Khushwant Singh's Book of Unforgettable Women

by Khushwant Singh

"Though I am nothing to look at, it is women who have sought my company more than I have sought theirs." 'Khushwant Singh'In Khushwant Singh's Book of Unforgettable Women, India's most widely-read and irreverent author and columnist profiles some of many women in his life. From Ghayoorunnisa Hafeez, the girl who forever changed his attitude towards Muslims, to his wife, Kaval Malik, who is allergic to media publicity; from his old grandmother to the controversial artist Amrita Shergil; from Mother Teresa to Phoolan Devi, Khushwant Singh paints colourful and true-to-life portraits of the women he has known, loved, despised, admired, and lived with. The book also includes some of the women Khushwant Singh has conjured up in the numerous stories and novels he has written over sixty years. The lively Martha Stack (-Black Jasmine'), Lady Mohan Lal (-Karma'), Jean Memsahib (-The Memsahib of Mandla'), the hijra-whore Bhagmati (Delhi), the insatiable Champak (I Shall Not Hear The Nightingale), dark-eyed Nooran (Train to Pakistan) and the free-spirited Molly Gomes (The Company of Women) are only a few of Khushwant Singh's larger-than-life characters who are sure to entertain and amuse the reader.

Genres: Nonfiction, Indian Literature

305 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 14, 2000

About the author

Khushwant Singh, (Punjabi: ਖ਼ੁਸ਼ਵੰਤ ਸਿੰਘ, Hindi: खुशवंत सिंह) born on 2 February 1915 in Hadali, Undivided India, (now a part of Pakistan), was a prominent Indian novelist and journalist. Singh's weekly column, "With Malice towards One and All", carried by several Indian newspapers, was among the most widely-read columns in the country.

An important post-colonial novelist writing in English, Singh is best known for his trenchant secularism, his humor, and an abiding love of poetry. His comparisons of social and behavioral characteristics of Westerners and Indians are laced with acid wit.

Reviews

[Surabhi Nijhawan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting read. Singh keeps it short and crisp, highlighting the details. This is one of those books that amuse you and entertain you. Unforgettable women can be revisited multiple times.

[Professor · Rating 3 out of 5]

and apparently baba g has lived up to his reputation... :P an interesting read despite the occasional 'over indulgence' with a singular theme :D

[Suganya R · Rating 3 out of 5]

But for many long days and nights, I pondered over the words in the Mahabharata: ‘As two pieces of wood floating on the ocean come together at one time and are again separated, even such is the union of living creatures in this world.’

[Ananyo · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first experience with Khushwant Singh's writing. Although extremely well written, there are several issues with this book. Approximately half of the accounts in the book are of real life women whom Singh had met and interacted with, and the remaining are taken from his stories and novels.

The first problem is with this latter part. While those characters are complete fleshed out ones in the novel or the story, the editor has done an extremely shoddy job at editing and compiling them into this collection. Most of those stories/accounts feel incomplete, pointless, and serve no purpose in storytelling or otherwise. The second problem is with the former half. Singh may have found his interactions with some (not all) of those women unforgettable, but his narration of said account barely leaves a mark on the reader. I felt some accounts could have been told better.

Singh's over-indulgence with sex and sexual motifs can get on your nerves. The only saving grace is Singh's flair for writing, which keeps you glued to the book even if what he's saying isn't very interesting.

[Luna Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Its a collection of small writings about the women Singh has encountered in his life.it contains both fiction and factual writings, tits and bits from his own popular novellas, his personal experiences and his account of various women. Mother Teresa, Bhoolan Devi, Amrita Shergill, Indira Gandhi and many more. The book was pocket size and I finished it in a single sitting. Some of the chapters (not sure whether fact or fiction) was too erotic

[Vineeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

The way Kushwant Singh writes : it's simply glue the reader to the pages ; though his usal clamour of being so explicit about sex is not there to find, but the description of him about saree struck me. But overall it's crisp, easy to read, and moreover less erotic

[Suman Das · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not Bad...

[Autumn Leaf · Rating 1 out of 5]

I would have given one or two more stars to this book if I hadn't read the last anecdote 'Georgine'. It was horrendous.

[Kanika Bedi Chopra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a nice time reading this one. Its a compilation of several stories only wishing some stories were ended in a better manner as their endings seemed a little blunt.

[Shalini · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty interesting to read about different women. Young, old, poor, important, remarkable, ordinary, Indian, black, hijra and even a ghost.

I like the way Khushwant Singh writes about women. He is respectful and he understands that women are sexual creatures too. Reading some parts, I was weirded out, cause he really did seem like a dirty old man (especially the last story with Georgine)... But I guess that is why he is Khushwant Singh. Lol.

[Manish Malik · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amrita Sher-gil was a narcissist and a nymphomaniac,and only if one could write like this today, his women are real, but are they? this one is about women and more so about how men pictures them, wife who would share your scotch, a Muslim and a wild spirited kashmere,the sex depraved bridegroom, a hot maid and a comely cousin and yet the best was his grandmother!!
plus he had a friend who remained teetotaler and hence bachelor, and this isn't even the bread of it !!

[Mohsin Hussain · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must admit that this book is like a tale of epics in itself. With so many enchanting characters, both fiction as well as real ingeniously woven on its pages, I could do nothing, except let Mr.Singh guide me to the world where exciting encounters were more than just an occasional fling.

[Abhinav Garg · Rating 3 out of 5]

short and humorous read.....nice timepass for 3-4 hrs..

[Robin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Other than first portrayal, of his grandmother, tedious.

[Shashi bhushan · Rating 2 out of 5]

truly broghy out the different faces of women in their different phases

[Shannon Zirkle-prabhakar]

I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/12768082