16 posts tagged Unaccustomed Earth

Eager to read Jhumpa Lahiri’s new short story collection Unaccustomed Earth, I reserved a copy at the library as the publication date neared. I was at the top of the list for when the book came in and was unnaturally excited when my inbox told me Unaccustomed Earth is waiting for you.

I confess: I had never read Jhumpa Lahiri. I have never delved into Interpreter of Maladies or The Namesake (though I did enjoy and appreciate the film adaptation). Even though Lahiri had the Pulitzer I still found myself feeling distant from her works.

The 2008 Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award, the heftiest cash prize in the literary world for the short form (35,000 euros), has announced its longlist. Thirty-nine authors from around the globe are nominated. Only one Canadian was up (no, it wasn't Alice Munro) as opposed to fourteen British writers (!).

Like most (if not all) of the characters in Jhumpa Lahiri’s latest book, Unaccustomed Earth, I am ambivalent.  On the one hand, the stories are masterfully written, full of apt characterizations and quiet insights.  Lahiri’s evocative prose dismantles the literary “fourth wall,” beckoning readers into her characters’ world.

Jhumpa Lahiri's latest short story collection, Unaccustomed Earth, has got good reviews. In this interview she shares some of her writing techniques. Lahiri: I really can't explain how I write, or what I'm thinking of consciously. I studied literature for so long, and was taught all of these things so deeply, all too well.

I just finished Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri.  This is a compilation of eight short stories with the common thread being nationality - expatriate Bengali parents and Americanized children were the main character traits.  So much of each story delves into the difficult between parents from another country and their americanized children.

Jhumpa Lahiri: A New Pop Culture Icon? With the launch of Jhumpa Lahiri's latest collection of short stories, "Unaccustomed Earth" her readings all over the country have been sold out. Lahiri, an author in the literary genre, has become so popular that Knopf has reportedly printed 300,000 copies of

Jhumpa Lahiri: A New Pop Culture Icon? With the launch of Jhumpa Lahiri's latest collection of short stories, "Unaccustomed Earth" her readings all over the country have been sold out. Lahiri, an author in the literary genre, has become so popular that Knopf has reportedly printed 300,000 copies of

So yeah, my visitors are starting to deplete. And I will not wonder anymore if in the coming weeks, Google Analytics would report to me that the number of my visitors will plunge to two-year low. And that’s because of the shortage of new blog entries here and I haven’t returned comments lately.

I chanced upon this book review on the NYTimes, on Jhumpa Lahiri. I was initially drawn to the review because of her photo. I thought, this woman is really beautiful, then I found out that she’s the author of “The Namesake,” something that I have been dying to read/watch but haven’t found the time for.