Q

Amitava Kumar on the emotional odyssey of making a new home in the U.S.

Writer Amitava Kumar reflects on what it means to leave your home country and throw yourself into a culture that's unfamiliar, exciting and alienating.
A composite image of an Indian man with glasses beside a white book cover.
Amitava Kumar's novel Immigrant, Montana is out now. (Penguin Random House, Michael Lionstar)

Originally published on August 1, 2018

When author Amitava Kumar arrived in the U.S. from India in the mid-'80s, it was the end of one journey and the beginning of another — this one much longer. The culmination of that journey is his new book, Immigrant, Montana, which blends fiction and autobiography to chronicle the emotional odyssey of making a new home.

Kumar joined q guest host Ali Hassan to reflect on what it means to leave your home country and throw yourself into a culture that's unfamiliar, exciting and alienating.

Click 'Listen' above to hear the full conversation with Amitava Kumar.

Produced by Frank Palmer

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