From Bangalore to Brooklyn

From Bangalore to Brooklyn, K.K. Ramamurthy’s first book, is a collection of essays and memoirs chronicling moments large and small in his life, on his journey from South India to New York City.  Written mostly over the past five years, the stories cover a wide variety of topics and are written in his honest, thoughtful, and pleasing style.

The first half of the book presents stories about his initial forays into American life in the 1970’s, and of his memories of Bangalore, before and after his emigration from India.  Ramamurthy writes about the Indian community’s efforts to create a cultural home in a new setting, and of the complexities in straddling life between two worlds.  But these stories also cover lighter topics, like his experiments with Italian coffee and modern dentistry.  

The second half of the book contains essays and biographies on the great artists and people in his life.  In the biographies, Ramamurthy celebrates the achievements and most admirable qualities of some of his beloved friends and family, many of whom have since passed. The essays focus mainly on the topic of Carnatic Music, the traditional classical music of South India.  Ramamurthy has been an avid promoter of concerts in New Jersey over the past 30 years and many of the essays here focus on his observations of the art form as it is, and where he sees it going.  

Individuals interested in purchasing a hard copy of "From Bangalore to Brooklyn" for 10 (including shipping in the USA) please contact kr551@yahoo.com for more information.