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The Secrets Between Us: A Novel

(Between Us #2)

Thrity Umrigar

4.45 · Rating details · 3,581 ratings · 551 reviews

Bhima, the unforgettable main character of Thrity Umrigar’s beloved national bestseller The Space Between Us, returns in this triumphant sequel—a poignant and compelling novel in which the former servant struggles against the circumstances of class and misfortune to forge a new path for herself and her granddaughter in modern India.

"It isn’t the words we speak that make us ...more

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Kindle Edition, 368 pages

Published June 26th 2018 by Harper

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Jun 24, 2018 Will Byrnes rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction

“It isn’t the words we speak that make us who we are. Or even the deeds we do. It is the secrets buried in our hearts.”

---------------------------------------

Is it the special curse of women, to keep other people’s secrets and carry their shame? What would happen, she wonders, if all of them…simply put down their loads one day and refused to pick them up again?

Bhima is 65 years old, illiterate, and newly sacked. In her wonderful 2006 novel, The Space Between Us, Thrity Umrigar introduced us ...more

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Jul 22, 2018 Jen rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 5-star-favourites

Grateful is how I am feeling. Grateful for this story that has threaded its way into my heart and makes me appreciate the life I have. For although there is always something that could be better, the lives of these women will make you rethink the positives and at least, temporarily, discard the negatives.

The sequel to the space between us, continues in this exquisite tale of a Woman, Bhima, who struggles with poverty and bringing up her only grandchild alone, until an opportunity presents ...more

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Jul 24, 2018 Crumb rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

The Breathtaking and Riveting Conclusion to The Space Between Us by Thrity Umrigar

Upon reading the opening paragraph, I breathed a sigh of relief. I was home. When I had finished The Space Between Us by Thrity Umrigar I felt a gaping void within me. I didn't know how to let go of Bhima and Sera. They are two of the most unforgettable protagonists I've ever experienced in literature. But worry I shan't. I found out soon after there was to be a sequel, The Secrets Between Us.
* * * * * * * *

In The ...more

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May 20, 2018 Angela M rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: edelweiss-reviews

From the beginning, I was drawn in by the writing as I remember being when I read The Space Between Us. The story of Bhima, a poor servant continues as she works two jobs struggling to provide for her granddaughter Maya. I immediately felt as if I was back in the awful conditions, the poverty and dangers of a slum in Mumbai. It’s hard to believe that this is modern day India, but a quick internet search will lead you to numerous articles on the slums that exist in India today. As the sad things From the beginning, I was drawn in by the writing as I remember being when I read The Space Between Us. The story of Bhima, a poor servant continues as she works two jobs struggling to provide for her granddaughter Maya. I immediately felt as if I was back in the awful conditions, the poverty and dangers of a slum in Mumbai. It’s hard to believe that this is modern day India, but a quick internet search will lead you to numerous articles on the slums that exist in India today. As the sad things that happened to Bhima are recalled and the hard life she lives, I thought it couldn’t get any worse, until we meet Parvati, an ailing woman who sells nearly rotted vegetables at the market because that’s all she can afford to buy and sell. Her story felt like it was just too much at times, but I don’t doubt the author is depicting the reality.

Bhima recognizes the importance of education and that the only way out of the slum, out of the poverty is for Maya to continue with college. Bhima represents perhaps, the hopes of so many living there who struggle to lift themselves up when so much is stacked against them. Umigar, through the character of Sera Dubash, Bhima’s previous employer from the first novel, shows that women even in the upper class can be subjected to and suffer at the hands of male dominance.

This is not easy to read at times. It’s about the the haves and the have nots and is a commentary on class, but thankfully touching on the possibility of changing attitudes. It’s about friendships, hardships, identity and self esteem, about women with strength of character who somehow manage to uplift the reader in spite of their tough circumstances. It’s been a while since I read The Space Between Us. Having read that was my main reason for wanting to read this one. It could probably be read as a stand alone since some of what happened in the first book is reflected on here, but I think it was a more meaningful story having known Bhima from the first book.

I received an advanced copy of this book from HarperCollins through Edelweiss. ...more

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Jul 05, 2018 Esil rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I have read a few books by Thrity Umrigar, and I think this is my favourite so far. The Secrets Between Us features some of the same characters as her earlier book The Space Between Us. Set in Mumbai, India, the story focuses on Bhima and Parvati, two older women with difficult pasts living precarious lives. Bhima lives in a slum with her granddaughter, surviving on income made from cleaning and cooking for others. Parvati barely survives by selling six heads of cauliflower every day. Both women ...more

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May 30, 2019 Lisa rated it really liked it · review of another edition

[4+] Once I started The Secrets Between Us, I resented having to put it down, to sleep, to work. I bonded with each character and loved the way the friendships of the women, especially Bhima and Parvati, are at the forefront of this novel. The women have difficult lives, made bearable because of each other. Umrigar is a fine writer and cast a spell over me.

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Nov 12, 2018 Kate ☀️ Olson rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: adult-reads, audiobooks, 2018-friend-faves

Hands down one of my favorite books of the year, and possibly all time. The Secrets Between Us is actually the sequel to The Space Between Us, and while many people have read this one as a stand alone, I highly highly encourage you to read both books in order. Book one is just as good and sets up all the emotional and family backstory to be able to fully engage with and understand this one. Trust me - it is 100% worth the investment of time
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Set in Mumbai, this feminist tale is one of poverty ...more

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Feb 16, 2018 Alyson rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, adult, diverse-reads

Can I give this 6 stars?

Everyone needs to read The Space Between Us and then get ready to read this when it comes out.

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Jul 20, 2018 Jeanette rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This is a favorite author and her tales are never boring. And they highlight Indian cities and life during the most modern times of change.

Having said that, I also have to post this. That this is so sad and filled with tragedy that it can hardly be held as an "enjoyable" read. I stopped 1/2 way through for some days while reading much lighter and more joyful.

If you like the "light at the end of the tunnel" kind of development of hope or tolerance or friendship surmounting all in a death hour This is a favorite author and her tales are never boring. And they highlight Indian cities and life during the most modern times of change.

Having said that, I also have to post this. That this is so sad and filled with tragedy that it can hardly be held as an "enjoyable" read. I stopped 1/2 way through for some days while reading much lighter and more joyful.

If you like the "light at the end of the tunnel" kind of development of hope or tolerance or friendship surmounting all in a death hour declaration style- and like to cry or seek out cry reads as favorites perhaps- then you will like this continuation of The Space Between Us far more than I did. Because in aspects it reminds me of the Job tale in the Bible. And every stereotype of miserable comes clearly around, despite all the poetic language surrounding the fact of it.

Truthfully, I would give it 3.5 stars rounded up for the excellent depiction of a personality with one set of values being made massively and most usually invisible or completely irrelevant by the sensibilities and standards of another time. And so having to adjust. Somehow. I rounded it up for her two principle women characters and how well she defined their conversations with each other. That was 5 star.

The "embarrassed" and "neglected" old women experience here might (I think probably) contain some equivalency for a majority of the populations of females on this entire earth that happened to be born in the first 1/2 of the 20th century and still remain alive today. Because the social and practical people to people approach (society in general too) is quite angrier and more selfish now than it was in their youth. Not by the judgments of the modern "enlightened" but by the comparisons of experiences for masses of those humans (not only the women either) within those varying periods. Despite wars and other terrible social detriments, the structures of family, community etc. were so much more defined. Strictures of class and other myriads of sensibilities and their perspectives of how "success" demonstrates itself to the wider community and to your own family and to other individuals (even to the thoughts of self-identity) are changed. As they are here within the very most important tenets and goals of these women's lives. And within the poorest strains of India- it's just magnified the "values" that have changed for the sacrifices that have been lived.

This is about two older women primarily, their life sacrifices and tales- and the values they are given for their lives. Even unto their own values for themselves and the values they give each other. Bhima from The Space Between Us is one of them. I think you'd miss some of the ambiance in this if you had not read that book first.

It's about different types of friendships too. But it is filled with betrayals, tragedy, and some ultimate social queasiness to place and being "comfortable" in the places they are too.

I found the names very difficult. More than in her previous books. And also I am ignorant of at least half of the foods, so that made some of the Parsi and also other allusions to comparisons nearly impossible for me to understand.

For some readers it will also be about the reaction of the youngest generations to a "success" model or ideal. And to others it might be about empowerment in general. Especially if you are rather in the school of "Mother Teresa" types of solutions, which I'm not.

Yet is it ultimately a very sad and painful history that you will read. ...more

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Aug 09, 2018 Diane Yannick rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Thrity Umrigar knows how to write a book that draws me in and keeps me in its clutches until the very last word. Her characters have depth and there are no gratuitous characters or tangents. The meaning unfolds with beautiful prose that allows space for the reader to react on a personal level. Generally, I’m not big on sequels but liked The Space Between Us enough to preorder this one. Glad I did.

Thrity took a minor character Parvati, the vegetable vendor, and turned her into a driving force in ...more

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Sep 20, 2018 Jo rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Thrity Umrigar’s The Space Between Us was probably one of my best books of 2016. I don’t think I gave it five stars because of the relentless harshness of Bhima, the central character’s life, but it’s one I’ve never forgotten especially as the ending left me wanting more. I was thrilled, therefore, to see that Umrigar had written a sequel to that novel and enjoyed this one just as much, if not more.

The novel begins the day after the other left off and again, we follow Bhima and Maya, her Thrity Umrigar’s The Space Between Us was probably one of my best books of 2016. I don’t think I gave it five stars because of the relentless harshness of Bhima, the central character’s life, but it’s one I’ve never forgotten especially as the ending left me wanting more. I was thrilled, therefore, to see that Umrigar had written a sequel to that novel and enjoyed this one just as much, if not more.

The novel begins the day after the other left off and again, we follow Bhima and Maya, her granddaughter as they keep trying to keep their heads above water in the slums of Mumbai. They meet several new characters and one old, Parvati, who was featured briefly in the last book. Parvati’s story is told throughout the story, piece by piece and she is an often sympathetic and engaging character in her seventies with a foul mouth and a fierce intelligence. This really is a novel about two elderly women and the contrast between their lives and the lives of those two generations beyond them. The descriptions of the slums and the city as a whole, the way in which it is changing, leaving some behind while others soar is wonderfully done as is the characterization.

I wouldn’t want to give too much away but this is a happier book despite the tales of hardship, showing the power of friends and that, despite many negative changes, some things in modern India are changing for the better. Thrity Umrigar just does a wonderful job of making us care about these characters and want them be happy and although I had small reservations about the ending, I was glad that there was a happier resolution. A wonderful read for me.

N.B. The acknowledgements for the book are, unusually, on the very first pages and they are worth reading, Thrity Umrigar doesn’t just list the usual suspects but specifically acknowledges other writers as well as readers which I thought was a nice touch.

Some Favorite lines

‘At her age, time has stopped flowing in a linear fashion; rather, it ebbs and swirls, creating a whirlpool at its center that on most days swallows her whole. Her yesterdays have lost their bite; it is her todays that come bearing down with fangs and claws that she has to watch out for.’

‘Nothing slows the crowd down, nothing makes it pause. It is as if everyone in this city is chasing his or her fortune and to get at it, they will stand on and crush the heads of their own mothers. There is only one unforgivable sin in this city, and that is the sin of poverty.’
...more

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Jan 27, 2019 Barbara rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: india, india-challenge-2019, domestic-drama, library-loan, favorites

When I learned that Thrity Umrigar had written a sequal to her book 'The Space Between Us' I was really excited but a little bit nervous. After such a long wait, what if it turned out to be a massive disappointment? I quickly re-read the first book and fell in love with it all over again. Within a couple of paragraphs of 'The Secrets Between Us', all my fears were gone. The book picked up exactly where the other left off, same tone, same passion for life, same un-put-downable joy.

The Space was a When I learned that Thrity Umrigar had written a sequal to her book 'The Space Between Us' I was really excited but a little bit nervous. After such a long wait, what if it turned out to be a massive disappointment? I quickly re-read the first book and fell in love with it all over again. Within a couple of paragraphs of 'The Secrets Between Us', all my fears were gone. The book picked up exactly where the other left off, same tone, same passion for life, same un-put-downable joy.

The Space was a story of two women. The Secrets is much more focused on Bhima, the poor slum-dweller who loses her job, her friend and her 'almost' family at the end of The Space. Despite the terrible events that lead to Bhima being unemployed and very worried about her future and her granddaughter Maya's future, there's an amazing sense of hope about this book.

Bhima takes on two new jobs; one with a crazy old Parsi woman who makes her do bizarre rituals every time she leaves the house, and the other with a young businesswoman called Sunita.

Bhima has 'standards'. She may 'live' in a slum but she's not 'of' the slum. She won't be dragged down to the level of her neighbours. She certainly wouldn't be hanging about with ex-prostitutes or lesbians, would she? As the book progresses, she learns that people are worth so much more than their outward behaviour and what other people think about them. The book is about finding and building a real 'family' for herself and Maya with the most unexpected people.

Parvati is the wretchedly poor woman who sits in the market each day with half a dozen small 'throw-away' cauliflowers and a massive lump on her neck. She's caustic, foul-mouthed, aggressive and alone in the world. When Bhima's neighbour is killed, she finds herself helping the man's wife with a consignment of custard apples he bought before his death. With the help of Parvati and a young porter from the market, Bhima finds a new path in life, a pride in her own achievements, and a way to continue to support Maya. Phenomenal friendships are forged and I found my emotions put through the wringer again and again.

I loved the new characters. I got choked in all the right places. I hurt for the sad times and burst with joy at the happy outcomes. After the almost unremitting sadness and poverty of The Spaces, The Secrets Between Us is all about the good that can come out of the bad and it's such a fabulous book that I wanted to read it every spare moment I had, but I also feared coming to the end and knowing there was no more.

I rarely give out 5 stars but I can't give this one anything less. ...more

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Feb 11, 2018 Ann rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I've loved everything I've read by this author.

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May 17, 2018 Mainlinebooker rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: literary-fiction

Although this novel is a sequel to The Space between Us, it is perfectly fine to read as a stand alone. Heartbreaking,yet uplifting with coarse yet authentic dialogue, it had me mesmerized from the very start. Two women, living in the Mumbai slums, find their worlds intersecting as they try to eke out a living,beginning to understand and appreciate one another's strengths. Bhima, coming from a loving marriage, works diligently to try to provide an education for her granddaughter Maya. In the ...more

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Jun 26, 2018 Carla Suto rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: giveaways

THE SECRETS BETWEEN US by Thrity Umrigar is a beautifully-written and moving sequel to her bestselling novel, THE SPACE BETWEEN US. The sequel could be read as a stand-alone, but the story was even more meaningful to me because of everything I learned about the characters from the first book. Set in modern day Mumbai, THE SECRETS BETWEEN US picks up the story of Bhima, an impoverished servant who struggles against class limitations and sad twists of fate to provide a better life for herself and ...more

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Aug 19, 2018 Laura Lee rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Thrity Umrigar is one of my favorite authors and I was thrilled to see this sequel to The Space Between Us. This book is excellent, so sad and beautiful, wonderful writing. Read the first book first, though. This is just icing on the cake.

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Jul 13, 2019 Paige rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, literary-fiction, cultural

How does Bhima's past fit into her present? Are Bhima's misfortunes her greatest treasures? Are the secrets we carry a unifying element in our relationships? Is holding onto grief the way we legitimize the things we have lost or broken?

Thrity Umrigar takes you back to India where the first book, The Spaces Between Us, left off.
The Secrets Between Us allows you to peek into daily Indian life and culture through the eyes of two poor elderly females Bhima and Parvati.

Bhima is raising her ...more

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Aug 16, 2018 Judith rated it liked it · review of another edition

If you read and enjoyed "The Space Between Us", you should definitely read this sequel. I'm sure that the book could stand alone but I don't know if it would have the same impact without reading the first in the series. I almost gave up reading this because the descriptions of life in the Mumbai slum were almost unbearable and I don't doubt that conditions are as-described or worse. My heart breaks for those poor people who have no choice but to struggle for survival in the most deplorable ...more

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Jun 22, 2018 Tracy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

So many phrases from this book I meant to save.....so beautifully written! Sometimes you think it's the people who are different form you that can't see what's going on around you...and sometimes you find out it's you who isn't seeing.

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Aug 19, 2018 Ahaaha4 rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Excellent! Every sentence is so well written. One of those books you just don’t want to end. You read fast to get to the end but slow down at the end to prolong it. It is going to be hard to find my next read!

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Feb 03, 2019 Naori rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: south-asian-n-indian, favorites

I would like to throw these pages into the sky so that when they fell back down, at least everyone got a few of her words. More to come once I’ve got some sleep...

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Nov 06, 2018 Mrtruscott rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I read the prequel to this book a few months ago. I knew I would love this book, but I didn’t expect to blast through it so fast.

Now I’m sorry that I’ve finished my time in the parallel universe that an excellent book creates...the multi-layered world of Mumbai, the lives of women and men so defined by the caste system, and yet in the middle of tremendous change, the hustle that it takes to live in dire poverty — expending so much energy just to maintain a tenuous “ownership” of a sliver of a ...more

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Jun 26, 2018 Gaele rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: chick-lit, edelweiss, 2018-challenges, try-something-new, diverse-reading-challenge, harper-collins-group, reviewed

Not quite knowing what to expect, the story instantly brought me to Bhima as she is continuing her journey to find a place in the world that is fulfilling and her own, despite the slums that surround her, the challenges, and the never ending list of things to do, get, or overcome. The one constant in Bhima’s day is the challenges, and these range from simple: earning enough for food and a roof over her head, to the struggle to provide for her granddaughter so she will finish university and move Not quite knowing what to expect, the story instantly brought me to Bhima as she is continuing her journey to find a place in the world that is fulfilling and her own, despite the slums that surround her, the challenges, and the never ending list of things to do, get, or overcome. The one constant in Bhima’s day is the challenges, and these range from simple: earning enough for food and a roof over her head, to the struggle to provide for her granddaughter so she will finish university and move on to greater challenges with larger potential upsides. Throughout the changing face (and fortunes) of India, all is affecting outcomes for the ‘least’ of society: the poor and constantly downtrodden who have struggled to grab a place of insecure security.

When Bhima loses her long-time position as a housekeeper, she’s determined to keep her granddaughter moving toward that degree: one step in front of another she epitomizes the hope, the determination and the struggle, alone and soon with others, to move onto a higher plane of subsistence: one that despite their subjugation as both desperately poor and women that gives this story an outward ‘feel’ of hopeless desperation. But only at first glance: as slowly each woman encountered provides insight, support and examples for the others in their constant daily battles, as they strive for self-determination and independence.

Umrigar has crafted a story that feels honest and open in the tale: it’s not a disinfected dialogue on the power of the human spirit, but actual challenges, scenes, and situations that breathe life into the story and it’s characters. Not always an easy read as moments and places are described with such detail as to place you on that corner, in that close room with the heat, scents and ever-present monster of despair as it waits to pounce are palpable, following every turn of the page and causing you to pay attention, see the heroines for what they are, and marvel at their strength, heart and determination to move past their beginnings as they create opportunities for those who are yet to come.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via Edelweiss for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at I am, Indeed
...more

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Jul 08, 2018 Joan Eisenstodt rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction

It is not absolutely required to read Thrity Umrigar's "The Space Between Us" before reading this book that is a sequel to it. It is however smart to do so -- because the writing in each and learning the background of the characters is so critical to understanding "The Secrets".

Ms. Umrigar's writing is magnificent - her ability to help us understand the setting, the people, the circumstances in which they live matters esp. for those of us who have not experienced cultures outside our own.

What ...more

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Apr 12, 2019 Yari rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Beautifully written. A story about redemption, the love between family and friends, forgiveness.. just beautiful.
For those with sensitivity to strong language, brace yourself. Yet, even so, in the context of the story in makes sense. One of the best novels I've read so far.

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Jul 30, 2018 Nikki rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Real readers will understand that it is rare to turn the last page of a special book and feel as if you've lived another life, if only for the duration of the novel. These characters will stay with me for a long time...

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Jan 17, 2018 Lisa Cobb Sabatini rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I won an Uncorrected Proof of The Secrets Between Us by Thrity Umrigar from Goodreads.

A powerful and empowering story about women, the bonds they forge, and the embers of hope they keep aflame, The Secrets Between Us by Thrity Umrigar is a formidable novel for our times.
Bhima must find a way not only to survive, but also to keep her granddaughter in college. Having been cast out by her longtime employer, feeling lost and alone, Bhima keeps putting one foot in front of the other, never realizing ...more

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Jul 06, 2018 Laura rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

An incredible follow-up to what remains my favorite book of all time, The Space Between Us. Lyrical depiction of relationships, gender, societal change -- all set in Mumbai, which is itself a character in this real-to-life novel. A powerful book.

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Oct 18, 2018 Simone rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-recommend, diverse-reads, 2018, literary-fiction

My friend, @owlslittlelibrary told me about this book and we even made it our October Words Between Worlds pick. "Read this book. It's amazing!" she said.

So I did. My friend was right.

This is the story about two older women from the same world, but different lives. One was just fired from her nearly 20 years of serving one family. The other lives on the door front of her nephew. You would imagine that their lives would never intersect, but oddly they do. They meet at a market when Bhima (the one My friend, @owlslittlelibrary told me about this book and we even made it our October Words Between Worlds pick. "Read this book. It's amazing!" she said.

So I did. My friend was right.

This is the story about two older women from the same world, but different lives. One was just fired from her nearly 20 years of serving one family. The other lives on the door front of her nephew. You would imagine that their lives would never intersect, but oddly they do. They meet at a market when Bhima (the one that served a family) helped sell the fruit of her neighbor's husband, who recently was beaten to death. Parvati (the woman that lives on her nephew's doorstep) is selling six sad cauliflower heads and Bhima wants to rent her space to sell her fruit.

While their relationship is rocky at the start, their friendship slowly starts to form and grow throughout the novel. However, their personalities are very different and you can almost see they're like The Odd Couple.

Although this relationship is pretty central to the entire story, this isn't just about that. This book covers everything from class wars, human trafficking, servitude, and funnily a little ray of sunshine amongst all the poverty. The best part has to be a frustrating look at micro-universe that exists in Mumbai. I felt such heartache for Parvati's past and wanted the best for her at the end. I wanted to help Bhima understand that young people nowadays don't bother themselves with treating people poorly because of their caste.

But to get back to the book, the writing is impeccable. Thrity Umrigar is such a lyrical writer where I found myself highlighting so many beautiful passages. She's able to have this story that moves pretty quickly, but also takes breaks to share with you what the characters are thinking. You can see the moment when both Parvati and Bhima finally relent to their feelings and become friends.

The best part is that this was a story of older people. They were living in an old world view of Mumbai while the city was changing around them. They were "outdated" and "old," but somehow they persevered. I absolutely love these women for having multiple lives within their time on Earth.

I was really surprised by how good this book was. It's one of those "flies under the radar" and then shocks you with its ending. Definitely check this out!

I received a copy of this book from Harper Books for free in exchange for an honest review. My opinions have not been influenced by the publisher or the author. ...more

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Jun 24, 2019 Lisa rated it really liked it · review of another edition

"Do all human beings keep secrets from one another?"

This is the second story of Bhima (the first book being, THE SPACE BETWEEN US). However, this can be read as a stand alone.

Bhima and Parvati are business partners. Their partnership and friendship starts out as a love/hate relationship. They go through many situations together that bring their relationship closer. However, it is their pasts that seem to torture them that bring out the worst in each other. The obstacles that they overcome to ...more

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About Thrity Umrigar

Thrity Umrigar

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A journalist for seventeen years, Thrity Umrigar has written for the Washington Post, the Cleveland Plain Dealer, and other national newspapers, and contributes regularly to the Boston Globe's book pages. Thrity is the winner of the Cleveland Arts Prize, a Lambda Literary award and the Seth Rosenberg prize. She teaches creative writing and literature at Case Western Reserve University. The author ...more