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Shilpi Somaya Gowda

Goodreads Author

Born

Toronto, Canada

Website

http://www.shilpigowda.com

Genre

Literature & Fiction, Contemporary

Member Since

November 2008

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/ssgowda

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Shilpi Somaya Gowda is the New York Times bestselling, award-winning author of four novels: Secret Daughter (2010), The Golden Son (2015), The Shape of Family (2020), and A Great Country (2024). Her novels have been translated into over 30 languages, been #1 international bestsellers in several countries and sold more than two million copies worldwide.

Shilpi was born and raised in Toronto, Canada. She spent a college summer as a volunteer in an Indian orphanage, which seeded the idea for her first novel and the transition from a business career to a becoming a writer: Secret Daughter was an IndieNext Great Read, a Target Book Club Pick, an Indigo Heather’s Pick, and an Amnesty International Book Club Pick. It was a finalist for the South A ...more

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Shilpi Somaya Gowda's Blog

Coming soon ... A GREAT COUNTRY

I'm so excited to share this novel with you. A GREAT COUNTRY is different than anything I've written before, and I really had to push myself to delve into some difficult territory. I began wri􀆟ng it in 2021, in the midst of the pandemic and civil strife. There were so many polarized or oversimplified conversations going on around me, and I found myself longing for a more honest and nuanced debate Read more of this blog post »

10 likes · Like • 4 comments • flag

Published on October 31, 2023 13:18

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Shilpi Somaya Gowda’s books

Average rating: 4.0 · 107,217 ratings · 9,106 reviews · 7 distinct works • Similar authors

	Secret Daughter really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 78,053 ratings — published 2010 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Golden Son 4.13 avg rating — 15,283 ratings — published 2015 — 49 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Great Country 3.88 avg rating — 8,980 ratings — published 2024 — 15 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Shape of Family 3.81 avg rating — 4,849 ratings — published 2019 — 32 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Last Carnival of August 3.71 avg rating — 49 ratings — published 2016	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	secret Daughter 4.50 avg rating — 2 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Secret Daughter: A Novel by Shilpi Somaya Gowda (Goodreads Author), Unknown Author really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 1 rating	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage

by Belle Burden

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Apr 25, 2026 08:37PM

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American Han

by Lisa Lee (Goodreads Author)

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Apr 16, 2026 10:41AM

Shilpi Gowda is currently reading

Middlemarch

by George Eliot

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Jan 13, 2026 10:10PM

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Shilpi’s Recent Updates

Shilpi Gowda is currently reading Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage by Belle Burden	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 25, 2026 08:37PM · 1 like · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Strangers by Belle Burden. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Strangers by Belle Burden <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Shilpi Gowda has read Eat Your Ice Cream: Six Simple Rules for a Long and Healthy Life by Ezekiel J. Emanuel	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 24, 2026 05:04PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Eat Your Ice Cream by Ezekiel J. Emanuel. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Eat Your Ice Cream by Ezekiel J. Emanuel <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Shilpi Gowda finished reading It's On You by Nick Chater	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 21, 2026 07:28AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of It's On You by Nick Chater. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — It's On You by Nick Chater <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Shilpi Gowda has read We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 19, 2026 09:14AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Shilpi Gowda is currently reading It's On You by Nick Chater	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 16, 2026 10:42AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of It's On You by Nick Chater. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — It's On You by Nick Chater <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Shilpi Gowda is currently reading American Han by Lisa Lee (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 16, 2026 10:41AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of American Han by Lisa Lee. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — American Han by Lisa Lee <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Shilpi Gowda has read The Book of Records by Madeleine Thien	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Apr 16, 2026 10:40AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Book of Records by Madeleine Thien. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Book of Records by Madeleine Thien <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Shilpi Gowda liked Christine's review of A Great Country: "Read way past my bedtime to finish this book. Absolutely compelling. "
Apr 13, 2026 05:42PM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of A Great Country by Shilpi Somaya Gowda. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — A Great Country by Shilpi Somaya Gowda <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Shilpi Gowda and 1 other person liked Nancy Dennis's review of A Great Country: "What a beautiful story, so well written and gave a perspective that we think we empathize. But reality teaches us differently"
Apr 13, 2026 05:41PM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of A Great Country by Shilpi Somaya Gowda. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — A Great Country by Shilpi Somaya Gowda <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Shilpi Gowda liked Elizabeth's review of A Great Country: "4.5: Just what I was hoping to read right now. An honest, well-paced, could-happen-to-you story of the Shah family, who deals with the unjust arrest of their 12 year old son with special needs. The characters, parents Priya and Ashok, teens Deepa, Ma" Read more of this review »
Apr 13, 2026 05:41PM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of A Great Country by Shilpi Somaya Gowda. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — A Great Country by Shilpi Somaya Gowda <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">

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Quotes by Shilpi Somaya Gowda (?)

“At some point, the family you create is more important than the one you were born into.”
― Shilpi Somaya Gowda, Secret Daughter

67 likes

“Notice if you are holding your breath after inhaling, and if so, what are you afraid of letting go. Or are you holding it after exhaling, and what are you afraid of letting in.”
― shilpi somaya gowda, Secret Daughter

36 likes

“Sometimes, as she has well learned in life, one's actions must precede the emotions one hopes to feel.”
― Shilpi Somaya Gowda, Secret Daughter

30 likes

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