The Namesake

Today I finished The Namesake, by Jhumpa Lahiri. Although this was not a book I felt compelled to sit and read through in one setting, I still really enjoyed it. It reminds me a lot of what I learned about in my Anthropology classes in college, and I wished at the end I could have discussed it in a classroom setting.

This novel was a about a couple who immigrated from Calcutta to the United States. The couple was kind of in this state of perpetual quasi-assimilation. Meanwhile their children were too assimilated for their parents to be comfortable. When they were younger the children resented their parents and their Indian cultural responsibilities, but as they grew older they came to depend on them. The main character, Gogol/Nikhil struggled with how his name related to his identity and tried changing it to feel more comfortable in America. I think it worked temporarily for him but towards the end he really grew into his old name and was stuck with the new one.

At first I was frustrated with Gogol for resenting his roots, although I'm sure I would have done the same thing. Towards the end of the book I felt like he had been betrayed by his roots and I just felt bad for him. Nevertheless I really felt for the family and I think I have a better understanding of how assimilation impacts immigrants. I have mixed feelings about assimilation, and this book helped me understand the situation better.

If you are interested in any of these themes, Indian culture, or are just looking for an interesting read, I recommend this one! If you are looking for something you absolutely cannot put down until you have read the last page and then feel disappointed that it's over, you may want to look elsewhere.

Eat Pray Love

Hello folks!

Sorry for the delay, I attribute it to Eat Pray Love. I bought this book a few weeks ago and could not wait to start it. It had been highly recommended to me by quite a few people, and I assumed it would be worth the $14 I paid for it at the Strand (expensive in comparison to the other books I have picked up there). Boy was I WRONG. I thought I would get through this book in record time. I never made it past Italy! I LOVE Italy! I was listening to this author describe one of my favorite places of all time and I was seriously struggling to turn the pages.

For anyone who doesn't know, this book is about a woman going through a messy divorce who spends three months in three countries, the first one being Italy. Now as a Social Worker in training, I am pretty much down to listen to self indulgent whining. So I think if I get sick of the bitching, there is some serious excess going on. I can see how people could finish this book...i think. Maybe it will be more compelling when Julia Roberts if flashing her big teeth and laughing maniacally. I was really determined to finish this book. Even if something sucks I am always compelled to finish it. I mean, I sat through Crossroads and the Breakup and I've finished a quiznoes pizza sub, and after 2 weeks I still couldn't get through this thing.

Now as a result I am behind in my blog. AH! We will see if I can catch up!