Needless to say, i am a HUGE Jhumpa Lahiri fan. :)

Sachita: Those are some fine enlightening comments. Agree on most.
re authors setting in familiar mileu, but of course it seems most natural. The fiction is just the frill there, for the most part one is digging from within for personal experiences or ones that are tangible on hearsay within their own ethnic/cultural group. I personally think, as a challenge, after an audience is established, one needs to push those boundaries and leave comfort zones to grow.
Condescending or not truly depends on the authors perception, and the readers interpretation. As I say, once an art leaves the artist’s hands, it doesn’t belong to the artist anymore.

I haven’t read Namesake and neither have I watched the movie, so I really wouldn’t know than what I hear. Ms Lahiri has the word skill going for her. This is precisely why she should step out of familiar settings. There’s a whole world to explore… At least that’s my 2 cents.

Priya: Yeah, it’s a good collection no doubt. Awards just don’t land for no reason :)

Laksh: O am sure. She is a stylish and equally sensitive writer. :)

at the rate you are posting, i need more luck than you, if i have to maintain my reputation as even a monoblogous* blogworm (let alone commenting on ‘em)!!

sachita:

are you the same as “sachita(india) at terri’s? it would be kinda ironic if sachita(india) were to have no blog, and you were a different sachita with a sachitaindia blog!

“Nilanjana Sudheshna”!! omg!! no wonder she took on a “global” name like ‘jhumpa’. betcha** she didn’t want to have the americans choking over their starbycks at oprah’s bookclub discussions!

here is a hypothetical interview:

katie couric (to palin): have you read any *holds her throat in her hands while speaking* nilanjana sudheshna novels?

palin: *without blinking an eye* (well, maybe blinking just the one) yes, all of ‘em.

katie couric: well, can you name one?

palin: well … i get lots of them at my desk as governor of alaska. i read all of ‘em!

- s.b.

* = not strictly true :-)

** = betcha you’ll hear this word more often, live on saturday night (and on other nights!).

While writing about a culture unfamiliar to them, there is a bit of condescending tone creeps in. Eg. American writing about India.

When I read the short stories, “A Temporary Matter”, the plot I have come across but never understand this misdirection of anger but few months ago, it just suddenly came all together. While a Blessed house just stuck a chord immediately with me.

I love how unpretentious her writing(compared to some one like Arundhati roy) even though she sticks on to the rule, I am an Indian(American/otherwise) author, so my stories should have pathos running in them.

And for all the people who still have book or the movie option still open for namesake, please read the book, skip the movie.

But the Interpreter of Maladies is one of her early (and IMHO) better efforts.

Priya.

Kidding :) I love her books though.

Max: Seriously? No Kidding! How could you not read a book? *gasp (just like Patrick in the Spongebob image above)
You write without having any reading as a base? That’s amazing!
Sure, I’ll believe you rolling eyes, not at the PYT’s reading, but coz they are reading and ignoring you :P

Adithya: Heard Tabu rocks. Watch it. :)