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sweetbanana's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
5.0
vaishsviews's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
This is my first time reading a memoir and has encouraged me to try and find some more to read. This was also my first non fiction read of the year and was a nice break from all the fantasy that I’ve been reading recently.
I found this incredibly insightful, particularly as it tells the history of modern India but from the bottom up. It’s centred around Sujatha’s family being untouchable and what this means for them, in all aspects of their lives. Independence promised freedom for all but this did not translate into freedom for those belonging to lower castes.
I found this so incredibly easy to read and follow. It read like a story which makes sense because it’s Sujatha’s life story but you wouldn’t know it until the end. Saying it reads like a story does not take away from the fact that this was just life for Sujatha and her family. Only having left India to move to America, does she recognise the weight of her life story and history. She talks about her uncle becoming a revolutionary and how her mother was trying to gain her freedom via her education. It’s a significant yet haunting weaving of a narrative that spans many decades and touches many people.
At times, I found myself getting lost and confused with the political climate and how complex it was. Political allegiances were rampant and they were necessary for survival. I definitely will be doing more research into this era of India and the widespread consequences that occurred, as a result.
I’ve always been fascinated by the concept of caste and I even chose it as the topic of my undergraduate dissertation. As a British-Indian, my caste is part of my identity but not as important as it would be, were I living in India. As a Brahmin, I’m at the “top” of the hierarchy but this means nothing, living in the United Kingdom. My undergraduate dissertation focused on introducing caste legislation for those belonging to lower castes, like the untouchables, in the United Kingdom and how this would offer protection against caste-based violence and discrimination.
avanioniava's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.75
To situate ones family within a historical context and to do it with so much care and honestly is gut-wrenchingly beautiful. Left me sobbing at the end.
holly_ed_'s review against another edition
4.0
Ants Among Elephants by Sujatha Gidla shines a light on the experience of growing up as a Dalit in India, telling the story of her lower-caste family, who are still in many ways considered ‘untouchable’.
Shockingly, Gidla’s life seems to have been better than most Dalits, since she was educated, and as a Christian also didn’t feel like a typical untouchable, but the story of how her parents and grandparents were treated is humbling and appalling. As the author notes, even today “every day in an Indian newspaper you can read of an untouchable beaten or killed for wearing sandals, for riding a bicycle” – her community are not allowed to eat or drink from the same utensils as other castes, live in the same places, do the same jobs, attend the same schools, sit in the presence of other castes… the list goes on. The most difficult parts of the book to read are when these attitudes are extended towards the children, often by their schoolmates.
The book also shone a useful light for me on the development of Maoist factions in India, explaining how this was tied up with land grabs and the caste/feudal systems of villages. While I wasn’t able to warm to, or indeed understand the decisions of, a lot of the characters portrayed here, the social and political context couldn’t have been more clearly explained – no mean feat in a country with such intricate social norms.
Shockingly, Gidla’s life seems to have been better than most Dalits, since she was educated, and as a Christian also didn’t feel like a typical untouchable, but the story of how her parents and grandparents were treated is humbling and appalling. As the author notes, even today “every day in an Indian newspaper you can read of an untouchable beaten or killed for wearing sandals, for riding a bicycle” – her community are not allowed to eat or drink from the same utensils as other castes, live in the same places, do the same jobs, attend the same schools, sit in the presence of other castes… the list goes on. The most difficult parts of the book to read are when these attitudes are extended towards the children, often by their schoolmates.
The book also shone a useful light for me on the development of Maoist factions in India, explaining how this was tied up with land grabs and the caste/feudal systems of villages. While I wasn’t able to warm to, or indeed understand the decisions of, a lot of the characters portrayed here, the social and political context couldn’t have been more clearly explained – no mean feat in a country with such intricate social norms.
tinythunders's review against another edition
"Kadupu chetto pattukoni vacchina vadini kadayya,
Kadupu kottataniki.
(Attack those who deprive your stomach,
Not those who came here for their stomachs’ sake.)"
— K.G. SATYAMURTHY
Kadupu kottataniki.
(Attack those who deprive your stomach,
Not those who came here for their stomachs’ sake.)"
— K.G. SATYAMURTHY
_askthebookbug's review against another edition
4.0
Ants among elephants.
🌸
"You cannot tell them about your life. It would reveal your caste. Because your life is your caste, your caste is your life." - Sujatha Gidla.
🌸
It's hard to sum up a book that is so honest and raw. The author talks about how her family and many others in Andhra had to face the atrocities of untouchability. This is the author's own story as she does her research and gathers all the information about her family.
🌸
Untouchability was a major factor back when India was just free from the British. The caste system was taken seriously and anyone who breaks it had to pay hefty fines or were excommunicated. The book has two major characters. One being Sujatha's uncle Sathyam and her mother, Manjula. Sathyam was always a revolutionist. Being a college dropout due to poverty he started getting involved in politics and starts writing poems. Gradually he gets dragged into communist parties and he stays there for good.
🌸
Manjula, was an intelligent woman who was always looked down upon by her friends for being black, skinny and untouchable. She was the closest comrade that her brother had and her interest piqued in matters outside the village. She like others first-handly experienced the injustice and various rituals that untouchables had to go through. How Hindus were converted to Christianity to survive poverty and afford education, how women were supposed to dress up plainly to not attract attention and how caste was above everything. Above God even.
🌸
I expected this book to be focussed on untouchability and untouchability alone but the author explained about communism and politics that dates back to the Nizam and Nehru. The author herself was a young rebel who was jailed and tortured when she was just 19. This book to me was an eyeopener. I had of course, heard about caste system but this book contains every knowledge about how India became the nation that it is today.
🌸
If you are expecting this to be a good entertainer then you'll be disappointment.There's no beating about the bush.I would rate this book 4.5/5.
🌸
"You cannot tell them about your life. It would reveal your caste. Because your life is your caste, your caste is your life." - Sujatha Gidla.
🌸
It's hard to sum up a book that is so honest and raw. The author talks about how her family and many others in Andhra had to face the atrocities of untouchability. This is the author's own story as she does her research and gathers all the information about her family.
🌸
Untouchability was a major factor back when India was just free from the British. The caste system was taken seriously and anyone who breaks it had to pay hefty fines or were excommunicated. The book has two major characters. One being Sujatha's uncle Sathyam and her mother, Manjula. Sathyam was always a revolutionist. Being a college dropout due to poverty he started getting involved in politics and starts writing poems. Gradually he gets dragged into communist parties and he stays there for good.
🌸
Manjula, was an intelligent woman who was always looked down upon by her friends for being black, skinny and untouchable. She was the closest comrade that her brother had and her interest piqued in matters outside the village. She like others first-handly experienced the injustice and various rituals that untouchables had to go through. How Hindus were converted to Christianity to survive poverty and afford education, how women were supposed to dress up plainly to not attract attention and how caste was above everything. Above God even.
🌸
I expected this book to be focussed on untouchability and untouchability alone but the author explained about communism and politics that dates back to the Nizam and Nehru. The author herself was a young rebel who was jailed and tortured when she was just 19. This book to me was an eyeopener. I had of course, heard about caste system but this book contains every knowledge about how India became the nation that it is today.
🌸
If you are expecting this to be a good entertainer then you'll be disappointment.There's no beating about the bush.I would rate this book 4.5/5.
serinde4books's review against another edition
1.0
This was the December selection for the Book & Wine Club. They are a newsletter that pairs a book and wine selection every month for local groups to meet. It this month they decided to do a Zoom meeting, so my best friend and I joined.
This book was not as advertised, the blurb on Amazon’s and good reads said it was the history of a family as they rose above their caste to become educated, leaders and an improved life. Eventually Gilda moves from India to America and writes her family’s history. It was marketed as a rare family history from the lowest of the castes in India, and their move triumph and success. It was also supposed to be about the bonds of family. Wow that sounds enlightening and amazing right? Yeah I would love to read that book! Sadly instead I read this one. It wasn’t about family and triumph, it was recounting the deeds of the the oldest brother Satyam as he became a political activist who founded the People’s War Group, which sounded like a communist terrorist group to me
Which per my internet research is exactly what it is! I’m sure I’m now on some monitoring list for even looking it up. There was almost no discussion of the author’s mother, besides when she was being mistreated first by her Father and Brothers, then by her husband. It definitely wasn’t about woman’s rights or gaining empowerment in India. This book was horrible and the description was do misleading I felt betrayed for it being selected.
For additional reviews please see my blog at www.adventuresofabibliophile.blogspot.com
This book was not as advertised, the blurb on Amazon’s and good reads said it was the history of a family as they rose above their caste to become educated, leaders and an improved life. Eventually Gilda moves from India to America and writes her family’s history. It was marketed as a rare family history from the lowest of the castes in India, and their move triumph and success. It was also supposed to be about the bonds of family. Wow that sounds enlightening and amazing right? Yeah I would love to read that book! Sadly instead I read this one. It wasn’t about family and triumph, it was recounting the deeds of the the oldest brother Satyam as he became a political activist who founded the People’s War Group, which sounded like a communist terrorist group to me
Which per my internet research is exactly what it is! I’m sure I’m now on some monitoring list for even looking it up. There was almost no discussion of the author’s mother, besides when she was being mistreated first by her Father and Brothers, then by her husband. It definitely wasn’t about woman’s rights or gaining empowerment in India. This book was horrible and the description was do misleading I felt betrayed for it being selected.
For additional reviews please see my blog at www.adventuresofabibliophile.blogspot.com