Irene Landais asked Saeed Ibrahim:

thank you for your speedy reponse. We will be reading and discussing Twin Tales from Kutcch. ? thank you best regards Irene

Saeed Ibrahim Hello Irene, Regarding "Twin Tales from Kutcch," here is a list of possible topics/questions that can be put up for discussion during your book club meeting:-

1. The central theme of the story focuses on the lives of two courageous Kutcchi Memon women, who are orphaned at a tender age by the tragic loss of both parents and how they grapple with their loss as they grow from childhood to womanhood, marriage and motherhood. Can you trace any sub-plots in the book that add interesting asides to the narrative and introduce us to a different set of characters.

2. The maritime tragedy of November 1888 leaving no survivors and the mysterious disappearance of the SS Vaitarna left a number of questions unanswered. Do you think Jan Mohammed and Hajra had been swayed by superstition and been pushed to their death by heeding the cryptic prophecy of an itinerant fakir?

3.The book is set in the late nineteenth century and the early years of the twentieth century before India gained independence. What are some of the historical vignettes with which the story is peppered?

4.What light does the book shed on communal co-existence and the status of women during that period of time?

5.From the sociological point of view, what details does the book provide of the customs, clothing and food habits of the Kutcchi Memon community?

6.Are the two amusing stories related in the book a distraction, or do they provide some comic relief in an otherwise serious theme?

7. Do you see any similarities in the plague that devastated Bombay in 1896 and the Covid-19 epidemic of our times?

Wish your book club an enjoyable and fruitful discussion of my book.

Kind Regards

Saeed Ibrahim

https://saeedibrahim.com/

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