This is a book of short stories and a winner of the Pulitzer Prize. Jhumpa Lahiri tells stories mostly about first and second generation Indians in the US.
The Temporary Matter: This is a story about a week in the life of a couple. This is the week with an hour of power cut. It talks about how they avoid each other after the loss of their child to stillbirth. Coincidentally they start a game to go along with the power cut. Through this game we come to know of their pasts, their emotions and an unexpected climax.
When Mr. Pirzada Came To Dine: This is the story of a man separated from his family during the time Bangladesh was becoming independent from Pakistan.
Overall a good book dealing with complex emotions in a simple language.
April 3, 2010
February 9, 2010
The White Tiger
Aravind Adiga writes about the life of Balram Halwai: a driver turned entrepreneur. It a dark story about rags-to-riches. The book is in the form of an autobiography where Balram writes about his success in letter. Balram writes the written over seven nights.
The story starts with Balram's childhood in a poor family. His village is under the control of ruthless and greedy landlords. The poor in the village are in a vicious cycle of debt. Balram is the brightest kid in school and is impresses the official who took surprise inspection at his school. This official calls him 'The White Tiger': one that comes once in a generation. Balram's father is a rickshaw puller. After his father's death he is forced to drop out of school. From there his life takes a turn and he starts off by breaking coals at a tea shop. Balram has keen interest in the latest news and learns by evesdropping on the customers. This inquisitiveness is instrumental in shaping his future.
He has realistic role models in local people such as the bus conductor who rose from a family of 'pigheards'. This is a low caste in Hindu caste system in India. The author emphasizes how the caste system influences peoples perception. He overhers someone say that that there is good money to be made in being a car driver for the rich. He convinces his brother and granny to come up with the training fee and learns the skill.
Once he learns driving he goes door-to-door looking for work. He realizes that people hire drivers only based on recommendations. Destiny however had something in store for him. He ends up getting hired by a coal mining family. He drives Ashok and his wife Pinky, who had returned from the US to India. The author touches on topics where the wife wants to return to the US while the husband wants to stay back. The story goes into political dealings of the family to avoid taxes. Balram watches large sums of money change hands.
The story is a page turner because it weaves into his experiences. Balram's story is almost like an anti-climax where he starts off with what he has done. It keeps your attention till the very end and you are eager to know how and why he did it. The author writes in a simple language with easy words. This novel has all the dark elements: betrayal, poverty, corruption. Its a Machiavellian story where Balram decides that the end justifies the means.
The story starts with Balram's childhood in a poor family. His village is under the control of ruthless and greedy landlords. The poor in the village are in a vicious cycle of debt. Balram is the brightest kid in school and is impresses the official who took surprise inspection at his school. This official calls him 'The White Tiger': one that comes once in a generation. Balram's father is a rickshaw puller. After his father's death he is forced to drop out of school. From there his life takes a turn and he starts off by breaking coals at a tea shop. Balram has keen interest in the latest news and learns by evesdropping on the customers. This inquisitiveness is instrumental in shaping his future.
He has realistic role models in local people such as the bus conductor who rose from a family of 'pigheards'. This is a low caste in Hindu caste system in India. The author emphasizes how the caste system influences peoples perception. He overhers someone say that that there is good money to be made in being a car driver for the rich. He convinces his brother and granny to come up with the training fee and learns the skill.
Once he learns driving he goes door-to-door looking for work. He realizes that people hire drivers only based on recommendations. Destiny however had something in store for him. He ends up getting hired by a coal mining family. He drives Ashok and his wife Pinky, who had returned from the US to India. The author touches on topics where the wife wants to return to the US while the husband wants to stay back. The story goes into political dealings of the family to avoid taxes. Balram watches large sums of money change hands.
The story is a page turner because it weaves into his experiences. Balram's story is almost like an anti-climax where he starts off with what he has done. It keeps your attention till the very end and you are eager to know how and why he did it. The author writes in a simple language with easy words. This novel has all the dark elements: betrayal, poverty, corruption. Its a Machiavellian story where Balram decides that the end justifies the means.
January 31, 2010
Between The Assasinations
Seven days in a town in India : Kittur. Aravind Adiga's book goes over incidents that happen with different people in the town in 1985. The stories mostly unfold from the eyes of the poor. The stories are fairly independent of each other but all happen on the same steets and neighborhoods of Kittur.
The books starts with a poor honest boy, Ziauddin, who comes to Kittur hungry and broke. He works hard at a teashop and gains everyone's trust and favor. As the story goes on, he does wrong things for another fair-skinned Pathan who treats him well.
The next story is about a honest businessman Abbasi. He is torn between running his business and blinding the women who do the delicate embroidery work. Every step of the way he is faced with corruption and bribery.
The authors characters think deep, a class apart from their peers. The philosophical thoughts come from the journalist, the communist, the cart puller and the guy who earns a living spraying mosquito repellent. Some characters like "Xerox" Ramakrishna are ironic. The illiterate guy sells illegal photocopies of bestsellers. The irony is not only in his profession, but that he loves books in his own way.
There is a common thread in all his stories: the caste system in India. He describes the struggles of the Hoykas; both the underprivileged and the rich. Shankara Kinni is has as upper caste father and a lower caste mother. He struggles to get accepted in society ends up doing a serious mischief. Continuing with classrooms, the author talks about assitant headmaster Mr D'Mello. He pins hopes and expectations on his favorite student who he cares about more than his own children.
Keshava is another character like Ziauddin. With sheer harwork he rises among his peers, only to be forgotten once his is on no use to anyone. Gururaj is a journalist who wants to do the right thing. However, he realizes that the facts are doctored and controlled by the people in power. Chenayya is the cartpuller who realizes that he is going nowhere with his current job. His struggles to get a new job and his hardwork give us a glimpse of the unpriviileged.
The author deals with abuse in the story of a construction worker. Jayamma's is the story of an unmarried old Brahmin woman who spends her life working as a maid the houses of various rich people. George earns the trust of Mrs Gomes with his hard work but eventually falls in her eyes.
Ratna Shetty is a quack who turns selfless when the situation demands it. The author deals with how society perceives a childless couple. Murali was a budding author with an interste in politics. He devotes his entire life to Communism only to have second thoughts about it.
There is a similarity in the stories that Murali wrote and this book. It talks about people who just think and want nothing. The book takes you to a different place and time. Its easy to get immersed in the story and empathize with the characters.
While we have our own worries, this book pull us into the dregs of humanity. There are people who are in absolute poverty. When we tap away at our computers, there are people struggling to ends meet. Struggling to gain acceptance. Struggling to survive. This exisied not just in 1985, but sadly now as well.
The books starts with a poor honest boy, Ziauddin, who comes to Kittur hungry and broke. He works hard at a teashop and gains everyone's trust and favor. As the story goes on, he does wrong things for another fair-skinned Pathan who treats him well.
The next story is about a honest businessman Abbasi. He is torn between running his business and blinding the women who do the delicate embroidery work. Every step of the way he is faced with corruption and bribery.
The authors characters think deep, a class apart from their peers. The philosophical thoughts come from the journalist, the communist, the cart puller and the guy who earns a living spraying mosquito repellent. Some characters like "Xerox" Ramakrishna are ironic. The illiterate guy sells illegal photocopies of bestsellers. The irony is not only in his profession, but that he loves books in his own way.
There is a common thread in all his stories: the caste system in India. He describes the struggles of the Hoykas; both the underprivileged and the rich. Shankara Kinni is has as upper caste father and a lower caste mother. He struggles to get accepted in society ends up doing a serious mischief. Continuing with classrooms, the author talks about assitant headmaster Mr D'Mello. He pins hopes and expectations on his favorite student who he cares about more than his own children.
Keshava is another character like Ziauddin. With sheer harwork he rises among his peers, only to be forgotten once his is on no use to anyone. Gururaj is a journalist who wants to do the right thing. However, he realizes that the facts are doctored and controlled by the people in power. Chenayya is the cartpuller who realizes that he is going nowhere with his current job. His struggles to get a new job and his hardwork give us a glimpse of the unpriviileged.
The author deals with abuse in the story of a construction worker. Jayamma's is the story of an unmarried old Brahmin woman who spends her life working as a maid the houses of various rich people. George earns the trust of Mrs Gomes with his hard work but eventually falls in her eyes.
Ratna Shetty is a quack who turns selfless when the situation demands it. The author deals with how society perceives a childless couple. Murali was a budding author with an interste in politics. He devotes his entire life to Communism only to have second thoughts about it.
There is a similarity in the stories that Murali wrote and this book. It talks about people who just think and want nothing. The book takes you to a different place and time. Its easy to get immersed in the story and empathize with the characters.
While we have our own worries, this book pull us into the dregs of humanity. There are people who are in absolute poverty. When we tap away at our computers, there are people struggling to ends meet. Struggling to gain acceptance. Struggling to survive. This exisied not just in 1985, but sadly now as well.
January 6, 2008
The Archangel Gabriel
This story starts when Archangel Gabriel hears the voice of God in paradise blessing someone. Gabriel thinks that this is surely a beloved person of God. Assuming that this has to be a great person, Gabriel searches for him in the heavens and on earth. Unable to find the person, Gabriel decides to asks God.
God points out a person and Gabriel is shocked. Tolstoy builds suspense by showing an unlikely person from the Judeo-Christian perspective. However, God, in his infinite wisdom, explains to Gabriel his reasons. The story ends by concluding that God sees the hearts of people. Tolstoy's story touches the topic of religious tolerance.
God points out a person and Gabriel is shocked. Tolstoy builds suspense by showing an unlikely person from the Judeo-Christian perspective. However, God, in his infinite wisdom, explains to Gabriel his reasons. The story ends by concluding that God sees the hearts of people. Tolstoy's story touches the topic of religious tolerance.
The Repentant Sinner
This is the story of a sinner who cries to God for forgiveness at the last hour of his life. His soul is at the gates of heaven and he asks to be let in. However, there is a list of all his sins but no good deed. He is in a situation where he is about to be sent away from heaven.
The story progresses as the sinner tries to convince Apostle Peter, King David and John, Christ's beloved disciple. The story talks of human weakness, repentance, God's mercy and God's love. The sinner talks about passages from the bible when humans were weak but God's mercy prevailed.
The story progresses as the sinner tries to convince Apostle Peter, King David and John, Christ's beloved disciple. The story talks of human weakness, repentance, God's mercy and God's love. The sinner talks about passages from the bible when humans were weak but God's mercy prevailed.
November 21, 2007
The Son of a Thief
This story begins by describing Ivan Akimovich as a good, successful and helping man. He is loved and respected by everyone. Ivan is a merchant by profession and also the foreman of a jury in the city court.
As the story is flowing smoothly, Tolstoy introduces suspense. One day, during a jury trial, Ivan refuses to be a member of the query and starts crying. Intrigued, the judge lets Ivan leave.
Later on, Ivan tells the judge about his own childhood. Parts of his childhood was troubled. However, this particular story story is filled with the innocence of young Ivan. Tolstoy beautifully describes the situation of young Ivan trapped in a situation because of another person. This is the turning point in Ivan's life. One person's decision will decided what will become of Ivan. The act of forgiveness and acceptance by a stranger leads to what Ivan is today.
The story is about forgiveness and love. Tolstoy asks rehtorically: is it possible to judge anyone?
As the story is flowing smoothly, Tolstoy introduces suspense. One day, during a jury trial, Ivan refuses to be a member of the query and starts crying. Intrigued, the judge lets Ivan leave.
Later on, Ivan tells the judge about his own childhood. Parts of his childhood was troubled. However, this particular story story is filled with the innocence of young Ivan. Tolstoy beautifully describes the situation of young Ivan trapped in a situation because of another person. This is the turning point in Ivan's life. One person's decision will decided what will become of Ivan. The act of forgiveness and acceptance by a stranger leads to what Ivan is today.
The story is about forgiveness and love. Tolstoy asks rehtorically: is it possible to judge anyone?
November 7, 2007
The Portrait
In this short story, Nicolai Gogol (1809-1852), writes about an evil that seems to possess a portrait. The most distinguishing part of the portrait are the eyes that seem to bore into a person's soul. The story starts off with the portrait being found by Chartkov, an amateur but promising artist. Although the Chartkov becomes rich on account of the portrait, he seems to lose his natural gift.
As the story progresses, the portrait seems to cause agony to everyone who owns it. It appears to suck out all happiness from its owners. The owners of the portrait start feeling hatred, jealousy, despair, pessimism and other such emotions. Incidentally, as soon as they get rid of the portrait, the become their former selves. Everyone who has come across the intriguing portrait agree that there is something sinister about it. This way Gogol adds the supernatural element that can be seen in his other stories such as 'The Terrible Vengeance' and 'The Overcoat'.
Gogol then takes a detour to another story. Towards the end he joins the two stories with a style that is distinctly Gogol. We can see this style in 'The Terrible Vengeance'. Both these stories justify the present events based on a dark past.
As the story progresses, the portrait seems to cause agony to everyone who owns it. It appears to suck out all happiness from its owners. The owners of the portrait start feeling hatred, jealousy, despair, pessimism and other such emotions. Incidentally, as soon as they get rid of the portrait, the become their former selves. Everyone who has come across the intriguing portrait agree that there is something sinister about it. This way Gogol adds the supernatural element that can be seen in his other stories such as 'The Terrible Vengeance' and 'The Overcoat'.
Gogol then takes a detour to another story. Towards the end he joins the two stories with a style that is distinctly Gogol. We can see this style in 'The Terrible Vengeance'. Both these stories justify the present events based on a dark past.
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