Bharati Mukherjee

Bharati Mukherjee is the author of 1992's The Holder of the World. Mukherjee’s novel tells the stories of two women: Beigh Masters, a 20th century “asset hunter” who tracks down historical artifacts for a living, and Hannah Easton, a Puritan woman who, through a series of bizarre adventures, eventually travels to India. Like most of Mukherjee’s work, The Holder of the World deals with the experience of being an immigrant—a stranger in a strange land. (Unlike the rest of her books, though, The Holder of the World dabbles in the brave new world of science fiction—Beigh is able to experience bits of Hannah’s life through a complex virtual reality system that re-creates historical situations.) Mukherjee’s prose is elegant, and both of her heroines are fascinating creations. For a self-conscious “novel of ideas”, The Holder of the World is extraordinarily readable.

Aftertaste:
None.

Availability:
Everywhere.

Other Recommendations:
Outlander, by Diana Gabaldon