Once Upon a Life: Burnt Curry and Bloody Rags: A Memoir

by Temsula Ao

Born in 1945 in the Assamese town of Jorhat, Tesmula Ao lost both her parents in quick succession when she was young. Left to fend for themselves, she and her five siblings ran wild, skipping school and wandering the streets. But when the authorities caught up with her and sent her to a boarding school, she realized that education offered her a way to escape her bleak and uncertain future―and she committed herself to a lifetime of learning.

Once Upon a Life is a powerful memoir of those early years and the career they led to, which saw Ao become not only an acclaimed writer, but also a professor and a successful cultural administrator. A beautifully written account of success in the face of hardship, and the power of education and determination, Once Upon a Life is searing, moving, and unforgettable.

Genres: India, Nonfiction, Memoir

248 pages, Paperback

First published July 7, 2014

About the author

Temsula Ao was born in October 1945 at Jorhat, Assam. She received her B.A with Distinction from Fazl Ali College, Mokokchung, Nagaland. She received her M.A in English from Gauhati University, Assam. From Central Institute of English and Foreign Languages (presently English and Foreign Languages University,) Hyderabad she received her Post Graduate Diploma in the Teaching of English and Ph.D from NEHU. From 1992-97 she served as Director, North East Zone Cultural Centre, Dimapur on Deputation from NEHU, and was Fulbright Fellow to University of Minnesota 1985-86. She is a retired Professor of English in North Eastern Hill University (NEHU), where she has taught since 1975.

She received the honorary Padma Shri Award in 2007. She is the recipient of the Governor’s Gold Medal 2009 from the government of Meghalaya. In 2013, she received the Sahitya Akademi Award for her short story collection, Laburnum For My Head, given by the Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Literature. Ao is widely respected as one of the major literary voices in English to emerge from Northeast India along with Mitra Phukan and Mamang Dai.

Reviews

[Barnali · Rating 4 out of 5]

The preface made me cry so much I was wondering how would I even finish this book. But it turned out to be just like life is meant to be... full of ups and downs;sad and funny at times; heartbreaking yet inspiring and in all of it to find the will and determination to overcome dire circumstances. Thank you Ma'am Temsula Ao for this beautiful heartfelt piece of writing. So much more admiration for the author whose attitude to every obstacle and roadblock is so inspiring; the candid way of describing everything, even the most personal accounts of her family which is a difficult task at times even to think about was written with so much honesty, it hurts. One of those books I will always keep close to my heart.

[Sookie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am always fascinated by these women who overcome their life's limiting situations and bloom to be inspiring figures in society, through sheer willpower and absolute stubbornness and not settling for anything less than what they dream for their futures.

[Navaneeta · Rating 4 out of 5]

A life affirming life.

[Martin Lalpekhlua · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first entry into NorthEast Literature. Although being a memoir, it made me appreciate Naga culture and society more. This book started my journey towards other NorthEast books. Reading about my close neighbour is much more fulfilling. Thank you madam Temsula for writing this memoir.

[Nadim Asrof · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inspiring, thrilling, episodic, structured....

Once upon a life burnt curry and bloody rags is a memoir by Temsula Ao a naga sahitya academy award winning short story,fiction writer .
Temsula Ao describes her life from her birth in Jorhat Assam to becoming a professor in NEHU (north eastern hill university) .
In an episodic narrative style she tells the story with eloquent writing.
she asks important questions in the book hailing from having lost both parents at a young age and how she overcomes the stress of life ups and down to becoming a padmashree , as she described it .
while the memoir is authentically written with beautifully chosen words
However,the book loses its original opening style as it follows the following chapter gradually ,however portraying life in an inspiring turn one can read to become inspired by her uprising .


3 star for sharing inspiring story in a beautiful way.
2 loosen star for loosing opening grip as the story continues.

[Manoranjan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story of Struggle || A full life in 250 pages || Power of education and determination

This is the one of the few books i finished reading in few days.
Initially after reading the preface i felt it would be full of sadness and only struggle in her life.
But the way she wrote the book is amazing. As Barnali had already described it beautifully that "it just like life... full of ups and downs; sad and funny at times; heartbreaking yet inspiring."
It's very fun to read about her childhood activities. I got reminded many of mine.
After all the struggle and ambition of her life, retrosp she ends her book by saying that -
If i have learn anything from my life it is this : It is the simple things of life like love, care and a kind word that make life worth living and add that extra dimension to ordinariness.