Out of India: Selected Stories

by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala

Book Overview

Chosen by The New York Times Book Review as one of the best books of 1986, this volume of stories, selected by the author from her own early work, represents the essence of her Indian experience.... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0671642219
• ISBN13: 9780671642211
• Release Date: January 1987
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.6" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

Now that I've experienced Ruth Prawer Jhabvala's India.....

Now that I've experienced Ruth Prawer Jhabvala's India, I'm keen to read more of her remarkable fiction. In some of these short stories, woman's conflict is the result of making poor choices, while others portray females either being defeated by, or transcending the limitations imposed by the patriarchal society. Considering the complexity of the country and the circumstances the author so vividly describes, it isn't surprising that the male job seeker in the story, The Interview, concludes,"I was very sad when I thought of her being unhappy; because it is not only she who is unhappy but I also and many others. Everywhere there is unhappiness." Despite the melancholy affecting both sexes, Out of India's characters also make me smile. Perhaps in similar circumstances might I be tempted to make those wrong choices and behave equally unwisely? Owning this book will assure my giving Jhabvala's satirical social statements a second read. How I Became A Holy Mother is where I'll begin.

Great ethnographic content

This book contains several short stories that represent an entirely unique persepective on Indian life. Jhabvala successfully removes her writing from the idealist realm, and shatters the popular "everything East is magical and wonderful" misconception. The stories are very realistic, and are rich with cultural content.