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The Inheritance of Loss
May 13, 2026 9:34 PM

  

The Inheritance of Loss1

  Kiran Desai Kiran Desai, author of The Inheritance of Loss (2006). (more) The Inheritance of Loss novel by Desai Ask the Chatbot a Question More Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Inheritance-of-Loss Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

  External Websites Ask the Chatbot a Question Written by Karen D'Souza Karen D'Souza is a contributor to 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die (2012), where an earlier version of this Britannica entry first appeared. Karen D'Souza Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Feb 28, 2025 • Article History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot The Inheritance of Loss, second novel written by Indian-born American author Kiran Desai. Published in 2006, it was hailed by critics and readers and was awarded the Booker Prize. The Inheritance of Loss is set in the mid-1980s both in India and in New York City, with the British colonial past casting long shadows over the present. In Kalimpong, in India’s sub-Himalayan Siwalik Range, the orphaned teenage girl Sai lives with her Cambridge-educated grandfather, a retired judge. Although largely ignored by her grandfather, Sai is cherished by the cook, whose son, Biju, subsists as an undocumented immigrant in New York. ...(100 of 471 words)

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