Book Clubs

Interested in having Author Pallavi Sharma Dixit join your Book Club’s discussion about EDISON? Pallavi is available to visit in-person (in the Twin Cities), by Zoom, Teams, Skype, FaceTime or Phone.

Discussion Guide for Edison by Pallavi Sharma Dixit

1. In Edison, Pallavi Dixit takes readers into the heart of a Little India in New Jersey, where “one Indian grocery store became ten, then twenty, and eventually all of Oak Tree Road was lined with Indian jewelry stores, grocery stores, video stores, and restaurants.” Were you able to picture the neighborhood as it developed? Did it call to mind any places you’ve encountered in your own life?

2. Prem Kumar, the “hero” of the novel, is different from his family members in many ways. When he settles into life in Edison, more of his quirks are revealed. In what ways is Prem different from those around him? How do these traits affect the course of his life? What is a character trait that differentiates you and how has that trait impacted your life?

3. Prem’s life in New Jersey is peopled with a colorful cast of supporting characters – roommates, gas station colleagues, friends, aunties, store owners, love interests, etc. Of these secondary characters, or “sideys” as they might be called in Hindi movie vernacular, who were your favorites? Why? What role did they play in Prem’s journey?

4. The Hindi film industry – or Bollywood, as it has come to be known around the world – plays a major role in Edison and in Prem’s life. What are some of the ways that Bollywood functions in the novel? Have you watched any of the movies mentioned in the book? If so, which ones and what did you think of them? If not, did the book make you more or less inclined to watch one? 

5. Hemant Engineer’s decree (that Prem earn a million and one dollars before marrying Leena) spurs Prem to action in ways he could not have imagined. Is there such a defining moment in your own life? A trigger of some kind that challenged you to be your best self? Would Prem have been better off if Hemant had not issued the decree?

6. The two principal fathers in the book (Hemant and Ashok) shape Prem in different ways.  In what ways do they do so? How are the two men similar and different from one another? What do you think of them?

7. The main action of the novel occurs in the real town of Edison, New Jersey, where Thomas Edison once had his labs. The author references the inventor several times throughout the course of the story. How do you think Thomas Edison gels with the themes of the book?

8. The author’s favorite scene to write takes place in Chapter 23 when the various actors convene at the hotel bar before their first rehearsal and chaos ensues. What was your favorite scene to read? Why?

9. How did the author’s style and voice suit the genre and subject matter of the book?

10. The Indian American community of King’s Court supports Prem in many ways over the years. What are some instances of this? How has community supported you at various times in your life?

11. This list of questions had to end on 11. Why? Do you have any superstitions or good luck charms in your life? What are they?