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From An-Other Land
Never has been the conversation on immigration more pertinent than now, post 2016 US elections. From cancellation of refugee protection and zero tolerance to undercurrent crackdown on H visas, the resurgence of nationalism is hitting the globalized population head-on.
But what is immigration today? A question of life or death - fleeing of persecution? A compulsion? Or a mere pursuance of privilege?
And what is the US today? A land of opportunities? Or a quagmire impossible to comprehend, inherently racist and selfish?
From An-Other Land dives deep into immigration today for the Indian diaspora and its many facets with characters who seek to define themselves in an intercultural setting that is less and less sure of itself. A reality check and a guide for anyone who wants to understand the modern-day US.
But what is immigration today? A question of life or death - fleeing of persecution? A compulsion? Or a mere pursuance of privilege?
And what is the US today? A land of opportunities? Or a quagmire impossible to comprehend, inherently racist and selfish?
From An-Other Land dives deep into immigration today for the Indian diaspora and its many facets with characters who seek to define themselves in an intercultural setting that is less and less sure of itself. A reality check and a guide for anyone who wants to understand the modern-day US.
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Published January 1, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 15, 2019
The stories in the book, From An-other Land: Making Home in the Land of Dreams, are about the American Indians or the NRI’s who wished for the ‘Great American Dream’. Whether they achieved it or not, found their perfect life abroad or not is left expertly to the reader to discern.
The author has a collection of stories about people from all walks of life, different parts of India, yet all of them who have made America their home. The lengths they go to reach the land of their dreams. Some reluctant, some eager; quite unaware of the repercussions of the decisions they make. How their life changes, freedom for one while a cage for another while ‘From An-Other Land’.
The book, From An-Other Land has a collection of fifteen stories.
1. The Line is the first story that introduces all the characters in the other stories. The author had very deftly introduced and linked the people, places and stories with this and culminates it in The Haboob as the final story.
2. Meera is nothing in front of a visa, her life, her marriage, even her self-respect is sacrificed for the elusive NRI tag. That her family and husband think it’s alright makes it worse. However, I did like the way she finally finds herself in the USA.
3. Tarun & Michelle are two lonely souls looking for love but not really seeing it. Not only are the migrants lonely but any person can feel alone and left out. Such is the pace and frenzy of our technologically run lives that we can’t find love and companionship in spite of it.
4. Raji & the House, a reflection that even though we all yearn for that big house, beautiful and expensive decor, it can become our trap. Does luxury make us thrifty or is it just a status symbol that chains us?
5. The Biswas Family: Here & There follows the most deeply felt theme of the book⸺loneliness. A father in India, a daughter-in-law in the US; even though both have families, are connected but feel so alone. Retired or a housewife, it is a prison sentence since they have no means of moving around, travelling, making friends.
6. Purple Days is the story of Ira, another aspect of being left alone, facing life after death. So deeply has the author portrayed this chasm of loneliness that I felt the emptiness she wrote to express the emotions Ira felt.
7. Ambition is the story of Asti & Tiyash, their goals and aspirations, the duplicity of human nature. A person can be in the best place in the world yet feel incomplete.
8. 48Hours@Tech Next is a window into the western work culture. The story of how both the youngsters and the senior lot can be biased or kind, about not making assumptions. This is a universal story and not just for a US office.
9. A Happy Marriage is what we see but do we ever see and understand the cracks and how they are filled. Is your love the love of your life? Are you the first love or the last love? Difficult questions but real, harsh ones we must look into.
10. The Chinese Lady & Sree looks at the double standards we have, how our opinions change and appearances matter more than character.
11. All Lives Matter as is evident from the name is about police brutality, riots and facing a senseless killing and overcoming losing a loved one. Finding new beginnings after facing a mindless loss and how two people find joy.
12. Badrinath’s Bride talks of aspirations, dreams and success but at what cost? How, when and where can we be true to ourselves and embrace who we are?
13. Under the Seventh Tree speaks of our middle-class aspirations and at what cost. How a loved one can be someone we may find under unusual circumstances. Is a saviour really a well-wisher or is Ash changing one tormenter for another and how she finds her salvation?
14. A Tale of Two Cities is about the battle with post-partum depression, along with a mother’s guilt. Quite deep and shows the helplessness of all parties in this far-reaching issue.
15. The Haboob is the final story of the book and binds the stories together. The characters and stories intertwine and conclude with finesse. The situations bind the stories and the book.
From Another Land: Making Home in the Land of Dreams winds up like a well-oiled machine with the NRI theme and how it is the pinnacle of someone’s life while another yearns for the freedom back home. The theme is such that it shares about the characters and emotions of the human psyche and lends a bit dark element to the book. However, I found the stories very interesting as they delved into the evil, negativity, shrewd and cunning behaviour of humans.
The yearning for love, acceptance and friendship was the other side of these stories that lifted the book and kept me interested in knowing more, finding what motivates the characters.
Overall, From An-Other Land is a well-written book on a topic that will find favour with everyone since working and living in the USA is a dream for scores of humans.
Indywrites at Eloquent Articulation
The author has a collection of stories about people from all walks of life, different parts of India, yet all of them who have made America their home. The lengths they go to reach the land of their dreams. Some reluctant, some eager; quite unaware of the repercussions of the decisions they make. How their life changes, freedom for one while a cage for another while ‘From An-Other Land’.
The book, From An-Other Land has a collection of fifteen stories.
1. The Line is the first story that introduces all the characters in the other stories. The author had very deftly introduced and linked the people, places and stories with this and culminates it in The Haboob as the final story.
2. Meera is nothing in front of a visa, her life, her marriage, even her self-respect is sacrificed for the elusive NRI tag. That her family and husband think it’s alright makes it worse. However, I did like the way she finally finds herself in the USA.
3. Tarun & Michelle are two lonely souls looking for love but not really seeing it. Not only are the migrants lonely but any person can feel alone and left out. Such is the pace and frenzy of our technologically run lives that we can’t find love and companionship in spite of it.
4. Raji & the House, a reflection that even though we all yearn for that big house, beautiful and expensive decor, it can become our trap. Does luxury make us thrifty or is it just a status symbol that chains us?
5. The Biswas Family: Here & There follows the most deeply felt theme of the book⸺loneliness. A father in India, a daughter-in-law in the US; even though both have families, are connected but feel so alone. Retired or a housewife, it is a prison sentence since they have no means of moving around, travelling, making friends.
6. Purple Days is the story of Ira, another aspect of being left alone, facing life after death. So deeply has the author portrayed this chasm of loneliness that I felt the emptiness she wrote to express the emotions Ira felt.
7. Ambition is the story of Asti & Tiyash, their goals and aspirations, the duplicity of human nature. A person can be in the best place in the world yet feel incomplete.
8. 48Hours@Tech Next is a window into the western work culture. The story of how both the youngsters and the senior lot can be biased or kind, about not making assumptions. This is a universal story and not just for a US office.
9. A Happy Marriage is what we see but do we ever see and understand the cracks and how they are filled. Is your love the love of your life? Are you the first love or the last love? Difficult questions but real, harsh ones we must look into.
10. The Chinese Lady & Sree looks at the double standards we have, how our opinions change and appearances matter more than character.
11. All Lives Matter as is evident from the name is about police brutality, riots and facing a senseless killing and overcoming losing a loved one. Finding new beginnings after facing a mindless loss and how two people find joy.
12. Badrinath’s Bride talks of aspirations, dreams and success but at what cost? How, when and where can we be true to ourselves and embrace who we are?
13. Under the Seventh Tree speaks of our middle-class aspirations and at what cost. How a loved one can be someone we may find under unusual circumstances. Is a saviour really a well-wisher or is Ash changing one tormenter for another and how she finds her salvation?
14. A Tale of Two Cities is about the battle with post-partum depression, along with a mother’s guilt. Quite deep and shows the helplessness of all parties in this far-reaching issue.
15. The Haboob is the final story of the book and binds the stories together. The characters and stories intertwine and conclude with finesse. The situations bind the stories and the book.
From Another Land: Making Home in the Land of Dreams winds up like a well-oiled machine with the NRI theme and how it is the pinnacle of someone’s life while another yearns for the freedom back home. The theme is such that it shares about the characters and emotions of the human psyche and lends a bit dark element to the book. However, I found the stories very interesting as they delved into the evil, negativity, shrewd and cunning behaviour of humans.
The yearning for love, acceptance and friendship was the other side of these stories that lifted the book and kept me interested in knowing more, finding what motivates the characters.
Overall, From An-Other Land is a well-written book on a topic that will find favour with everyone since working and living in the USA is a dream for scores of humans.
Indywrites at Eloquent Articulation
December 25, 2018
Friends!
I am not addressing you, the readers, but remembering the iconic sitcom from where many of us got our images of life in the USA. This and other TV shows and books, of course, have been our window to the American way of life. “From An-Other Land” by Tanushree Ghosh brings to us a view from another window---- through the eyes of Indian immigrants to the Land of Oppportunity.
Laced with understated humour, this book of short stories throws up the complex dynamics of relationships, between people and between people and the country they have chosen as their own.
The story of Tarun and Michelle slowly and poignantly unravels, as the complicated emotions of Michelle lead us to wonder about Tarun, “Will he, won’t he?” Then there is the unusual tale of a woman who marries her brother-in-law for a green card, not only for herself but for her husband as well!
The author puts a lot of thought into the naming of her characters. For example, the sisters Asti and Tiyash are named like inverses of each other, and their personalities are opposite too. The characters are introspective. Tanushree showcases the dichotomy that immigrants must deal with---- their Indian heritage and their American sensibilities. A perfectly harmless question in India may be construed as an intrusion in America.
A couple of stories also bring up the other point of view--- that of American citizens who feel insecure about Indians taking away their jobs. Yet, through this insecurity, an empathy prevails, with both sides realising that the other is human too.
The development of each story and the delineation of the characters bring to mind an iceberg: there is a lot more beneath the surface, than what is seen at first glance. The author hints at many layers of emotions. She also employs quirky turns of phrase. In the tale about the Biswas family, she says of the forgetful mother, “--- some names had fallen into oblivion through the cracks in her sixty-five year old memory.”
In many of the stories, the underlying theme is loneliness, yet the human spirit also shines through.
Instead of plunging straightaway into the stories, the author has cleverly introduced her characters in the first story, as people in line for Immigration. As we go through the book, we are compelled to turn back to the first story, just to see where each character comes from, in terms of their mental state, and their aspirations.
The author is an observer and she gently brings to life the myriad characters that people this book.
I am not addressing you, the readers, but remembering the iconic sitcom from where many of us got our images of life in the USA. This and other TV shows and books, of course, have been our window to the American way of life. “From An-Other Land” by Tanushree Ghosh brings to us a view from another window---- through the eyes of Indian immigrants to the Land of Oppportunity.
Laced with understated humour, this book of short stories throws up the complex dynamics of relationships, between people and between people and the country they have chosen as their own.
The story of Tarun and Michelle slowly and poignantly unravels, as the complicated emotions of Michelle lead us to wonder about Tarun, “Will he, won’t he?” Then there is the unusual tale of a woman who marries her brother-in-law for a green card, not only for herself but for her husband as well!
The author puts a lot of thought into the naming of her characters. For example, the sisters Asti and Tiyash are named like inverses of each other, and their personalities are opposite too. The characters are introspective. Tanushree showcases the dichotomy that immigrants must deal with---- their Indian heritage and their American sensibilities. A perfectly harmless question in India may be construed as an intrusion in America.
A couple of stories also bring up the other point of view--- that of American citizens who feel insecure about Indians taking away their jobs. Yet, through this insecurity, an empathy prevails, with both sides realising that the other is human too.
The development of each story and the delineation of the characters bring to mind an iceberg: there is a lot more beneath the surface, than what is seen at first glance. The author hints at many layers of emotions. She also employs quirky turns of phrase. In the tale about the Biswas family, she says of the forgetful mother, “--- some names had fallen into oblivion through the cracks in her sixty-five year old memory.”
In many of the stories, the underlying theme is loneliness, yet the human spirit also shines through.
Instead of plunging straightaway into the stories, the author has cleverly introduced her characters in the first story, as people in line for Immigration. As we go through the book, we are compelled to turn back to the first story, just to see where each character comes from, in terms of their mental state, and their aspirations.
The author is an observer and she gently brings to life the myriad characters that people this book.
November 6, 2020
Rating 4.5
The fifteen interconnected short stories in this book, provide us with a range of perspectives, that shatter many stereotypes about NRIs. Yes, there are the IT professionals and doctors, with their grand homes and manicured lawns, but there are also taxi drivers, and homemakers, whose life hangs on a precarious balance.
There are stories here that you haven’t heard before, and stories that are all too common, but they certainly are not the stories one expects to hear. There is nothing clichéd about the themes and issues explored in these pages.
I love how the book has been structured. In the first chapter, the author introduces us to all the characters, and gives us a peek into their motivations in going to the US, as they stand in a line, waiting to get into the airport. Then, in each following chapter, she focusses on one of them, and tells us their story, after they’ve lived here for some time. In the last chapter, she takes back to the life of each character, showing how their lives have intersected since, answering some questions we may have had about them, and leaving others unanswered.
What emerges is a kaleidoscope of truths – the triumphs and the tears; the highs and the heartbreaks.
The sexually and emotionally starved homemaker; the widow who likes to people watch; the restaurateur with a painful past, who helps a black woman with her own pain; the mother with post-natal depression, who can’t stomach her privileged life anymore – these are many other memorable characters populate the pages. They stay with you, long after you’ve turned the last page, and intrude into your thoughts, at random moments. They make you wonder about the stories behind the many faces you see at the grocery store, or the cinema, or at the tourist spots.
The book is by no means an easy read. It is not overly gory, or gloomy, but it does lay things out starkly. As one gets invested in the people one is reading about, one can’t help but empathize with their inner turmoil, and that leaves one feeling a bit thoughtful. There are stories that make you smile too, but even there a mirror is held up to the world that forces one to engage deeply.
For more: https://incrediblewomenofindia.wordpr...
The fifteen interconnected short stories in this book, provide us with a range of perspectives, that shatter many stereotypes about NRIs. Yes, there are the IT professionals and doctors, with their grand homes and manicured lawns, but there are also taxi drivers, and homemakers, whose life hangs on a precarious balance.
There are stories here that you haven’t heard before, and stories that are all too common, but they certainly are not the stories one expects to hear. There is nothing clichéd about the themes and issues explored in these pages.
I love how the book has been structured. In the first chapter, the author introduces us to all the characters, and gives us a peek into their motivations in going to the US, as they stand in a line, waiting to get into the airport. Then, in each following chapter, she focusses on one of them, and tells us their story, after they’ve lived here for some time. In the last chapter, she takes back to the life of each character, showing how their lives have intersected since, answering some questions we may have had about them, and leaving others unanswered.
What emerges is a kaleidoscope of truths – the triumphs and the tears; the highs and the heartbreaks.
The sexually and emotionally starved homemaker; the widow who likes to people watch; the restaurateur with a painful past, who helps a black woman with her own pain; the mother with post-natal depression, who can’t stomach her privileged life anymore – these are many other memorable characters populate the pages. They stay with you, long after you’ve turned the last page, and intrude into your thoughts, at random moments. They make you wonder about the stories behind the many faces you see at the grocery store, or the cinema, or at the tourist spots.
The book is by no means an easy read. It is not overly gory, or gloomy, but it does lay things out starkly. As one gets invested in the people one is reading about, one can’t help but empathize with their inner turmoil, and that leaves one feeling a bit thoughtful. There are stories that make you smile too, but even there a mirror is held up to the world that forces one to engage deeply.
For more: https://incrediblewomenofindia.wordpr...
March 28, 2019
https://amysbooketlist.blogspot.com/2...
Every once in a while, I NEED to read a book like this. I need to read a book that bursts my happy little bubble. That pushes me outside of my comfort zone and into the real world, where things beyond toddler temper tantrums are happening. A world where greatness exists alongside unimaginable fear and pain.
The reality of the lives of people trying to immigrate to this country is stark. I can't begin to enumerate the lists of things I learned about immigration and the lives of Indian immigrants from this book.
I particularly loved the style of writing from this book. From the introduction if the characters in a particularly unique form, to the way each chapter sets out the focus of each journey, this book is thought provoking and beautiful. The prose are strikingly honest and challenging while at times humorous.
I also truly enjoyed how much I learned about human nature and myself while reading From An-other Land. In one chapter, a character is discussing difficult conditions and conveniences and how adaptable we become to them. "But once not needed, such skills [to deal with difficulties] were forgotten rendering people helpless to much lesser obstacles." That just hit me. I am constantly consumed with the worries of my life, even though all of my vital needs are easily taken care of. How truly I can relate to this. I am so used to my conveniences, even ones that I wasn't born with, that I would be unable to function without them.
This is a quick read, but I would not call it easy. It's beautiful, but way too real to be easy. There is no comfort offered in these pages, except the comfort of an occasional laugh and of getting a different perspective on life. I am so happy to have read this book and will be recommending it to all of my friends.
* Special thanks to Tanushree Ghosh, Readomania Publishing, and iRead Book Tours for providing a copy of Glory Road in exchange for an honest review.
Every once in a while, I NEED to read a book like this. I need to read a book that bursts my happy little bubble. That pushes me outside of my comfort zone and into the real world, where things beyond toddler temper tantrums are happening. A world where greatness exists alongside unimaginable fear and pain.
The reality of the lives of people trying to immigrate to this country is stark. I can't begin to enumerate the lists of things I learned about immigration and the lives of Indian immigrants from this book.
I particularly loved the style of writing from this book. From the introduction if the characters in a particularly unique form, to the way each chapter sets out the focus of each journey, this book is thought provoking and beautiful. The prose are strikingly honest and challenging while at times humorous.
I also truly enjoyed how much I learned about human nature and myself while reading From An-other Land. In one chapter, a character is discussing difficult conditions and conveniences and how adaptable we become to them. "But once not needed, such skills [to deal with difficulties] were forgotten rendering people helpless to much lesser obstacles." That just hit me. I am constantly consumed with the worries of my life, even though all of my vital needs are easily taken care of. How truly I can relate to this. I am so used to my conveniences, even ones that I wasn't born with, that I would be unable to function without them.
This is a quick read, but I would not call it easy. It's beautiful, but way too real to be easy. There is no comfort offered in these pages, except the comfort of an occasional laugh and of getting a different perspective on life. I am so happy to have read this book and will be recommending it to all of my friends.
* Special thanks to Tanushree Ghosh, Readomania Publishing, and iRead Book Tours for providing a copy of Glory Road in exchange for an honest review.
June 3, 2020
Immigration, and the things that seek us to travel long distances, the hopes and dreams of what we might find, juxtaposed with the sometimes cruel reality - these are the things that Tanushree Ghosh’s “From An-other Land” are about.
This collection features a dazzling array of characters - each grappling with different circumstances, each fighting their own battles. There are those who make sacrifices for their family, those who seek to find love, those who lose hope, those who struggle with value systems very different from their own, and those who make unlikely connections across culture, race and religion.
These stories are subtle, yet pack a powerful punch. They throw in twists and surprises. The characters haunt you long after you’ve bid them farewell. For anyone that’s had an immigrant experience, you may identify.
The point is being an immigrant isn’t one experience - it is a mosaic of experiences - depending on many factors - primary among them is where you’re coming from and what your destination is. While these stories don’t capture all the potential angles (no one work can) they show us how this existence varies.
These stories broke and warmed my heart in equal measure. But most importantly they have stayed with me. Highly recommended!
This collection features a dazzling array of characters - each grappling with different circumstances, each fighting their own battles. There are those who make sacrifices for their family, those who seek to find love, those who lose hope, those who struggle with value systems very different from their own, and those who make unlikely connections across culture, race and religion.
These stories are subtle, yet pack a powerful punch. They throw in twists and surprises. The characters haunt you long after you’ve bid them farewell. For anyone that’s had an immigrant experience, you may identify.
The point is being an immigrant isn’t one experience - it is a mosaic of experiences - depending on many factors - primary among them is where you’re coming from and what your destination is. While these stories don’t capture all the potential angles (no one work can) they show us how this existence varies.
These stories broke and warmed my heart in equal measure. But most importantly they have stayed with me. Highly recommended!
March 22, 2019
The first thing that caught my attention was the Author’s Note. It was one of the best written introductions that I have come across.
Once I started reading the book, I found it a bit depressing initially. It seemed as if all the stories were sad ones. I even put the book down to go and do something happier. But then I can never stop reading a book half way and so I was back.
And am I glad I picked up the book again. Because the rest of the afternoon transported me to a different world.
The weird thing is that Ms.Ghosh has written the stories with barely two or three lines of direct speech and yet the stories are compelling. She had managed to get into the head of all the varied characters and create a wonderful mosaic. Each story is different, yet they are knitted together by the first and last chapter and that gives a very satisfying finish to the book.
December 17, 2019
In her collection of 15 heartwarming stories, author Tanushree explores the various reasons and compulsions that cause people to move to the land of dreams. Each story delves deep into the psyche of the immigrants as and when they land up in seen or unforeseen situations in a strange land. Each story is a take on how people from different walks of life survive or flee from the challenges they face in a land that's so far from their home.
I particularly liked Meera, Tarun and Michelle, Ambition, 48 hours @Tech Next, Badrinath's Bride and Under the Seventh Tree.
Hope to read many more such stories from her.
I particularly liked Meera, Tarun and Michelle, Ambition, 48 hours @Tech Next, Badrinath's Bride and Under the Seventh Tree.
Hope to read many more such stories from her.
April 3, 2019
"From Another Land" is a marvelous book. Ms. Ghosh's writing cuts to the core of each character - I felt like I knew each and every one. Ms. Ghosh has the unique ability to discuss an enormous, world-sweeping issue through the lens of individual lives, which is, of course, where issues play out, and where we find compassion, wisdom, and understanding. Her writing has a shimmery, urgent quality that makes each character feel so real and knowable. I can't wait to read more of her writing.
February 21, 2019
Ghosh Tells Eternal Truths About Immigration.
Tanushree Ghosh’s FROM AN-OTHER LAND unabashedly challenges our notions of personal and cultural identity, with characters who seek to define themselves in an intercultural setting that is less and less sure of itself. Ghosh isn’t afraid to poke her characters with a stick to see what they’re truly made of. From a family man who succumbs to the forbidden temptations of white-water rafting, to a woman torn between preservation of self and the confines of old-world traditions, to a pair of lovers thwarted by cultural divides, Ghosh’s stories are alternatingly hilarious and heartbreaking—and undeniably relevant.
Tanushree Ghosh’s FROM AN-OTHER LAND unabashedly challenges our notions of personal and cultural identity, with characters who seek to define themselves in an intercultural setting that is less and less sure of itself. Ghosh isn’t afraid to poke her characters with a stick to see what they’re truly made of. From a family man who succumbs to the forbidden temptations of white-water rafting, to a woman torn between preservation of self and the confines of old-world traditions, to a pair of lovers thwarted by cultural divides, Ghosh’s stories are alternatingly hilarious and heartbreaking—and undeniably relevant.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews