What Was Always Hers
2000 Jubilee Award
1999 New Muse Award
If you do not have this collection of short stories in your collection yet, you have no idea what you are missing! Order your copy today!
What people are saying about the book:
I read the first story in one sitting last night. Very intense and very powerful. Everytime I thought I had figured out the story, it changed course suddenly and I just couldn't put it down. My 4 year-old son could not figure out why anyone would cry while reading a book!
I like your writing style. It felt like you were sitting
next to me and telling me a story (especially the Maru story).
I am not sure if the Indian background and shared experiences
played a major role. -- Vasudha Govindan, Houston, TX
I have enjoyed the wry humour, the variety of
situations, and the unusual feminism. And your picture on the
back cover is so resplendent with secret joy! -- Malarshri,
New Delhi
Uma Parameswaran's latest book, What was Always Hers, is great
fun. I just finished it, and thoroughly enjoyed it. It's a book
of short stories, (though some are comfortably long :-)) set
in Canada. I really liked the characters. The one that stands
out in my memory is the young father with
the commuting marriage in the last story -- it was a lovely sympathetic
treatment of both participants. The longest story is called Maru
and the M.M. Syndrome, where M.M. stands for Male Menopause.
Doesn't that sound intriguing? Nice to have older, interesting,
entertaining characters. -- Susan Chacko, Washington, DC
I want to join Abha in recommending a wonderfully good read of poignant and subtle human interactions in Uma Parameswaran's new book, "What Was Always Hers." The very first story of that title held my attention so fiercely that I couldn't put the book down, carrying it around with me
in my hand, weekend satchel, or briefcase. I knew that I couldn't be without the book even if I couldn't continue reading, for when that delicious moment arrived and I *could* go back to it, the book would be waiting for me.
I am, unfortunately, for most fiction writers, not an avid reader of fiction. I start a book and leave it, never to go back again, and often after reading the first page, at best two. I rarely find a writer who blends simplicity of language, subtelty of characterization, and human intrigue with the skill of a master.
In "What Was Always Hers," there is no excess
of words, no
unnecessary detail. No matter how familiar we may be with all
the configurations of human relationships, she gives us more
food for thought. There is only a forward movement as our author
reveals human nature in all its intricacies as she takes us to
the surprise ending of the first story, leaving her readers to
wonder and look back to check for all the clues. - Manjusree
Sen, Boston, MA
U.S. literary critic Mark Van Doren once praised the late
American poet Carl Sandburg as a man, who like English novelist
and poet Thomas Hardy, had "noticed" things. Van Doren's
declaration could also apply to this mature and observant collection
of short stories and a novella by Winnipeg writer Uma Parameswaran
- Winnipeg Free Press
The stories in this book are delightful, and the behaviour of the characters reflects many parts of the South Asian immigrant experience in Canada very realistically. Dr. Parameswaran's witty insights, rich imagination, and vivid descriptions of human behaviour are a pleasure to read, as usual! It intrigues me how she can get into the minds of people of different ages, cultural backgrounds and genders and portray them in first and third person quite convincingly. - Suchitra Chander, Austin, TX
Uma, you are A WONDERFUL STORY TELLER. I thoroughly enjoyed reading your book. The first thing that occurred to me is that you have such a flair for telling a story and keeping the readers attention rapt. -- Rebecca Fredric, Ottawa, ON
It was a combination of deep, meaningful thoughts that captures the essence of just being an Indian woman in North America. It gave me satisfaction to see the transformation process whereby the character goes from grasping the concepts of how things get done to actually coming out a triumphant survivor--in her own terms. Beautiful book! -- Kala Malini Ranganathan, Austin, TX