This is such an amazing and powerful book. The variety of disabilities, gender and sexual identities, and ethnicities of the authors shows how diverseThis is such an amazing and powerful book. The variety of disabilities, gender and sexual identities, and ethnicities of the authors shows how diverse a population the disability community is. Stories are powerful and grab you. Some I was able to read and have some feelings and keep going whereas others I broke out in tears or needed time to process. Every story was powerful but some struck home for me and I think that there is something for everyone in this book. A must have!...more
Part fictional anthology of erotic stories by Punjabi widows and part a multi-layered story that deals with patriarchy in Indian culture.
The story taPart fictional anthology of erotic stories by Punjabi widows and part a multi-layered story that deals with patriarchy in Indian culture.
The story takes places in England and all of the Punjabi widows who take the class are almost all immigrants from India and a few are first generation. Nikki, our main character, has moved out of her house (unheard of) and lives in a flat above the bar where she works in London, outside of her Sikh community. While putting up a bio for her sister on the arranged marriages board at the local temple she reads a notice asking for a creative writing teacher. She learns once she has the job that she is really there to teach English literacy, not to create an anthology but soon these "proper" Sikh widows start telling these steamy stories in their own languages. Word travels, and soon Nikki has more students than she had expected. This also leads to her being fired from her job, as well as men in the community wanting to teach these women a lesson since they should not be behaving in this way.
Nikki also begins to know the widows, one Sheena, who is her own age and tells her about some of the women in their community who have die. Will d "by accident" when they spoke out or behaved in a way that the men in their community felt was inappropriate. One young woman, Maya, is the daughter of Nikki's boss. She soon becomes intrigued in this story and once she finds out the truth her life is in danger. Will she be able to escape the fate of the other women who have "acted out" or will the ending of her story be different? ...more
I greatly enjoyed this anthology. The writers were from all different backgrounds and experiences. There were representations of a variety of disabiliI greatly enjoyed this anthology. The writers were from all different backgrounds and experiences. There were representations of a variety of disabilities which showed the diversity within illness and the disability experience. This book provided me with new experiences and thoughts and others that were familiar to my own lived experience....more
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