Book Review: Interpreter Of Maladies

Arts & Culture Culture, Arts, Literature & Linguistics
1

I bought the book on one of my trips to Pakistan in the summer of 2001 or 00 .. can’t remember exactly. I chose it over others mainly because it had short stories that help you take a break from the book in the middle & not worry about it too much. Though, I couldn’t help but reading it all on my flight back.

As I just finished the summer classes & wanted to clear my mind from the text books, I picked it up again thinking I don’t need to distract myself reading a whole book, fearing I might not be able to finish it during the break, but guess what? I read it all, again, over the weekend. I liked Lahiri’s style of writing [reminds me of Sidhwa], some stories have a cynical ending while the others are more optimistic. Descriptions of the characters are almost perfect and the stories are not the usual overrated tales of a desi girl/guy confused between the two cultures, though she does address that in some of her stories.

On a 10 based point system, I would give it a 9!

2

Jhumpa Lahiris second book 'The Namesake' is also an excellent read.

3

I heard her interview on NPR a few months back. It was interesting to note that some of her short stories were inspired by her early childhood observations in her home country.

4

Overall an excellent read somewhat depressing.

5

Wasn't her interview on NPR sometime last year? I have a vague memory of it, it seemed as if she couldn’t converse as clearly as she could write. There were a lot of pauses.

Oh well!

Shahreen, I haven’t bought/read Namesake, maybe sometime soon.

6

Ahmadji Bhaijan, are you some Mahfooz or Azar Nafisi to give Lahiri 9 out of 10??? For crying out loud she is the only South Asian ever to have won a Pulitzer. Do you know what that looks like? 9 out of 10 my arse. She is more like 99 out of 10. Uth kay aa jatay haiN point dene.