Best Selling Books by Thrity Umrigar

A middle-aged widow struggles to decide whether she will live in her native India or immigrate to America, where her son and his wife live in suburban Ohio and where the widow struggles with her cultural identity and need to bring happiness into the family.

A riveting story about uncovering family secrets and the power of forgiveness, set in India and the United States, from the bestselling author of Reese''s Book Club pick Honor Remy Wadia left India for the United States long ago, carrying his resentment of his mother with him. He has now returned to Bombay to adopt a baby from a young pregnant girl—and to see his elderly mother for the first time in several years. Discovering that his mother is in the hospital, has stopped talking, and seems to have given up on life, he is struck with guilt for not realizing just how sick she has become. His unexpected appearance and assiduous attention revives her and enables her to return to her home. But when Remy stumbles on an old photograph, shocking long-held family secrets surface. As the secrets unravel and Remy''s mother begins communicating again, he finds himself reevaluating his entire childhood, his relationship to his parents, and his harsh judgment of the decisions and events long hidden from him, just as he is on the cusp of becoming a parent himself. But most of all, he must learn to forgive others for their failures and human frailties. The Museum of Failures is a deeply moving story of secrets and family, and a reminder that forgiveness comes from realizing that the people we love are usually trying to do their best in the most difficult situations.

THE JANUARY 2022 REESE''S BOOK CLUB PICK “In the way A Thousand Splendid Suns told of Afghanistan’s women, Thrity Umrigar tells a story of India with the intimacy of one who knows the many facets of a land both modern and ancient, awash in contradictions.” —Lisa Wingate, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Before We Were Yours In this riveting and immersive novel, bestselling author Thrity Umrigar tells the story of two couples and the sometimes dangerous and heartbreaking challenges of love across a cultural divide. Indian American journalist Smita has returned to India to cover a story, but reluctantly: long ago she and her family left the country with no intention of ever coming back. As she follows the case of Meena—a Hindu woman attacked by members of her own village and her own family for marrying a Muslim man—Smita comes face to face with a society where tradition carries more weight than one’s own heart, and a story that threatens to unearth the painful secrets of Smita’s own past. While Meena’s fate hangs in the balance, Smita tries in every way she can to right the scales. She also finds herself increasingly drawn to Mohan, an Indian man she meets while on assignment. But the dual love stories of Honor are as different as the cultures of Meena and Smita themselves: Smita realizes she has the freedom to enter into a casual affair, knowing she can decide later how much it means to her. In this tender and evocative novel about love, hope, familial devotion, betrayal, and sacrifice, Thrity Umrigar shows us two courageous women trying to navigate how to be true to their homelands and themselves at the same time.

“Stunning . . . . This is a novel that rewards reading, and even re-reading. The World We Found is a powerful meditation.” —Boston Globe Thrity Umrigar, acclaimed author of The Space Between Us and The Weight of Heaven, returns with a breathtaking new novel—a skillfully wrought, emotionally resonant story of four women and the indelible friendship they share As university students in late 1970s Bombay, Armaiti, Laleh, Kavita, and Nishta were inseparable. Spirited and unconventional, they challenged authority and fought for a better world. But over the past thirty years, the quartet has drifted apart, the day-to-day demands of work and family tempering the revolutionary fervor they once shared. Then comes devastating news: Armaiti, who moved to America, is gravely ill and wants to see the old friends she left behind. For Laleh, reunion is a bittersweet reminder of unfulfilled dreams and unspoken guilt. For Kavita, it is an admission of forbidden passion. For Nishta, it is the promise of freedom from a bitter, fundamentalist husband. And for Armaiti, it is an act of acceptance, of letting go on her own terms. The World We Found is a dazzling masterwork from the remarkable Thrity Umrigar, offering an unforgettable portrait of modern India while it explores the enduring bonds of friendship and the power of love to change lives.

“A powerful, urgent novel that wields issues of gender and class like a blade. . . . This intergenerational novel asks hard questions about who we are, who we can become, and what awaits on the other side of our becoming. Thrity Umrigar is known as a bold and generous writer, and The Secrets Between Us only further establishes her reputation.” — Wiley Cash, author of The Last Ballad Bhima, the unforgettable main character of Thrity Umrigar’s beloved national bestseller The Space Between Us, returns in this triumphant sequel—a poignant and compelling novel in which the former servant struggles against the circumstances of class and misfortune to forge a new path for herself and her granddaughter in modern India. Poor and illiterate, Bhima had faithfully worked for the Dubash family, an upper-middle-class Parsi household, for more than twenty years. Yet after courageously speaking the truth about a heinous crime perpetrated against her own family, the devoted servant was cruelly fired. The sting of that dismissal was made more painful coming from Sera Dubash, the temperamental employer who had long been Bhima’s only confidante. A woman who has endured despair and loss with stoicism, Bhima must now find some other way to support herself and her granddaughter, Maya. Bhima’s fortunes take an unexpected turn when her path intersects with Parvati, a bitter, taciturn older woman. The two acquaintances soon form a tentative business partnership, selling fruits and vegetables at the local market. As they work together, these two women seemingly bound by fate grow closer, each confessing the truth about their lives and the wounds that haunt them. Discovering her first true friend, Bhima pieces together a new life, and together, the two women learn to stand on their own. A dazzling story of gender, strength, friendship, and second chances, The Secrets Between Us is a powerful and perceptive novel that brilliantly evokes the complexities of life in modern India and the harsh realities faced by women born without privilege as they struggle to survive.

“Thrity Umrigar has an uncanny ability to look deeply into the human heart and find the absolute truth of our lives. The Story Hour is stunning and beautiful. Lakshmi and Maggie will stay with readers for a very long time.” — Luis Alberto Urrea, author of The Hummingbird''s Daughter From the critically beloved, bestselling author of The World We Found and The Space Between Us, whom the New York Times Book Review calls a “perceptive and... piercing writer,” comes a profound, heartbreakingly honest novel about friendship, family, secrets, forgiveness, and second chances. An experienced psychologist, Maggie carefully maintains emotional distance from her patients. But when she meets a young Indian woman who tried to kill herself, her professional detachment disintegrates. Cut off from her family in India, Lakshmi is desperately lonely and trapped in a loveless marriage to a domineering man who limits her world to their small restaurant and grocery store. Moved by her plight, Maggie treats Lakshmi in her home office for free, quickly realizing that the despondent woman doesn’t need a shrink; she needs a friend. Determined to empower Lakshmi as a woman who feels valued in her own right, Maggie abandons protocol, and soon doctor and patient have become close friends. But while their relationship is deeply affectionate, it is also warped by conflicting expectations. When Maggie and Lakshmi open up and share long-buried secrets, the revelations will jeopardize their close bond, shake their faith in each other, and force them to confront painful choices.

From the bestselling author of THE SPACE BETWEEN US comes an emotionally-charged story about unexpected death, unhealed wounds, and the price one father will pay to protect himself from pain and loss. “Powerful. . . . Twisty, brimming with dark humor and keen moral insight, The Weight of Heaven packs a wallop on both a literary and emotional level. . . . Umrigar . . . is a descriptive master.” — Christian Science Monitor From Thrity Umrigar, bestselling author of The Space Between Us, comes The Weight of Heaven. In the rich tradition of the acclaimed works of Indian writers such as Rohinton Mistry, Akhil Sharma, Indra Sinha, and Jhumpa Lahiri, The Weight of Heaven is an emotionally charged story about unexpected death, unhealed wounds, and the price one father will pay to protect himself from pain and loss. Additionally, it offers unique perspectives, both Indian and American, on the fragmented nature of globalized India.

“Everybody’s Son probes directly into the tender spots of race and privilege in America. . . . With assured prose and deep insight into the human heart, Umrigar explores the moral gray zone of what parents, no matter their race, will do for love.” — Celeste Ng, author of Everything I Never Told You During a terrible heat wave in 1991—the worst in a decade—ten-year-old Anton has been locked in an apartment in the projects, alone, for seven days, without air conditioning or a fan. With no electricity, the refrigerator and lights do not work. Hot, hungry, and desperate, Anton shatters a window and climbs out. Cutting his leg on the broken glass, he is covered in blood when the police find him. Juanita, his mother, is discovered in a crack house less than three blocks away, nearly unconscious and half-naked. When she comes to, she repeatedly asks for her baby boy. She never meant to leave Anton—she went out for a quick hit and was headed right back, until her drug dealer raped her and kept her high. Though the bond between mother and son is extremely strong, Anton is placed with child services while Juanita goes to jail. The Harvard-educated son of a US senator, Judge David Coleman is a scion of northeastern white privilege. Desperate to have a child in the house again after the tragic death of his teenage son, David uses his power and connections to keep his new foster son, Anton, with him and his wife, Delores—actions that will have devastating consequences in the years to come. Following in his adopted family’s footsteps, Anton, too, rises within the establishment. But when he discovers the truth about his life, his birth mother, and his adopted parents, this man of the law must come to terms with the moral complexities of crimes committed by the people he loves most.

Love Your Forever meets On the Night You Were Born in this heartwarming picture book about a mother''s love for her child. The special bond between a mother and her child begins well before the baby is born. But once the baby is born and starts to grow into her own person, traits from both parents begin to show themselves in delightful and humorous ways. When I Carried You in My Belly is a mother''s song to her growing daughter, capturing the warmth and magic of the time when her daughter was housed inside her belly. The girl''s laugh, her love of music, her sweet disposition, and her carefree attitude can all be traced back to her time in her mother''s tummy, when her mother would laugh, sing songs, eat yummy treats, and dance the day away. Thrity Umrigar''s lyrical and playful text are well complemented by Ziyue Chen''s soft and delightful illustrations, and together they create a sentimental and insightful book about the special bond between parents and children. With a similar tone to On the Night You Were Born and the spirit of I Loved You Before You Were Born, When I Carried You in My Belly is primed to become a new timeless classic.

A deeply felt first novel, "Bombay Time" portrays the lives of longtime residents of a middle-class apartment building in Parsis as they gather at a wedding and look back on their youthful selves.

“[Umrigar] communicates her childhood longing for a cohesive family in deeply felt portraits of those she loves. . . . It is this combination of personal revelation and empathetic observation that makes Umrigar’s memoir so appealing.”— Washington Post Book World From the bestselling author of The Space Between Us and If Today Be Sweet comes a sensitive, beautifully written memoir of Thrity Umrigar’s youth in India, told with the honesty and guilelessness that only a child’s point of view could provide. In a series of incredibly poignant stories, Thrity Umrigar traces the arc of her Bombay childhood and adolescence—from her earliest memories growing up in a middle-class Parsi household to her eventual departure for the U.S. at age 21. Her emotionally charged scenes take an unflinching look at family issues once considered unspeakable—including intimate secrets, controversial political beliefs, and the consequences of child abuse. Punishments and tempered hopes, struggles and small successes all weave together in this evocative, unforgettable coming-of-age tale. First Darling of the Morning also offers readers a fascinating glimpse at the 1960s and 70s Bombay of Umrigar’s memories. Two coming-of-age stories collide in this memoir—one of a small child, and one of a nation.

Binny woke up happy but nervous. It was her day to share about Diwali, the Festival of Lights! Binny is excited to talk to her class about her favorite holiday. But she struggles to find the words.Taking a deep breath, she tells her classmates about the fireworks that burst like stars in the night sky, leaving streaks of gold and red and green. She shares with them delicious pedas and jalebis. And she shows them clay lamps, called diyas, which look so pretty all the children ooh and aah.Featuring a heartwarming story by Thrity Umrigar, enchanting illustrations by Nidhi Chanani, and detailed information about the Hindu festival of lights, Binny''s Diwali is a holiday treat.

Celebrate Holi, the festival of colors, sharing, and love with Maya as she visits her grandparents in India for the spring jubilee. Maya loves visiting her grandparents in India, and this year is extra special because she is celebrating Holi with them. Maya and her family start the magical day by eating a special breakfast, including rasgulla dumplings and glasses of mango lassi. They put on colorful clothing and join the celebration out in the streets. The air fills with joyful songs and clouds of blue, red, and purple powder. On this special vacation, Maya can feel the magic of Holi. When Maya returns to America, she carries the exhilarating energy of Holi with her. The spirit of the holiday -- hope and forgiveness and love -- keeps her warm. Marking the end of winter and the beginning of spring, Holi takes place on March 14, 2025. It offers people the opportunity to begin anew -- to have a fresh start. Thrity Umrigar''s heartfelt text and Kamala Nair''s richly colorful, exuberant illustrations fill the pages with happiness and joy. Informative back matter will teach readers about the history and traditions of Holi.

Um lugar para todos acompanha as trajetórias de um grupo de moradores de um bairro de classe média em Bombaim e a forma como sua vida é influenciada pelas mudanças ocorridas na cidade ao longo dos anos. Reunidos para o casamento de um dos residentes mais novos, os mais velhos revisitam as pessoas que eram quando jovens guiados por amores e ideais há muito deixados para trás. Com sabedoria e compaixão, Thrity Umrigar nos apresenta os homens e as mulheres que cresceram juntos na antiga comunidade de Wadia Baug, como o homem que teve sua vida desintegrada pelo alcoolismo; a velha fofoqueira do bairro; o bem-sucedido advogado, considerado um exemplo para toda a vizinhança; e um comerciante de meia idade que luta para aceitar um casamento ruim e a percepção de que muitos dos seus sonhos jamais se realizarão. Um romance surpreendente a respeito de pessoas notáveis, ao mesmo tempo completamente únicas e tão parecidas com cada um de nós.

Durante uma terrível onda de calor, o menino Anton foi trancado sozinho em um apartamento. Com fome e desesperado, ele quebra uma das janelas e foge. Sua mãe é encontrada desacordada em um reduto de viciados em crack próximo dali. Ela jamais quis deixar Anton, porém, sofrendo com os efeitos do vício e sem ninguém para ajudá-la, acabou sendo estuprada por um traficante, que a manteve dopada em cárcere privado. Embora o vínculo entre mãe e filho fosse extremamente forte, a mãe vai para a prisão e perde a guarda do menino. Anton é, então, adotado pelo juiz David Coleman, descendente do privilégio da classe alta e branca. Com poucas lembranças do passado, o menino segue os passos da família adotiva, levando uma vida rodeada pelas regalias que só a posição de filho de um político influente oferece. Anton é um jovem negro criado como um membro da elite branca e moldado a acreditar que isso jamais seria um obstáculo para a sua felicidade e o seu sucesso. Quando descobre a verdade sobre sua origem e as circunstâncias que envolveram sua adoção, ele terá que confrontar quem ele realmente é e lidar com as complexidades morais dos crimes cometidos pelas pessoas que mais ama.

Sucesso com mais de 200 mil exemplares vendidos no Brasil, Thrity Umrigar está de volta às livrarias. Novo romance da autora do best-seller A distância entre nós, imigrante indiana e psiquiatra americana têm suas vidas transformadas pela amizade e cumplicidade A indiana Lakshmi mora há anos nos Estados Unidos sem se adaptar, e entre o sentimento de inadequação e as saudades da família, se desespera e tenta o suicídio. Sua atitude extrema a levará a Margaret Bose, uma psiquiatra que apesar de sua carreira bem-sucedida, também precisa lidar com seus problemas pessoais. A HORA DA HISTÓRIA é um romance envolvente sobre como a amizade e o perdão podem transformar as trajetórias das pessoas. Sucesso com mais de 100 mil exemplares vendidos no Brasil, Thrity Umrigar, autora de A distância entre nós e A doçura do mundo, está de volta às livrarias com novas edições pela Globo Livros. Em seu novo romance, A hora da história, a escritora cria uma narrativa cativante sobre a importância dos laços de amor e de amizade. Entre o sentimento de inadequação e as saudades da família, Lakshmi se desespera e tenta o suicídio. A indiana mora há anos nos Estados Unidos sem se adaptar, fala mal o idioma e sua rotina se restringe entre a casa e o trabalho. Vive um casamento arranjado e sem amor. Sua atitude extrema fará com que ela se torne paciente de Margaret Bose, uma psiquiatra que apesar de sua carreira bem-sucedida, também precisa lidar com seus problemas pessoais. Nas primeiras consultas, Margaret percebe que Lakshmi tentou se matar devido a uma profunda sensação de isolamento. O desamparo da indiana relembra a psiquiatra de momentos dolorosos de seu passado que pareciam superados, mas ainda influenciam suas escolhas. Ela se sensibiliza com a situação da imigrante e percebe que Lakshmi precisa de amizade e de autonomia para ter uma vida mais feliz. Decide estimular a paciente a expressar seus sentimentos e a conquistar alguma independência. Margaret não só encontra serviços de faxineira e cozinheira para Lakshmi, como acaba se tornando mais sua amiga do que médica. Enquanto ajuda a indiana, a psiquiatra confronta lembranças dolorosas da morte de sua mãe e a sensação de desamparo causada pelo afastamento de seu pai e de seu irmão. Além disso, Maggie se vê diante de um desejo irresistível por um colega de universidade, o que põe seu casamento em risco. Quando Lakshmi finalmente decide contar a Maggie seu maior segredo, a imagem que a psiquiatra tinha da indiana se desfaz. A mulher frágil e desesperada revela não ser apenas uma vítima das circunstâncias. Já a imigrante se decepciona ao descobrir que a psiquiatra esconde suas questões profundas.

Romance que conquistou os brasileiros e transformou Thrity Umrigar em autora best-seller está de volta às livrarias Sucesso de público, A distância entre nós ganha uma nova edição pela Globo Livros. O livro, que fez da indiana Thrity Umrigar uma escritora com mais de 200 mil exemplares vendidos no Brasil, volta às livrarias junto com o romance inédito A hora da história e o relançamento A doçura do mundo.

Quando Frank e Ellie Benton perderam seu único filho para uma doença súbita, a vida perfeita que eles construíram é interrompida. Repleta de memórias doloridas, sua casa no Michigan torna-se um local insuportável, e o casamento de ambos parece prestes a naufragar. É então que um convite de emprego inesperado do outro lado do mundo em Girbaug, na Índia, oferece-lhes a oportunidade de começar de novo. Em sua nova cidade, Frank criar uma estreita amizade com o filho dos caseiros da propriedade para onde se mudam. Desesperado para recuperar uma existência que acredita lhe ter sido injustamente usurpada, Frank não mede esforços para tornar o menino cada vez mais próximo e vê nele a sombra de seu filho perdido. Suas atitudes desesperadas, porém, o conduzirão por um caminho cada vez mais escuro e que pode ter repercussões extremas para todos que o cercam. Um olhar devastador sobre a perda, a paternidade e as diferenças culturais, o livro é um vislumbre raro de uma família e um país que lutam sob pressões além de seu controle.

See below for English description. C''est un grand jour pour Binny. Depuis quelque temps, avec ses camarades de classe, elle découvre toutes sortes de célébrations autour du monde. C''est aujourd''hui son tour de faire une présentation. Elle va parler de Diwali, le festival des lumières! Elle a hâte de mentionner les lampes à huile, les feux d''artifice et de tout ce qui constitue cette fête hindoue célébrant la bonté et l''espoir. Mais lorsque Binny se retrouve devant sa classe, elle a le trac et n''arrive pas à parler. Trouvera-t-elle le courage de faire découvrir Diwali à sa classe? Une belle histoire qui encourage à reconnaître et à apprécier les différentes célébrations du monde entier. It''s a big day for Binny. Her class is learning about different celebrations, and today is her day to talk about Diwali, the Festival of Lights! She can''t wait to tell her friends about the oil lamps, fireworks, and everything else that makes up the Hindu holiday that celebrates goodness and hope. But when the time comes, she feels nervous, and her mind goes blank. Will she find the courage to share this holiday with her class? A beautiful story about embracing all the different and diverse celebrations in our world. Original title: Binny''s Diwali

Autora de A distância entre nós narra a história comovente de uma mulher que precisa redescobrir o sentido da vida após morte do marido Em A doçura do mundo Thrity Umrigar narra a história de Tehmina, uma dona de casa indiana que fica viúva após 40 anos de casamento e precisa redefinir os rumos de sua vida. Com sensibilidade, a autora best-seller de A hora da história e A distância entre nós constrói uma narrativa envolvente sobre luto, família e superação.

Uma história lírica da autora best-seller Thrity Umrigar com as encantadoras ilustrações de Ziyue Chen. Repleta de sentimentos e sabedoria sobre a conexão especial entre pais e filhos. Uma jovem mãe conta a sua filha como ela já era cercada de amor, gentileza e divertimento mesmo antes de nascer. A risada da menina, seu amor por música, sua doçura e seu espírito protetor vêm do período em que estava em sua barriga, tempo em que sua mãe cantava e dançava com ela, comia bolo de chocolate e alimentava passarinhos e gatinhos de rua. Quando você estava na minha barriga é a canção da mãe para sua filha em formação, retratando o aconchego e a magia de uma época em que ela estava grávida.

A heart-warming story of facing fear and sharing our culture and experience with our peers.

O novo livro da autora de A distância entre nós Uma jornalista indiana-americana volta à Índia para cobrir uma história. Há muito tempo ela e sua família deixaram o país sem intenção de retornarem. Ao acompanhar o caso de uma mulher hindu atacada pela própria família e por membros de sua aldeia devido ao casamento com um muçulmano, a jornalista se depara com uma sociedade onde a tradição tem mais peso do que o próprio coração, e uma história que ameaça desenterrar os segredos dolorosos de seu passado. Em Honra, Thrity Umrigar nos mostra um romance terno e eloquente sobre amor, esperança, devoção familiar, traição e sacrifício.