karma gone bad : jenny feldon
Author of the blog Karma (continued), Jenny Feldon imagined life in India as a glitzy yoga whirlwind when she and her husband are outsourced from the Upper West side to Hyderabad. Instead she found buffalo-related traffic jams. Jenny struggled to fight the depression, bitterness, and anger as her sense of self and her marriage began to unravel. And it was all India’s fault—wasn’t it? Equally frustrating, revealing, and amusing, this is the true story of an accidental housewife in the third world.
Here's the thing that scares me about traveling to other countries: the food. I'm not good with sauces, I'm not very adventurous with spices, and condiments give me the creeps. So, for that reason alone, I commend Jenny Feldon for her bravery. Between the food-sickness (it's probably not fair to call it poisoning), and the utter lack of coffee…I wouldn't have lasted a week.
Karma Gone Bad is often sarcastic, and funny in that better you than me way. Jenny's memoir about attempting to build a life in India was entertaining and even heartwarming. Yes, she finds a yoga practice there, but the book is not centered around a spirtual awakening. That's one of the things that I liked the most about this memior – its honesty. She doesn't embrace the laundry that smells like coal, the overpriced chai, nor the utter loneliness she feels after trying to settle into India. That said, she does manage to find the silver-lining in her situation….helps others along the way.
This is a book to tuck into your yoga bag, and read after class at Starbucks. It's fun and funny…and will make you appreciate that red cup in your hand just a little bit more.
disclaimer: I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley for the purposes of this review. All opinions are my own.