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9781617753978 English 1617753971 " T]his luminous debut...captures precisely the heartache of growing up."--"Library Journal," Top Spring Indie Fiction "A powerful story...a universal look at the complexity of how people wrestle with guilt and blame amid tragic loss."--"New Haven Independent" Included in John Reed's list of Most Anticipated Small Press Books of 2016 at "Big Other" "A son of Hindu immigrants from India grows up in a New England suburb, where he struggles to find his way after his mother dies, while his father becomes immersed in anti-Muslim fundamentalism."--World Wide Work ""South Haven"is an affecting tale of a family's loss, a child's grief, and the search for solace in all the wrong places. Hirsh Sawhney is anincandescent voice in fiction."--Laila Lalami, author of"The Moor's Account" "It's no secret that grief makes us vulnerable, but Hirsh Sawhney's perceptively rendered"South Haven"presents a volatile mix of second-generation migration, sadness, and cruelty in suburbanAmerica."South Haven"is bold, accessible, funny, and heartbreaking."--Jayne Anne Phillips, author of"Quiet Dell" "Hirsh Sawhney writes with wit and tenderness about a harsh childhood. And such is his power of insight that this novel, set in a New England suburb, manages to illuminate a larger landscape of cruelty and torment."--Pankaj Mishra, author of "From the Ruins of Empire" "Hirsh Sawhney has produced an intelligent and beautiful novel. It is about America and India, fathers and children, families and loss. The world is changing and here is a new map of belonging."--Nadeem Aslam, author of "The Blind Man s Garden" "A lyrical yet disturbing look at the grim realities of migration and American suburban life, "South Haven"manages to be both witty and unnerving at the same time. It is a novel that resonates long in the memory."--Caryl Phillips, author of"The Lost Child" Siddharth Arora lives an ordinary life in the New England suburb of South Haven, but his childhood comes to a grinding halt when his mother dies in a car accident. Siddharth soon gravitates toward a group of adolescent bullies, drinking and smoking instead of drawing and swimming. He takes great pains to care for his depressive father, Mohan Lal, an immigrant who finds solace in the hateful Hindu fundamentalism of his homeland and cheers on Indian fanatics who murder innocent Muslims. When a new woman enters their lives, Siddharth and his father have a chance at a fresh start. They form a new family, hoping to leave their pain behind them. "South Haven" is no simple coming-of-age tale or hero's journey, blurring the line between victim and victimizer and asking readers to contend with the lies we tell ourselves as we grieve and survive. Following in the tradition of narratives by Edwidge Danticat and Junot Diaz, Sawhney draws upon the measured lyricism of postcolonial writers like Michael Ondaatje but brings to his subjects distinctly American irreverence and humor.", ""South Haven"is an affecting tale of a family's loss, a child's grief, and the search for solace in all the wrong places. Hirsh Sawhney is anincandescent voice in fiction."--Laila Lalami, author of"The Moor's Account" "It's no secret that grief makes us vulnerable, but Hirsh Sawhney's perceptively rendered"South Haven"presents a volatile mix of second-generation migration, sadness, and cruelty in suburbanAmerica."South Haven"is bold, accessible, funny, and heartbreaking."--Jayne Anne Phillips, author of"Quiet Dell" "Hirsh Sawhney writes with wit and tenderness about a harsh childhood. And such is his power of insight that this novel, set in a New England suburb, manages to illuminate a larger landscape of cruelty and torment."--Pankaj Mishra, author of "From the Ruins of Empire" "Hirsh Sawhney has produced an intelligent and beautiful novel. It is about America and India, fathers and children, families and loss. The world is changing and here is a new map of belonging."--Nadeem Aslam, author of "The Blind Man s Garden" "A lyrical yet disturbing look at the grim realities of migration and American suburban life, "South Haven"manages to be both witty and unnerving at the same time. It is a novel that resonates long in the memory."--Caryl Phillips, author of"The Lost Child" Siddharth Arora lives an ordinary life in the New England suburb of South Haven, but his childhood comes to a grinding halt when his mother dies in a car accident. Siddharth soon gravitates towards a group of adolescent bullies, drinking and smoking instead of drawing and swimming. He takes great pains to care for his depressive father, Mohan Lal, an immigrant who finds solace in the hateful Hindu fundamentalism of his homeland and cheers on Indian fanatics who murder innocent Muslims. When a new woman enters their lives, Siddharth and his father have a chance at a fresh start. They form a new family, hoping to leave their pain behind them. "South Haven" is no simple coming-of-age tale or hero's journey, blurring the line between victim and victimizer and asking readers to contend with the lies we tell ourselves as we grieve and survive. Following in the tradition of narratives by Edwidge Danticat and Junot Diaz, Sawhney draws upon the measured lyricism of postcolonial writers like Michael Ondaatje but brings to his subjects distinctly American irreverence and humor.", "A lyrical yet disturbing look at the grim realities of migration and American suburban life, South Haven manages to be both witty and unnerving at the same time. It is a novel that resonates long in the memory." -- Caryl Phillips , author of The Lost Child Siddharth Arora lives an ordinary life in the New England suburb of South Haven, but his childhood comes to a grinding halt when his mother dies in a car accident. Siddharth soon gravitates towards a group of adolescent bullies, drinking and smoking instead of drawing and swimming. He takes great pains to care for his depressive father, Mohan Lal, an immigrant who finds solace in the hateful Hindu fundamentalism of his homeland and cheers on Indian fanatics who murder innocent Muslims. Whena new woman enters their lives, Siddharth and his father have a chance at a fresh start. They form a new family, hoping to leave their pain behind them. South Haven is no simple coming-of-age tale or hero's journey, blurring the line between victim and victimizer and asking readers to contend with the lies we tell ourselves as we grieve and survive. Following in the tradition of narratives by Edwidge Danticat and Junot DÃaz, Sawhney draws upon the measured lyricism of postcolonial writers like Michael Ondaatje but brings to his subjects distinctly American irreverence and humor. Hirsh Sawhney 's writing has appeared in the New York Times Book Review , the Guardian , the Times Literary Supplement , the Financial Times , Outlook , and numerous other periodicals. He is the editor of Delhi Noir , a critically acclaimed anthology of original fiction, and is an advisory editor at Wasafiri , a London-based journal of postcolonial literature. He lives in New Haven, Connecticut, and teaches at Wesleyan University., "A vivid portrait of second-generation immigrants living in suburban New England...Sawhney is pitch-perfect when describing the uneasy relationship between adolescents and their parents...There is much emotional truth in the author''s sensitive portrayal of the despair and rage that can simmer away throughout adolescence...Hirsh Sawhney''s quietly devastating conclusion is both unexpected and deeply moving." -- Times Literary Supplement "[T]his luminous debut...captures precisely the heartache of growing up." -- Library Journal , Top Spring Indie Fiction "A powerful story...a universal look at the complexity of how people wrestle with guilt and blame amid tragic loss." -- New Haven Independent "[A] sensitive, poignant, resonating novel." -- Bookslut "An unforgettable and unnerving tale of grief and migration." -- Largehearted Boy Included in John Reed''s list of Most Anticipated Small Press Books of 2016 at Big Other "Sawhney''s portrait of childhood grief is complex and explosive, and it challenges the definition of "victim." -- Minnesota Public Radio "A son of Hindu immigrants from India grows up in a New England suburb, where he struggles to find his way after his mother dies, while his father becomes immersed in anti-Muslim fundamentalism." -- World Wide Work "This book became insight into what the life of a South Asian family is like in suburbia here in the US. But it remained a sharp, sensitive comment on adolescence and how much we still struggle to do well by our youth. Sawhney leaves us with a good cliffhanger in the end which I admired. He didn''t have to tell us how each character turned out in life but lets us imagine their further existence." -- WORD Bookstores , Staff pick "This story was absolutely beautifully written. I found myself unable to stop turning page after page as I immersed myself in this book fully. It is a gripping story from start to finish, as you read hoping that this family will finally come to terms with their loss. A definite 10 stars out of 5 star read." -- The Reading Wolf "A novelist you will be reading for years to come." -- Amy Bloom , author of Lucky Us " South Haven is an affecting tale of a family''s loss, a child''s grief, and the search for solace in all the wrong places. Hirsh Sawhney is an incandescent voice in fiction." -- Laila Lalami , author of The Moor''s Account "It''s no secret that grief makes us vulnerable, but Hirsh Sawhney''s perceptively rendered South Haven presents a volatile mix of second-generation migration, sadness, and cruelty in suburban America. South Haven is bold, accessible, funny, and heartbreaking." -- Jayne Anne Phillips , author of Quiet Dell Siddharth Arora lives an ordinary life in the New England suburb of South Haven, but his childhood comes to a grinding halt when his mother dies in a car accident. Siddharth soon gravitates toward a group of adolescent bullies, drinking and smoking instead of drawing and swimming. He takes great pains to care for his depressive father, Mohan Lal, an immigrant who finds solace in the hateful Hindu fundamentalism of his homeland and cheers on Indian fanatics who murder innocent Muslims. When anew woman enters their lives, Siddharth and his father have a chance at a fresh start. They form a new family, hoping to leave their pain behind them. South Haven is no simple coming-of-age tale or hero''s journey, blurring the line between victim and victimizer and asking readers to contend with the lies we tell ourselves as we grieve and survive. Following in the tradition of narratives by Edwidge Danticat and Junot DÃaz, Sawhney draws upon the measured lyricism of postcolonial writers like Michael Ondaatje but brings to his subjects distinctly American irreverence and humor., "[T]his luminous debut...captures precisely the heartache of growing up." -- Library Journal , Top Spring Indie Fiction "A powerful story...a universal look at the complexity of how people wrestle with guilt and blame amid tragic loss." -- New Haven Independent "[A] sensitive, poignant, resonating novel." -- Bookslut Included in John Reed's list of Most Anticipated Small Press Books of 2016 at Big Other "A son of Hindu immigrants from India grows up in a New England suburb, where he struggles to find his way after his mother dies, while his father becomes immersed in anti-Muslim fundamentalism." -- World Wide Work " South Haven is an affecting tale of a family's loss, a child's grief, and the search for solace in all the wrong places. Hirsh Sawhney is an incandescent voice in fiction." -- Laila Lalami , author of The Moor's Account "It's no secret that grief makes us vulnerable, but Hirsh Sawhney's perceptively rendered South Haven presents a volatile mix of second-generation migration, sadness, and cruelty in suburban America. South Haven is bold, accessible, funny, and heartbreaking." -- Jayne Anne Phillips , author of Quiet Dell "Hirsh Sawhney writes with wit and tenderness about a harsh childhood. And such is his power of insight that this novel, set in a New England suburb, manages to illuminate a larger landscape of cruelty and torment." -- Pankaj Mishra , author of From the Ruins of Empire "Hirsh Sawhney has produced an intelligent and beautiful novel. It is about America and India, fathers and children, families and loss. The world is changing and here is a new map of belonging." -- Nadeem Aslam , author of The Blind Man's Garden "A lyrical yet disturbing look at the grim realities of migration and American suburban life, South Haven manages to be both witty and unnerving at the same time. It is a novel that resonates long in the memory." -- Caryl Phillips , author of The Lost Child Siddharth Arora lives an ordinary life in the New England suburb of South Haven, but his childhood comes to a grinding halt when his mother dies in a car accident. Siddharth soon gravitates toward a group of adolescent bullies, drinking and smoking instead of drawing and swimming. He takes great pains to care for his depressive father, Mohan Lal, an immigrant who finds solace in the hateful Hindu fundamentalism of his homeland and cheers on Indian fanatics who murder innocent Muslims. When anew woman enters their lives, Siddharth and his father have a chance at a fresh start. They form a new family, hoping to leave their pain behind them. South Haven is no simple coming-of-age tale or hero's journey, blurring the line between victim and victimizer and asking readers to contend with the lies we tell ourselves as we grieve and survive. Following in the tradition of narratives by Edwidge Danticat and Junot DÃaz, Sawhney draws upon the measured lyricism of postcolonial writers like Michael Ondaatje but brings to his subjects distinctly American irreverence and humor., Grief, violence and history collide to offer a radical look at childhood and migration in suburban New England. Siddharth Arora lives an ordinary life in the New England suburb of South Haven, but his childhood comes to a grinding halt when his mother dies in a car accident. Siddharth soon gravitates towards a group of adolescent bullies, drinking and smoking instead of drawing and swimming. He also takes great pains to care for his depressive father. Sawhney blurs line between victim and victimizer and asking readers to contend with the lies we tell ourselves., South Haven is the story of young Siddharth Arora, who is floundering in a fog of solitude after his mother's tragic death in a car accident. As Siddharth and his forlorn father Mohan Lal seek temporary distraction from their sadness, unresolved feelings of grief send them down destructive paths. Mohan Lal begins to embrace the burgeoning right-wing Hindu politics of his homeland, cheering on Indian fanatics who murder innocent Muslims. In an uncanny reflection of his father's politics, Siddharth gravitates toward a group of brutish adolescent bullies who commit local acts of cruelty. In South Haven , grief, violence, and history collide to offer an unflinching look at the murky underside of migration and the American suburbs. South Haven is no simple coming-of-age tale or hero's journey--blurring the line between victim and victimizer, it asks readers to contend with the lies we tell ourselves as we grieve and survive. Following in the tradition of narratives by Edwidge Danticat and Junot DÃaz, Sawhney draws upon the measured lyricism of postcolonial writers like Michael Ondaatje but brings to his subjects distinctly American irreverence and wit. Hirsh Sawhney 's writing has appeared in the New York Times Book Review , the Guardian , the Times Literary Supplement , the Financial Times , Outlook , and numerous other periodicals. He is the editor of Delhi Noir , a critically acclaimed anthology of original fiction, and is an advisory editor at Wasafiri , a London-based journal of postcolonial literature. He lives in New Haven, Connecticut, and teaches at Wesleyan University.
9781617753978 English 1617753971 " T]his luminous debut...captures precisely the heartache of growing up."--"Library Journal," Top Spring Indie Fiction "A powerful story...a universal look at the complexity of how people wrestle with guilt and blame amid tragic loss."--"New Haven Independent" Included in John Reed's list of Most Anticipated Small Press Books of 2016 at "Big Other" "A son of Hindu immigrants from India grows up in a New England suburb, where he struggles to find his way after his mother dies, while his father becomes immersed in anti-Muslim fundamentalism."--World Wide Work ""South Haven"is an affecting tale of a family's loss, a child's grief, and the search for solace in all the wrong places. Hirsh Sawhney is anincandescent voice in fiction."--Laila Lalami, author of"The Moor's Account" "It's no secret that grief makes us vulnerable, but Hirsh Sawhney's perceptively rendered"South Haven"presents a volatile mix of second-generation migration, sadness, and cruelty in suburbanAmerica."South Haven"is bold, accessible, funny, and heartbreaking."--Jayne Anne Phillips, author of"Quiet Dell" "Hirsh Sawhney writes with wit and tenderness about a harsh childhood. And such is his power of insight that this novel, set in a New England suburb, manages to illuminate a larger landscape of cruelty and torment."--Pankaj Mishra, author of "From the Ruins of Empire" "Hirsh Sawhney has produced an intelligent and beautiful novel. It is about America and India, fathers and children, families and loss. The world is changing and here is a new map of belonging."--Nadeem Aslam, author of "The Blind Man s Garden" "A lyrical yet disturbing look at the grim realities of migration and American suburban life, "South Haven"manages to be both witty and unnerving at the same time. It is a novel that resonates long in the memory."--Caryl Phillips, author of"The Lost Child" Siddharth Arora lives an ordinary life in the New England suburb of South Haven, but his childhood comes to a grinding halt when his mother dies in a car accident. Siddharth soon gravitates toward a group of adolescent bullies, drinking and smoking instead of drawing and swimming. He takes great pains to care for his depressive father, Mohan Lal, an immigrant who finds solace in the hateful Hindu fundamentalism of his homeland and cheers on Indian fanatics who murder innocent Muslims. When a new woman enters their lives, Siddharth and his father have a chance at a fresh start. They form a new family, hoping to leave their pain behind them. "South Haven" is no simple coming-of-age tale or hero's journey, blurring the line between victim and victimizer and asking readers to contend with the lies we tell ourselves as we grieve and survive. Following in the tradition of narratives by Edwidge Danticat and Junot Diaz, Sawhney draws upon the measured lyricism of postcolonial writers like Michael Ondaatje but brings to his subjects distinctly American irreverence and humor.", ""South Haven"is an affecting tale of a family's loss, a child's grief, and the search for solace in all the wrong places. Hirsh Sawhney is anincandescent voice in fiction."--Laila Lalami, author of"The Moor's Account" "It's no secret that grief makes us vulnerable, but Hirsh Sawhney's perceptively rendered"South Haven"presents a volatile mix of second-generation migration, sadness, and cruelty in suburbanAmerica."South Haven"is bold, accessible, funny, and heartbreaking."--Jayne Anne Phillips, author of"Quiet Dell" "Hirsh Sawhney writes with wit and tenderness about a harsh childhood. And such is his power of insight that this novel, set in a New England suburb, manages to illuminate a larger landscape of cruelty and torment."--Pankaj Mishra, author of "From the Ruins of Empire" "Hirsh Sawhney has produced an intelligent and beautiful novel. It is about America and India, fathers and children, families and loss. The world is changing and here is a new map of belonging."--Nadeem Aslam, author of "The Blind Man s Garden" "A lyrical yet disturbing look at the grim realities of migration and American suburban life, "South Haven"manages to be both witty and unnerving at the same time. It is a novel that resonates long in the memory."--Caryl Phillips, author of"The Lost Child" Siddharth Arora lives an ordinary life in the New England suburb of South Haven, but his childhood comes to a grinding halt when his mother dies in a car accident. Siddharth soon gravitates towards a group of adolescent bullies, drinking and smoking instead of drawing and swimming. He takes great pains to care for his depressive father, Mohan Lal, an immigrant who finds solace in the hateful Hindu fundamentalism of his homeland and cheers on Indian fanatics who murder innocent Muslims. When a new woman enters their lives, Siddharth and his father have a chance at a fresh start. They form a new family, hoping to leave their pain behind them. "South Haven" is no simple coming-of-age tale or hero's journey, blurring the line between victim and victimizer and asking readers to contend with the lies we tell ourselves as we grieve and survive. Following in the tradition of narratives by Edwidge Danticat and Junot Diaz, Sawhney draws upon the measured lyricism of postcolonial writers like Michael Ondaatje but brings to his subjects distinctly American irreverence and humor.", "A lyrical yet disturbing look at the grim realities of migration and American suburban life, South Haven manages to be both witty and unnerving at the same time. It is a novel that resonates long in the memory." -- Caryl Phillips , author of The Lost Child Siddharth Arora lives an ordinary life in the New England suburb of South Haven, but his childhood comes to a grinding halt when his mother dies in a car accident. Siddharth soon gravitates towards a group of adolescent bullies, drinking and smoking instead of drawing and swimming. He takes great pains to care for his depressive father, Mohan Lal, an immigrant who finds solace in the hateful Hindu fundamentalism of his homeland and cheers on Indian fanatics who murder innocent Muslims. Whena new woman enters their lives, Siddharth and his father have a chance at a fresh start. They form a new family, hoping to leave their pain behind them. South Haven is no simple coming-of-age tale or hero's journey, blurring the line between victim and victimizer and asking readers to contend with the lies we tell ourselves as we grieve and survive. Following in the tradition of narratives by Edwidge Danticat and Junot DÃaz, Sawhney draws upon the measured lyricism of postcolonial writers like Michael Ondaatje but brings to his subjects distinctly American irreverence and humor. Hirsh Sawhney 's writing has appeared in the New York Times Book Review , the Guardian , the Times Literary Supplement , the Financial Times , Outlook , and numerous other periodicals. He is the editor of Delhi Noir , a critically acclaimed anthology of original fiction, and is an advisory editor at Wasafiri , a London-based journal of postcolonial literature. He lives in New Haven, Connecticut, and teaches at Wesleyan University., "A vivid portrait of second-generation immigrants living in suburban New England...Sawhney is pitch-perfect when describing the uneasy relationship between adolescents and their parents...There is much emotional truth in the author''s sensitive portrayal of the despair and rage that can simmer away throughout adolescence...Hirsh Sawhney''s quietly devastating conclusion is both unexpected and deeply moving." -- Times Literary Supplement "[T]his luminous debut...captures precisely the heartache of growing up." -- Library Journal , Top Spring Indie Fiction "A powerful story...a universal look at the complexity of how people wrestle with guilt and blame amid tragic loss." -- New Haven Independent "[A] sensitive, poignant, resonating novel." -- Bookslut "An unforgettable and unnerving tale of grief and migration." -- Largehearted Boy Included in John Reed''s list of Most Anticipated Small Press Books of 2016 at Big Other "Sawhney''s portrait of childhood grief is complex and explosive, and it challenges the definition of "victim." -- Minnesota Public Radio "A son of Hindu immigrants from India grows up in a New England suburb, where he struggles to find his way after his mother dies, while his father becomes immersed in anti-Muslim fundamentalism." -- World Wide Work "This book became insight into what the life of a South Asian family is like in suburbia here in the US. But it remained a sharp, sensitive comment on adolescence and how much we still struggle to do well by our youth. Sawhney leaves us with a good cliffhanger in the end which I admired. He didn''t have to tell us how each character turned out in life but lets us imagine their further existence." -- WORD Bookstores , Staff pick "This story was absolutely beautifully written. I found myself unable to stop turning page after page as I immersed myself in this book fully. It is a gripping story from start to finish, as you read hoping that this family will finally come to terms with their loss. A definite 10 stars out of 5 star read." -- The Reading Wolf "A novelist you will be reading for years to come." -- Amy Bloom , author of Lucky Us " South Haven is an affecting tale of a family''s loss, a child''s grief, and the search for solace in all the wrong places. Hirsh Sawhney is an incandescent voice in fiction." -- Laila Lalami , author of The Moor''s Account "It''s no secret that grief makes us vulnerable, but Hirsh Sawhney''s perceptively rendered South Haven presents a volatile mix of second-generation migration, sadness, and cruelty in suburban America. South Haven is bold, accessible, funny, and heartbreaking." -- Jayne Anne Phillips , author of Quiet Dell Siddharth Arora lives an ordinary life in the New England suburb of South Haven, but his childhood comes to a grinding halt when his mother dies in a car accident. Siddharth soon gravitates toward a group of adolescent bullies, drinking and smoking instead of drawing and swimming. He takes great pains to care for his depressive father, Mohan Lal, an immigrant who finds solace in the hateful Hindu fundamentalism of his homeland and cheers on Indian fanatics who murder innocent Muslims. When anew woman enters their lives, Siddharth and his father have a chance at a fresh start. They form a new family, hoping to leave their pain behind them. South Haven is no simple coming-of-age tale or hero''s journey, blurring the line between victim and victimizer and asking readers to contend with the lies we tell ourselves as we grieve and survive. Following in the tradition of narratives by Edwidge Danticat and Junot DÃaz, Sawhney draws upon the measured lyricism of postcolonial writers like Michael Ondaatje but brings to his subjects distinctly American irreverence and humor., "[T]his luminous debut...captures precisely the heartache of growing up." -- Library Journal , Top Spring Indie Fiction "A powerful story...a universal look at the complexity of how people wrestle with guilt and blame amid tragic loss." -- New Haven Independent "[A] sensitive, poignant, resonating novel." -- Bookslut Included in John Reed's list of Most Anticipated Small Press Books of 2016 at Big Other "A son of Hindu immigrants from India grows up in a New England suburb, where he struggles to find his way after his mother dies, while his father becomes immersed in anti-Muslim fundamentalism." -- World Wide Work " South Haven is an affecting tale of a family's loss, a child's grief, and the search for solace in all the wrong places. Hirsh Sawhney is an incandescent voice in fiction." -- Laila Lalami , author of The Moor's Account "It's no secret that grief makes us vulnerable, but Hirsh Sawhney's perceptively rendered South Haven presents a volatile mix of second-generation migration, sadness, and cruelty in suburban America. South Haven is bold, accessible, funny, and heartbreaking." -- Jayne Anne Phillips , author of Quiet Dell "Hirsh Sawhney writes with wit and tenderness about a harsh childhood. And such is his power of insight that this novel, set in a New England suburb, manages to illuminate a larger landscape of cruelty and torment." -- Pankaj Mishra , author of From the Ruins of Empire "Hirsh Sawhney has produced an intelligent and beautiful novel. It is about America and India, fathers and children, families and loss. The world is changing and here is a new map of belonging." -- Nadeem Aslam , author of The Blind Man's Garden "A lyrical yet disturbing look at the grim realities of migration and American suburban life, South Haven manages to be both witty and unnerving at the same time. It is a novel that resonates long in the memory." -- Caryl Phillips , author of The Lost Child Siddharth Arora lives an ordinary life in the New England suburb of South Haven, but his childhood comes to a grinding halt when his mother dies in a car accident. Siddharth soon gravitates toward a group of adolescent bullies, drinking and smoking instead of drawing and swimming. He takes great pains to care for his depressive father, Mohan Lal, an immigrant who finds solace in the hateful Hindu fundamentalism of his homeland and cheers on Indian fanatics who murder innocent Muslims. When anew woman enters their lives, Siddharth and his father have a chance at a fresh start. They form a new family, hoping to leave their pain behind them. South Haven is no simple coming-of-age tale or hero's journey, blurring the line between victim and victimizer and asking readers to contend with the lies we tell ourselves as we grieve and survive. Following in the tradition of narratives by Edwidge Danticat and Junot DÃaz, Sawhney draws upon the measured lyricism of postcolonial writers like Michael Ondaatje but brings to his subjects distinctly American irreverence and humor., Grief, violence and history collide to offer a radical look at childhood and migration in suburban New England. Siddharth Arora lives an ordinary life in the New England suburb of South Haven, but his childhood comes to a grinding halt when his mother dies in a car accident. Siddharth soon gravitates towards a group of adolescent bullies, drinking and smoking instead of drawing and swimming. He also takes great pains to care for his depressive father. Sawhney blurs line between victim and victimizer and asking readers to contend with the lies we tell ourselves., South Haven is the story of young Siddharth Arora, who is floundering in a fog of solitude after his mother's tragic death in a car accident. As Siddharth and his forlorn father Mohan Lal seek temporary distraction from their sadness, unresolved feelings of grief send them down destructive paths. Mohan Lal begins to embrace the burgeoning right-wing Hindu politics of his homeland, cheering on Indian fanatics who murder innocent Muslims. In an uncanny reflection of his father's politics, Siddharth gravitates toward a group of brutish adolescent bullies who commit local acts of cruelty. In South Haven , grief, violence, and history collide to offer an unflinching look at the murky underside of migration and the American suburbs. South Haven is no simple coming-of-age tale or hero's journey--blurring the line between victim and victimizer, it asks readers to contend with the lies we tell ourselves as we grieve and survive. Following in the tradition of narratives by Edwidge Danticat and Junot DÃaz, Sawhney draws upon the measured lyricism of postcolonial writers like Michael Ondaatje but brings to his subjects distinctly American irreverence and wit. Hirsh Sawhney 's writing has appeared in the New York Times Book Review , the Guardian , the Times Literary Supplement , the Financial Times , Outlook , and numerous other periodicals. He is the editor of Delhi Noir , a critically acclaimed anthology of original fiction, and is an advisory editor at Wasafiri , a London-based journal of postcolonial literature. He lives in New Haven, Connecticut, and teaches at Wesleyan University.