I stole some time away from what I should have been doing--my thesis--to read Jhumpa Lahiri's new collection of short stories called Unaccostomed Earth. I was a fan of her first published work, also a short story collection called Interpreter of Maladies. This first outing of hers had earned her the Pulitzer Prize so as you can imagine, it really was a tour de force.
She then followed that up with a novel, The Namesake, which I don't think she has the writing stamina for. Although Hollywood snapped it up and made it into a movie, I didn't enjoy it as much as I did her debut book. Her style seems to be perfect for the shorts, but then again, I ain't no critic. So...
This third book of hers is a return to what she does best. Please grab a copy. Fully Booked is all out but National still has several. You won't regret it; I promise.
Another book that can be one of your best investments if you have pubescent children is the Usborne Facts of Life: Growing Up. It won The Times Best Information Book Award and covers facts about the birds and the bees and everything else about a child's changing body. It is a wonderfully illustrated book and it uses a language that every pre-teen can be comfortable with. Please go through it with your child. It will be a most rewarding experience.
2 comments:
I love Lahiri's work. I particularly enjoyed "The Namesake" :).
Thanks for commenting, monster paperbag. We already have one thing in common:we are both Lahiri fans and I truly welcome the fact that you enjoyed The Namesake. I believe that differing opinions lie at the heart of every sound discussion and we do want to be as democratic as we can here.
I appreciate your comment very much and hope that you continue jumping in to write down your thoughts here.
Did you get to see the movie version of the Namesake?
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