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Tanuja Desai Hidier

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Born Confused Paperback – April 29, 2014

by Tanuja Desai Hidier (Author)

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Cross-cultural comedy about finding your place in America . . . and finding your heart wherever, from an amazing new young author.

Dimple Lala doesn't know what to think. She's spent her whole life resisting her parents' traditions. But now she's turning seventeen and things are more complicated than ever. She's still recovering from a year-old break-up and her best friend isn't around the way she used to be. Then, to make matters worse, her parents arrange for her to meet a "suitable boy." Of course, it doesn't go well . . . until Dimple goes to a club and finds him spinning a magical web of words and music. Suddenly the suitable boy is suitable because of his sheer unsuitability. Complications ensue.This is a story about finding yourself, finding your friends, finding love, and finding your culture -- sometimes where you least expect it.

Print length

512 pages
Language

English
Publisher

PUSH
Publication date

April 29, 2014
Grade level

9 and up
Reading age

14 years and up
Dimensions

5.25 x 1.5 x 8 inches
ISBN-10

9780545664516
ISBN-13

978-0545664516
Lexile measure

890L
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for Tanuja Desai Hidier's BORN CONFUSED:* "Absorbing and intoxicating, this book is sure to leave a lasting impression." -- PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, boxed and starred review"Compelling and witty…gives voice to a new generation of Americans." --USA TODAY "A breathtaking experience." --KIRKUS REVIEWS, starred review"Complicated, chaotic, and absolutely charming." --SEVENTEEN An ALA Best Book for Young Adults

About the Author

TANUJA DESAI HIDIER is a writer/singer-songwriter, born and raised in the USA and now based in London. Her first novel, BORN CONFUSED--the first ever South Asian American coming-of-age story, set in the context of New York City's bhangra/underground club scene-- was hailed in a Publishers Weekly starred review as "absorbing and intoxicating . . . sure to leave a lasting impression," and as "a breathtaking experience" by Kirkus Reviews. It was named an ALA Best Book for Young Adults and became a landmark novel, recently selected by Entertainment Weekly as a contender for one of the best YA novels of all time.

WHEN WE WERE TWINS, Tanuja's album of original songs based on BORN CONFUSED, was featured in Wired Magazine for being a first-ever booktrack; Wired deemed it "...reminiscent of Alanis Morissette...[the music] reflects the clash of styles, sounds, and influences inherent to cultural assimilation and urban living."

Her latest novel, BOMBAY BLUES, the sequel to BORN CONFUSED, comes out this summer along with her new 'booktrack' album of original songs to accompany it.

Please visit ThisIsTanuja.com for more info.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0545664519
Publisher ‏ : ‎ PUSH; Reprint edition (April 29, 2014)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 512 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780545664516
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0545664516
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 14 years and up
Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 890L
Grade level ‏ : ‎ 9 and up
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 14.4 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.25 x 1.5 x 8 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #650,576 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #284 in Teen & Young Adult Fiction about Being a Teen (Books)
- #1,370 in Teen & Young Adult Fiction on Girls' & Women's Issues (Books)
- #3,248 in Teen & Young Adult Contemporary Romance

Customer Reviews:
150

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Tanuja Desai Hidier

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TANUJA DESAI HIDIER is an award-winning author, singer-songwriter, and innovator of the ‘booktrack’. She is the recipient of the 2015 South Asia Book Award (for BOMBAY BLUES) and the James Jones First Novel Fellowship and her short stories have been included in numerous anthologies.

Her pioneering 2002 first novel, BORN CONFUSED, was named an American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults and became a landmark work, recently hailed by both Rolling Stone Magazine and Entertainment Weekly as one of the greatest YA novels of all time (on lists including such classics as To Kill a Mockingbird, The Catcher in the Rye, and Little Women).

The music video for “Heptanesia”, Tanuja’s first release from her album BOMBAY SPLEEN (songs based on Bombay Blues) is currently airing on MTV Indies. Her first album, WHEN WE WERE TWINS (songs based on Born Confused) was featured in Wired Magazine for being the first ever 'booktrack.' Wired says: ” … reminiscent of Alanis Morissette [When We Were Twins] reflects the clash of styles, sounds, and influences inherent to cultural assimilation and urban living.”

For more info on Tanuja, please visit www.ThisIsTanuja.com

PRAISE FOR BORN CONFUSED

“Compelling and witty … gives voice to a new generation of Americans … a rare and daring portrayal.” --USA Today

“Absorbing and intoxicating … sure to leave a lasting impression.”

--Publishers Weekly, starred and boxed review

“A breathtaking experience.” –Kirkus Reviews, starred review

PRAISE FOR BOMBAY BLUES

“Dense, lyrical, full of neologic portmanteaus and wordplay: This is a prose-poem meditation on love, family and homecoming … A journey worth making.” –Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“[A] lovingly detailed homage to Bombay… Once again, [Desai] Hidier delivers an immersive blend of introspection, external drama, and lyricism.” --Publishers Weekly

“Chock-a-block with musical references as well as linguistic leaps of faith that only a musician could have pulled off.” --The Sunday Guardian (cover story)

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5

150 global ratings

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C. Wheeler

A lifetime favorite

Reviewed in the United States on July 29, 2020

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I picked up this book for the first time when I was visiting my grandparents for the summer in what was probably 2003 or 2004. I was a young teenager and their local library was one of my favorite places to go. I had to show up with two library cards to check out all the books I wanted because I had to check out all of my old favorites from years of childhood visits as well as everything new I found.

One day perusing the young adult section I came across this book and it went in the wagon as one of my new books. Every summer after that it went into the wagon as an old favorite. I reread it every year until I was old enough that those summer visits became less reliable. Eventually I forgot about it. Until, one day, I remembered. I bought myself a copy and rediscovered Dimple Lala again in my thirties. And it is still just as strong and timeless as I remembered it being.

Dimple’s story of self-love, acceptance, and friendship still makes me laugh and still makes me cry. That she is still so relatable to me now is a testament to Hidier’s ability to craft a beautiful story as well as deliver a powerful message that remains as relevant now as it was when it was written. Thank you for giving me the hero of Dimple. She helped me get through my teens and continues to inspire me to this day.

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penguin lady

Coming of age story, mixed with culture

Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2017

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This is a charming sweet emotional coming of age story. The protagonist is an Indian girl, and her relationship to a white girl from a very different kind of upbringing. Of course boys get in the way, and they have to figure out who they really are and embrace their backgrounds. I enjoyed the story. But there were so many references to Indian words that at times I really didn't understand what was going on. It didn't ruin the story, just had to skim sometimes. Also, some of the writing gets a little overly descriptive.

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Allie Trumpower

The cast of characters are engaging and fascinating.

Reviewed in the United States on August 29, 2014

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This book has had a permanent spot on my shelf since one of my best friends gave me a copy my sophomore year of high school. (I don’t even want to admit how long ago that was.) I pick this up for a re-read at least once a year. Even though, on the surface, there aren’t many similarities between the main character, Dimple, and myself, I feel so connected with Dimple and her story.

I think one of the reasons I connected so well with Dimple was because of her love of photography. I’m a photographer by trade, but even I was blown away by Dimple’s passion for photography and how it guided so much in her life. The reader really gets to see the real Dimple when she is behind her lens.

While the book is “aimed” at YA readers (the story takes place during the summer between Dimple’s junior and senior years of high school), the story, writing, and themes are complex enough that much more mature readers will be captivated. The cast of characters (Dimple, Gwen, Karsh, Kavita) are engaging and fascinating.

Every time I finish Born Confused, I have a great desire to pick up my camera, head to New York and find a South Asian club. It leaves me curious about other cultures, and wishing I had a bit more of one myself. The story is comforting and thought provoking at the same time, and is one of my very favorite “coming of age” novels.

Originally published in 2002, Born Confused is being reprinted and has a new cover! The new edition will be released in April 2014. I’m so excited to get another copy to replace my worn out copy!

3 people found this helpful

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A. Bryan

Entertaining, if overwritten...

Reviewed in the United States on August 23, 2012

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Keep in mind that this is a book for teenagers, so it's written from a teenaged point of view. It's meant to convey a teenager's somewhat shallow understanding of life, and how their perceptions deepen as they move toward adulthood.

I am not South Asian, or a teenager (I read this as part of a "book club of two" with my teenaged daughter, who had to read it for school), but I did enjoy the issues raised by the book, including about what it is to feel like an "outsider", and the fact that even people who may appear to be "insiders" don't always feel that way. Dimple's dawning realization that perhaps her parents weren't quite as clueless as she'd originally thought, and that in addition to being her parents, they were sensate, thinking individuals who had had thoughts, feelings and experiences that had nothing to do with her, was well conveyed. I also thought that it was interesting that the author showed that as a second-generation Indian girl with immigrant parents, Dimple wanted to be like her "all-American" friend, while at the same time, her friend longed to feel attached to a more traditional culture and family lifestyle. (If anything, the depiction of Gwen's family was the one presented stereotypically here, as the shallow, empty culture of American "success", perhaps to bolster the idea that Dimple had much to appreciate about her "old fashioned" parents.)

Although there's no denying that everything was ultimately concluded in a rather facile manner, that should come as no surprise to anyone who has read a lot of children's/young adult literature. My main complaint about this book is that, as others have pointed out, it was a bit overwritten, both in length and the floweriness of the text. It did give this book a lot of character, but it also slowed the proceedings down quite a bit.

2 people found this helpful

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Nadyne

Born Confused

Reviewed in the United States on January 25, 2020

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Loved the first of the Dimple Lala series. I love the main character's name, and the book was very interesting.

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Jillian Chan

About a Different Culture, But Still Relatable

Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2013

Verified Purchase

She's a teenager living in the shadow of her best friend--I mean, on some level, can't everyone relate? Plus, she's Indian (as in Asian Indian), and not exactly proud of it. At the same time, it's a love story, but she's not the type to get mushy (well not overly mushy), so it's got something in it for everyone. You even learn a little about her culture as you read. I definitely recommend it!

4 people found this helpful

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Megan Bonner

One of the best YA books of all time

Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2016

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This is really a great book for any older teen. There are some advanced themes, including drinking and moderate sexuality. I wouldn't recommend it for a younger teen, but good for 16 and up.

One person found this helpful

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angelicagonzalez

Great book. Read it when I was a freshman ...

Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2015

Verified Purchase

Great book. Read it when I was a freshman in high school, and reread it now as a college grad. Message about identity and being comfortable in your own skin in ethnicity is assuring and strong.

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Mia

Amazing Story

Reviewed in Canada on May 30, 2019

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I read this in high school and fell in love with the story! I still reread it at least once a year!

Maria McMahon

Sparklingly Brilliant!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 22, 2016

Verified Purchase

I absolutely loved this book! It's about an American Indian girl, Dimple Lala, who's utterly lovable and the book describes her relationship primarily with herself, her parents, her best friend Gwen and ultimately, The Suitable Boy! The author has incredible talent - she has the photographer's eye for details, a wonderful ear for dialogue, and the characters are beautifully drawn. She brings love, life, joy and sorrow to the pages of this utterly captivating tale. I laughed out loud several times, and even cried at one bit! I agree with another reviewer who said you don't have to be Indian or a teen to enjoy this book... absolutely not, I'm an over 50 Irish Brit! Beautifully written with life, energy and colour on every page. The title is Born Confused, and the author, Tanuja Desai Hidier, was born to write. I can't wait to read the sequel, Bombay Blues.

"andy5"

長いけど読む価値あり！！！

Reviewed in Japan on November 18, 2003

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５００ページもありますが、本当に味のある小説でした。アメリカでも反響を呼んでいるみたいです。主人公はアメリカで生まれ育った高校生の女の子。とはいっても決して安っぽい学園モノではありません。インド系二世の彼女が自分のアイデンィティーを見つけていく様子が、丁寧に書かれていてノンフィクションのようなリアリティーがあります。これから留学しようとしている人や白人に対してコンプレックスを持っている人、アメリカの高校生の生活が知りたい人は、是非読んでみて下さい。（表紙がちょっと怖いので、電車の中で読むのに勇気がいりますが…）

One person found this helpful

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Desisister_jen

The plot is a little over simple...its immature in that respect ...but then it has its moments.,

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 28, 2017

Verified Purchase

Very Bollywood...in that the plot serves as a framework for more serious stuff....its one moment slightly facile and teenagerish....although, to be fair, the narrator is 17 but then ..there's more...... I found it an easy read,interesting, couldn't help comparing myself to Gwyn and hoping I didn't come across as badly... Here and there though its quite profound...

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