In Arden A Memoir Of Four Years In Shillong 1974 78

“Newly married, my wife and I went to teach English at a newly established university in north-eastern India. During our four years there, we made many friends, getting to know some unique features of the countryside, as well as the tribal culture of the locals who were fast modernizing. These memoirs try to communicate, as vividly as I can, my experiences, discoveries, and disappointments. So here is a somewhat unusual introduction to the Khasi Hills, its people, and those years, which should interest everyone who wishes to discover more about a fascinating part of India that is still too little known." - Brijraj Singh

. . . a vivid remembrance . . . written with empathy and insight . . . . sensitively drawn portraits of individuals from all sections of society, of landscapes urban and rural, and of animals too . . . . a wry sense of humour and a sharp eye for pomposity. Evocative without being sentimental.

– Ramachandra Guha, historian and public intellectual

A classic of the times, and a classic of Shillong.

– Malsawmi Jacob, the first Mizo novelist in English

Undoubtedly makes the author Northeast India’s cultural ambassador to the wider world.

– Varghese Mathai, former Fulbright Scholar; Professor of Doctoral Writing, Judson University, USA