"The Bandit Queens": In conversation with Parini Shroff

In this Episode I speak with Parini Shroff, author of "The Bandit Queens." The novel revolves around the life of Geeta, a woman in a tiny village in India whose husband disappeared a few years ago. Everyone in the village begins to think Geeta killed him, and some desperate housewives start approaching Geeta for help in getting rid of their own, no-good husbands. Geeta isn't sure she wants to get involved, but some leave her with no choice. With a lot of heart - and humor - Parini Shroff addresses a wide range of important issues ranging from the stigma around widowhood, caste/class politics, intimate and domestic violence, and the complexities and strength of female friendships. 

Parini Shroff received her MFA from the University of Texas at Austin. She is a practicing attorney and currently lives in the Bay Area. "The Bandit Queens" is her debut novel. 

Here are some sources to learn more about Phoolan Devi:

"I, Phoolan Devi: The Autobiography of India's Bandit Queen"

"India's Bandit Queen: The True Story of Phoolan Devi" by Mala Sen

"Phoolan Devi Rebel Queen," a graphic novel, by Claire Fauvel

Here's a link to Arundhati Roy's scathing critique of Sekhar Kapoor's 1994 film Phoolan Devi: http://www.rarre.org/documents/roy/Arundhati%20Roy%20on%20Shekhar%20Kapur's%20Bandit%20Queen.pdf

Parini mentioned R.O. Kwon's article on parents who regret having children: https://time.com/6966914/parental-regret-children-ro-kwon-essay/