A Golden Age

     Author                         Tahmima Anam

     Country                       United Kingdom

     Genre                           Historical Fiction

     Publication Date         January 2009

     Pages                           276

    





A very interesting read - that is how I would define this book.

When I picked up this book, I was merely intrigued by the fact that being from the same sub continent, I had never really read about Bangaldesh's struggle for freedom. But it clearly proved to be much more than that! Against the backdrop of a new nation coming to life, this is a story that is packed with history, emotions and the beauty of relationships.

Rehana Haque is a young widow and "A Golden Age" portrays the story of her life and her family. As she is celebrating the coming of home for her two children, the country breaks into a war, sparked by Bangladesh's struggle for freedom. Being disconnected from politics and too involved in her own world, Rehana does not foresee how the war will change her and her children for ever! From someone whose world is limited to ensuring safety for her family, she soon evolves into a tiger mom who would go to any extent to protect her children. And this stands her in great stead throughout the book and particularly in the end!

Tahmima has done a tremendous job in capturing a variety of human relationships: relationship with one's child, siblings, friends and finally a romantic relationship. One of my best parts of the book is Rehana's growing maturity and coming of age; which brings her at the centre stage of the war. During this time, Rehnana also passionately battles with her romantic feelings when she comes in real close contact with someone other than her husband for the first time. And this is best captured through the following quote which truly portrays the hunger, pain and loneliness of her soul:

"In the midst of all the madness, I found the world seemed right for the first time in a very long time. I heard the song of a woman whose voice held a thousand years of sorrow."

What has touched me the most is the end of the book and how Rehana and her love for her children can go to any extent to protect them. What she does in the end left me bewildered and touched; to the extent that I had to go over the same page once twice! Rehana's closing line in the book is a true reflection of this and of the strength of her character:

"This war that has taken so many sons had spared mine. This age that has burned so many daughters had not burned mine. I have not let it."

In short, I will just say that this is a great read and you should surely add this to your bookshelf!











 

Purple Hibiscus

     Author                    Chimimanda Ngozi Adichie

     Genre                     Historical Fiction

     Country                  Nigeria

     Publication Date    October 2003

     Pages                      307






I have this amazing long distance book club with a group of really close college friends and last month was the month of "Purple Hibiscus"; Chimimanda's debut novel.

Set against the backdrop of Nigeria and its military coup, this book explores domestic violence, religion, the urge for freedom and independence and the coming of age of the young 15 year old narrator and protagonist: Kambili.

Kambili and her elder brother, Jaja live a life of utmost discipline and schedule under the strict supervision of their father; who is a highly respected Catholic leader. To the outside world, he is a great man who helps one and all, but for his family he is a strict disciplinarian who very often uses physical violence against his wife and children. In this environment, Kambili has never known freedom, laughter, fun or even the ability to think for herself and make her own decisions.

Life then takes a somersault when the two siblings go to live with their aunt, Aunty Ifeoma and their stay there gets extended due to the precarious military situation in  the country. The contrast in Aunty Ifeoma's home environment from that of her own; is best reflected through the following quotes by Kambili:

"I was just observing a table where you could say anything at any time to anyone, where the air was free for you to breathe as you wished."

"Laughter always rang in Aunty Ifeoma's house, and no matter where the laughter came from, it bounced around all the walls, all the rooms."

Experiencing a life of freedom for the first time, Kambili doesn't know how to behave and she struggles to find her words. Over a period of time, she and Jaja both build warm relationships with their Aunty and cousins and start experiencing a completely new life.

To my mind, some of the key themes of the book are religion and its mask under which "Papa" disciplines his children, the impact of family environment on one's upbringing and more specifically, the impact of domestic violence and the role not just of the perpetrator but also of those around him who allow this to continue. And while its easy to judge the behaviours of others from a distance, its important to note that Jaja and mother's silence did have a significant role in all of this. And what is impressive and worth a mention is the fact that both realised this to a certain extent.

"His eyes are too full of guilt to really see me, to see his reflection in my eyes, the reflection of my hero, the brother who tried always to protect me the best he could. He will never think that he did enough, and he will never understand that I do not think he should have done more."

Silence is also widely used in the book and at some places, it breaks my heart to observe silence where one would wish someone spoke up and spoke against Papa.

The ending of the book with the following quote symbolises the longing for freedom and independence in Papa's absence:

"We'll plant new orange trees in Abba when we come back, and Jaja will plant purple hibuscus, too, and I'll plant ixora so we can suck the juices of the flowers."

In summary, this is a real fast paced book with some great messages at both an intellectual and an emotional level. Chimimanda has done a great job with this, inspiring readers like us and inviting us into her Nigeria!




 

Gone with the Wind

     Author                      Margaret Mitchell

     Country                    United States

     Genre                        Historical Fiction

     Publication Date      May 1940

     Pages                        1031







'Gone with the Wind' has been on my 'to read' list for the longest time; but it is only recently that I finally found the courage and the passion to pick up this 1000 pages plus classic! And it was truly classic! One of my best books of all times...truly enchanting, engrossing and surprisingly fast paced for a classic!

Set in the American civil war of the 1860s, Gone with the Wind traces the life of Scarlett O'Hara, a bold and progressive protagonist. Scarlett is shown as a young girl, obsessed with her looks, boyfriends and having a good time but she soon matures into an aggressive and determined woman, hardened by the challenges that life has thrown at her. In the face of the war and its ensuing hardships, she effortlessly comes out of the shell of her protected life and dons an infallible persona, not just for herself, but also to protect her family and friends.

Being strong willed and determined, Scarlett unknowingly explores domains that have traditionally been reserved for men and by doing so, she challenges the very social fabric of the 19th century society. Establishing and running a business independently, working during her pregnancy are only some of the examples of what she does. And interestingly, none of her actions are an attempt to prove her worth as a woman but are merely an effort to earn money and never to be hungry again.

The below quote related to her by Rhett Butler, her friend and foe is quite apt in capturing the essence of Scarlett O'Hara and her personality.

"All you've done is to be different from other women and you've made a little success at it. That is the one unforgivable sin in any society. Be different and be damned ! The mere fact that you've made a success of your mill is an insult to every man who hasnt succeeded. A well bred female's place is in the home and she should know nothing about this busy, brutal world."

Scarlett's relationship with Rhett Butler, a rich but offensive middle aged man is both annoying and endearing. As the book evolves, this relationship matures from one of hatred, to interest, to indifference and finally to love and then to indifference once again. They are both unscrupulous and hence, relate very well to each other. Their ability to be honest with each other without a fear of judgement is the brightest spark of their relationship but unfortunately (to my romantic heart atleast), their love for each other wanes out towards the end of the book; leaving them both alone.

In short, Margaret Mitchell has done a great job in capturing not just the life and travails of Scarlett, the complexity of relationships, the beauty of human emotions but also the history, the war, its impact on civilisation and the desperation of times. One of the purest and most human emotions captured brilliantly through the book is the basic human need for survival and the courage that desire pumps into each of us. Scarlett's recurring quote "I do not ever want to be hungry again" is a great reminder of the same.

I will finally close by saying that reading 'Gone with the Wind' has been a treat like none other. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good story packed with history, human emotions and impressive personalities..pick this up and you will not regret it!