Gaiutra Bahadur

Gaiutra Bahadur's "Coolie Woman: The Odyssey of Indenture" is not, as the publisher would have readers believe, the story of the author's great-grandmother. While that is the basis for the book, Bahadur's research uncovers very little about her family history.

Instead, "Coolie Woman" provides more of a historiography of laborers from India in the Caribbean. Bahadur does wonderful research, especially when she pulls out stories from contemporary newspapers. There is a lot of speculation in show more the book and literal paragraphs of rhetorical questions about what the motives of people in those news stories might be. That can be a bit frustrating to read.

The organization of the book was unclear. There were lots of jumps between time periods, especially as she presented her research.

Neverthless, Bahadur is filling a much-needed gap in the record of history. There are few books on the subject of indentured servitude and in "Coolie Woman" we are able to catch glimpses into what the awful experiences were like.

The book includes an index and a comprehensive and well-documented list of sources. show less

Wonderful, deeply researched and deeply felt story of Indian women who became indentured laborers in British colonies during the 19th century, and the continuing consequences of these odysseys, told through the story of the author's great-grandmother, a coolie woman in Guiana.