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Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens

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Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens

By: Shankari Chandran
Narrated by: Rachael Tidd
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About this listen

Welcome to Cinnamon Gardens, a home for those who are lost and the stories they treasure.

Cinnamon Gardens Nursing Home is nestled in the quiet suburb of Westgrove, Sydney – populated with residents with colourful histories, each with their own secrets, triumphs and failings. This is their safe place, an oasis of familiar delights – a beautiful garden, a busy kitchen and a bountiful recreation schedule.

But this ordinary neighbourhood is not without its prejudices. The serenity of Cinnamon Gardens is threatened by malignant forces more interested in what makes this refuge different rather than embracing the calm companionship that makes this place home to so many. As those who challenge the residents' existence make their stand against the nursing home with devastating consequences, our characters are forced to reckon with a country divided.

Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens is about family and memory, community and race, but is ultimately a love letter to storytelling and how our stories shape who we are.

‘An engrossing, urgent, warm, wise and utterly, utterly beautiful novel.' Emily Maguire, bestselling author of An Isolated Incident and Love Objects

‘Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens filled this reviewer's heart with both hope and rage at witnessing history repeat itself, while somehow preserving optimism about how communities can be rebuilt.' Books + Publishing

©2021 Shankari Chandran (P)2022 W. F. Howes Ltd & Ultimo Press South Asian Creators World Literature Heartfelt Inspiring Thought-Provoking
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Written by Australian author, Shankari Chandran, this is a book everyone should read! Set within the Hindu Tamil community of Sydney, this novel transcends its pages in telling the stories of some of the lives of the residents living at the Cinnamon Garden Nursing Home, and of the people who dedicate themselves to caring for them - it could be any community anywhere with a colonial history of having been conquered and exploited and controlled. It's relevance is more urgent than ever in a world aching to be seen and felt with more compassion, more empathy, more humanity. I feel this book is important on several levels, one of those being how it addresses the issue of racism in Australia without apology or a "happily-ever-after" Hollywood ending. Another important part of the book, is it's telling of the history of the Tamil people in Sri Lanka, and the civil war fought between 1983 and 2009. Though this part of the book is not written about extensively (it's not a historical text, afterall), it imparts a good deal of knowledge about the horrors perpetrated against the Tamil people.

Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens is a beautifully written novel about love, loyalty, betrayal, survival, community, connection, and the stories we collect throughout our lives - stories that create our history.

I look forward to reading much more from this gifted author. Her's is a voice much needed in our country!

Brilliant

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The rich history and amazing narrator, and how the author succinctly conveys how the events from the past inform our present

The rich history and amazing narrator

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I learnt a great deal while listening to this story. It is way more than just a 'story'. It opened my eyes and mind to history ignored and lessons I only thought I understood, about the lives of other people. It was a rollercoaster ride of emotions for me. I'd like everyone in Australia to read it. At first it seemed like a book I'd never choose for myself, but I'm so glad I did.

An eye opener!

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I can't think of another book that has moved me so deeply. It was a heartbreaking and heartwarming journey and I'm so sad that it is over. Everyone needs to experience this masterpiece.

Extraordinary

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This book is a master class in vivid colourful and engaging story telling. Thank you for the journey

Exquisitely written

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This is a wonderful story and it lets us all know the danger of racism. It lets us know about the Tamale people and how they suffered in their terrible civil war. It lets us know we are all humans sharing our stories.

Brilliant read

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I found myself brought to tears by this book. It exposed the everyday casual racism of Australian society and showed how easily it can get out of control - something we should all think about.

A good read

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It was a little slow to get into, but when it got rolling it was incredible. Such a great story from a point of view we don’t get to hear from as often. 😍

Beautifully written and educational

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Thank you for writing this important relevant story. Often heartbreaking but right on the money. 

Great story well presented

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Profoundly deep, emotionally heart-pulling and intellectually rich. Everyone and everything felt so real. What an incredible author. Love the reference to 'Decolonizing Criminology'.

Sensational

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