The Children of Shahida: A Novel

Traces the lives of three generations a complex family, from India to the US. Through the lives of the grandfather, Rashid, father, Bashir, and son, Tyab, the novel focuses on personal identity while shedding light on issues of immigration and conflict. Rashid remembers the old stories of his grandmother, and observes that his own life is marked by change and ambivalence, mirroring the transformation of Indian Christians from a pampered elite to a second-class minority. Bashir's childhood is animated by the birth of a baby rhino, a fight with monkeys and his Aunt Cybil. Friendship's are the leitmotif of his stories about a trip to the Himalayas. He falls in love with Sociology, but when his new world of ideas and analysis has a rude awakening his father arranges his marriage. Bashir's wife embraces an American lifestyle, and Bashir returns to India alone. Tyab recalls his mother's partner, Sharon, and their move from New York to Georgia. Tyab's world is anchored in many uncertainties: his lack of affiliation to any cultures and the hostilities his mother faces as a lesbian. He moves to California.