August 25, 2014 Host Kathleen Marshall Speaks with First-time Novelist Tania Malik About Her Debut Novel, ‘Three Bargains’

Until Three Bargains Tania Malik had only written a few short stories, never really thinking of herself as an author.  But, she did have a long story brewing in her mind.  She wanted, she said, to explore a story of a man who had lost a child.  The story was inspired by her own relationship with her father, a relationship that is very close.  What, she wondered, would it be like to have no such attachment?  What would happen to a child who was not valued?  What would a child, and a father, suffer without a close relationship?  What would a child discover as he grew, about himself and those he loved?

Three Bargains is that story.  Beautifully written, the story unfolds.  12 year old Madan lives in the fictional town of Gorapur in Northern India.  He is a lower-caste child who has not only learned to read, but to read in English.  The story spans 30 years in Madan’s life and in India’s history.

In this, Tania’s first radio interview, she speaks eloquently about her characters, their lives, personalities and motivations.  She talks about life in India and reflects on India’s politics, social systems and the status of women.  She writes using many Hindi words and expressions and does not include a glossary in the book; a fact that, I feel, serves to enrich the reading experience.

Tania Malik was born in New Delhi, and raised in India, Africa, and the Middle East. She was educated in boarding schools in the foothills of the Himalayas, and received her degree from the University of Delhi.  She lives with her husband and daughter in the San Francisco Bay Area.

To learn more about Tania Malik and her debut novel, Three Bargains, visit her website at www.taniamalik.com.

To listen to and/or download Kathleen’s conversation with Tania Malik click the following link:     8-25-2014 Kathleen_Tania Malik