Librería Samer Atenea
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Donde los libros
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Description’I don’t know, memsahib,’ she said in the end.’But I don’t like it, that man coming here. Ihope he does not come again.’’He will... And the next time he comes, don’t behave like a rabbit. Face him like a man.’Miss Coelho took intimidation in her stride, whether by the underworld don’shenchmen, or rapacious builders like her new landlord. They were minorinconveniences. Her purpose in life was to serve the Lord by teaching goodEnglish to her young students and, if possible, adults as well. God knew theyneeded it.The other fourteen women that anchor the stories in this collection are quitedifferent, but remarkable in their own way. Like Mrs Hiralal Motilal Jain, in ’Onlyan Indian Wife’, who’s shrewder than any crooked taxation lawyers could be. In’Janaki’, the eponymous housemaid is but a demure young woman-or is she?The Bombay-born Shabana Meherali, in ’By a Thread’, might be confined to hermarital home in Rawalpindi, but there’s really nothing that can stop her fromfinding someone to converse with in her mother tongue. Asha, in ’Saga-vhala’,is as glued to south Bombay as to the TV, and knows more about Bollywoodthan even judges at a quiz contest. Freny, in ’Her F word’, is happily married toa successful doctor like herself but harbours a secret longing in her heart. Andthere’s Indira, Under Secretary, in ’Women Can’t Play It’-not one for playingchess; but the game she is adept at is far more complex and cunning.’Women are like men, only different, mostly better,’ writes Kiran Doshi in theAuthor’s Note-and then proceeds to show us how in fifteen memorable storieswritten with quiet, compelling humour and an intuitive understanding of life’slittle triumphs and troubles and abiding oddness. The English Teacher is a book ofgreat charm, and thoroughly entertaining. 3
