Author: Jhumpa Lahiri
From my original list, I had two authors as "I Have Already Read Everything, and I Definitely Want More". The first of those has only published two novels and two short story collections. One of those novels and one of those collections are as good as anything I've ever read; the others are merely very, very good. Meet Jhumpa Lahiri, an American women who was born in London to Indian immigrants. Now she lives in Italy and apparently her upcoming novel was written in Italian first and translated to English.
Jhumpa Lahiri
Both of Lahiri's novels explore the experience of the Indian immigrant to America, as do most of her short stories. The only really comparable author I've read is Junot Diaz, who does the same thing for the Dominican immigrant to America. I like his books, but he isn't playing in the same league as Lahiri. Most people aren't.
Start Here
I read The Namesake in 2012 after Erin (formerly eirias) contributed it as her " favorite book I should read" when I asked. About ten minutes after I finished this story I sent her an email with the subject "Damn You" which said in part "it's been so long since a book (or anything, really) triggered any kind of uncontrolled emotion in me (especially one besides laughter) that I have to give props to the person who recommended it." It hasn't happened much since. I just re-read the email, and now I'm crying again remembering the book. I should probably buy a copy and read it again. Lahiri doesn't excuse her characters. She just shows them, very compassionately, as life happens to them, both good and bad.
After reading that, I immediately went and got The Interpreter of Maladies. This short story collection was her first book, and it won the Pulitzer Prize.
If You Like Those
If I somehow published two books like that, I think I'd go on full Harper Lee after, but fortunately, Lahiri has continued, albeit with a very slow output. In 2013 I read her other two works.
Her second novel The Lowland hits many of the emotional beats that The Namesake did, but using very different characters. It's not quite up at the same level as her other three books, but if you like them you'll certainly enjoy it. It was brand new when I read it, and nothing has come out since.
My reading notes for short story collection Unaccustomed Earth state that "this is better than Interpreter of Maladies", which only (deservedly) won the Pulitzer. I read it in December 2013 when I was in the Galapagos.
Really, I should just buy all of these. Or at least re-read them and see if they hold up 6 years later.
For Completists
Everything I've read is top notch.
What I Haven't Read Yet
She's got some uncollected short stories and magazine eassys, and supposedly there's a new novel coming (the aforementioned "written in Italian" one), but I'm 100% caught up on all her published books and collections.
Probably Won't
She's also translated two novels from Italian to English. While there's a strong case to be made for translation to be nearly as much work as writing a novel, I'm not that interested.
Jhumpa Lahiri
Both of Lahiri's novels explore the experience of the Indian immigrant to America, as do most of her short stories. The only really comparable author I've read is Junot Diaz, who does the same thing for the Dominican immigrant to America. I like his books, but he isn't playing in the same league as Lahiri. Most people aren't.
Start Here
I read The Namesake in 2012 after Erin (formerly eirias) contributed it as her " favorite book I should read" when I asked. About ten minutes after I finished this story I sent her an email with the subject "Damn You" which said in part "it's been so long since a book (or anything, really) triggered any kind of uncontrolled emotion in me (especially one besides laughter) that I have to give props to the person who recommended it." It hasn't happened much since. I just re-read the email, and now I'm crying again remembering the book. I should probably buy a copy and read it again. Lahiri doesn't excuse her characters. She just shows them, very compassionately, as life happens to them, both good and bad.
After reading that, I immediately went and got The Interpreter of Maladies. This short story collection was her first book, and it won the Pulitzer Prize.
If You Like Those
If I somehow published two books like that, I think I'd go on full Harper Lee after, but fortunately, Lahiri has continued, albeit with a very slow output. In 2013 I read her other two works.
Her second novel The Lowland hits many of the emotional beats that The Namesake did, but using very different characters. It's not quite up at the same level as her other three books, but if you like them you'll certainly enjoy it. It was brand new when I read it, and nothing has come out since.
My reading notes for short story collection Unaccustomed Earth state that "this is better than Interpreter of Maladies", which only (deservedly) won the Pulitzer. I read it in December 2013 when I was in the Galapagos.
Really, I should just buy all of these. Or at least re-read them and see if they hold up 6 years later.
For Completists
Everything I've read is top notch.
What I Haven't Read Yet
She's got some uncollected short stories and magazine eassys, and supposedly there's a new novel coming (the aforementioned "written in Italian" one), but I'm 100% caught up on all her published books and collections.
Probably Won't
She's also translated two novels from Italian to English. While there's a strong case to be made for translation to be nearly as much work as writing a novel, I'm not that interested.