3.0
The Milk Lady of Bangalore
ByPublisher Description
When Shoba Narayan—who has just returned to India with her husband and two daughters after years in the United States—asks whether said cow might bless her apartment next, it is the beginning of a beautiful friendship between our author and Sarala, who also sells fresh milk right across the street from that thoroughly modern apartment building. The two women connect over not only cows but also family, food, and life. When Shoba agrees to buy Sarala a new cow, they set off looking for just the right heifer, and what was at first a simple economic transaction becomes something much deeper, though never without a hint of slapstick.
immerses us in the culture, customs, myths, religion, sights, and sounds of a city in which the twenty-first century and the ancient past coexist like nowhere else in the world. It's a true story of bridging divides, of understanding other ways of looking at the world, and of human connections and animal connections, and it's an irresistible adventure of two strong women and the animals they love.
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Meet readers like you in the Fable For You feed, designed to build bookish communitiesThe Milk Lady of Bangalore Reviews
3.0
“Book Review: The Milk Lady of Bangalore by Shoba Narayan
In my opinion, this book could have been more aptly titled The Milk Lady of Chennai. While I understand that the author drew from real-life experiences, it feels somewhat immature to overlook or fail to mention the native language and cultural nuances of the state.
That said, I have mixed feelings about the book. I’m thankful to the author for clearly explaining why A2 milk is considered superior to A1 and for introducing me to various indigenous cow breeds — that was both informative and engaging. However, I did notice a few factual inaccuracies; for instance, she refers to the Hindi film Godhuli and attributes it to Premchand Munshi, when in fact it was based on S.L. Bhyrappa’s Tabbaliyu Neenade Magane. Such inconsistencies slightly affect the book’s credibility.
Nevertheless, I genuinely enjoyed reading it. Despite its flaws, The Milk Lady of Bangalore is a refreshing addition to my library — a light yet insightful exploration of urban life, tradition, and the enduring bond between humans and cows.”
“Part academic paper, part personal essay, 100% up my alley. The ending was a little rushed and there wasn’t a lot of actual plot but it was really interested and made me think a lot about cows”
About Shoba Narayan
Shoba Narayan writes about food, travel, fashion, art, and culture for many publications, including
the
the
the
the
and
She writes a weekly column for
an Indian business daily, which is affiliated with the
. Her commentaries have aired on NPR's
. Narayan is the author of
, and her essay "The God of Small Feasts" won the James Beard Foundation's MFK Fisher Distinguished Writing Award.
Other books by Shoba Narayan
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