Katherine Russell Rich’s tale weaves the reader in and out of the mysteries that are India while giving analytical knowledge of the way humans learn language. As Rich dives into her life in India we are a part of her linguistical successes but more importantly her social failures. Dreaming in Hindi explores the mundane along with the extraordinary. While she discusses her Hindi school and at times the finer points of linguistics, the real story is her day to day life. One comes to understand the cultural misunderstanding between Rich and her Jain hosts, which leads her to find new accommodations. Rich competes in a Pageant of sorts for foreigners, teaches art at a school for the deaf, experiences political upheaval and makes friends along the way. The book is a though provoking page turner as Rich shows us what delving into a new culture and language can teach us about ourselves.
Journey's to South Asia 