The Home and the World by Rabindranath Tagore (2015 Reading Challenge)

[Val]

Rabindranath Tagore won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913.

[Pink]

Thought I'd let everyone know this book is available for free on kindle. I've already downloaded it, so this might be my first Nobel read for 2015 :)

[Ally]

I've just ordered this one for my first challenge read.

I'm looking forward to this challenge as I wouldn't have chosen any of these books of my own accord but so many of them look like they will really expand my reading interests. It's strange, I always disliked science and maths at school, preferring English and History. Most of what I read is still literary and historical so it'll be strange to read so much 'science' (...but I get to keep the 'historical' element!). Can't wait!

Glad to see this one can be obtained for free. I don't have a kindle but it should mean that lots of of our members can join in.

[Pink]

I agree Ally, there's lots of books for this challenge that look good, but I probably wouldn't have gotten to otherwise. I've never even heard of this one before.

[Pink]

I started this morning and I'm about 1/3 of my way through. It's really quite interesting and easy to read. I'm not too sure where the story is leading, but I'll update my thoughts when I've finished.

[Val]

I can't find my paperback copy, but I have downloaded a kindle version and will be joining you soon. (I read it some years before I joined Goodreads and don't think I ought to comment until I have refreshed my memory.)

[Pink]

Finished today and a very good book. So glad that it was chosen for this challenge, as I don't think I'd have come across it otherwise. It reminded me a little of A Passage to India, simply because of the same themes of Colonialism. Really interesting topic, I looked up a little about the country and troubles that were happening in this time period and it helped me understand things a little more thoroughly. I really liked how it was written, between three different viewpoints as well.

[Roisin]

I must get hold of a copy. Can't wait to read it!

[Val]

I was surprised how little the British appeared in the book. There is Miss Pinkerton who teaches Bimala reading and hairstyles and there is all the debate about whether people should be allowed to buy British scissors and Belgian shawls if they want to, but that is about it.

[Roisin]

Really? How refreshing! : ) I've reserved a copy and await the books arrival.

[Val]

The British are obviously there in the background, you can't have an independence movement without someone to become independent from, but they don't appear in the book. It is all about what the various Indian characters think and do.

[Roisin]

Yeah sure, but the fact that the Brits are not main to the story, makes a change from the norm where they are the main characters. Hence my comment.

[Val]

Yes, it does make the book different to books by British or European authors who are mainly concerned with how well or badly their main characters relate to Indians; most books by Indian authors are set post-independence.
You might like to try Train to Pakistan by Khushwant Singh, which is set at independence and partition.

[Roisin]

Don't know that one. Ta! I'll look that up.

[Roisin]

In Our Time this morning was on Tagore:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qykl

[Barbara]

Thanks, Roisin. Very informative. I was especially interested to hear about the relationship between Gandhi and Tagore, and their differing views on independence.