It’s reassuring to hear her works resonate with you! While she has Bengali parents, she never spent a ton of time in India (living there anyway, as far as I understand it). Her work is stunning and hearing from you that it’s relatable makes me love her even more. Thanks for the note Shweta!
I didn't know about The Penguin Book of Italian Short Stories, I know most of the authors mentioned but I never read those short stories! It would be great to find and read them!
Also I'm curious about Racconti romani, I will let you know if I read them 😊 as you know i already read in altre parole thanks to you 😊 a presto!
Ciao Lara!!! Come stai?! The book of short stories is great. It’s very classic Italian 😎. Racconti romani is really amazing. It deals with a lot of immigrant families but everything takes place in Rome. So let me know if you read it! And I love that you read In altre parole — makes me so happy!
Ciao Kolina, tutto bene solo un po' raffreddata 😅 ti dirò sicuramente quando leggerò questi libri. Mi hanno molto incuriosita! Spero che stia bene anche tu!
She wrote so many books in Italian but it’s not her first language?? Incredible! I learned a bit of Italian too last year and last week I overheard Italians saying “quanto costa” and I understood it!! I was so happy.
The Namesake is my current read! Blown away, and can't believe I haven't read it before now. I first encountered Lahiri in grad school: we read Unaccustomed Earth in a fantastic course about post-colonial women writers. I'm not quite at super fan level yet, but I'm well on my way!
She is so enchanting! It’s been so long since I’ve read The Namesake, I need to reread it! I’m sure it would feel so different to me now. Lmk if you want a rec for your next Lahiri read!
What a wonderful overview of Lahiri's works! I am surprised how clearly I remember details from Interpreter of Maladies even years (and many books) later - which definitely speaks to her writing ability. I appreciate your descriptions here - thank you for this!
I feel the exact same way! It’s incredible how much I remember, particularly from a collection of stories. She’s absolutely incredible. It’s so nice to chat with others who appreciate her!
This is a great write up, Kolina, I will put In Other Words on my TBR. I just finished The Remains of the Day. I learned how I've changed since the first read it. I have to pick up Elena Ferrante's The Story of The Lost Child and Sally Rooney's Intermezzo from the library and I can't decide what's next.
Did you enjoy Remains more this time around?! I haven’t read Intermezzo yet but have read the Ferrante book. I loved it (I love all Ferrante). Happy reading!!
Yes, I enjoyed Remains more this time because of all the layers of meaning and spaces between the lines. I’m more experienced as a reader and as a person than when I first read it. This time I was quicker and harsher in my judgement of Stevens at his low points, but I did feel a lot more for him at the end. It was like the end of Stoner, I was deeply effected. I think I might write about it some more.
I really hope you do write about it! I’d love to read it. I have not read Stoner. I picked it up from the library months ago and then the due date came up and I returned it. But everyone says I would love it. Maybe I’ll give it another try.
Agreed. Jhumpa Lahiri is one of my favorite writers. I had the same experience with “In altre parole.” I believe she also patterned the book after a lake because one may notice how the sections get longer and the complexity of word choice and syntax increases as one progresses through as encountering the profundity of deeper waters. I think her most encouraging thought was when she stated, “I have been studying Italian for 20 years” and was still coasting upon the shore. We tend to want results immediately, but she has taught me that language is much like a person and it would be strange to ask a friend, “How long will it take to know you?”
What a beautiful way to introduce potential reading (and a new writer to me). I think I’m most excited to read Whereabouts. Thank you for writing this, Kolina!
I am a huge fan and this post will help me to become a super fan! I love reading posts like this—that give a glimpse into the author’s obsessions and rabbit holes. Thank you for sharing with us!
Ms Lahiri is amazing. Her characters and stories are memorable and relatable to an immigrant from post colonial India.
It’s reassuring to hear her works resonate with you! While she has Bengali parents, she never spent a ton of time in India (living there anyway, as far as I understand it). Her work is stunning and hearing from you that it’s relatable makes me love her even more. Thanks for the note Shweta!
She’s gifted with observation skills and intuition and of course a writing genius!
Oh absolutely. The observation skills are unparalleled!
Ciao Kolina!
I didn't know about The Penguin Book of Italian Short Stories, I know most of the authors mentioned but I never read those short stories! It would be great to find and read them!
Also I'm curious about Racconti romani, I will let you know if I read them 😊 as you know i already read in altre parole thanks to you 😊 a presto!
Ciao Lara!!! Come stai?! The book of short stories is great. It’s very classic Italian 😎. Racconti romani is really amazing. It deals with a lot of immigrant families but everything takes place in Rome. So let me know if you read it! And I love that you read In altre parole — makes me so happy!
Ciao Kolina, tutto bene solo un po' raffreddata 😅 ti dirò sicuramente quando leggerò questi libri. Mi hanno molto incuriosita! Spero che stia bene anche tu!
She wrote so many books in Italian but it’s not her first language?? Incredible! I learned a bit of Italian too last year and last week I overheard Italians saying “quanto costa” and I understood it!! I was so happy.
Haha yes, it’s amazing to comprehend something in another language! Italian is her third language I think. It’s unbelievable to me!
The Namesake is my current read! Blown away, and can't believe I haven't read it before now. I first encountered Lahiri in grad school: we read Unaccustomed Earth in a fantastic course about post-colonial women writers. I'm not quite at super fan level yet, but I'm well on my way!
She is so enchanting! It’s been so long since I’ve read The Namesake, I need to reread it! I’m sure it would feel so different to me now. Lmk if you want a rec for your next Lahiri read!
Thank you for this wonderful review and introducing me to this talented author.
Beatrice! You are SO welcome. Thanks for reading! If you ever read Lahiri, I’d absolutely love to hear about it!
What a wonderful overview of Lahiri's works! I am surprised how clearly I remember details from Interpreter of Maladies even years (and many books) later - which definitely speaks to her writing ability. I appreciate your descriptions here - thank you for this!
I feel the exact same way! It’s incredible how much I remember, particularly from a collection of stories. She’s absolutely incredible. It’s so nice to chat with others who appreciate her!
Obviously love this!!
🤗🤗🤗
This is a great write up, Kolina, I will put In Other Words on my TBR. I just finished The Remains of the Day. I learned how I've changed since the first read it. I have to pick up Elena Ferrante's The Story of The Lost Child and Sally Rooney's Intermezzo from the library and I can't decide what's next.
Did you enjoy Remains more this time around?! I haven’t read Intermezzo yet but have read the Ferrante book. I loved it (I love all Ferrante). Happy reading!!
Yes, I enjoyed Remains more this time because of all the layers of meaning and spaces between the lines. I’m more experienced as a reader and as a person than when I first read it. This time I was quicker and harsher in my judgement of Stevens at his low points, but I did feel a lot more for him at the end. It was like the end of Stoner, I was deeply effected. I think I might write about it some more.
I really hope you do write about it! I’d love to read it. I have not read Stoner. I picked it up from the library months ago and then the due date came up and I returned it. But everyone says I would love it. Maybe I’ll give it another try.
Another Lahiri super fan here! She is just the best!
Woohoo! Great to hear it. I’m amazed she’s not bigger. She’s so underrated!
I know! Every sentence she writes is perfection!
1000%
Agreed. Jhumpa Lahiri is one of my favorite writers. I had the same experience with “In altre parole.” I believe she also patterned the book after a lake because one may notice how the sections get longer and the complexity of word choice and syntax increases as one progresses through as encountering the profundity of deeper waters. I think her most encouraging thought was when she stated, “I have been studying Italian for 20 years” and was still coasting upon the shore. We tend to want results immediately, but she has taught me that language is much like a person and it would be strange to ask a friend, “How long will it take to know you?”
What a beautiful way to introduce potential reading (and a new writer to me). I think I’m most excited to read Whereabouts. Thank you for writing this, Kolina!
I am a huge fan and this post will help me to become a super fan! I love reading posts like this—that give a glimpse into the author’s obsessions and rabbit holes. Thank you for sharing with us!
Bought Interpreter of Maladies because of this and was blown away. Thanks for the rec. I am a Lahiri fan now!