A good book group read.

I read this book for a book group that I was leading. We had not realised that they were short stories when the book was recommended so I was a bit concerened how it would fit into a book group setting. I need not have worried, the discussion was enthusiastic and varied, and everyone felt that it was a four / five star collection. The only minor problem was recalling the details of all the individual stories as we worked our way though, but we helped each other out here and found that between us we could fill in most of the details.

The theme of displacement was one we could all relate to, being ex-pats from around the world. Also the idea of making friends with people from all walks of life, with just our nationality in common. There was, however, a feeling that some of the characters lacked definition, hence the four, rather than five star rating.

Personally I favoured the triad of interconnected stories at the end. Here we had a chance to get to know the characters a little better and the ending was memorable - something that some of the other stories lacked.
I'm looking forward to reading Namesake, Ms Lahiri's only full length novel. Having sampled her short stories I'm keen to see how she developes her characters in this medium.

Recommended, especially for lovers of short stories. ( )

Have not read the second part.

I adored this collection of short stories by Jhumpa Lahiri. At the writing of this review, I have not yet read her other works but am looking forward to doing so.

Jhumpa Lahiri is Indian-American; more specifically from a Bengali background. She draws from this background as a basis for most of her short stories. Most of the characters in her stories– in this book, anyway– are Bengalis that have moved to America, or at the very least are Indian.

This book consists of two parts.

Part One consists of the five following stories:

“Unaccustomed Earth” : A young mother hopes that her widowed father will move in with her and her growing family; but finds out he does not want to, and the reason why.

“Hell-Heaven”: A young girl observes the relationship between her parents and a family friend, and comes to realize that her mother was actually in love with the family friend for many years.

“A Choice of Accommodations”: A man attends the wedding of a girl he grew up with and adored. The man’s wife also attends the wedding with him.

“Only Goodness”: About a woman dealing with her alcoholic brother and coming to grips with how, and why, he became that way.

“Nobody’s Business”: About two roommates, male and female; and what happens when one is involved in an unhealthy relationship.

Part Two : Hema and Kaushik

“Once in a Lifetime”

“Year’s End”

“Going Ashore”

Part Two, above, actually seems more like a novella to me. It’s about Hema and Kaushik and was my favorite section of the book. Their characters and their story really stayed with me, and I actually went right back and re-read Part Two after finishing it.

Hema and Kaushik were sort-of childhood friends: Hema’s parents allowed Kaushik and his parents to stay at their house for a length of time while the latter were looking for a house to buy and move in. After Kaushik and his parents move out, the two children lose touch over time. Eventually, Hema and Kaushik meet again by chance, when they are adults and have had a lot of life experiences behind them.

The first part is told by Hema’s point of view. The second part is then told by Kaushik’s point of view. The last part is narrated objectively–that is, by neither of them. Until the very last few paragraphs, when it is Hema telling the story. The ending came somewhat as a shock to me.

Here is a passage, from when Hema and Kaushik have run into each other again after all those years:

“After lunch he drove her back, inviting her to his place, in a quiet neighborhood where laundry hung between apricot-colored houses and old men sat in folding chairs on the streets. The men watched, silently, as Kaushik unlocked the bolts and Hema waited at his side. It was unquestioned that they would not part yet, unquestioned that though they had not seen or thought of each other in decades, not sought each other out, something precious had been stumbled upon, a new-born connection that could not be left unattended, that demanded every particle of their care”.

I strongly recommend that you give this short story collection a try! ( )

I was somewhat disappointed with part one, pleased with the general quality of the writing and drawn in by the plot and character development, but growing weary of the seeming equation of Bengali + Non-Bengali + Rebellion = Story. Still, I stuck with the rest of the stories and have to say that part two, in its novella-like ability to develop even further, made up for any disappointment I had with the first 220 pages. I loved that each story stood on its own, with different points of view at different times of life, the stories eventually intertwining as the characters do. I would love to see Lahiri explore building characters without the staple of Bengali heritage, but I'm still excited to thumb through The Namesake and the rest of Interpreter of Maladies. ( )

brilliant character development. I enjoyed this and will read it again. ( )

I haven't read previously any books of lahiri so i dint knew what to expect ...however after reading i found thats its quite dark considering that in the end of many short stories ppl die or are separated from their loved ones ..never do you find ppl getting back to their normal life ......however let me add that apart from its a masterpiece no doubt abt that.She has this thing to create characters flawlessly in just a single paragraph ..Consider this "After her mother's death, Ruma's father retired from the pharmaceutical company where he had worked for many decades and began traveling in Europe, a continent he'd never seen. In the past year he had visited France, Holland, and most recently Italy. They were package tours, traveling in the company of strangers, riding by bus through the countryside, each meal and museum and hotel prearranged. He was gone for two, three, sometimes four weeks at a time. When he was away Ruma did not hear from him. Each time, she kept the printout of his flight information behind a magnet on the door of the refrigerator, and on the days he was scheduled to fly she watched the news, to make sure there hadn't been a plane crash anywhere in the world" Most of the characters are immigrant Indians who have settled in America since 1970/80.And most of them are Bengali .And have advanced degrees (wonder thats the case in reality).....The part two which has a short story between the lives of Kaushik and hema and how they fatedly fall in love ...touches your heart and images linger in your brain even after you have finished reading the book long way back ... I havent read Interpreter of maladies neither The namesake so i dont how this book stands in compared to those ..but its definitely worth reading once .... ( )

There is an art to writing a short story, of course, but also an art to getting a book of short stories not only published, but read, and appreciated. And thank goodness that Jhumpa Lahiri has mastered both of those arts, because if she had not, we would not have this brilliant and insightful collection today.
The first five short stories of Unaccustomed Earth are unconnected in plot, while the last three tie together, a play in three acts. But in truth, all of the stories share common themes, common feelings, common characters. There is a through-thread here, something that ties together what Lahiri wants to say about children and parents, about home and love and change. This, to me, is the mark of a truly successful collection of short stories.
What is so extraordinary, however, is how she manages to connect to the reader, as well. These stories, of Bengalis leaving their homes for America and having children there, of Bengalis struggling with change, their own, those around them, going back to their roots or making new ones, the stories are so specific, so filled with words and foods and customs that are completely unfamiliar to many of us, to many Americans. The exotic nature of all that is part of what entices. But there's also an understanding, a familiarity, something that, even wrapped in such unfamiliar trappings, we can relate to. When she writes in the first story (from which the book takes its name), of a woman who has recently lost her mother,
"She could not explain what had happened to her marriage after her mother's death. For the first time since they'd met, she felt a wall between them, simply because he had not experienced what she had, because both his parents were still living." (p.26)
Lahiri is speaking of isolation, and it is not just the isolation of the immigrant, but the isolation of someone who has lost someone they loved. Reaching past Bengali or American, beyond wives and fathers and daughters, to the simple pain of grief, the hardest and most unavoidable of human emotions. ( )

I rarely read more than one book by an author and almost never read short stories, but this collection was worth breaking both those traditions. The first half of the book is comprised of 5 unrelated stories, the second half contains 3 linked stories. The NYT says that the theme of this book is that the United States is still a place where people come to reinvent their lives, which brings with it both promise and consequences, and I agree with their reviewer. The tone is set with a quote at the beginning from Nathaniel Hawthorne, part of which states: 'My children have had other birthplaces, and, so far as their fortunes may be within my control, shall strike their roots into unaccustomed earth.'

Lahiri is a Bengali Indian, raised in London and now living in the USA, and she draws from this background when fleshing out her characters. She has an uncanny ability to read situations - you feel that you have known similar situations in your own life. Like 'The Namesake,' these stories are beautifully written. ( )

Beautiful stories, centering on Bengali immigrants and their children in the United States, Italy, Great Britain and elsewhere. Five of these stories are stand-alone, while the last 3 focus on the separateness and interconnectedness of two people destined to become lovers.

Every story is compelling, and exquisitely written. Lahiri captures the essence of all those tiny things that combine to make up big events and powerful emotions. I eagerly await her future stories. ( )

Totally involving 5 or 6 long short stories. “Hema and Kauchik” is made up of three linked stories about the daughter of one and the son of another Bengali family who are brought together in Massachusettes by their familiar backgrounds. ( )

This is a collection of short stories, all of which take place in the last few decades. Each features Bengali immigrants, to the US, usually the east coast. Some take place partly in Europe.

These short stories are written by a master of the form at her prime. Dealing with the nature of love, marriage and familial relationships against the backdrop of alienation, isolation and otherness that foreigners and children of immigrants feel, these stories transcend time, place, and culture, for a universal appeal. While there are no happy endings or easy answers here, there is hope and a deep sense of humanity. ( )

Amazing. ( )

Writers take note: this exquisite collection offers a master class in how to integrate experience and description into story. The writing is not showy in an obvious way, but quietly, relentlessly efficient, with every word serving the story. Thoughts, emotions, memories and regrets become the stuff of intense drama, as Lahiri takes us effortlessly through time and space and into the secrets of the human heart.
Highly recommended. ( )

Diaspora Stories

I'm not usually a big fan of the short story genre but to me, "Unaccustomed Earth" is definitely one of the better collections out there. The stories are generally set around middle-class Indian families living in North America. To me, I found the stories to be genuine and relatable. There tends to be an Orientalist view of every immigrant coming from the East or Latin America or Africa as poor and destitute. That is obviously not the case, and Lahiri accurately captures their lives with great lucidity.

As for the writing itself, Lahiri is one of those writers that uses the power of suggestion. It is precisely what is not said, but implied, which forces the audience to confront their own emotions of reacting to the situations. The last story, "Going Ashore" is perhaps the best example of this style. It definitely requires a sharp eye, and a keen sense, to unravel what is being 'suggested', but that is what is so enjoyable about the stories in this book. ( )

This book was most deserving of all the hype it received. While the stories had similiarities (usually touching Boston or the Northeast and all involving Indian immigrants), the stories involved very different and thought-provoking themes. I was very able to relate to the characters (i.e. I wanted to invite them all over for coffee/tea). The characters were fascinating in their human flaws and frailities. I loved this book. ( )

I really loved Jhumpa Lahiri's first two books, but I put off reading this one for a while because I made the mistake of reading some bad reviews when it first came out and lost interest. Knowing about the kinds of criticism that Unaccustomed Earth has received, I was not disappointed when I finally read it, just dissatisfied. The kinds of details that made Interpreter of Maladies and The Namesake so richly textured become mind-numbingly repetitive here. I can't decide if it is a sign of Lahiri's talent that (most of) her characters' bourgeois self-involvement is as suffocating to the reader as it to them, or if it's just mediocre writing. The restrained elegance of her previous books is still here; it just fails to shine through a lot of the time. ( )

I'm totally mystified why & how this writer has won the awards she has. Not impressed. No depth, no surprises, repetitive situations & characters -- this is in fact just solid, workmanlike reportage. REAL short story writing is what Alice Munro and Mavis Gallant do. But one thing she does get right -- that is her portrayal of men. I felt very at home reading these stories. I need to be transported a little further than my own experiences, familiar observations & limited writing abilities can take me. ( )

Lahiri's characters gain depth so quickly. Her stories read as if they were written effortlessly. The language is clear, the emotions ring true. The last three, glimpses of the same two characters at different ages and life circumstances, cap this incredibly rich collection of stories. As strong as The Interpreter of Maladies, Lahiri's writing never fails to provide a rewarding reading experience. Highly recommended. ( )

"Human nature will not flourish, any more than a potato, if it be planted and replanted, for too long a series of generations, in the same worn-out soil. My children have had other birthplaces, and, so far as their fortunes may be within my control, shall strike their roots into unaccustomed earth."
- Nathaniel Hawthorne, "The Custom-House"

This quotation by Nathaniel Hawthorne graces the first page of Jhumpa Lahiri's Unaccustomed Earth, and is one of the ideas that unites the collection of eight short stories. Lahiri does not always seem to agree with Hawthorne's statement; though her characters are often looking for new places to live, new definitions of the word "home," this movement does not, as Hawthorne believes, cause human nature to flourish. Instead her characters live static, unfulfilled lives, and struggle to express themselves to the people they love.

Lahiri's stories are not about grand adventures or horrible tragedies; instead, she writes about domestic life, and the bonds between parents and children, brothers and sisters, and husbands and wives. Each story in Unaccustomed Earth contains characters of Indian descent who have immigrated to the US, and so the depiction of Indian culture is extrememly vivid. Lahiri writes beautifully. Her prose is descriptive and complex, and the emotions of her characters shine through as though they were actual people in your life.

In general, I love short stories, and Lahiri is exceptionally skilled with this genre. Each narrative is a complete story, and can stand on its own, yet always left me wanting more. The stories contain enough similarities that they form a unified collection; however, these similarities never detracted from the individual stories. Though all alike, they are also distinct. The last three stories contain the same two characters, and could be read as a novella on their own. They are, in my opinion, the strongest stories in the book - though all eight narratives are wonderful.

I went looking for Lahiri's Interpreter of Maladies yesterday after reading a favourable review of it here on LT. Alas, my book store did not have it in stock, so I picked up Unaccustomed Earth instead. This proved to be a blessing, as Unaccustomed Earth was a beautiful read that was perfectly suited to my needs yesterday. It was a satisfying way to spend a few hours, and I will be sure to read the rest of Lahiri's work in the future. ( )

The most subtle details of domestic life are beautifully observed and stunningly depicted in these stories of real-life love with all of its unexpected complications and moments of grace. A beauty of a book. ( )

Wonderful! So emotionally moving, that I cannot forget them. I highly recommend this book. I will read it again, which I rarely do.

An engaging, well-written book of short stories, three of them linked. Lahiri’s characters tend to be Bengali-Americans in relationships with non-Bengalis. Her writing has an emotional resonance that crosses cultures, generations and continents. Her characters are complex, and I found it easy to sympathize and empathize with them, even those whose circumstances were worlds away from mine. But as Lahiri’s stories ably demonstrate, experiences aren’t as disparate as some might think. A few passages in the book gave me that creepy, someone’s-been-looking-over-my-shoulder feeling, as they detailed unattractive emotions and feelings often left unsaid. I enjoyed and admired these stories, even as they sometimes brought pain and sadness. ( )

4 and half stars because her stories all have similar elements. She could have varied things up a bit more. However, her writing is gorgeous. So simple, yet so complex at the same time. She has such good control over what words to use and her sentence structure. Despite the fact that her stories will sound like the same thing in parts of it, this collection is worth purchasing. ( )