Two Opportunities to Learn About Diverse Cultures
Dr. Benedicte Grima
Dr. Benedicte Grima, a linguist, ethnographer, and translator, has combined her skills and mined her experiences in decades of work with diverse cultures here and in Asia to produce three books: two scholarly works on Pashtun culture and now, a new novel which explores life in flux and translation between America and northern Pakistan.
Of her novel, Talk Till The Minutes Run Out: An Immigrant’s Tale From 7-Eleven, Grima said, “It was my work in the exile community that spurred me to create a fiction character who could embody the stories of this under-represented group. From his phone and calling cards at 7-Eleven, Nur Ali leads his family in their village in northern Pakistan through 15 years of turmoil. And when not managing his family back home, he networks with the local exile community at large as they look after each other.”
Dr. Grima will present her new book in free talks this month at the Swarthmore Campus and Community Store, Saturday, November 16, at 3 p.m., and at the Swarthmore Public Library on Wednesday, November 20, at 7 p.m. Both sessions are free. Books will be available for purchase and signing.
