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I Love My Amma
243 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 10, 2026
About the author
Vasudhendra
42 books400 followersVasudhendra (ವಸುಧೇಂದ್ರ) was born at Sandur in Ballari district, Karnataka. After working as a software professional for more than twenty years, Vasudhendra now runs his own publication house, Chanda Pustaka, which publishes and encourages new writing in Kannada and has instituted the Chanda Pustaka Award which recognizes young short story writers. He is also associated with local support groups for LGBT individuals. The author of thirteen books in Kannada, that have sold over 80,000 copies, Vasudhendra has won many literary awards, including the Kannada Sahitya Academy Book Prize, the Da Raa Bendre Story Award and the Dr U.R. Ananthamurthy Award.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 25, 2026
Written by @snkjournalchannel
Oh how I wish I could tell you the impact the book had on me. *I Love My Amma* by @bookayya, tr. from Kannada to English by Narayan Shankar, is a story of the author's mother and him. It's witty, tender, aching to an extent that it shouldn't be surprising if you shed a tear or two. Narrated in simple language — I need to applaud the translator for doing such an incredible job — this book leaves you thinking about how people cope differently with grief.
I had the honor to meet and host the author at @justonemorepagebookclub's author meet session. Every chapter ends in a reflective way, making you wonder what went through the author's mind while penning them down.
Not a single moment passed where I didn't deeply remember my father while reading this book. Go pick up this book, ashte. Bye.
#BookReview #KannadaLiterature #IndianBooks #BookstagramIndia #TranslatedFiction
[I Love My Amma, Kannada literature, Indian memoir, translated books, grief and loss, mother-son bond, book review, Indian authors, literary fiction, Bookstagram India]
Oh how I wish I could tell you the impact the book had on me. *I Love My Amma* by @bookayya, tr. from Kannada to English by Narayan Shankar, is a story of the author's mother and him. It's witty, tender, aching to an extent that it shouldn't be surprising if you shed a tear or two. Narrated in simple language — I need to applaud the translator for doing such an incredible job — this book leaves you thinking about how people cope differently with grief.
I had the honor to meet and host the author at @justonemorepagebookclub's author meet session. Every chapter ends in a reflective way, making you wonder what went through the author's mind while penning them down.
Not a single moment passed where I didn't deeply remember my father while reading this book. Go pick up this book, ashte. Bye.
#BookReview #KannadaLiterature #IndianBooks #BookstagramIndia #TranslatedFiction
[I Love My Amma, Kannada literature, Indian memoir, translated books, grief and loss, mother-son bond, book review, Indian authors, literary fiction, Bookstagram India]
May 25, 2026
”One day, a couple of months after she passed away, while I was shaving, I looked into my own eyes in the mirror and suddenly felt that I was looking into Amma's eyes.”
- Vasudhendhra, I Love My Amma (transl. Narayan Shankaran)
I Love My Amma is not just essays stitched together to form his mother's portrait but Vasudhendhra embarks an emotional journey love, yearning and dynamics of human relationship. Each of his memories carry a kind of void that settles in your heart.
The birth of this book though connected with grief contains generous amount of humour. The vulnerability of the author is clearly evident when he states - ”Even the most skilled storytellers face difficulty when they set out to write their autobiography.”
The sketch of Amma defies the traditional compass that dictates the portrayal of a mother. Instead of refining her as a perfectionist, the writer reminisces her as an ordinary woman flawed with her own quirks that makes her unique.
”She not only told stories that she'd read but also created anecdotes from her own experiences, and narrated them in a delightful way.”
Vasudhendra’s writing is gentle yet deeply affecting. The emotions never feel forced; instead, they unfold naturally through everyday moments and ordinary people. Some essays reminded me of the book - On Earth We are Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong where an unnamed narrator is collecting memories of his maternal figures in his life.
”A storyteller's greatest challenge is to retain the wonder and innocence of childhood, even while speaking in a mature and wise voice that time teaches us.”
- Vasudhendhra, I Love My Amma (transl. Narayan Shankaran)
I Love My Amma is not just essays stitched together to form his mother's portrait but Vasudhendhra embarks an emotional journey love, yearning and dynamics of human relationship. Each of his memories carry a kind of void that settles in your heart.
The birth of this book though connected with grief contains generous amount of humour. The vulnerability of the author is clearly evident when he states - ”Even the most skilled storytellers face difficulty when they set out to write their autobiography.”
The sketch of Amma defies the traditional compass that dictates the portrayal of a mother. Instead of refining her as a perfectionist, the writer reminisces her as an ordinary woman flawed with her own quirks that makes her unique.
”She not only told stories that she'd read but also created anecdotes from her own experiences, and narrated them in a delightful way.”
Vasudhendra’s writing is gentle yet deeply affecting. The emotions never feel forced; instead, they unfold naturally through everyday moments and ordinary people. Some essays reminded me of the book - On Earth We are Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong where an unnamed narrator is collecting memories of his maternal figures in his life.
”A storyteller's greatest challenge is to retain the wonder and innocence of childhood, even while speaking in a mature and wise voice that time teaches us.”
June 1, 2026
I recently read "I Love My Amma", and words hardly seem enough to capture its quiet beauty. The book doesn't idealize motherhood, instead, it remembers an amma who brings you into the world, teaches you, disciplines you, and stands by you like a rock. The author does not write about a perfect mother but about an amma who runs the house with discipline, fear, and affection. Amma not only nurtures the child but quietly holds the family together while managing everyday chaos.
Rooted in a small town in Karnataka, the book presents a family shaped by water queues, temple rituals, cinema halls, steel plates, Deepavali crackers, monkeys, the scorching sun, and the rhythms of ordinary domestic life. Above all, the mother son relationship is so beautifully drawn that it feels as if we are living their life.
One of the most moving parts of the book is the son’s emotional journey. The book traces his growth from childhood to adulthood and then into a more painful stage when he begins caring for his ageing mother. This change alters the emotional shape of the story,love is no longer only admiration, it becomes responsibility, irritation, guilt, and tenderness all at once, and we come to understand our parents only after time has made them vulnerable.
Read this book if you want a story that will make you laugh, ache, and view your own mother differently by the end. Even if you enjoy translated Indian literature or emotionally memoir like essays, this is a deeply rewarding read- tender, funny, painful, and quietly profound all at once.
Rooted in a small town in Karnataka, the book presents a family shaped by water queues, temple rituals, cinema halls, steel plates, Deepavali crackers, monkeys, the scorching sun, and the rhythms of ordinary domestic life. Above all, the mother son relationship is so beautifully drawn that it feels as if we are living their life.
One of the most moving parts of the book is the son’s emotional journey. The book traces his growth from childhood to adulthood and then into a more painful stage when he begins caring for his ageing mother. This change alters the emotional shape of the story,love is no longer only admiration, it becomes responsibility, irritation, guilt, and tenderness all at once, and we come to understand our parents only after time has made them vulnerable.
Read this book if you want a story that will make you laugh, ache, and view your own mother differently by the end. Even if you enjoy translated Indian literature or emotionally memoir like essays, this is a deeply rewarding read- tender, funny, painful, and quietly profound all at once.
May 26, 2026
"Inspired by the blazing sun, amma prepared the again. This time, the moment they were put into hot oil, they bloomed like marigold flowers. Amma served me the contrasting Bangalore and Bellary sandige in a single plate and proudly said, 'Meet your scraggy Laurel from Bangalore and my bloated Hardy from Bellary."
'I love my amma' is a collection of essays written by Vasudhendra, translated from the kannada by Narayan Shankaran. Kannada translations are the best. As a kannadiga myself, I can't wait to read these books that connect me to my motherland.
When we are young, we never get to understand our mothers. It's only after we move out of our homes as adults we try to understand them truly. When I read this book, and these stories from a young boy to a grown up — where the roles reversed and the son is taking care of his aging mother, I felt really emotional. Having said that, the book isn't a profound one. You get all sorts of emotions up and running.
The author has shared experiences from his school, college, and adult life. The writing is eloquent and will make you call your mom right away. It's a book that will stay with me for a long, long time.
'I love my amma' is a collection of essays written by Vasudhendra, translated from the kannada by Narayan Shankaran. Kannada translations are the best. As a kannadiga myself, I can't wait to read these books that connect me to my motherland.
When we are young, we never get to understand our mothers. It's only after we move out of our homes as adults we try to understand them truly. When I read this book, and these stories from a young boy to a grown up — where the roles reversed and the son is taking care of his aging mother, I felt really emotional. Having said that, the book isn't a profound one. You get all sorts of emotions up and running.
The author has shared experiences from his school, college, and adult life. The writing is eloquent and will make you call your mom right away. It's a book that will stay with me for a long, long time.
May 27, 2026
"A mother’s love is often understood the most when we begin to miss the little things she did every day."
Reading I Love My Amma felt like opening an old box of memories filled with love, noise, sacrifice and tears. The book shows a mother who is strict, funny, stubborn and endlessly caring at the same time. Every small moment feels real from childhood fears to growing up and finally understanding how much a mother silently carries for her family every single day.
What hurts the most is watching the son slowly realize that his Amma is growing old too. The woman who once protected everyone now needs care herself. That change feels deeply emotional and painfully beautiful. This book reminds us that mothers are not perfect angels — they are tired humans who still choose love every day. “To the world you are a mother, but to your family you are the world.”
Reading I Love My Amma felt like opening an old box of memories filled with love, noise, sacrifice and tears. The book shows a mother who is strict, funny, stubborn and endlessly caring at the same time. Every small moment feels real from childhood fears to growing up and finally understanding how much a mother silently carries for her family every single day.
What hurts the most is watching the son slowly realize that his Amma is growing old too. The woman who once protected everyone now needs care herself. That change feels deeply emotional and painfully beautiful. This book reminds us that mothers are not perfect angels — they are tired humans who still choose love every day. “To the world you are a mother, but to your family you are the world.”
June 4, 2026
An ode to a mother. A must read for every child.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews