From the Bookshelf of Retro Reads…

The Sun in the Morning: My Early Years in India and England

M.M. Kaye

Start date: May 15, 2019

Finish date: June 14, 2019

Discussion: Non Fiction Group Reads

Discussion leader: Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂

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Non Fiction Group Reads

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What Members Thought

May 30, 2019 Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: biography-memoirs

There are three factors that make this a really wonderful memoir.

𓇼Kaye has an impressive (she says photographic) memory. If she can't remember something (or remembers imprecisely) she says so.

𓇼 A fascinating early life.

𓇼 She waited until she was very old before writing. This enabled Kaye to say what she really thought. & Kaye certainly takes full advantage of this freedom!

In this book's forward, one of Kaye's daughters was travelling in the far east but said she was about ten years t ...more

45 likes · Like · see review

Jan 16, 2014 Dorcas rated it really liked it

Shelves: autobiography, england-uk, india-ceylon-orient, memoir, mmkaye, non-fiction

Wow. I really milked this one out. Three months, that's insane! But it wasn't because I didn't like it, more that I savored it in small bedtime size portions.

If you're at all remotely interested in the Raj or India in general at the turn of the century, you must read this. M.M.Kaye lived a fascinating life and was able to see and experience things before the "march of progress " changed everything; and thankfully she possessed a photographic memory and could then share her lifetime of adventures ...more

12 likes · Like · see review

Feb 12, 2022 Peter Burton rated it really liked it

I’ve always been interested in the British Empire so this book gives an insight into the life of those who went out to India and served there.Often dismissed today as exploiting a country this gives an alternative view.It’s the first part of a three book memoir covering her years as a child,there and in England,until she’s in her early 20s.It’s long so at times I wondered if I could spend my time more profitably but then she’d insert an interesting story or fact to keep me plugging away.It’s wel ...more

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Jun 30, 2019 Jemima Raven rated it it was ok

Shelves: genre-history, book-club-bbs-2019-2020, book-club-reads-2019, book-club-hf-list-2019-2020, genre-humour, format-illustrated, my-2-star-tentatives, genre-historic-non-fiction, genre-autobiography, format-on-my-home-bookshelf

Extremely self conscious. Too aware of audience to allow herself or us experience the full range of both humour and pathos, the everyday and the epic aspects of her personal history.

1 like · Like · see review

Nov 26, 2017 Evelyn Hill rated it really liked it

If you don't mind a slow pace, this very detailed description of M.M. Kay's childhood in India is fascinating. It is very detailed and some people might find it a bit long. ...more

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