The Namesake in What's the Name of That Book???

Oct 13, 2007 Emma rated it it was amazing

You've heard this story before. Junot Diaz, Julia Alvarez, Anzia Yezierska, and Edwidge Danticat are just a few of the authors who have told their own versions. The story they all have in common: The immigrant experience in the United States. Each of the above authors tackles this subject from a different enthnographic perspective, but the pull between the old (native) culture and the new (immigrant) one is always present.

Pulitzer prize winning author Jhumpa Lahiri adds to this conversation with You've heard this story before. Junot Diaz, Julia Alvarez, Anzia Yezierska, and Edwidge Danticat are just a few of the authors who have told their own versions. The story they all have in common: The immigrant experience in the United States. Each of the above authors tackles this subject from a different enthnographic perspective, but the pull between the old (native) culture and the new (immigrant) one is always present.

Pulitzer prize winning author Jhumpa Lahiri adds to this conversation with "The Namesake" (her first novel which was a follow up to her short story collection "Interpreter of Maladies" which won the Pulitzer): the epic story of the Ganguli family's arrival and assimilation into the world of the United States.

The story begins when Ashoke and his wife (of an arranged marriage), Ashima, come to Massachusetts where Ashoke is a graduate student at MIT. The year is 1968. At the beginning of the novel Ashima is pregnant with her first child, a son.

In Bengali culture, it is common for people to have a formal name and a pet name (nickname). Ashoke has no problem coming up with a nickname for their son: Gogol. Unfortunately, due to a variety of mishaps and misunderstandings, the formal name proves harder to settle on and even harder to enforce. So Gogol Ganguli grows up with only a pet name--one that is not American, or Indian, or a first name.

No one really cares that Gogol's name is so unique, except Gogol whose anxiety over his name is bothersome enough that no external taunts are necessary. Gogol eventually resolves to rename himself, but not after learning the life-changing story that inspired his father give Gogol his name in the first place.

Despite the vast period Lahiri writes about, the novel's focus remains narrowly focused on the characters, especially Ashima and her son. Despite the authenticity that Lahiri brings to her main characters, certain scenes remain naggingly artificial--feeling simultaneously improbable and contrived.

Lahiri's writing here (I've yet to read her short stories) is beautiful without being pretentious or overly self-aware. The story feels authentic and compelling despite the fact that so many of the cultural references remain worlds away.

Even more interesting is the fact that I enjoyed almost the entire novel despite having a strong dislike of Gogol and several of the secondary characters. (I'd say more about what this means in terms of the writing style/skill but I still haven't figured out how that happened.) Despite my misgivings throughout the novel, Gogol does work toward redeeming himself by the end of the story.

Regardless of my nitpicks, "The Namesake" remains a must for anyone interested in the immigrant experience in America. Lahiri's narrative hearkens back to Jeffrey Eugenides' "Middlesex" which has a similar scope, tracing three generation's relationship with Detroit.

"The Namesake" deals with common themes but, as any good book should, Lahiri makes these subjects new and original with her unique characters and wonderful writing.
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Aug 29, 2007 Nadine in NY Jones rated it it was ok

Shelves: lotsa-buzz, authors-i-don-t-ever-want-to-read-a, fiction, literary-schmiterary, womens-day, 1001-books

Things I didn't like:
1. First person present tense.
2. No plot.
3. Randomly varying POV.
4. Tell don't show.
5. Minutiae-laden paragraphs.
6. Litany of disappointments.

Things I liked:
1. No grammar mistakes, and not painful to read.

This book is filled with scintillating, detail-laden passages, such as:

In spite of the fact that there is nothing in particular to do, the days assume a pattern. There is a certain stringency to life, a willful doing without. In the mornings they wake early to the frenzied

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Aug 19, 2011 Michelle rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 1001-books, book_club, lit_fic

2.5 stars

if you've seen the lovely 2006 movie version, you've pretty much read this book: an indian couple settle in the US shortly after their marriage, and proceed to raise their kids in america; despite all their attempts to infuse their kids' lives with bengali heritage, these kids are americans, with a very western approach to life & love. the story meanders through 30 years by skipping through them as snapshots - it's a slim book, with an intimate scope. by spending a good bit of time with ...more

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Feb 28, 2014 Christina rated it really liked it

This is a great book about a family.
It's extremely well-written, and realistic without being gritty. Not much happens, just life. All these people could be real - I don't think I've ever seen a flow of events in a book that seemed so natural - to the extent where I was texting my husband complaining about one character's poor decisions. It actually made me angry that (view spoiler) ...more

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Jul 31, 2016 Marigold rated it really liked it

Shelves: fiction-2000-2010, literary-fiction, india-indian-culture, immigrant-experiences, families, bipoc-writers

I love Jhumpa Lahiri and that is really all you need to know. I love her writing. I love the way her characters are not characters, but real people! I feel like I've met them & now they're my friends, & I feel sad & happy for them just as I would if they were my friends.

She does all this without being flashy or pretentious. It's just great story telling.

Dare I hope that there will be a second Gogol/Nikhil book?! He's only 32 at the end of this! I need to know the rest of his story!! Come on, M ...more

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Feb 06, 2022 junia rated it liked it

I liked it. I liked learning about this family. I like being transported through the decades from Calcutta to different cities in the East Coast. The different characters were interesting too. Very New England feel. I was disappointed when the book moved from focalizing through Ashima to Gogol.

The book was quiet. And not necessarily relatable specifically but... immigration always feels similar in some way or another right? And names are hard.

Don't think I really liked my name until my 30s. ...more

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Jun 28, 2007 Wealhtheow rated it it was ok

A very quick and easy read. I zipped through it in one afternoon. Unfortunately, I feel as though I've read it before; nothing new or particularly interesting gets said. That aside, it really is enjoyable, especially once Gogol gets into adulthood.
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