apropos of anything

Because I no longer have a place to list out what I’m currently reading…

I finally finished last month’s book club book, Life Isn’t All Ha Ha Hee Hee by Meera Syal. I know, I’m so behind. I have to admit I had my reservations about this selection after the disastrous Mistress of Spices (Raven? really?), but Syal’s novel proves to be a much stronger effort than Divakaruni’s Harlequin-wrapped-in-paan. However, I do think this book will only really register for foreign-born desis, as so many of its themes are rooted in the ABCD experience (or in this case, BBCD experience), and I don’t feel like Syal ever makes an effort to reach an audience outside her base.

In one scene, film-maker Tania, while arguing about her career path with her agent Mark, says, “No more grubbing in the ghetto, I’m mainstream now.” And Mark replies, “The ghetto got you where you are today, Tania. It’s what makes you different. And a good story is a mainstream story, end of story.” I think Syal identifies more with Sunita, based on her decision to play Sunny in the BBC miniseries version of the book, but I have to wonder whether Tania’s exchange with Mark isn’t lifted straight out of Syal’s own life.

There is another scene in the book where someone tells Tania, “You don’t live here any more. And this stuff is not for tourists. Go home.” She is referring not to Tania’s residence but to her identity, in essence calling Tania out for being more white than brown, and I think this is also something Syal has taken to heart — that in order to be a true artist, you have to know and accept who you are, even the parts you may not like. Tania gets there eventually, as I think Syal has in this book that is entirely and unapologetically brown.

While I do not think Life Isn’t All Ha Ha Hee Hee is on the same epic, soaring level as Ian McEwan’s Atonement (and I should disclose that I am the only one of my book club who liked that book, and also that I did not like it so much as love it and that I consider it a masterpiece of modern literature), I’d recommend for a quick weekend read. It’s chick-lit, but chick-lit with a purpose beyond bagging the perfect boyfriend/husband/job, and even the non-desis should be able to find something they like about Chila, Sunita, and Tania to keep turning pages until the end.

Still working on the Harry Potter re-read that I started during suhoor in Ramadan (because I need something to do while eating breakfast at 5:15, and reading a book I’ve already read and know well works better than reading something new because then I don’t suddenly find myself so caught up in the story that I must know what happens and I keep reading until ishraq, and also because I ran out of cookbooks to read). I finished through Half-Blood Prince before Eid (actually, I started Deathly Hallows the night before), so I just have a little bit left to go before I put Harry away again. Also I promised to get Nooreen a copy of The Book of Three because I figure anyone who loves Harry Potter and the Lord of the Rings should read the Prydain Chronicles at some point in their lives, if only to be reminded that sometimes the journey is more important than the destination.

Next up: This month’s book club book, A Spot of Bother by Mark Haddon, who also wrote The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. Also, my list is about to run dry, so I am looking for recommendations if anyone wants to volunteer any.