Book #181 - A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth

Tuesday, September 29th, 2026 @ 19:00
Maison Internationale des Associations, salle Albert Jacquard, Geneva
One of the longest novels ever written in English, A Suitable Boy is a classic of Indian literature and one of the greatest books of the 20th century.
Summary (from GoodReads): Lata and her mother, Mrs. Rupa Mehra, are both trying to find—through love or through exacting maternal appraisal—a suitable boy for Lata to marry. Set in the early 1950s, in an India newly independent and struggling through a time of crisis, A Suitable Boy takes us into the richly imagined world of four large extended families and spins a compulsively readable tale of their lives and loves. A sweeping panoramic portrait of a complex, multiethnic society in flux, A Suitable Boy remains the story of ordinary people caught up in a web of love and ambition, humor and sadness, prejudice and reconciliation, the most delicate social etiquette and the most appalling violence.
Location: Maison Internationale des Associations, salle Albert Jacquard
Starting time: 19:15 sharp
Presenter: Carla
Format:
- Members introduction (5-10 minutes)
- Book presentation (20-30 minutes)
- A brief history of the author’s life
- A short summary of the book
- Main ideas/themes
- Group discussion (45-60 minutes), members' personal views on the book, opposing ideas, etc.
- Announcement/info on next meeting (5 minutes)
Note: reading the book is not a "must" to attend the meeting, but encouraged if you want to actively participate in the discussion.
We look forward to seeing you all!
Upcoming events: https://www.genevainternationalbookclub.com/post/future
Past events: https://www.genevainternationalbookclub.com/post/_past
Presentation slides (recent): https://www.genevainternationalbookclub.com/post/slides-2026
Summary (from GoodReads): Lata and her mother, Mrs. Rupa Mehra, are both trying to find—through love or through exacting maternal appraisal—a suitable boy for Lata to marry. Set in the early 1950s, in an India newly independent and struggling through a time of crisis, A Suitable Boy takes us into the richly imagined world of four large extended families and spins a compulsively readable tale of their lives and loves. A sweeping panoramic portrait of a complex, multiethnic society in flux, A Suitable Boy remains the story of ordinary people caught up in a web of love and ambition, humor and sadness, prejudice and reconciliation, the most delicate social etiquette and the most appalling violence.
Location: Maison Internationale des Associations, salle Albert Jacquard
Starting time: 19:15 sharp
Presenter: Carla
Format:
- Members introduction (5-10 minutes)
- Book presentation (20-30 minutes)
- A brief history of the author’s life
- A short summary of the book
- Main ideas/themes
- Group discussion (45-60 minutes), members' personal views on the book, opposing ideas, etc.
- Announcement/info on next meeting (5 minutes)
Note: reading the book is not a "must" to attend the meeting, but encouraged if you want to actively participate in the discussion.
We look forward to seeing you all!
Upcoming events: https://www.genevainternationalbookclub.com/post/future
Past events: https://www.genevainternationalbookclub.com/post/_past
Presentation slides (recent): https://www.genevainternationalbookclub.com/post/slides-2026
Talk
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