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Description edit see section history

Jhumpa Lahiri's debut story collection, Interpreter of Maladies, took the literary world by storm when it won the Pulitzer Prize in 2000. Fans who flocked to her stories will be captivated by her best-selling first novel, now in paperback for the first time. The Namesake is a finely wrought,... read more

Summary edit see section history

Gogol is a regular American kid. Except for the fact that he is the son of two, straight- off- the- mainland Indian parents, Ashima and Ashoke Ganguli. As his parents try to become accustomed to raising a family in America and staying close to homeland traditions, Gogol must decide whether he... read more (warning: may contain spoilers)

Gogol is a regular American kid. Except for the fact that he is the son of two, straight- off- the- mainland Indian parents, Ashima and Ashoke Ganguli. As his parents try to become accustomed to raising a family in America and staying close to homeland traditions, Gogol must decide whether he is proud of his heritage or would rather nix it for the gleaming All-American life. Another problem he must face is whether or not to use his ridiculous first name that his father gave him. However, after learning that his namesake was not due to the author being his father's favorite but by the memory it held for Ashoke in a near-death experience with a train as a young man, Gogol comes to appreciate the gesture even more. This book follows the life of a first-generation Indian-American family and the hardships that they face as they try to fit in and still live the lives they would like to. It shows how some things in life don't know racial boundaries, such as marriage and divorce, life and death, friends and family. On the other hand, it gives the reader an interesting perspective on life for Indian immigrants and other unique cultural aspects.

Characters edit see section history

Show all 34 characters
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Quotes edit see section history

  • “It is a chilly, spectacular November day, the blue sky cloudless, the trees shedding bright yellow leaves that blanket the ground”
  • “Things that should never have happened, that seemed out of place and wrong, these were what prevailed, what endured, in the end”
  • “...being a foreigner, Ashima is beginning to realize, is a sort of lifelong pregnancy- a perpetual wait, a constant burden, a continuous feeling out of sorts.”
  • “Pet names are a persistent remnant of childhood, a reminder that life is not alwats so serious, so formal, so complicated. They are a reminder, too, that one is not all things to all people.”

First Sentence edit see section history

ON A STICKY AUGUST EVENING two weeks before her due date, Ashima Ganguli stands in the kitchen of a Central Square apartment, combining Rice Krispies and Planters peanuts and chopped red onion in a bowl.

Series & Lists edit see section history

This is book 128 of 195 in Shelfari Most Popular (June 2010). (authoritative list)

Preceded by Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and followed by Nineteen Minutes.

This book is in 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die. (authoritative list)
This is book 166 of 195 in Shelfari Most Popular (June 2011). (authoritative list)

Preceded by The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, and followed by She's Come Undone.

This is book 178 of 195 in Shelfari Most Popular (December 2011). (authoritative list)

Preceded by The Bell Jar, and followed by American Gods.

This is book 149 of 194 in Shelfari Most Popular (December 2010). (authoritative list)

Preceded by Siddhartha, and followed by Macbeth.

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

  1. Jhumpa Lahiri (Author)

Other Contributors:

  1. Ioana Novac (Translator)

First Edition edit see section history

Original Language: English
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Country: India
Publication Date: September 2003
ISBN: 0-395-92721-8
Page Count: 291

Classification edit see section history

  • Library of Congress: PS3562.A316 N36 2003
  • Dewey: 813.54

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