"Madras on Rainy Days" by Samina Ali [Atlanta Event]

Thursday, February 19th
Margaret Mitchell House. 990 Peachtree Street.
6:00 Reception, 7:00 Author's Talk
Admission: $8 for non-members, FREE for members
Call 770.578.3502 for reservations

From the Press Release--

Madras on Rainy Days is a striking novel from a new voice in fiction, Samina Ali, the first Muslim Indian woman to be published in the U.S. Set against the backdrop of the ancient city of Hyderabad and mounting Hindu-Muslim tensions, the novel lyrically evokes the complexities of life behind the chador, the black cloak and head covering worn by Muslim women.

Ali's own experience as a woman raised in both the U.S. and in India closely mirrors that of her protagonist, Layla. Like her main character, Ali reluctantly agreed to an arranged marriage only to find her mate had compromised something as well, his sexual freedom. In "Madras on Rainy Days", she deftly explores the taboo of homosexuality within the Indian Muslim community, as well as the conflicts over freedom of thought and expression that many modern Muslims face.

Ali was born in Hyderabad and was raised there and in the Minneapolis/St Paul area. She received her M.F.A. from the University of Oregon. She lives in San Francisco with her son.