I fell in love with Rabia Chaudry’s sensibilities and passions listening to her podcast, Undisclosed. When I saw that she was writing a book about her life, I was immediately on board. I enjoyed it as much as I hoped to. Rabia tells us about her young life in Pakistan and immigrating to America, what it’s like to be a girl between two cultures and her love for them both. We learn all the cultural expectations of being both Urdu and Punjabi and how Rabia and her family were torn between tradition and immersion in American culture. She gives us her story through her love of food and how her parents best intentions for her as a baby set her up for a lifelong food addiction. She describes the trials and travails of trying to get in shape, gastric surgery and how she came to love herself just as she is. The stories were told with humor and love and raw truth. She takes us right from childhood through her first marriage, divorce, her law career (including Adnan of course) and becoming a mother. I was both entertained and learned so much about the culture of the people of Pakistan, Muslim tradition and of course… the food. The last quarter of the book is recipes and commentary on them.
Thanks to Algonquin Books for the gifted copy. All opinions above are my own.
What are you reading this year for #NonFictionNovember?
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