The Golden Son: A Tender Tale of Childhood Friends Torn Between Tradition and Love, India and America, Duty and Desire

The Golden Son: A Tender Tale of Childhood Friends Torn Between Tradition and Love, India and America, Duty and Desire

The New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling author of Secret Daughter returns with an unforgettable story of family, responsibility, love, honor, tradition, and identity, in which two childhood friends—a young doctor and a newly married bride—must balance the expectations of their culture and their families with the desires of their own hearts. The first of his family to go to college, Anil Patel, the golden son, carries the weight of tradition and his family’s expectations when he leaves his tiny Indian village to begin a medical residency in Dallas, Texas, at one of the busiest and most competitive hospitals in America. When his father dies, Anil becomes the de facto head of the Patel household and inherits the mantle of arbiter for all of the village’s disputes. But he is uneasy with the custom, uncertain that he has the wisdom and courage demonstrated by his father and grandfather. His doubts are compounded by the difficulties he discovers in adjusting to a new culture and a new job, challenges that will shake his confidence in himself and his abilities. Back home in India, Anil’s closest childhood friend, Leena, struggles to adapt to her demanding new husband and relatives. Arranged by her parents, the marriage shatters Leena’s romantic hopes, and eventually forces her to make a desperate choice that will hold drastic repercussions for herself and her family. Though Anil and Leena struggle to come to terms with their identities thousands of miles apart, their lives eventually intersect once more—changing them both and the people they love forever. Tender and bittersweet, The Golden Son illuminates the ambivalence of people caught between past and present, tradition and modernity, duty and choice; the push and pull of living in two cultures, and the painful decisions we must make to find our true selves. "A sensitive and intelligent work ... [with a] finely drawn protagonist. ... Illuminating her characters' exterior and interior lives remains Gowda's greatest narrative strength.... demonstrates Gowda's abilities as a sympathetic observer of heart and mind." (National Post) "A heartfelt look at the nature of love, family, and the consequences of choice. ... Gowda masterfully develops place and characters with visual richness. She offers delicious storytelling ... The Golden Son is an absolute page-turner. ... The emotional journey of the characters is bound elicit both laughter and tears." (Washington Independent Review of Books) "The Golden Son successfully achieves the virtually impossible: it is every bit as good and strong as ... Secret Daughter. ...Both tell compelling stories that make each book a page-turner and a fast read. Both are extremely well-written with riveting plots. ... Gowda's characters are beautifully and subtly drawn.... It was five years in the making and well worth the wait." (Winnipeg Free Press) "Gowda can write up moments that break your heart ... The Golden Son combines the immigrant novel with a fascination for the insecure and dependent lives of rural women in India. The book does not finish with the most predictable ending, but a version of happily ever after does take place. And yes, it evoked a few tears, too." ( Globe & Mail) "...Like Gowda's bestselling debut novel, Secret Daughter, this new book offers readers vivid cultural immersion. ... the journey [is] deeply pleasurable." (Publishers Weekly) The New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling author of Secret Daughter returns with an unforgettable story of love, honor, tradition, and identity. The first of his family to go to college, Anil Patel, the golden son, leaves his tiny Indian village to begin a medical residency at one of the best hospitals in America. When his father dies, Anil becomes the head of the Patel household and inherits the mantle of arbiter for all of the village’s disputes. But he is uncertain that he has the wisdom and courage required to take on the role. Back home in India, Anil’s childhood friend, Leena, struggles to adapt to her demanding new husband. Arranged by her parents, the marriage shatters Leena’s romantic hopes, and forces her to make choices that will hold drastic repercussions for her family. Tender and bittersweet, The Golden Son illuminates the decisions we must make to find our true selves. Shilpi Somaya Gowda was born and raised in Toronto, Canada. Her previous novels, Secret Daughter , The Golden Son , and The Shape of Family became international bestsellers, selling over two million copies worldwide, in over 30 languages. She holds degrees from Stanford University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she was a Morehead-Cain scholar. She lives in California with her husband and children.