JASNA-NY Regional Meeting: Uzma Jalaluddin

JASNA-NY Regional Meeting

Saturday, September 18, 2021

2 PM – 4:30 PM

Uzma Jalaluddin

“Ayesha At Last: Remixing Pride and Prejudice”

Free Zoom Event

Register HERE

Uzma Jalaluddin, author of Ayesha At Last, will talk about her writerly motivations in pursuing a Pride and Prejudice retelling and what it means to reimagine classic texts from a different cultural viewpoint—and the love that South Asian culture has for all things Austen. This debut novel is a modern Asian and Muslim remix of the story of Darcy and Elizabeth. Uzma’s Lizzie is a teacher, wears a hijab, and is “irritatingly attracted to someone who looks down on her choices and dresses like he belongs in the seventh century.” Ayesha At Last has been optioned for film by Pascal Pictures, featured on Good Morning America, and was named one of Publishers Weekly’s Best Books of 2019. Her second novel is scheduled for publication in spring 2021.

Uzma is speaking with us as part of a subscription series offered through the North American Friends of Chawton House.

Ayesha at Last: A Novel

Pride and Prejudice with a modern twist

Ayesha Shamsi has a lot going on. Her dreams of being a poet have been set aside for a teaching job so she can pay off her debts to her wealthy uncle. She lives with her boisterous Muslim family and is always being reminded that her flighty younger cousin, Hafsa, is close to rejecting her one hundredth marriage proposal. Though Ayesha is lonely, she doesn’t want an arranged marriage. Then she meets Khalid who is just as smart and handsome as he is conservative and judgmental. She is irritatingly attracted to someone who looks down on her choices and dresses like he belongs in the seventh century.

When a surprise engagement between Khalid and Hafsa is announced, Ayesha is torn between how she feels about the straightforward Khalid and his family; and the truth she realizes about herself. But Khalid is also wrestling with what he believes and what he wants. And he just can’t get this beautiful, outspoken woman out of his mind.

For the safety of all, this will be an online (Zoom) meeting.

Cost: FREE

Please register HERE for this meeting

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email which will contain information explaining how to join the meeting online.

Please feel free to share the event details; please do not share the access details (as they are unique to you).

Donations are welcome (to assist with offsetting technology fees) and may be sent via PayPal to treasurer.jasnany@gmail.com.

OR

Please send a check, payable to ‘JASNA-NY’, to our Treasurer:

Christina Feicht, 150 E 69th St, Apt 7H, New York, NY 10021.