Non-Fiction Pick of the Week: A Place Within

A Place Within: Rediscovering India by M.G. Vassanji 2008

You can expect that when an author is a two time winner of the Giller Prize for fiction, you would have a reasonable expectation that the non-fiction work is of equal quality. A Place Within: Rediscovering India, is a personal journey into the history and culture of India, and it does not disappoint. In his previous works of fiction, Vassanji explored what it was like to be grow up in one country and yet be woven into the fabric of another. In this book, he uncovers a complex history of family narratives, history and stories such as the relationship between Muslims, Jews and Hindus. In November, 2009 Vassanji was presented with the Governor General’s Award in the non-fiction category.