Introduction

Journey to dazzling seventeenth-century Hindustan, where the reigning emperor, consumed with grief over the tragic death of his beloved wife, commissioned the building of a grand mausoleum as a testament to the marvel of their love. This monument would soon become known as the Taj Mahal—a sight famous around the world for its beauty and the emotions it symbolizes.

Princess Jahanara, the courageous daughter of the emperor and his wife, recounts their mesmerizing tale, while sharing her own parallel story of forbidden love with the celebrated architect of the Taj Mahal. Set during a time of unimaginable wealth and power, murderous sibling rivalries, and cruel despotism, this impressive novel sweeps you away to a historical Hindustan brimming with action and intrigue in an era when, alongside the brutalities of war and oppression, architecture and the art of love and passion reached a pinnacle of perfection.

John Shors traveled extensively throughout Asia after graduating from Colorado College in 1991, living for several years in Japan, where he taught English, and then trekking across the continent, visiting ten countries and climbing the Himalayas. More recently, Mr. Shors worked as a newspaper reporter in his hometown, Des Moines, Iowa, before entering public relations and moving to Boulder, Colorado. Beneath a Marble Sky is his first novel.

1. The working title for the book was Souls in Stone. John Shors only thought of the name Beneath a Marble Sky after his novel was finished. Which title do you prefer and why?

2. Why do you think that John Shors chose Jahanara to tell his story? Was she the right character to narrate Beneath a Marble Sky?

3. Did you like the scenes on the river with Jahanara and her grand-daughters, or would the book have been complete without them?

4. Jahanara's character is greatly influenced by her need to please her parents. Are such needs any less important today, especially as family members age and are increasingly draw apart by geography?

5. If you were Jahanara, would you have let the cobra kill Aurangzeb? Did you like Jahanara more or less because of this decision?

6. Isa and Nizam both experienced tragedies at a young age. Are their positive dispositions believable? Which character did you enjoy most?

7. Did John Shors mishandle any emotions that a female author might have conveyed better? If not, why do you suspect that he was able to so effectively write from a woman's point of view.

8. What is the most memorable scene in the novel?

9. Did the book provide you with any insight into Islam that might offer you answers regarding issues at hand today?

10. What was the most important message that you gained from Beneath a Marble Sky? How is that message relevant to you own journey?

11. Is Beneath a Marble Sky a novel that will stand out in your mind for some time to come?

12. Is historical fiction a genre that greatly appeals to you?