The BookTalk discussion series at Bismarck State College carries on Sunday, Feb. 6, with "The Space Between Us" by Thrity Umrigar.
Dr. AnnMarie Kajencki, BSC professor of English, leads the discussion from 1 to 3 p.m. in the BSC Library. The book continues exploring topics within the "What Divides Us" series theme.
In this bestselling novel, the author looks at life in two Bombay households. She shows how India, even now, is ruled by class and social structure rooted in tradition and the perceived difference between the sexes.
Umrigar examines relationships in depth. While an upper-class Parsi homemaker and her female servant chat like close friends, the homemaker sits in a chair and the servant on the floor. Though separated by class, the women are united in their treatment by men, who consider all women inferior.
An Indian-American writer, Umrigar was born in Mumbai and immigrated to the United States at age 21. She is a journalist and author of three novels. Umrigar has written for the Washington Post, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Boston Globe and other newspapers. She holds a doctorate and teaches creative writing and literature at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. Umrigar is recipient of the Nieman Fellowship to Harvard University.
BookTalk discussions are open to all. Refreshments will be served.