Aerogrammes by Tania James is a brilliant collection of short stories which tells the heart-breaking stories of those living in India and the United States.
The collection begins with ‘Mariam in the Moon’ where we meet Mariam, an Indian teenage girl whose story begins in a Kerala village. She is having a difficult coming of age due to her being born without a father, her being a woman in India and also her being an untouchable. Mariam is an outsider not only due to class and gender but also due to her inclination towards writing. With the arrival of her aunt who is on a third trip to Kerala from the United States, Mariam’s story begins to expand and the excitement begins to build.
Next comes ‘A Brief History of Distance’ which narrates the tale of two sisters, Renira and Neha. Renira who is living in Kerala and Neha who is living in the United States. Even though they have been separated by miles, they keep in touch through letters, phone calls and aerogrammes in a bond that only they can understand. As the story progresses, we learn of the sacrifices that Neha makes to get Renira a green card and the challenges they both face while trying to stay connected.
In ‘Shine’, we meet Vishu who is an auto-rickshaw driver. He is living an isolated life in New Delhi and he only has the stars in the night sky to keep him company. All of that changes when a bird falls in love with him and suddenly stardusts his life. What follows is an unexpected love story that is assuredly full of challenges.
‘House Tour of a Disappearing Life’ is another outstanding story in Aerogrammes, one that has a bit of fantasy to it. Here we meet a cleaning lady who, in her lonely vigil goes through the home she is cleaning, picking up the stories she finds in the small and hidden corners of the home. In this story, Tania James explores the dichotomy of being invisible, of going about a job almost unseen and yet, seeing and knowing so much.
The ending story ‘Bright Lines’ is the story of a girl named Vanaja who is trying to figure out her place in the world while being an Indian-American. Despite the resistance of her traditional family, Vanaja continues to pursue her dream of becoming an artist and in the end, she finds her own way of reconciling the two worlds that co-exist in her.
Overall, Aergrammes by Tania James is an amazing collection that makes you think and feel. The stories are incredibly well written, heart-warming and definitely bring out the nuances of the cultural differences in India and United States. Every story is unique and the characters unforgettable. This engaging collection is not to be missed!
