Get Lit March Book Club: Megha Majumdar with Musical Guest Purbayan Chatterjee

Join WNYC's Alison Stewart and Megha Majumdar for a live conversation about her newest book A Guardian and a Thief, followed by a special musical performance from Purbayan Chatterjee.

The New York Public Library and WNYC—two indispensable New York institutions—are partnering to host a book club that brings New Yorkers together and fosters community.

The March title is Megha Majumdar's A Guardian and a Thief - an electrifying new novel in which two families seeking to protect their children must battle each other in a city ravaged by climate change and food scarcity.

In a near-future Kolkata beset by flooding and famine, Ma, her two-year-old daughter, and her elderly father are just days from leaving the collapsing city behind to join Ma’s husband in Ann Arbor, Michigan. After procuring long-awaited visas from the consulate, they pack their bags for the flight to America. But in the morning they awaken to discover that Ma’s purse, containing their treasured immigration documents, has been stolen.

Set over the course of one week, A Guardian and a Thief tells two stories: the story of Ma’s frantic search for the thief while keeping hunger at bay during a worsening food shortage; and the story of Boomba, the thief, whose desperation to care for his family drives him to commit a series of escalating crimes whose consequences he cannot fathom. With stunning control and command, Megha Majumdar paints a kaleidoscopic portrait of two families, each operating from a place of ferocious love and undefeated hope, each discovering how far they will go to secure their children’s future as they stave off encroaching catastrophe.

A masterful new work from one of the most exciting voices of her generation.

Throughout the month, All of It host Alison Stewart and the Library will accompany readers, providing touchpoints on-air and on social media at @allofitwnyc and @nypl. Borrow the book (and more than 300,000 others) for free through the Library on your preferred device. Learn more: nypl.org/ebookhelp

Join Stewart, the author, and readers everywhere for a live conversation, in-person or online, on Tuesday, March 24 at 6 PM. The conversation will be followed by a special musical performance from Purbayan Chatterjee.

To join in person | Please be sure to register for an In-Person Ticket. Doors will open 30 minutes before the program. For free events, we generally overbook to ensure a full house. Priority will be given to those who have registered in advance, but registration does not guarantee admission. All registered seats are released shortly before start time, and seats may become available at that time. A standby line will form 30 minutes before the program.

To join the livestream | A livestream of this event will be available on the NYPL event page. To receive an email reminder shortly in advance of the event, please be sure to register!

ACCESSIBILITY

In-Person | Assistive listening devices and/or hearing loops are available at the venue. ASL interpretation and real-time captioning (CART) are available upon request. Please submit your request via this form or contact the hosting library at least two weeks in advance.

Livestream | Captions and a transcript will be provided. Please submit your request via this form or contact the hosting library at least two weeks in advance to equest a free ASL (American Sign Language).

GET THE BOOK

• Borrow: NYPL Catalog


• E-Books: Check out this title—and even more NYPL e-books—on your favorite device. Learn more: nypl.org/ebookhelp

Don't have a New York Public Library card? Get one here!

To see all of our previous WNYC Get Lit titles check out our book club page here!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Megha Majumdar is the author of the novel A Guardian and a Thief, which was named a finalist for the National Book Award and the Kirkus Prize, as well as a selection of Oprah’s Book Club. Her debut novel, the New York Times bestseller A Burning, was nominated for the National Book Award, the National Book Critics Circle’s John Leonard Prize, and the American Library Association’s Andrew Carnegie Medal. It was a TODAY show Read With Jenna Book Club Pick and a Barnes & Noble Discover Pick. In India, it won a Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar. A Burning was named one of the best books of 2020 by media including The Washington Post, The New York Times, NPR, The Atlantic, Vogue, and TIME. Majumdar is the recipient of a Whiting Award, as well as of fellowships from the Civitella Ranieri and Hawthornden foundations. Born and raised in Kolkata, India, and educated at Harvard and Johns Hopkins, she now lives in New York.

ABOUT THE PERFORMER

Purbayan Chatterjee is one of India’s leading sitar virtuosos. A child prodigy, he received the President of India Award for Best Instrumentalist at the age of 15, marking the beginning of a career that now spans more than two decades of international performance. Deeply rooted in the guru-shishya tradition of Indian classical music, Chatterjee has earned recognition for both preserving raga lineage and expanding its contemporary expression through global collaboration.

His discography reflects both classical rigor and stylistic curiosity. Early recordings established him as a formidable interpreter of khayal-based raga performance, while subsequent projects broadened his reach. His work spans traditional raga explorations, live ensemble recordings, and globally oriented studio projects that situate the sitar within contemporary rhythmic and harmonic frameworks. Collaborations with Ustad Zakir Hussain, Herbie Hancock, Béla Fleck, Diane Reeves, Antonio Sánchez, Michael League, Jordan Rudess, Shankar Mahadevan, Javed Ali, and more are all part of Chatterjee’s continually expansive résumé.

Across stages, recordings, and mentorship, Purbayan Chatterjee continues to redefine what it means to be a classical Indian musician in a global century. Feathered Creatures, his new album with five-time GRAMMY Award-winning guitarist, composer, and producer Mark Lettieri will be released June 5.

Please submit all press inquiries at least 48 hours before the event by emailing press@nypl.org or by using this Gmail template.

For all other questions and inquiries, please email adultprogramming@nypl.org or use this Gmail template.

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