A Mirror Made of Rain: Reading & Signing with Naheed Phiroze Patel

82 John Street,Kingston NY 12401

22 May, 2022

Description

Debut novelist Naheed Phiroze Patel will read from her new book, A Mirror Made of Rain, and be joined in conversation by Katrine Øgaard Jens Rough Draft is excited to celebrate author Naheed Phiroze Patel on the launch of her debut novel, A Mirror Made of Rain. The book was selected by The Millions as a most anticipated books of 2022, and author Diksha Basu called it "luminous -- a blistering and unflinching commentary on family, love, pain, addiction and destruction." Naheed will be joined in conversation by poet and translator Katrine Øgaard Jensen, adjunct professor of creative writing and literary translation at Columbia University. This event is free with food, drink, or book purchase. Seating is first-come, first-serve, but RSVPs via Eventbrite are appreciated. (They help us stay in touch in case of changes, and they give us an idea of how many people to expect.)  Come for the discussion; stay for the book signing and meet-and-greet to follow. Copies of A Mirror Made of Rain will be available for purchased on event night, but preorders are encouraged (for pickup at the event) in order to ensure there are enough books for everyone.    ABOUT THE BOOK: Despite an embarrassing, alcoholic mother, Noomi Wadia is loathe to change her own hard-partying ways simply because it's what's expected in Kamalpur high society. As her peers begin to marry and her social obligations become more fraught, she finds herself under constant scrutiny at summer parties of the city’s upper crust. With her options in her hometown growing increasingly limited, Noomi leaves for Mumbai and quickly becomes a successful journalist. There she falls in love with Veer, who appreciates her for exactly who she is. When Noomi and Veer decide to marry, Noomi must observe a host of patriarchal wedding rituals at the behest of her new in-laws, whose cultural customs deviate from her own. Soon, Noomi realizes that her worst fears have come to pass — she is trapped in the same cycle of self-destructiveness as her mother, and she must battle her impulses or risk losing it all. A riveting exploration of class and tradition in contemporary India, Noomi is as quick-witted as she is quick-tempered. At times funny and tragic, taking place over many years of Noomi's life, Naheed Phiroze Patel's exhilarating debut novel shows how society encourages us to see ourselves through the eyes of others. COVID PROTOCOLS: Rough Draft is following the CDC's guidance regarding masking and social distancing based on current community risk level in Ulster County. As long as this level remains low, masks will not be required indoors.