Disease Interpreter

Author: Jhumpa Lahiri
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-02-01
Features: "Jhumpa Lahiri's fresh voice is so compelling, so composed and confident, that readers barely notice Interpreter of Maladies is a debut by a young author. Lahiri records the lives of many characters objectively yet emotionally, capturing the warmth and coldness of their experiences with a delicate and textured pen. She is a writer with rare elegance and composure. Interpreter of Maladies features stories that are exquisitely crafted and perceptive, like needles piercing silk. Lahiri is the kind of writer whose work compels you to grab anyone nearby and say, 'You must read this book!' She is a master storyteller with a unique voice, keen eyes, and an ear attuned to the mockery of fate. Interpreter of Malials is Jhumpa Lahiri's first collection of short stories, which has won nearly every major American fiction award since its publication, including the Pulitzer Prize. This remarkable debut collection contains nine stories that accurately depict the emotional journeys of characters across countries and eras in their pursuit of love. The talented author captures the conflicts faced by immigrants, refugees, and their descendants at cultural crossroads: a power outage leads an Indian-American couple to confess their secrets and confront their broken families and marriages; a girl discovers her cultural roots while trick-or-treating during a televised Pakistani civil war; a young boy with a single mother and a key around his neck finds resonance with a lonely housewife from Calcutta; a tour guide takes an Indian-American family on a quest for their heritage, accidentally uncovering a long-held secret. These stories are imbued with vivid details of Indian culture, moving readers with empathy and wisdom. As the title suggests, Lahiri herself is a translator between her ancestors' strict traditions and the bewildering new world. Interpreter of Maladies brings a beautiful new voice to American fiction, a collection brimming with wisdom and wonder."