Letters from the Edge: 12 women of the world write home.

 Published by New Internationalist

I picked up this book on a friend’s recommendation.The foreword says the letters, though written from different locations of the world, have a timeless quality about them. Very true. When Elisabeth writes Nigeria is a nation of hoarders and savers and poverty forces people to find a use for virtually everything I can jolly well relate this to the habits of people here. Plastic pouches,old newspapers, broken taps,glass bottles ,old clothes,old computers, even hair which falls while combing and brushing everything is hoarded and sold at a price to be recycled. Igbo customs like shaving off a widow’s head in Nigeria is similar to an ancient Bengalee practice which you fortunately do not see any more. The book presents a snapshot of different cultures but also shows how similar human aspirations, hopes ,concerns for family and community ,pain and suffering can be.

The letters are from India, China, Pakistan, Bolivia, Zimbabwe, Russia, Colombia, Lebanon, Mauritius, Egypt ,Colombia ,Mongolia. Good read.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Letters-Edge-Women-World-Write/dp/1904456979