"From the internationally best-selling, Pulitzer Prize–winning author, a superbly crafted new work of fiction: eight stories—longer and more emotionally complex than any she has yet written—that take us from Cambridge and Seattle to India and Thailand as they enter the lives of sisters and brothers, fathers and mothers, daughters and sons, friends and lovers.
In the stunning title story, Ruma, a young mother in a new city, is visited by her father, who carefully tends the earth of her garden, where he and his grandson form a special bond. But he’s harboring a secret from his daughter, a love affair he’s keeping all to himself. In “A Choice of Accommodations,” a husband’s attempt to turn an old friend’s wedding into a romantic getaway weekend with his wife takes a dark, revealing turn as the party lasts deep into the night. In “Only Goodness,” a sister eager to give her younger brother the perfect childhood she never had is overwhelmed by guilt, anguish, and anger when his alcoholism threatens her family. And in “Hema and Kaushik,” a trio of linked stories—a luminous, intensely compelling elegy of life, death, love, and fate—we follow the lives of a girl and boy who, one winter, share a house in Massachusetts. They travel from innocence to experience on separate, sometimes painful paths, until destiny brings them together again years later in Rome.
Unaccustomed Earth is rich with Jhumpa Lahiri’s signature gifts: exquisite prose, emotional wisdom, and subtle renderings of the most intricate workings of the heart and mind. It is a masterful, dazzling work of a writer at the peak of her powers."

Received through PaperBackSwap. (Unabridged on 8 CD's; read by Sarita Choudhury & Ajay Naidu) (previous library audiobook)

This being my first read of Jhumpa Lahiri's, I'd have to say I enjoyed her writing style. I'm not normally a big fan of short stories, but these were all enjoyable & seemingly very down-to-earth & true. Most all of the stories settled around 2nd generation people of Indian origin now living in the United States. Lahiri blended the two cultures together well, leaning not more toward one or the other, but creating just the right combination. I do look forward to reading her other works.

Wrapping this up & shipping off to the surprise winner of grubsneerg's audiobook sweepstakes. I saw this one on her wishlist, so I pulled it out of Mt. TBR & tried to earread it as fast as I could! Enjoy! :')

Received this in the mail today.
Thank you sooooooooooo much, indygo88, for this wonderful wishlist surprise.
Like you I'm not normally a fan of short stories, but I read Jhumpa Lahiri's first collection of short storeis - and loved them. Looking forward to listening to these now!!!

I loved listening to this! The mostly family-centered stories about highly educated Bengali expats are about migration and identity. Sometimes I felt that this got a bit repetitive. But the inner lives of the different characters are beautifully depicted and Lahiri gives detailed – but not dry – descriptions of (often every-day) events, lets the reader in on the protagonists’ conflicts and disappointments. Many stories are full of melancholy and grief and loneliness, about coming to terms with things, about how to move on with life, some leave you with a rather empty feeling. It’s easy to relate to the characters and one gets caught up with their lives after just a few sentences. Jhumpa Lahiri is a brilliant narrator and the stories are very well read. Recommendable!

"Human nature will not flourish, any more than a potato, if it be planted and replanted, for too long a series of generations, in the same worn-out soil. My children have had other birthplaces, and, so far as their fortunes may be within my control, shall strike their roots into unaccustomed earth." (Nathaniel Hawthorne)

... the audiobook is travelling around in Germany now before going abroad again
AudioBookRing:
- calisson
- Lesenmachtfroh
- Schneefee
- chawoso
- Urfin
- and back to me

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Travelling to calisson now, along with two books.
Enjoy!

kam heute mit der Post.
Dankeschön, auch für die zwei Überraschungsbücher!

I have not yet tried any of Jhumpa Lahiri's books in English. However I was deeply impressed by the novels and stories translated into German. Now I look forward to listening to this one. Thanks for sharing!

Ist heute bei mir angekommen. Ich weiß nicht, was auf mich zukommen wird. Danke für den Ring und für's Schicken. (Schöne Briefmarke!)
Surprisingly touching stories about Idian Immigrants in the USA. Very interesting to listen to the different accents of the speakers.
Thanks you for sharing this audiobook.

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

macht sich auf zu Schneefee.

chawoso kriegt nen Rappel, wenn ich jetzt SCHON WIEDER ein Hörbuch für sie habe - also werde ich mir mit dem Hören bis nach dem Urlaub Zeit lassen ;-)

it was a little bit hard to stay focused 8 CDs long (since it's not in my native language and I was driving through Holland with some Germans, Belgians, Dutch and two English - 4 languages in my poor head struggling for being used all together and at once). And at first, I didn't get the point at CD 2, puzzling together what Pranab and Usha might have to do with Ruma - until much later I found out: Nothing. This isn't an 8-CDs-long-Story but actually 3 different sories. Ahaaa!

But I really liked the book, and I really liked the narrator!

---

it's now RES and waiting for being accompanied by another 8-CD-Audiobook (which ist fortunately in German, so it won't take too long)

Die Spannung steigt: Wird dieses Buch als in Herdecke released erscheinen??

This new BC-page REALLY bothers me! hmpf.
Hope they'll get everything sorted out soon over there.

Schneefee hat mal wieder zugeschlagen :-) und mir einen "kleinen" Schwung Hörbücher vorbeigeschickt: u.a. dieses.
Ich bin schon sehr gespannt und werde mich mit dem Anhören beeilen, da der Urlaub ansteht ...

Ansonsten, Trommelwirbel: Herdecke ist erschienen :-)

Just arrived. It will take a little time, because there came some more Audiobooks with it ...

25.Juni:
Done! It take some time until I recognised the various stories, but I liked it.

On the road again ...

The audiobook arrived the day before yesterday. Accompanied by a cup of mate tea :o) - well, without the cup ;D Thanks.

Geht jetzt auf dem Postweg zurück an ApoloniaX.

The audiobook is with me again - and will travel on abroad some time soon.
Thanks for the stickers, Urfin!

Chosen from the South Asian VBB
by jumpingin
and travelling to Canada now.
Happy listening!

Arrived safely. Thank you, ApoloniaX, for the book and for the treats! It's amazing how quickly that chocolate disappeared.

I finished listening to this on the way to work this morning. I've never read any of Jhumpa Lahiri's work, and I will definitely be seeking out more. Overall I found these stories very touching. I did feel a little frustrated with a couple of the male characters who seemed very bitter and unhappy, but mostly I felt sorry for them.

Thanks, ApoloniaX, for sharing this book with me. It made my commute to work enjoyable, and I've found a new-to-me author!

Sent by surface mail to the winner of ApoloniaX's South Asian VBB raffle. Enjoy!

Thanks Jumpingin, what a great surprise!!
I'm not short of reading material, but I can never get enough Audiobooks :)

I have read this in hard copy but I'm really enjoying having it read to me. I love that it's unabridged too.
So far I'm well through the first story and enjoying it.
I may be tempted to keep this for a second listen before sending it on its way again.........

Review for the unabridged audio version.

I originally read this book for a book group that I was leading. We had not realised that they were short stories when the book was recommended so I was a bit concerened how it would fit into a book group setting. I need not have worried, the discussion was enthusiastic and varied, and everyone felt that it was a four / five star collection. The only minor problem was recalling the details of all the individual stories as we worked our way though, but we helped each other out here and found that between us we could fill in most of the details.

The theme of displacement was one we could all relate to, being ex-pats from around the world. Also the idea of making friends with people from all walks of life, with just our nationality in common. There was, however, a feeling that some of the characters lacked definition, hence the four, rather than five star rating.

Personally I favoured the triad of interconnected stories at the end. Here we had a chance to get to know the characters a little better and the ending was memorable - something that some of the other stories lacked.

Hearing the stories read by Sarita Choudhury and Ajay Naidu, was enjoyable, but I don't think I got as much out of them the second time around. 4 stars for the book, 3.5 for the audio version.

I have sent this on its way to a member of ReadItSwapIt in UK.
I enclosed a note asking her to register it as this has been a well travelled audiobook.
I hope that she will.
Enjoy your books Redheadtolly :)