Samina Najmi Read Essay Collection at Boston College
The author shared excerpts from her 2025 book during a recent lecture at the university.
Updated on Oct. 8, 2026 in Asian-American
Author and professor Samina Najmi presented readings from her 2025 essay collection, Sing Me a Circle: Love, Loss, and a Home in Time, at Boston College. The event was held in Devlin Hall and hosted by the university's Asian American Studies Program and English Department.
Why it matters
The lecture highlighted themes of loss and cultural memory through the lens of Najmi's personal experiences. By sharing essays like Triptych and Cab Driver, she explored connections between distinct cultural traditions and her own history.
The featured collection, Sing Me a Circle: Love, Loss, and a Home in Time, was published in 2025. During the presentation, Najmi noted she was unable to drive for 6 weeks following a head injury.
The players
Samina Najmi
She is a professor of multiethnic U.S. literature at the University of California, Fresno, and the author of the 2025 essay collection Sing Me a Circle: Love, Loss, and a Home in Time.
Boston College
This private research university in Boston hosted the literary lecture in its Devlin Hall.
The details
During her lecture, Najmi discussed the Japanese tradition of kintsugi and the linguistic link between Urdu words for yesterday and tomorrow. The event featured readings from her essays including Cab Driver and The Sun Maybe Rises.
Timeline
October 6, 2026: Samina Najmi shared essay excerpts at Boston College.
Culture Shift
This lecture reflects a broader shift in academic programming that prioritizes personal narratives to explore complex multiethnic identities. It mirrors the growing tendency to utilize creative non-fiction as a primary tool for teaching cultural memory in higher education.
Local literature enthusiasts and students gained direct access to the author's personal reflections on Urdu and Japanese traditions. The event provided the university community an opportunity to engage with contemporary multiethnic literature.
The takeaway
The event demonstrated how personal essays can effectively bridge the gap between historical trauma and modern cultural identity. Readers interested in these themes can find value in how Najmi translates private struggles into shared narratives.
Further reading
Discover more cultural programming in the Asian-American section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Heights.
