Thursday, July 21, 2005
Namesake
This book could easily be made into a sitcom running for 3 years.It has all the content for it.But jhumpa didn't wanted to make this into a sentimental tear jerker and has given a distant view of the breezy ABCD story.
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It is the story of Gogol Ganguly a ABCD.His father, Ashok ganguly who escapes a near death experience because of a book(The overcoat by the russian author Nikolai Vasilevich Gogol)names him gogol.Gogol detests his name and get's it changed.As a child he does not have any feeling towards why his father kept that name .The book ends with him, trying to understand his fathers feelings. The book spans over 30 years, starting with Ashok's accident, his immigration to US, till Ashok's death.
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I liked the way jhumpa gave enough space for all the characters, all the characters are well developed and surprisingly like many ABCD stories/movies it did not portrait the first generation immigrants in bad light.The book just explains every character as it is.The central character keep changing in the book.It starts with Aashima(ashok's wife), then ashok, then gogol and his wife maoushmi.Giving a complete picture about all the characters.
The great thing about the book is jhumpa lahiri's observation and writing skills.She puts even the minute of details beautifully.The writing is simple and sincere.
The book is being made into a movie by Mira Nair.checkout this blog.Iam sure mira nair will fully exploit the numerous sentimental situations which jhumpa didn't utilise and kind of make it into a movie with lot of emotional and sentimental scenes that can reach american audience.
Yet another ABCD story which brushes aside the common ABCD issues and stops short on sentimental scenes.A simple and straight forward book with a feminine sensitivity.
Links
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4080946.stm
Comments:
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My aunt referred this book to me and i just finished reading it, good to see it made it to your blog.
I guess like everyone I also kept wondering abt the central character throughout the book coz the focus kept moving from one character to another.
When i started i thought it was Ashima's story, then after a while it bacame Ashoke's story [did u notice how Jumpa spelled the name Ashoke ending with an E]
Took me sometime [when i finished reading] to relate the titile with the central character, Gogol.
Y am i not surprised to read Mira Nair is going to make a movie out of this book.
I guess like everyone I also kept wondering abt the central character throughout the book coz the focus kept moving from one character to another.
When i started i thought it was Ashima's story, then after a while it bacame Ashoke's story [did u notice how Jumpa spelled the name Ashoke ending with an E]
Took me sometime [when i finished reading] to relate the titile with the central character, Gogol.
Y am i not surprised to read Mira Nair is going to make a movie out of this book.
I was about to buy this one. Thanks fo the review. I liked the stories in "Interpreter of maladies", so gonna check this one too.
Looks like this would make a good reading someday!
On a related thought, I know of a cousin who got her name changed. Though her parents seem fine with it, I've often wondered how upsetting it would've been for them. Especially since people like us now put more effort in this matter unlike the days gone by. On the other hand, it would be nice to get the children's point of view too.
On a related thought, I know of a cousin who got her name changed. Though her parents seem fine with it, I've often wondered how upsetting it would've been for them. Especially since people like us now put more effort in this matter unlike the days gone by. On the other hand, it would be nice to get the children's point of view too.
I like Lahiri's style more than Chitra DB's. There is a good flow and the characters are very next-door-ish for people living here. I read somewhere that you can write best when you write about the things you know well. The American-Bong aura is very well brought out.
ml,
Glad u liked it.Did u read about the real gogol, the author.The part where nikhil's school teacher talks about the author was funny after reading about the real gogol.
jo,
Yeah jo read it.But dont expect too much from it.
aparna,
This book is exactly about what u said.
munimma,
When i started reading the name ashima.i was like, oh no not another bengali story.There is a ashima in The Hungry Tide" also.Dont know why that state produces so many talented peoples.
she kind of teases you with many sentimental scenes,when u expect something dramatic to happen, it will stop short of it.
ghannu bhai,
Tension agathey,onnum periya vishayam illa.something like a compresed verion of a sun tv mega serialnnu vachukkayaen.
Glad u liked it.Did u read about the real gogol, the author.The part where nikhil's school teacher talks about the author was funny after reading about the real gogol.
jo,
Yeah jo read it.But dont expect too much from it.
aparna,
This book is exactly about what u said.
munimma,
When i started reading the name ashima.i was like, oh no not another bengali story.There is a ashima in The Hungry Tide" also.Dont know why that state produces so many talented peoples.
she kind of teases you with many sentimental scenes,when u expect something dramatic to happen, it will stop short of it.
ghannu bhai,
Tension agathey,onnum periya vishayam illa.something like a compresed verion of a sun tv mega serialnnu vachukkayaen.
ive read only her earlier book, which i liked, gave this the skip cause its bout the same old ABCD, idha topic illa evloav book padikarathu? old wine in new bottle nu sollalama?
vatsan,
yes kind of old wine in new bottle.But her writing style is very good.
communist manifesto kku review va ??.I am making very little progres with it.
yes kind of old wine in new bottle.But her writing style is very good.
communist manifesto kku review va ??.I am making very little progres with it.
Senthil:
I guess you now need to write a review for the communist manifesto:P and describe to people what communism is really about(especially to ganesh).
Now, back to the review that you have just written, I feel that you just skimmed the surface with this review, I would have prefered an indepth analysis because I am partly averse to reading these touching feely novels, they spoil my day:P
Looking forward to your communist mainfesto:P
I guess you now need to write a review for the communist manifesto:P and describe to people what communism is really about(especially to ganesh).
Now, back to the review that you have just written, I feel that you just skimmed the surface with this review, I would have prefered an indepth analysis because I am partly averse to reading these touching feely novels, they spoil my day:P
Looking forward to your communist mainfesto:P
robs,
i dont want the ghost of marx and angels to attack me.first of all let me see whether i can complete it.
regarding this book.that all these is to it man.On an another angle it talks about the prevailing nature of the immigrants, which has ben told in so many stories.other than that it is all about the wwy she has written the book and how she brings the sensitivity out of even small things
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i dont want the ghost of marx and angels to attack me.first of all let me see whether i can complete it.
regarding this book.that all these is to it man.On an another angle it talks about the prevailing nature of the immigrants, which has ben told in so many stories.other than that it is all about the wwy she has written the book and how she brings the sensitivity out of even small things
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