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Reviews and Recommendations

"These are stories that provide the genuine flavour and taste of India, and other exotic locales. Whether we are privy to the private conversations of three young women plotting a desperate act in Bombay, imagining the details and scents of a British/tropical teahouse, or feeling a young wife's longing for the excitement of rioters in the streets, we meet true-to-life characters imbued with interest and complexity. These are rich stories, well-imagined, deeply felt."

Back cover endorsement by Mark Frutkin, author, Fabrizio's Return, winner of the 2006 Trillium Book Award.

Reader Response

Readers, I would love to hear from you. Critiques welcome! Please write to veenago@gmail.com.

It is the rare artist who can inspire love for an entire genre in her audience. The short stories in Bombay Wali invite you to slip through a portal into an absorbing new world. Despite sometimes unfamiliar cultural references and settings, you immediately see through the main character's eyes and are absorbed into their world. The author's words are deftly chosen, her protagonists' emotions beautifully conveyed. Her depiction of grief in Middle Age Jazz and Blues is spot on. Gokhale's debut collection is a treasure chest full of sparkling gems. - Clare

Veena, what a joy to read Middle Age Jazz and Blues from Bombay Wali! You have a great gift for storytelling! - Caroline

I LOVED your stories - especially Zindagi Itefaq Hai (Life is Chance) and Freire Stopped in Bombay. The way you use language, the plotlines, characters so true. - Heidi

I found that I could really relate to the heroine in Middle Age Jazz and Blues. You described her emotions well and I could understand the obligations she had to her family. Overall, you have a talent for suspense. I was eager to know what happened next as I read on. The stories have depth because they often have a philosophical subtext. - Nadine

Veena brings us a collection of stories from 'Bombay' India. They are intricately woven, picturesque vignettes of lives of people as they move about in society that is so diverse and multi-layered. These stories draw you in, and leave you nostalgic, sad or rejoicing in their outcome. Looking forward to her next literary gem. - Farhat

In my opinion Bombay Wali is an award winner. I look forward to being proven accurate. - Sheine

Je applaudis Bombay Walli que j'ai presque fini et beaucoup aimé. Une de mes préférées est Paulo Freire comes to Bombay pour la tension qui monte et la description d'une réalité consternante pour un Canadien toujours et généralement trop repu. Avec toute mon amitié et ma gratitude pour ce voyage en Inde. - Elisabeth

In her book, “Bombay Wali and Other Stories”, Canadian writer, Veena Gokhale, takes us on a journey across the globe, never failing to remind that stories that are filled with love, struggle and humanity are infinitely universal. She provides glimpses of life, set among the streets, ocean sides and garden paths of India, not to mention a tidy home in Japan and a temple in Nepal. Her stories mirror the tragedy and strength that arises from the daily existence of the lives of so many, all over the world.

Her characters are familiar. These could be stories about your friend, your neighbor, your relative, the stranger on the street in your hometown or even you. Brilliantly woven throughout each piece, they deliver messages that are both well-known and ground-breaking. A must-read for all." - Shahla

As mentioned on the back of the book, it provides the genuine flavor and taste of India with hints of other locations, including Canada. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it as it gives a very real sense of life in India. Please let me know when you publish your next book. - Paul

Veena - I'm enjoying it immensely – absolutely wonderful stories that pull me in and transport to exotic worlds. You've got a great talent! – Mary

You have a really nice writing style, blending external, well-laid out imagery with internal emotions. Here’s my pick of the lines (love those passages with strong internal conflict) from a couple of the stories in Bombay Wali:

"The evening had split her into two people: the Renuka who was going along with Gulnar’s outrageous scheme - a shadow with a motive; and the Renuka who was still painfully embedded in her own flesh. The one had watched the other all evening, stifling a scream of horror and disgust." - Bombay Wali, the title story.

"She felt a scream forming at the base of her throat and rising slowly, and then she was at the entrance of her building, her self control deserting her as soon as she was inside the door, making her run up the hollow-sounding, wooden staircase, till she collided into a man who was going down the stairs..." Reveries of a Riot.

Reveries of a Riot has quite an intensity, which doesn’t go down, a really sharp turn in the way we see Mira, as her hunger for life bursts forth. Your affection for and knowledge of Indian culture and Bombay really shines through in these stories. I will read your full-length novel for sure. - Vinay Kolhatkar, author, The Frankenstein Candidate.

This is not the romanticized India of the migrant mind yearning for warmth. It is not the colour coordinated opulence of Bollywood. Nor is it the despair of the horrific tales of exploitation and abject poverty. This is an urban India lived and reveled in by the author. It is neither apologetic about the inherent differences in class, caste and thus opportunity, nor does it claim to justify why a 'wrong' is actually right. Veena's stories are real, they happen everyday, not just in Mumbai (Bombay)as in the title story, but in Nepal, Japan and Canada as well. And rarely is real life dramatic. The author's skill in picking up the 'interesting' within the mundane and weaving a touching narrative comes through. Engaging! - - Manjiri

I am always so enriched when I read your writing! - Gillian

I waited for a quiet moment to read your story. It's very good. Very touching. - Geneviève