This reading group guide for Sari, Not Sari includes an introduction and discussion questions for enhancing your book club. The suggested questions are intended to help your reading group find new and interesting angles and topics for your discussion. We hope that these ideas will enrich your conversation and increase your enjoyment of the book.​

Introduction

Manny Dogra is the CEO of Breakup, a company that helps people manage their relationship breakups. She's also planning her wedding to handsome architect Adam Jamieson while dealing with the loss of her beloved parents.

For reasons Manny has never understood, her mother and father always wanted her to become an “All-American” girl. So she knows next to nothing about her South Asian heritage, and that's never been a problem—until an image of Manny that's been Photoshopped to make her skin look more white appears on a major magazine cover. Now, the woman who built an empire by encouraging people to be true to themselves is having her own identity crisis.

But when an irritating client named Sammy Patel approaches Manny with an odd breakup request, the perfect solution presents itself: If they both agree to certain terms, he'll give her a crash course in being “Indian” at his brother's wedding . . .

Topics & Questions for Discussion

1. Manny's company, Breakup, encourages others to end relationships that aren't making them happy. Why do Manny and Sammy stay in relationships that aren't working?

2. What do you think of Breakup's “no temporary breakups” policy? Why do you think it came to be?

3. Do you think the service Breakup provides would be successful in real life? Why or why not?

4. How did the sudden loss of her parents affect Manny? How has she been dealing with her grief?

5. How do you think the perfect breakup should be conducted? What does closure look like to you?

6. Manny's relationship and home with Adam appear perfect, but what is their relationship lacking?

7. Why have Manny's close friends, like Rob, hesitated talking to her about her grief and about her relationship with Adam?

8. Some immigrant families eagerly pass on traditions, like Sammy and Rajiv's, while others, like Manny's, prefer to assimilate. What drives these different views?

9. How does the meaning of family change for Manny throughout the novel?

10. Anjali's note on page 251 reminds Manny, “Yes, you are Indian. You were always Indian.” What are some of the reasons that keep Manny from realizing this?

11. On page 265, Aliyan tells Manny, “[T]here is no one way to be Indian.” What does Aliyan teach Manny about embracing their shared culture?

12. The whitewashed Beyond More cover catalyzes Manny's journey to connect with her culture—though the cause of that journey is actually a deep betrayal. What does Manny learn about how Adam sees her?

13. How do Manny's priorities shift through the course of the novel? What does Sammy show her about what's important?

14. What does Sammy himself learn through the course of his week with Manny?