About The Book
A collection of short stories on the Indian-American experience – amusing, sharp and poignant.
In eleven sharp, surprising stories, Neel Patel gives voice to our most deeply held stereotypes and then slowly undermines them. His characters, almost all of whom are first-generation Indian Americans, subvert our expectations that they will sit quietly by. We meet two brothers caught in an elaborate web of envy and loathing; a young gay man who becomes involved with an older man whose secret he could never guess; three women who almost gleefully throw off the pleasant agreeability society asks of them; and, in the final pair of linked stories, a young couple struggling against the devastating force of community gossip. If You See Me, Don’t Say Hi examines the collisions of old world and new world, small town and big city, traditional beliefs (like arranged marriages) and modern rituals (like Facebook stalking). Ranging across the country, Patel’s stories-empathetic, provocative, twisting, and wryly funny-introduce a bold new literary voice, one that feels timelier than ever.
My Review: Worth A Read
I usually shy away from short story collections, but I really enjoyed this one. Biting and funny, a really easy one to get through. Have to say, the title of the book was what got me. That’s me, y’all.
I saw the fight drain from his eyes. I saw his fingers loosen their grip. I saw what was once anger fueled by love turn to indifference fueled by hate. I watched him stand up and brush himself off, heading toward his car, turning around to address me one last time. There were tears in his eyes.
“You’re done,” he said. “I mean it. Don’t talk to me. Don’t even look at me. If you see me on the street, don’t say hi.”
Neel Patel
Why You Should Read It
If you have a drop of Indian blood within you (like me), you’d love it I think!