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Search - The Namesake
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The Namesake Author: |
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Book Description:
Jhumpa Lahiri's debut story collection, Interpreter of Maladies, took the literary world by storm when it won the Pulitzer Prize in 2000. Fans who flocked to her stories will be captivated by her best-selling first novel, now in paperback for the first time. The Namesake is a finely wrought, deeply moving family drama that illuminates this acclaimed author's signature themes: the immigrant experience, the clash of cultures, the tangled ties between generations.
The Namesake takes the Ganguli family from their tradition-bound life in Calcutta through their fraught transformation into Americans. On the heels of an arranged wedding, Ashoke and Ashima Ganguli settle in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where Ashoke does his best to adapt while his wife pines for home. When their son, Gogol, is born, the task of naming him betrays their hope of respecting old ways in a new world. And we watch as Gogol stumbles along the first-generation path, strewn with conflicting loyalties, comic detours, and wrenching love affairs.
With empathy and penetrating insight, Lahiri explores the expectations bestowed on us by our parents and the means by which we come to define who we are.
The Namesake takes the Ganguli family from their tradition-bound life in Calcutta through their fraught transformation into Americans. On the heels of an arranged wedding, Ashoke and Ashima Ganguli settle in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where Ashoke does his best to adapt while his wife pines for home. When their son, Gogol, is born, the task of naming him betrays their hope of respecting old ways in a new world. And we watch as Gogol stumbles along the first-generation path, strewn with conflicting loyalties, comic detours, and wrenching love affairs.
With empathy and penetrating insight, Lahiri explores the expectations bestowed on us by our parents and the means by which we come to define who we are.
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Top Member Book Reviews
Rachel (
12 member(s) found this review helpful.
I just read this book in 6 hours, the day after I received it in the mail. Very well written, excellent description but not drawn out. Not predictable. Definitely worth reading.
Meredith P. (
11 member(s) found this review helpful.
This is one of the most moving books I have ever read. It is one of the best depictions ever of the longing for a former homeland and the sense of not yet belonging to the new one that exists. Any immigrant or descendant of one will find an echo of his/her own life in this book. A lovely story of family, tradition and pride...it makes you laugh and cry at the same time!
8 member(s) found this review helpful.
About the experience of an immigrant family to the USA. A very good read. I read it straight through and got very little sleep. Have not seen the movie, yet!
8 member(s) found this review helpful.
I was unsure whether I would enjoy the book, but I found it hard to put down. The prose is effortless, wrought with detail but taut and fast paced. Not many surprises in the book - I felt I knew how it would end, but this was not disappointing. Overall, a great read, one I will remember.
Christy C. (
6 member(s) found this review helpful.
very touching. read it in two days. extremely atmospheric. made me want to put on some ravi shankar, drink indian tea, and eat chicken masala all day long. :)
4 member(s) found this review helpful.
Well-written and rich with detail. Great book!
4 member(s) found this review helpful.
Wonderful, insightful story! I wanted to read the book after seeing the movie (which I also loved!) - the book gave more depth to the story...
Joan L. (
4 member(s) found this review helpful.
This is a lovely book...beautiful prose, very well written and an interesting tale of an Indian family.
4 member(s) found this review helpful.
Written by Pulitzer Prize winner, jhumpa lahiri - straightforward telling of a story that pulls you through the book - clashing of cultures - poignant and believable. I couldn't put it down.
Linda S. (
3 member(s) found this review helpful.
Gogol Ganguli is The Namesake of the title of this book. A first generation American, born to Bengali parents, Gogol is named after a Russian author is father admires. The name was given to him as a temporary name, while is parents await a letter from home in which a grandmother will send with his true name. The letter never arrives and Gogol becomes a name that never seems to fit, just as Gogol himself never seems completely at home in America or on his frequent trips back to his parent’s home country Bangladesh.
A very good story about the difficulties of assimilation and loss of identity, I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Gogol and his family’s trials and tribulations in America.
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Please Rate these Book Reviews
Jill F. (Touching and beautifully crafted work by someone I consider one of the best contributors to literature.
I really, really enjoyed reading this. It was just what I was wanting. Not too heavy. Just a pure joy to read.
Polly J. (The prose in this novel is excellent, never seems forced, the story unfolds so easily and makes you care about the family. From the first page, I was hooked.
Rachelle S. (This was an excellent book, very well written!! My bookclub found we wanted to learn more about the Indian culture. As a child growing up as a first generation American, I could relate to the story and the same with many friends of different cultures. I am excited to read more by the author!!!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is beautifully written.
I really enjoyed this book. I couldn't put it down. It details the struggles of an Indian family and their life in America. I am dying to see the movie now.
Great book! Orginal story about the immigrant experience! One of my favorites.
Read All Book Reviews of "The Namesake"
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