The New Next Rushdie

The fact that Bombay-born Siddharth Shanghvi has drawn comparisons to Salman Rushdie isn't special. For lack of a better point of reference, the author of every weepy-titled Indian novel that reaches our shores seems to be called the next Rushdie. But Shanghvi's success in his homeland is truly noteworthy. The 26-year-old's debut novel, The Last Song of Dusk,a mournful family saga that intersects with the story of Indian independence, is in its third printing and is turning the former kennel worker into a literary star. Find out if Shanghvi meets the hype when he reads tonight.
Tue., July 18, 6 p.m.