Short Story Wednesday: Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri

"Interpreter of Maladies"
from Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri (Mariner Books, 1999)

I actually read this collection of stories this past year but had stopped in between each story to jot down my thoughts. You're seeing them now because I ran out of time to post them last year. Plus, I figured I'd get a head start on blog material for this next year.

I wasn't quite as enamored with the title story from Jhumpa Lahiri's short story collection, Interpreter of Maladies, as I have been with her other stories. That isn't to say it was not good, just that I did not feel the connection to it that I have with many of the other stories.

Mr. Kapasi is a part-time tour guide who often takes English speaking tourists to various points of interest in India. He once had big dreams of being an interpreter on the international scene, but settled for working as an interpreter at a doctor's office and giving tours on the side.

In this particular story, he is taking an American family of Indian descent to the Sun Temple. Mr. and Mrs. Das have three young children, a girl and two boys. They are very American and Mr. Kapasi is quick to notice their cultural differences, despite their shared ethnicity. As the story progresses, Mr. Kapasi begins to see how much alike this American family is to his own, however. Some things know no borders.

Mr. Kapasi is greatly flattered when Mrs. Das takes an interest in his job as an interpreter. She even goes so far as to call it "romantic." It gives him something to think about. He's always seen his job with the doctor as being one he settled for because of financial woes, not something to be especially proud of. Her comment also sets something else off inside him, and soon she is revealing a secret to him that she has not told anyone.

"Interpreter of Maladies" is a complex story and Mr. Kapasi goes through several levels of thoughts and feelings throughout its course. Lahiri yet again captures the essence of her characters and brings them to life, flawed and vulnerable but not weak. This is one of those stories that puts reality next to fantasy and then swings back to reality. Lesson learned: Don't feed the monkeys.

All along the path, dozens of monkeys were seated on stones, as well as on the brances of the trees. Their hind legs were stretched out in front and raised to shoulder level, their arms resting on their knees. [pg 61]

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© 2010, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved.
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Review: The Little Known by Janice Daugharty

Confession: I have nothing against e-books. I don't mind reading short stories and essays on the computer, but reading an entire novel while sitting behind a computer is not especially comfortable. It's downright inconvenient. At least for me. Sure, I could have printed this one out, and I might have if I had been home using my own computer and printer. Oh, how I wished I had an e-reader!

The publisher sent out review copies of The Little Known in PDF format to bloggers on their mailing list. I did not request a copy of this book for review. It wasn't a book I planned to read nor thought I would enjoy much truth be told. I just happened to be somewhere with a computer, no book to read and a little time on my hands. And so, I opened the file and began reading.

I will attempt to separate out my dislike for reading a novel on the computer with my thoughts on the book. I do think it had an impact, which is unfortunate because The Little Known has a lot to offer. I know I could have gone without going into all this, but one of the reasons I keep a blog is to talk about my experiences reading, not just about the books that I read.

The Little Known by Janice Daugharty
BelleBooks, Inc, February 2010
Fiction (YA); 234 pgs

The Little Known is the story of a nine-year-old African American boy named Knot in 1960's segregated Georgia. While out riding his cousin's bicycle, he comes across a bag of money, dropped by a bank robber who was fleeing from the police. Knot could have easily spent some of the money on that bicycle he's been wanting, but he knows he'd have to explain himself. Instead, he decides to give the money away, hoping to make life better for those around him. Only, it does not quite work out that way.

Knot is a sweetheart of a boy who is coming into his own. He seems so innocent at times and yet like an older soul at others. He has been poor all his life and believes that money can make things better. He quickly learns, however, that having money does not correlate with people doing the right thing. Knot is also struggling with his identity, trying to figure out his place in the world--and in his family.

The author captures the essence of a poverty stricken, close-knit community, full of internal strife and yet coming together in times of need. Knot lives with Marge, a woman whose weakness is alcohol. I didn't much like her at first, but the more I got to know her, the sorrier I felt for her and the more I hoped she would pull herself together for Knot's sake. She really wasn't a bad person, just a damaged one. Many of the characters in the novel are damaged in some way, white and black alike. Among them are the family next door with the drunk abusive husband; the daughter whose mother is mentally ill and often runs naked in the neighborhood; and a girl who is handicapped but whose family can't afford a wheelchair. I wouldn't have minded if some of these other characters had been more fleshed out, however. Then again, this is Knot's story more than anyone else's.

And although the author did not go into it as much as I would have liked, I was especially drawn to Knot's relationship with Becky Bruce, the white girl and the daughter of Sammy Bruce, a man who terrorizes not only those in the black community but his own family as well. Becky is a sad child, withdrawn and easy to tears. While Knot tries to dismiss her at first, he can't help but feel the need to help her, somehow rescue her from her father. He is fearful though; the colors of their skin make friendship dangerous.

While Knot is my favorite character in the novel, coming in at a close second is the pastor. Knot admits that he likes to go to church every Sunday for the food. Sometimes it's the only good meal he'll get that week. The pastor plays the role of the father figure and is perhaps the one stable person in Knot's life.

Race does play a part in the novel. There is always an undercurrent of tension in that regard. Knot is one of a handful of black students in a school that has recently been integrated. And in the society at large, there is a clear demarcation of who holds the power: the white man. As the story unfolds, however, there is definite hope that change is coming.

Overall, this was a touching novel of forgiveness and hope. On the surface, it is a simple story, but it has several layers, some of which I'm still discovering after having finished it. This is a novel I think both adults and children would enjoy.

Just a note of warning: the author does use the "n" word in the text, albeit minimally. Given the time period the novel is set in, it was not out of place.

Rating: (Good)

You can learn more about Janice Daugharty and her books on the author's website.

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© 2010, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved.
If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Monday At the Movies: Taking Chance

Monday's Movie is hosted by Sheri at A Novel Menagerie.
(Disclosure: I rented the movie through Netflix.)

Taking Chance
(Drama, War - 2009; directed by Ross Katz; written by Ross Katz and Michael Strobl)

Synopsis from Netflix:

Based on an article by Marine Lt. Col. Michael Strobl, this HBO original film tells the story of Strobl's emotional experience traveling across America as a volunteer escort officer for the body of fallen 19-year-old marine Chance Phelps. Along the 2004 journey to Phelps' hometown in Wyoming, Strobl (portrayed by Emmy nominee Kevin Bacon) witnesses -- and is moved by -- acts of respect by everyday Americans.

It was because of Carrie from Books and Movies that I added Taking Chance to my Netflix queue. I probably would have never heard of the movie otherwise. It was not one that was in the theaters but aired directly on HBO.

This is an emotional movie about an officer who escorts the body of a fallen soldier home. And it is even more than that. I never really considered the process the U.S. military takes when returning their fallen soldiers home, all of the people involved in ensuring that the soldier is given all the respect he or she is due. I confess that I had tears in my eyes at the kindness and honor bestowed to the soldier, Chance Phelps, and to Lt. Colonel Stobl along the way. I got to know what a great person Chance Phelps was through the stories of his friends and family, and yet the connection I felt with him began long before I met them, from that first moment his body was put on the airplane to return to the United States.

As a daughter of a retired war veteran, this movie warmed my heart and made me feel proud. It is sad, yes, terribly sad that young men and women like Chance Phelps have lost their lives. I mourn for all the soldiers lost, and for their families and friends left behind.

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© 2009, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved.
If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Tuesday Tangents: Saying Goodbye to a Favorite Bookstore & Today's Reasons to Smile

Tuesday Tangents is hosted by Florinda of The 3 R's Blog

My husband and I were driving by the used bookstore I occasionally visit last weekend and noticed that it was closing its doors. It was a cozy little place called Romantically Inclined. There was quite a big selection of romance novels as you might imagine from the store's name, but the shelves were also well stocked with mysteries and other fiction novels, including science fiction and fantasy. The owner was such a nice woman, and I was sad to discover that the store is closing because she's passed away. She knew just what books to recommend to the customers. and came to think of many of her customers as friends. On my most memorable visit to the store, she had a new puppy that she'd brought with her and we swapped stories about our pets. as we cooed over the little darling. Donalene Dillon touched many readers over the years, and I know she will be missed.

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Every day may not be good, but there's something good in every day. ~Author Unknown

Random Moments That Made Me Smile This Week:

Coming home from work this evening and being greeted at the door by my two cats and dog. I always look forward to coming home because I know they'll be eager to see me.

Jason Mraz's I'm Yours.

A little boy. Anjin and I were enjoying lunch out on afternoon recently and a little boy kept standing on the seat of the booth behind ours. I was facing the other booth, my husband's back was to it. The boy ran his toy truck along the top of the bench, occasionally ducking down to hide, only to pop up seconds later. A game of peek-a-boo. His parents kept telling him to sit back down, which he would, jumping back up again soon after. At one point, he reached out and touched my husband's shoulder. The mother jumped up and grabbed her son, apologizing profusely. We told her it was okay. We couldn't help but smile.

Finding something I had lost and thought gone forever.

Seeing a stranger's face light up with a smile when I first smiled at her. There's something very rewarding in a moment like that.

Crawling into bed early with a good book. I so rarely do it, but when I do, it's a slice of Heaven. Add to that two cats and a dog and it's perfect.

What has made you smile this week?

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© 2009, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved.
If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

Review: The Weight of Heaven by Thrity Umrigar

A few days after Benny's death, Ellie and Frank Benton broke into separate people. Although they didn't know it then. At that time, all they could do was concentrate on getting through each bewildering day, fighting to suppress the ugly memories that burst to the surface like fish above water. [Prologue, page 2]

The Weight of Heaven by Thrity Umrigar
Harper Collins, 2009 (ISBN#978-0-06-147254-1)
Fiction; 365 pgs

I was first introduced to Thrity Umrigar through her novel, The Space Between Us. It was one of those novels that made the author an instant favorite of mine. I knew I had to read every book she wrote. I haven't quite managed that, but it's still something I'm working on. I followed The Space Between Us up with Bombay Time and now The Weight of Heaven.

What I love most about Thrity Umrigar is her gift for drawing out the emotions of her characters. The reader gets to know them through and through, feel what they are going through, know what they are thinking, and feel like we know them just as well as we do ourselves. At least that's how it is for me.

The Weight of Heaven is more than what it might first appear. An American man and woman grieving for their lost son move to India in hopes of reconnecting with each other and starting a new life. Their 7-year-old son had been their world. His death has torn them apart. Frank Benton blames his wife, Ellie, for their son's death, despite her doing everything she could to save him. His anger has put a wall between them that, at times, seems insurmountable.

Ellie is determined to save her marriage, while Frank, haunted by the memories of his son, turns his affections toward an Indian boy, Ramesh, the son of the household cook and maid. In his own way, Frank wants to piece his family back together. However, the path he chooses to do that will have drastic consequences.

Ellie comes to love India, both the culture and the people. She is a psychologist and volunteers her time helping the people of Girbaug, the community in which they reside. She is well liked not only by the other characters in the book, but by me as well. She was not perfect by any means, but she has good sense and a thoughtful manner about her.

Frank's experience in India is much different. He runs the Indian division of an American company and faces constant conflict with his low paid workers and the locals whose land the company bought from the government. He has a more cynical view of the country. The death of an employee rattles him, especially the circumstances surrounding that death. And on top of that is his own overwhelming grief for his son.

I will be honest. I never grew to like Frank. I wanted to, at least on some level. I tried to understand him, knowing that people deal with their grief differently. His pain was palatable as was Ellie's. I wanted so much to reach into the book and comfort them both. I wanted to save Frank from himself. Because, even if I didn't care much for Frank or the decisions he made, I still felt for him, could see how the life he is trying to put together for himself is unraveling. He truly is a lost soul, who, in his desperation, made the wrong choices.

I was most drawn to the story of Prakash and Edna, Ramesh's parents. Prakash, in particular. He is a complicated character with many layers. He was not the most likeable, I suppose, but, like Frank, there is a desperation about him, a longing. His only son is being showered with affection by an American man, offered things Prakash could not offer Ramesh. His once happy marriage is not so good anymore. His life was not what he wanted it to be. Edna only wants what is best for her son. She is torn between her loyalty to her family and letting her son experience the finer things in life. Where her husband drinks himself into a stupor and hardly spends time with their son, here is a wealthy American family who encourages his education and welcomes Ramesh into their home.

Just as the personal aspects of the novel are emotionally charged, so are the social issues brought to the forefront: the impact of globalization on a small community and the cultural clashes between the Indians and the foreigners. The author offers a look into varying perspectives, providing a well rounded picture of the world and the characters she has created in the novel. And, although I am not going into depth about this aspect of the book, it was perhaps the piece I found most intriguing of all.

I barely have touched on the surface of the novel. It is multi-faceted to be sure. It is rich in culture and character. The Weight of Heaven was in some ways just as I expected, but it also held much surprise. It was not quite the novel I expected it to be. Thrity Umrigar proved yet again why she is one of my favorite authors.

Book Source: I bought a copy of the book, which the author graciously autographed for me at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books in April of 2009. You can just imagine how excited and nervous I was to be meeting one of my favorite authors!

Rating: (Very Good)

You can learn more about Thrity Umrigar and her books on the author's website. Be sure and check the TLC Book Tours website as well.

Many thanks to the TLC Book Tours for the opportunity to be a part of this book tour.

Thrity Umrigar's TLC Tour Stops:
Wednesday, February 3rd: Devourer of Books
Thursday, February 4th: Red Lady’s Reading Room
Tuesday, February 9th: Savvy Verse & Wit
Thursday, February 11th: Peeking Between the Pages
Monday, February 15th: Lit and Life
Wednesday, February 17th: Raging Bibliomania
Thursday, February 18th: Booksie’s Blog
Tuesday, February 23rd: BookNAround
Wednesday, February 24th: Dreadlock Girl Reads
Thursday, February 25th: Book Chatter

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As part of the tour, the publisher sent me a trade paperback copy of the book. Since I already have my own copy, I am putting this one up for giveaway.

To Enter:

• Leave a comment below and tell me why you want to read The Weight of Heaven.
• Be sure and include your e-mail address if it is not easily visible from your website/blog.
• The giveaway is open to anyone with a valid mailing address, regardless of country.
• The deadline to enter is February 12th at 11:59 p.m. PST. The winners will be chosen at random through random.org and the winners will be notified by e-mail. The winners names will be posted below once they are determined.

Good luck!

***Giveaway Closed***

Thank you to all of you who entered! I used random.org to select the winner. Congratulations to Amanda from A Bookshelf Monstrosity!

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© 2009, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved.
If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.