Customer Reviews

I had high expectations... - By: Snapdragon, 16 Sep 2008
I really like Hardeep Singh Kohli & I love food; so this book should have been right up my alley. Having asked himself the question, `Why did I feel the need to apologise for being Britishin India & apologise for being Indian whenin Britain?', Hardeep plans a journey to Indiain order to `find himself'. The blurb would have you believe that he does this by cooking typically English foods such as Yorkshire Pudding & fry ups, & using them as a means to connect with Indian people & as a result to learn more about himself & his feelings about having a dual nationality.

Unfortunately, the blurb is a bit misleading. Just to give you an idea of what I mean, I quote from page 208 (more than two-thirds of the way through the book) `I have been rather remissin preparing the foods of Britain.' Yes, you have haven't you! I really don't like to be pedantic, but this book is more like a guide to long train journeys across India. The writing fails to convey any real connections made with people he met during his journey; he moves impassively through the landscape, failing to `find himself' at any of the stops along the way.

There are some nice anecdotes, but these mostly relate to his childhoodin Glasgow, the tale of the stolen Victoria sponge was a particular highlight. There was also a lovely segment about shopping for turbans & a few more observational interludes like that would have made all the difference.

It's a shame. I wish I'd have liked it more.