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On the Outside Looking Indian: How My Second Childhood Changed My Life
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On the Outside Looking Indian: How My Second Childhood Changed My Life Paperback - 2012

by Rupinder Gill

From learning to swim, taking dance lessons, to going to Disney World, Gill experiences all of the childhood activities she missed under her strict Indian upbringing. It leads to a discovery of what it means to be happy, and the important lessons that are learned when we are at play.


Summary

A memoir of a young woman, the product of a strict upbringing by conservative Indian parents, who decides to go on a Ram-Singha, her Indian version of the rumspringa, and learns how to dance, swim, drive, travel, and play in order to be happy.

Rupinder Gill was raised under the strict rules of her parents' Indian upbringing. While her friends were practicing their pliés, having slumber parties, and spending their summers at camp, Rupinder was cleaning, babysitting her siblings, and watching hours on end of American television. But at age 30, Rupinder realized how much she regretted her lack of childhood adventure. 

Stepping away from an orderly life of tradition, Rupinder set put to finally experience the things she missed out on. From learning to swim and taking dance lessons, to going to Disney World, her growing to-do list soon became the ultimate trip down non-memory lane. What began as a desire to experience all that had been denied to her leads to a discovery of what it means to be happy, and the important lessons that are learned when we are at play. Reminiscent of Mindy Kaling, this is a warm funny memoir of the daughter of Indian immigrants learning to break free and find her own path.
when we are at play.

From the publisher

Rupinder Gill's writing has been published in the National Post and the McSweeney's website. She has written for CBC Radio and Canada's This Hour Has 22 Minutes.

Details

  • Title On the Outside Looking Indian: How My Second Childhood Changed My Life
  • Author Rupinder Gill
  • Binding Paperback
  • Edition Reprint
  • Pages 288
  • Volumes 1
  • Language ENG
  • Publisher Riverhead Books, New York
  • Date 2012-05-01
  • ISBN 9781594485770 / 1594485771
  • Weight 0.53 lbs (0.24 kg)
  • Dimensions 8.18 x 5.55 x 0.78 in (20.78 x 14.10 x 1.98 cm)
  • Ages 18 to UP years
  • Grade levels 13 - UP
  • Themes
    • Cultural Region: Canadian
    • Ethnic Orientation: Indian
    • Sex & Gender: Feminine
    • Topical: Family
  • Library of Congress subjects East Indians - Canada, East Indians - Canada - Social life and
  • Library of Congress Catalog Number 2012001308
  • Dewey Decimal Code B

Media reviews

“An honest . . . humorous account of growing up the child of Indian immigrants. . . . Throughout, Gill writes about her parents in a balanced way, presenting them as neither angels nor demons. The tone is lighthearted, and Gill is a heroine to root for—relatable, imperfect and prone to both success and failure. . . . A lighthearted read.”—Kirkus

Citations

  • Kirkus Reviews, 03/15/2012, Page 0

About the author

Rupinder Gill's writing has been published in the National Post and the McSweeney's website. She has written for CBC Radio and Canada's This Hour Has 22 Minutes.
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On the Outside Looking Indian : How My Second Childhood Changed My Life
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On the Outside Looking Indian : How My Second Childhood Changed My Life

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