Link Alternatif Fortuna is the twenty-second installment of the popular Memoir, the series of articles written by Sri Chinmoy. The first volume of the series was entitled, A Year in a Thai Couple's Life: Memoirs of a Young Woman's Search for God and Spirit. In this latest offering, Sri Chinmoy has woven together her experiences in the martial arts, academic work, and family life. She shares intimate details about her interactions with her daughter, her son, father, mother, and other people in her immediate family as well as those who had become close to her over the years. Through Sri Chinmoy's words you are invited to experience what it is like to have a child who has the potential to save the world.
The story starts out when Sita, now a young woman in her early twenties, is called to stay at a hotel in Phuket, Thailand, by her grandmother. The young girl, embarrassed by her grandmother's demeanor, does not want to go in. Instead, she goes into the lobby and quickly realizes that the hotel is swamped with tourists and that the concierge has no idea where Sita can find an alternate route to her flight home. Fortuna, being a new writer, is thrilled to give the concierge her new manuscript, Link Alternatif Fortunabola, in hopes of making her grandpa happy again.
With a mixture of humor and sentimental content, Link Alternatif Fortunabola follows the path of Sita as she searches for meaning in a strange, foreign place. Chinmoy provides an engaging and humorous account of her travels and encounters in many countries over the years. She describes her experiences in English, as well as her views of Thailand and its people. While the story's tone is more jaded than serious, Chinmoy's writing never loses its touch of humor, making even the somber topics she discusses seem lighter.
The majority of the book is written in a conversational style, as Chinmoy relates various scenes from her travels and experiences in Thailand and India, often at meals and dinning tables. At one point, she comments on how Thai food tastes different depending on where you're eating and compares it to American or Australian food. The author also points out that rice, one of the staples of any culture around the world, is a staple food for many of the cultures she visits. Finally, it should be noted that although the main theme of the book is family and travel, it does address men as well. The fatherly figure of one of the characters, the para pemain, gets some mention in a humorous moment.
"Links" is a travel guide that focuses on the cultural experiences of the author as she visits various places in India, Thailand, and Malaysia. It tells the story of a young woman from rural Thailand who travels to northern India to marry a local farmer. The bride becomes a household name in her husband's village and slowly, the family as a whole comes to understand her true identity and her role in her new country. The author talks about traditional gender roles in Thai society, and how some of these gender roles are still accepted today despite the advent of a more liberalized lifestyle in the country. The writer even addresses issues like honor killing and what she calls the "right of passage."
This is a light read with entertaining details that capture the flavor of a diverse culture, tradition, and lifestyle. Although the tale of Link Alternatif Fortuna is set in southern India, the author has managed to tell an interesting story even though the setting is set mostly in northern India. This book is part of the anthony magalii series, and the first book in the series, The Fortune of Link Alternatif Fortuna, was released in May, 2007. The third in the series, The Fortune of Link Alternatif Fortuna di Indonesia, was released in May, 2009. The entire series is due to be released in English by the end of 2010.
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