First Darling of the Morning: Selected Memories of an Indian Childhood

"[Umrigar] communicates her childhood longing for a cohesive family in deeply felt portraits of those she loves. . . . It is this combination of personal revelation and empathetic observation that makes Umrigar's memoir so appealing."-- Washington Post Book World

From the bestselling author of The Space Between Us and If Today Be Sweet comes a sensitive, beautifully written memoir of Thrity Umrigar's youth in India, told with the honesty and guilelessness that only a child's point of view could provide.

In a series of incredibly poignant stories, Thrity Umrigar traces the arc of her Bombay childhood and adolescence--from her earliest memories growing up in a middle-class Parsi household to her eventual departure for the U.S. at age 21. Her emotionally charged scenes take an unflinching look at family issues once considered unspeakable--including intimate secrets, controversial political beliefs, and the consequences of child abuse. Punishments and tempered hopes, struggles and small successes all weave together in this evocative, unforgettable coming-of-age tale.

First Darling of the Morning also offers readers a fascinating glimpse at the 1960s and 70s Bombay of Umrigar's memories. Two coming-of-age stories collide in this memoir--one of a small child, and one of a nation.

• Memoir of an Indian Childhood: Experience the world through the eyes of a sensitive girl growing up in a Parsi family in Bombay, tracing her journey from earliest memories to her departure for the U.S. at age twenty-one.
• Unflinching Honesty: An emotionally charged look at family issues once considered unspeakable, from intimate secrets and political beliefs to the lasting consequences of a difficult upbringing.
• Vivid Historical Setting: Step back into the Bombay of the 1960s and 70s, a city coming of age alongside a young girl, offering a fascinating glimpse into a nation in transition.
• Poignant Storytelling: From the bestselling author of The Space Between Us comes an unforgettable tale woven from tempered hopes, personal struggles, and small successes, told with the guilelessness only a child's point of view can provide.