Tamarind Woman

By Anita Rau Badami

Book Overview

Set in the railway colonies of India, Tamarind Woman tells a sweeping story of two generations of women. Kamini, an overachiever, lives in a self-imposed exile in Canada. Her mother, Saroja, nicknamed Tamarind Woman due to her sour tongue, is trapped by the customs of traditional Indian life. When Saroja informs her daughter that she has sold their house and is going on a journey across India alone by train, both women are plunged into the past, confronting their dreams and disappointments as well as their long-held secrets. At the center of both their lives is Kamini's elusive father, an officer for the India Railway System. Often away from home working on the railroads, he is unaware of the secrets of his own household. He doesn't know that his wife disappears for days at a time, leaving Kamini and her favored younger sister in the care of their superstitious servant. Nor does he know the gossip surrounding his wife and the local mechanic. Nothing, however, escapes Kamini's notice. Only now, living in Canada, is she able to make sense of the eccentric family she's left behind. Only now, with her children grown and her husband long deceased, is Saroja able to make peace with her past. Lyrical, compassionate, and wise, Tamarind Woman is a powerful novel about family, memory, and the traditions that tear us apart and bring us together.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1565123352
• ISBN13: 9781565123359
• Release Date: March 2002
• Publisher: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill
• Length: 266 Pages
• Weight: 1.04 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.7" x 8.8"

Customer Reviews

Poignant flavours of family

This book pulls at my heart in ways that few collections of words ever have. There are chords struck that resonate in my family recollections with a clarity and truth that strikes me dumb, were it not for the envigorating sense of recognition that she has felt the same forces as I, and articulated them wonderfully. There is a poignance that exceeds mere reminiscence, that's what happens when one recognises a similar feeling occurring in another person. Thanks to Anita Rau Badami for putting it all down in words so beautifully!

well written

Being from south asia, I could relate to this book. The family that was written about could so easily be my family. But I do wonder about the liberal usage of Indian words and phrases, with no explanations provided. I liked the style of writing and I think that the characters were well fleshed out. A good read

Poignant, melancholy and delightful

As most people take for granted, memories are triggered by the faintest occurences. There is the distinct smell, for instance, that suddenly takes youu right back to your grandmother's closets or your uncle's work shop - and just like that everything becomes almost photographic in how you remember certain instances, even though you have not thought about them for twenty years. How quickly we are seduced by nostalgia...But how true are these memories of ours? They might not be false, but they are certainly highly subjective. But does that matter? This colorful novel tackles the perception of memories in quite a clever way. The first half of the book is the narrative of Kamini, a daughter who reminisce about her past growing up in India. Through her we get a feel for the culture, sounds, smell and a certain mood of a bygone era that is often romanticized (right after Independence). Furthermore, we get a peak into the relationships among the family members, the servants and the school teachers. Early on, there is a distinct strain between Kamini and her mother, Saroja. She loves her and yearns for her affection; however, she resents her and her "irrrational" moods. The father is distant, even when he is home from his railroad work. Her superstitious ayah, Linda, is quite an interesting person - Kamini is scared of her tales of ghosts and bad spirits, yet she feels safe in her company. The author has eloquently captured the mind of a girl - her growing-up angst, her lack of understanding the happenings in her midst, and the invincability typical of her age. In the second half of the book, the author switches the narrative to the mother, and we get her side of the story. How do her memories compare to those of her daughter? It is an intriguing account!!! We follow her from childhood being prepared for an arranged marriage to widowhood reflecting back on her life and making plans for her independant years ahead. I highly recommend the book - it is a sumptious and warm read. This first-time author has avoided the trap of spelling it all out and leaves her readers the option of reading essential information between the lines. I did wish there was a map included in the book though. The family moves around to various parts of India since they belong to the railroad, and unless you are familier with Indian geography, it is too easy to get lost in the names. I am looking forward to reading more from Anita Rau Badami!

Well worth reading

This is a wonderful story, told from two perspectives - mother and daughter. The novel is set in India and the cultural aspects are interesting as is the story; good characters. An easy, pleasant read.

I had to read it for class

Well I had to read this book for class. An english class about Asian Feminst literature and well, as much as i hate the class... this book has been the BEST! I really am enjoying it, I really don't see hte feminst Post-modern stuff in it and had I know about the book before. I would have read it! It's really excellent and I recommend it to all.