Two Lives
by Vikram Seth
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 289)
Two Lives is a homage to two people(Shanti and Henny) and to a whole generation which despite being separated from us by mere decades, now seems to exist in a different world. The author combines a memoir of his own years with a biography of his aunt and uncle, who helped raise him in London as a teenager.I was very much impressed by the great care Seth takes in exploring even minor aspects of their character and story.
But i felt that the second half of the book which deals with aunty henny ...more
But i felt that the second half of the book which deals with aunty henny ...more
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Read in June, 2008
This biography is framed in memoir --- the two lives of the title are Seth's German, Jewish aunt and his Indian Uncle, both of whom survived World War II to live in England, the uncle as a dentist (despite losing an arm in the war) and the aunt as a housewife and assistant (she lost her family to the Nazis). Throughout, Seth himself adds something of his own life. He joined them when he was 17 and enrolled in a school to prepare him for the university (he got into Oxford, and learned O-level Ge...more
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Read in September, 2007
I liked the book very much inspite of some shortcomings in its structure. There were some pages which sounded a bit like a rough material or sketches and one may wish they were smoother in pure stylistic sense but all of this doesn`t diminish the least of the importance and deep meaning of the book. It`s a fascinating look into the lives of two ordinary but very decent people. It reveals the hidden beauty of their characters and the wonder of everyday chores. Vikram Seth writes with great psycho...more
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Read in August, 2007
I was very surprised by how quickly this book went by. It wasn't written in a particularly exciting way, nor did it make any effort to express an atmosphere or immerse you in the narrative (the author commented a lot on his approach as he went along), but there was still something touching about it. And it was definitely interesting to read all of the letters from the author's great-aunt (in-law), who was a German Jew who escaped to Britain in the late 30s, to her acquaintances in Germany at the...more
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This is great so far; a memoir of Seth's teenage years spent living in England with his German Aunt and Indian Uncle. After he chronicles the deaths of his Aunt and Uncle, he begins to research their past and discovers amazing stories. I'm just getting into the story of his Uncle Shanti's time in the military in India; I'm anticipating the story of his his Aunt Henny who was a Jew and fled Germany just before World War II.
After reading about Vikram Seth's life as he became a writer and the cir...more
After reading about Vikram Seth's life as he became a writer and the cir...more
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Read in May, 2007
Very worth reading, for so many reasons. Vikram Seth has a lyrical writing style that, I suspect, would make any subject go down like honey. But his subject is not an easy one: he brings to life some of the defining developments of the twentieth century through the personal struggles of the three people whose lives he chronicles: his great uncle, great aunt and himself. Inspiring, harrowing. For those who want an intimate insight into the pain of Nazi Germany - both for the Jews and the Germans ...more
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Read in June, 2008
a quick and compelling read. very moving to read about WWII through the correspondence of seth's 'aunty' with people from her past in german; the horror of the holocaust and hitler's ethnic cleansing really comes through, as does the baring of loyalties in friendships.
because she's portrayed as such an intensely private person, though, i wondered if this book wouldn't be a flagrant betrayal of her intimacies.
because she's portrayed as such an intensely private person, though, i wondered if this book wouldn't be a flagrant betrayal of her intimacies.
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Read in September, 2007
A story about the lives of Seth's uncle and aunt - two people he did not know well. there are interesting historical tidbits. Seth does point out that as an Indian, he did not know much about the second world war - he learned different history. That's useful to consider when we argue about whether people know the history they should know. However, I found the book quite pedantic and I never warmed to it.
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I love this guy's books -- An Equal Music is one of my favorites and I am about to devote half my life to A Suitable Boy. This work of non-fiction kept my interest all the way through. An unusual portrait of two ordinary people who, like many "ordinary people" turn out to have lived quite extraordinary lives. It takes an artist like Seth to find and reveal the magic.
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Seth is best known for "Suitable Boy." I was never able to make it through that book, but I loved his (much shorter) Golden Gate. I also had the chance to meet him and he was one of the most fascinating people I had ever met. He is one of the few true renaissance men left. So I expect his memoir to be as great as meeting him -- if not better.
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Read in January, 2008
Not your typical love story.
This book is an a sort of anti-thesis to the hate and prejudice that was propagated during WWII. The story about two people, from two subjugated cultures, thriving through war and loss, ending and maintaining friendships and finding love, or the closest thing to it.
This book is an a sort of anti-thesis to the hate and prejudice that was propagated during WWII. The story about two people, from two subjugated cultures, thriving through war and loss, ending and maintaining friendships and finding love, or the closest thing to it.
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Seth has such a precision for timeline in this memoir, but I didn't feel quite like I was welcome reading the book-- distant and somewhat flat, which is understandable considering the environment. I just wasn't as moved as others to complete this admirable work. *sigh*
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Read in January, 2006
recommends it for:
people who enjoy biography
Vikram Seth is one of my favorite authors, and while this is not my favorite of his works, it still demonstrates his talent. Definitely worth a read, although I would suggest starting with An Equal Music as a better starting place for this author.
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Real-life story of how post-WWII the relationship between between a German Jew (married to an Indian dentist, seth's uncle)and her Christian German friends got reconfigured based on how much or little they cooperated with the Third Reich.
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Read in January, 2007
Seth is a great storyteller, and his prose is beautiful. This book is ultimately a love story, although it doesn't read like one. It's also a historical account of Germany's societal changes before and after WWII.
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Read in November, 2007
I rarely pick up biographies for a reason, but this one was alright. I read it for a class and I actually enjoyed it for the most part. the middle section about Aunt Hetty is a little dull, but Uncle Shanti is a beast.
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Read in February, 2008
This is an amazing book by a brilliant writer. It is part biography of the author's great uncle and aunt, part memoir, and an extraordinary recollection of the twentieth century. I learned much reading this book.
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Read in August, 2006
vikram seth is one the finest novelists whose books i look forward to each time..this book is an insight in his own life and the makings of the author himself..
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Read in February, 2007
Loved this book. Just such an amazing story of the human spirit, played out in ordinary lives. Worth a read. (though a bit sad in placed).
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Read in February, 2007
A lovely story about a lasting love found circumstance and an homage to one's family but ultimately too long
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