The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri

Title:Namesake
Author: Jhumpa Lahiri
Paperback: 291 pages
Publisher: Mariner Books; First edition (September 1, 2004)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0618485228
ISBN-13: 978-0618485222


Synopsis:
Ashoke and Ashima natives of Calcutta move to United States after their arranged marriage in India.Ashoke is a PhD student at MIT , soon after Ashima gives birth to a son .They are undecided about theirs child’s name , ultimately relying on a postal letter from Ashima’s  grandmother but letter is lost somewhere in transition, and they are forced to choose  a name for their son before his release from Hospital. Ashoke decides to name his son “Gogol” after Russian Author  Nikolai Gogol and in memory of a tragic train accident of his past.
The Novel revolves around the life of Ashoke , Ashima and their son Gogol .The cultural differences and the generation gap between parents and kids. Gogol’s struggle in search of his own identity and his embarrassment that surrounds his name. Ashima's loneliness in a new country and how she adjusts and make it home.
About the Author: Born in London to Bengali parents, Jhumpa Lahiri currently resides in Brooklyn with her husband and two children. Her debut work of fiction, a collection of short stories entitled Interpreter of Maladies, won the 2000 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. She is currently a member of the U.S. President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities. Her novel The Namesake was also made into a 2007 film
My Thoughts on the Book: I picked up this on the thought that I would like reading it and was not least bit disappointed. Lahiri’s writing is poetic and descriptive she is able to very well describe the lives of Ashoke , Ashima and their family as Immigrants in USA although a bit slow at times.The book is also made into a movie which I had seen many years ago before reading it.I liked the movie as much I had liked the book. All in all the book is expectedly excellent and a must read.

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Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

Title :Memoirs of a Geisha 

Author : Arthur Golden

Paperback: 434 pages

Page Numbers Source ISBN: B002LAYWEC 

Publisher: Vintage; Vintage contemporaries ed edition (November 9, 1999) 

Sold by: Random House Digital, Inc

Language: English

Synopsis : Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden is a book about Geisha ( Japanese women entertainer ) who sing, dance , talk and keep men company in order to entertain them.Chiyo (Who is known as Sayuri when she becomes Geisha )  is sold to a Geisha house in Gion after her mother's  death , she does odd jobs there like cleaning and house chores .Later on she is enrolled in  geisha school where she learns singing , dancing and more .An elder Geisha  Hatsumomo is jealous of Sayuri and so her hope of becoming a Geisha comes to a stop until she meets a elder Geisha Mameha who eventually trains her to become Geisha and a successful one at that . Sayuri's life changes after second world war when the man she has always loved becomes her Danna ( A wealthy man, sometimes married, who had the means to support the very large expenses related to a geisha's traditional training and other costs.).

About The Author : Arthur Golden  is an American writer born on December 6, 1956) .Golden was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, grew up on Lookout Mountain, Georgia, He spent his middle and high school years at the Baylor School  in Chattanooga, graduating in 1974. He attended Harvard University and received a degree in art history, specializing in Japanese art. In 1980, he earned an M.A. in Japanese history at Columbia University, and also learned Mandarin Chinese. He currently lives in Brookline, Massachusetts.
The novel Memoirs of a Geisha was written over a 6-year period during which Golden rewrote the entire novel three times, changing the point of view before finally settling on the first person viewpoint of Sayuri. Interviews with a number of geisha, including  Mineko Iwaski  provided background information about the world of the geisha. It has sold more than four million copies in English and has been translated into thirty-two languages around the world.

My Thoughts on the Book:This novel is an amazing read that brings to life, vivid and colorful characters. Being narrated in the first person, the reader feels a sense of reality to the story. Golden’s ability to create clear imagery makes the novel all the more spectacular. The novel uses many different jokes and situations that will make the reader laugh and cry. It also broadens the view of society on geisha and ancient tradition. Being informative, hilarious, and inspirational, Memoirs of a Geisha is a well written book and It's one of my favorite.

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Hope & Other Dangerous Pursuits by Laila Lalami

"Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits" by Laila Lalami provides a view on a different world. This book narrates the struggles of four Moroccans who attempt the 14-kilometer journey across the Strait of Gibraltar into Spain, to find better employment and better conditions for themselves and their families. I like the way Lalami structured her book, providing glimpses of each person's story both before and after the crossing.

The book opens with the treacherous journey and focuses on Faten, Noura, Halima and Aziz, then moves backwards to the events that brought them there The story follows their lives as they struggle to make their way in a strange land.

 A very short, easy read--definitely recommended!

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The Sculptress by Minette Walters

The Sculptress by Minette Walters  is surely one of the best a fascinating psychological crime thriller.It's been a while I read this book but I still remember that  I was unable to put it down It is so engrossing that I kept on  turning pages as to know what will happen next.

The book is about Olive Martin, a huge obese woman who was found with the dead bodies of her mother and younger sister, she pleaded guilty to murder at her trial. Journalist Rosalind Leigh accepts a commission to write a book about Olive, she finds herself wondering what lies behind all these facts that everyone knows. When Roz first visits her in prison, she finds that Olive is not quite what she expected. Roz is repeatedly warned - Olive lies about almost everything, then why did she confess so readily to two hideous murders? Roz may well wonder. The deeper she is drawn into the shadowy, disturbing world of the Sculptress, the more firmly she is convinced that Olive is hiding something 


One of the best mystery novels I've read.

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Swami and Friends by R.K. Narayan

Swami and Friends by R.K. Narayan is simple to read book set in pre Independence days of India  in a fictional town Malgudi.The author's style of writing is simple , humorous and subtle still so real.

It took me back to my childhood memories of school where in little things used to look like huge problems.

The story narrates events in life of Swami and his friends Rajam and Mani  as how they became friends their mischief at school , strolling in hot afternoon sun , playing games, forming a cricket team and so on.

A must read book.

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The Help by Kathryn Stockett

The Help  is an amazing first  book by Kathryn Stockett , it was quite engrossing , I loved reading it till the end as the story developed.
The book is about black maids in  Jackson, MS in the early 1960s where the Civil Rights movement was getting  heated.Skeeter Phelan, is a young white woman just graduated from college and wishes to write. She wants to create a novel based on interviews with the black maids .No one wants to cooperate because it's an extremely dangerous task. Soon, Aibileen and Minny,  maids of Jackson, come together to help Skeeter with her project. It turns into something so much bigger than any of them expected.  
This book is one of my favorites and I recommend everyone read it as its  It's complex, deep, entertaining, funny, depressing,  inspirational and well written.Kathryn Stockett manages to make characters come to life with her descriptions.

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The Fall by Ryan Quinn

First of all I would like to thank the author for hosting a Giveaway on Goodreads and for sending me the advanced e reader copy.

The Fall by Ryan Quinn is story of three friends at University in Florence.
Haile wants to break free of her controlling mother and find out what she really wants from life and ability to make her own decisions. 
Ian is a film buff who is struggling with being comfortable with who he is and who he thinks others expect him to be, his father  is a leading football coach. Ian not only has dropped football, and moved away but has also taken up tennis.
Casey is a football jock who seems like the average guy with a girlfriend and who is studying medicine as a backup.


I would have liked for the characters to have had more of a connection. I didn't feel they interacted in a close enough way to justify their friendship and eventual relationship(Casey and Haile) .
Overall it's and easy read and probably you can give it a shot if you like the description.

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Getting Unstuck Without Coming Unglued: A Woman's Guide to Unblocking Creativity

A Woman's Guide to Unblocking Creativity by Susan O'Doherty is a self help book especially for women who are experiencing  barriers to their creativity.

In This book Susan takes you through stories of 5 women and herself and tells you how to liberate yourself and find creative side of your personality.

The book starts with the positive and negative comments we get from our family from early years and impact it has on our creativity.In order to unblock your creativity she says you should analyze your life and embrace your shadow self.She conveys the  importance of having a role model in life so as to guide you in your creative pursuits.Art is not always something which can adhere to norms of the society it needs to be original and with alignment of ones self belief then only it is a true expression of art.She takes you through the journey in a women's life where in she has to manage her creativity and motherhood and how her new role makes her more strong and at the same time so vulnerable.

I found the content of this book both inspiring and helpful and it can certainly motivate a person to find their creative side and pursue it no matter where and what age they are in.

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The Secret by Rhonda Byrne

The Secret by Rhonda Byrne is one of the popular self help books which is based on law of attraction  it.It's motivational and an inspiring read and gives HOPE to its reader
.It focuses on positive attitude in life, in our thoughts and actions.Being Positive is the only way to go in life and I recommend this book to all.

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And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

Agatha Christie's  "And Then There Were None" Is a suspensful murder mystery.The host U.N Owen invites 10 strangers to an isolated island who have committed murders in their lives but they can never be caught by the law as there is no proof of their crimes.

Eventually one person after other dies in the story and you don't know who is doing it. All people start suspecting each other and there is hate , suspicion confusion in each of their minds.

The story starts with introduction of these 10 people which doesn't  catch much attention but as the story unfolds you are bound to be at the edge of your seat till the very end.

If you are looking for a suspenseful murder mystery this is surely the book for you.

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