Words At Large

In her debut novel, What The Body Remembers, Shauna Singh Baldwin follows the lives of two Sikh wives as they wrestle for power in a male-dominated world.

Singh Baldwin has remarked on the similarities between circumstances in her novel and current societies in India, Canada, the U.S. and the U.K., all places she has lived. Class and gender relations, affirmative action, surrogate motherhood and polygamy are some of the hot-button topics she identifies as links between the novel and today’s world.

What The Body Remembers begins in 1937 in Rawalpindi, in the Punjab region of India. Partition is ten years away but tensions are mounting. At the center of the story are Satya, Roop and their husband Sardarji.

Satya is over 40 and unable to bear children. So Sardarji, a wealthy Sikh landowner and canal engineer, takes a second wife, the beautiful young Roop.

At 16, Roop is eager to leave her village for a better life. Although Satya seems to treat Roop like a younger sister, she secretly undermines her. As Roop bears children, the household is divided by passion and politics, much like the country itself.

This week we present episodes ten through thirteen.

Episode Ten - Roop comes up with a plan to top all of Satya's schemes.

Episode Eleven – Roop’s plan is revealed.

Episode Twelve - Satya plots a terrible revenge.

Episode Thirteen - Roop faces Satya's final challenge.

Each episode of Between The Covers is approximately 15 minutes. If you wish to listen to previous episodes click here.