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Interpreter Of Maladies

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4

36 ratings

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7 reviews

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About this Book

Trade Paperback

208 Pages, 5.31 x 8.25 x 0.5 in

June 15, 1999

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt


039592720x
9780395927205

From Our Editors

These stories from Jhumpa Lahiri jump back and forth between India and New England, touching on love that crosses cultural boundaries. Interpreter of Maladies evokes a style of cultural insight mindful of Anita Desai, while giving the individual characters and their relationships a unique depth.

From the Publisher

Navigating between the Indian traditions they''ve inherited and the baffling new world, the characters in Jhumpa Lahiri''s elegant, touching stories seek love beyond the barriers of culture and generations. In "A Temporary Matter," published in The New Yorker, a young Indian-American couple faces the heartbreak of a stillborn birth while their Boston neighborhood copes with a nightly blackout. In the title story, an interpreter guides an American family through the India of their ancestors and hears an astonishing confession. Lahiri writes with deft cultural insight reminiscent of Anita Desai and a nuanced depth that recalls Mavis Gallant. She is an important and powerful new voice.

Employee Review Kelly from Chapters # 934, Lethbridge, AB

This recent winner of the Pulitzer Prize is a collection of stories related only by the Indian heritage of all the characters. Most take place in the U.S. and often deal with cultural identity as in Amy Tan's books. Maybe I am unfairly comparing the two authors but these stories didn't grip me as much as Tan's. There are some definite standouts, such as when a young Hindu wife becomes curiously obsessed with Christianparaphernalia, as well as the title story which takes place in India. Overall, I would recommend it for fans of short stories.

About the Author

Lahiri was born in 1967 in London, England, and raised in Rhode Island. She has traveled several times to India, where both her parents were born and raised, and where a number of the stories in Interpreter of Maladies are set. She is a graduate of Barnard College, where she received a B.A. in English literature, and of Boston University, where she received an M.A. in English, M.A. in Creative Writing and M.A. in Comparative Studies in Literature and the Arts, and a Ph.D. in Renaissance Studies. She has taught creative writing at Boston University and the Rhode Island School of Design. A winner of the Henfield Prize from the Transatlantic Review, she has published stories in The New Yorker, Agni, Story Quarterly, and elsewhere. Her stories will appear in Prize Stories: The O. Henry Awards and The Best American Short Stories. Jhumpa received the 2000 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for her collection of short stories, INTERPRETER OF MALADIES. She currently lives in New York City.

From the Critics

"India is an inescapable presence in this strong first collection''s nine polished and resonant tales, most of which have appeared in The New Yorker and other publications."

From The Community

Who's Listing it as a Top TenWhat's this?

This title has appeared in 6 Top Ten lists. See the most recent lists below:

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4
7 Reviews

Reviews from the Community

  • Anonymous

    Anonymous

    Beautiful Writing 5

    4 years ago

    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.

  • Jenn

    Jenn

    Light Reading 3

    This review is from: Interpreter of Maladies (Hardcover)

    5 years ago

    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. read more

  • Souraya Tabbara

    Souraya Tabbara

    Smooth Read, Lovely Short Stories 4

    5 years ago

    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… read more

  • Santosh Kamath

    Santosh Kamath

    • 1 person found this helpful

    An Immigrant's Perspective of Life's Truths 4

    This review is from: Interpreter of Maladies (Hardcover)

    10 years ago

    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… read more

  • Jenn

    Jenn

    Postcolonial Warm Fuzzies 3

    5 years ago

    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. read more

  • Diane Schuller

    Diane Schuller

    At Long Last! 5

    10 years ago

    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… read more

  • Claudette

    Claudette

    Superbly crafted stories 5

    10 years ago

    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!

see all 7 reviews

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