Thrity thrilled after Alabama literary festival

Former BJ reporter and successful novelist Thrity Umrigar’s journey to Alabama was a rousing success.

Amy Greene (left), Thrity Umrigar

Posted Thrity:

“So sad that my time in Hoover, Alabama at Southern Voices is coming to an end. I'm leaving tomorrow with many new friends, and many new books to read.”

Thrity Umrigar was one of the speakers at the Southern Voices literary festival in Birmingham, Alabama at Hoover Library.

Others participating were Wally Lamb (“We Are Water”), Karen Abbott (“Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy”), Amy Greene (“Bloodroot”), James Scott (“The Kept”), Jon Sealy (“The Whiskey Baron”), Meg Wolitzer (her work was made into two movies, “This Is My Life” and “Surrender, Dorothy,” which starred Diane Keaton) and Chelsea Cain (Archie Sheridan/Gretchen Lowell thrillers).

Thrity has been teaching creative writing at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland since 2002. Her 6^th novel and 7^th book is “The Story Hour.”

Her previous novels are “Bombay Time” (2002), “The Space Between Us” (2007), “If Today be Sweet” (2008), “The Weight of Heaven” (2010) and “The World We Found” (2012). Her memoir is “First Darling of the Morning”  (2008).

Thrity left India at the age of 21 to attend Ohio State University.

Thrity began her reporting career with the Lorain Journal. Two years later, in 1987, she came to the BJ.