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3.34 AVERAGE
3.34 AVERAGE
If you plan to visit India -- and, you're a Westerner... you should read this! But, not take it too seriously.
She makes the sights and sounds, and smells... very real -- very fun to read; almost too graphic in details :o) and kind'a just offensive or ruthlessly direct. Friends from India may not appreciate her perspective, but they'd probably not disagree with the descriptions. She describes the religious views, even gives a good reflection on arranged marriages; her description of the week of silent study/meditation/introspection... is nicely done (surprisingly positive, given the experience was so intense). The book provides a good insight for westerners... or, probably anyone who's not from India.
She makes the sights and sounds, and smells... very real -- very fun to read; almost too graphic in details :o) and kind'a just offensive or ruthlessly direct. Friends from India may not appreciate her perspective, but they'd probably not disagree with the descriptions. She describes the religious views, even gives a good reflection on arranged marriages; her description of the week of silent study/meditation/introspection... is nicely done (surprisingly positive, given the experience was so intense). The book provides a good insight for westerners... or, probably anyone who's not from India.
Having visited India this past year, I really enjoyed Sarah's life as she moves to New Delhi. I know I couldn't hack it there and give her props for doing so well.
I almost gave up on this book after the first couple chapters because I found the author to be extremely arrogant and cynical during those chapters. I'm very glad I gave it another chance, though, because after those first few chapters, the author's culture shock wears off and she mellows out a great deal, becoming much more pleasant in the process. Once the author accepts life in India for what it is, she decides to explore the many different religions and spiritual paths that coexist in India. She gives very realistic descriptions of how both normal Indian citizens and Western spiritual pilgrims live and practice their various religions on a day-to-day basis, and she even manages to find something of personal value in each religion/spiritual path she explores. Don't expect this to be a course in Comparative Religion 101, however -- the author assumes that her readers are at least passingly familiar with the major religions she explores (Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, and Christianity), and only provides background info on the lesser known religions, such as Jainism, Zoroastrianism, and Sikhism.
Enjoyable, although Macdonald's spiritual searching is occasionally annoying.
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
I laughed, I cried, I dreamed of traveling to India...
Sarah Macdonald swore she would never return to India after a backpacking trip in her 20s. 10 years later, she ventures back in the name of love. Her fiance is working as a correspondent for the Australian Broadcasting Company and Macdonald moves to Delhi with him. The most interesting parts of this book are her day to day experiences, both traveling and with her local friends and home experiences. She spends a lot of time looking into religions, which were both some of the entertaining passages and the most boring too. I would recommend this to many people who had traveled to India or contemplating a longer stay in this part of the world. The other possible downside is that this is getting a little dated as it is set in 2000-2001.
A sort of travelogue of India and religion. I loved this book most of the way through, but thought the ending was sort of weak. She explores Buddhism, Parsis (Zoroastrianism), Judaism, Hinduisum, Christianity, and a couple others, while living in India.
This book throws light on the issues a foreigner faces in India. The author is an Australian. She has a good sense of humour and has an eye for the details. But at times things are exaggerated a bit to be interesting.
When I read the part in which her Indian friend explains her about the matrimony ads in newspaper, I wouldn't control my laughter. When she explains scenes, she gives more details about those scenes, which makes the book more interesting. Personally I as an Indian feels few things could never happen in India. Like the toilet cleaner offering her a hand job etc.
After reading the first few chapters, I was thinking how mean the author is to say bad things about my motherland. But the later chapters turned well. Most of things stated in the book happen in India, but not all the things which she has mentioned.
When I read the part in which her Indian friend explains her about the matrimony ads in newspaper, I wouldn't control my laughter. When she explains scenes, she gives more details about those scenes, which makes the book more interesting. Personally I as an Indian feels few things could never happen in India. Like the toilet cleaner offering her a hand job etc.
After reading the first few chapters, I was thinking how mean the author is to say bad things about my motherland. But the later chapters turned well. Most of things stated in the book happen in India, but not all the things which she has mentioned.
More than 10 years ago, Sarah, an Australian journalist vowed to never set foot in India again, such was her hate of the country. Ten years and one boyfriend later, she is once again in India, this time living there and really trying to figure out this vast and culturally different country.
I read this while spending a few months living in Brazil. It made a difference. So many of the quirks that Sarah found with India are similar to the ones we find in Brazil that in the beginning I read this with relish; however, as the book went into an analysis of the different faiths - Parsi, Hinduism, Christianity, Buddism etc it lost some of its luster. In the end, not humorous enough to be light and witty, not thoughtful and insightful enough to have any meat to it.
I read this while spending a few months living in Brazil. It made a difference. So many of the quirks that Sarah found with India are similar to the ones we find in Brazil that in the beginning I read this with relish; however, as the book went into an analysis of the different faiths - Parsi, Hinduism, Christianity, Buddism etc it lost some of its luster. In the end, not humorous enough to be light and witty, not thoughtful and insightful enough to have any meat to it.