by Jhumpa Lahiri
Who is the namesake? After whom is he named? And why?
This is the story of the Ganguli family. From Calcutta, Ashima and Ashoke come to the United States for a better life. Leaving India is difficult for Ashima, and having a baby without her family nearby is extremely tough for the young woman. Even naming her son proves to be more complex than she had ever imagined.
More than anything else, this is a story of identity. Who am I? Why am I the way I am? How does my family define me? Can I redefine myself? And, of course, what's in a name?
I loved, loved, loved this novel. I read it in preparation for Chicago's One Book/One Chicago programs (Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri). I was instantly absorbed in the story and read most of it in a single afternoon. The Namesake is a great story of family, identity, and the immigrant experience.
I highly recommend this novel.
10/2/06
2 comments:
Another good recommendation. Read this last week and was as impressed as you. Thanks for the tip!! It did remind me a bit of Digging to America.
I'm glad that you read it! It's another one of my favorites for this year (along with Digging and Snow Flower).
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