Title: Marrying Anita: A Quest for Love in the New India
Author: Anita Jain
The author is a journalist who relocates to India partly with the objective of finding a husband! The book is a memoir of her experiences in India and mostly focused on her relationships. Despite the book having no conventional story as as such, it is engaging and interesting. The book captures the more culturally progressive social scene in India particularly among the younger generation. She brings to light the prejudices she encounters at various times (while renting a house, dating etc.) highlighting the issues faced by second generation Indians from the US in India — too Indian to be treated as an American, and too American to be considered an Indian!
The author’s interaction with her parents in the US (first generation Indians) is truly hilarious and very believable. The book is admirably candid and funny, especially the various relationships and their cultural dynamics. For NRIs (especially if you are out of touch and curious to know what its like to be young in India these days), this book a perfect read. If you are socially conservative you are in for a rude shock. If you are progressive, you might still be in for a few surprises. The author has a great writing style and the book is an enjoyable read.
Pakora Korner 