America for Beginners

A Novel

By: Leah Franqui

Narrated by: Soneela Nankani

Length: 11 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

Recalling contemporary classics such as Americanah, Behold the Dreamers, and The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, a funny, poignant, and insightful debut novel that explores the complexities of family, immigration, prejudice, and the American dream through meaningful and unlikely friendships forged in unusual circumstances.

Pival Sengupta has done something she never expected: She has booked a trip with the First Class India USA Destination Vacation Tour Company. But unlike other upper-class Indians on a foreign holiday, the recently widowed Pival is not interested in sightseeing. She is traveling thousands of miles from Kolkota to New York on a cross-country journey to California, where she hopes to uncover the truth about her beloved son, Rahi. A year ago, Rahi devastated his very traditional parents when he told them he was gay. Then, Pival’s husband, Ram, told her that their son had died suddenly - heartbreaking news she still refuses to accept. Now, with Ram gone, she is going to America to find Rahi, alive and whole or dead and gone, and come to terms with her own life.

Arriving in New York, the tour proves to be more complicated than anticipated. Planned by the company’s indefatigable owner, Ronnie Munshi - a hardworking immigrant and entrepreneur hungry for his own taste of the American dream - it is a work of haphazard improvisation. Pavil’s guide is the company’s new hire, the guileless and wonderfully resourceful Satya, who has been in America for one year - and has never actually left the five boroughs. For modesty’s sake Pival and Satya will be accompanied by Rebecca Elliot, an aspiring young actress. Eager for a paying gig, she’s along for the ride, because how hard can a two-week "working" vacation traveling across America be?

Slowly making her way from coast to coast with her unlikely companions, Pival finds that her understanding of her son - and her hopes of a reunion with him - are challenged by her growing knowledge of his adoptive country. As the bonds between this odd trio deepens, Pival, Satya, and Rebecca learn to see America - and themselves - in different and profound new ways.

A bittersweet and bighearted tale of forgiveness, hope, and acceptance, America for Beginners illuminates the unexpected enchantments life can hold and reminds us that our most precious connections aren’t always the ones we seek.

This audiobook includes an episode of the Book Club Girl Podcast, featuring an interview with Leah Franqui about America for Beginners.

©2018 Leah Franqui (P)2018 HarperCollins Publishers

Completely wonderful production!

Soneela Nankani brings this story to life with a masterful style, vocal quality - humorous and serious and blunt and carefree and somber and reserved and silly...listening was a colorful adventure and the story was completely satisfying. Leah Franqui has created a genuine story and I will seek out her future books!

Something Different for Me

I don’t usually purchase fiction but decided to give this book a try after hearing the author interviewed. I suspect the premise is probably more true than not, I enjoyed the story and the performance.

Good.

Not a book for everyone but I really enjoyed it. Learned new things and new perspectives. It was a calming read.

A moving story

I really enjoyed this audiobook. It was about parents and children, love and loss. It will stay with me for a while, and it had a great message. I liked the narration too.

So good. Just read or listen to it.

This is not my genre. I read this book for a book club with my neighbors as a way to get to know them. The last book was awful and I barely got through it. America for Beginners salvaged this book club for me. What a good book. Poignant, funny, it made me cry. The author inspires all the emotions as you go on this journey of self discovery with these three people. Now I want to read or listen to this author’s next book. So good.

A it flat

A rendition of the difference between American and Indian/Bengali cultures through touring a woman from Colcutta through select USA places. A it flat and not captivating

an interesting listen, but somewhat stereotyped

The characters in this book all have their "issues" (certainly understandable), however I felt there were too many stereotypes for them to be relatable. So, for me, interesting listen but a 3+ rating.

Coming of age for all ages

This is a great story about who we are , who we think we are and how others perceive us . A wonderful journey thru our United States thru the eyes of three unlikely traveling companions. Very well written and a delight to listen to.

I didn’t want to say goodbye to the characters

I thoroughly enjoyed the story. The character development was exceptional.. I didn’t want the story to end. I learned a lot along with the characters in this story of cultural comparisons. I hope Miss Franqui he writes more stories in the future.

A pleasant story, wish I liked the reading more

The story is OK and entertaining, although perhaps a bit too pat (I know characters are supposed to change and grow during the course of a book, but maybe not quite so much or quite so fast...).

Unfortunately, I found Soneela Nankani's performance irritating. Her voice is a bit breathy, but my main complaint is that at the end of most sentences she raises both the tone and the volume/emphasis so that it sounds like she is a bit incredulous, as though she is really amazed by the statement, no matter how mundane it is, e.g.: "Then she stepped out of the BUS!!... They had dal for dinner AGAIN!!..The widow was TIRED!!..." I gave 2 stars instead of 1 because I realize not everyone is going to be as put off by her reading as I was (and she did fairly well with different voices and accents).

I stuck it out to the end because we were doing the book for our book club, but it was a bit painful listening.

UPDATE: I just tried to listen to another book club book, also narrated by Soneela Nankani, and had to return it. I simply can't tolerate listening to her reading. I will get the eBook and read it instead.