Aug 08, 2008 10:10 PM
3102 Views
I enjoyed this book so much I read it in one sitting under the hairdryer at the beautician's!
That pretty much sums up the readability of the prose(easy) and the fun way the plot of the book travels along with Miss(and then Mrs.) Sarah as she traipses across India in search of enlightenment.
That being said, it doesn't pass the Edward Said test of Orientalism, in that the young author(an enthusiastic Sarah Macdonald, writing with wit and verve) tries on various "Eastern" religions in India, all from the lofty vantage point of a visiting Westerner given servants and a lifestyle that most people she meets couldn't afford. She seems blind to the insult that she offers-that something as deeply held as one's faith could be "tried on" like a suit of clothes.
Like Richard Burton before her, or the colonialists of the past, she blindly accepts her position as the privileged wife of an Australian reporter, and concocts this construct of "The East" or "India" as something to be consumed, observed, and dipped into, as one would dip a piece of naan into a curry to taste it, before moving on to another dish.
That she is greeted with respect, love and affection by her newly-made friends all around is a tribute to the character of the Indian people, and makes for a charming read. They certainly have a lot of patience and love for their friend! Macdonald comes across as loveable, earnest, and kind in her search for "the truth", and this seems to make all the difference in the way she is treated by her friends. She comes across as a bumbling kitten chasing after a string, and it's hard not to like her.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in travel literature(along with a copy of Edward Said's "Orientalism"); anyone who wants to read about the hospitality of the Indian people; and anyone who is interested in a blithe and very superficial overview of India's multiplicity of religions. But then again, I am swatting a fly with a Buick-this is a light, "beach read". So the next time you go to the hairdressers or to the doctors and need a quick read, consider this book.
(Oh yes, and I agree about the cover. It's in the same style as those plastic "Jesus Action Figures with Karate Grip" and "Wash Away Your Sins Soap" and "Glow In the Dark Virgin Marys" that they sell here in the states. Made to catch the eye, not respectful and super-"camp" and tacky.)
