LowLand by Jhumpa Lahiri
I have read almost all her books and like her writing, but this book is so different. It is about two brothers in Calcutta in 60's,One Suhbash goes to US for further studies and other Udyan joins naxals and when he is killed ,and his wife is pregnant, and his parents dont like her, so Subhash marries her and takes her to US. But she neither cares for him nor learns to do later, She doesnt even care about her child and leaves when her daughter is 6. In most of the novels of lahiri, women are self centred and do whatever pleases them without bothering about whether they are hurting others in the process or ruining someone's life. Here Udyan's wife is shown as complete selfish person who takes advantage of her BIL's goodness.Its very sad to read that such type of people abound in today's times also.
I was reading Indian writers for a long time, so for a change, I read two books by Danielle Steel, but they are so predictable, Protagonists are always women, too good to be true, and always get 2-3 times married till they die:)..nothing real about her books.
Then I thought of reading Abandon by Pico Iyer..it totally went over my head...nothing tangible.
Oleander Girl....Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
My fav writer...It is about a young girl Korobi brought by her grandparents in Calcutta.In their home talking about her parents is not allowed.She is told that they died..mother while giving birth and father in an accident.She falls in love with Rajat and One day when she is getting ready to meet her future inlaws she gets an expereince beyond the realm of this world..like her mother's presence, then how she tries to find about her parents and come to know that her mother went to US for studies and fell in love( inspite of promising her father that she wouldnt marry without his assent) with a professor and on top of that he was negro.She gets pregnant and comes back to convince his father to agree but instead he wants her to leave him.One day thru an argument she fell down and dies while delivering her. Her father comes to India but told a lie that his daughter also died.
Now she goes in the quest of his father to US where people are suspicious that she is out to blackmail them, she faces lot of problems and is supported by her agent's nephew and feels a soft corner for him and he also falls for her.In the end she find his father who loves her and she comes to know that she is an illegitimate child...an anathema to high society in Calcutta.Rest is all about her honesty and caring, how she wins everyone's heart.There is one place where while coming back from US, she tells her grandma that first she would go to her inlaws to clear all misunderstandings and then come home and she replies..yes that right, now you belong to them, but she says internally..that she belongs to both but today the need is to go there , tomorrow if she needs her more she will come here...such righteous thinking..I liked it
Now a days I am reading ..women's journey..Anees Jung
I have read almost all her books and like her writing, but this book is so different. It is about two brothers in Calcutta in 60's,One Suhbash goes to US for further studies and other Udyan joins naxals and when he is killed ,and his wife is pregnant, and his parents dont like her, so Subhash marries her and takes her to US. But she neither cares for him nor learns to do later, She doesnt even care about her child and leaves when her daughter is 6. In most of the novels of lahiri, women are self centred and do whatever pleases them without bothering about whether they are hurting others in the process or ruining someone's life. Here Udyan's wife is shown as complete selfish person who takes advantage of her BIL's goodness.Its very sad to read that such type of people abound in today's times also.
I was reading Indian writers for a long time, so for a change, I read two books by Danielle Steel, but they are so predictable, Protagonists are always women, too good to be true, and always get 2-3 times married till they die:)..nothing real about her books.
Then I thought of reading Abandon by Pico Iyer..it totally went over my head...nothing tangible.
Oleander Girl....Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
My fav writer...It is about a young girl Korobi brought by her grandparents in Calcutta.In their home talking about her parents is not allowed.She is told that they died..mother while giving birth and father in an accident.She falls in love with Rajat and One day when she is getting ready to meet her future inlaws she gets an expereince beyond the realm of this world..like her mother's presence, then how she tries to find about her parents and come to know that her mother went to US for studies and fell in love( inspite of promising her father that she wouldnt marry without his assent) with a professor and on top of that he was negro.She gets pregnant and comes back to convince his father to agree but instead he wants her to leave him.One day thru an argument she fell down and dies while delivering her. Her father comes to India but told a lie that his daughter also died.
Now she goes in the quest of his father to US where people are suspicious that she is out to blackmail them, she faces lot of problems and is supported by her agent's nephew and feels a soft corner for him and he also falls for her.In the end she find his father who loves her and she comes to know that she is an illegitimate child...an anathema to high society in Calcutta.Rest is all about her honesty and caring, how she wins everyone's heart.There is one place where while coming back from US, she tells her grandma that first she would go to her inlaws to clear all misunderstandings and then come home and she replies..yes that right, now you belong to them, but she says internally..that she belongs to both but today the need is to go there , tomorrow if she needs her more she will come here...such righteous thinking..I liked it
Now a days I am reading ..women's journey..Anees Jung
5 comments:
I have read some Jumpa Lahiri's books and liked her way of writing. Will read this soon,
Haven't read Pico Iyer!
I had read some books of Danielle Steel and they were just OK. I don't think I would be able to read them now!
Like Indu Sundaresan's books!
Whether a writer is predictable or not, or the book is boring, as long as one is interested in reading, I guess it s job well done…
It s a habit I lost some time back
Glad to note books keep you busy
Sandhya: I am happy to know about one more writer..now I am getting one of her books:)
deep: yeah..books are my biggest past time, hobby or you can say lifeline:)
It is heart warming to note that there are still many who read books in these days of e-reading.
I was a voracious reader of novels once upon a time. now i'm more into spiritual books. I have read the namesake of jhumpa and liked it.
Asha:I am addictewd to reading, even if for one day I have nothing, I feel a vaccum and need to feel the book in my hands:)
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