“…but to try never to withdraw love, or affection…”

 ‘It lies at the core of what Arundhati Roy embodies – radical love...’

By Regina Johnson / Sapan News

Although disappointed by acclaimed author and activist Arundhati Roy’s last-minute absence from their much anticipated discussion last Saturday, members of an online book club along with a Southasia-focused peace organisation held a lively conversation about her new memoir.

The Southasia Peace Action Network (Sapan), in collaboration with the Readers Without Borders Book Club, held an engaging conversation on 13 December to discuss Roy’s recently published Mother Mary Comes to Me.

Hosted and moderated by Ambereen Mirza, founder of the Readers Without Borders book club, and Beena Sarwar, RWB member, co-founder of Sapan, founder and chief editor of Sapan News, the event brought together more than 70 book lovers, activists, students and scholars to discuss human relationships, literature, justice, resistance, and solidarity in Southasia.

Participants examined how the book challenges readers to confront uncomfortable realities while also offering moments of clarity and hope.

Quoting a passage from the book, about when the writer hears about Micky Roy, her father, going missing, Sarwar said that she felt “it lies at the core of what Arundhati Roy embodies – radical love”:

“I surprised myself by being distraught. I thought I had trained myself to feel nothing. Mickey was not the only person close to me who was addicted to alcohol or drugs. By then I had learned the hard way that every emotion, relationship, good intention – there is, as well as mine – would be trapped by the addicts craving for whatever they were addicted to. I knew that the only thing to do was to withhold judgment, and if possible, hope, but to try never to withdraw love, or affection. Of course I knew. But what we know isn’t always in line with what we feel, or what we do” (pp. 244-245, Sribner, 2025).

Mirza noted that Arundhati Roy “accepted her mother for who she was, at such a young age. She left in order to be able to love her, as she writes…” – showing maturity early on in her life.

Bidhi Adhikari, a college student and Sapan volunteer in Nepal, shared how she had met Roy at an unpublicised book signing at a Kathmandu bookstore recently. “It was so wonderful to see her there, as a simple human being, signing books and talking to people,” she said.

Even in her absence, Roy’s work created a space for critical thinking. The conversation illustrated the book club’s goal of using global literature as a bridge between cultures and struggles.

Mumbai-born Boston-based professional, Hamida Merchant, commented that some women in another book club she is a member of were reluctant to read the book, finding the subject matter too triggering.

“I am one of those women,” commented another participant, adding that after listening to the discussion she had reconsidered her stand and planned to tackle the book.

Several distinguished writers and poets attended the event. Among them Sapan members Sorayya Khan in Ithaca, New York, author of three novels and a memoir We Take Our Cities With Us, and first time novelist Shilpi Suneja in the Boston area (House of Caravans), and award-winning Kashmiri poet Rafiq Kathwari in Connecticut.

Readers Without Borders members included short story writer Farha Hasan, Austin-based journalist and novelist Tanya Athar-Jogee (Tiny Glimmers of Light), and Mary Lahaj, whose Bird on a Wire narrates her family’s epic history starting from Lebanon at the turn of the 20th century to present day Massachusetts.

Those present included writers in the making like Silicon Valley entrepreneur Faruq Ahmad. Prominent journalist Claudia Atunes, a 2006 Nieman Fellow from Brazil, was also among the gathering.

Readers Without Borders meets one Saturday a month, bringing together people of all ages and backgrounds from around the world, to discuss books from all genres, said Mirza.

The Sapan Founding Charter calls to institute ease of travel and allow people in the region to meet across borders, engage in economic cooperation, uphold human rights and dignity at home and cooperate and collaborate in all areas, Sarwar informed the participants. She noted that nearly 135 organisations, including RWB, and hundreds of individuals have endorsed the Charter.

Expressing gratitude to the participants, the moderators reaffirmed their intention to continue hosting dialogues that connect literature, activism, and global solidarity.

The organisers plan to make a video recording of the discussion available on the Sapan YouTube channel.

A press statement from RWB and Sapan asks those interested in more information about RWB events to email southasiapeaceactionnetwork@gmail.com, with the subject line: Readers Without Borders.

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Regina Johnson is coordinating editor, Sapan News. She has extensively reported on America’s energy policy at S&P Global, Washington, D.C. She has written articles for LATINA Style Magazine, Advisors Magazine, Inkstick Media, and Thrive Magazine. Email: regina@sapannews.com.

Sapan News is the media partner for Saturday’s RWB-Sapan discussion featuring Arundhati Roy’s new memoir.

This is a Sapan News syndicated feature.