The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri

"The  Namesake", by Pulitzer prize winning writer Jhumpa Lahiri (Not for this book).

It is the story of a bengali couple, living in US, and their son, named Gogol, after Nikolai Gogol (a Russian writer); under strange circumstances. Gogol grows up, has relationships, works, marries in America. All the time hating his name and namesake Nikolai Gogol, who was considered brilliant but eccentric and who had commited suicide at 43. Gogol even changes his name legally. He marries Moushami an Indian-American like him. Do they love each other? Does this marriage succeed? Is Gogol Indian or American? Does he forgive his father for naming him Gogol?
                    
Difference of thinking between 1st and 2nd generation NRIs/PIOs is the central theme. How children born to Indian parents abroad feel American. How they can not connect with india.

There is some interesting philosophy "being a foreigner is a sort of life long pregnancy -a perpetual wait, a constant burden, a continuous feeling out of sorts".
Entire novel is narrated in present tense rather than past tence. Jumpa, herself born and braught up in UK, US respectively, has captured the Indianness, culture and traditions very well.

Although the book is ok,  you can't help thinking that she could have given the same message in a long story or novella.

Not bad. Read, if you have time.

Interpreter of maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri

"Interpreter of maladies", a collection of short stories by Jhumpa Lahiri. Jhumpa won 'Pulitzer prize for fiction' for this book.

The stories are typical every day life stories mostly involving expatriate Indians. These stories look for meanings in the lives of common people. Events in these stories happen every day, but only a good writer can see through the obvious and present the same event in a different perspective. Jhumpa has done this job very well.

This book contains 9 stories. All of them are good. 'Sexy' and 'A real durwan' are very good stories, but the ones I liked most were 'Interpretor of Maladies' and 'Mrs. Sen's'. Jhumpa demonstrates keen observation, adds right amount of emotions and yet presents them in an impersonal manner.

The message in these stories is very subtle. A casual reader may easily overlook it and hence may not like the book.

For the first time, I liked an award winning book.

BTW: Very recently Jhumpa lost the booker prize 2013 for 'The lowlands'. Hard luck.

Do not miss this one. A must read.