First Darling of the Morning: Selected Memories of an Indian Childhood

by Thrity Umrigar

Book Overview

"[Umrigar] communicates her childhood longing for a cohesive family in deeply felt portraits of those she loves. . . . It is this combination of personal revelation and empathetic observation that makes Umrigar's memoir so appealing."-- Washington Post Book World

From the bestselling author of The Space Between Us and If Today Be Sweet comes a sensitive, beautifully written memoir of Thrity Umrigar's youth in India,...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0061451614
• ISBN13: 9780061451614
• Release Date: October 2008
• Publisher: Harper Perennial
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 0.56 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.4" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

From S. Krishna's Books

First Darling of the Morning is a series of glimpses into author Thrity Umrigar's childhood, growing up in Bombay at a time when the country of India was still new and unstable. The stories start at a very young age with some of Umrigar's earliest memories and continue until she is twenty years old and leaving India for the great uncertainty of the United States. This isn't a solid memoir, though; there are gaps in between each story, sometimes of a few days, sometimes of a few years. It allows the author to pick and choose which of her memories she wants to share with the reader. Sometimes they are humorous and sometimes they are incredibly painful. Each is a part of a larger story: the tale of Umrigar's coming of age in an uncertain time. Though First Darling of the Morning is a memoir, it reads like literary fiction. This is the perfect book for those people who want to read more nonfiction but have trouble with writing styles or pacing. The book itself is relatively short and the words flow like a smoothly moving water; Umrigar's writing is simply beautiful. She writes with such longing, in some ways desperate to once again be the child she left behind, to correct all those mistakes she made. However, there is also wisdom behind her words, the realization that she can never return. Her words also hold great passion. Umrigar portrays what it was to be a conflicted youth in Bombay at a time of unrest. There is no preaching here about what India was or what it has become; it is simply memories, thoughts and observations from someone who lived at a turbulent time. In some ways, India was coming of age at the same time that Umrigar was. And that's what this is at its core: a coming-of-age story. It has all the pain of what it is to grow up, to be a teenager. Anyone of any culture will recognize Umrigar's self-doubt and inner turbulence. You don't need to be Indian to sympathize with her and understand her plight; it is a story that has been told again and again since the beginning of time in a thousand different ways. However, it is those Indian elements that make First Darling of the Morning special, in many ways Umrigar's tribute to her heritage, to where she came from. It is her signal that she will never forget and never push it aside in shame. She writes proudly with her head held high. Between the poignancy of the stories and the gravitas and beauty of Umrigar's writing, First Darling of the Morning is a gem that is absolutely not to be missed. I can't recommend it highly enough; I only wish there was more to read. For now, though, readers must settle for this small but satisfying look at one girl's journey to adulthood. [...]

A book that must be owned and treasured!

I picked this book up at our local library, intrigued by the author's name and by the location, Mumbai, birthplace of our precious grandchildren. I decided I should read more and sat down to read for thirty minutes. HOURS later, I looked at the clock amazed by how much time had passed while I had been transported to Mumbai in my mind through the gift of the author, Thrity Umrigar. I loved this book completely! It is a treasure to be owned. I may have to buy a second book, just so I have one to loan to my friends. It's THAT terrific. This author is not only a master of words and language, she is also a deeply perceptive human being who captures the essence of human relationships in ways that inspire and uplift the reader. If you take the time to buy and read this book, you won't regret it. Give yourself this gift! We are so lucky to have access to her work! Thank you Thrity. My life is enriched by your work.

Beautiful and Heartbreaking

Having read all of Thrity Umrigar's works of fiction, I was excited to read her memoirs. Her story of growing up in the Bombay of the '60s and '70s is at once familiar and exotic, life-affirming and heartbreaking. I was interested to see her writing described as "almost too lush" by another reviewer, as I found this to be stark and almost harsh in many places. The emotional landscape of a gifted and lonely child came through clearly, as did the over-ripe beauty and rottenness that is Bombay. I found myself seeing what she saw, laughing when she laughed, feeling her hearbreak and loneliness. Highly recommended.

Please Write More!

After reading "The Space Between Us" I went on the search for more books written by Ms.Umrigar. First Darling of the Morning is spellbinding - it just gets under your skin and every time you are forced to put the book down you can't wait to pick it back up to find out what will happen. She is remarkably candid and honest about her family and herself. I appreciated her self-awareness and willingness to reveal her weaknesses and motivations. Her descriptions of herself and her family members are so vivid you feel that you know them and when the book ends you are left wishing there was more. Regardless of race, geography, culture, religion we are all linked by our humanity. Thrity Umrigar's work makes the world a smaller and more compassionate place.

Why hadn't I heard of Thrity Umrigar sooner?

I bought this book after reading and falling in love with her fictional work, _The Space Between Us._ I've read many books by Indian authors (Rohinton Mistry, Amitav Ghosh, Jhumpa Lahiri, Kiran Desai) and am not sure why Umrigar isn't as well-known as these other authors (yet). _First Darling of Morning_ is a book about growing up in Bombay. I enjoyed it because it gives a wonderful snapshot of what life in Bombay was/is like, but also because her book is so real. She writes honestly about many topics that are taboo and sometimes avoided in Indian literature, such as unhappy marriages, conflicts with in-laws, the long-term effects of tuberculosis, and class divisions. I think this book would speak to anyone interested in India (especially Bombay) or about growing up. Definitely one of the better books I have read about the struggles of adolescence, and the conflict between being what one "should" be versus what one dreams of being. Loved it. I'll be diving into _Bombay Time_ or _If Today Be Sweet_ next. Spread the word.