Songs of My Grandmother - by Sara Surani Paperback

About the Book

A collection of poetry and prose that offers comfort, community, and belonging through stories of love, loss, change, and rebirth. In this collection of poetry and prose, Sara Surani weaves together the universal songs of her ancestors, voices of women she has met across the world, and her own reflections. These are not songs with music, but melodies of memory and spirit-of love and laughter. Of curiosity and wonder. Of healing and hope. Of the little moments when time slows down. The daughter of Pakistani-Muslim immigrants who moved to South Texas to give their daughter a better life, Surani draws on her roots to create a tapestry of stories; comforting and deeply familiar. Throughout the book, she braids shared struggles with collective joy, reminding us of all that we hold in common while conjuring a deep sense of belonging-one that is needed now, more than ever.

Book Synopsis

A collection of poetry and prose that offers comfort, community, and belonging through stories of love, loss, change, and rebirth.

In this collection of poetry and prose, Sara Surani weaves together the universal songs of her ancestors, voices of women she has met across the world, and her own reflections. These are not songs with music, but melodies of memory and spirit-of love and laughter. Of curiosity and wonder. Of healing and hope. Of the little moments when time slows down.

The daughter of Pakistani-Muslim immigrants who moved to South Texas to give their daughter a better life, Surani draws on her roots to create a tapestry of stories; comforting and deeply familiar. Throughout the book, she braids shared struggles with collective joy, reminding us of all that we hold in common while conjuring a deep sense of belonging-one that is needed now, more than ever.

Review Quotes

Tender, poetic, and deeply human, Songs of My Grandmother is a delicious potion. Drink up to restore your senses, awaken to beauty, and remember what is important beneath it all: belonging, community, and above all, love. - Valarie Kaur, activist and best-selling author of See No Stranger, Sage Warrior, and World of Wonder

An enrapturing journey through the vibrant spectrum of human emotion, rich with multigenerational stories of love, self-discovery, and relentless perseverance. Sara weaves the wisdom of the past with the struggles of the present, producing an evocative and colorful celebration of heritage and humankind. - Mariam Dogar, author of Our Ancestors Did Not Breathe This Air

Songs of My Grandmother is a lyrical invitation to embrace the fullness of our humanity. Sara explores the sacred dance between grief and joy, belonging, and loss. With every page, she tenderly holds our hands and guides us through the complexities of identity, showing us how the stories of our ancestors shape the very essence of who we are. A testament to the resilience of love and the enduring strength of the human spirit, prepare to be moved, inspired, and transformed.
- Nancy Levin, author of Embrace Your Shadow to Find Your Light

In Songs of My Grandmother, inner worlds once torn by borders are stitched together to be healed. This collection of poems, essays, and stories gently weaves together themes of memory and resilience, to offer a tender narrative of healing and hope. It is a remarkable, enchanting and at times heartbreaking testimony to the restorative power of songs. - Amanda Alcántara, author of Chula and How I Became a Mermaid

This book is a timely, intergenerational blessing. This poetic collection is a balm on humanity's heart. It is for anyone seeking to find, feel, and bring their own song into this world. Though her songs, Surani invites us to sing along for ourselves, our grandmothers, and future granddaughters. It leaves you feeling grateful for its and your own existence. Songs of My Grandmother holds and transforms its readers. - Kim Guerra, author of Badass Bonita

Songs of My Grandmother celebrates a constellation of female ancestors, from nanis to tias, across the globe, past and present, who have been the author's northern stars and now ours. Her writing is testimony to the necessity of remembering, that longing is the ultimate act of love for our ancestors. Sara's songs are gospel- and ghazal-like in their call and response, as warm as her grandmothers' paisley shawls and as melodic as their tabla beats. Each one is a lullaby to love into our legacies, ourselves, and each other a little bit more in our messily complex wholeness. - Sonya Soni, activist and author of the forthcoming The Gorra, the Gringa, and the Muzungu

A stunning debut; fresh and entirely original. This fusion of memoir and poetry sings eloquently of womanhood, motherhood, nationhood-all the griefs and glories. - Geraldine Brooks, Pulitzer Prize-winner and #1 NYT best-selling author of Horse

About the Author

Sara Surani is an activist, entrepreneur, educator, researcher, and co-founder of She is the Universe - a global movement for girls' empowerment. She has lived and worked all over the world, bridging storytelling with gender equity, health advocacy, and education, from fishing towns in Tanzania to the depths of the Amazon jungle. Sara works with community empowerment and entrepreneurship globally, collaborating with grassroots and governments across the US, Asia, Africa, and Latin America. She believes that stories move people and have the power to change the world. A daughter of Pakistani-Muslim immigrants in South Texas, Sara holds degrees from Harvard University and Tsinghua University. She is a Fulbright Fellow and a Schwarzman Scholar, and is always looking for an excuse to learn a new language. Sara finds home in many people and places, and is currently finding home in New York City. www.sarasurani.com