Picked this up cheaply at the UNWG bazaar on saturday. I love this author, and have never read her short stories, so thought it would be a good read. Apparently this book contains "eleven short stories glowing with the energy and exuberance of a society remaking itself," so am looking forward to reading it!

I was worried after reading the first story (and namesake) of this book--- scattered, detatched, and i didn't really get the story--- what it was trying to tell me, in a way. But the ones after it have been splendid!! Somewhat on the same themes of being detatched, but being detatched from something while attaching to something else, and then the mix of comfort and regret that results. Will journal more when i have finished.

This was a great collection of short stories--- themes of the immigrant experience primarily, mixed with ideas of displacement and fitting in and feeling comfortable and love and detatchedness---- all weaved and played with with an intensity and starkness i really connected with (which is surprising)--- great stuff!

I even re-read the first story, and while it is still not my favorite, I came to like it and appreciate it more after understanding and experiencing the rest of the stories and the emerging themes I saw in the collection.

Anyway, i won't go into details--- suffice it to say that Mukerjee has again wow-ed me with her skillful and exposed writing--- will look for more of her stuff when i can!

Released on Friday, January 07, 2005 at about 10:00:00 AM BX time (GMT-06:00) Central Time (US & Canada) at U1 in Wien, Wien Austria.

RELEASE NOTES:

Happy birthday bookcrosser verenka! In your honor, I will be leaving this book at the Kaisermullen-VIC station (Reumanplatz side) on the U1 line, in the alcove with the little benches right off the escalator, around 5-5:30pm. Enjoy!