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4.18 AVERAGE
4.18 AVERAGE
jhumpa lahiri does an amazing job at capturing devastation without ever describing it. the subtle details in her writing that work together to accumulate pain, guilt, shame, etc. are what make her writing so addicting/elegant
Finally finally read the one she won a Pulitzer for, and yes it was great. And I can see how it would have been dazzling when it came out. But at this point I already knows she’s a master at short stories (and full novels!), so it felt like a foregone conclusion. A couple of the stories made me deeply uncomfortable in how very recognizable they were. Stop it Jhumpa, stop putting into words things I would rather ignore.
Winner of the Pulitzer. I read the Namesake years ago and loved it but I never came back to read more from Ms. Lahiri. As with all collections of short stories, it’s good practice to review each story individually.
A Temporary Matter- Shoba and Shukumar are a married couple who have fallen away from each other after the death of a child. They try to find each other again in these 24 pages. (TW for infant loss.) 4*
When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine - As the name implies, there is a diner that joins a family for dinner every night. This is during the days of the Indian and Pakistani war, and the family connects with each other, watching the news from their countries. I love stories told from the perspective of children observing a world they don’t understand. It allows layers of subtle descriptions that provides complexity and depth. 5*
Interpreter of Maladies - Here we really get a strong cross-culture clash. The Das family who lives in the U.S. is visiting family in India, being chauffeured by an Indian man. They may have the same color skin, but that’s where the similarities end. The Das’ are so stereotypically American, it’s difficult not to cringe. Mr. Kapasi, the tour guide, becomes interested in Mrs. Das. He’s an interpreter for a doctor’s office “of maladies” 5*
A Real Durwan - this story tells about an older woman, Boori Ma who lives alone in an apartment building, quietly taking care of the tenants, who appreciate her until they don’t. This one was a rough one - I’m not sure what to make of it. 3*
Sexy - Miranda has an affair with a married Indian man, all the while listening to her coworker console her cousin, also Indian, the victim of spousal infidelity. This story was great, with its complex layers of culture, customs and learned empathy 5*
Mrs. Sen’s- Eliot has an Indian woman as a sitter. Another good perspective of a story told through the eyes of a child. 4*
This Blessed House - Twinkle and Sanjeev move into a new house that has multiple unusual treasures to find. I liked the layers of this one, where the two are learning to live with each other in the early stages of their arranged marriage. 4*
The treatment of Bibi Haldar - Bibi is the town outcast, but she’s also looked after and cared for. The “we” who wrote this story is never identified. 4*
Third and final continent - a single Indian man moves to London and then to Boston, experiencing culture shock in both. Additionally, he has an arranged marriage and helps her become accustomed to living in America. I love the layers and expanse this mere 20 page story takes. Quite impressive 5*
Overall a lovely collection. Easily can see why this won the Pulitzer.
A Temporary Matter- Shoba and Shukumar are a married couple who have fallen away from each other after the death of a child. They try to find each other again in these 24 pages. (TW for infant loss.) 4*
When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine - As the name implies, there is a diner that joins a family for dinner every night. This is during the days of the Indian and Pakistani war, and the family connects with each other, watching the news from their countries. I love stories told from the perspective of children observing a world they don’t understand. It allows layers of subtle descriptions that provides complexity and depth. 5*
Interpreter of Maladies - Here we really get a strong cross-culture clash. The Das family who lives in the U.S. is visiting family in India, being chauffeured by an Indian man. They may have the same color skin, but that’s where the similarities end. The Das’ are so stereotypically American, it’s difficult not to cringe. Mr. Kapasi, the tour guide, becomes interested in Mrs. Das. He’s an interpreter for a doctor’s office “of maladies” 5*
A Real Durwan - this story tells about an older woman, Boori Ma who lives alone in an apartment building, quietly taking care of the tenants, who appreciate her until they don’t. This one was a rough one - I’m not sure what to make of it. 3*
Sexy - Miranda has an affair with a married Indian man, all the while listening to her coworker console her cousin, also Indian, the victim of spousal infidelity. This story was great, with its complex layers of culture, customs and learned empathy 5*
Mrs. Sen’s- Eliot has an Indian woman as a sitter. Another good perspective of a story told through the eyes of a child. 4*
This Blessed House - Twinkle and Sanjeev move into a new house that has multiple unusual treasures to find. I liked the layers of this one, where the two are learning to live with each other in the early stages of their arranged marriage. 4*
The treatment of Bibi Haldar - Bibi is the town outcast, but she’s also looked after and cared for. The “we” who wrote this story is never identified. 4*
Third and final continent - a single Indian man moves to London and then to Boston, experiencing culture shock in both. Additionally, he has an arranged marriage and helps her become accustomed to living in America. I love the layers and expanse this mere 20 page story takes. Quite impressive 5*
Overall a lovely collection. Easily can see why this won the Pulitzer.
As someone who doesn't know much about Middle Eastern culture, this book was quite enlightening and heart felt. Every story shed light on the culture and beauty of the middle eastern people. I love anything with an anthropological aspect to it because I love learning about cultures. The stories in this book will make you laugh, cry and most importantly, really think about how your life experience and culture changes your how you view others.
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
So beautiful! Sexy, Mrs. Sen’s, and The Third and Final Continent were my fav. Could re read these a few more times for sure.
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I was surprised by how bland this was. The title story reads almost exactly like a less blatantly misogynistic version "The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber," though since that may be the most vile short story ever written there's a lot of room to improve on its basic structure. Still, the cheating woman thing? IDK, still wasn't great.
The rest of the stories read as excessively Cambridge, as in Massachusetts, or England. Everyone is a little nutty in a way particular to the exported repression of the good ship Mayflower. There's a lot of talk about tenure or climbing up the chain at various engineering firms.
None of this is to deny that Lahari has style and grace. Her sentences are excellent. Her cadences are lyrical. The stories aren't fables (except for "A Blessed House," which is just kind of horrible bourgeois bullshit). I just have absolutely no idea what the fuss was about in 1999. Maybe it was a reaction against postmodernism, or even modernism, since as I said before these stories feel more like Hemingway than they do Rushdie or Naipaul.
The rest of the stories read as excessively Cambridge, as in Massachusetts, or England. Everyone is a little nutty in a way particular to the exported repression of the good ship Mayflower. There's a lot of talk about tenure or climbing up the chain at various engineering firms.
None of this is to deny that Lahari has style and grace. Her sentences are excellent. Her cadences are lyrical. The stories aren't fables (except for "A Blessed House," which is just kind of horrible bourgeois bullshit). I just have absolutely no idea what the fuss was about in 1999. Maybe it was a reaction against postmodernism, or even modernism, since as I said before these stories feel more like Hemingway than they do Rushdie or Naipaul.
An exquisite book of short stories about relationships, assimilation, and other challenges faced by Indians and Indian-Americans in the modern world. From the tumult of partition to poverty to arranged marriages, Jhumpa Lahiri tackles delicate subjects in a moving way. Her narrators are all believable and interesting to listen to. Some of the stories are bleak, some are happy. It's an excellent mix. My favorites were "The Treatment of Bibi Haldor" and "When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine." But all of the stories are worth reading.
I had previously read "The Lowland," but I like this book better, and I would recommend reading "Interpreter of Maladies" first. Reading this book now makes me appreciate "The Lowland" more, as I recognize more of the themes Lahiri likes to use.
I had previously read "The Lowland," but I like this book better, and I would recommend reading "Interpreter of Maladies" first. Reading this book now makes me appreciate "The Lowland" more, as I recognize more of the themes Lahiri likes to use.
“In truth, Sanjeev did not know what love was, only what he thought it was not.” (p144)
Jhumpa Lahiri’s writing always feels like a home.
Jhumpa Lahiri’s writing always feels like a home.
I don't read much fiction, but Jenny has been recommending this for a while.
She was right -- it's a nice collection. Some of the stories are a bit self-consciously sentimental, but a lot of them are just really nice vignettes. I especially enjoyed the India-set stories.
She was right -- it's a nice collection. Some of the stories are a bit self-consciously sentimental, but a lot of them are just really nice vignettes. I especially enjoyed the India-set stories.