Welcome to COMING HOME TO INDIA! It is the third book by Leslie Friedman, and the third book which was “launched” at Stanford’s Humanities Center program: A Company of Authors. We are very proud and pleased by the reaction to Dr. Friedman’s presentation. Members of the audience, which was absolutely full, asked about how and where to buy Coming Home to India. Professor Peter Stansky, the founder of A Company of Authors and director of it for 23 years, wrote to Leslie that her presentation and chairing the panel – The Wide World – “was terrific!”
The Fulbright Lectureship to India was awarded to her. It opened so many doors, “It changed my life,” says Leslie. After her time in India, the US State Dept. toured her in three countries.
Leslie writes, “I knew the title before I even started the book. There are moments when I feel the tears begin. I felt at home. So many places and persons welcomed me and were generous to me and my work. My travels in India started with a brief stay in New Delhi; then a week at Visva-Bharati a University founded by Tagore, the great poet; students seized a building for me to perform. I went back to New Delhi to cover a giant dance festival celebrating Uday Shankar, the famous dancer, for Ballet News. Next was Madras/Chennai where I was the first Western dancer to dance on the sacred stage of Madras’ Music Academy. Then, Bangalore, now Bengaluru, where I met Dr. Rangachar and Mrs. Vimala Rangachar. I will always love them as my family. Vimalaji told me over the phone from Bengaluru to Carmel Valley, CA, she did not know whether I was her sister, friend, or another daughter. Dancing in Bengaluru and staying with the Rangachars was a powerful, loving experience.”
Then, Leslie returned to New Delhi, received invitations from each place where she had already performed to perform in larger, more beautiful venues. This was wonderful. You must get this book to experience Leslie’s travel stories; they are funny, sometimes frustrating, and still funnier. Read about her success in her dancing and learning more of India’s history. On the way to India, Leslie performed at the University of Hawaii, Manoa, and Tokyo, Japan. After her time in India, the US State Department and host countries sponsored her. These were Sri Lanka, Egypt, and Tunisia.
Read this book. It will bring you along with Leslie and the amazing places and lovely individuals she met.
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