Return to India ~ A Memoir ~

Pankaj Udhas is known for his song ‘Chithi Aayi Hai‘ from the movie ‘Naam’. A few lines from that song read this way ‘Panchhii Pinjara Thod Ke Aaja, Desh Paraaya Chod Ke Aajaa‘. Why are we talking about this? The book we have at your adda today is a brilliant and powerful memoir about what it means to be an immigrant in a foreign country—and what propels immigrants to return to their homeland. Read on.

Overview of the book:

In this intimate and remarkably candid memoir, Shoba Narayan, the author of Monsoon Diary, records her dilemma-ridden life as an immigrant straddling two cultures. What follows is a poignant story about love, family, identity and her search for a place to call home.

From the thrill of being a naive newcomer in America, to becoming a proud US citizen, to grappling with immigrant parenting challenges, she offers an intense yet humorous insight into the shared dream of the Indian diaspora to return to their homeland.

And as the countdown begins to her family’s relocation to India, she shows how the journey back can be more complicated than anyone imagines. Vivid and eloquent, Return to India is a powerful reflection on a country lost, and then found, by a writer of exceptional talent.

• Return to India is a heartfelt memoir about what it means to be an immigrant in a foreign country , the challenges and joys of experiencing life there and the powerful feelings that compel the diaspora to return to their homeland.
• The book is more than just about one person’s immigrant experience; it’s a bigger narrative is about family, love, friends, life choices and all that which makes coming back ‘home’ worthwhile.
• In today’s day and age when outsourcing and H-1B Visas have become buzz words of popular culture, the book will strike a chord with numerous readers, especially those who have lived abroad—and those who aspire to.

Know the author:

Shoba Narayan is a noted memoir writer and columnist based in Bangalore. She has won the MFK Fisher award for Distinguished Writing and was awarded a Pulitzer Fellowship at Columbia University’s School of Journalism. Her first book, Monsoon Diary: A Memoir with Recipes was published in 2004 to wide international acclaim.

She writes a weekly column, ‘The Good Life’, for Mint Lounge and contributes features to Condé Nast Traveler, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Time, Newsweek and The Financial Times.

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