The Leaving of Things (PB) (2014)

Winner of the 2014 International Book Award for Multicultural Fiction
2014 Kindle Book Award Winner

Vikram is not your model Indian-American teenager. Growing up in late 1980s Wisconsin, he is rebellious, adrift, and resentful of his Indian roots. But a disastrously drunken weekend becomes a one-way ticket back to the homeland for Vikram after his outraged parents decide to pack up the family and return to India.

So begins a profound journey of culture shock, loneliness, and self-discovery as Vikram--navigating the chaos of daily Indian life and the antiquated social rules of his college--finds the confidence to explore his own creativity, reconnect with his family, and meet unforgettable new friends. Most of all, he discovers that India is his soul...but America is his heart, the land of his destiny, leading to a once-in-a-lifetime test of courage as he sets out to chart a bold new course for his future.