Homelands - Chitra Ramaswamy

 

This is, I believe, a quite sui generis book for it transcends one’s traditional understanding of what a memoir or a biography/ autobiography might be. It tells of two lives lived separately yet there are subtle parallels and the two stories are united by a quite unique friendship between a Jewish refugee escaping Nazi Germany and an Indian woman whose parents were immigrants.

The Indian woman is the author, Chitra Ramaswamy, who intertwines the story of her own life with that of the wonderful Henry Wuga, in his 90’s, who escaped the Holocaust on the Kindertransport. And that is a heady mix for a book that, whether intended or not, covers myriad issues - immigration, migration, prejudice and racism, friendship and family, bereavement and survival rather than it being a ‘mere’ recounting of two lives.

The structure is not conventional in that it doesn’t follow a chronological path and that makes the book seem even more real. It shows aspects of one person’s life divulged though time and understanding, and as the friendship develops both learn more and more of each others lives.

There’s an intelligent clarity on the part of the author whose perception seeps into every page saturating the text with an implicit understanding of all that she’s writing about. Our lives are complex and different but there are many strands here that will resonate with readers. It’s all quite beautifully written no matter that some of the events described are sometimes difficult and heartbreaking to read about. There is much raw emotion especially when the author is writing about grief.

It’s confident writing and as a reader I felt I was in capable hands. It’s an immersive read, easily accessible  despite the unconventional chronology which doesn’t jar at all and that isn’t always the case.

I read this as part of a Canongate readalong and I’m grateful for the opportunity.