I was expecting a cookbook or at least a few recipes but it’s more of a memoir which was interesting. I always enjoy reading about lives that are different from my own experiences. Great read.

I was intrigued by the book summary - food, travel, immigration, culture, history, place, belonging - all things I relate to - wrapped up in a memoir. The book is a combination of all these elements interspersed thought the book. I particularly enjoyed the parts about the author’s family, her memories associated with all the wonderful Bengali food, and what they meant to her as she straddled many worlds. I also liked how the author distinguished Bengali culture and food as distinct and unique, a far cry from the homogeneous culture and food that people tend to view as Indian. India is a vast and diverse country with varied foods, culture, religions, and customs. What I didn’t care for were the transitions from thought to thought or timeframes to timeframes. They seemed to end abruptly and then we were on to a completely different topic or thought, which left me in mid stride and was rather disconcerting. So overall, this was an okay read. Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

*This book was received as an Advanced Reviewer's Copy from NetGalley.

It's pretty easy to draw me in with a memoir that revolves around food. This one, while not all about food, still was captivating and worth the read for the various aspects it brought outside of food.

Ghosh, in a non-linear method, tells of her life in India, adjustment to living in America as an immigrant, relationship issues and domestic violence, her career, and her family, in a myriad of stories and remembrances of the past in this book. Politics, gender, and other aspects also get attention from her as well.

While the non-linear method for me was sometimes a bit disorienting, I ultimately enjoyed this book because I learned quite a bit from it, which is sometimes rare in memoirs. There were a few recipes (after all, the initial attraction for this book was the food), an inspiring tale of family dynamics, and an inspiring (albeit in a different way) look at personal relationships and how to make hard decisions that ultimately will give you a better quality of life.

Definitely an interesting memoir.

Review by M. Reynard 2021

Excellently written. I loved the blend of food memories to share the immigrant experience. Ghosh is a talented writer and I feel that Khabaar left me having learned not only about the author but about history, other immigrants and current politics and critical worldviews in light of the pandemic.

I thought I was getting a cookbook. This is a memoir. The story is well written and will interest people hungry for real stories and experiences. This is about the author and her family, about India, about being an immigrant and about her family's food, about being inventive with food when you have to be in a different place, about adapting and yet keeping your roots.
It didn't grab me as much as much as some others of the same genre, but I think that's because it wasn't what I expected. I guess with electronic books it's harder to have a grasp of what you are about to plunge in. I would obviously have liked more recipes.