America for Beginners

Posted on 26 March 2017 by Leah Franqui

Pival Sengupta has done something she never expected she has booked a trip with the First Class India USA Destination Vacation Tour Company But unlike other upper class Indians on a foreign holiday, the recently widowed Pival is not interested in sightseeing She is traveling thousands of miles from Kolkota to New York on a cross country journey to California, where she hopes to uncover the truth about her beloved son, Rahi A year ago Rahi devastated his very traditional parents when he told them he was gay Then, Pival s husband, Ram, told her that their son had died suddenly heartbreaking news she still refuses to accept Now, with Ram gone, she is going to America to find Rahi, alive and whole or dead and gone, and come to terms with her own life.Arriving in New York, the tour proves to be complicated than anticipated Planned by the company s indefatigable owner, Ronnie Munshi a hard working immigrant and entrepreneur hungry for his own taste of the American dream it is a work of haphazard improvisation Pival s guide is the company s new hire, the guileless and wonderfully resourceful Satya, who has been in America for one year and has never actually left the five boroughs For modesty s sake Pival and Satya will be accompanied by Rebecca Elliot, an aspiring young actress Eager for a paying gig, she s along for the ride, because how hard can a two week working vacation traveling across America be Slowly making her way from coast to coast with her unlikely companions, Pival finds that her understanding of her son and her hopes of a reunion with him are challenged by her growing knowledge of his adoptive country As the bonds between this odd trio deepens, Pival, Satya, and Rebecca learn to see America and themselves in different and profound new ways. Best Download [ America for Beginners ] Author [ Leah Franqui ] – kino-fada.fr 4 starsThis is a fictional story of Pival Sengupta, a wealthy widow from Kolkata, India Her husband Ram has been dead for several months and she decides to go to the United States, ostensibly to take a guided tour, but in reality to find out if her gay son Rahi is alive or dead When he came out to his parents, his father disowned him and forbade him from all future contact Ram received a phone call shortly after Rahi announced that he was gay Ram told Pival that Rahi was dead But she never 4 starsThis is a fictional story of Pival Sengupta, a wealthy widow from Kolkata, India Her husband Ram has been dead for several months and she decides to go to the United States, ostensibly to take a guided tour, but in reality to find out if her gay son Rahi is alive or dead When he came out to his parents, his father disowned him and forbade him from all future contact Ram received a phone call shortly after Rahi announced that he was gay Ram told Pival that Rahi was dead But she never saw a death certificate, or received his ashes She has an addres...America for Beginners is an extraordinary debut by Leah Franqui Once I finished the book, it gave me a tremendous sense of lightness and hope It is something I wanted from a book for a while as I struggle to find a sense of hope from the world nowadays After so many authors telling me what is wrong with the world and humanity, it warmed my heart to read something that told what was beautiful about humanity In a world where nations and society are constantly looking inwards, America for Begin America for Beginners is an extraordinary debut by Leah Franqui Once I finished the book, it gave me a tremendous sense of lightness and hope It is something I wanted from a book for a while as I struggle to find a sense of hop...Recently widowed Pival Sengupta is 60 and has never left Kolkata Her late husband Ram had told her that their son Rahi died in Los Angeles but Pavil never really accepted the news and now she is planning her first trip ever to find out the truth for herself Rosni Ronnie Munshi owns a travel agency in New York that books tours for Indian and Pakistani tourist...America for Beginners is the first novel written by Leah Franqui It has many fine points, but also some disappointments along the way The book is billed as a travel story where Pival Sangupta, recently widowed, is visiting America from India to find her estranged son Before we get to traveling, however, the reader has to endure 110 pages of backstory on the many character...What a curious and complex cast of characters Leah Frangui created for her debut novel A wealthy but naive widow from Kolkata with a Bangladeshi immigrant posing as an Indian tour guide and a feisty down and out actress as companion lead the troupe in their and the reader s vicarious journey across the USA Add to these the voices of the vividly drawn supporting characters and there emerges a narrative that is compelling in its humor and its pathos At some scenes I laughed out loud at other What a curious and complex cast of characters Leah Frangui created for her debut novel A wealthy but naive widow from Kolkata with a Bangladeshi immigrant posing as an Indian tour guide and a feisty down and out actress as companion lead the troupe in their and the reader s vicarious journey across the USA Add to these the voices of the vividly drawn supporting characters and there emerges a narrative that is compelling in it...I gave this book my sincere attention for around 30 pages before it started losing my interest It was at this point that I realized why, after a while, the pages started feeling so laborious to get through The summary, which describes the story as being about a woman traveling across America It takes a third of the book for Pival to even get there that s around 100 pages Apparently it was very important that the story switch POV between 5 different characters and that you know their backst I gave this book my sincere attention for around 30 pages before it started losing my interest It was at this point that I realized why, after a while, the pages started feeling ...Pival Sengupta has never left Kolkata when she books a trip to America with an Indian travel company, but nothing in this road trip novel is exactly what it seems Starting with the trip, which has a Bangladeshi, not Indian guide, and a female chaperone who is a young American actress But also Pival, who is not on the trip to see America, but is hoping to find her son, who might be dead and whom the family cut off after he came out as gay This novel has so much empathy for all of its character Pival Sengupta has never left Kolkata when she books a trip to America with an Indian travel company, but nothing in this road trip novel is exactly what it seems Starting with the trip, which has a Bangladeshi, not Indian guide, and a female chaperone who is a young American actress But also Pival, who is not on the trip to see America, but is hoping to find her ...Thanks to William Morrow and TLC Book Tours for this free review copy.What a heartwarming and eye opening view of the US from an foreigner s perspective I learned so much about my own country during the course of this novel, as well as about India and Bangladesh AMERICA FOR BEGINNERS brings us an Indian widow learning to be alone and coming to terms with her son s sexuality and her...Stirring and touching, America for Beginners which I won through Goodreads Giveaways begins when recently widowed Pival Sengupta a Bengali woman who has never travelled outside her home in Kolkata takes a cross country tour from New York City to California with her guide Satya Roy and female chaperone Rebecca Eliot On a trip where she s determined to find out whether her beloved son Rahi who was ostracized by his father after declaring he was gay is alive or dead, and to end her life, Pival u Stirring and touching, America for Beginners which I won through Goodreads Giveaways begins when recently widowed Pival Sengupta a Bengali woman who has never travelled outside her home in Kolkata takes a cross country tour from New York City to California with her guide Satya Roy and female ...Now, I have read a lot of books about immigrants and their lifestyles and what happens when you move countries or come to America, as they say But this is not a story of an immigrant In fact, it is just a story of a mother who has to come to terms with her son s sexual preference and lifestyle, after his death This struck a chord It hit home and stayed there for a while I was constantly thinking of my mother and what was she going through when I came out to her and could relate her thoughts Now, I have read a lot of books abou...

26 March 2017

Leah Franqui