Diversity in literature quite often focuses on skin deep qualities such as ethnicity and race, but it is much broader than that, including sexuality, gender, disability, political persuasion, and religion. Diverse literature exposes the reader to experiences that are not their own, and hopefully, broadens their understanding and knowledge of those experiences. *(CL) means that... Continue Reading →
The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters by Balli Kaur Jaswal
A mother’s final request and three sisters with seemingly nothing in common - a tried and true premise for a plotline. Thankfully, "The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters" takes a standard theme and makes it its own in this 2019 release by Balli Kaur Jaswal. Following the death of their mother, sisters Rajni, Jezmeen,... Continue Reading →
Empire of Sand: the books of Ambha by Tasha Suri
So much of the fantasy books I have read come from a European tradition. So I was quite intrigued when I stumbled upon Tasha Suri's Empire of Sand, and the synopsis talked about daiva and desert nomads, rather than dwarves, elves, or other creatures of faerie. Empire of Sand tells the story of Mehr, the... Continue Reading →
Vivacious India
Delectable chai; Resplendent saris; Eye-watering curries; Cricket fanatics; Maniacal traffic; 33 million Hindu Gods & Goddesses Your Indian Adventure Starts Now Arundhati Roy: The Ministry of Utmost Happiness: “A lustrously braided and populated tale woven with ribbons of identity, love, mourning, and joy—and tied together with yellow mangoes, cigarettes, and damask roses.” —Sloane Crosley, Vanity... Continue Reading →
What to Read Next: Focus on India
With over 16 million migrants world-wide, Indian culture is permeating cultures across the world on a grand scale. As the fastest growing ethnic group in literary fiction, Indian vernacular and its idiosyncrasies are infusing and thus enriching our own worldview. Describing India as vibrant is an understatement, as India, quite simply, defies description: it is... Continue Reading →
The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir Who Got Trapped in an Ikea Wardrobe, by Romain Puértolas
With a title to rival The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared, by Jonas Jonasson, and the Secret Letters of the Monk Who Sold His Ferrari, by Robin Sharma, Romain Puértolas’s first novel is destined to become the next book club sensation. Tending towards cutesy at times, The Extraordinary Journey... Continue Reading →
The Secret Letters of the Monk who sold his Ferrari, by Robin Sharma
It’s not very often that I give a bad review for a book, except if it’s total rubbish like Fifty Shades or anything by Charles Dickens (see earlier review October 9, 2009). A few years ago, during an election campaign in Australia, one politician said of another politician: “Any man who claims to have a... Continue Reading →
Midnight’s Children, by Salman Rushdie
This is no Days of Our Lives, sand through the hourglass, kind of book where you can skip massive chunks and still be ahead of what’s going on. Allow your mind to drift off to contemplate what you’re having for supper or the blue fluff in your belly button, and you’re finished. This is a... Continue Reading →
Holy cow: An Indian adventure, by Sarah MacDonald
Well, one good think about tidying up the shelves here at the library, apart from being able to actually find things again, is stumbling upon something really interesting, or being re-united with a book you’d forgotten about. When Holy Cow first came out in 2002 it was so popular it had a holds list a... Continue Reading →
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