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A review by shelleygupta
Good Girls Marry Doctors: South Asian American Daughters on Obedience and Rebellion by Piyali Bhattacharya
5.0
When I read the Foreword and Introduction, my thought was, "YES! This!" Battacharya does an incredible job summarizing what it means to be a Good Girl as a South Asian Woman. I moved into each of the stories. I couldn't quite relate to the first few stories in the book, but about a third of the way though the stories, I thought they became stronger and more relatable. There are some sweet and light hearted stories, there are also other stories that are difficult to read because of the content. The stories vary from a writer's mother being more rebellious than the writer could have ever imagined, to physical and emotional abuse. The women detail a small snippet of their lives, giving insight into their struggles of reconciling being both South Asian and North American, and how they navigated both worlds.
This book is so important. It's important for everyone to read. From South Asian adolescents to adults. This book told me that I am not alone, and I believe that was part of Battacharya's goal when she envisioned this anthology - that the stories of South Asian Women need to be shared because so many of us share similar experiences, but we never talk about them. This book is important for South Asian parents to read, for an insight into how the first generation (and beyond) thinks and feels and the difficulties in navigating two (or more) cultures. It is important for non-South Asians to read for an insight and understanding to their South Asian counter parts' lives. It is difficult to explain, but these stories nail the varied experiences.
I wish I could have read this 15 years ago, as a teenager, to know that many others had the same struggle I did. I continue to struggle, but I am not alone.
This book is so important. It's important for everyone to read. From South Asian adolescents to adults. This book told me that I am not alone, and I believe that was part of Battacharya's goal when she envisioned this anthology - that the stories of South Asian Women need to be shared because so many of us share similar experiences, but we never talk about them. This book is important for South Asian parents to read, for an insight into how the first generation (and beyond) thinks and feels and the difficulties in navigating two (or more) cultures. It is important for non-South Asians to read for an insight and understanding to their South Asian counter parts' lives. It is difficult to explain, but these stories nail the varied experiences.
I wish I could have read this 15 years ago, as a teenager, to know that many others had the same struggle I did. I continue to struggle, but I am not alone.