The Limits of the World: A Novel Audiobook

The Chandaria family—emigrants from the Indian-enclave of Nairobi—have managed to flourish in America. Premchand, the father, is a doctor who has worked doggedly to grow his practice and give his family security; his wife, Urmila, runs a business importing artisanal Kenyan crafts; and their son, Sunil, after quitting the pre-med track, has gotten accepted to a PhD program in philosophy at Harvard. But the parents have kept a very important secret from Sunil: his cousin, Bimal, is actually his older brother. And when this previously hidden history is revealed by an unforeseen accident, and the entire family is forced to return to Nairobi, Sunil reveals his own well-kept, explosive secret: his Jewish-American girlfriend, who has accompanied him to Kenya, is, in fact, already his wife.

Spanning four generations and three continents, The Limits of the World illuminates the vast mosaic of cultural divisions and ethical considerations that shape the ways in which we judge one another’s actions. A dazzling debut novel—written with rare empathy and insight—it is a powerful depiction of how we prevent ourselves, unwittingly and otherwise, from understanding the people we are closest to.

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“Narrators Priya Ayyar and Ron Butler work together to chart the ups and downs of the Chandaria family…Ayyar sounds young, hopeful, and determined as Sunil, the rebellious son who doesn’t want to be a doctor or marry an Indian woman. She describes his contrary life at an upbeat, energetic tempo that captures Sunil’s attempts to integrate into American culture. Butler creates a memorable character in Bimal, the cousin who lives in Kenya. He delivers Bimal’s unique accented English with a gentle cadence. Ayyar and Butler trade off chapters, showcasing their talents and keeping listeners entertained throughout.”

— AudioFile