Both the novel and movie adaptation of Jhumpa Lahiri's first full-length novel, "The Namesake," touched me tremendously. Having won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2000, I knew I had to give Lahiri's critically acclaimed debut, "Interpreter of Maladies," a go. After reading these 9 tour de force short stories, it becomes obvious that "The Namesake" is an expansion on some of the themes found in these short stories - culture, traditions, family, upbringing, love, betrayal, redemption. Lahiri's writings evoke not just the feelings of uncertainty and inner turmoil of every immigrant as they set out on a new journey, but of hope and fulfillment too. I could easily relate to the characters - aliens in a new surrounding, trying to get a foothold in an unknown land, eventually taking root and propagating generations with differing outlooks. The voice she gives to them all makes her truly an interpreter of maladies of their hearts.

While not typically a fan of short stories, the lyric writing style of this book, and the insights into her characters make it a favorite. Highly recommended.

I picked up Interpreter of Maladies after having fallen in love with Lahiri's writing style in The Namesake . I normally am not a fan of short stories, as I find they lack the depth that comes with getting to know characters over the course of a longer novel. However, I must say Lahiri manages to capture her readers' feelings and captivates their senses through her short stories in very much the same way she does in The Namesake . Her short stories may give those of us who aren't fans of this style of writing a new appreciation of the art that of luring & engaging readers over the course of only a few pages.

While the short stories are well written, they are also rather simplistic and tailored towards an audience looking for just that. If you want post colonial literature with depth consider Arundhati Roy's God of Small Things and Salman Rushdie - primarily Midnight's Children.

While the content of these short stories is at times anything but simple, and does cover a wide range of situations - the format is trying as Lahiri strips the text of any true complexity and creates a readily digested text. Good for a vacation novel, and not a whole lot more. If you are looking for more complexity in a south asian postcolonial text try The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy.

The stories that make up this uniquely satisfying book are true depictions of "the South Asian cultural experience" in North America. Each one of her stories lay claim to a facet of life or experiences that most immigrants to Canada and the US can relate to in some form or another - especially those of South Asian origin. My only beef with the stories and Lahiri as a storyteller and moralist is that though she presents the injustice or conflict faced by the main characters (usually an immigrant)in a very truthful and unique way, she does not seem to provide an adequate solution to the dilemmas faced by the characters. Some insight on how the characters resolve the issues and conflicts would have been appreciated as many of us are faced with very similar problems. An excellent read and one that must be undertaken by anyone with any immigrant experience at all.

At long last a book of engaging short stories which is a pleasure to read minus convoluted hidden meanings - everything up front here. These intelligently written heartfelt stories are as refreshing as the first spring rain. Each one drew me in and carried me along, learning about Indian culture, eavesdropping on curious situations, while feeling the emotions of these believable characters. A great gift book - even for die-hard novel-only readers or those who don't read much and should. Everyone on my Christmas list and throughout the year will be receiving one of these!

Short-story lovers will be enchanted with this exquisite collection by this wonderful new Indo-American writer. Even more interesting, those who generally prefer full-length novels may well (re)discover the qualities inherent in short fiction after reading Lahiri's deftly woven portrayals of displacement from India to the New World. Such stories have been told before, but never in such a fresh and vital way. An exciting young writer to watch out for!