Title: Love, Loss, and What We Ate : A Memoir
Author: Padma Lakshmi
Pages: 336
Rating: 4/5
Each time I went to a book store over the last couple of months, I had my eyes on this book. Yet, each time I kept it back on the rack for a later purchase. I don't know why. Somehow other books found its way to my bookshelf, leaving this book behind. Finally, after many "maybe, later"s and "next time"s, I closed my eyes and bought it before I could change my mind. Once I had the copy in my hand, I was eager to get it started. And, once I started, I couldn't keep it down. This book is literally an open book about her life, her relations, her loss and how she coped. I loved the way it is written - simple yet elegant.
The book gives you a glimpse into a model's life through her description about her modelling days. It tells you about the struggles and insecurities, the ambitions, and the elation that comes with a breakthrough. She speaks about the men in her life - the love, the fights, the disputes, the good and the bad, without swallowing bits and pieces here and there. Through the book, she tells you about her childhood days, her family, her support system during her dark days, and how she was still their little girl, Padma, despite she being a reputed model, host and an author of a cookbook.
She writes about her stint with endometriosis - the pain, the misdiagnosis and finally able to give a name to the suffering. It was slightly upsetting to read this part, where inspite of the physical pain, she went through a distressing time mentally too with her marriage falling apart during the same time. When she wrote about her pregnancy, and her little girl, Krishna, it went straight to my heart. Although there were parts here and there where I could relate, there were others where I just wondered out loud, "how did she manage?". One can easily sense the joy and pride that the little girl brings to her life through her writings about her, and it was a joy to read about it.
There were many parts in the book I could relate to as a South Indian - mostly about food and relatives - one of those being her description about the good old "thayir sadam" (curd rice) and her memories about it along with her recipe that left me with this huge craving for it that I had to make it immediately. One of the main reasons for me to pick up the book was for the recipes that it had. I love reading stories and memories associated with a particular food. It makes the recipe more interesting, relatable and endearing. That's exactly what Padma has done in this book, and I loved reading through it. I am yet to try out those, but I know, one day, I'll just pick up the ingredients, take out my pan and get through one of those simple yet 'close to her heart' recipes.
Padma was just the host of one of the few (yet my favourite) TV shows that I watch until I finished reading the book. Now, she is a person I am in awe of - for her perseverence and struggle to stand on her own, her courage to bare it all, and the fighter that she is!
You can buy the book here!
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