Picture a storyteller who spun a vibrant tale of queer immigrant life in America’s heartland—meet Sarah Thankam Mathews! Born in Bangalore, India, and raised between Oman and India, Mathews immigrated to the United States at seventeen, bringing a kaleidoscope of experiences that fuel her luminous fiction. Her debut novel, All This Could Be Different, a National Book Award finalist, captures the messy, beautiful struggle of young adulthood with wit and heart, earning her a spot as a rising star in contemporary literature.
Mathews’s journey is as dynamic as her prose. Beyond writing, she’s a community organizer who founded Bed-Stuy Strong, a mutual aid network that supported thousands during the COVID-19 pandemic. With a sharp tongue and a big heart, she weaves stories that tackle love, identity, and economic precarity while advocating for immigration and climate justice.
The Making of Sarah Thankam Mathews
Born to Malayali parents in Bangalore, Mathews grew up in a tight-knit Indian enclave in Muscat, Oman, before moving to Wisconsin at seventeen. Her multicultural upbringing shaped her perspective, blending South Asian traditions with the realities of American life. At the University of Wisconsin–Madison, she honed her leadership as president of the Wisconsin Union Directorate, later diving into progressive politics in Washington, DC. But writing called her back—she pursued an MFA at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop as a Rona Jaffe Fellow, where her voice began to shine.
Mathews’s early career wasn’t all smooth sailing. She shelved a seven-year novel project, grappling with depression and financial strain during the 2020 pandemic. Yet, this hardship sparked a creative surge, leading her to pen All This Could Be Different in a feverish four months, proving her resilience and storytelling prowess.
Sarah Thankam Mathews’s Unforgettable Stories
Mathews’s debut novel, All This Could Be Different (2022), is a vibrant coming-of-age tale set in Milwaukee during the Great Recession. Following Sneha, a queer Indian immigrant navigating corporate life, love, and friendship, the novel blends lyrical prose with raw honesty. Critics, including The New York Times, praised its vivid portrayal of millennial struggles, earning it a National Book Award nomination and spots on best-of lists by NPR, Vogue, and TIME.
Her short story “Rubberdust,” featured in Best American Short Stories 2020, showcases her knack for capturing intimate moments with cultural depth. Other works, like “Return to Oman” for AFAR Magazine and “The Love Song of G. Madhvi Suresh” for Platypus Press, highlight her versatility, blending personal essays with fiction. Mathews’s style—sharp, tender, and socially conscious—explores themes of immigration, queerness, and community, making her stories both universal and deeply specific.
Unlike traditional bildungsromans, Mathews’s work emphasizes collective growth over individual triumph. Her characters grapple with systemic issues like racism and economic insecurity, yet find hope in found families and solidarity, reflecting her own organizing ethos.
Why Sarah Thankam Mathews Matters
Mathews’s impact extends beyond the page. Her novel amplifies South Asian and queer voices, offering a fresh lens on contemporary American life. By setting her story in Milwaukee—a city often overlooked in fiction—she challenges coastal literary norms, earning praise from Pulitzer winner Ayad Akhtar for her vivid depiction. Her advocacy, through Bed-Stuy Strong and outspoken stances on immigration and climate change, embodies her belief that the world can be remade through collective action.
As a young author, Mathews is reshaping literary fiction with her bold, empathetic narratives. Her ability to balance humor and heartache while addressing social issues makes her a vital voice for a new generation of readers hungry for authentic stories.
- Born: Bangalore, India
- Key Work: All This Could Be Different (2022)
- Awards: National Book Award Finalist (2022), Aspen Words Literary Prize Finalist
- Notable Fact: Founded Bed-Stuy Strong, raising $1.2M for Brooklynites during COVID-19
Snag All This Could Be Different and dive into Sarah Thankam Mathews’s electrifying world of heart, humor, and hope!