Short Story Collection Review

Shielding Her Modesty
By Sita Bhaskar
ISBN-10: 8188811343
Review by Heather Froeschl

As an "American Mutt" I truly enjoy learning about other cultures through all forms of publishing. In Sita Bhaskar's collection of short stories, "Shielding Her Modesty," readers are in for a treat of Indian culture.

It is an interesting examination of distinctions between Indian ways and American, and the combination of both in the Indo-American experience. What a delight! The fact that human emotion and habit abound in all cultures is clear throughout the book. One eight-year-old girl's enchantment with Barbie and her abundance of clothing is clearly an almost universally felt feeling. The fact that she works in a factory, packaging G.I. Joes while her brother boxes the Barbies, brings out the desire all the more. Reading about a young couple's grief over the death of their baby is something that is sure to touch many readers, but seeing it through the culture in which it is set, where a woman cannot officially enter a cemetery without her husband, makes the tale all the more poignant. Other tales include universal themes of getting married, rekindling love, admitting to feelings, lust, and death. All of them are told with delightful tidbits of Indian essence.

This book is a wonderful collection of short stories. The settings are vibrant and alive, while the characters are enticing. Feel the silk sari, smell the aromas of delectable spices as they cook, and smile at the knowledge that it is a small world.