Join author Janika Oza to celebrate the publication of her debut novel A History of Burning.

India, 1898. Pirbhai is thirteen when he steps into a dhow on the vague promise of work – his family is suffering and he will do anything to help. Yet the boat takes him to labour for the British on the East Africa Railway. He has no money, no voice, no power. He makes impossible choices in the name of survival.

Sonal is fierce and loving, always willing to fight for what she believes in. When Pirbhai, weathered from his time on the railway but not broken, walks into her father’s shop, she knows he is part of her future, and together they set out for a new life in Uganda.

So begins the story of their family as they scatter across the world, fleeing the brutality of Idi Amin, forging new lives in London, marching for equality in 1990s Canada, searching for a safe mooring.

But under everything lies a secret. And one day, a letter arrives that will fan its embers into a flame.

A History of Burning is the story of one family’s search for a better life. Perfect for fans of Half A Yellow Sun, Homegoing and Pachinko. In conversation for this special virtual event, Janika will dive into her writing process and the research she undertook to craft this incredible book. Make sure you tune in.

“Spanning continents and centuries in the lives of four generations of one Indian-Ugandan family, A History of Burning is a riveting testament to home, exile, survival, and inheritance. Janika Oza is a writer you won't want to miss.” Lisa Ko

“A History of Burning is as transfixing as a flame. Janika Oza writes strikingly and steadily, with exquisite, incisive detail, about making one's home in imperfect places. This is a book about what it means to be part of a family and lineage, in all its heart-breaking and wondrous complexity.” Rachel Khong