The Namesake

by Jhumpa Lahiri | Literature & Fiction |
ISBN: 0006551807 Global Overview for this book
Registered by rapturina of Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on 1/12/2007
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11 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by rapturina from Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Friday, January 12, 2007
A very interesting book, though I felt rather detached from the main characters. Their lives were described intimately but I always felt a certain distance. It's not a happy book and I can't help but feeling the main character, Gogol, has utterly failed at making his life happy even though he tries, and it has left me a bit depressed after finishing it. Still, it's a very interesting look into the identity question and I would recommend this to anyone interested in the subject of cultural identity and immigration.

From the backflap:
"Gogol is named after his father's favourite author. But growing up in an Indian family in suburban America, the boy starts to hate the awkward name and itches to cast it off, along with the inherited values it represents. Determined to live a life far removed from that of his parents, Gogol sets off on his own path only to discover that the search for identity depends on much more than a name."

This book is going out into the world via a bookray!

Participants:

Bestfriends (in France - send to Europe)
Annodyne (in UK - send anywhere)
Istop4books (in US - send anywhere if neces.)
Passiontoread (in US - send anywhere)
Molekilby (in UK - send anywhere)
Samulli (in Germany - send anywhere by surface)


Finished its first round and now going for second round!

shell-game [in US]
rotewoelfin [in Germany, send ?]
haley79 [in Germany, send ?]

Aspen72 [in Finland, send anywhere] -----> it's here!

If you still want to join, feel free to PM me and you will be added to the end of the list!

Journal Entry 2 by rapturina from Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Saturday, February 17, 2007
On its way to Bestfriends as of Feb. 17th!

Journal Entry 3 by bestfriends from - Ergens in de provincie, Gelderland Netherlands on Monday, February 26, 2007
In my mailbox today! Together with one other ring/raybook. I hear people complain all the time, they always seem to come in waves, but it never happened to me before. Well, I almost finished the book I'm currently reading so one of them will be up next (not decided yet which one). Don't worry, I will finish it in time, I always have sofar ;-) Dank je wel rapturina voor deze ray. Ben erg benieuwd.

Journal Entry 4 by bestfriends from - Ergens in de provincie, Gelderland Netherlands on Saturday, March 3, 2007
I needed only a few sittings to finish this book as I could not put it down. Not because it’s such a thrilling story. In fact the plot is very simple; the author is merely narrating the every day lives of immigrants like there are thousand all over the world. Nothing out of the ordinary happens. Nevertheless: a wonderful, moving and touching novel, beautifully written. One of my best reads so far this year. Thanks for sharing.

Also in the movie theaters soon!

I have Annodyne's address and will send the book to her next week.

Released 17 yrs ago (3/5/2007 UTC) at To the next participant in Bookring/Bookray, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- Canada

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

economy mail

Journal Entry 6 by Annodyne from Sale, Cheshire United Kingdom on Thursday, March 15, 2007

Arrived here with me today. Thanks for sending it on bestfriends, together with the incense!

Journal Entry 7 by Annodyne from Sale, Cheshire United Kingdom on Wednesday, March 21, 2007

I love this book, and am sorry to have reached the end of it. As with real life, there are no easy answers, no final outcomes, but I did get the feeling that Gogol/Nikhil's life experiences were bringing him to an increasing acceptance of his heritage by the end of the book.

Jhumpa Lahiri manages to convey very accurately what it is like to have a foothold in two cultures, but to not feel particularly comfortable in either.

It is a very domestic novel, a world centured around one tiny family, but it is in the detail that real differences between peoples manifest themselves: take for example her frequent references to the preparation of food, both Indian and western (did you notice?)

Thank you rapturina for sharing this as a bookring. This is a great read!

I have istop4books address, and hope to send the book on its way in the next few days.


Journal Entry 8 by Annodyne from Sale, Cheshire United Kingdom on Saturday, March 24, 2007

Going to the Post Office this morning to send the book on its way to Istop4books in the US.

Really pleased that the film of the book (see bestfriends link in her JE) is coming to a cinema near me next week, and I'll certainly be going to see it!

Journal Entry 9 by istop4books from Castle Rock, Colorado USA on Friday, March 30, 2007
Just arrived in the mail today! Thank you so much Annodyne for the lovely postcard and bookmark! Having read all the comments, I now can't wait to get started. Just finishing up a book for another bookring and this one will be next.

Journal Entry 10 by istop4books from Castle Rock, Colorado USA on Saturday, April 7, 2007
This was a wonderful read, everything I expected it would be. When I was a little girl my family moved to South America, from the States. When I was 22 years old I moved back to the US. I never again felt totally comfortable on either continent. Reading Gogol's story, brought back so many memories, it was so eloquently written and brilliant in her simplicity. The way she portrays this family I think was spot on as to the general experiences of many families who have left their countries and started anew on foreign soil.

I did, however, feel that Gogol was unhappy, nothing good ever seemed to happen to him especially in his love/family life. I would have liked to have read about him having a belly laugh or being super close to his sister or a childhood friend - something. But it seemed to me that he just allowed life to take him in different directions. At no time did he ever get truly excited about his architecture - other than to wander all alone through Paris and Venice - again, not the happiest of moments. And in the end, I do believe he came full circle with the acceptance of who he was and where he had come from, perhaps even a bit of appreciation for his parents who had in so many ways made adjustments to accommodate their American-born children (like adopting Christmas and putting up a tree). All in all, very touching on many levels.

Will be sending along to passiontoread within a couple of days.

Journal Entry 11 by istop4books from Castle Rock, Colorado USA on Saturday, April 7, 2007
Sent out to passiontoread in today's mail. Enjoy!

Journal Entry 12 by passiontoread from Coopersburg, Pennsylvania USA on Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Just got the book this evening safe and sound. I will start it tonight. Thank you!

Journal Entry 13 by passiontoread from Coopersburg, Pennsylvania USA on Thursday, April 12, 2007
Wow! What a great book! I could not put it down. I feel sad though in that Gogol was constantly running from his culture and ashamed of his past and his parents, yet, seems to be drawn to them in the end. Read this book in about 12 hours and consider it the best book yet I've read this year. Love a completely absorbing book. Thanks so much rapturina for starting the bookray. Annodyne, I enjoyed the bookmark and the beautiful postcard. Already have contacted molekilby for address. Will update when I get more information.

Journal Entry 14 by passiontoread from Coopersburg, Pennsylvania USA on Friday, April 13, 2007
Mailed today to molekilby via air. Should be received in a week. Hope you enjoy the book as much as I did! Happy reading!

Journal Entry 15 by molekilby from Brithdir, Wales United Kingdom on Saturday, April 21, 2007
Waiting for me on my return from Poland. Thanks to passiontoread for sending and rapturina for sharing. This book has travelled fast and I will endeavour to keep it moving in the next couple of weeks.

Journal Entry 16 by molekilby from Brithdir, Wales United Kingdom on Tuesday, May 1, 2007
Certainly a very different feel for a book. It was almost as if we were never given the good things that happened, new job, graduation etc, focusing on the sad events of a family and what they were doing, how they were reacting. As well as seeing the culture change from their perspective, I wonder if it also showed how little the people of the new country integrated with the immigrants.

It did seem as if at the end Gogol was not so much as moving to his own culture, but regretting how he has reacted to those close to him. How many of us can say we haven't looked back at an episode where we reacted in a certain way only to regret that action and now why the action was wrong?

All in all a good read and will be passed to the next reader shortly. Sent 12th May.

Journal Entry 17 by samulli from Weimar, Thüringen Germany on Friday, May 18, 2007
Arrived today together with another ringbook. Since I am the last person on the list for now, I'll take my time with this one.
Thanks rapturina for organizing the ray and everybody else for sending it on.

Journal Entry 18 by samulli from Weimar, Thüringen Germany on Sunday, June 17, 2007
It took me quite a while to get into this book for some reason, but when it finally grabbed me I couldn't put it down and finished it in 2 days. I agree with rapturina that it is hard to find a connection to the characters. Their whole outlook on life is just so alien to me. Gogol himself is a quite depressing character on many levels.
Nevertheless the book is beautifully written and even though it leaves a certain sadness behind, I am glad I had the chance to read it.
I am waiting for rapturina to find some more readers for the ray now to keep it travelling.

Journal Entry 19 by samulli from Weimar, Thüringen Germany on Monday, June 18, 2007
The book will travel on to the US tomorrow. ;o)

Journal Entry 20 by shell-game from Queens, New York USA on Wednesday, August 8, 2007
It took me a while to dive into this book but it eventually really won me over. The author has a wonderfully, colorful and descriptive way of showing us India, New York (where I live, a place I love), families in all their strange and quirky glory (no matter the culture) and especially how a person comes to define themselves as they grow older and become an adult.

Journal Entry 21 by shell-game from Queens, New York USA on Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Releasing the book in the mail today (Halloween) to rotewoelfin in Germany, enjoy!

Journal Entry 22 by rotewoelfin from Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg Germany on Monday, November 12, 2007
Picked it up yesterday :) Thank you for shipping!

Journal Entry 23 by rotewoelfin from Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg Germany on Sunday, December 30, 2007
I'm so sorry, but I can't get into this book - and can't even describe why... You all seemed so enthusing about this book - I'm really sorry but I'm going to send it to the next reader as soon as possible - there it has a new chance :)

Journal Entry 24 by rotewoelfin from Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg Germany on Wednesday, January 2, 2008
haley has no time to read the book at the moment but would like to read it later! So I'm going to send the book on its way to Finland tomorrow :)

Journal Entry 25 by AspenYard from Turku, Varsinais-Suomi / Egentliga Finland Finland on Monday, January 7, 2008
The book arrived safely today. Thanks for posting. I'll read it asap, I only have couple of books in queue.

Journal Entry 26 by AspenYard from Turku, Varsinais-Suomi / Egentliga Finland Finland on Thursday, January 24, 2008
It took pretty long until I started to like this book. Maybe I was expecting something extraordinary or something unfamiliar and new. But actually I found simple telling about ordinary life quite slow, flat and not very deep... maybe I just couldn't catch the rhythm. But after the middle, I started to like the story more. I wanted to continue reading anyway all along, just hoping it somehow would change better. There were some chapters/descriptions once and a while, that kept me hoping.
Some Indian customs were interesting and a bit surprising, too. The familiar names of products and persons and things were kind of funny - and Scandinavia and Finland was in a way represented, too, as Saarinen (Eliel Saarinen, Finnish Architect) and Ikea (Swedish furniture shop) were listed :)

Thanks for this ring!!
I'm trying to find out to whom I should post this next, maybe haley79?????

Journal Entry 27 by AspenYard from Turku, Varsinais-Suomi / Egentliga Finland Finland on Monday, February 4, 2008
This book will be posted to haley79 this week.
And it will be my #8 release in Keep them moving 2008 challenge.
Happy reading!

Journal Entry 28 by haley79 from Bensheim, Hessen Germany on Saturday, February 9, 2008
Thank you, Aspen72.'The Namesake' arrived today and I am very curious about it. I've seen the movie and loved it. :)
Will not be read for some time though, since I still have a couple of books to read.

Journal Entry 29 by haley79 from Bensheim, Hessen Germany on Sunday, August 31, 2008
Finally I managed to read "The Namesake". I had so much to do that I couldn't start any sooner. Sorry for the delay.

I loved this book, couldn't stop reading once I started. I read the whole book during a long train ride. It was such a wonderful read, emotional, touching, very sensitively written.
I had seen the movie already, yet wanted to read the book afterwards - which I don't normally do - because I have been so moved by the story.

Now I can say: the film has been a wonderful adption of this book and managed to convey the book's atmosphere quite accurate: a sensitive insight into the lives of Indian immigrants into the US, a steady flow, compelling and touching. I simply love this book.

Thank you for sharing, rapturina! :o)

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