3.7 Stars

I don’t read autobiographies or biographies as such. However, when the author approached me for a review, I wanted to give this a try. It’s the story of an Indian immigrating to the US and his experiences on the journey. How could I not read it? 

Ask an average middle-class Indian, and you will see that we know at least one person who has immigrated to another land. Based on the demographics and age, the same person could know a bunch of such people (more than 70% of cousins could be across the oceans). 

This is what I’d call an informal or a casual memoir. It reads more like a series of blogs, which is why I liked it as much. The tone is light, humorous, self-deprecating at times, and introspective and thoughtful at other times. 

The images and maps were a good addition. Saved me time from having to look up some of the details. 

Being a programmer, the author presented some confessions, trivia, etc., structured like snippets of code between regular texts. This worked most of the time but was also distracting in a few instances. 

I appreciate the attempt made to include extra information for non-Indians about our diverse cultures, customs, languages, food habits, etc. It’s quite impossible to generalize these aspects about Indians. Similarly, there is enough detail about the places and things in the US for Indian readers. 

The pacing is on the slower side due to the snippets scattered throughout but I wouldn’t say it dragged. I enjoyed reading the author’s personal experience and loved how he highlighted the role of various friends and dear ones who helped them when necessary. 

To summarize, Confessions of an Indian Immigrant is a heartfelt memoir about an Indian young man experiencing and adjusting to a new lifestyle in another land. 

I received a complimentary electronic copy of the book. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion.