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Interpreter of Maladies,
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Kristina Harrison
One of my teachers gave our 12th grade English classes several of the stories: "A Temporary Matter," "Interpreter of Maladies," and "This Blessed House." They were reasonably popular with many students, and a couple of us liked them so much that we bought the entire collection.
Cindy Marsch
No objectionable content, but I don't know that teens would find it exciting enough. The title story should be in anthologies for teens, though.
Diana Lloyd
I would say yes, as long as it is a class of mature teenagers (is that an oxymoron?) There is much to discuss, as the author deals a lot with feelings, as well as cultural differences that immigrants are challenged with. It would be especially good if you have a multi-cultural population in your class, to stimulate excellent discussions.
NancyJ
Absolutely. This is a wonderful set of stories that help students see another view of the world. "When Mr Pirzada Came to Dine" is told from the perspective of a young girl and has many relatable details. The first story is somewhat depressing, but it contrasts nicely with the final story (my personal favorite). In a writing class, you could offer the book as an example of a short story cycle in which the stories work together to cover similar themes, points, and counterpoints. To reduce stereotyping, many of the stories can be paired to provide a fuller picture of a community. (e.g. "A Real Durwan" and "The Treatment of Bibi Haldar" show both caring and uncaring neighbors.)
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