India Calling by Anand Giridharadas
October 3, 2011 1 Comment
India Calling by Anand Giridharadas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
As a second generation Indian, I found MUCH to relate to in Giridharadas’ book. It’s a compelling and deeply interesting look into the complexities of today’s Indian society.
I feel like we’ve generalized all Indian culture here in the west, as if to say, “All Indians are like…”, without acknowledging the enormous diversity in a country of 1 billion+ people. And no place, save perhaps China, is changing as quickly and as significantly as India. The old meets the new in one generation, one family even.
Giridharadas does a great job illustrating both the diversity and the changing India by introducing us to his friends and neighbors after moving to India.
Best of all, I feel like Giridharadas has given me some insight into the mind of my father, an immigrant who left the old India for America, only to have India change so drastically that he can call neither his true home.
I think anyone can enjoy this book, but especially so the children of an Indian immigrant, like me.
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