Rating: 
Summary: Great read
Review: As a busy careerwoman, I usually devote what little time I have to read to fictional novels. With this book, I made an exception to my "rule" and I'm glad I did. It was interesting, thought-provoking and well-written. It read like a series of stories, while giving me insight into the culture and history of India. I was able to escape and learn at the same time, which is sometimes difficult with non-fiction. I would recommend it to men AND women alike...
Rating:
Summary: Incredibly Insightful and Thought Provoking
Review: As a second generation Indian American, a true understanding of the Hindu culture my parents grew up with has not been easy to attain. Bumiller's book provided me with a key to some of the understanding I feel that I have always lacked. Reading her book took me back to my experiences travelling in India. It also provided me with great insights into the worldview of my own mother, grandmothers, aunts, and cousins that are women, although I was a little disappointed that the resilience of the women she studied was implied, but it was not explicitly stated and emphasized. Finally, her book was excellent at raising some very thought provoking questions about both the human condition and (especially) the condition of women in our world. I highly recommend it to anyone that is interested in exploring these avenues of thought.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Reporting on a Fascinating Subject
Review: Elisabeth Bumiller brings her reporter's curiousity and an open mind to a subject daunting in it vastness, and succeeds in painting a pointillist portrait of the women of India. She never pretends that she's doing exhaustive or academic work; she's simply following her nose to good stories. The result is an entertaining and informative book that spurred me to further reading about India and its women.
Rating:
Summary: A great book about the lives of women in India
Review: Elizabeth Bumiller does a great job portraying the true lives of Indian women as an outsider. As a forgeiner she interviews many Indian women about different aspect of their Indian lives. Discussions of great women like Indira Ghandi and intense interview with women who had to kill their children because they were females all provided me with a great realistic idea of women's roles and lives in India. This is a great book, it is an easy read and provides a lot of good information.
Rating:
Summary: Insightful look at the lives of a variety of Indian women
Review: Elizabeth Bumiller has written and excellent book describing the lives of a cross-section of Indian women. The book is a very easy read, due to her clear and concise writing style. The author has interviewed women from several different religions, castes, regions, and lifestyles. These interviews are supplemented with material from the Indian press and from Indian policymakers.
Rating:
Summary: A Splendid Insight into India and it's Women
Review: Growing up in the US with an American father and an Indian mother, I have always sought to really understand the culture that my mother came from. Although my mother was a catholic and not a hindu, Elizabeth Bumiller's book has given me an indepth and mesmorizing look at the women of India - the true pillars of that country. Once you start reading, you can't put the book down. Bumiller does a wonderful job at describing the Indian culture in general. My husband and I are adopting from India and this book has given me a greater appreciation for the unknown mother of my future child. A must read book if you have any interest in India, foreign cultures or women's issues.
Rating: 
Summary: author looking from wrong angle
Review: I am an Indian and this book I read just to widen the domain of my book reading topics. I am totally shocked after reading this book. All through the book author had a strong feeling of being a superior human being (from developed country) and coming to very poor country and doing some kind of favour on Indians.This book describes Indian culture of 70s and 80s. Over the years things have changed in big manner.Not only Indian law gives equality to women the same is happening in our society. We had one female prime minister in our around 50 years of democracy. How many US had in their whole history, which spans over few centuries.We have 33% reservation in municipal and assembly elections for women. That's true in few places condition of Indian women are nowhere close to world standards, but in this book everything is exaggerated. This could be because of author was looking from different angle or wrong angle.
Finally I can say, this book does not appropriately describe about conditions of women in India and it stains the image of India. It also mislead people about Indian culture.
Rating:
Summary: a real eye-opener
Review: I an american woman of indian descent, can really take this book to heart. Though women in Inida have achieved a great deal, they still have a LONG way to go. They must overcome many traditional SOCIAL attitudes. I was brought up in the US, around Indians, and I remember the lies and silly games girls would have to play so that they could get around the traditional culture that prevented them from dating, going out, etc. India may appear modern on the outside, with legal status guaranteed to women under the law, and of our recent economic boom, but look behind the curtains and you'll see a society where the fascade of modernity is overshadowed by a centuries-old view of woemn and their roles in society. Not only does India and its men discriminate against women, but it makes life a living nightmare for those individuals who really do want to encourage reform and liberate the society there. Males are still favored over femlaes, and thus many girls' lives are miserable in their families, especially in the rural areas. What's worse, the goervnment only pays lip service to such issues and is not at all genuine in implementing social reform and legal protection for women and girls. India's Still VERY BACKWARD in its social attitudes, and let's hope that through education and westernization, we can shed some light on some taboo issues, and make all necessary changes. We can only pray India gives women a fair chance.
Rating:
Summary: Sensationalism which never goes below the surface
Review: I bought this book soon after I got married to my husband, who's Indian. It gave me insight to my mum-in-law, her life and the society she lives in. What makes her tick, what drives her behaviour, her thoughts, feelings and decisions. I haven't yet found a better book on Indian women, especially one that's as clear, thoughtful and readable as Ms Bumiller's. Her book on Japanese women is just as good.
Rating:
Summary: Great Insights To Indian Women's Role and Situation
Review: I bought this book soon after I got married to my husband, who's Indian. It gave me insight to my mum-in-law, her life and the society she lives in. What makes her tick, what drives her behaviour, her thoughts, feelings and decisions. I haven't yet found a better book on Indian women, especially one that's as clear, thoughtful and readable as Ms Bumiller's. Her book on Japanese women is just as good.
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