The Inheritance of Loss
5 journalers for this copy...
Booker Prize winner 2006
"This stunning second novel from Desai (Hullabaloo in the Guava Orchard) is set in mid-1980s India, on the cusp of the Nepalese movement for an independent state. Jemubhai Popatlal, a retired Cambridge-educated judge, lives in Kalimpong, at the foot of the Himalayas, with his orphaned granddaughter, Sai, and his cook. The makeshift family's neighbors include a coterie of Anglophiles who might be savvy readers of V.S. Naipaul but who are, perhaps, less aware of how fragile their own social standing is?at least until a surge of unrest disturbs the region. Jemubhai, with his hunting rifles and English biscuits, becomes an obvious target. Besides threatening their very lives, the revolution also stymies the fledgling romance between 16-year-old Sai and her Nepalese tutor, Gyan. The cook's son, Biju, meanwhile, lives miserably as an illegal alien in New York. All of these characters struggle with their cultural identity and the forces of modernization while trying to maintain their emotional connection to one another. In this alternately comical and contemplative novel, Desai deftly shuttles between first and third worlds, illuminating the pain of exile, the ambiguities of post-colonialism and the blinding desire for a better life, when one person's wealth means another's poverty." From Publishers Weekly
"This stunning second novel from Desai (Hullabaloo in the Guava Orchard) is set in mid-1980s India, on the cusp of the Nepalese movement for an independent state. Jemubhai Popatlal, a retired Cambridge-educated judge, lives in Kalimpong, at the foot of the Himalayas, with his orphaned granddaughter, Sai, and his cook. The makeshift family's neighbors include a coterie of Anglophiles who might be savvy readers of V.S. Naipaul but who are, perhaps, less aware of how fragile their own social standing is?at least until a surge of unrest disturbs the region. Jemubhai, with his hunting rifles and English biscuits, becomes an obvious target. Besides threatening their very lives, the revolution also stymies the fledgling romance between 16-year-old Sai and her Nepalese tutor, Gyan. The cook's son, Biju, meanwhile, lives miserably as an illegal alien in New York. All of these characters struggle with their cultural identity and the forces of modernization while trying to maintain their emotional connection to one another. In this alternately comical and contemplative novel, Desai deftly shuttles between first and third worlds, illuminating the pain of exile, the ambiguities of post-colonialism and the blinding desire for a better life, when one person's wealth means another's poverty." From Publishers Weekly
Journal Entry 2 by ApoloniaX at Contemporary Asian Literature, A Bookbox -- Controlled Releases on Friday, January 1, 2010
Arrived safely today, and so quickly too :) Thank you ApoloniaX for sending and organizing the VBB (though it is not so good for my mt.tbr... :p) It sounds like an interesting read, looking forward to it ^_^
Oh and I just noticed that on the label is a picture with a rooster on top of a cat, on top of a dog, on top of a donkey.. hmm.. wasn't that some kind of fairy tale? (something like musicians of Bremen?) or maybe I'm just hallucinating :p
Edit: Reserved for Soffitta1 (chosen from the South Asian VBB)
Oh and I just noticed that on the label is a picture with a rooster on top of a cat, on top of a dog, on top of a donkey.. hmm.. wasn't that some kind of fairy tale? (something like musicians of Bremen?) or maybe I'm just hallucinating :p
Edit: Reserved for Soffitta1 (chosen from the South Asian VBB)
This took me quite a while to finish, the story moves rather slowly but I didn't mind that. There were some very lovely descriptions and poignant observations that makes you think how true, but she says it in such a nice way :p (wanted to quote some, but have already wrapped up the book..). It was a bit depressing to read though, the author seems to have a rather pessimistic view on multiculturalism, globalization etc.. (or maybe it's just meant as criticism..?)
Will be mailed to Soffitta1 sometime soon :)
Will be mailed to Soffitta1 sometime soon :)
Released 13 yrs ago (10/18/2010 UTC) at Assendelft, Noord-Holland Netherlands
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Just got back from the post office :) Book is now on its way to Soffitta1.
Sorry for the delay! Hope you'll enjoy it ^-^
Sorry for the delay! Hope you'll enjoy it ^-^
Thanks for sending this.
Read this yesterday, I really got into it. Thanks again for sending me this.
There is a lot going on with this book, the plot is based round an Indian judge's family living in the Indian part of the Himalayas. With him is his granddaughter, Sai, and his cook. In their stories, you can see India's history.
The judge, top of his class, was educated in England, with the result that he and his granddaughter are almost aliens in their own country, more European than Indian in their ways. This affects how they are seen in a region bubbling with racial tension, including Sai's relationship with her tutor. The cook has sent his only son to the States, where he meets other Indians in various restaurant kitchens, Indians from many places, like Zanzibar, a result of colonialism.
It seems that even though Independence took place in 1947, India (and Pakistan and Bangladesh) still is feeling the affect of the colonial era, and this book shows various aspects of this difficult subject - the peoples wishing to secede from India, the caste system, many languages, poverty and corruption to name but a few.
A very worthwhile read, it is not a preachy book, but one seeking to show people living.
There is a lot going on with this book, the plot is based round an Indian judge's family living in the Indian part of the Himalayas. With him is his granddaughter, Sai, and his cook. In their stories, you can see India's history.
The judge, top of his class, was educated in England, with the result that he and his granddaughter are almost aliens in their own country, more European than Indian in their ways. This affects how they are seen in a region bubbling with racial tension, including Sai's relationship with her tutor. The cook has sent his only son to the States, where he meets other Indians in various restaurant kitchens, Indians from many places, like Zanzibar, a result of colonialism.
It seems that even though Independence took place in 1947, India (and Pakistan and Bangladesh) still is feeling the affect of the colonial era, and this book shows various aspects of this difficult subject - the peoples wishing to secede from India, the caste system, many languages, poverty and corruption to name but a few.
A very worthwhile read, it is not a preachy book, but one seeking to show people living.
Thanks so much for your donation soffitta1!
This book is now part of the 1001-library. If you want to take this book from the library but don't know how to proceed, please refer to the 1001-library bookshelf.
To be sent to ArwenG.
Journal Entry 10 by soffitta1 at Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire United Kingdom on Monday, November 26, 2012
Released 11 yrs ago (11/24/2012 UTC) at Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire United Kingdom
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Sent to a 1001-Library member in Portugal.
arrived today, looking forward to reading this one. thanks!
Journal Entry 12 by ArwenG at Lisboa - City, Lisboa (cidade) Portugal on Wednesday, February 27, 2013
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