A Kitchen in the Corner of the House

I found the stories to be tedious. Nothing ever seems to happen.

I asked my friend from Karnataka if she knew of this author? I had never heard of her. She said yes, her Mom read her.My friend is a millennial. I'm not sure if there's any significance to that.I was impressed by the excerpt from the book I read...a little spellbound. Ambai knows how to tell a good yarn. And it reveals something about another culture far away from the U.S. that I am relatively unfamiliar with (other than the fact that I have friends from there and I spent some time there traveling, a cultural immersion with my local buddies).Anyway, I love these stories that weave a rich tapestry of women's perspective through different generations.They are like looking through stained glass window masterpieces, awesome and penetrating in only the way art can penetrate your consciousness.I appreciate this little pocket-sized delicacy for discreet reading and so light for travel. Great summer reading too!Read, Learn, Enjoy!

I am a huge fan of short fiction. It's possible to read a story in the free and awake time available to a person who has lupus and a child with some special needs. Even exhausted, I can read a short story. The question is always whether I want to.If the story in question is one of Ambai's, the answer is always yes. These stories tell of feminism, from a viewpoint that is decidedly different from those of American feminist writers. It's just as empowering, and the action requirements are the same, but the social pressures are more intense and the consequences of resisting them are extreme, compared to 20th century U.S. women, at least in non-fundamentalist-controlled parts of the country.The translation from Tamil is gorgeous, the prose as lyrical as I imagine it would be in the original. Despite a significant cultural gap, it was easy to relate to and empathize with the characters. I had time enough for a short story, so I read one. (The Calf that Frolicked in the Hall). Then, I read it again. And later, I read another. I am reading them all.Highly recommend for people who enjoy Barbara Kingsolver and Zora Neale Hurston. Kate Chopin also comes to mind.

Short and sweet. I loved this little book with a fresh story to tell. It's a great quick little afternoon read if it even takes you that long, I read mine on the trip back & forth between my home & business over a period of two days ( I wasn't the one driving!) and it passed the time in a satisfying way. You get a peak at women around teh globe and learn a little about their lives, just for fun and curiosity. Great gift for Moms & Daughters or any woman in your life. 4 stars.*If this review helped you make an informed choice about this product in any way I would appreciate it if you take a moment of your time and let me know by hitting the Helpful button and letting me know. I appreciate that you took the time to read my review, Thank you!*

The book is interesting and well written and well translated. I liked the variety of stories, and how women were pictured in them. I would have appreciate greatly if they provided at least some kind of glossary and some cultural notes, though, because it was hard to understand at times, and I am sure I missed some finer points in the book because of that. I would be easier to read on kindle where you can highlight a word and do a search for the meaning. Would not help with cultural references, though.Still, it was really interesting to look at how women live on the other side of the globe. Same and different, different and same.

The stories are fascinating such as I understood them, describing ways of life that I have never experienced and the desires and accomplishments of women in different settings. But this group of short stories by a feminist Tamil author could use a little translation for those of us outside of India. I am relatively conversant with terms for foods, medicines and clothing, but in many places, I didn't understand what was going on. For an international edition sold outside of India, it would help to have a translation section. Nonetheless, the book is well-worth reading.

This collection of atmospheric stories in a lilting prose poetry style is interesting, if somewhat puzzling at times. Perhaps the issue is with the translation, but I found that I had difficulty following the action (or lack thereof), the characters, and the motivation. There seems to be quite a lot of cultural metaphors used in the dialogue and scene setting, and I’m simply not aware enough of Tamil culture to follow it. I continued reading for the beauty of the language, but found the end result unsatisfying.

This is an exceedingly rich compilation of short stories by the revered writer, C. S. Lakshmi under her nom de plume, Ambai. Twenty-five pieces, all regarding what it means to be a woman in a Tamil family. While there are many cultural differences, it is the similarities that provoke and spark interest, areas such as reaching maturity, dealing with the natural maturity of the female body, and the importance of holding sway in the kitchen. This definitely will resound with women readers.