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A Life Less Ordinary: A Memoir
Abandoned by her mother, beaten by her father, and hurriedly married off at twelve to an abusive man twice her age, Baby Halder's early life was marked by overwhelming challenges and heartbreak. Exhausted and desperate, the young mother finally fled with her three children in 1999 to Delhi, where she found work as a maid in some of the city's wealthiest homes.
Expected to serve her employers' every grueling demand, Halder faced a staggering workload that often left her no time to care for her own children.
The young woman's luck finally turned when she started working for Prabodh Kumar, a retired anthropology professor who noticed Halder's interest in his library. Kumar helped her to read his books and newspapers—which she devoured enthusiastically—then suggested that she write down her own life story. In A Life Less Ordinary, the fascinating result of her writing sessions with Kumar, Halder speaks for a multitude of Indian women, revealing a world of poverty and subjugation few outsiders have heard about. Halder writes simply and candidly of her life as a young girl, and later as a struggling mother.
Without a trace of melodrama or self-pity, she describes her experiences of growing up poor and neglected, struggling to manage children and a violent husband while she herself was only fourteen years old, and, finally, of escaping her past ultimately to triumph as a writer.
Already a huge success in India, where it has been published in Hindi, Bengali, and several other languages, A Life Less Ordinary is an astonishing story of strength, courage, and determination that continues to inspire readers everywhere.
Expected to serve her employers' every grueling demand, Halder faced a staggering workload that often left her no time to care for her own children.
The young woman's luck finally turned when she started working for Prabodh Kumar, a retired anthropology professor who noticed Halder's interest in his library. Kumar helped her to read his books and newspapers—which she devoured enthusiastically—then suggested that she write down her own life story. In A Life Less Ordinary, the fascinating result of her writing sessions with Kumar, Halder speaks for a multitude of Indian women, revealing a world of poverty and subjugation few outsiders have heard about. Halder writes simply and candidly of her life as a young girl, and later as a struggling mother.
Without a trace of melodrama or self-pity, she describes her experiences of growing up poor and neglected, struggling to manage children and a violent husband while she herself was only fourteen years old, and, finally, of escaping her past ultimately to triumph as a writer.
Already a huge success in India, where it has been published in Hindi, Bengali, and several other languages, A Life Less Ordinary is an astonishing story of strength, courage, and determination that continues to inspire readers everywhere.
175 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2002
About the author
Baby Halder
3 books6 followersBaby Halder (or Haldar) is an Indian domestic help and author, whose acclaimed autobiography Aalo Aandhari (A Life Less Ordinary, 2006) describes her harsh life growing up and as a domestic worker, later translated into 21 languages, including 13 foreign languages.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 68 reviews
August 13, 2021
سيرة ذاتية لفتاة هندية ذاقت من مرارات الحياة ما تنوء بحمله صفحات الكتب، كالكثير من نساء بلادها وطبقتها .. يستحق القراءة.
June 18, 2018
This is an inspirational and moving story. Baby Halder recounts her life growing up poor in India, and being married to an abusive and neglectful man; unfortunately, a common and familiar theme. I applaud her braveness and perseverance to overcome her struggles, to pack up herself and her children and try to make a better life for her family.
She eventually finds work in the home of a kind, educated man. He and his friends encouraged Baby to write her story, and I am grateful that they did. You get the feeling as the story progresses that in writing her tale, Baby is able to start the healing process.
A good story, but for me, not a great one. I struggled to get into the book as I found the language, familial hierarchy, and the choppiness of the story quite challenging to read and understand. This improves as the story progresses, and it becomes much more readable as Baby's writing techniques improve and evolve.
3 Stars
She eventually finds work in the home of a kind, educated man. He and his friends encouraged Baby to write her story, and I am grateful that they did. You get the feeling as the story progresses that in writing her tale, Baby is able to start the healing process.
A good story, but for me, not a great one. I struggled to get into the book as I found the language, familial hierarchy, and the choppiness of the story quite challenging to read and understand. This improves as the story progresses, and it becomes much more readable as Baby's writing techniques improve and evolve.
3 Stars
May 28, 2012
My friend Aditya recommended me this book and told me this book is one gem of a memoir. I ordered the book straightaway from online bookstore. I took me 3 days to finish this book but the feeling while I was reading the book can't be explained in life time.
The book has been written in such simple tone and words that anyone can read it at ease. I found the incidents heart touching and at times felt disgusted at the treatment women gets in this society.
Baby Halder author of the book, starts her book from the time she was in Jammu with her father, then they move to other place and then to Durgapur, where they are forced to live a abject life. It was a sad account of life story but that's the harsh reality maximum people face.
She was married at the mere age of 14 when most of girls go to school and play with their classmates. She was forcefully married and was expected to act matured as per instructions of his husband who was atleast 12 years elder to her. He used to drink and lot and all he cared about was to have intercourse with her.
She wasn't allowed even to talk to any male. She is beaten almost every other day for no fault of hers. Finally one day she decides to move to Delhi. As soon as she lands in delhi she is anxious about her future but after a lot of troubleshooting she finally gets a job in a nice home, where she is encouraged to read and write.
This is how she converts her leisure writing into a beautiful book.
Great are those soul who inspite of all stones kept in their way climb to the top to witness sunrise.
Baby Halder is one of them
The book has been written in such simple tone and words that anyone can read it at ease. I found the incidents heart touching and at times felt disgusted at the treatment women gets in this society.
Baby Halder author of the book, starts her book from the time she was in Jammu with her father, then they move to other place and then to Durgapur, where they are forced to live a abject life. It was a sad account of life story but that's the harsh reality maximum people face.
She was married at the mere age of 14 when most of girls go to school and play with their classmates. She was forcefully married and was expected to act matured as per instructions of his husband who was atleast 12 years elder to her. He used to drink and lot and all he cared about was to have intercourse with her.
She wasn't allowed even to talk to any male. She is beaten almost every other day for no fault of hers. Finally one day she decides to move to Delhi. As soon as she lands in delhi she is anxious about her future but after a lot of troubleshooting she finally gets a job in a nice home, where she is encouraged to read and write.
This is how she converts her leisure writing into a beautiful book.
Great are those soul who inspite of all stones kept in their way climb to the top to witness sunrise.
Baby Halder is one of them
May 15, 2022
Non è chissà che opera d'arte, ma è decisamente illuminante: mamma mia in che mondo orrendo viviamo 😭
Popsugar Reading challenge: A book featuring a man-made disaster
Around the year in 52 books: A book that uses all five vowels in the title and/or author's name
The 52 books club challenge: Featuring a library or bookstore
Popsugar Reading challenge: A book featuring a man-made disaster
Around the year in 52 books: A book that uses all five vowels in the title and/or author's name
The 52 books club challenge: Featuring a library or bookstore
April 2, 2019
Si tratta di un memoir molto scarno, ma toccante. Seguiamo Baby nelle innumerevoli vicissitudini della sua triste vita, una vita che trova per fortuna un piccolo riscatto quando lei va a lavorare presso un vecchio professore che comincia a trattarla come una figlia. Malgrado lei racconti con voce piatta tutto quello che le è accaduto, quasi senza mostrare le sue emozioni, questo libro è un'autentica denuncia contro la condizione della donna in India. Baby si sposa quando ha poco più che dodici anni, e si percepisce il suo desiderio di poter giocare ancora, di poter studiare. Ma, non appena ha i suoi primi cicli, la matrigna teme forse che il padre le voglia troppo bene (e che commetta incesto?) e quindi la dà letteralmente al primo che capita, che la picchia per un nonnulla.
Baby cerca più volte di andare via da casa, perché, oltre alle botte, il marito le dà a malapena i soldi per sfamare i figli (mentre lui se ne va in giro con le tasche piene) e per farli studiare; ma, sebbene lei perda un figlio a causa delle percosse e anche la sorella venga uccisa dalla furia omicida del proprio marito, tutti i parenti continuano a dirle che deve tornare a casa da lui, negandole ospitalità.
Alla fine Baby riesce a riscattarsi perché è una donna molto forte e decisa, ma quante altre donne soccombono uccise dai mariti (che poi restano impuniti)?
Sono un po' perplessa dalle scelte del traduttore di rendere un linguaggio elementare, privo di congiuntivi, sciatto. Probabilmente voleva farci percepire Baby come una semi-analfabeta; ma vorrei sapere se lo ha fatto per sua scelta o perché l'originale da cui era tradotto presentava una lingua simile. In inglese il congiuntivo non esiste, non saprei in bengalese; per cui è probabile che ci sia stato comunque qualcosa nel testo che gli ha fatto compiere questa scelta. Che però, alla lunga, dà un po' noia, perché sembra quasi che il riscatto di Baby si compia solo a metà.
Baby cerca più volte di andare via da casa, perché, oltre alle botte, il marito le dà a malapena i soldi per sfamare i figli (mentre lui se ne va in giro con le tasche piene) e per farli studiare; ma, sebbene lei perda un figlio a causa delle percosse e anche la sorella venga uccisa dalla furia omicida del proprio marito, tutti i parenti continuano a dirle che deve tornare a casa da lui, negandole ospitalità.
Alla fine Baby riesce a riscattarsi perché è una donna molto forte e decisa, ma quante altre donne soccombono uccise dai mariti (che poi restano impuniti)?
Sono un po' perplessa dalle scelte del traduttore di rendere un linguaggio elementare, privo di congiuntivi, sciatto. Probabilmente voleva farci percepire Baby come una semi-analfabeta; ma vorrei sapere se lo ha fatto per sua scelta o perché l'originale da cui era tradotto presentava una lingua simile. In inglese il congiuntivo non esiste, non saprei in bengalese; per cui è probabile che ci sia stato comunque qualcosa nel testo che gli ha fatto compiere questa scelta. Che però, alla lunga, dà un po' noia, perché sembra quasi che il riscatto di Baby si compia solo a metà.
March 7, 2008
I feel like an evil, evil person - I hated this book.
Baby's story is striking (and sadly not at the same time- there are far too many abused people in this world), and I applaud her for finding the courage to write it herself. However, having a tough life and a pen and paper does not a writer make. She's very brave, and there are moments of true beauty in her writing, but for the most part I found her style very uncomfortable. I found myself almost itchy from the writing - especially when she talks about herself in third person.
I applaud her for her courage, but I wish her story had been told with more help from another writer.
Baby's story is striking (and sadly not at the same time- there are far too many abused people in this world), and I applaud her for finding the courage to write it herself. However, having a tough life and a pen and paper does not a writer make. She's very brave, and there are moments of true beauty in her writing, but for the most part I found her style very uncomfortable. I found myself almost itchy from the writing - especially when she talks about herself in third person.
I applaud her for her courage, but I wish her story had been told with more help from another writer.
Read
November 26, 2025I won't give this a star rating the way I normally do because the point of this book is not the writing but the story it tells and the light it sheds on the sad fate of many poor women in India but also throughout the world. It's a difficult read in terms of style and content. The author is a woman who grew up in a poor Indian village, was married to an abusive man at the age of 12, and had the courage to take her children and leave him when his violent abuse became unbearable. Especially at the beginning the writing is quite choppy, and for a western reader understanding the web of familial relationships is made difficult by the use of nicknames or terms for relatives that aren't translated. One take away from this is a reminder that the idea that a person has a right or even a duty to advocate for oneself is a piece of cultural heritage not granted to many groups of people, particularly women and people of color. I first heard about this book on the BBC world service podcast Outlook which tells the stories of people who have had interesting or unusual life experiences, so it I was glad to find the book and finally read it.
July 17, 2020
Baby Halder, seorang perempuan muda asal India, pembantu rumah tangga, kawin muda, seorang diri menghidupi tiga orang anak, ditinggalkan ibunya saat kecil, disiksa suami, tak dapat melanjutkan sekolah. Sama sekali bukan hidup yang indah. A life less ordinary ditulis sendiri oleh Baby, dibantu Sahib nya alias majikan ditempat ia bekerja sebagai Pembantu Rumah Tangga.
Buku ini ditulis dengan sederhana. Walaupun membaca buku ini tidak sampai mengeluarkan banjir airmata tapi sakit yang Baby rasakan dapat juga dirasakan. Salah satu yang mengiris hati saat Baby berjumpa kembali dengan ibunya setelah 20 tahun ditinggalkan. Kepedihan bertahun-tahun dan keputusasaan menunggu kepulangan ibunya tidak menyisakan perasaan sebagaimana layaknya sebuah pertemuan yang telah lama dinanti.
Baby tidak merasakan apa-apa saat bertemu ibunya kembali,tidak merasakan kegembiraan apalagi kebahagiaan. Mungkin seperti itu ya, jika akumulasi keinginan atau kebutuhan telah mencapai puncak, maka dengan sendirinya keinginan itu akan menurun kembali. Persis hukum ekonomi the law of deminishing return. Pemenuhan suatu kebutuhan atau keinginan atau permintaan akan mencapai puncak dan selanjutnya akan menurun. Hukum ekonomi itu ternyata banyak yang sesuai dengan kehidupan manusia bukan hanya berkaitan dengan faktor ekonomi. Mungkin karena yang diteliti juga perilaku manusia.
Baby tidak bercerita secara mendayu-dayu, lebih seperti bercerita dengan seorang sahabat. Baby juga berhasil menggambarkan kehidupan nyata bahwa dunia bukanlah hitam dan putih secara mutlak. Seseorang tidak selalu jahat sepenuhnya dan sebaliknya. Malah, kemungkinan seseorang memang baik adanya.
Beberapa hal yang menjadi point yang saya peroleh dari kisah Baby :
1. Tetaplah memiliki harapan, tetaplah berusaha untuk mencapai harapan.
2. Orang baik masih ada di bumi yang penuh kejahatan ini.
3. Jangan berhenti menulis.
Buku ini ditulis dengan sederhana. Walaupun membaca buku ini tidak sampai mengeluarkan banjir airmata tapi sakit yang Baby rasakan dapat juga dirasakan. Salah satu yang mengiris hati saat Baby berjumpa kembali dengan ibunya setelah 20 tahun ditinggalkan. Kepedihan bertahun-tahun dan keputusasaan menunggu kepulangan ibunya tidak menyisakan perasaan sebagaimana layaknya sebuah pertemuan yang telah lama dinanti.
Baby tidak merasakan apa-apa saat bertemu ibunya kembali,tidak merasakan kegembiraan apalagi kebahagiaan. Mungkin seperti itu ya, jika akumulasi keinginan atau kebutuhan telah mencapai puncak, maka dengan sendirinya keinginan itu akan menurun kembali. Persis hukum ekonomi the law of deminishing return. Pemenuhan suatu kebutuhan atau keinginan atau permintaan akan mencapai puncak dan selanjutnya akan menurun. Hukum ekonomi itu ternyata banyak yang sesuai dengan kehidupan manusia bukan hanya berkaitan dengan faktor ekonomi. Mungkin karena yang diteliti juga perilaku manusia.
Baby tidak bercerita secara mendayu-dayu, lebih seperti bercerita dengan seorang sahabat. Baby juga berhasil menggambarkan kehidupan nyata bahwa dunia bukanlah hitam dan putih secara mutlak. Seseorang tidak selalu jahat sepenuhnya dan sebaliknya. Malah, kemungkinan seseorang memang baik adanya.
Beberapa hal yang menjadi point yang saya peroleh dari kisah Baby :
1. Tetaplah memiliki harapan, tetaplah berusaha untuk mencapai harapan.
2. Orang baik masih ada di bumi yang penuh kejahatan ini.
3. Jangan berhenti menulis.
April 15, 2022
Es de esos libros que te marcan para siempre. Tienen que darle una oportunidad.
February 5, 2024
Misery upon misery written in a childlike manner. Don't recommend
August 19, 2021
ثمة معاناة حقيقية ..تتيّقن بعدها أنك حياتك ماهي إلا فردوساً.
مؤلمة جدًا .. ذكرتني بأدب السجون لاأدري لكن تأكدت أن النساء في العالم أجمع جُمع لهن الشقاء مُضاعف.
مؤلمة جدًا .. ذكرتني بأدب السجون لاأدري لكن تأكدت أن النساء في العالم أجمع جُمع لهن الشقاء مُضاعف.
July 6, 2026
I was in Class 11th when we had a chapter about Baby Halder in our hindi textbook and I was humbled to see a woman's life so tragic and yet, she was able to write all of her memories in her original book named "Aalo Aandhari" (This english translation is very good too btw). That year, I decided that I'll read her memoir till the last page and today's the day I've completed this.
Every Indian man and a woman should read this, because not only it talks about Indian society as general but also, it shows the mirror to everyone who think that life of a female in a small village would be easier or not.
The author always had troubles from the very beginning, imagine getting married off to an abusive husband who's way older than you and then your father stops caring about you and many more problems which would happen, but still.. I liked the way she never gave up hope, She tried to make ends meet and at the end, she found a family who would encourage her to read and write, and to later publish the book which got really popular enough that it got translated into 11 languages and got some excerpt in books so that people would understand that life is tragic, but once you understand what you are capable of, you'd be unstoppable.
It's a true inspirational story for women who struggle everyday and a warning too for those who think that arrange marriage can be happy ending, No, independence is more important than any husband you can think about and it's 5/5 from my side!!
Every Indian man and a woman should read this, because not only it talks about Indian society as general but also, it shows the mirror to everyone who think that life of a female in a small village would be easier or not.
The author always had troubles from the very beginning, imagine getting married off to an abusive husband who's way older than you and then your father stops caring about you and many more problems which would happen, but still.. I liked the way she never gave up hope, She tried to make ends meet and at the end, she found a family who would encourage her to read and write, and to later publish the book which got really popular enough that it got translated into 11 languages and got some excerpt in books so that people would understand that life is tragic, but once you understand what you are capable of, you'd be unstoppable.
It's a true inspirational story for women who struggle everyday and a warning too for those who think that arrange marriage can be happy ending, No, independence is more important than any husband you can think about and it's 5/5 from my side!!
January 10, 2016
As I reached the end of the book, I was moved because I have never heard a story like this before. How often do you get a chance to read about a maid's life and that too, in her own words (the book was originally written in Bengali and was then translated to Hindi and English)? I had to take a break for two days because the domestic violence parts are quite disturbing. But the way Baby came out of hell is inspiring.
I had few issues with the book though: I somehow didn't like the way Baby jumps suddenly from one incident to another. But then, it's good to remember that Baby used to write after completing her work as a domestic help and taking care of three children!
Whenever I feel like giving up, I will make sure I read this book, because Baby's life is certainly not ordinary. There are people who say that feminism is for the elite, upper class women. This book proves that there are women out there fighting the patriarchy..without even knowing that there is a name to their beliefs.
I had few issues with the book though: I somehow didn't like the way Baby jumps suddenly from one incident to another. But then, it's good to remember that Baby used to write after completing her work as a domestic help and taking care of three children!
Whenever I feel like giving up, I will make sure I read this book, because Baby's life is certainly not ordinary. There are people who say that feminism is for the elite, upper class women. This book proves that there are women out there fighting the patriarchy..without even knowing that there is a name to their beliefs.
November 16, 2007
Written by a poor woman trying to survive in India. She was married at a young age to an abusive, indifferent man. Finally she left with her children to find work. After a time she found employment in the home of an educated and kind man. He and his friends encouraged her to write and this is her first book. In a straight forward style she has told her life story. An important book which provides a glimpse into the life of one poor woman, and perhaps insight into the lives of struggling women around the globe.
April 11, 2010
This is a very inspirational story - one I know I'll remember for a long time. The reason I didn't LOVE this book is that the writing was so spare; I believe that is also part of its charm (for those who really love it). Myself, I would've liked more details about situations that were mentioned but not explained fully. I would've loved more descriptions.
In any case, this book is certainly recommended - just reading the dust jacket you can see that it's an amazing story. Reading through the author's life story (to this point) is really a great opportunity.
In any case, this book is certainly recommended - just reading the dust jacket you can see that it's an amazing story. Reading through the author's life story (to this point) is really a great opportunity.
May 11, 2020
This probably may be the first ever book I finished reading within 24 hrs. Felt like I watched a movie. I found it very inspiring and must read book for people who don’t see hope & are deemed themselves unworthy
March 11, 2018
I found this book difficult to read, and not because of the content. The writing improves throughout the book, becoming much more readable around page 80. I understand that this reflects the evolution of the author as a writer and that the author is telling her story in the words she deems best at the time of her writing. However, this understanding does not aide comprehension.
I found myself confused throughout the text by the web of social networks and hierarchies the author finds herself embedded in throughout her life. Everyone is constantly in everyone else's business except when it actually matters: stopping domestic violence, making sure people get to the hospital, etc. Her social network do help her find jobs and occasionally provide her small transfers of cash, and perhaps that is reason enough to keep them.
I also could not understand the social (transactional?) relationship between the author and her final employer, who ultimately helps her publish her manuscript. The relationship between employer and domestic servant seems inherently difficult to govern using solely contract ethics, given how repeated and high variance the work can be. In her story, her final employer functionally transfers more resources to her than she could earn in comparable employment elsewhere, but couches their relationship in terms of parent-child. It is the latter aspect of the interaction that makes little sense to me, but perhaps this is what condescending paternalism looks like.
I did enjoy, in the final third of the book, that even as the author begins to interact with her final employer and his literary friends, she remains cognizant and questioning of their class distinctions. For example, the author questions whether her pen pals interact with their own domestic servants in the same way they interact with her, or if she is just some curiosity. I wonder how much of her actual thoughts regarding her final employer are self-censored in this manuscript.
I found myself confused throughout the text by the web of social networks and hierarchies the author finds herself embedded in throughout her life. Everyone is constantly in everyone else's business except when it actually matters: stopping domestic violence, making sure people get to the hospital, etc. Her social network do help her find jobs and occasionally provide her small transfers of cash, and perhaps that is reason enough to keep them.
I also could not understand the social (transactional?) relationship between the author and her final employer, who ultimately helps her publish her manuscript. The relationship between employer and domestic servant seems inherently difficult to govern using solely contract ethics, given how repeated and high variance the work can be. In her story, her final employer functionally transfers more resources to her than she could earn in comparable employment elsewhere, but couches their relationship in terms of parent-child. It is the latter aspect of the interaction that makes little sense to me, but perhaps this is what condescending paternalism looks like.
I did enjoy, in the final third of the book, that even as the author begins to interact with her final employer and his literary friends, she remains cognizant and questioning of their class distinctions. For example, the author questions whether her pen pals interact with their own domestic servants in the same way they interact with her, or if she is just some curiosity. I wonder how much of her actual thoughts regarding her final employer are self-censored in this manuscript.
September 9, 2022
Incredibly moving and awe-inspiring in the true sense of the words, this is a book that must be read by every man and woman in the country and abroad, as facilitated by the translations. To praise Baby's perseverance would be to glorify the strength of womanhood and fall prey to all those old tropes and normalise her suffering; what this book does most is illustrate that women's awareness and empowerment is an essential human right, cutting across all divides. I was so glad to read about her rediscovering her love for the written word, and her finally getting the kindness and care she deserves in her mentor's home, albeit late in life. Felt the book ended abruptly, though the writing never once bored me for all its lack of self-pity. If anything, it only made me admire her more and filled me with sadness and emptiness. Eagerly waiting for the sequel and hoping to meet her in person, as impossible as that seems. So glad I finally read this, though as an e-book, and that it had been translated into so many languages. As put by Butalia in the affecting Foreword, it is a book “that reminds us that there is so much that needs to be said and written about women’s lives.” Amen.
September 18, 2022
This is a hard book to review. On one hand, it is hard to follow because of the many characters (some of whom go by the same name), the numerous cultural references to holidays and days of the month and general other cultural references that I have no context for, and the occasional switch to referring to herself in 3rd person for no apparent reason. But on the other hand, it's simply an incredible story! It's amazing that she even learned to read or write at all, as a motherless young girl married off at the age of 12 to an abusive and heartless man and a mother herself at 14! My American experiences have no context for such things! Her story is heartbreaking, tragic, and ultimately uplifting, when she finally encounters a decent human being willing to treat her with the care and respect she deserves. Her story is truly an important one that needs to be told!
October 26, 2023
This memoir, penned by Baby Halder and translated by Urvashi Butalia is undeniably a sob story but when you pause to reflect on the extreme challenges the author faced and her barely-literate status, it seems remarkable that she could sustain her love for learning and writing. Only a fortuitous turn of events brings her to the doorstep of a bibliophile, seeking employment as a household help. The book is a sobering reminder that in heartland India this is the unfortunate life of most women - facing violence, discrimination and patriarchy that keeps them confined. Ignorance, superstition and antiquated social conventions continue to burden them.
March 27, 2025
biography of Baby, a young Bengali girl in India. Her mother left when she was just a child and was raised by her father who was cruel to her. She got married off when she was only 12 to a 26 year old abusive horrible man, and had 3 children at such a young age. The husband was so cruel and used to beat her and almost killed her. Her own husband / father did not bother to show up when Baby gave birth. Eventually Baby works up the courage to leave her husband, and takes her 3 kids with her. She finds work as a domestic help. After various cruel employers, she finally finds a nice employer who encourages her to read and write, eventually publishing a book of her own life.
June 22, 2025
Anyone who has lived in a country where it is usual to have servants, will know that many of them are treated in this abject way. And though I understand that in our country, there still is a struggle to get equal rights for women, I do not understand that we do not have world-wide hard actions to obtain at least the basic rights for all women in those countries where girls are mistreated in this scandalous way. Benoite Groult states in her "Ainsi soit-elle" that she is astonished how men dare to sit without shame next to other guys of whom they know that they will probably be treating their servants, their wives and their daughters in this same shamefull way.
March 12, 2023
The writing is rough and untidy just like the world Baby lives in. I believe keeping the english translation on the same lines has been the right way to communicate Baby's style. I felt like she was narrating it to me herself, at times abrupt, at times remembering a random person. Editing or 'beautifying' the language would have ruined it. I wonder how it is in original Bengali. There is so much sorrow and pain around us in the people we take for granted.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 68 reviews