Hi everyone. : ) So I'm almost done with Climbing the Mango Trees, just a few more chapters to go. I bought a few mangoes and tried the spicy mixture she mentions at the very beginning of the book. Ground salt, pepper, chiles (I used cayenne) and roasted cumin (I roasted it in a skillet on the stove top) I had my mom and Mrs. Joy try it too, they loved it. : ) If any of you try it make sure you post what you think. I few things about the book so far:
I have heard a few people complain that the author seems very self absorbed. Keep in mind, people, that this is not a history of India. It's an autobiography of sorts, meaning it's about the author. It would be hard to write an autobiography without writing about yourself. : ) Though I have to admit, while I enjoy hearing about her life in an elite multi-cultural Indian family, I can't shake the nagging thought we are only getting a look at a small section of the Indian culture at the time. I'm sure her story is not the story of the majority of Indians and I'd like to get a more accurate view of "middle class" India.
May favorite parts (there are two : ) are when she compared herself to British heroines (Elizabeth Bennett being one, who just happens to be my favorite heroine ever) this part had Tobi rolling with laughter : ) and second favorite part was when see wrote the essay about what it is to be Indian after Partition. Sounds like she understood her privileged position and even may have been discriminated against because of it. I thought that was very interesting that she would come up with it on her own and that she wanted to write about it.
I looked up a few more thing on google. : ) Lutyens was mentioned all through the book as the designer of New Delhi. Seems like he made a big impact on that city of India. I also looked up blancmange, after hear the description of the Indian and Muslim food it does look a little bland.
4 comments:
Hello,
I just finished reading the part where the author compares herself with Elizabeth Bennett. It caught my attention and I though it interesting that she compared hersef to an English Heroin. I see what everybody else is saying about being self absorbed, but she has formed many models in her life based upon conflicting cultures and beliefs and her insight into it all is very interesting. It has brought confusion to her life and that is sad, but it gives us a look at these cultures from an interesting point of view. A book about Indian middle class might be hard to find as I do not think there were/are very few in that rank. Do you know if living in an extended family situation as they did helped them stay in the upper class? Dawn
I enjoyed the book, but it ended too abruptly or kind of unfinished for me, anyways. However, it does say that it is a book of “a childhood in India” so I shouldn’t have expected it to go into her adult life I guess.
I liked the descriptions of foods. I wish she had more of the recipes of the foods that she talked about, can’t really remember exactly which ones now. Were they prejudice against ugly people? Sometimes I got that feeling and it wasn’t just Shibudada that made me think that. Of course, he (and all) needed the Lord.
I judge a book on whether I look forward to getting back to it each day and this one passed the test for me. I thought it was good.
I JUST got my copy of this book. I had to mail-order it because it's just too hard to drag too loud little girls into a bookstore. So anyway, surprise, surprise, I'm already a whole book behind.
That's ok Bek. I always check old posts for new comments.
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