Jhumpa Lahiri is a hedgehog-her stories almost are usually
about highly educated American-Bengali people and almost always take place in
the northeast. That is not to detract form her prowess as a short story writer
and novelist. These people experience the universal emotions of humans
everywhere. People fall in love, fight with each other, break up, get married,
have children, and die like everyone else. Unaccustomed Earth, her latest
collection of stories is full of these kinds of situation, but I guess what
makes her writing distinct is the culture contrast of east meeting west. Her
stories make you ask what does it mean to be an American. Can you assimilate
into another culture or is it forever closed to those who matured in a foreign
culture? It seems that I have encountered some of these stories before in the
pages of The New Yorker. But more than
half of them are new stories and re-reading Lahiri's stories are always a
pleasure. Some of my favorites from his collection are the cuckold story,
“Nobody’s Business,” and "Going Ashore,” but I enjoyed them all.
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I recently read 'The Inheritance of Loss' by Kiran Desai - another Indian American (at least she resides in NY I think), and I can't help but think that I first heard of this book from your blog - is that right? If so then thanks - I enjoyed it a lot.
Posted by: Edward | June 11, 2009 at 06:44 PM
No, it wasn't me, but I've seen that book around. you should read Lahiri though, especially if you liked the Desai book.
Posted by: MC | June 13, 2009 at 12:32 AM