Nectar in a Sieve by Kamala Markandaya
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(Mass Market Paperback - Reissue)
- Pub. Date: January 2002
- 208pp
- Sales Rank: 4,391
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Product Details
- Pub. Date: January 2002
- Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
- Format: Mass Market Paperback, 208pp
- Sales Rank: 4,391
- ISBN-13: 9780451528230
- ISBN: 0451528239
- Edition Description: Reissue
Synopsis
Named Notable Book of 1955 by the American Library Association, this is the very moving story of a peasant woman in a primitive village in India whose whole life was a gallant and persistent battle to care for those she loved.
"Comparable in many ways to Cry, the Beloved Country...if anything...better." (Saturday Evening Post)
Annotation
In a small village in India, a simple peasant woman recalls her life as a child bride, a farmer's wife, and a devoted mother amidst fights to meet changing times, poverty, and disaster.
Comparable in many ways to Cry, the Beloved Country...if anything...better.
More Reviews and RecommendationsBiography
Kamala Markandaya was the pen name of Kamala Purnaiya Taylor, who was born in Bangalore, India in 1924 and died in England in 2004. Her family was Brahman, the highest caste in Hindu society. Markandaya made an effort to know not just the city in which she lived but also India's rural areas. She was educated at the University of Madras in Chennai, India, and worked briefly for a weekly newspaper before emigrating to England in 1948. There she met her husband, with whom she lived in London. While Markandaya made England her home, she made many visits to India over the years to stay in touch with her culture and to find inspiration and ideas for her fiction.
Customer Reviews
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AP World History Review: A Touching Storyby Anonymous
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May 17, 2009: Set in a small village in India, Kamala Markandaya's Nectar in a Sieve is a griping novel that tells a story of a woman's struggle to find happiness and her own inner strength in a changing India. Markandaya writes a very real tale of a 12 year old girl, Rukmani, through all her troubles until her last days. The author explains through Rukmani, the toils and tribulations struggling famillies in India faced. Shes goes in depth at some points in the novel, to the point where you have to drag through pages, but other than a few extra details this novel is very well written.
All in all, this was a wonderful read. The book was very detailed and made you feel like you actually knew Rukmanni. Nectar in a Sieve is such an eye opener to the world around us. I enjoyed reading about the Indian culture, how ever rough and different it may be from ours. I'd recommend this novel to anyone in middle school or older. We can always learn something new about ourselves and other through any literature at any time in our lives.AP World History Review: Strength Through Changeby Anonymous
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May 17, 2009: Nectar In a Sieve by Kamala Markandaya is an extremely interesting novel illustrating the struggles an Indian woman faces as she endures the changes white men bring to her small village. The author shows readers how Western industrialization and modernization greatly affected the lives of Indian civilians throughout the twenthieth century. The main character, Rukmani, witnesses her home transform from a connected, reliable, and enjoyable place to one where foreign ideas pollute the society and corrupt the minds and hearts of many. Through her struggles, Rukmani works hard to maintain hope for her family and remains supportive of the decisions made around her. Kamala Markandaya uses Rukmani to effectively portray the hardships imposed on Indians when the Westerners began implementing their own improvements. She preceisly depicts the changing perspectives and ways of life for people of India while white men transformed their society.
After reading this revealing and heartfelt novel, I was able to see the true impact of Western influence in India. Kamala Markandaya creates many characters that help bring readers into the lives of struggling Indians in the twenthieth century. I recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys reading about one's strength despite adversity. Nectar in a Sieve is an excellent novel that depicts the many struggles and instances of happiness of Indian society.
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