The heavily armed guard spat out a command in Assamese. Ourguide whispered, “He is wanting your passports.” Bo and I smiled thinly, and Iwondered, would my husband ever know what happened to us?”

Williams captivated readers with “The Last Romantic War”—herepic bio-memoir of her father’s exploits in India and Burma in WWII, includingher parents’ exotic global courtship. Now here is the exciting backstory: Aresearch trip to India by the author and her brother that turns into two madcapweeks of unexpected adventure and culture shock.