I walked by this book for a month before I picked it up. I have tried books written by and about India before (Inheritance of Loss and The God of Small Things) and not been able to connect with them or understand the underlying emotions and motivations well. Perhaps that is my own shortcoming, in expecting a book to bridge cultural differences and be something that I could relate with my own experience. I don't know, but I won't say it hasn't bothered me at times as some form of literary feebleness related somehow to my intrinsic American attitude. However, knowing that the third time's the charm and being unable to resist knowing more about the sliver of the beautiful woman hiding behind the door, I brought this book home. What an absolute delight I had in store for me. Thrity Umrigar has woven universal elements: loss, grief, acceptance, belonging, family, uncertainty, isolation and community, and brought them to the place where cultures retain their identity and are bridged by their commonalities. I was enchanted at the slices of life in Bombay that were revealed throughout the story. I was educated in the cultures of Indian and Parsi peoples. I invested in Tehmina and Sorab and Rustom beyond their ethnicity as individual characters with whom I shared a common tie. I sympathized with the cultural clashes and was encouraged by their solutions. This was a great book, realistically depicting the difficulties in melding individuals within a family and within a culture and compassionately revealing the wonderful humanity of us all. Highly Recommend. ( )

Recently widowed Tehmina moves to Cleveland to live with her son and his family. She's trying to discover where the rest of her life fits best. Her son adamantly wants her to stay. Her life in India tugs at her. Her dead husband's ghost visits her. Issues of racism (her Jewish best friend) and child (next-door neighbor) abuse invade her life ( )

A touching story of an Indian woman struggling with the decision of whether to stay in Ohio, with her son and grandson, or to move back to Bombay, after her husband's death. A surprisingly pleasant read - human and touching. This book was an intimate look at two cultures, struggling to find overlap. I enjoyed this book - just the thing for a summer's read. ( )