The Namesake: A Novel

This is the first book I have read by Jhumpa Lahiri but it has been on my TBR pile for a while after seeing it so highly rated. I love being immersed in another culture when I read and, as I have also emigrated to another country, I was keen to start and be taken on a familiar but different journey. We start the book in 1968 with Ashoke and Ashmina Ganguli, they are recently wed in an arranged marriage and have immigrated to Boston from Calcutta so that Ashoke can pursue a PhD in engineering. This is a world away from their Bengali family and friends and in the days before the internet, Ashmina is immediately homesick for India so she finds a network of Bengalis up and down the east coast, preserving traditions and creating a pseudo-family in her new country. Within the first year of the Gangulis arrival, Ashmina gives birth to a son, Gogol, named after the Russian writer, whose volume of short stories saved his fathers life during a fatal train derailment in India. Ashoke and Ashmina then have a daughter and they desire that their children have a Bengali life in America despite being one of few Indian families in their area but Gogol and his younger sister Sonali grow up fully assimilated as Americans. They barely speak Bengali and only once in a while crave Indian food. Both choose career paths that are not traditionally Indian so that they have little contact with the Bengali culture that their parents fought so hard to preserve. We follow the family over many years, shifting in perspective from parent to child, and see how their lives adapt, change and remain traditional in some ways as they navigate their futures in the US. I was immediately swept into the story and regularly found myself thinking about the characters when I wasn’t reading the book. This doesn’t happen often and I love it when a book does this to me. The writing is beautiful (it helps if you like short sentences) and the characters are complex and real. I loved reading about the struggles the family overcame and how their diverse upbringings made for an interesting story. Ashima's culture shock and Gogol's identity crises both felt very authentic and I also liked seeing one family's experiences over such a large timescale (around 30 years). At its heart, this is a simple family story told very well and, for a first full-length novel, it is brilliant and I really look forward to reading more of Jhumpa Lahiri’s work.

I ordered 'The Namesake' after greatly appreciating Unaccustomed Earth which had me reaching for a notebook to capture forever some wonderful quotes from it. Still 'The Namesake' sat about for a while as a 'to be read' (TBR) i.e. 'some other time', before I started it, as the write up on the back left me a bit cool towards the content. I actually realise now that I too was consciously affected by the ugliness of Gogol's name; it called to mind Gorgons, or some such monster. Grappling with this awkward and unexplainable handle, Gogol ploughs through his serious days. Removed from India to the USA, his parents seem apologetic and nervous of the outside world; yet urgently needing to fit in and to recreate the warm, accepting, encircling love they left behind with their large family. Longing for their distanced relations suffuses the lives of Ashoke and Ashima. All the same they are determined to make a success of their new situation, well prepared to quietly sacrifice deep set parts of their make up for the happiness of Gogol and his sister Sonia, aka Sonali. In a way they are all children, newly born to the American life. Understanding of his parents' sacrifice comes late to Gogol; as a child he has a foot in both camps having naturally become more American than Bengali. Children can as we know, be cruel. Wistful moments abound. The story become unexpectedly, for me, entirely touching. Having a short name and a long name is quite usual, I know the feeling of not recognising my proper name in the first days of school. For the Bengali tradition there is a 'good' name and a given one. One is used privately, the other for the outside world. Through a little mishap this process goes awry for Gogol. Thereafter he feels ill at ease with himself and it is this that sets him apart more than his race it seems. So what a challenge it can be to come to terms with an ill fitting label. Somehow it seems to colour his place in life and his success in relationships. Being Gogol is a tough row to hoe. Luckily Nikhil rides to his rescue, his other name. It is fascinating to know what actually makes someone physically change their 'christian' name - 'The Namesake' deftly offers an explanation for this intriguing mystery. The phenomenon of rather falling in love with other families happens to Gogol, when he is accepted by the parents of one girlfriend quite completely. This is a rite of passage I think for young people, when they are emerging into their own personalities and deciding the kind of life they will choose. A form of disloyalty to the birth family but an educational process all the same. The fortunes and misfortunes of Gogol/Nikhil and his nearest and dearest are beautifully described. Life happens to them; when they are busy making other plans. How they cope and re emerge from troubles keeps you reading with attachment and empathy. You can seem them all from all sides and love them for it. A most absorbing read. I have been advised that it is also a wonderful film. The Namesake [DVD] [2006 ]

Like the basic story line and superb style. However all a bit depressing as the main character's lives seem to go erong

Calm and lucid look at what it is like for an Indian couple, newly in an arranged marriage, to transplant themselves from India to America, away from their families, and the consequences to them and the children they have. Highlights how they get on by looking at what they eat, buy, how they deal with naming their son and how he deals with his name.

This is a lovely story of a family of Bengalis living in America. The mother and father don't integrate very much with Americans, but fine other Bengalis to share their time with. You definitely get a feel for their lives and an underlying dissatisfaction with their lives , of Gogol and his wife Mousumi. There are spellings throughout which I presume to be the American take on things. Pujo which I know as puja and all the Mousumis I know spell their name Mausumi and a few other spellings.

"The Namesake" by 'Jhumpa Lahiri' is simple yet extraordinary tale of an Indian bengali family, who has immigrated and settled in America. This book portrays the two generation's thought process, the difference and similarities between them, hardships of people who changed their nation. It also deals with many emotional aspects too like the craving for homeland, love, marriage, failing relationships etc. but the main theme of the book was identity and naming of the the protagonist. Ashoke Ganguli an intelligent young man was married to Ashima who is shown as an homemaker. They shifted in America just after their marriage. Ashoke being a working man got busy in his schedule and Ashima was left back, she crept to go her homeland. Though after sometime she started getting use to her life. The book opens with her pregnancy scene, she gave birth to a boy. Through her pregnancy journey to her labour pain ward she was shown comparing the particular place where they lived to India, which shows that she hasn't completely embraced US yet. And this isn't the end, throughout the book she has been shown comparing the nation where she lived to where she belonged. Her love and respect towards her homeland is something next level which will give a reader a jolt of rapture. Ashima and Ashoke though they have moved to abroad but they haven't forgotten their roots which is seen in the first half of the book itself. When their first child was born they were waiting for their grandmother's letter which has their child's name. Unfortunately the letter was lost and in an emergency they had to choose their child's name, 'Gogol'. And this very name gives turn to the story. Hereby this is the central theme of the book. The importance of this name in Ashoke's life discussed in the book is another interesting plot. Years later when Gogol grew up he was ashamed of his name and changed his name to 'Nikhil' and was happy with that until he came to know the importance of 'Gogol' in his father's life. He led his life the way he desired. He wasn't very fond of Indian culture and ritual. He found it extraordinary which made him try to escape from them. Later he learns through his hardships and failure what exactly life is about. Though it was too late for it. (It's a freaking human tendency we never care what we have) This book was a heart warming roller coaster ride for me. The plot was gripping, themes and characters were great and the most beautiful thing was the way it was presented. There will be several points in the book which will teach you good life lessons while reading this, like how we take our parents or loved ones for granted, another thing was we should never ever forget our roots where we come from, our identity cause that's what matter and many more things. In short it was a wholesome read. I would recommend this book to each and everyone out there. You won't regret even for a second once you start this masterpiece.

I have just finished the novel "the Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri!! It is a wonderful read, written with such raw emotion. Her development of the characters was so well done!! You could feel their frustrations, fears and anxieties! It takes a long time for the main character to realize who he really is and the value of his namesake! I can't wait to read to read the rest of her novels! I do enjoy her writing!!!!! Other novels by Jhumpa Lahiri are "The Lowland", "Interpreter of Maladies"and "Unaccustomed Earth".

Really a good read the pace is refreshing and really gives you a great perspective to step into someone else’s shoes

A thoughtful look a the life of an Indian woman and the experience of her family, including her children as she and her professor husband make a life in the USA. A sympathetic consideration of the challenges of growing up outside of mainstream culture in the US and an accurate portrayal of what for many it means "to be an American." Well written and highly enjoyable book.

Decepcionante. Após ter tantas avaliações altamente positivas, esperava algo melhor. A narrativa é simples, linear e termina por ser monótona. A proposta de mostrar o choque de culturas ficou longe. A história é toda certinha, certinha demais.