Anita Desai is recognized as one of India's leading novelists writing in English. She has been noted for her rich imagery and her focus on the interior world of her characters who struggle with finding meaning in their lives and often stray from the path of conformity to the values of their families. Desai was born Anita Mazumdar on June 24, 1937, in Mussoorie, India; she grew up in Delhi. Her mother was German and her father Indian (Bengali), and Desai was raised speaking Hindi and German as well as English. In 1957, she graduated from the University of Delhi with a B.A. in English. In 1958, she married Ashvin Desai, an executive, with whom she had four children. She began publishing short stories in the late 1950s. Because she was taught to write in English, it has remained her preference for fiction writing.

Desai gained recognition with her...