Growing Up Under the Mango Tree

by Lily Forbes

My conscious life sprang into being amid belching smoke, sticky bodies and ethnic diversity. Considering where my future was to take me, it seems quite a coincidence that my earliest memories involve travel - and an Englishman. This is a story about one girl's dream to escape poverty and fulfil her ambitions. Set against the rich social and political backdrop of war-torn Malaya's independence, the child's viewpoint tells a personal story of family life and individual survival in the multi-cultural, multi-religious melting pot of Malaya, as it was then known. The trials of smallpox and poverty are contrasted with key moments such as meeting Mr Nehru and shaking hands with Mrs Indira Ghandi. Lily Forbes served as a cadet in the Indian National Army, following in her father's footsteps (he had fought in Burma during World War Two). An unwanted love interest was followed by a traumatic incident. In an ironic twist of fate, failure in her exams turned Lily's destiny around. She returned from India to Malaysia. At the heart of this tale lies forbidden love, a passion for food, and the tenacity to pursue dreams despite surroundings.

432 pages, Paperback

First published May 7, 2014

About the author

Born in Malaysia in 1946, Lily Forbes grew up in Colonial Malaysia as the middle child of a large family. Her adolescent years were spent in Pondicherry, South India. In 1969 she realised her childhood dream of coming to England. She qualified as a General nurse than as a midwife in 1974 and later in 1991 trained as a Sick Children’s Nurse at Great Ormond Street Hospital where she had the privilege of meeting princess Diana. At the age of fifty- two, in 1998, she obtained a Masters in Medical Anthropology at Brunel University. Since retiring from working at the Bristol Children’s hospital as a Clinical Co-Co-coordinator she has pursued other dreams, in particular her love of travel, by visiting Machu Picchu, the Galapagos, and Brazil amongst many other inspiring places. Cooking is also a huge passion and she loves fusion cooking. In 2009 she appeared on BBC2’s Instant Restaurant. Married with two daughters, she is proud grandmother to Maddie. She divides her time between Bristol and Manchester.

Reviews

[Mike Kisil · Rating 2 out of 5]

A punishing read, it takes 429 pages to go from year zero to age 22. And in amazing detail !! Where are the good editors when you need them - obviously not at Silverwood Publishing. And the cast of characters is so huge you'd need them listed at the front like any decent Bernard Cornwell novel. It's hard to accept the poverty of the family described here when they have "family" goldsmith. What impressions of post WWII Malaya/Malaysia do you get - birth control is an alien concept; hygiene standards are below basic; rampant misogyny, even within the family; rife sectarian hatred; education for women considered an anathema. No wonder the author thought Lewisham in 1969 was "The Promised Land". 429 pages to tell you this. Can't wait for Volume 2 "The Middle Years, under the Oak Tree". One good thing to emerge - the descriptions of Malaysian food are truly mouth-watering - its a shame that there are too little of them and too many of the people eating them.

[Audrey Silvaraj · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's an amazing book. I loved reading every single page.