The Tea Trolley Paperback – October 7, 2017

Author Rehana Alam is a storyteller who uses an economy of words to weave a story. Her writing style is rich with verbs an adverbs, and goes light on adjectives, which is an accomplishment many authors lack.A reader's getting acquainted with 18-year-old Amna and her extended family, is an adventure in reading that cuts across a spectrum of readers and their interests. Instead of "one size fits all," the story is a "one story fits all."Entering the dilemmas/pleasures of Amna's family felt familiar to me, although their home is in Pakistan. The family members demonstrate love, kindnesses, impatience, and disagreements with each other, all of which rings true for many families.When it comes to finding one's "Prince," or "Princess," it appears that there are many approaches to this subject, any one of which works sometimes and which does NOT work at other times !I enthusiastically urge readers who seek entertainment and enlightenment, . . . . to read "The Tea Trolley." - Lorna Stokenbury Pryor.

Loved it!The quest for the best possible groom is on for Amna - the 18 year old protagonist of this lovely tale. I personally related to it as Amna comes from a family very similar to my own - upper middle-class, educated, Urdu speaking. The story is set in 1979 and has an old worldly feel to it.The writer mentions the partition of Pakistan into Bangladesh and Pakistan and marvels at what West Pakistanis said and believed at that time. For me that was cathartic as I had never, before this, heard anyone from the writer's generation accept any wrong doing on their part - so that was really good to read.I read this book aloud with my mother, someone who definitely is from the generation of Tea Trolleys, and we both laughed out aloud at Amna's mother's practicality and shook our heads and sympathized with her when a poor prospective groom showed up in socks and sandals.I would highly recommend this book - read it with your friends over chai!

It’s a fascinating look into the nitty gritty that goes into ‘arranging’ a marriage in the subcontinental culture. All the background work, the investigations, the ‘matching’ process. The Tea Trolley has another added dimension. It has used the Arabian Nights formula- stories within the main story. A bit confusing at first, but fun when you get into it. A very good debut novel.

Very well written, I loved how stories were weaved together to create the whole. it was obvious that the writer was speaking from her own life experiences and was not trying to "sell" and exotic culture but just sharing amusing stories.

A beautifully written story. Whether you’ve been married for 50 years or would never consider tying the knot there’s something to be learned in these lovely stories that have been tied together so effortlessly.

Nice story

Didn't see the point of this book.

Rehana Alam's "The Tea Trolley" is an entertaining, light-hearted look at the outdated yet only slowly disappearing custom of arranged marriage, and more specifically the chaperoned introductions of girls to prospective husbands and their families. Amna, the protagonist is paraded before family after family, dressing up and pushing the tea trolley to impress the prospective groom. Meanwhile she wonders if she will be able to finish her studies, which is her dream. Yet she plays along trusting her parents judgment. I enjoyed it as I have friends who got married in this manner in the 60's and 70's, and yet I have other friends who shattered all social norms and tribal boundaries as they met and married their fellow students! The novel delves into the personal emotions- fears, hopes, dreams, conflicts- of individuals who stand for change, and yet value the traditions that hold their families and community together. Within the story, Rehana weaves in many mini-stories to look at the trials and tribulations of marriage and the arrangements leading up to it from many angles. As women move away from traditional roles as workhorses and/or pretty dolls to more equitable partnerships in marriage, this look back is fun and encouraging, as tea trolleys are clearly becoming a thing of the past! Thank you Rehana Alam!

This is an enchanting, gentle story. There is a lot to be learnt about choosing a partner for life from the stories told in this book.I expect things are rapidly changing, this book will provide a record of the old ways for future generations.