Book of my Life: Shantie Singh about The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri

13 October 2026 Podcast

Shantie Singh | BVML

Listen to the Book of My Life podcast, where writers share the book that has inspired or moved them—the book that has shaped their artistic, moral, or intellectual compass. In short, the book they recommend to everyone. This podcast is a re-publication of the live program, part of the annual Writers Unlimited International Literature Festival The Hague.

Shantie Singh chose The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri as her favourite book. Lahiri’s debut novel tells the moving story of two generations of Indians trying to find their place in a new world. Lahiri (1967) was born in London to Bengali parents and grew up in the United States. The novel was successfully adapted into a film by Mira Nair in 2006, also titled The Namesake.

This podcast is released in the run-up to the annual Writers Unlimited International Literature Festival The Hague. Listen to the podcast here or via your favorite podcast platform.

In this first season of the Book of My Life podcast, we’re not only revisiting recent conversations but also diving into the archives. In celebration of 30 years of Writers Unlimited, we’ve selected several memorable episodes from the past—featuring both Book of My Life and Text of My Life—that have stayed with us over the years.

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