- Hardcover: 352 pages
- Publisher: Knopf (2008)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0307265730
- ISBN-13: 978-0307265739
- Product Dimensions: 15 x 3.2 x 22 cm
- Shipping Weight: 567 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #316,549 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. The gulf that separates expatriate Bengali parents from their American-raised children—and that separates the children from India—remains Lahiri's subject for this follow-up to Interpreter of Maladies and The Namesake. In this set of eight stories, the results are again stunning. In the title story, Brooklyn-to-Seattle transplant Ruma frets about a presumed obligation to bring her widower father into her home, a stressful decision taken out of her hands by his unexpected independence. The alcoholism of Rahul is described by his elder sister, Sudha; her disappointment and bewilderment pack a particularly powerful punch. And in the loosely linked trio of stories closing the collection, the lives of Hema and Kaushik intersect over the years, first in 1974 when she is six and he is nine; then a few years later when, at 13, she swoons at the now-handsome 16-year-old teen's reappearance; and again in Italy, when she is a 37-year-old academic about to enter an arranged marriage, and he is a 40-year-old photojournalist. An inchoate grief for mothers lost at different stages of life enters many tales and, as the book progresses, takes on enormous resonance. Lahiri's stories of exile, identity, disappointment and maturation evince a spare and subtle mastery that has few contemporary equals. (Apr.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Most helpful customer reviews
11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Got me at the end!,
By London Expat (Toronto, ON) - See all my reviews
Ce commentaire est de: Unaccustomed Earth (Hardcover)
When I first ordered and received Unaccustomed Earth, I was not expecting a book of short stories. I had ordered Unaccustomed Earth because I loved The Namesake, and was reasonably happy with The Interpreter of Maladies. I'm generally not a fan of the short-story genre because I think that it's really difficult for authors to develop the characters and story lines sufficiently for me to identify with them. However, Unaccustomed Earth in the last 3 stories gave me exactly what I wanted - a mini-novel in the form of short stories. So, this book has something for the short story lovers as well as those like myself who like novels. Enjoy!
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Diaspora Stories,
By
Ce commentaire est de: Unaccustomed Earth (Paperback)
I'm not usually a big fan of the short story genre but to me, "Unaccustomed Earth" is definitely one of the better collections out there. The stories are generally set around middle-class Indian families living in North America. To me, I found the stories to be genuine and relatable. There tends to be an Orientalist view of every immigrant coming from the East or Latin America or Africa as poor and destitute. That is obviously not the case, and Lahiri accurately captures their lives with great lucidity.
As for the writing itself, Lahiri is one of those writers that uses the power of suggestion. It is precisely what is not said, but implied, which forces the audience to confront their own emotions of reacting to the situations. The last story, "Going Ashore" is perhaps the best example of this style. It definitely requires a sharp eye, and a keen sense, to unravel what is being 'suggested', but that is what is so enjoyable about the stories in this book.
5.0 out of 5 stars
More Bookish Thoughts...,
By
Ce commentaire est de: Unaccustomed Earth (Paperback)
It takes a rare and particular talent to write captivating short stories; the author must perfectly craft every word, every sentence, in order to develop character, plot and intrigue in a limited space. Jhumpa Lahiri may just be the best short story writer I've ever read. Her first collection, Interpreter of Maladies, won the Pulitzer in 2000 but I think her newest collection, Unaccustomed Earth (2008), is even more phenomenal. Lahiri's stories always feature characters of Bengali descent who reside in America but they are far from formulaic. In the title story, Brooklyn-to-Seattle transplant Ruma frets about a presumed obligation to bring her widower father into her home, a stressful decision taken out of her hands by his unexpected independence. In another, the alcoholism of Rahul is described by his elder sister, Sudha, who struggles with her own disappointment, bewilderment and sense of duty. And in the loosely linked trio of stories closing the collection, the lives of Hema and Kaushik intersect over the years, first in 1974 when she is six and he is nine; then a few years later when, at 13, she swoons at the now-handsome 16-year-old teen's reappearance; and again in Italy, when she is a 37-year-old academic about to enter an arranged marriage, and he is a 40-year-old photojournalist. Lahiri's stories are surprising, aesthetically marvelous and shaped by a sure and provocative sense of inevitability. I can only echo what Amy Tan wrote in a review: Lahiri is 'the kind of writer who makes you want to grab the next person you see and say, 'Read this!''
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