‘Palace of Illusions’ Novelist Divakaruni to Speak, Sign Books at UA

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, the acclaimed author of the novels “Palace of Illusions” and “The Mistress of Spices,” will speak at 4:30 p.m. Monday, April 13, at 227 Gallalee Hall on The University of Alabama campus. The event is free and open to the public; a book-signing and reception will follow.

Divakaruni’s works also include a series of novels for young adults set in India, including the current “Shadowlands,” and books of poetry. She lives in Houston and teaches creative writing at the University of Houston. Dr. Metka Zupancic, UA associate professor of French and modern languages, is hosting the event.

Zupancic says that in her graduate course Research Methodology and Critical Theory, Divakaruni’s “The Mistress of Spices” has served as a model for the examination of major trends in the contemporary, postcolonial novel.

“Students have approached this intriguing, thought-provoking, and extremely rich novel from various perspectives, such as postcolonialism, feminism, structuralism, deconstruction, adaptation theories and myth criticism,”  she says.

After Zupancic contacted the author, Divakaruni read some of students’ papers from the course.

“Chitra Divakaruni was struck herself to see how connections are being established among writers and scholars of very different origins and traditions who find common languages of communication and inspiration,” Zupancic says.

Divakaruni was born in India and lived there until 1976, when she came to the United States. She continued her education in the field of English by receiving a master’s degree from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, and a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley. “The Mistress of Spices” was made into a movie starring

Her Web site and blog are at http://www.chitradivakaruni.com/.

 o-sponsors of the event include departments of modern languages and classics, religious studies, Asian studies, English, women’s studies, together with International Honors Programs, Capstone International Center, Creative Campus, Blackburn Institute, and also the Indian community of Tuscaloosa.

The department of modern languages and classics is part of the The College of Arts and Sciences, the University’s largest division and the largest liberal arts college in the state. Students from the College have won numerous national awards including Rhodes Scholarships, Goldwater Scholarships and memberships on the USA Today Academic All-American Teams.