The story hour : a novel

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. Determined to empower Lakshmi as a woman who feels valued in her own right, Maggie abandons protocol. But as doctor and patient become friends, long-buried secrets will jeopardize their close bond, shake their faith in each other, and force them to confront painful choices.

Holds:

Available:*

Library	Call Number	Status
Searching... Hardwood Creek Library (Forest Lake)	SCD FICTION UMR 9 DISCS	Searching... Unknown

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

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. 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, 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.

Author Notes

Thrity Umrigar is an Indian-American writer, who was born in Mumbai. She received her Bachelors of Science from Bombay University. She immigrated to the United States when she was 21.She then went on to earn her M.A. From Ohio State and her Phd from Kent State University. She is a journalist and the author of the novels Bombay Time, The Space Between Us and The Weight of Heaven. She has written for the Washington Post, Cleveland Plain Dealer, among other newspapers, and regularly writes for The Boston Globe 's book pages. She is currently assistant professor of English at Case Western Reserve University where she teaches creative writing and literature. She was a winner of the Nieman Fellowship to Harvard University. She has a Ph.D. in English and lives in Cleveland, Ohio. Her title Space Between Us made The New York Times Best Seller List for 2011.

(Bowker Author Biography)

Reviews (1)

Library Journal Review

Lakshmi, an immigrant Indian woman in a loveless marriage, tries to kill herself. In the aftermath, her therapist, Maggie, bends the rules of medical practice to be a friend to her patient. She helps Lakshmi start her own catering and housecleaning business and address issues with her husband. Lakshmi slowly reveals her life by telling stories to Maggie, who is not always sympathetic to the pressures of Indian culture. When Lakshmi discovers that her therapist is having an affair, the consequence of her impulsive response reverberate through the women's lives. Umrigar (Bombay Time) beautifully captures the lyric cadence of her Indian characters' speech and carefully crafts these individuals to show both strengths and flaws. The work is skillfully read by Sneha Mathan. VERDICT Recommended for listeners who enjoy tales of women's lives. ["This satisfying, psychologically complex story will appeal to a wide range of readers," read the starred review of the Harper hc, LJ 7/14.] Joanna Burkhardt, Univ. of Rhode Island Libs., Providence (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Available:*

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

Summary

Author Notes

Reviews (1)

Library Journal Review

Helpful Links

Research Links

Contact

Events and Rooms

Follow Us

Today's Hours