.

[chweetgurl]

Thnank you for sharing the collection with us book talker
I am going to read immigrant next spida sounds interesting!

I finished reading A married Woman it does gives you an insight of an woman in arranged marriage and the scrifices she had to make there is an ending twist which i leave it reader's imagination

[Bhavni]

Hello,
I have nearly finish reading dfficult daughter and i think it so good now i cant put it doen, all the issues she goes through i can relate to.
Thankyou
Just a quick questions for everyone, do you know of any books of hindu girls/ boys in mixed relationships?
Thanks
Bhavni

[booktalker]

Hi Bhavni

The only books I can think of (and I'm not 100% sure if the characters are Hindu in either of them) are Bali Rai's books (on the booklist) and Born Confused by Tanuja Desai Hidier and I'm pretty sure they're all teen books set in USA.

B
x

[chweetgurl]

Bhavni,The Last Taboo by bali rai features a punjabi girl in relationship with black guy..
the mango season by amulya malladi is about an hindu girl in mixed race relationship it revolves around when she visits india from usa the secrecy she had to maintain with her family about her loveer and how they react when they find out.

These are 2 good reads..my personal favo
Currently i am reading the way things look to me by roopa farooqi ..a recommendation from saffron's choice of books

[Bhavni]

Wow they all sound great im going to purchase them and give them a read going to finish reading difficult daughters then iv also got belonging to read.
Thankyou for your help.

[saffron]

Belonging..is a very powerful book....I have never forgotton the story and I think its a must read, there must be so many women treated in this way, it gives a glimse into the treatment that is dealt out to innocent women. A remarkable woman...

[booktalker]

I've just read an article about an author from Karachi called Kamila Shamsie. Her books include:

In The City By The Sea
Salt and Saffron
Kartography
Broken Verses 
Burnt Shadows (shortlisted for Orange Prize)

Have any of you bookworms read any of these?

If so, can you send a brief review?

Thanks!

B
x

[booktalker]

And has anyone read "Gifted" by Nikita Lalwani?

"This is a beautifully written account of the very difficult youth and early adolescence of a Hindu girl living in England with her parents and younger brother. The girl shows a talent for maths at an early age, and this is aggressively pursued by her father, who is determined that she will set a record as the youngest person to take A Levels and gain entrance to Oxford. The father's obsessive bullying of his daughter to realise his ambition for her is intensely painful to read and, when combined with the whole family's acute sense of isolation as an Indian family living in the UK, makes the book sometimes almost unbearable. This is not a 'misery memoir' by any stretch of the imagination, however, and the central character emerges as a real person, full of contradictions and confusions, and is created with great skill by the author. Well worth reading, but be ready for a real sense of anguish at the heart of the book."

[Spidax]

I've got burnt shadows but I havnt read it yet. Love your booklists booktalker. I've had a look on amazon about a lot of them. And made my own to read list for over the summer.
would love to read ur book when uve finished it !!

[Bhavni]

Hiya iv just finish reading difficult daughters the sumarise at the end is so powerful and can really relate to the issues and how she felt when it ended.
Iv got my amazon list too.

[saffron]

No,I couldn't get into this one either Bhavni, tried many years ago I think...but will give it a try oneday again on the recomendation of people on here.I want to read alot of the books on here but not enough time.

[saffron]

 I have just finished reading a few books over the last couple of months...

  DISHONOURED by Sohia Hayat.....A True Story

This was a very intersting read.

Its the story of a young pakistani girl who felt different from the begining,and who has pakistani parents that arranged a marriage for her but it did not work out as they had hoped, also how Sphia was abused by an uncle, her fleeing the life that would have meant furthe oppression and making it to uni...the many dilenma's at keeping her uni life away from her parents eyes...this will be of particular interest to those of you at uni facing these challenges and returning home for an arranged marriage.

Sophia has a natural desire to dance and act...not seen as good for a muslim girl, she shows how this got to her parents who even threatened to kill her..her mother was her perpetraitor, but later they make amends when her career has flourished.

Its different...lots of info about the celebs that she met including Beckham and many others like Will Smith.She was very brave and unafraid of showing up at lots of society venues and made links with all sorts of places and people.

This book came out around 1997 around the time of many others around forced marriages.