Two Great Adult Reads

One of the things keeping me busy these days is a course I’m taking on South Asia. (India, Pakistan & Bangladesh). It’s not a typical course in that it is not taught by a professor. Instead we are following the collaborative learning model. Led by a coordinator, a group of people who are interested in a particular subject agree to study and report on various aspects of that subject. For this particular course, we are also reading novels and viewing films about the countries of South Asia besides doing the research for our presentations to the class. The experience is further enriched by guest speakers who are native to the area, one a college professor and two others who are writers.

I’ve been enjoying the reading so much that I wanted to share two of the books with you. The first takes place in modern day India and tells the story of the interwoven lives of a wealthy Parsi widow and her Hindu maid. Their common experiences as women in unhappy, even abusive marriages, their care and support for each other over the years, and their sincere love for each other’s children cannot in the end overcome caste/class and prejudice. It’s one great story with the added bonus of providing insight into the complicated social system of India today. The Space Between Us by Thrity N. Umrigar.

The other book I recommend is A Golden Age by Tahmina Anam. This is the story of the Bangladesh war for independence from Pakistan in 1971-72. It centers around a young Muslim widow, Rehana, trying to protect her 17 year old daughter and 19 year old son, both swept up in the rebellion. Beautifully written, the novel describes Rehana’s secure life suddenly thrust into chaos and her slowly evolving acceptance of the risks and sacrifices required to save her loved ones and redeem herself. This emotional story has a lasting impact.

If you want a satisfying read and you’re in the mood to learn about an exotic culture, you can’t go wrong with either of these books.