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zippz's review
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
slow-paced
3.0
At its core, this is a book about a son learning about his father, recently passed, through second hand accounts. It's rambling and fragmented like a conversation among family, and his descriptions of the world of his family are lush and lifelike.
samyukta_24's review against another edition
5.0
Another rare gem unearthed from my University library. The only reason I sighted it in the first place and decided to try it was due to its gorgeous cover art. And boy, does the cover match the content perfectly.
Running in the Family is an autobiography-ish of Ondaatje’s childhood in Ceylon, now known as Sri Lanka, showcased via diary entries, snippets of conversation with relatives, stories, incidents, poems, and anecdotes. This can't even be called a novel, it's more like a fluid river of memories tied together by the most nebulous connections. Underlying the entire narrative is the author’s psychological “dissection” of his eccentric parents, especially his father.
I never expected the book to be this laugh-out-loud funny at times, while equally heartbreaking at other times. The vibes and atmosphere were unmistakably how I remember my childhood in India, albeit not nearly as eventful as the escapades of the Ondaatje household.
There’s no plot, moral, climax, or even a satisfactory ending - yet it contains everything one can possibly need from a good read.
Running in the Family is an autobiography-ish of Ondaatje’s childhood in Ceylon, now known as Sri Lanka, showcased via diary entries, snippets of conversation with relatives, stories, incidents, poems, and anecdotes. This can't even be called a novel, it's more like a fluid river of memories tied together by the most nebulous connections. Underlying the entire narrative is the author’s psychological “dissection” of his eccentric parents, especially his father.
I never expected the book to be this laugh-out-loud funny at times, while equally heartbreaking at other times. The vibes and atmosphere were unmistakably how I remember my childhood in India, albeit not nearly as eventful as the escapades of the Ondaatje household.
There’s no plot, moral, climax, or even a satisfactory ending - yet it contains everything one can possibly need from a good read.
befriendtheshadow's review against another edition
4.0
Wonderful portrait of a family told in poems, vignettes of memories, and snippets of conversation and gossip. Lovely.
carole888's review against another edition
5.0
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I was hooked from the start - Just could not put it down and cursed when I had to .... I loved the writing and the descriptions of the period and places, a time that no longer exists but full of fascinating detail that made you feel as though you were sitting there watching it all happen in front of you. The author is quite a story-teller. There were crazy, colourful and interesting characters in his family. I was in stitches at some of the antics that his father got up to and at the same time could not believe how he could have done some of the things he did!!! I also loved the photos that were included in the book. Looking forward to reading more from this author.
nferre's review against another edition
3.0
This was my first Ondaatje book and it certainly won't be my last. The writing was extraordinary and very readable. Ondaatje is from Ceylon, now called Sri Lanka. He comes from the typical all Ceylonese family - much like the typical family the world over -- highly disfuctional! Full of secrets and misunderstandings and family feuds, it was quite entertaining. Did I come out of the book with a full understanding of who he is and where he came from? No. The book is short and I think most of what you get from the book is inferred.
Having said that, I related to many of the thoughts he had regarding his father. In that respect, I found it very enlightening.
"The island seduced all of Europe. The Portuguese. The Dutch. The English. And so its name changed, as well as its shape—Serendip, Ratnapida (“island of gems”), Taprobane, Zeloan, Zeilan, Seyllan, Ceilon, and Ceylon—the wife of many marriages, courted by invaders who stepped ashore and claimed everything with the power of their sword or bible or language."
"No story is ever told just once. Whether a memory or funny hideous scandal, we will return to it an hour later and retell the story with additions and this time a few judgements thrown in. In this way history is organized."
Having said that, I related to many of the thoughts he had regarding his father. In that respect, I found it very enlightening.
"The island seduced all of Europe. The Portuguese. The Dutch. The English. And so its name changed, as well as its shape—Serendip, Ratnapida (“island of gems”), Taprobane, Zeloan, Zeilan, Seyllan, Ceilon, and Ceylon—the wife of many marriages, courted by invaders who stepped ashore and claimed everything with the power of their sword or bible or language."
"No story is ever told just once. Whether a memory or funny hideous scandal, we will return to it an hour later and retell the story with additions and this time a few judgements thrown in. In this way history is organized."
maenad_wordsmith's review against another edition
I read this book for my Berkeley TA-ship. I think I would have eventually read it on my own because I loved some of Ondaatje's other books (especially the English Patient), but I'm glad I had a reason to read it sooner rather than later.
pearloz's review against another edition
4.0
Fun evocative stories collected from Ondaatje's early life in Sri Lanka. Less a memoir than an anthropological/genealogical study of his family, his hardass grandmother, and his drunkass dad in particular. Reading it, it often feels like a blithely rollicking careless Tenenbaums-type life. But there is a quote from one of his brothers near the end of the book that sort of shattered that illusion:
"I showed what you had written to someone and they laughed and said what a wonderful childhood we must have had, and I said, 'It was a nightmare.'"
I think that disconnect is a credit to the writing. But I think it also hints at how terrible, even traumatic events, can morph or be forced to evolve into more palatable anecdotes as a means of surpassing them.
"I showed what you had written to someone and they laughed and said what a wonderful childhood we must have had, and I said, 'It was a nightmare.'"
I think that disconnect is a credit to the writing. But I think it also hints at how terrible, even traumatic events, can morph or be forced to evolve into more palatable anecdotes as a means of surpassing them.
mizpurplest's review against another edition
5.0
Still love it. A quirky little memoir about family with some awesome stories told so casually you just believe them, even when he tells you they might not be true.