Saffron and Silk

"If you want to understand India, make the world a better place, and fall in love, then this is a book for you." James Carleton, journalist, ABC

"If you want to understand India, make the world a better place, and fall in love, then this is a book for you." James Carleton journalist, ABC

"This book reads like smooth silk. It gives a vivid account of the conditions of Tamil villagers, the status of rural women and the hurdles in the development process. It is a well-crafted book written straight from the heart of a person who loves India and has been an inalienable part of India. It should be read by Indians and non-Indians alike." Professor T. Krishnan Nair, Chennai India

"A journey of love, idealism, challenges, rich with the pungent spices of India. The story of the Australian country girl who marries her Indian idealist renews your faith in humanity. It's a beautiful read that opens your mind and senses to new ideas embracing inclusion." Susanne Gervay oam, multi-award winning author, head of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, co-president, Society of Women Writers NSW

"Anne Benjamin's book transcends the limits of the memoir to become a definitive insight on the intersections of two cultures, Australian and Indian, while retaining the warmth and intimacy of the personal narrative." Dr Meenakshi Bharat, President, International Federation of Modern Languages and Literatures, executive member, Indian Association for the Study of Australia

"Anne Benjamin's Saffron and Silk is the incredible personal account of an Australian living in India. The author writes about the massive life changes she combats when she moves from suburban Sydney to Chennai, the capital city of the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Benjamin's memoir commences with a fast-moving romance and wedding with Susai - a man that she met at an education conference in Canada. We are then taken on her journey from Australia to India, where the vast cultural differences between the two countries are beautifully portrayed. Benjamin does a magical job of weaving both her own personal memories into important historical moments that we have all read about in textbooks, but have failed to truly see through the eyes of ordinary people. I especially appreciated the detail Benjamin went into when discussing the aftermath of Indira Gandhi's assassination, and the catastrophic impact this had on the people of India. As a woman who has lived in two polar opposite worlds, Benjamin is able to share her experience in the most authentic and eye-opening way. Saffron and Silk will give you insight into life in India from an Australian woman's perspective that you have never seen before." Bookabuy