I adored this book! As memoirs go - top, top notch - super interesting and engaging!

The Milk Lady of Bangalore took me completely by surprise. I had no idea what this was going to be like and within the first few pages I was hooked. Narayan, a journalist by trade, writes in such a pleasing way. To me, it flows like you are sitting for coffee with a friend and she is telling you a very detailed story. I couldn't put this one down and ended up reading it in three days.

This is a memoir - one of the best I have EVER read - but it is truly so much more than that. The basic gist is that Narayan decides with her husband to move back to their native-India after living for 20-years in the United States. They both have parents who are getting older and as they have two children, they want their children to know their grandparents and experience their culture. They move into a large apartment building in Bangalore and on move in day, Narayan, by chance, meets Sarala, the milk lady. This is how it all begins.

This book is a beautiful examination of culture, friendship, life, love, loss and growth. I laughed and I cried. You know you have found a special book when one brings out such a wide range of emotions - in my opinion anyway. It was interesting to read about Narayan really learning about her own culture for a second time. I could absolutely relate with a lot of her feelings having moved away from the area I grew up in, and being away for many years, going back, you see things with fresh eyes. You can appreciate how much culture varies from area to area and that can really bring forth a lot of self reflection about ones own beliefs, traditions, goals, wants, needs and really where one feels like they belong.

Now, COWS: In this book you will also learn so much about cows - magnificent animals, they really are. This book felt to me like a microhistory of cows and their role/significance in India culture, particularly through different Hindu beliefs and customs. I absolutely adored that aspect of the book. If you are someone who enjoys that type of book, you will love this. Also, if you are a foodie, you will probably love this and should definitely read it. There is a lot in here about milk, the different types / properties of milk. I am telling you, fascinating.

Overall, I applaud Shoba Narayan for her efforts with this and I say, thank you, for sharing this part of your life with the world. It was beautiful! Also, a big thank you to the publisher, Algonquin Books, for providing me with a copy of this to read and review. I truly appreciate the opportunity and apologize that it has taken me so long to get to this! One of my favorite and most unique reads of 2018 so far!

Narayan moves back to India after twenty years in the United States and rediscovers Indian life and culture through the story of the milk lady across the street. Her writing is highly entertaining while managing to inform readers seemingly about all possible aspects of cows in India.

From descriptions of the book, I expected the balance to fall more heavily toward biography. I did not expect to be reading quite so much about cows, but found I enjoyed the reading anyway. I would highly recommend this book to readers of biography and food biography.

I’m lactose intolerant yet here I am reading a book about cows and milk. Hum? I thought this novel sounded interesting and that is why I asked to read it and interesting is what I got. I found out a great deal about cows but I also got an interesting story about a woman who packed up her family and took them back to India. Both Narayan and her husband were from India and they had family there. Looking out the window of her apartment one morning, she spots a woman milking a cow across the street selling the fresh milk to individuals waiting in line. Apprehensive to the idea, Narayan reaches out to talk to the woman, Sarala, and thus begins a friendship, a journey, an education that she will never forget.

I learned a great deal as Narayan and Sarala build their friendship. Sarala has a deep connection to her cows, a connection that goes back many generations. I guess a lot of what I read makes sense but to stop and think about it, I hadn’t really done that. I learned that what you taste in a cow’s milk, should be what the cow has ate. A good connoisseur should be able to taste the wheat, the grass, the barley, etc. that the cow was grazing on. Now, this pertains only to unpasteurized milk, the milk Narayan is contemplating. While in India, Narayan is learning all about this type of milk as this is what Sarala is selling. Trying to convince Narayan that this milk is superior, Sarala is educating her and is having her taste different cow’s milk. All I could think of while Narayan was concentrating on what each cow ate while she was taste testing was an individual swirling a glass of wine before taking a sip.

Most individuals know there is medical value in milk but what about the cow’s urine? What people do with the cow’s urine had me almost gagging. India does love their cows and they love every part of them. I did appreciate learning this information, as you never know when I might need to know this. Let’s talk about cow dung. It’s used for lighting fires and for fertilizer but there is much more this waste can be used for. There is medical value inside of it and you can also use it for purifying, that’s just a couple of things that Narayan learns as she talks with Sarala.

I thought it was interesting as I read about the struggle between the traditionalists and the young folk who are now making their way out into the world. Parents and grandparents want to call upon the traditions that have been in place for over 5,000 years and pass them onto their children, traditions that have worked, while the younger generation are ready to put them behind. It seems every part of the world has this struggle.

I was glad Narayan shared her story with me. I thought this novel was entertaining, educational, and clever. I got an education in cows and life in India.

I received a copy of this novel from NetGalley and Algonquin Books/Algonquin Young Readers in exchange for an honest review.

If a reader is looking to read more about the India known for Bollywood movies, rape culture, political theater, and cricket mania, it might be best to give this book a miss. On the other hand, if the reader enjoys gentle humor, snippets of socio-cultural history, and slices of contemporary life presented as a constant source of everyday wonders, this is a must-read.

This memoir, ‘The Milk Lady of Bangalore: An Unexpected Adventure.’ of Shoba Narayan’s life in Bengaluru after having spent two decades or so in the US is not her first such account. Her 2012 memoir, ‘Return to India’ described her journey from India to America, her life as an immigrant, and her eventual return to India as a wife and a mother of two. “Home” is an ongoing and complex colloquy with oneself for those of us who have lived through such odysseys. And, in this latest, Narayan gives us more of how she continues to navigate and negotiate those endless terrains of personal identity, familial belonging, and social community to assimilate on her own terms.

Much of the book is centered on Narayan’s friendship with the eponymous “milk lady.” Sarala sells milk fresh from her cows to those who have still not succumbed to the packaged varieties. It is an unlikely relationship as both women are from different classes and castes within their society. Like most women of her age and class in India, Narayan would probably not have even formed such a close bond with Sarala had it not been for those decades of different life experiences outside of India. Despite all the inequalities, they share a lovely rapport from the start and Narayan gives us a charming, yet well-rounded, portrait of this everywoman in a style that is reminiscent of R K Narayan. . . . [I will post a complete link to the rest of the review once it is published.]

The author, a naturalized American returns to Bangalore, India and explores the eccentricities of her culture with humor and complete self-awareness. I originally selected this book because I thought it was a work of fiction, and the idea of the story sounded quirky enough to capture and maintain my interest. But after further reading, I was pleasantly surprised to find the story a true account of the author's return home.

As one who is endlessly fascinated with other cultures, I found this account that explores culture, history, mythology and the importance of cows in Indian culture to be both entertaining and informative. I'm one of those people who prefers to heal myself with natural remedies, and eat local, organic, grass-fed, yadda yaddaa... and this story appealed to that side of me as well. The Milk Lady of Bangalore delves into the efficacy of Ayurvedic and natural remedies, and debates the pros and cons of raw milk and pasteurized milk, a very controversial topic in farm-to-table circles. And it was interesting to note, that in America where we count pasteurized milk as a panacea of illnesses and allergies, in India, raw milk is considered nectar, medicinal, therapeutic. And after reading this work, I'm willing to swap my coconut milk beverage for a glass of raw milk, just to see.

This book also provides a window into India's caste system, family relationships and those of friends and neighbors. Redolent with descriptions of sticky rice, mango and tender coconut milk, the author does a wonderful job of evoking the tastes, smells, sounds and colors of India.

The Milk Lady of Bangalore is an unexpectedly charming fast read that sates the natural curiosity of readers intrigued by other cultures

I loved reading Narayan's unique perspective on Indian culture. Though raised in India, Narayan spent 20 years in the U.S. before moving back with her husband and two children. Thus she can see Indian culture as both an insider and an outsider. I think this provides a great access point for readers like myself who are not Indian or Indian American. She can switch between her experiences as a child in India to the Western influenced perspective from her time in the U.S.

I love the cultural and historical tidbits provided throughout. Narayan seamlessly ties together her everyday interactions alongside the Bhagavad Gita, the Vedas, and Ayurvedic medicine. I never thought I would read about cow excrement and urine let alone their alleged curative powers. Gomutra is the term refers to the usage of cow urine as a remedy for a number of ailments. Despite the odd sound to Western ears, it was fascinating to learn about Gomutra and other alternative remedies and Narayan handles it with both knowledge and a touch of humor. Not only does she provide information about Hindu principles and practices, Narayan introduces the reader to Sarala, her milk lady. Sarala and her family have several cows, which they milk and provide their customers with fresh raw milk. One of the most endearing parts of this book is the friendship that develops between the two women. Sarala teaches Narayan, and thus the reader, a lessons about live and cows.

This booked sparked my interest in learning more about Indian culture and Hinduism. I love when a book makes you want to read even more books. I would highly recommend this fun, informative, and quick read!

This was an unexpected and delightful surprise. Narayan has written a light and informative book about modern India and, well, cows. She's got a terrific voice that never condescends. It's less a memoir than a story of a unique friendship with Sarala, the milk lady and of Narayan coming to terms with her return to India. India's a big subject (it's a big country). Narayan wisely chose a small subject and details it wonderfully. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Try this one for a good read.

I thoroughly enjoyed Shoba Narayan’s memoir.
First of all it was the milk: sweet, fresh and healing milk. Milk is friendship and family; connection and compromise; nourishment and nostalgia; reconnection and remedy. The milk was as sweet as Shoba and Sarala’s budding friendship.
The it dawns on the reader: “The milk is so good because it comes from the cow.” And now you’re hooked. I never thought I’d enjoy reading a book about cows, but this one got me.
I loved Shoba’s vivid descriptions of trips to the countryside, the food! and the occasional dip into history.
I would have loved to read more about how her daughters and husband adjusted to life back in India; she touched on this but not in great detail. Maybe another book? :-)

Narayan and her family move back to Bangalore. One difference from Manhattan is how they get their milk. As she gets to know her milk lady she learns more about why cows are sacred in India. The reader can see the difference money can mean to the people of India, but you don't get the feeling that the poor are doomed to a bitter life. Very interesting story.

While the author has a strong and intriguing voice, it turns out there is a limit to my personal level of interest in cows. This book rather exceeded said limit.

This is one that I picked up because it has an interesting description but put down because I couldn't get into it.

Reviews will be posted on BookBrowse later. https://www.bookbrowse.com/bb_briefs/detail/index.cfm/ezine_preview_number/12829/the-milk-lady-of-bangalore

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