"The Laughter" by Sonora Jha with Nalini Iyer

Author Sonora Jha and her colleague, Nalini Iyer, discuss her new work of literary fiction, "The Laughter, which has been described as tense, explosive, and illuminating. It perfectly captures the privilege, radicalization, race, and class tensions that simmer in the world of modern academia and in present-day America. Booklist calls it "a complete triumph."

Free, with book signing to follow.

“To say “The Laughter” is just a campus novel is to vastly undersell it; it’s also the story of America’s changing cultural landscape and the major political and philosophical shifts needed to uplift and protect the marginalized. This is a smart and hilarious book not just for anyone who wants to laugh at the absurdity of academia, but for anyone who wants to become a better person by doing it.” -- New York Times

"The Laughter" is a brilliant, totally absorbing character study. This female Pakistani author has brilliantly created a complacent white man sure of his privilege. Oliver is not a caricature. He comes to life on the page. So do the rebellious Ruhaba Khan and her sweet lovelorn nephew. The Laughter is also a cogent satire on the current state of academia in confusion about its responsibility to society. Is it the ivory tower its old order want to maintain or a mirror of current social crises? -- NY Journal of Books

“Jha impressively avoids the trap of preachiness and moralizing that stories of identity politics on campus tend to fall into; rather, hers is a subtle and nuanced look at the subject. The novel plants seeds that turn out to be red herrings, building layer upon layer of assumptions—about campus culture, identity politics, religion, East versus West, racism, and terrorism. . . . A powerful and darkly funny campus novel with an unexpected narrative perspective.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“A masterfully told, thrilling investigation of privilege, heritage and exoticization set against the backdrop of the American college campus. . . Deeply complex and meaningful yet still an enthralling read, "The Laughter" is an ambitious novel that explores American social dynamics while never being preachy or overbearing. . . It’s a must-read for those seeking to understand today and dream of a better tomorrow.” — Langston Collin Wilkins, BookPage (starred review)

“Readers will become immersed in Sonora Jha’s brilliantly crafted world, which explores the intersection of the politics of college campuses and a wild obsession.” — The Best Books for February 2023, Shondaland

“Astutely provoking, deeply disturbing and unexpectedly delightful. . . . Jha is an extraordinary storyteller, aiming her shrewd erudition directly at elitism, sexism and racism.” — Shelf Awareness

“[This] bitingly satirical tale of a maddeningly clever yet frustratingly myopic protagonist is a gem. . . Examining old prejudices, new fixations, and the sting of unrequited love, Jha offers a complete triumph.”.” — Stephanie Turza, Booklist

“…wickedly funny and politically astute…Darkly funny and occasionally grim, this novel asks academia to examine itself and to determine how it might serve a vastly diverse, politically engaged community.” — Nalini Iyer, International Examiner

Sonora Jha is the author of the memoir "How to Raise a Feminist Son" (2021) and the novel "Foreign" (2013). After a career as a journalist covering crime, politics, and culture in India and Singapore, she moved to the United States to earn a PhD in media and public affairs. Dr. Jha's op-eds, essays, and public appearances have been featured in the New York Times, on the BBC, in anthologies, and elsewhere. She is a professor of journalism in the Communication and Media Department and Associate Dean of Academic Community in the College of Arts and Sciences at Seattle University.

Nalini Iyer is Professor of English at Seattle University. She teaches courses in postcolonial South Asian and African writing, diaspora studies, and transnational feminisms. Her books include the following: "Other Tongues: Rethinking the Language Debates in India" (2009); "Roots and Reflections: South Asians in the Pacific Northwest" (2013); and "Revisiting India’s Partition: New Essays in Memory, Culture, and Politics" (2016). She has also published articles in ARIEL, South Asian Review, and Tulsa Studies in Women’s Literature. She is the Chief Editor of South Asian Review.

Others Details

Category: Arts | Books and Literature