Americans For Beginners: Book Review

America for Beginners

By Leah Franqui

Galley: William Morrow Books

  If you love road trip books, you will fall in love with America for Beginners. I picked the novel for book club. I don't know what I expected. But, this was not it. 

I absolutely had fun with the book travels with all the characters. I read the book about two weeks ago. They are still in my head. It was a good, and enjoyable read.

I don't want to let the characters leave yet.  I have read novels about India before. But, for some reason this one. I feel I want to read more about India and the culture. I learned something about India I wasn't aware of. 

The book takes place in India, and across America. Specifically, United States. 

I have read books about India before. But, this is the first time I felt interested in India and the culture. It could be because of the times we are living in. 

In India, Pival Sengupta, a wealthy widow has recently lost her husband. He was not the most caring, compassionate, and loving husband. Despite all that, she stayed with him under his thumb. 

She has questioned all along about her only son, who is gay.  Why he had left for   America. Did he actually die in San Francisco like her husband told her?  She questions if her husband told her the truth. She decides to pick up and leave India behind and find out. 

She decides to leave all her servants, and hook up with“First Class India USA Destination Vacation Tour Company”, which is based in the US. Remember, She is an older Indian woman. Who's culture is very conservative, and different from the United States.

 She is introduced to two young tour guides, Rebecca who is American, and a feminist, and Satya, who is an Indian immigrant who is set in his new ways. They are to escort her across the country. She learns about the different ways in the US. Going from Mexican to Thai restaurants, American.  Going from NYC to Philadelphia, Washington DC, Las Vegas, then on to California. Going from luxury, to fleabag hotels, to tourist traps, etc. Then finally on to San Francisco to find out what happened or didn't happen to her son. It was such a fun rides with all these characters. 

With all these characters, they question identity, culture, what makes you an America. How an American sees immigrants, and how people who come from America see America. It was so funny, with the character of Rebecca and Pival. 

I recommend it highly to anyone interested in people from other countries coming to America for a visit.