Aditi Wardhan Singh

Welcome friend! Today I am two-in-one post for you! I have been drawn to my Indian roots more and more recently and had the pleasure of reading Within: Short Stories for the Evolving Multicultural Woman. In this post, I will share my review of this beautiful book as well as a chat with author Aditi Wardhan Singh. Read on for the synopsis of the book, my thoughts and conversation with the author. 🙂

My Thoughts

This book had a lot of good stories. They were just things that happened with people, conversations we are a part of, memories, things that we would remember. It is a beautiful kaleidoscope of people, different situations that we fall in, tensions in life, the things that we value and definitely our biases as well.

There are many characters! Some are new lovers, some are separated and married, sometimes it’s a conversation between two mothers and a daughter, simple everyday stories like passing on recipes from one generation to another. Things that happen in the house. It made me recognize that just general everyday moments are still very true.

We are connected on such a deep level that our experiences are so similar that in another person and their story, a short story, can bring so much emotion and be teleported there, experiencing their life. Within was very well done and clearly shows the love for others and also how sometimes we have to stand up for ourselves and make hard decisions. We have to set up boundaries, and if someone does not respect us, we owe them nothing.

Indian cultures and upbringing are integral to these stories and I loved reading their words and mannerisms – they took me home. Just like the synopsis says, these are stories I would share with a best friend or family over chai or coffee. 

Some stories that I will never forget: the one about the mother and son having dinner and the father interrupting the meal, the one where two exs find each other in an elevator, and the one about a young girl going to kanjak. This last one reminded me of my own life in India eating puri, halwa and chole – those days visiting people’s houses and being pampered with my favorite food and some money were good days every year until I couldn’t do them anymore. I loved that food and hope to be able to get my kids to experience them. I need to get over the paralysis I feel – it is worth making. 

I love these stories because they reminded me how, at the end of the day, we are fighting  everyday to be who we are.

Within: Short Stories for the Evolving Multicultural Woman was good company.

Let’s welcome Aditi and learn more from her about the book and her work!

---

Hi Aditi! Welcome to Armed with A Book. It is an honor to host you on the blog! Can you please tell me and my readers about yourself?

Girl from Nowhere is how I used to see myself growing up on the borders of Kuwait and India. When I came to the US, I found that my passion for writing was one I could nurture in the absence of job prospects. Once I became a mother of two, I started pursuing my hobby of writing with fervour and went from freelance writing for major publications to creating RaisingWorldChildren.com, for all multicultural families like mine to writing books for the same. 

You see, after having children, I realised my diverse background was not a curse but a blessing as my children get the advantage of a home open to all cultural traditions and thought processes. I realised we belong everywhere, beyond labels.

I loved Within: Short Stories for the Evolving Multicultural Woman and as you had intended, for the busy reader, it was the perfect book for me. I didn’t have to sit long to read a story and they were immersive and I felt drawn into the lives of the characters very easily. Why did you choose to write in this format?

“Oh! I never have time to read. “ is a common statement I have heard all my life. As a mother I understand where parents come from, but I also know first hand how important it is for parents to be informed and have the tools to address questions of self-identity and belonging. 

All the books I have created so far, be it my own or the anthology written by 25 women around the world are written such that you could open any chapter and grow with it.

I loved seeing Indian culture and words throughout the book. You mentioned in Within that you grew up in Kuwait. What was your upbringing like that you continued to be connected to your Indian roots?

Kuwait is outside India but I grew up within the local Indian community, of different languages and religions. Our home was a welcome spot for all and my parents never stopped me from partaking in other cultural experiences. The visits to India for 3 months and the celebrations of Rakhi, Dussehra, Diwali every year kept me grounded via the pure heart with which my parents celebrated.

Are there certain stories in Within that you like going back to?

Every story is special to me as you can imagine, and yet my top three favourites have to be the first one about judging others on social media, the one about periods and where the woman finally stands up to her aggressive relatives. 

What makes a good story to you? 

I am not a technical reader but an emotional one. A story must be relatable, take me on a journey with the characters and their lives. If it blows my mind in the end (thrillers), added bonus.

What got you started in writing books for multicultural families, especially your children’s books?

Interestingly every book I have created has a base in reality. They solve problems I have talked to my friends about and they had either laughed it off or shrugged that, “hota hai” (Happens!). IMO, we should be equipped to empower our children in every way we can to enable them with confidence so tomorrow when their peers or the world tries to challenge their identity, they can stand strong. 

I wanted to create books that show kids that they belong, beyond the labels shoved on them on an almost daily basis.

You are the founder of RaisingWorldChildren.com. Tell me more about this endeavour. I would also like to learn more about your work in cultural sensitivity. 

When I was blogging and freelance writing, I noticed the lack of platforms of collaborative efforts for multicultural families like mine. You see, I know first hand the challenges third culture kids like ours face, which are timeless. They happen to everyone and yet there are few parents seeking out solutions to them. 

My work on cultural sensitivity revolves around helping people of the world understand that we all are multicultural in various ways. That I may be raising Hindu kids but they are essentially American in many ways. Often, people within a community are culturally insensitive. LIke in Within, there are women who will judge another’s traditions or lack there of. 

People often forget the nuances of culture. Culture is not just traditions. It is the food we eat, books we read, the way we think, and much more including the digital space. RaisingWorlddchildren.com tackles every cultural aspect of today’s evolving world.

I grew up in India and moved to Canada a few years back. For me, it is only recently that I have had time to embrace my Indian roots. Growing up, I didn’t really think about my culture but now as an adult, especially living in multicultural societies where I see and interact with people from around the world, I experienced a moment of awareness and the realization that what I do and how I live is a choice. Was there a time in your adult life when you first became aware of your culture and embraced it?

I totally get what you mean. It was the same with me, though the only difference was I devoured religious text and Amar Chitra Katha and cultural stories. They made me super aware of the why behind what people do. If you remember, Vikram Betaal, it is so interesting that often it is the intention of a person that makes all the difference in choice making.

Growing up away from India, I have always regaled in my culture but as a mother, I make it a point to pass on traditions with understanding so my children know WHY we are choosing to carry on or evolve a tradition. For eg. in my home my son ties Rakhi to my daughter or we celebrate Ganpati by making idols out of playdough as we listen to Ganesh stories.

I don’t want my children to carry forward traditions simply because I say so. And that makes it so much more important for me to understand and not simply embrace my culture.I have spoken in depth about this in Strong Roots Have No Fear

Lastly, are you currently working on a new book? If yes, would you be able to share some details about it?

Yes, I am currently working on Ameya’s Two Worlds. It’s a self-idenity book about belonging. Ameya  goes to India and is hesitant about speaking Hindi to her relatives. Does that make her any less Indian? Read the book to find out more… 

Thank you so much for your time! 🙂

---

Thank you for hanging out with Aditi and me! Connect with her on her website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

Another book about Indian culture and the Indo-American influence that I loved is This Is One Way to Dance: Essays by Sejal Shah. You can read my review here.

Many thanks to the author for providing me a review copy of this book via NetGalley and the opportunity to host her here!

Cover image: Photo by Mike Labrum on Unsplash