Read more
In this Indian modern classic, roofs are a special place; they are meant for wild things, for romance and for play. They are realms of freedom--freedom from the male gaze, sexual freedom, and freedom from society. Chachcho and Lalna use their roofs to build a friendship that transcends time and memory. Suddenly one day, Lalna has to leave, to return only after Chachcho's passing. Amidst rumors and gossip in the neighborhood, Chachcho's nephew tries to piece together his memories of the two women, one of whom is his mother. The truth he is searching for could destroy him forever, but to not find out is no longer an option.
Now finally published outside of India, this consummate novel of twists and turns by the International Booker Prize-winning author Geetanjali Shree,
The Roof Beneath Their Feet is a contemporary novel that promises to be read for generations to come.
About the author
Geetanjali Shree is the winner of the 2022 International Booker Prize and of the Warwick Prize for Women in Translation, along with Daisy Rockwell, for her novel, Tomb of Sand (Ret Samadhi in the Hindi original). The French translation, published as Ret Samadhi: Au-dela de la frontier was shortlisted for the Emile Guimet Prize, 2021. Geetanjali Shree is the author of four other novels: Mai, Hamara Shahar Us Baras (Our City That Year), Tirohit (The Roof Beneath Their Feet), and Khali Jagah (Empty Space), and five collections of short stories. Her work has been translated into many Indian and foreign languages.Rahul Soni is a writer, editor and translator. He has edited Home from a Distance, an anthology of Hindi poetry in English translation, and translated Geetanjali Shree’s novel The Roof Beneath Their Feet (forthcoming from And Other Stories in 2026), among others.
