Thrity Umrigar Books

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Thrity Umrigar is penwoman with a hyphenated nationality: Indian-American. Umrigar is of Indian origin but she is currently domiciled in the US. Umrigar, who is also a seasoned journalist, doubles up as an educator and critic. The woman of letters was born and spent her formative years in Bombay before she relocated to the US in her early twenties. Several Indian publications, with nationwide coverage, were already publishing her work in her teenage.

For her undergraduate studies, she attended Bombay University before pursuing her postgraduate education in Ohio State University and Kent State University. Moreover, she also studied at the Harvard University hard on the heels of winning a fellowship. The literary heavyweights who inspired her include American authors John Steinbeck and Ernst Hemingway, alongside British scribbler Virginia Wolf. Umrigar, who is a professor of English, debuted in 1990; she was still schooling at Harvard University by then. Her debut book is called Bombay Time and it is shelved under the Asian (Indian) literature and cultural genres; she also writes poetry and memoirs.

The first book ever authored by Thrity Umrigar , a standalone book titled Bombay Time, revolves around the life and times of members of the Parsi community while in the disapora. Incidentally, the Parsi society, is part of the larger Indian-based Zoroastrian community. In the said book, several Parsi members have since relocated to the West. These members, who are all old friends, are all connected by one thing: residing in a flat called Wadia Baug. Based on their physical appearance and cultural practices, the friends stick out like a sore thumb in their neighborhood.

The friends use ceremonial meetings, such as wedding ceremonies, to catch up on each other and suchlike interactions to compare and contrast their respective lives. The launching pad of the plot is the marriage of Jimmy Kanga’s son; Kanga, who is among the well-off, has invited the rest for the occasion which offers a benchmark against their progress. For instance, an attendant’s marriage has been blown to smithereens; there is a case of friends betraying each other; and an old friend perished in a chemical factory accident. Despite their problematic lives, they hopefully and courageously face it. All in all, this book examines how the Indian Parsee and Persian Empire political exiles are prosperous in India.

Thrity Umrigar Awards

Books penned by Thrity Umrigar have clinched and been nominated for prestigious awards, and have also been reading selections. In 2009, Umrigar clinched the Cleveland Arts Prize, which is a mid-career literary award. In 2013, she clinched the Lambda Literary Award in the Lesbian General Fiction group, thanks to her 2012 book titled The World We Found. In 2013, Umrigar she clinched the Seth Rosenberg prize wherein she won $2500, alongside presenter Sarah Willis.

In 2006, Thrity Umrigar was a finalist in the context of the PEN/Beyond Margins award, thanks to the 2006 book titled The Space Between Us. In 2009, Umrigar’s 2003 memoir titled First Darling of the Morning, was also a finalist for the Biography category of a literary award patronized by The Society of Midland Authors.

Best Thrity Umrigar Books

The World We Found, The Space Between Us, and First Darling of the Morning are the three best books in Thrity Umrigar’s bibliography.

The World We Found: This book revolves around longtime friends who reminiscence their ambitions in 1970s India, after an ailing bosom friend reunites them in America.

The Space Between Us: This book is more or less about India’s caste system, especially mistreating servants. Hereby, two soulmates share their ill-fated lives; an elderly female domestic worker, who is caring for an orphaned grandchild, is the confidante of another woman who has had a cruel mother-in-law and an abusive spouse.

First Darling of the Morning: This is Umrigar’s memoir wherein she recounts her formative years, teenage, and young adulthood in her home country, India, and, thereafter, blending in America.

Other Books You May Like

Readers who were moved by books authored by Thrity Umrigar could not help reading the following standalone books. The first one is titled “The Toss of a Lemon” and is penned by Padma Viswanathan; this revolves around the lives of a certain Brahmin household in the wake of in a period of six decades wherein India undergoes significant socio-political transformation.

The second one is “A Breath of Fresh Air” authored by Amulya Malladi; it features Anjali who is juggling the responsibilities of (ex)wife, mother of an ailing child, and demanding womanhood amid the stigma associated with escaping from a forced marriage. Another notable book is “Bitter Sweets” authored by Roopa Farooki; set in 1950s Bengal, India, it features Henna Rub who has hoodwinked a well-off man into marrying her.

When Does The Next Thrity Umrigar book come out?

Thrity Umrigar doesn't seem to have an upcoming book. Their newest book is The Museum of Failures and was released on September, 26th 2023.

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