"Did you really think you could heal without facing your own pain?"

Join us as Lattes and Lit returns on Wednesday, Many 28 with our newest book: The Museum of Failures by Thrity Umrigar.

Meeting biweekly at 6:30 and featuring commentary from Imam Abdul Malik Merchant, dive into this tale of realistic fiction with fellow readers as we explore themes of family, generational trauma, secrecy and above all, forgiveness.

Registration is free but donations are encouraged to help fund future events! Participants should bring their own copies of the book and read Chapters 1-12 by the first meeting. Whether you’re a seasoned reader or just getting back into books, there’s a seat for you at the table! Open to participants 18+

Schedule:

May 28 (Week 1) - Chapters: 1–12

June 11 (Week 2) - Chapters: 13–23

June 25 (Week 3) - Chapters: 24–35

July 9 (Week 4) - Chapters: 36–46

About the Book:

When Remy Wadia left India for the United States, he carried his resentment of his cold and inscrutable mother with him and has kept his distance from her. Years later, he returns to Bombay, planning to adopt a baby from a young pregnant girl—and to see his elderly mother again before it is too late. She is in the hospital, has stopped talking, and seems to have given up on life.

Struck with guilt for not realizing just how ill she had become, Remy devotes himself to helping her recover and return home. But one day in her apartment he comes upon an old photograph that demands explanation. As shocking family secrets surface, Remy finds himself reevaluating his entire childhood and his relationship to his parents, just as he is on the cusp of becoming a parent himself. Can Remy learn to forgive others for their human frailties, or is he too wedded to his sorrow and anger over his parents’ long-ago decisions?

Surprising, devastating, and ultimately a story of redemption and healing still possible between a mother and son, The Museum of Failures is a tour de force from one of our most elegant storytellers about the mixed bag of love and regret. It is also, above all, a much-needed reminder that forgiveness comes from empathy for others.

Lattes and Lit: Book Club

The Museum of Failures