Book Review (1): The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri

Although it was published in 2004, I didn’t get a chance to read it till my trip to India this past November. A few friends and people I barely knew told me that elements of this book reminded me of them. Having just finished the book, I felt the pressing need to clarify my position – so that there would be a written record of my opinion on this matter. The review will be broken into the following two components.

General comments about the book & the author:

• Her first book “Interpreter of Maladies” is far better
• In the current book, I love her attention to detail to food – both Bengali and French – from fish curries to variations of Salad Lyonnaise. I may be in love with her.
• I have known since 2000 that she is stunningly lovely. See below…and she probably speaks with an English accent.
• Should have asked my mom to track her parents down for a proper arranged marriage…stupid Sudhir

Jhumpa Lahiri

The book is a good read:
I can relate on many levels to Gogol. In the book, Gogol grows up in the US while I was 20 before I moved here. That explains the things that makes us similar but worlds apart (besides him being fictional):

• The dichotomy of the two cultures – I can feel Gogol’s pain but unlike him I have no angst or shame about my Indian upbringing or my parents (in spite of enduring over 10 years of marriage set ups with all the wrong Indian women)
• I would never end up with a wife that would cheat on me – and of all people with a Frenchman named Dimitri Desjardins
• I wouldn’t have let Maxine go

If a non-Indian friend of mine reads this book, at least the first three quarters of the book might give you glimpse into the tight-rope I attempt to walk to find the perfect balance between what would make my parents happy and what is eventually right for me.