the namesake

I just finished a surprisingly good novel, which my mother left behind on her recent visit: The Namesake, by Jhumpa Lahiri. It chronicles the lives of the Ganguli family, starting from their transplant to America from India and following them through their challenges and triumphs. In particular, the reader is invited to observe the growth into adulthood of the son, Gogol, who is named for the Russian author, suggesting the title of the book. The major themes include nationality/ethnicity, food, education, and relationships, all of which are woven together beautifully. Ultimately, I was left with a rather bittersweet sense of satisfaction. I recommend it to those interested in a specifically Indian-American flavored, or generally human and engaging novel.

The following brief excerpt stood out to me, not because it exemplifies the story as a whole, but because, given my impending move, I relate to it:

For the past month, she has been dismantling her household piece by piece. Each evening she has tackled a drawer, a closet, a set of shelves. She has made piles of things...to give to friends, things to take with her, things to donate to charities, things to put into trash bags and drive to the dump. The task both saddens and satisfies her at the same time. There is a thrill to whittling down her possessions...

Do you have any recommendations for fiction books?