Book Description
What happens when Umesh "Mike" Jain, a young company comptroller, takes his boss' wife to help him search for a suitable marriage partner in India? The heart-warming, sometimes humorous account, has some unexpected revelations. "Finding a Bride and Other Adventures of a Jewish Mother in India," based on Ellen Goldberg's 1982 journal, is the unique story of her first trip out of the United States. India was quite different in those days before prosperity and private cars were commonplace. Being a red-headed, middle class married Jewish woman who looked younger than her 41 years, she was followed through the streets by curiosity-seekers where she was only the second white woman to ever visit his small Punjabi town. After joining the family in the search and selecting a young woman in Chandigarh for Umesh to marry, Ellen traveled throughout the Northern part of India for eight days with Prem Garg, a handsome young man who was like a member of the Jain family. Neither of them knew what the rules were, so eyebrows were raised—including her own—when they shared rooms throughout the eight-day trip. Returning for the wedding festivities was the highlight of the memorable trip that ignited Ellen's lifelong love for India.
Reviews
"Goldberg’s ‘Finding a Bride’ is an amazing and honest ‘discovery of India’ by the author in a short two weeks’ visit as most of the tourists or even Indians are not able to figure out in a lifetime. Travelling to India with her Indian employee and joining his family in the search for a bride, the writer was able to capture, absorb and assimilate the complex and intricate nature of that unique and ancient subcontinent. India is vast, varied and obscure in its contents and personality with a philosophy that is beyond easy comprehension. While its intimate soul is pristine, its expressions may tend to be perfidious; and only an astute observer can reach out and sense its underlying essence as well as its subtle ethos. I want to congratulate the author for succeeding in that difficult endeavor. It is well worth a reader’s time that is curious about India. Extremely enjoyable reading."
—Dr. Venugopal K. Menon
"Finding a Bride" is an absolute delight. With courage and pluck well beyond the ordinary, Ms Goldberg undertook a journey to India to help her employee find and marry the girl of his dreams. I don't think it will spoil the ending to say she succeeded because the beauty of the tale is in the way Ms Goldberg tells it. She has a wonderfully engaging style that makes the places she visits and the characters she encounters come alive for the reader —even for one like me who has never been to India. I highly recommend this wonderful book!"
—Stephen Fuchs
"A fascinating and entertaining book. It's the story of a vivacious woman invited to travel to India to help pick a bride for a young Indian man. She accepts, and has amazing and often humorous adventures. She engages with members of his extended family and others, charming them all with her sincere interest in their culture, and her willingness to share her own with them. She describes the India of the eighties from the inside, a view that no tourist would ever acquire. It leaves one wondering how things have changed in the ensuing three decades. News and commentary give us glimpses of conditions there, but not this sort of intimate immersion."
—W. Franklin
"It has a very engaging narrative voice—yours of course, but cast as the naif in a “strange land.” Very effective way of conveying your stories and reflections. An enjoyable read!"
—Nathan Katz
"It was funny and moving. I really appreciated that the book felt so authentic. It was as if I could hear you speak."
—Kevin Kalra
"I truly LOVED reading it...it was a wonderful and very heartwarming story. I felt as though I could truly put myself in your shoes and walk where you had walked."
—Diane Boundy
"Congratulations—it is a marvelous work! I found it fascinating and beautifully written. I feel it will be a book people will treasure and it will certainly give them wonderful insights about Indian sights and culture."
—Luella G. Goldberg
"I loved your book; the fact that I read it quite fast is the best proof. It is very personal, expresses your feelings about that unique trip to India. For me, it also explains your involvement in international relations from various aspects; as a retired diplomat, I know how important these relations are and how much work they demand."
—Ruth Schatz