Vinod Busjeet was born in Mauritius, a multiracial island in the Indian Ocean. He holds degrees from Wesleyan University, New York University, and Harvard University, and spent 29 years in economic development, finance, and diplomacy, holding positions at World Bank and International Finance Corporation, and as a secondary school teacher in Mauritius. Silent Winds, Dry Seas: A Novel (Doubleday Books) is his debut. In it, Busjeet explores the intimate struggle for independence and success of Vishnu Bhushan, a young descendant of Indian indentured laborers in Mauritius. Through precise language, Busjeet conjures Mauritius’ spirit and rich life, even as its diverse peoples live under colonial rule. He weaves the hopes, love, and heartbreaking tragedies of Vishnu’s proud Mauritian family with the country’s turbulent path to gain independence. In the intimate moments of a boy’s life, he evokes the epic sweep of history. Edward P. Jones, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Known World, observed that the “beauty of Busjeet’s splendid, often breathtaking book is, like the best stories of journeys to young adulthood, the precious and well-observed and heart-breaking details of day-to-day life.”
