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One Amazing Thing

by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni (Goodreads Author)

3.39 · rating details · 1,617 ratings · 491 reviews

The award-winning author of "The Mistress of Spices" returns with her latest novel.

Hardcover, 220 pages

Published February 2nd 2010 by Voice (first published January 1st 2010)

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Community Reviews

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Apr 21, 2011

Barbara rated it

I was impressed by the unusual and imaginative premise devised by Divakaruni almost immediately. The plot focuses on a group of unaquainted people who are trapped in a passport office following an earthquake. The author has expertly imparted the emotions and the actions of the nine characters involved.

In order to maintain a semblance of equilibrium and relieve stress among these survivors, it was suggested that each should relate a significant story in his/her life. Each narration w...more

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Aug 21, 2010

Shalyn rated it

This is another book introduced to me through my book club. In short, nine people trapped in a crumbling building after an earthquake share stories about themselves to pass the time and distract themselves from the desperateness of their situation. In considering it, we read the synopsis and I remember thinking, "so is this supposed to be a kind of modern remake of The Canterbury Tales?" Then, sure enough, the character of the book that suggests the story-telling does so because she i...moreThis is another book introduced to me through my book club. In short, nine people trapped in a crumbling building after an earthquake share stories about themselves to pass the time and distract themselves from the desperateness of their situation. In considering it, we read the synopsis and I remember thinking, "so is this supposed to be a kind of modern remake of The Canterbury Tales?" Then, sure enough, the character of the book that suggests the story-telling does so because she is a fan of Chaucer's work. I was only a tiny bit disappointed by this predictable turn but continued reading.

The transition from the story of the earthquake that binds these characters together to the individual's stories seems forced, but the tales of the characters are mostly interesting. It bugged me that the point of story-telling was for each character to tell about "one amazing thing," and yet for the most part, the stories are not of anything particularly amazing or unique. The stories are just everyday life, but perhaps the author is trying to make a point in so doing and it just escaped me. The first story is like a mini wartime movie, the next was more like a tv movie, the next perhaps an episode of a tv show, the next an afterschool special, etc. Even the last story, which actually uses the title phrase "one amazing thing," was a rather ordinary, familiar story.

I got the feeling this book was kind of experimental, like maybe it was a first novel. I discovered later that the author is more known for her short stories, and that makes sense since the book read like a set of short stories strung together by the framework of the earthquake story (although apparently this is not her first novel). Some of the stories would benefit from some additional character and plot development. The work is dotted with metaphors and similies that lack flow, as if an editor said, "this passage could use a little more imagery," and a brief phrase describing something else was the easy way out of the criticism. Also, the author has a tendancy to throw in a $10 word from time to time, even though an everyday word would work just as well if not better in those instances -- I'm not sure why authors do that.

Rereading this review, even I get the feeling that I didn't like this book, but that's not true. I did enjoy these characters and their stories. I did enjoyed the stories of the characters and see a lot of promise in the author's work. I just think this particular work was perhaps published too soon, before it was fully developed.(less)

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Jul 28, 2011

Robert Starner added it

Simple premise here: Nine people are stranded in the basement office of an Indian passport/visa office in San Francisco. Not sure why the author does not name the city, but provides signature descriptive landmarks of the city throughout the narrative. Uncertain if they will be rescued, their attempts to free themselves prove futile as the structure of their environs is extremely unstable. To pass the time and create a means of distraction, each person is challenged to reveal a secret about thems...more

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Feb 21, 2012

Wijianingsih Puji marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: indian-literature

“Gempa susulan!” sebuah suara berteriak. Seseorang mulai menjerit. Seseorang yang lain menangis. Seorang pria mulai berdoa lirih, “Tuhan, biarkan berakhir, biarkan berakhir dengan cepat!” Uma bertanya-tanya, Apakah gerangan yang diinginkan pria itu agar berakhir? Gempa bumi, keterkungkungan ini, atau nyawa mereka? Tunggu sebentar, Uma ingin protes. Aku belum menceritakan kisahku.

Sembilan orang terjebak dalam sebuah kantor permohonan visa saat terjadi gempa dahsyat. Hampir 12 jam berlal...more

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Jan 25, 2012

Ann rated it

In a sort of modern-day Indian-American Canterbury Tales, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni brings a group of travelers together and has them tell stories to pass the time. The reference is deliberate: the major character (to the extent there is one) is a well-read, English literature-loving young Indian-American woman who happens to be carrying a copy of Chaucer in her backpack. She and the others in the Bay Area's Indian Consular office are on personal quests, seeking visas for trips to India. Thr...more

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Oct 19, 2011

Therese rated it

Read for book club (9/2011). This book is a twist on "The Canterbury Tales" by Chaucer, the connection is made obvious because the character Uma (a college student) has brought a copy along with her to the Indian consulate. While bored in the waiting room there is an earthquake, and Uma suggests as a way to pass the time while waiting for rescue or death, they each share a story about their lives. For me, most of the stories were not terribly flushed out and seemed unfinished. The ...more

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Jul 26, 2011

Betty-Anne added it

Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s One Amazing Thing is a small but very powerful novel that examines the reactions and motivations of nine people following an earthquake that leaves them trapped in the basement Visa Office of an Indian embassy in an unnamed American town.

The focal character is Uma, a young girl of East Indian heritage who is questioning how she feels about love as she endures the long, protracted wait for a Visa to India. While she waits, she watches some of the people wait...more

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Jul 17, 2011

Retnadi Nur'aini rated it

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One (and Many More) Amazing Things

“Bukanlah hal yang tidak biasa di kota ini untuk menemukan orang-orang dari ras berbeda berkumpul bersama.” (hal 10) Namun dikombinasi dengan gempa bumi yang membuat orang-orang ini terjebak bersama dan butuh media pelampiasan stres, membuka kotak ingatan akan sembilan kisah masa silam
Mulai dari kisah cinta saat perang, pernikahan yang terasa hampa, pengkhianatan, godaan, sampai kematian. Mencoba berbagi harapan, sembilan tokoh dalam buku ini pun ...moreOne (and Many More) Amazing Things

“Bukanlah hal yang tidak biasa di kota ini untuk menemukan orang-orang dari ras berbeda berkumpul bersama.” (hal 10) Namun dikombinasi dengan gempa bumi yang membuat orang-orang ini terjebak bersama dan butuh media pelampiasan stres, membuka kotak ingatan akan sembilan kisah masa silam
Mulai dari kisah cinta saat perang, pernikahan yang terasa hampa, pengkhianatan, godaan, sampai kematian. Mencoba berbagi harapan, sembilan tokoh dalam buku ini pun duduk mendengarkan.

Sembilan Kisah Menakjubkan

Kisah pertama dimulai dari Jiang, seorang lansia China yang mengungkapkan kisah cinta masa mudanya dengan seorang pemuda India. Dilanjutkan dengan kisah Mr Pritchett tentang masa kanak-kanaknya bersama sang ibu yang orang tua tunggal.
Malathi, seorang gadis India berkisah tentang pekerjaan terdahulunya di salon kecantikan. Sementara Tariq, seorang remaja muslim di Amerika menuturkan dampak peristiwa 9 September pada keluarganya.
Berusia remaja seperti Tariq, Lily—cucu Jiang, bercerita tentang upayanya meraih perhatian orangtua. Sementara Mangalam, seorang pria India yang tampan, berkisah tentang paradoks antara keberuntungan dan musibah.
Kisah favorit saya adalah kisah istri Mr Pritchett—Mrs Pritchett. Mengungkapkan awal mula penyebabnya melakukan bunuh diri, Mrs Pritchett bercerita tentang cinta dan romantisme pasangan lansia yang sekilas dilihatnya di suatu kafe.
Dua tokoh lain, yaitu Uma dan Cameron memang belum bercerita secara langsung pada tujuh tokoh lain dalam buku ini. Namun Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni membagi kisah mereka pada pembaca dalam bentuk komunikasi intrapersonal. Seperti saat Cameron merenungi keinginannya dulu untuk memperbaiki nasib, aborsi pacarnya kala remaja, mimpi-mimpi buruknya sepulang dari Perang Vietnam, dan tumpuan harapan pada anak angkatnya.
Sementara Uma, sang pencetus ide berbagi cerita ini, mengenang keindahan aurora borealis yang pernah dilihatnya. “Betapa bodohnya manusia bepergian keliling dunia untuk mencari sejarah. Di bawah tulang bahuku dan di atas kepalaku terpampang sejarah paling tua dari semuanya: bumi dan langit.” (kesan Uma saat menatap aurora, hal 402).

Pekatnya Nuansa dalam Deskripsi

Penokohan karakter yang kuat serta deskripsi yang memikat dalam novel ini membuat saya seolah-olah berada dalam setiap kisah. Dalam kisah Mrs Pritchett misalnya.
Romantisme pasangan lansia yang dilihatnya sesungguhnya hanyalah hal-hal sederhana. Sesederhana si suami membantu istrinya melepas mantel, dengan sabar menunggu sang istri melepas tongkat jalan dari satu tangan ke tangan lain. Atau sesederhana si pria mencondongkan kepala pada istrinya, untuk mendengarkan lebih baik pesanan istrinya, untuk kemudian membagi dua pesanan mereka: kue lemon persegi bertabur gula dan éclair yang sangat besar (hal 330-331).
Seperti Mrs Pritchett, saya juga terkesan saat si pria menjentikkan noda dari lengan mantel istrinya. “Rasa sayang di balik sikap tersebut, meskipun sang istri dengan penglihatan yang buruk takkan pernah memperhatikan apa pun yang ada di lengan mantel itu.” (hal 331).

Gratitude Attitude

Membaca novel setebal 410 halaman ini membuat saya belajar bersyukur. Betapa dengan kondisi kritis makanan, air, penghangat dan baterai senter, sembilan tokoh ini berusaha saling menguatkan. Seperti ujaran Oprah Winfrey “It’s not easy being grateful all the time. But it’s when you feel least thankful that you are most in need of what gratitude can give you.”
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May 10, 2011

Amy rated it

So I picked this up on the new arrival shelf at the library and I'm glad I did. It is a quick read, but a sweet story. Actually it is several stories within a story. It is about nine people who are in an Indian Visa department office trying to get visas to India. There is an earthquake and they are stranded in this confined space. One of the characters decides to ask everyone to share a story about their life to help distract from their circumstances. I'm not sure how I feel about the endin...more

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Apr 17, 2011

Kieran Walsh rated it

I was a little disappointed with this one. I've always enjoyed the idea of strangers sharing stories and the context here was a good one (random customers/employees of Indian consulate trapped in the basement office building after an earthquake). What was, I had hoped, a Scheherazade type of story series really ended up being, with the exception of one or two, a hodge podge of uninteresting recount of situations (stories, certainly not). For fictional purposes I think ordinary lives could have a...more

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Feb 22, 2011

switterbug (Betsey) rated it

Nine men and women are trapped in a visa office of an Indian consulate after an earthquake cripples an unnamed U.S. city. There are three Indians, two Caucasians, one Chinese (but born in Calcutta), one Chinese-American, one African American, and one angry Muslim. Low on food and water and high on fear, it is decided that each will tell a story while waiting to either die or be rescued--one amazing thing that happened to them that altered or forever influenced their lives.

When you read...moreNine men and women are trapped in a visa office of an Indian consulate after an earthquake cripples an unnamed U.S. city. There are three Indians, two Caucasians, one Chinese (but born in Calcutta), one Chinese-American, one African American, and one angry Muslim. Low on food and water and high on fear, it is decided that each will tell a story while waiting to either die or be rescued--one amazing thing that happened to them that altered or forever influenced their lives.

When you read a book that alternates between nine different characters, you expect a distinction of voices. These were men and women of all ages and backgrounds. However, this entire novel was written in one note, one cloying voice. If the author hadn't pointed out the name of the character that was speaking, I would not have known. The voice of the middle-aged black man was identical to the young teenage Chinese-American girl. Shrink-wrapped and indistinguishable. Neither the gravity of their situation or their personal torments came through with pivotal urgency or genuine force. The emotions were saccharine and their stories were manufactured and bromidic. It wasn't seamlessly stitched and powerful; it was synthetic and obtuse. The pat narrative was hurried and grossly sing-song, dissolving anger, bitterness and sorrow into formulary warmth. The tone was so confectionary that it cooed falsetto. The fabric of this intended quilt of stories felt like polyester. Moreover, the author ended a lot of the reflective/interior dialogue with exclamation marks. !!!!!!!! Trite outpourings!!!! It was obnoxious. The plaster that poured from the ceiling onto the characters was made from the same paste and powder that defined them.

Perhaps as a novel for young readers (middle school), I could have excused some of the obvious and shameless artifice. It appears that the author was straining to be topically PC, and contrived to create a multicultural (sigh) saga to appeal to publishers and readers looking for a feel-good story that combines disparate and exotic characters. (sigh) It is the new niche in factory literature. The ending, which aches to be unconventional, was too little and too late. It was already a color-by-numbers construction. The canvas displayed blatant and colorless ooze from the literature farm of Wal Mart. Expect to see an entire acre of ONE AMAZING THING for sale at Sam's.

For a well-written story that encompasses a similar theme and architecture, consider Bel Canto.(less)

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Feb 14, 2011

Michael rated it

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Shelves: books-i-have-reviewed

Nine strangers are in the Indian consulate's office of an American city to apply for visas for their trips to India when an earthquake strikes, leaving them all trapped together. The doorways are blocked, no escape is possible and amid rising water and increasing gas in the air, the sense of doom and panic among the survivors begins to increase. One of the strangers, Uma, an Indian-American woman, who coincidentally was reading The Canterbury Tales as the story opens, suggests that each of the n...more

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Jan 10, 2011

Jennyreadsexcessively rated it

An earthquake occurs in an unnamed American city. In the basement offices of an Indian immigration/passport office, about 10 survivors are trapped. Needless to say, nerves are rattled and tempers flare, so one young woman suggests each person tell a story of their lives--that one amazing thing that they’ve experienced-- to “focus our minds on something compelling.”
Good premise for a novel. But what didn’t work for me was the narration of the stories. Each character was so different, from ...more

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Jan 03, 2011

Meegan McCorkle rated it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Aug 29, 2010

Monica rated it

Shelves: reviewed

The first thought that popped into my head as I read the synopsis was 'The Decameron'. For those of you who haven't read it, 'The Decameron' is about a group of people in ancient Italy? who flee to the mountains in order to escape the black plague, they then tell each other stories. That just seemed like it was so similar to this book, not a bad thing at all, it take guts to write a book stringing stories well together.

I liked this book for it's premise mostly. 'One Amazing Thing' star...more

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Jun 09, 2010

Sandhya rated it

http://sandyi.blogspot.com/2010/04/chitr...

Expatriate writer Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, who is best known for her award-winning short story collection, Arranged Marriage and novels, Sister Of My Heart and The Mistress of Spices (adapted into a film, the Aishwarya Rai starrer) released her new book, One Amazing Thing recently. This was my first introduction to her work and while I mostly enjoyed the novel and found it a breezy read, I couldn't help feeling that the sum of the story wa...morehttp://sandyi.blogspot.com/2010/04/chitr...

Expatriate writer Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, who is best known for her award-winning short story collection, Arranged Marriage and novels, Sister Of My Heart and The Mistress of Spices (adapted into a film, the Aishwarya Rai starrer) released her new book, One Amazing Thing recently. This was my first introduction to her work and while I mostly enjoyed the novel and found it a breezy read, I couldn't help feeling that the sum of the story wasn't at all greater than the parts.

One Amazing Thing is about a group of six-seven people of different nationalities who get trapped at the Indian consulate office in US after a major earthquake strikes. As food runs out and the building starts collapsing, the characters find the boundaries between them starting to crumble down, literally and otherwise. To keep sane and avoid panicking, one of the characters suggests to the others that each one of them should reveal one amazing thing that has happened to them. Among those trapped are an elderly white couple going through a difficult time in their marriage; an Indian-Muslim man, Tariq who is disillusioned and angry with the new US; a Chinese-Indian, Jiang, who loved and lost a man in her youth; her talented grand-daughter, Lily; a middle-aged army officer haunted by his guilt; Two visa officers – Malathi and her boss, Mangalam on the verge of an extra-marital affair; an India-American student, who is confused by her parents' decision to return to Kolkata after living in US for over 20 years.

As uncertainty builds over whether they will make it alive or not, the characters pour their hearts out in stories that seek to unburden them from a certain baggage of their past, and offer hope for the future. Divakurani sets the stage well and you are acquainted with atleast three of the characters before the earthquake strikes, so that later, their's are the stories you are most interested to know about. Among the rest, Jiang's story is easily the most affecting and haunting one. Her story dates back to the time when she was a smart, young Chinese girl living with her father and brother in Kolkata. In spite of her age, she handles her father's shoe business efficiently and it is at this juncture that love strikes. Jiang falls in love with a Hindu boy and there is stiff opposition when they plan to marry. They stay determined, but not for long. The Indo-China war of 1962 endangers the life of Chinese settlers in India and Jiang is hurriedly made to board a ship to the US, along with a family friend who offers to marry her. Jiang - the strong and steadfast woman that she is - continues to live her life, but not without the wistful regret of what she lost. Divakurani narrates the story with great feeling and vividness. Also, the story gives you a sense of history about the Chinese community in India, all of which adds to its appeal.

the rest: http://sandyi.blogspot.com/2010/04/chitr...
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Jun 08, 2010

Denise rated it

Mildly absorbing but incomplete, thus unsatisfying..., March 27, 2010

This review is from: One Amazing Thing (Hardcover)
After I finished the book I went back to the beginning again just to clarify how it all began. Found a second read of it more interesting. BUT, I hated the ending. It's what a consider a NON ending and thus leaves me as a reader very frustrated. I don't like reading books that make me have to try to guess what happened. If I wanted to write a s...more Mildly absorbing but incomplete, thus unsatisfying..., March 27, 2010

This review is from: One Amazing Thing (Hardcover)
After I finished the book I went back to the beginning again just to clarify how it all began. Found a second read of it more interesting. BUT, I hated the ending. It's what a consider a NON ending and thus leaves me as a reader very frustrated. I don't like reading books that make me have to try to guess what happened. If I wanted to write a story, I would. I expect the author to finish her job and to give me some type of ending. Because of the way the book ended, it left a more negative impression with me than I probably would have had if she had just said what happened to the people. Even an epilogue or afterward indicating something of their outcome would have helped. I think that would be my main question to the author -- what happened? Did they all die? I tend to think they did.
I would hesitate to recommend the book to many of my friends because of the lack of closure experienced and I know how they like to know "what happened" when they read books. I did share this book with my two daughters and all of us agreed about that. We said, "The ending sucked."
Something I thought was missing in this book was the rest of the survivor's reactions to the stories they were hearing. Knowing that they all were in dire straits would have made each story all the more important as each person chose exactly what small part of his/her life he or she would share with the group. I also think it would be unusual not to get questions and I also think the person telling the story might want to give answers. Funny how telling a story out loud might lead to self reflection and assessment and perhaps revelations to be experienced and shared.
I might or might not read another book by this author, but I'd wait to see if she did the no ending thing again.

Now, as far as telling private personal stories of this nature to a group of strangers -- well it depends on the circumstances. I suppose if I thought I was going to die it would be nice to reflect and share my "amazing thing" stories but I am not sure if I would, in the end, keep them to myself or not. It is often easier to tell things to total strangers than to friends or relatives. It's the judgment thing. I did not find the stories the captives told all that interesting, frankly.

Borrow, don't buy.
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Mar 25, 2010

melissa rated it

This was my first book from this author for me. At nine characters, I found it a fairly large cast for a book with a little over 200 pages. At first I had to make myself a ‘cheat sheet’ to keep track of who was who. But as I read on and got to know the characters, I found I had no difficulty. I like the format, in how they took turns narrating, even before the individual stories started. Although it is not a new concept (strangers trapped together and telling their inner most secrets), it w...more

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Mar 07, 2010

Lynne Perednia rated it

A disparate group of strangers put their lives on hold in an Indian consulate in an unnamed American city one day, whether seeking travel visas or putting in another dreary day at work. There is nearly a palpable sense of being in a hurry to return to real life.

Until an earthquake hits. And life will never be the same for any of those strangers who are now forced to get to know each other.

Divakaruni gives her characters full rein to run the gamut of emotions and reactions...more

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Mar 04, 2010

Rosanne rated it

“One Amazing Thing” by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is a brilliant novel well thought out and well executed. I found myself captivated by the very first pages. I truly got caught up in the drama of being involved in an earthquake. I felt as if I was trapped in the building with them. I was anxious and nervous with each passing page fearing that the next page would surely take the characters all away.

Speaking of the characters, I loved each one of them. I really enjoyed the writi...more

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Feb 21, 2010

Shanyn (Chick Loves Lit) rated it

I read this book without knowing too much about it - I knew that there were strangers trapped in a building after an earthquake, but had no other preconceived notions about how the book would pan out.

The strangers being stuck in a building after an earthquake was dead on - what I didn't know was that each of these individuals would share a story with everyone else (while they are waiting to be rescued) that explained something important about their lives.

I generally am no...more

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Feb 04, 2010

Elevate Difference rated it

One Amazing Thing is one amazing set of well-woven characters and stories. One scene, one event, one moment has drawn a complex set of diverse actors together in this novel, and Divakaruni does an excellent job of giving each character the perspective and depth that we need to not only listen to their voice, but to stand outside of them and see them as their companions on this journey do.

Set in a city-less visa office, a group of applicants waits for their turn to handle the bu...more
One Amazing Thing is one amazing set of well-woven characters and stories. One scene, one event, one moment has drawn a complex set of diverse actors together in this novel, and Divakaruni does an excellent job of giving each character the perspective and depth that we need to not only listen to their voice, but to stand outside of them and see them as their companions on this journey do.

Set in a city-less visa office, a group of applicants waits for their turn to handle the bureaucracy required to visit India. They range in age, ethnicity, desire, patience and need, but all are headed to India for powerful reasons. Some are seekers, some are returning home, but each is second guessing one another as they impatiently wait for their own process to begin.

An earthquake seals them in the office together, and Divakaruni wonderfully foreshadows the entire novel through her initial character, Uma, who is reading Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales. Through a brief discussion of why Uma brought the tome with her to the office (yet never opens the book to read it; it merely marks her status and becomes a symbol to the others in her company), we are alerted to the similar fates of the sojourners in the visa office. Mirroring Chaucer’s work, Divakaruni asks her characters to tell one heart-wrenching story from their lives in order to sustain their livelihood as they wait together for whatever is to come next.

Part of the power of this story is readers themselves do not know what is coming next. Each character, painted and revealed by the others, delivers a tale that is refreshing and unexpected. The author writes her characters’ “one amazing thing” in such a way as to reveal secrets to both the company of characters and the reader at the same time. Divakaruni also holds the secret of the story by continuing to foreshadow the impending disaster woven within a crumbling building and a group in need of rescue and her finale puts the reader to work.

The one shortfall of the novel is in some of the characters’ tales. Though each tells a story that is unique and reveals much about who they are, some stories feel light, shortchanging the reader. It is unclear why some characters are given the space to pontificate the meaning in their tale while others are not and it creates a slight imbalance in the novel. No one character seems to outshine another—each is a hero and a coward within their own lives and within the situation—yet, some aren’t given the pleasure of extending the metaphors and meanings of their “one amazing thing.”

Review by Dr. Julie E. Ferris(less)

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Feb 03, 2010

Denise rated it

I love the premise of this story - nine people trapped by an earthquake trying to survive and keep each others spirits up. Situations like that can engender amazing things from very different people and can change lives. That they would sit down and tell the stories of their lives as they are waiting for their fate makes sense to me and I was anxious to hear what they would tell.

Unfortunately I felt the stories themselves fell a little flat. What I normally love about Chitra Divakaru...more

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Feb 02, 2010

Bridget rated it

Nine people are stuck together. They have survived an earthquake and are now working together to survive. There is a teenager, a couple, a young man who suffered on 9/11, an ex-soldier, a grandmother and two people who are about to cheat on their spouses. To pass the time and release some tension, they decide to tell a true story about themselves. After learning about life from another point of view they begin to appreciate the life they had and gain new perspective on the life they want t...more

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Jan 25, 2010

Laurie rated it

The story- or stories- takes place in the basement visa office of the Indian consulate in a city I assume to be San Francisco. As the people wait impatiently, a massive earthquake hits. The power goes out, the ceiling falls in, the phone lines are out, cel phones get no reception, there is water seeping in and the door is stuck shut. They are trapped, with no way to get out and no way of knowing if help will arrive before the building collapses or the water rises too far. As can be expected, the...more

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Jan 21, 2010

Laura Stone Johnson rated it

ONE AMAZING THING is a slim novel that packs an emotional punch in an engrossing and easy-to-read style. Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni has fashioned an imaginative way to create what are, in essence, short stories, and has unified them by forcing her characters together in an extreme situation. The main action takes place within the basement walls of a visa office in an unnamed city as the various characters plan trips to India. When an earthquake strikes they are literally thrown together and ...more

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Jan 11, 2010

Diane rated it

n an unnamed city in the US, an earthquake traps a small diverse group of people in the basement of the Indian Consulate. Among the trapped are Consulate employees Mr. Mangolam and Malathi, Uma, an Indian/American grad student, Mr and Mrs Pritchett, an upper class Caucasian couple, Tariq, a radical young Muslim, Cameron, an African American war veteran, Jiang an elderly Chinese woman who grew up in India and her Goth grand daughter Lilly, most of whom are waiting for visa for travel to India.
...moren an unnamed city in the US, an earthquake traps a small diverse group of people in the basement of the Indian Consulate. Among the trapped are Consulate employees Mr. Mangolam and Malathi, Uma, an Indian/American grad student, Mr and Mrs Pritchett, an upper class Caucasian couple, Tariq, a radical young Muslim, Cameron, an African American war veteran, Jiang an elderly Chinese woman who grew up in India and her Goth grand daughter Lilly, most of whom are waiting for visa for travel to India.

While these nine individuals are waiting and hoping to be rescued, anxiety levels rise as water seeps into the basement, and oxygen levels have worsened. To try and calm the group, Uma suggests that they form a circle and take turns telling "one amazing thing" about themselves, so that they can get to know each other. Hesitant at first, the group, beginning with Jiang, begins to share very personal details about their lives.

MY THOUGHTS: I liked this book for several reasons, but it was not perfect. The writing is beautiful, and there were some passages that really touching and made an impact with me:

* p. 90..."We think that that terrible events have made us into stone. But love slips in like a chisel---and suddenly it is an ax, breaking us into pieces from the inside."
* p. 108..."Uma wanted to say something about the treacherous nature of memory, how one painful event can overpower the many good experiences that came before."
* p. 179....."But after I saw the couple in the cafe, a great dissatisfaction washed over me. I remember the old man tilting his head attentively, listening to his wife make her menu choice. Her eyes had shone through her thick glasses as she watched him cut up their desserts for sharing. There was nothing like that tenderness in my life. And without it, what use were the things I'd built my life around ?"
* (PLEASE NOTE: These quotes come from a review copy and may differ in the actual book)

I addition to the beautiful writing, I loved the execution of this story, however, in real life under these circumstances, I doubt the stories would have flowed so beautifully. The other problem that I had with this short novel (just 220 pages) was the fact that it was just too short of a book for the individuals to tell their stories in enough depth for me. I wanted to know more about these individuals and the stories of their lives. I was a bit disappointed in the way the book ended as well, but still I found this novel to be a memorable and worthwhile read. (Rating - 4/5 stars)(less)

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Dec 11, 2011

Scot rated it

Nine people suddenly find themselves trapped together in a collapsed building after an earthquake. They are an interesting multicultural mix, and are in a government office trying to get visas to go to India when this occurred. With no way out and to pass the time (while flood waters slowly rise and the smell of gas creeps into the air) they decide to take turns, each sharing a powerful and intimate story from their own lives, focusing on "one amazing thing" that has affected or chan...moreNine people suddenly find themselves trapped together in a collapsed building after an earthquake. They are an interesting multicultural mix, and are in a government office trying to get visas to go to India when this occurred. With no way out and to pass the time (while flood waters slowly rise and the smell of gas creeps into the air) they decide to take turns, each sharing a powerful and intimate story from their own lives, focusing on "one amazing thing" that has affected or changed them.

It is an appropriation from the structure of The Canterbury Tales, and so we won't miss this, one character pulls a copy of Chaucer out of her backpack to use as a pillow. I also get echoes of (well a sense of trying to emulate the tension and tone of) Ann Patchett's relatively recent bestseller Bel Canto. This work, however, does not hold together so well for me or pack the impact of Bel Canto. I find myself pulled in and ultimately interested in all the stories, and as the novel progresses, I grow increasingly worried for the characters' survival as they struggle and, in the process, begin to form community. Still, too often, no matter who is speaking, the narrative voice sounds too much the same. Not surprisingly, the author is most convincing when conveying the perspectives of Indian women.

I also was disappointed--and felt a bit cheated--by the ending. In their defense, the individual stories were all interesting (the author has written short stories I have enjoyed very much in the past, too, such as in her book Arranged Marriages), but I do not really think each story speaks to the designated theme of "one amazing thing"--instead, the lesson I find demonstrated here is life is full of some real crap and some beautiful moments, and we need to recognize, appreciate, and truly savor the latter. And also, we should take an active role in contributing to our own destinies--it is our own karma we are making; we should aim for the good. I have no arguments with this philosophy, but I do think the title is misleading for this celebration of "the epiphany" it suggests. (less)

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Jan 08, 2010

Amy rated it

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher.

A group of strangers are thrown together when an earthquake traps them in the basement of an Indian consulate in an unnamed American city. (most likely San Francisco) Inspired by her book of THE CANTERBURY TALES and in order to pass the time and prevent them from turning on one another, a young college student named Uma comes up the idea to share stories of "one amazing thing" from each of their lives. As the indi...more

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Oct 16, 2011

Sundeep Naidu rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: no one in specific

Recommended to Sundeep by: a friend of mine

It is a completely a different read for me. All the books I read are mostly boring in the start and ended pretty interesting or boring the whole way. But this one was different, it was interesting in the start and got boring when i closed the book.

The description of the book is very exciting. 9 people from completely different background - religion, race, nationality, appearance, status, etc - meeting in a visa office and spending their life's longest hours in a building which would ...more

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About Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is an award-winning author and poet. Her work is widely known, as she has been published in over 50 magazines, including the Atlantic Monthly and The New Yorker, and her writing has been included in over 50 anthologies. Her works have been translated into 20 languages, including Dutch, Hebrew and Japanese.

She was born in India and lived there until 1976, at w...moreChitra Banerjee Divakaruni is an award-winning author and poet. Her work is widely known, as she has been published in over 50 magazines, including the Atlantic Monthly and The New Yorker, and her writing has been included in over 50 anthologies. Her works have been translated into 20 languages, including Dutch, Hebrew and Japanese.

She was born in India and lived there until 1976, at which point she left Calcutta and came to the United States. She continued her education in the field of English by receiving a Master’s degree from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, and a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley.

To earn money for her education, she held many odd jobs, including babysitting, selling merchandise in an Indian boutique, slicing bread in a bakery, and washing instruments in a science lab. At Berkeley, she lived in the International House and worked in the dining hall. She briefly lived in Illinois, Ohio and Texas, but has spent most of her life in Northern California, which she often writes about.

Divakaruni currently teaches in the nationally ranked Creative Writing program at the Univ. of Houston. She serves on the Advisory board of Maitri in the San Francisco Bay Area and Daya in Houston. Both these are organizations that help South Asian or South Asian American women who find themselves in abusive or domestic violence situations. She is also on the board of Pratham, an organization that helps educate children (especially those living in urban slums) in India.

Divakaruni has judged several prestigious awards, such as the National Book Award and the PEN Faulkner Award.

Two of her books, The Mistress of Spices and Sister of My Heart, have been made into movies by filmmakers Gurinder Chadha and Paul Berges (an English film) and Suhasini Mani Ratnam (a Tamil TV serial) respectively.

Divakaruni lives in Houston with her husband Murthy, her two sons Anand and Abhay (whose names she has used in her children’s novels) and Juno, the family dog.

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