35. Secret Daughter

By:  Shilpt Somaya Gowda
Rated 4 Stars
From:  Library

This is a beautifully written book that brings to life the sights, sounds and smells of India. It also carries the reader into the heart and soul of the people. One of those books that puts the reader into the story. The book gets into the attitudes towards motherhood, showing how they are shaped by parent's expectations as well as the culture. She also shows that it is possible to go beyond the limits of social structures and the plans that others have for us. Asha's experience with the women in the slum is a pivotal piece and one of the most revealing aspects of the story. This is a thought provoking study of marriage, cross cultural and inter generational connections and human potential for growth and creativity.

Publisher Summary

Interweaving the stories of a Kavita, an orphan; Somer, the American doctor who adopted her; and Asha, the Indian mother who gave her up in favor of a son, a debut novel moves between two families--one struggling to survive in the slums of Mumbai, the other grappling to forge a cohesive family despite their diverging cultural identities.

34. Jane's Fame

BY:  Claire Harman
Rated 4.5 Stars
From:  Library

I am a Jane Austin Junkie.  Someone needs to develop a 12 step program for people like me.

But seriously, this was a very interesting book that looks at how and why Jane Austin and her books have become giants in the publishing world for almost two hundred years.  She is second only to Shakespeare in achieving that.

PUBLISHER SUMMARY:
Mention Jane Austen and you’ll likely incite a slew of fervent opinions from anyone within earshot. Regarded as a brilliant social satirist by scholars, Austen also enjoys the sort of popular affection usually reserved for girl-next-door movie stars, leading to the paradox of an academically revered author who has served as the inspiration for chick lit (The Jane Austen Book Club) and modern blockbusters (Becoming Jane). Almost two hundred years after her death, Austen remains a hot topic, and the current flare in the cultural zeitgeist echoes the continuous revival of her works, from the time of original publication through the twentieth century. In Jane’s Fame, Claire Harman gives us the complete biography—of both the author and her lasting cultural influence—making this essential reading for anyone interested in Austen’s life, works, and remarkably potent fame.