Book Review – Just US Things by Sushmita Malakar #BlogchatterEBook

Book : Just US Things

Author : Sushmita Malakar

Pages : 58

Formats available: E-Book

The April #BlogchatterA2Z challenge culminated with the release last month of not one or two but 63 wonderfully written, well-researched ebooks by authors from all over the world.

The topics they wrote on were myriad, ranging from fiction and motivational to poetry and cookery. Today, I want to talk about one book that caught my eye.

'Just US Things' by Sushmita Malakar is a non-fictional account of life in the USA, seen through the eyes of a woman who has recently settled there after living her entire life in India.

Who is Sushmita Malakar 

One of the young oldies of the Indian blogosphere, the beautiful and talented Sushmita Malakar started blogging way back in 2009. She used to work as a 'data science guy' with some big corporate names before love and life found her traveling across the seas and finding a new pincode in the United States.

You can find her online at SushmitaMalakar.com 

What Stands Out in This Book

The Cover

Minimalist in the best way, the first thing I was reminded of was the logo from the hit sitcom series Frasier. Her title 'Just US Things' ends with an asterix, the redirect adding the words 'by a lost immigrant.' A lot is said even with so little on the cover. 

Straight From The Heart

The author speaks in a genuine voice about her life there, telling us how she feels. This includes showcasing the new experiences, the cycle of adjustment, the beauty and the brickbats.

Helpful

She also chooses to use this eBook for good, offering plenty of tips for those wondering about the process and unaware of the differences between life in America and India.

Language

A good theme with less-than-average grammar can really take one out of the experience. Luckily, that is never an issue with this book. Lively and quirky, you smile as you read her fun observations. Perhaps more tellingly, you frown as you note her worries and apprehensions about making friends, dealing with homesickness and finding a job.

Bite-sized

At any average of 600 - 800 words, each chapter can be read in two to three minutes which makes it perfect for a quick read while traveling.

Non-Continuity between chapters

I actually am seeking out more books with this feature so for me, this was a plus. Each of her 26 chapters within the book work individually so I could choose to directly read her take on 'Xenophobia', 'US Citizenship & Immigration Services' and 'KFC' before heading to the starting chapters that dealt with 'Accommodation' and 'Banking.'

Verdict:

I really enjoyed this book. The size helps, of course but the content is top notch. You get to see life in the United States of America through the eyes of an Indian yet to completely get settled there, someone who has a wonderful smile for all around her while also unafraid to jot down the flaws in the system around her.

I found out that in an earlier BlogchatterA2Z challenge, the author had done a series on cocktails. Hence, I feel it is appropriate that I give her my verdict using those very same martini glasses.

I rate Sushmita Malakar's book 5 out of 5 Appletinis.

 

 'Just US Things' by Sushmita Malakar is available for free (<---click the link to get it) for a limited time period. 

Author's note:

I will take this opportunity to shamelessly point out that my own feel-good book 'Heroes of Kindness' is also available online for a limited time period and can be in your possession literally 30 seconds from now for free!